March 10, 2014 Monday Mass Readings and Reflection - The Last Judgement

Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy. – Leviticus 19:2

BE HOLY

    The members of the Executive Council of Servant Leaders (ECSL) of the Bukas Loob sa Diyos (BLD) Community received their marching orders from the BLD Global Spiritual Director, Archbishop Angel N. Lagdameo: Go and set the hearts of BLD members on F.I.R.E. So off we went to visit our 51 global districts, including those in the U.S., Canada and Hong Kong.

       F - ruitful, I - nspired, R - enewed and E - mpowered. This was the recurring theme of our renewal weekends wherever we went. The five couple-servant leaders are ordinary men and women, chosen by the Lord to carry out the extraordinary task of stirring the hearts of people.

       At the end of each weekend, we would fly back home to Manila feeling drained and exhausted from a fully packed trip spent on our feet, teaching and ministering to our members. But, inspired by the Holy Spirit, our hearts would always be full of joy and gratitude for a faithful and amazing God. He does not call the qualified, but He qualifies those whom He calls. Indeed, we serve a holy and awesome God! Mari Sison-Garcia 

1^ST READING 

Sometimes we do not embrace the truth that we are called to be holy because we think it is too hard to do this. This is a cop out and unacceptable in God’s eyes. He has given us the grace we need to be holy, no matter how difficult it may be. We just get on with it and respond to His mercy and love. Each of us has overcome adversity at one time or another. Here is another opportunity to do this.

Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18

1 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the whole assembly of the children of Israel and tell them: Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy. 11 “You shall not steal. You shall not lie or speak falsely to one another. 12 You shall not swear falsely by my name, thus profaning the name of your God. I am the Lord. 13 You shall not defraud or rob your neighbor. You shall not withhold overnight the wages of your day laborer. 14 You shall not curse the deaf, or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but you shall fear your God. I am the Lord. 15 You shall not act dishonestly in rendering judgment. Show neither partiality to the weak nor deference to the mighty, but judge your fellow men justly. 16 You shall not go about spreading slander among your kinsmen; nor shall you stand by idly when your neighbor’s life is at stake. I am the Lord. 17 You shall not bear hatred for your brother in your heart.  Though you may have to reprove him, do not incur sin because of him. 18 Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your fellow countrymen. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.”

P S A L M 

Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 15

R: Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

7 [8] The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The decree of the Lord is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple. (R) 8 [9] The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the command of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eye. (R) 9 [10] The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true, all of them just. (R) 14 [15] Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart find favor before you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (R)

GOSPEL 

Caring for the poor is an essential aspect of our calling. It is an integral part of the Gospel message. Social justice is always going to be an important aspect of the Gospel and encapsulates our community’s response to the poor. Let us never lose heart in discovering new ways to love those in our midst, especially the poor.

Matthew 25:31-46

31 Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, 32 and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ 40 And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ 41 Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ 44 Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ 45 He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ 46 And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

REFLECTION

IS IT A NO OR YES FOR YOU?

           I can’t remember who said it but I cannot forget what was said. The line goes, “In the beginning was the word, and the word was ‘No!’” I laughed when I first read it. If you did not after reading this, that means you did not get the message. More so, that means you are not familiar with your Scripture. Any Bible-reading Christian will easily recognize that this was a parody of the prologue of St. John where we read: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).

       Sadly, that is how the world (and some Christians even) perceive Catholic Christianity — a religion of don’ts. In a way it’s understandable. Look at the Ten Commandments, it’s a list of “Thou shall nots.” Look at the First Reading today from the book of Leviticus. The whole tenor of the reading is prohibition, restriction and thou shall not. I actually counted 10 “not,” not counting the “nor” which is almost the same as “not.”

       While I believe the perception is not without basis, it is not unavoidable. It all depends on what we focus on, more like the “half-filled, half-empty” perception question. You see, in every no is a hidden yes. If you said no to going left, that means you said yes to going right.

       The no that we find in the commandment must not be seen in isolation. The same principle applies. We are reminded to say no so that we can freely say yes to a higher value.

       So when the book of Leviticus reminds us to say no to lying, it is actually a yes to the value of sincerity. A no to hatred is a yes to love, a no to sin is a yes to holiness. The same goes for the rest of the admonitions.

       How positive and liberating it will be when we see the rules of faith this way. We are prevented from doing something so that we may be free for something better. Fr. Joel Jason

  

"Grant me, Lord, the courage to say no to things that would not lead me to You, and to say yes to those that will bring me closer to You."

Source:  http://kerygmafamily.com/modules/dailyreadings/read.php?date=2014-03-10

March 9, 2014 Sunday Mass Readings and Reflection - The Temptations of Jesus By The Devil

“It is written: ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” -Matthew 4:4

DO ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING

         Unplanned, unexpected and painful describe my departure from the company I served for 20 years. It came after being awarded a high performance incentive, at the heels of the fruition of a dream project, and just 18 months short of a tax-free retirement. Leaving was a choice between gainful employment and keeping my sanity and soul.

       Ten months have passed and already feeling the strain of unemployment, an unexpected job opportunity came. During the interview, I was told that the company’s employees should be like entrepreneurs, willing to do anything and everything to meet its objectives. The interviewer went on to cite a situation when they had to bribe an official to facilitate an important transaction. “Everybody is doing it and it’s part of the game,” he said.

       The chance for a senior level and high-paying position with expatriate status was very tempting to pursue since I was nearing the end of my patience and resources. But I didn’t take the job. I may reach rock bottom before that elusive job comes, but I will not be lured into putting my values at stake. Marie Franco

First Sunday of Lent

1^ST READING 

This second account of Creation is a very beautiful description of the way God shares the gift of life with us. God does not just create us but He also creates everything we need to live. That is why sin is such a tragedy. It is rebellion without a shred of gratitude towards God for His goodness to us. Let’s reverse this rebellion through obedience and gratefulness to God for all He has done for us.

Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7

7 The Lord God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and so man became a living being. 8 Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and he placed there the man whom he had formed. 9 Out of the ground the Lord God made various trees grow that were delightful to look at and good for food, with the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 3: 1 Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals that the Lord God had made. The serpent asked the woman, “Did God really tell you not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?” 2 The woman answered the serpent: “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; 3 it is only about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, “ ‘You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.’ ” 4 But the serpent said to the woman: “You certainly will not die! 5 No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods who know what is good and what is evil.” 6 The woman saw that the tree was good for food, pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves. 

P S A L M 

Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14, 17

R: Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

1 [3] Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. 2 [4] Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. (R) 3 [5] For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always: 4 [6] “Against you only have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight.” (R) 10 [12] A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. 11 [13] Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me. (R) 12 [14] Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me. 15 [17] O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise. (R)

2^nd READING 

We are responsible for the disaster that sin has brought upon the human race and the world. We cannot blame God for this. In fact, it is God who gives us the way out through the gift of His forgiveness of our sins in Jesus Christ. Not only does God create us in the first instance, He redeems us in the second to give us another chance to form ourselves in His image and likeness.

Romans 5:12-19

12 Brothers and sisters: Through one man sin entered the world, and through sin, death, and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned — 13 for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world, though sin is not accounted when there is no law. 14 But death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin after the pattern of the trespass of Adam, who is the type of the one who was to come. 15 But the gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one, the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ overflow for the many. 16 And the gift is not like the result of the one who sinned. For after one sin there was the judgment that brought condemnation; but the gift, after many transgressions, brought acquittal. 17 For if, by the transgression of the one, death came to reign through that one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of justification come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ. 18 In conclusion, just as through one transgression condemnation came upon all, so through one righteous act acquittal and life came to all. 19 For just as through the disobedience of one man the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of one, the many will be made righteous.

GOSPEL

The devil is allowed to test Jesus and He passes the test with flying colors. The devil is unable to penetrate to the heart of Jesus’ love for His Father. It is when we give credence to sin and temptation that we get into trouble. This is where our problems start. It is time for us to take responsibility for the voices we listen to and choose only those that are going to help us grow in our love for God and one another.

  

Matthew 4:1-11

1 At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2 He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. 3 The tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” 4 He said in reply, “It is written: ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.’ ” 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city, and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you’ and ‘with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ” 7 Jesus answered him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.’ ” 8 Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, 9 and he said to him, “All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.” 10 At this, Jesus said to him, “Get away, Satan! It is written: ‘The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.’ ” 11 Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him.

REFLECTION

REVIVED, RECONCILED, REUNITED!

      A man takes his pet to the veterinarian after a car ran over it. He lays the body on the exam table and the vet examines it, listening for the heart, and solemnly says, “I’m very sorry, Mr. dela Cruz, but I’m afraid your pet is dead.” Mr. dela Cruz, very distraught, exclaims, “How can you be sure? You haven’t done any tests or anything! I want to be sure!”

       So the vet leaves the room and then re-enters with a Labrador Retriever. He leads the dog to the table, and the dog sniffs up and down, then turns away. He then leaves with the dog and returns with a cat, and proceeds to wave the cat back and forth over the dead pet. No response. Again, he leaves the room. By this time the man has faced the fact that his pet is indeed dead.

       The vet returns and says once more how sorry he is, then he presents the owner with a bill for P50,000. Mr. dela Cruz protested, “Fifty thousand pesos just to tell me my pet is dead?” The vet replies, “Well, it would have been only P500 for the office call, but the lab work and cat scan were extra!”

       Whenever we sin, something in us dies. In the book of Genesis, Yahweh warned the first man and woman, “…you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die” (Genesis 2:17). John, in his epistles, warns, “If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death” (1 John 5:16). Mortal is Latin for mortis, or death. Sin kills the life of God in us. Sin compromises our life in the Spirit.

       What revives the life of God in our soul? With the sacrament of reconciliation, the break is healed and our integrity is restored and we are once again made whole. The season of Lent’s call for prayer, fasting and almsgiving attunes us to our inner life where the angelic and the animal in us live in harmony and integration. Be revived, reconciled and reunited with God! Fr. Joel Jason

 "Lord, thank You for the sacrament of reconciliation. Thank You for always waiting for me there, 

please give me the strength to ward off temptation and remain faithful to You."

Source:  http://kerygmafamily.com/modules/dailyreadings/read.php?date=2014-03-09

March 8, 2014 Saturday Mass Readingsand Reflection - Jesus Did Not Come For The Righteous But Sinners

“Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do.  I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.” -Luke 5:31-32

SECOND LIFE

      Bionic woman. That was what the nurses in Cardinal Santos Hospital called me. I was involved in a car accident during the summer of 1998. I was crossing a street in San Juan, when a car came by and in a split second I felt like I had somersaulted and fell to the ground. My first thought was, “Did I just get hit? Nakakahiya, ang daming tao” (How embarrassing, there are so many people). I didn’t even realize it was that serious until I heard people say, “Yung bata nasagasaan!” (The child was hit!) People came up to me, asking if I was OK, and insisted I should be brought to the hospital.

       When I got into the car, I saw the shattered windshield. Whoa! This is serious! I broke the car’s windshield! Am I gonna die? Trembling, I checked my body parts for blood or broken bones. After 24 hours, I was discharged from the hospital with only a big bruise on my hip and leg and a laceration on my arm. Praise be to God! I knew several angels had protected me from what could have been a tragic ending.

       Jesus saved me from a fatal accident and gave me a second life. And I believe God will not only save our bodies but our spirits as well. Let’s allow Jesus to save us by accepting Him as our personal Lord and Savior. Lala Dela Cruz
 

1^ST READING 

Isaiah focuses on two aspects of our lives, namely our relationship with God and giving it priority, and how we care for the poor, those least able to fend for themselves in society. As we reflect on these two things, let us be honest with ourselves and examine how we can do better than what we already are doing for them.

Isaiah 58:9-14

9 Thus says the Lord: If you remove from your midst oppression, false accusation and malicious speech; 10 if you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; then light shall rise for you in the darkness, and the gloom shall become for you like midday; 11 then the Lord will guide you always and give you plenty even on the parched land. He will renew your strength, and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring whose water never fails. 12 The ancient ruins shall be rebuilt for your sake, and the foundations from ages past you shall raise up; “Repairer of the breach,” they shall call you, “Restorer of ruined homesteads.” 13 If you hold back your foot on the sabbath from following your own pursuits on my holy day; if you call the sabbath a delight, and the Lord’s holy day honorable; if you honor it by not following your ways, seeking your own interests, or speaking with malice — 14 then you shall delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will nourish you with the heritage of Jacob, your father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

P S A L M 

Psalm 86:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

R: Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.

1 Incline your ear, O Lord; answer me, for I am afflicted and poor. 2 Keep my life, for I am devoted to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God. (R) 3 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for to you I call all the day. 4 Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord,  I lift up my soul. (R) 5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in kindness to all who call upon you. 6 Hearken, O Lord, to my prayer and attend to the sound of my pleading. (R)

GOSPEL

Jesus is interested in conversion. He wants us to become better Christians. He does not want us to allow presumption to be the basis of our receiving the gift of salvation, as we may find that that is not enough guarantee to receive it. Yes, God freely offers us the gift of salvation, but it is up to us to put it to use and, thus, allow it to shine forth to the world through the way we live.

Luke 5:27-32

27 Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” 28 And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him. 29 Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were at table with them. 30 The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 Jesus said to them in reply, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. 32 I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”

REFLECTION

LOVE IS REAL

     Do you remember that old cartoon strip where a cranky and obnoxious individual claimed, “I love humanity! It’s people that I hate”?

       If I ask for a raise of hands, I’m sure everyone reading this will profess love for humanity. But humanity is faceless, a theory, an abstraction, and so it is easy to love it. People are real, that’s why we hate them.

       Read today’s First Reading from the Prophet Isaiah and you will see that it is a call to love people, not humanity. We are called to bring comfort to the oppressed, bread for the hungry, healing for the afflicted. In today’s Gospel, Jesus brings the invitation a notch higher: We are to love even the unlovable.

       The lesson is clear. Love is not only an emotion; it is a decision. Love is not only a function of the heart; it is a function of the will. Love becomes love only when incarnated by acts seeking the good of another.

      This should not be a surprise coming from Jesus. He is God incarnate (from the Latin in carne:in the flesh). A poet once said that man cannot genuinely love that which he cannot put his arms around. That is why God became man, that we might be able to put our arms around Him.

       One grows in charity especially when our love is challenged — when we need to love the unlovable, the unkempt, those who have hurt us. In the minimum, loving the unlovable simply means — as Aquinas defines love — seeking the good of the other. When you think of the person who has hurt you and still earnestly wish and pray that he be enlightened and converted, that is seeking the good of the other. Even when you have to hail the other in court and possibly in jail as a demand of justice, but still wish that he ends up living his life in friendship with God, that is seeking the good of the other. Even in the absence of pleasant feelings and sentiments towards the other, you can still love the other, for love is not an emotion but a decision to wish the good of the other. It is difficult but not impossible. That’s why we need to pray for and inspire one another. Fr. Joel Jason

"Grant me Your heart, Lord, that I may love as You love."

Source:  http://kerygmafamily.com/modules/dailyreadings/read.php?date=2014-03-08 

March 7, 2014 Friday Mass Readings and Reflection - The Power From Fasting

They worship me every day, claiming that they are eager to know my ways and obey my laws. – Isaiah 58:2

FASTING

I have always been underweight. As far as I can remember, I’ve tried all sorts of vitamins and minerals, even Chinese medicine. I even had to incorporate chocolates in my diet. How? When I was a teenager, I had to eat chocolates after every meal. The doctor said that I could eat whatever I wanted, and he even prescribed iron, vitamin C, B complex, and other letters of the alphabet. I had to painstakingly take three to four supplements a day. My generous grandmother provided me with the treats after every meal. Nothing happened. I was — and still am — as thin and flimsy as an angel fish.

       I had been faithfully fasting since 2003 when I first joined a community in Makati. So when Bro. Bo Sanchez advised the community that underweight people are not supposed to fast from food, my heart was crushed, and every inch of my body was asking why. Well, medically speaking, I knew the answer, but deep down during my prayer time, God impressed upon me that I should still fast from something as basic as food. Why? Because I learned something as basic as self-control. Ems Sy Chan

1^ST READING

Isaiah chastises the Jewish people for their lack of faithfulness to the ways of the Lord. He calls them to a new beginning, whereby they will live the fullness of their religious faith without compromise or hypocrisy. This is a challenge we all face, each in our own circumstances. Let us ask God for the grace to remain faithful to Him.

Isaiah 58:1-9

1 Thus says the Lord God: Cry out full-throated and unsparingly, lift up your voice like a trumpet blast; tell my people their wickedness, and the house of Jacob their sins. 2 They seek me day after day, and desire to know my ways, like a nation that has done what is just and not abandoned the law of their God; they ask me to declare what is due them, pleased to gain access to God. 3 “Why do we fast, and you do not see it? afflict ourselves, and you take no note of it?” Lo, on your fast day you carry out your own pursuits, and drive all your laborers. 4 Yes, your fast ends in quarreling and fighting, striking with wicked claw. Would that today you might fast so as to make your voice heard on high! 5 Is this the manner of fasting I wish, of keeping a day of penance that a man bow his head like a reed, and lie in sackcloth and ashes? Do you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord? 6 This, rather, is the fasting that I wish releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; 7 sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own. 8 Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. 9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am!

P S A L M

Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 18-19

R: A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

1 [3] Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. 2 [4] Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. (R) 3 [5] For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always. 4 [6] “Against you only have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight.” (R) 16 [18] For you are not pleased with sacrifices; should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it. 17 [19] My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn. (R)

GOSPEL

Jesus is not interested in splitting hairs about the legal requirements of the faith. Religion is found in the heart of each person. It is there that the true measure of religion lies, as it is in our hearts that our relationships find their basis and origin. Christianity is all about our relationships — with God (loving Him and doing His will) and with others.

Matthew 9:14-15

14 The disciples of John approached Jesus and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?” 15 Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

REFLECTION

SOUL FOOD

A priest went into a restaurant to have a late dinner. He chanced upon a group of rowdy teens shouting, making fun of the food, and heckling the waitress. When the food was set before him, he bowed his head in prayer, said grace and made the sign of the cross. One of the smart alecks in the group thought of making fun of the priest and spoke in a way audible to the whole diner, “So, we have a saint in the house.” Turning to the priest he asked, “Does everyone do that where you came from, padre?” The priest turned to the boy and responded quickly, “No, son, the pigs don’t.”

       Does it really make a difference if you bless the food or not? Does the prayer make the food more palatable? Does the blessing banish all the unwanted calories and cholesterol? I concede it probably won’t.

       So do I bless my food every time I sit before the dining table? Yes, I do, always. I bow my head in prayer and utter a prayer of thanksgiving because when I do so, the food ceases to be just a bodily and gastronomic treat. When I bless God for the food I take, it becomes food for the soul as well. When I bless God for the food I take, I open my heart in gratitude and my soul is nourished as well. When I bless God for the food I take, I dispose myself to the consciousness that “man does not live by bread alone, but from every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Food not prayed over surely nourishes the body, but food blessed and prayed over nourishes the body and soul.

       This is why fasting is an essential part of Christian spirituality. Both the First Reading and the Gospel speak of the practice of fasting. Why do we fast? Not because food is bad. We fast in order to tame our physical appetite, which aims only for self-satisfaction, so as to rouse our spiritual appetite to “free the oppressed, feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, and clothe the naked,” as Isaiah the Prophet enjoins us in the First Reading. Fr. Joel Jason

 "Purify my intentions, Lord, as I fast this Lenten season."

Source:  http://kerygmafamily.com/modules/dailyreadings/read.php?date=2014-03-07

March 6, 2014 - Thursday Mass Readings and Reflection - You Gain The Whole World Yet Lose Your Soul

“What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?” – Luke 9:25

DREAM JOB?

As a fresh graduate, I was offered a dream job at a prestigious firm with a salary beyond my expectations. The money and the glamour of the career was a temptation my mentoring professor urged me to accept. He had also taken a similar job early in his life and his recognition in the industry was unquestionable.

       Ironically, it was his reference to himself that made me pause. I thought about how he had dedicated his heart and passion to his craft and how he had risen up the ranks through hard work, plenty of overtime, and his will to be the best. As a consequence, he was unmarried. Unable to sustain long-term relationships due to his lifestyle, he was alone with no one to share his amassed fortune.

       Declining the job came easy after realizing that love and family were not something God would’ve wanted me to sacrifice in exchange for riches. I am not the best in what I do now and I will have to settle for being good at it. But I will definitely not settle until I am the best wife and the best mother to my family, the two responsibilities God gave me to prioritize above all else. Eleanore Teo

1^ST READING

 

Every moral choice we make is between life and death. Remember that a slow creeping death is still death. It is important that we form our consciences well and develop the habits of a virtuous life so that every decision we make will lead us towards God.

 

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

15 Moses said to the people: “Today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and doom. 16 If you obey the commandments of the Lord, your God, which I enjoin on you today, loving him, and walking in his ways, and keeping his commandments, statutes and decrees, you will live and grow numerous, and the Lord, your God, will bless you in the land you are entering to occupy. 17 If, however, you turn away your hearts and will not listen, but are led astray and adore and serve other gods, 18 I tell you now that you will certainly perish; you will not have a long life on the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and occupy. 19 I call heaven and earth today to witness against you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, 20 by loving the Lord, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him. For that will mean life for you, a long life for you to live on the land which the Lord swore he would give to your fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”

 

 

P S A L M

 

Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4, 6

R: Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

1 Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked nor walks in the way of sinners, nor sits in the company of the insolent, 2 but delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on his law day and night. (R) 3 He is like a tree planted near running water, that yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade. Whatever he does, prospers. (R) 4 Not so the wicked, not so; they are like chaff which the wind drives away. 6 For the Lord watches over the way of the just, but the way of the wicked vanishes. (R)

 

 

GOSPEL

 

What is your cross? What sin or situation do you struggle with constantly? Are you winning or losing the struggle? If it is the latter, then it is time to call upon the grace of the Holy Spirit to help you overcome that sin or temptation. You might even need the help of a spiritual director to guide you in your struggle for a while and help you take control of the situation.

 

Luke 9:22-25

22 Jesus said to his disciples: “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.” 23 Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?”

REFLECTION

 

LETTING GO

 

In the year 2010, a movie entitled 127 Hours starring James Franco hit the movie screens. It was about an adventurous young man named Aron Ralston who, on April 25, 2003, went mountain climbing in Utah’s Canyonlands.  He reached a spot where boulders are suspended, wedged between the walls of rock. As he descended, he slipped. Along with him a boulder fell and fortunately (or unfortunately) arrested his fall but pinned his right arm against the canyon wall, trapping him. He yelled for help but to no avail. After more than five days (127 hours to be exact), he decided to do the unthinkable. With his pocket knife, he began to slowly cut through his right arm to extricate himself from the boulder and from a slow and painful death. Today, Aron Ralston goes around sharing his inspirational story with a stump of his right arm as testimony.

       Listen to the words of Jesus: “For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit does he show who gains the whole world and destroys himself in the process?” Jesus is not legitimizing self-hatred. Jesus is saying we must be more than willing to do an act of spiritual amputation rather than persist in sin.

       In the writings of St. Augustine, sin is described as satisfying our longing for the eternal God with something less than God. God has placed in the human heart an ache for the Infinite. Sin is trying to fill this infinite vacuum with the finite. Bishop Fulton Sheen defined sin as trying to satisfy our thirst for the Infinite from the teacup of finite satisfactions. Holiness is preferring the whole, permanent and irreplaceable over the partial, temporary and replaceable.

       Isn’t that what Aron Ralston did? Faced with mortal danger, Ralston’s life flashed in front of him. In a dream or premonition, he saw a vision of his unborn son. This gave him the will to endure the pain of mutilating his own arm to free himself for the life and freedom he now enjoys. Fr. Joel Jason

 "Fill me, Lord, and satisfy my longing for You. Help me to let go of those things which lead me to sin."

Source:  http://kerygmafamily.com/modules/dailyreadings/read.php?date=2014-03-06

March 5, 2014 - Wednesday Mass Readings and Reflection - Prayer, Fasting and Abstinence

So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. – 2 Corinthians 5:20

EMISSARY OF PEACE

A robbery just took place in the neighborhood. Everyone was shouting in anger, ranting at and accusing one another. Nobody knew who did it, but they all had their suspicions. They lost money, watches, frying pans, even cell phones, grocery items, and other small stuff.

       It was as if a “tsunami” swept through the street that day.

       Where were they when the robbery happened?

       On that fateful morning, all eyes and ears were glued to the television in the house of the barangay captain. While Manny Pacquiao was punching away, the robber took advantage of the open doors in the whole street.

       After an hour, the noise died down, and everyone was quiet and sad. One man stood up, gathered the men, women and children and told them that it was good that no one was home when the robbers came. Otherwise, some could have been hurt or even killed. Like an ambassador of peace, he led them to pray and thank God that they were all alive and unhurt and that they had only lost material goods. Chelle S.Crisanto

1^ST READING

The Prophet Joel summarizes the message of all of the prophets when he encourages us to make sure that we live the faith we proclaim. He also encourages everyone to take seriously this call to holiness and ensure that we are doing all that we can to live it, and to encourage those close to us to do the same. Let us be faithful to this calling.

Joel 2:12-18

12 Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; 13 rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment. 14 Perhaps he will again relent and leave behind him a blessing, offerings and libations for the Lord, your God. 15 Blow the trumpet in Zion! Proclaim a fast, call an assembly; 16 gather the people, notify the congregation; assemble the elders, gather the children and the infants at the breast; let the bridegroom quit his room, and the bride her chamber. 17 Between the porch and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep, and say, “Spare, O Lord, your people, and make not your heritage a reproach, with the nations ruling over them! Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’ ” 18 Then the Lord was stirred to concern for his land and took pity on his people.

P S A L M

Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14, 17

R: Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

1 [3] Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. 2 [4] Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. (R) 3 [5] For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always: 4 [6] “Against you only have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight.” (R) 10 [12] A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. 11 [13] Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me. (R) 12 [14] Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me. 15 [17] O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise. (R)

2^ND READING

What does it mean to be an ambassador? It is a role of great responsibility; it is both a privilege and a duty. The greatest message we have to proclaim is that of reconciliation with God and others. We must take this powerful message seriously, and we, Christians, should live it out and become agents of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2

20 Brothers and sisters: We are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. 6: 1 Working together, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says: “In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

GOSPEL

What matters most is that God sees what we do. The world tells us to make sure that we get the proper acclaim for what we do, but it is the opposite when it comes to working in the Kingdom of God. All the glory should be given to the Lord. If we keep it to ourselves, we are in danger of developing a messianic complex, i.e., we think we can save ourselves, or worse, save others.

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

1 Jesus said to his disciples: “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. 2 When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, 4 so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. 5 “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. 16 “When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

REFLECTION

Ash Wednesday

FULLY ALIVE!

King Mousaka is well-known for his legendary cooking talent. Royalties from neighboring tribes travel far and wide to taste his delicious creations, especially his grilled lamb. Two ministers went to the king’s palace with excitement to sample his cooking. To prepare their palate, he served them a small portion of salad with greens freshly picked from his garden. Minister 1 finished it with delight as he anticipated better things to come. Minister 2 threw it away saying, “I don’t want this. I came here for the real thing, not this measly appetizer!” Shocked and insulted, King Mousaka ordered Minister 2 thrown out, saying, “My appetizer is just as much my creation as is my grilled lamb. To reject it is to reject me as well.”

       It’s Ash Wednesday once more. Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent, 40 days marked by self-denial and renunciation as preparation for Holy Week, where we commemorate the passion and death of the Lord. Self-denial and renunciation of the world is a legitimate path to holiness.

       Just a word of caution here. The season of Lent calls us to self-denial and renunciation not because the self and the world are bad. They are good, but we are cautioned that they are so good we treat them as God. Genuine self-denial and renunciation should never be done out of an attitude of contempt and disdain for the natural goodness of things. This spirituality creates stoics out of God’s children. That is not God’s joy. The saints know this. St. Irenaeus said, “The glory of God is man fully alive.”

       Genuine self-denial and renunciation is practiced in an attitude of holy detachment, which says, “This world is beautiful. I will rejoice in it, but I will not be possessed by it because more is to come. If creation is good, how much better is the One who created it?” That is the key. Minister 1 enjoyed the appetizer with an awareness that the better part is coming. He rejoiced in it but he knows it is not the be all and end all of his visit to the palace. That is why the King was delighted to give him more. Fr. Joel Jason

"Father, I embrace Your plan to make me fully alive, not only in Your kingdom but even now while in this beautiful world You have created for me. Help me to grow in holy detachment, that the goods of creation may always lead me to You. Amen."

Source:  http://kerygmafamily.com/modules/dailyreadings/read.php?date=2014-03-05

March 1, 2014 - Saturday Mass Readings and Reflection - Jesus' Love For The Children

Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them. – Mark 10:16

 SEEDS YOU PLANT WILL BEAR FRUIT

       Last year, I received news that filled my heart with so much joy. You see, 17 years ago, I worked with a bunch of teenagers in the Light of Jesus Family. I personally took them under my wing.

       But when they hit their twenties, some of them got busy with their careers, got married, had babies, and worked abroad. I didn’t hear from them for many years.

       When our international missionary, Roy Pasimio, came home from a visit to the Middle East last year, he told me that we now have new video Feasts in that part of the world. I asked him, “Who are our leaders there?” And Roy told me, “Remember the teenagers that were part of our youth group years ago? They’re now our leaders there.”

       Yes, the seeds planted in their youth are now flourishing and bearing fruit.

       Friend, don’t be discouraged when it seems like nothing is happening to the people you’re trying to disciple. Your role is to continue to plant and bless them. God’s role is to grow the plant. As they say, you may be the only Bible that people will read. Believe that, one day, the harvest will come. Bo Sanchez 

1^ST READING

We never stand alone when we have faith. We always stand as the community of the faithful, the Church, when we confront the various events of our lives. Our challenge, as always, is to trust that whatever happens, God will have His hand in there somewhere. Even when we make wrong decisions or are suffering, God draws us closer to Him in one way or another.

James 5:13-20

13 Beloved: Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing a song of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful. 17 Elijah was a man like us; yet he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain upon the land. 18 Then Elijah prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the earth produced its fruit. 19 My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring him back, 20 he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

P S A L M

Psalm 141:1-2, 3, 8

R: Let my prayer come like incense before you.

1 O Lord, to you I call; hasten to me; hearken to my voice when I call upon you. 2 Let my prayer come like incense before you; the lifting up of my hands, like the evening sacrifice. (R) 3 O Lord, set a watch before my mouth, a guard at the door of my lips. 8 For toward you, O God, my Lord, my eyes are turned; in you I take refuge; strip me not of life. (R)

GOSPEL

Jesus wants us to know that we are never too young to come to Him. It is not a matter of how wise or strong we are, but that we want to be with Him. This is the message of the Gospel today. Let us always be open to the work of the Holy Spirit, who draws and attracts us to the way of discipleship. He is always fighting against the various attractions of the world that are more immediate and palpable. Let us be extra vigilant to the voice of the Spirit in our lives.

Mark 10:13-16

13 People were bringing children to Jesus that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said  to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” 16 Then he embraced the children and blessed them, placing his hands on them. 

REFLECTION
 

WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT

        As a priest, people approach me to ask for a lot of things. Some ask for counsel, for information, for clarifications about the faith.  Sometimes I get asked questions which have nothing to do with who I am or with what I represent. I was once asked which stock is performing best in the market. I don’t even know what a stock is and how it works. I guess it’s because, as a priest, I represent what a community recognizes as an elder.

       In the First Reading today, James paints a picture of a typical early Christian community. James commends the concerns of the community to the pastoral attention of an elder. An elder in a community plays the role of advisor, healer, comforter, reconciler and, above all, a prayer advocate. It is summed up in the line, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16). There are many versions of this verse describing the character of the elder, but this is what I like best: “The fervent petition of a holy man is powerful indeed.”

       I’m not sure if I fit the category of the “holy man” in James 5:16 but I’m sure his prayer request is not something that a holy man prays for and God blesses. A holy man does not and cannot blackmail God into submission. One cannot pray, “This I pray, whether you like it or not.” It doesn’t work that way. The unwritten dictum is that a holy man prays only for holy things — things that are true, good and beautiful.

       One time, a guy subtly asked me to pray for the failure of his competitor’s business venture. “He pirated some of my business ideas and so I pray he doesn’t succeed,” he explained. “Malakas naman kayo kay Lord, di ba?” he added. (Your prayers are powerful with the Lord.)

       In reply, I told him, “I will pray instead that God prospers the work of your hands and that the other one might be sorry for whatever wrong he has done to you.” I believe that was more compatible with the prayer of James 5:16. Fr. Joel Jason

 :Purify my heart, Lord, that I may only desire that which is true, good and beautiful."

Source: http://kerygmafamily.com/modules/dailyreadings/read.php?date=2014-03-01