December 25, Christmas Day

December 25, 2016

Sunday: Christmas Day

Isaiah 52:7-10; Hebrews 1:1-6; John 1:1-18 or John 1:1-5, 9-14

Good morning and Merry Christmas to everyone! This is the day we have been waiting for. For four weeks during the Advent season, we have been praying: O Come, O Come Emmanuel. The good news is we did not wait in vain. We did not wait for nothing. For God fulfills his promise. A Savior is born for us. Let me share with you three points that would remind us of the significance of Christmas.

CHRISTMAS IS ALL ABOUT THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN OUR MIDST. How fitting it is that we celebrate Christmas by going to mass. Christmas is about Emmanuel meaning “God with Us”. This is what we celebrate every time we go to mass. Because every time the priest whispers the words: ‘This is my Body… this is my Blood’ over the bread and the chalice of wine, Jesus becomes present and that is Christmas.  I remember reading this chain message that has been circulating in Facebook. The point of the message says that for some, Christmas is not a happy event – some might have lost their loved ones, some are still suffering in sickness, some are still hurt. That is true. Christmas does not erase these realities we face in life. Christmas does not promise instant heaven. But what Christmas promises us is that here on earth, amidst all the challenges and crosses we have to face, God’s presence is there.  Emmanuel – God with us. Christmas reminds us that we are never alone in this life, for God is always with us.

CHRISTMAS SHOULD LEAD US TO A CHANGE OF HEART. Have you ever noticed that every time we celebrate Christmas, we hear the same Christmas songs, we see the same Christmas decors, we go to same Christmas parties, we receive gifts and we also give gifts to others. We keep on doing the same rituals year after year. We never get tired of repeating it again and again. We do not want Christmas celebration to change. Don’t worry. It is alright not to change our Christmas celebrations. It is alright to use the same decors every year, to hear the same Christmas carols every year, to hold reunions and parties every year. But there is one thing that should change in us every time we celebrate Christmas. There should be a renewal and change of heart.

Our first reading from Isaiah says, when the messiah comes, He will being renewal, restoration and a change of heart. It should never be the same old person.  It should never be the same sins, same quarrels, same hatred, same divisions. Christmas should bring us to renewal and a change of heart.

CHRISTMAS IS ABOUT OUR PRESENCE TO OUR LOVED ONES. The gift that God gave to us this Christmas is the gift of His very presence. The gift of Emmanuel – God-with-us.  I think it would be good to give the same gift of presence to our loved ones this Christmas.  I have already mentioned in one of my reflections during the Simbang Gabi that during this season, it is easy to send gifts, it is easy to send flowers, it is easy to forward Christmas greetings to our loved ones. But to give the gift of ourselves, to make time to be with our family - that is the gift that many people long for this Christmas. So this Christmas, I encourage you: spend quality time to be with your family and loved ones.

My brothers and sisters, Christmas is about Emmanuel - God’s presence in our midst.  This presence of Christ must lead us to a change of heart. In the same way as God gave the gift of his presence this Christmas, may we also give to our family and loved ones the priceless gift of our presence.  Amen.

December 18, 4th Sunday of Advent

December 18, 2016

4th Sunday of Advent

Isaiah 7:10-14; Psalm 24; Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-24

These past weeks I have been interviewing couples preparing for marriage. One of the questions I need to ask them is this: “Will you still marry your partner if you discover before marriage that he/she had a child in his/her previous relationship?” It is interesting to note that each couple has different answers: some would say no, some would say yes, while some would say,  “Father it’s difficult to answer the question.” 

But if we are to ask St Joseph that same question, as a just man and follower of the law, perhaps he will say “No”. This explains why in the gospel he wanted to divorce Mary quietly when he knew that she was pregnant. But as we see in the gospel, Joseph changed his mind when God intervened and asked him to take Mary as his wife. In what sense did Joseph become righteous and just in handling the situation? 

Let us reflect on the acronym J-U-S-T.

J – Judging life situations reflectively and wisely. When Joseph knew that Mary was pregnant, he was greatly disturbed and confused. But he did not let his emotions overcome him. He did not pass judgment on Mary immediately.  What did Joseph do? He took refuge in silence – reflecting and praying over his decision. My dear friends, silence is important in moment of confusion and crisis. Sometimes when we speak too soon without taking time to reflect, we might end up making the situation worse. Joseph reminds us of the importance of silence. This is not passive silence. This is active silence. We silence ourselves so that we can listen to what God is telling us. This is what Joseph experienced.  In his silence, he understood the will of God for him.

U - Understanding the will of God. It is precisely in the silence of Joseph that he was enlightened by the angel in his dream. Joseph might have thought that he had no role to play in the plan of God. But the angel in his dream told Joseph: “You have a very important role. You have to take Mary as your wife.  You will give name to this child. You will be his father.” What did Joseph do after being enlightened by God’s will?

S – Sacrifice for the sake of God’s will. Perhaps Joseph already had his own plans of what to do after their marriage. It could be possible that he had already planned the place where they will have their honeymoon. It is possible that he had in his mind building a house and putting up a business for his family.  It is also possible that he might have plans of having many children and later on see his grandchildren. These are all good plans for someone who is starting a family. But for Joseph, what mattered more for him are not his own plans but the plan of God. This led him to give up his own plans and give way to the plan of God.

T – Trust in God. Remember the image of the Sleeping St. Joseph popularized by Pope Francis during his visit to the Philippines?  He said that Joseph is not just a man of silence but also a man of strength. Imagine, after confronting a crisis, Joseph was still able to sleep well that night. Joseph knew that despite the crisis and darkness he was facing, God was preparing him for something better. After the dream, Joseph woke up and still in the spirit of trust in the Lord, Joseph did as the angel commanded him. 

On this fourth Sunday of Advent, let us ask for the grace to be JUST like St Joseph: May we judge life situations reflectively by taking time to be silent. May this silence lead us to listen and understand God’s will for us. May we learn to sacrifice our own will and give way to the plan of God. And may we do everything in the spirit of deep trust and faith in Him.  Amen.

December 11, Gaudete Sunday

December 11, 2016

Gaudete Sunday

Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10; Psalm 146; James 5:7-10; Matthew 11:2-11

According to the Christmas countdown, we have 2 more weeks to go before Christmas. In a few days, we shall already begin the Misa de Gallo – 9 masses of simbang gabi in preparation for Christmas. These are just some of the signs that Christmas is near. Today the 3rd Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete Sunday or Joyful Sunday. We use the color rose today because it is the color of joy. But let us be clear, what is the reason for our rejoicing this Gaudete Sunday?  What is it that should give joy to us?

Let us reflect on this in three points:

WE REJOICE BECAUSE THE LORD IS NEAR. As Christmas is fast approaching, we indeed find many reasons for rejoicing: the Christmas gifts, bonus, parties, etc. But aside from these joyful practices, we should also find joy at the coming of our Lord, at the coming of our Savior. The prophet Isaiah in the first reading tells us: “Rejoice, be strong, fear not because the Lord is near.” Why rejoice at the Lord’s coming? What will it do to us?

WE REJOICE BECAUSE THE LORD WILL COME TO SAVE US. One might ask: “How can I be joyful when I have serious problems?” Advent joy does not mean that we should be laughing and joking all the time to forget our problems.  Advent joy invites us to realize that even if we are encountering problems right now, we must never allow them to defeat us. Someone said that “worrying is often a kind of atheism.” We worry because we live as if God were not there. We worry because we only see ourselves surrounded by many problems, but what we miss is that we don’t see we are also surrounded by God. James tells us in the second reading, we must not lose hope that God will come to save us. We need to hold on to his promise. We need to be patient. We need to keep on doing our best to resolve our problems because in God’s time He will come to save us.

WE REJOICE BECAUSE THE LORD WILL NEVER FAIL US. In today’s gospel, John the Baptist was in prison. But look at his disposition, even if he was in prison, there is still joy in his heart because deep within he knew that the Lord will never fail in his promise. What are some of the signs that the Lord has truly come: gospel says, the blind now see, the lame now walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf now hear. Sometimes focusing much on our problems in life make our hearts blind, lame and deaf to the presence of God. John the Baptist reminds us today that in the midst of these problems we must continue to be firm in our faith and hope that the Lord will come and he will never fail us.

My dear friends this Gaudete Sunday, let us pray for the grace that our hearts may be filled with joy knowing the Lord is near, He will come to save us and He will never fail us.  Amen.

December 4, 2nd Sunday of Advent

December 4, 2016

2nd Sunday of Advent

Isaiah 11:1-10; Romans 15:4-9; Matthew 3:1-12

There is this story about three demons who were discussing what is the best way to destroy the souls of people in the world. The first demon said, “Let’s tell them the Bible is not true.” The second demon did not agree with the suggestion and said, “No. That will not be effective. Let me go and I will tell them that there is no heaven or hell.” The third demon said, “All your suggestions will not work. This is the best way: Why don’t we tell them that God is real, the Bible is true, there is heaven and hell. But they need not worry about these things.  They still have a long life ahead of them. We must allow them enjoy life.  Postpone being good. Delay going to confession. There is no need to hurry for there will always be tomorrow.”

My dear friends that is the strategy of evil one. On this Second Sunday of advent, John the Baptist tells us, “Repent NOW for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” We prepare for the coming of the Lord by not delaying our conversion and repentance. How can we be genuine in our repentance? Let me share with you 3R’s that will serve as our guide to genuine repentance this advent season:

REGRET. Regret means being sorry for the right reason. Regret for the faults and mistakes we have done. It means acknowledging the truth that we are sinners. There can be no genuine repentance if we do not accept our faults.  There can be no genuine repentance if we keep on justifying our faults. John the Baptist tells us that we prepare for the coming of the Lord by cleansing our hearts of our sins: Repent, acknowledge our faults and be sorry for them because the kingdom of God is at hand.

RECONCILIATION. Our sinfulness wounds our relationship with God and with our neighbor. Reconciliation means mending broken relationships. Isaiah in the first reading describes the coming of the Lord as a time for peace, reconciliation and enemies getting together: Wolf will be guest of lamb, cow and bear shall be neighbors, baby shall play by the cobra’s den. Paul tells us in the second reading that Jesus came to bring reconciliation between the Jews and Gentiles. If the coming of Jesus will bring peace and reconciliation, are we also ready to be reconciled with God and with our neighbor? Advent season is the perfect time to prepare our hearts for reconciliation.

RENEWAL. True repentance must be reflected in our behavior. John the Baptist failed to see this change of behavior in the Pharisees and Sadducees. The gospel says they lined up to receive baptism from John. But they did it just for the sake of observing the external ritual. Conversion is not so much about exterior practices and rituals. Conversion is not just about going to confession.  Conversion is about the renewal of our hearts. It is about the resolve to turn away from sin and turn to God for our salvation. Conversion is an on-going and never ending process.

My dear friends, this advent season, let us remember 3 R’s that will guide us to genuine repentance: Regret for sins; Reconciliation with God and our neighbor; and Renewal of our hearts. Let us pray in this mass for the grace not to delay our response to the invitation of John the Baptist: Repent now for the kingdom of God is at hand.  Amen.

November 27, 1st Sunday of Advent

November 27, 2016

1st Sunday of Advent

Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:37-44

The story is told about a parish priest who saw a piece of paper at the foot of Jesus’ statue and on it was written the prayer: “Lord, give me a bike!” He smiled, feeling edified with the simple faith of a little child. The next day, he saw another note: “Lord, still no bike. Please give me a bike!” On the third day, the priest was surprised that the statue of Mama Mary was gone, and where it stood was a piece of paper with a note that said: “Lord, you better give me a bike or you’ll never again see your mother alive.”

Today is the first Sunday of Advent. In today’s gospel, we are reminded that the coming of the Lord is something that will come as a surprise, something that is totally beyond our control. That is why Advent season reminds us to be vigilant, to stay awake and be prepared for the coming of the Lord. What preparations are we supposed to do?

Let us reflect on this question in three points:

THE ADVENT SEASON INVITES US MORE TO AN INTERNAL PREPARATION. According to the Christmas countdown, how many days are there to go before Christmas? 28 days to be exact. As early as now, people have been busy with lots of external preparations: putting up Christmas decorations, organizing Christmas parties, preparing gifts and many more. These are all good. But let us not forget our internal preparation: the preparation of our hearts.

Isaiah tells us in the first reading, we prepare by cleansing our hearts from thoughts of hatred and violence. Paul tells us in the second reading, we prepare by cleansing our hearts from deeds of darkness: orgies, drunkenness, promiscuity, lust, rivalry and jealousy. My dear friends, the Advent season reminds us that the most important preparation we have to make to welcome Jesus is the internal preparation and cleansing of our hearts. What effect will this bring to us?

PREPARING OUR HEARTS WILL KEEP US AWAKE. When Jesus says, we need to stay awake. He is not just referring to our physical capacity to sleep. Deeds of darkness or our sinfulness put our spirits into a state of sleeping to the point that we are no longer affected by anything. So much so that if Jesus comes, we might not see him. If Jesus knocks, we might not hear it because we are asleep. During the time of Noah, God has already been warning people by giving them signs. But how come people were not aware of it? Because their wickedness put them in deep sleep. They were totally unconcerned about what is happening around them. Remember that in the book of Genesis it came to a point that God regretted creating human beings because of their wickedness.  The Lord was so upset that he wanted to destroy everything except the righteous family of Noah. Advent is a good opportunity to check ourselves, check our hearts and take from it wickedness, sinfulness and evil deeds that put us to deep sleep.

THE ADVENT SEASON INVITES US TO A SPIRIT OF JOYFUL ANTICIPATION.  We are joyful not because of the commercial value of Christmas. We are joyful not because of gifts and bonuses that come to us during season. We are joyful because God will come as our Savior. But how can we be joyful if the gospel talks about frightening things that will happen in the end of the world? We must understand that this is merely symbolic language. What Jesus meant by this is that when the Lord comes again, the old world will end and pass away. When the Lord comes, we need to say goodbye to the old world so that salvation may come to us. We need not be frightened because our Savior will do no harm. God created us not to destroy us but to save us. But we must not forget our responsibility: we need to prepare our hearts to welcome the Lord. 

As we enter this season of Advent, may we be reminded to stay awake and be prepared for the Lord’s coming by cleansing our hearts from deeds of darkness. The Lord will come to save us. May he find us always ready for his coming.  Amen.

November 20, Solemnity of Christ the King

November 20, 2016

Solemnity of Christ the King

2 Samuel 5:1-3; Colossians 1:12-20; Luke 23:35-43

I once read a joke saying that Filipinos who came from Ilocos Norte claim affinity to Jesus. Why? Because for them the initial INRI on the cross means “Ilocos Norte Region I.” But kidding aside, INRI refers to a latin phrase “Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum” (Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews). Today is the solemnity of Christ the King. How can we describe the kingship of Jesus? For this reflection, we can use the 4 images of kings we see in a deck of cards: King of spades, clubs, diamonds and hearts. What do you think best describes the kingship of Christ?

THE FIRST IMAGE IS THE KING OF CLUBS. A club is a heavy wooden stick used as a weapon. It is a symbol of violence and hostility. Jesus cannot be king of clubs because He came not to sow violence and hostility. We have seen in the gospel that despite the violence and humiliation done to Jesus, he never responded with hostility. Jesus came to not to sow enmity among us. Jesus came to bring peace. He came here to preach reconciliation and forgiveness. Jesus therefore cannot be the king of clubs.

THE SECOND IMAGE IS THE KING OF SPADES. A spade is a tool used for digging. It collects dirt from sewers, drainage and garbage. It is a symbol of impurity. Jesus is not the king of spades because He came not to make our lives dirty. Paul tells us in the second reading that Jesus came to reconcile us to the Father. He came cleanse us of our sins. Jesus came to give us hope, to grant forgiveness and purify us. Jesus therefore cannot be the king of spades.

THE THIRD IMAGE IS THE KING OF DIAMONDS. A diamond is a stone commonly used for jewelry. It is a symbol of earthly wealth, power and riches. Jesus cannot be the king of diamonds because just like David in the first reading, he came from a simple family. He was never born in a grand palace. He was born in a lowly manger. Jesus came telling us to work not only on accumulating earthly treasures but also heavenly treasures. Jesus therefore cannot be the king of diamonds.

THE LAST IMAGE IS THE KING OF HEARTS. A heart is a symbol of love.  Love here is not just about a blissful experience. Love also involves being wounded. It involves sacrifice, suffering and dying to self. This is what we see in the wounded body of Christ our king on the cross. It is difficult to recognize a king crucified on a cross because we are used to worldly kings who demand that they be defended and protected, even at the cost of their servants’ lives.  But Jesus our King laid down his life to protect the lives of His sheep. It is difficult because we are used to worldly kings who demand to be served. But Jesus our King came not to be served but to serve. He did all of these not because he was forced to do so. He did all of these out of love. He can rightly be called the King of hearts, the King of love.

My dear friends, on this feast of the Solemnity of Christ the King we are also closing the Jubilee Year of Mercy. But this does not mean that we will stop being merciful to each other just as the Father has been merciful to us. Mercy should become our lifestyle. Let us pray in this mass for the grace to allow Christ to be the King of our hearts. May his mercy and love inspire us to be merciful, loving and compassionate to others.  Amen.

November 13, 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

November 13, 2016

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Malachi 3:19-20a; 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12; Luke 21:5-19

Once while I was saying mass, I noticed that the reader or the lector serving at mass was new. I was told that it was her first time to serve at mass.  She was so nervous that at the end of the first reading she said, “This is the end of the world.” And the whole congregation responded, “Thanks be to God.” 

As we approach the end of the liturgical year, our readings for today invite us to reflect on the end times, the judgement day or the second coming of Christ. What can we expect to happen at the end of the world? How do we anticipate its coming?

Let us look at our readings for today and reflect on these questions in three points:

THE END OF THE WORLD IS NOT JUST ABOUT TERRIFYING EVENTS.  Movies about the end of the world often depict the end of the world as a moment of terror and destruction. In the gospel Jesus tells us that powerful earthquakes, famine and plague are some of the signs indicating the end of the world. In addition to that, the prophet Malachi in the first reading says that at the end times, the sun of justice will bring terror and fear to those who were unjust.  On that day, evil doers will be burned by the blazing fire of the sun of justice.  But remember the prophet Malachi addressed this to the unjust and evil doers.  Let us not forget the second part. The prophet Malachi says, those who follow God’s will, those who were not unjust will never be afraid of the sun of justice.  Instead of fear and terror, the sun of justice will bring consolation and relief to those who have been faithful to the Lord.

The end of the world is not just about terrifying events. On the day of  judgment, there will be two groups of people: evil doers who will fear the coming of that day and the faithful ones who will welcome the coming of the Lord. Which group do we belong? Are we afraid of the coming of the Lord? Are we eager to look forward to it? What should we do as we await the coming of the Lord?

WE ANTICIPATE THE COMING OF THE LORD BY DOING WELL OUR RESPONSIBILITIES ON EARTH. In the second reading, the Thessalonians were eager for coming of Lord. They were expecting it to happen soon. They were not afraid of it. But the problem is, they used this as an excuse not to work anymore because anyway the end of world will happen soon. What’s the use of working?  Let us just take it easy, relax and wait for the coming of the Lord. Because of this Paul strongly reminds them, “You should not use this as an excuse for laziness.  We do not know when our life on earth will end. As long as we live, we should work hard in order to eat and survive. We should do well our responsibilities.  Work hard to feed your family. Anyone who is unwilling to work, should not eat.”

My dear friends as we await the coming of Lord, we should never waste our life on earth. We should never run away from our responsibilities. We should strive to have a meaningful life. In addition to this, what else can we do to prepare ourselves for the coming of the Lord?

PERSEVERANCE IN FAITH. When someone asked Jesus in the gospel, when will the end of the world happen, he did not give a direct answer to the question. He said that instead of speculating when will it happen, we should develop the right disposition in anticipating its coming. He says in the last line of the gospel, “by your perseverance, you will secure your lives.” In other words, we should be constant in faith, persevere in being good, persevere in doing well our responsibilities so that when the time comes, we will be numbered among the just ones who will never fear but welcome the coming of the Lord.

In this mass let us pray that as we look forward for the coming of the Lord, we may prepare for it by doing well our responsibilities on earth and perseverance in our faithfulness to the Lord.  Amen.

November 6, 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

November 6, 2016

32nd Sunday in OT

2 Mac 7:1-2, 9-14; 2 Thessalonians 2:16-3;5; Luke 20:27-38

There is this story about a man who died while he was on a business trip in Jerusalem. The office staff immediately called the wife to inform her about the incident and ask about the burial arrangements. The wife insisted that the remains of her husband should be brought back home to the Philippines even if it was expensive. When asked why, she said: “Don’t bury him there in Jerusalem, because I heard that many years ago, a man was buried there and in three days he rose again!”

In today’s gospel Jesus tells us that the dead will rise again. This is not about a zombie rising from the dead. It is about what we say in the last line of the creed: “I believe in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.” We believe that death is not the end of life. But how sure are we that there is life after death? How does our belief in it affect our lives on earth?

Let us reflect on the readings for today in three points:

LIFE AFTER DEATH IS WHAT WE CALL ETERNAL LIFE. When Jesus resurrected from the dead, He gave us eternal life. Eternal life does not mean that we become immortal. We will all die. Belief in eternal life means that our life cycle consists not only from Birth to Life to Death and Corruption. Belief in eternal life rather means that our life cycle has been changed from Birth to Life to Death and Eternal life. Eternal life means belonging in that kingdom where there are no more tears, no more fears, no more pain, no more problems, but only goodness and love. 

In the first reading, the seven brothers who were about to face suffering and persecution never trembled before the torturers. In fact, the torturers were trembled as they questioned themselves, “Why are they not afraid? Why are they courageous in face of death? There must be something else that sustains them.” The answer is that their firm belief in eternal life sustained them in the midst of suffering and persecution.

BELIEF IN ETERNAL LIFE IS NOT WISHFUL THINKING. Like the Sadducees in the gospel, there are people nowadays who do not believe in eternal life. They say that eternal life is just wishful thinking. So what they do is just to enjoy life on earth because beyond the grave is meaningless existence.  Jesus tells them in the gospel, beyond the grave is not a meaningless existence.  Beyond the grave is eternal life. Eternal life is not merely a continuation of life on earth. It is a different kind of existence. That is why people do not marry in the next life because in heaven we are married to God. Eternal life is far better than our earthly life. No matter how terrifying death may be, Jesus assures us that life will be restored. Eternal life awaits us after our earthly life. What should we do now as we anticipate the life after death?

PREPARE FOR ETERNAL LIFE. Perhaps at this point of our lives, some have already secured their educational plan, retirement plan and memorial plan. But how about our own eternal life plan? Are we prepared for eternal life?  Which side of eternal life are we preparing for? Is it on the side of heaven or hell? Our belief in eternal life must not distract us from living our lives here on earth. This is the reminder of Paul in the second reading. The Thessalonians were expecting that the second coming of Christ or the judgement day will happen soon. They were not afraid about the second coming of Christ. They were in fact excited about it. But when the coming of Christ did not happen according to their expectations, they were disappointed and frustrated. Paul tells them: Belief in life after death should never distract us from living fully our life on earth. It does not mean we will waste our life on earth, anyway there is eternal life. We must continue to do good and avoid evil. We must continue to live good and meaningful lives because that is how we prepare for eternal life.  

Our readings for today remind us of our belief in eternal life. Our faith assures us that there is life after death. May everything we do in our earthly life prepare us to enjoy eternal life with God in heaven.  Amen.

October 30, 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 30, 2016

31st Sunday OT

Wisdom 11:22-12;2; 2 Thessalonians 1:11-2:2; Luke 19:1-10

The story is told about a dying mother who, told her children, “When I die, have me cremated, and have my ashes scattered all over the mall.” When her children asked her why, she answered, “In that way, I am assured that you will come visit me once in a while.”

As we enjoy the long holiday for the coming days, aside from going to malls for early Christmas shopping, let us remember our departed loved ones, if possible visit their resting places and pray for them. To make time to visit someone indicates that we value that person in our life. Jesus in today’s gospel passed by Jericho, visited the house of Zacchaeus and spent some time to be with him. Of all the houses in Jericho, why did Jesus choose the house of Zacchaeus? Who was Zacchaeus? How did he respond to the invitation of Jesus?

Let us look at our readings and reflect on these questions in three points.

JESUS SAW IN ZACCHAEUS A SINNER WHO NEEDS TO BE SAVED.  During the time of Jesus, tax collectors have a known reputation of cheating people. They were also considered traitors because they were collecting taxes from their fellow Jews to support the occupying Roman forces who were oppressing them. Tax collectors were considered public sinners. That is why people avoided them. Nobody in his right mind would even dare to visit the house of a tax collector. But even if people saw Zacchaeus as a public sinner to be avoided, Jesus saw in him a sinner that needs to be saved. Zacchaeus was not only small in terms of height. People were also looking down on him. People belittled him. But as the gospel says, Jesus looked up to him.

This is what our first reading tells us. Even if we have failed God, God’s mercy can look beyond our sins and see us as His beloved children. This is not toleration of evil. It is not as if God is saying, “Your failures are ok.” It is rather God’s way of giving us another chance to make things right. Zacchaeus took that opportunity to do it.  He said to Jesus: “I give half my belongings to poor. If I have defrauded anyone, I pay him back fourfold.” My dear friends, this is how God’s divine mercy looks at each of us sinners. He looks beyond our sins, sees us as His beloved children and gives us another chance to make things right. How then can we respond to this mercy of God?

BE FAITHFUL TO THE MERCY OF GOD. This is the reminder of Paul to the Thessalonians in the second reading. The problem is that some of us have this tendency to abuse God’s mercy. Some people say to themselves, “Well since God is merciful, I can do whatever I want even if it is sinful. He cannot resist me.  God will forgive me anyway.” That is not proper response to mercy. That is abusive behavior to someone who loves us sincerely. If we do that to a human being, that is a betrayal of love. Paul reminds us, “We have received God’s mercy. We don’t deserve it but God does it anyway. We therefore have the responsibility to be faithful to it.”

LET US WELCOME JESUS WITHOUT DELAY. When Jesus passed by Jericho, He was on his last journey to Jerusalem. If Zacchaeus refused to welcome Jesus, he would never have the chance to meet Him again. That was his last chance. It was good that he immediately responded to the invitation without delay. That is why if Jesus comes passing our way, let us go to meet Him. If He comes knocking, open the door for Him. Let us not miss our chance. Let us not postpone our encounter with Him. Let us welcome Jesus without delay. We need not fear to welcome him, for He comes not to condemn us but to save us and forgive us of our sins.

Today’s readings remind us that God’s divine mercy looks at us sinners as His beloved children. Let us pray in this mass for the grace to be faithful to the mercy of God. May we welcome Jesus into our lives without any delay.  Amen.

October 23, 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 23, 2016

30th Sun OT; World Mission Sunday

Sir 35:12-14. 16-18; Psalm 34; 2 Tim 4:6-8. 16-18; Luke 18:9-14

Once a Japanese tourist was riding a taxi around Manila. He said: “This car is Toyota…Made in Japan. Very fast.” Seeing a car pass by, he remarked: “Ah, that’s Mitsubishi… Made in Japan. Very fast.” Seeing another car, he bragged: “That’s Suzuki…Made in Japan. Very fast.” On reaching his destination, the Japanese was surprised to see the high taxi fare. “Why so high?” the Japanese complained. The driver said: “Taxi meter, made in Japan. Very fast!”

The Japanese in the story reminds me of the Pharisee who exalted himself as he prayed to the Lord in the gospel today. Jesus reminds us, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”  What do our readings today tell us about the proper disposition in prayer? How can we become sincere and genuine every time we pray?

Let us reflect on this in three points:

A SINCERE PRAYER RECOGNIZES OUR NEED FOR GOD. In the first reading, Sirach tells us that God’s heart is touched every time we cry out and ask for God’s help in prayer. Who are those who usually cry out to God for help?  Only those who recognize their need for God. We see the same disposition in the prayer of the tax collector in the gospel today. When he entered the temple, the tax collector realized his sinfulness. He admitted his need for God and said, “Be merciful to me a sinner.” The Pharisee on the other hand entered the temple and prayed. But how come his prayer was not acceptable to God? Because his prayer indicates that he does not need God anymore. As he enumerated the list of his accomplishments and good works, he seems to imply that God needs him more.  Sirach tells us that this kind of prayer will never reach the heavens because God only hears the sincere prayer of those who recognize their need for God. My dear friends, may we not let our achievements lead us to the thinking that we don’t need God anymore. We need God always. Sincere and genuine prayer reminds us of this reality.

A SINCERE PRAYER OPENS OUR HEARTS TO FORGIVENESS.  Whenever people share to me that they are having difficulty in forgiving those who have wronged them, I always tell them to pray and tell God about it.  Because prayer can teach us the value of forgiveness. Look at the experience of Paul in the second reading. It is quite sad to know that while Paul was dragged into court and put into prison, he was left alone by his friends and companions.  If we are in that situation what will our prayer be? Perhaps out of bitterness we will ask God to take revenge and punish those who have abandoned us. But look at the prayer of Paul. He said, “Everyone deserted me Lord but may it not be held against them.” If we find it hard to forgive those who wronged us, Paul tells us that maybe what we need is prayer. Because genuine prayer can teach our heart the value of forgiveness.

A SINCERE PRAYER REMEMBERS THE NEEDS OF OTHERS. To pray for oneself is good. But Sirach also tells us that the prayers of those who serve God and other people will be heard by God. To serve other people means that I am not focused only on my needs. Yes, we may have needs for ourselves and for our families, but we should also consider the needs of others. We can pray for the leaders of our country. We can pray for friends who might need our prayers.

In a special way, as we celebrate today World Mission Sunday, we can also pray and support the work of missionaries throughout the world. They all need our prayers. As we pray, let us not be too focused only on our own needs. Let us remember other people who needs our prayers.

In this mass let us pray for the grace to be sincere in prayer by recognizing our need for God, by allowing prayer to teach us the value of forgiveness and by remembering the needs of others. Amen.

October 16, 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 16, 2016

29th Sunday Ordinary Time

Exodus 17:8-13; 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2; Luke 18:1-8

The story is told about a lawyer and a doctor who were courting the same woman. One day, the lawyer had to be away on a trip for a week. To make sure that he will not be at a disadvantage while he was gone, the lawyer sent seven apples to the woman with a note: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

Today’s readings remind us to be persistent in prayer because a prayer each day keeps the enemy away. Today is the month of the Holy Rosary. We can also say a rosary each day keeps the enemy away. How regular is our prayer life?  How persistent are we in prayer? How can we grow deeper in prayer?

Let us reflect on this in three points:

PERSISTENCE IN PRAYER HAPPENS ONLY WHEN THERE IS FAITH.  One of the wrong impressions we have of prayer is to consider it as mere repetition of prayers from books. Because of this, prayer becomes burdensome.  But prayer is not just about mouthing out words or venting out our frustrations.  Prayer is an act of faith. Faith enables us to continue praying to God no matter what. This is the stubbornness and persistence of people with faith. They will not give up prayer easily even if people say, “There is no point in praying. God never listens to you.”

Look at the faith of Moses in the first reading. When the Israelites engaged in battle, they brought with them not only soldiers and weapons. They also had faith as a powerful tool. When Moses lifted up his hands in prayer, the Israelites would win the battle. But the moment he stopped praying, they got beaten by the enemy. Moses would then go back to prayer again. When his hands got tired, Aaron and Hur put rocks beside him and encouraged him to persevere and to be persistent in prayer until they prevailed over the enemy.

Unlike the corrupt judge in the gospel, our God, who is all good, is never annoyed to listen to our prayers. He never feels coerced to listen to us. He loves to listen to our persistent prayers. Persistence in prayer happens only when there is faith.

PERSISTENCE IN PRAYER ALSO INCLUDES LISTENING TO GOD.  Prayer is not a monologue where we do all the talking and God listens.  Sometimes when we run out of words, we think our prayer is already finished.  But silence and listening is also an important part of prayer. Paul reminded Timothy in the second reading that he acquired his faith by listening to the Word of God. Paul also tells us that we can use the Word of God as material for prayer. We can meditate and reflect on it in silence so that we can somehow listen to what God is trying to tell us. If we are persistent in presenting our petitions to the Lord, we should also be persistent in listening to God.

PERSISTENCE IN PRAYER MOLDS OUR HEARTS TO OBEY GOD’S WILL. I remember this story about a mother and her child who were strolling along the mall one Sunday afternoon. Passing by a makeup store, the child requested the mother, “Mom, can you buy me a lipstick? Some of my friends are already wearing one?” The mother said quickly, “No.” After a few meters, they passed by a shoe store. “Can you buy me those high heel shoes, some of my friends use it at certain occasions.” The mother said again, “No, I will not.” Then they passed by a dress store. The child told the mother, “Mom I want to try one of those dresses, can I?” The mother finally said, “Junior, will you stop it or else your father will get mad at you!”

The point of this story is that sometimes in prayer, we are like the child who asks God for things that are not for our own good. God is like a parent who knows what is good for us. When we ask for things that may not be good for us, out of God’s love, God will not give it because God wants the best for us. This tells us that every time we pray, we are not the ones influencing God to give us what we want. When we pray, God influences us. Persistent prayer does not change God. Persistent prayer rather changes us. God molds our hearts to obey His will.

Our Silver Jubilee theme reminds us of our desire to grow deeper in prayer. In this mass let us pray for the grace to be persistent in prayer, persistent in listening to God and persistent in obeying His will. May our patron St James assist us with his prayers.  Amen.