01 August Wednesday

WHY WE DON’T HAVE TO BE SCARED

 

For I am with you, to deliver and rescue you, says the Lord. – Jeremiah 15:20

 

When Francis was only four years old, we watched Jurassic Park I. I was worried about the scary parts of the movie. Especially when a ferocious Tyrannosaurus Rex bites the bald lawyer sitting on the potty. How morbid. So right before the T. Rex chomped half of the lawyer’s body, I covered my son’s eyes. He protested, “I want to see that, Daddy. It’s the fun part.”

After the movie, I asked him, “Weren’t you scared?” He said, “I watched the movie before. I know the ending.”

He knows the ending that’s why he wasn’t scared.

Friend, are you worried about your problems? Are you anxious over what will happen tomorrow?

Listen. God knows the last chapter of your life. And from what I hear, it’s very good. Glorious even. You have a happy ending.

You may be going through tough times now but fear not. Believe that you’ll be stronger. Your faith will be purer. Your heart will be bigger. And you’ll be more blessed than ever.

Because the best is yet to come. Bo Sanchez(bosanchez@kerygmafamily.com)

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REFLECTION:

Do problems obscure your vision from the  blessings wrapped inside them?

 

Lord, may I always approach life’s difficulties with faith and trust in You, and with an expectant heart for the blessings that are wrapped in them.

 

St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, bishop and doctor of the Church, pray for us.

 

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1^ST READING  

 

Jeremiah has discovered that being a prophet means to be a man of contention and dispute. It means life as a political outcast as the messages he brings are not welcome. This is the life of a prophet and it is still the same today. The Church herself sets an example in this regard when she refuses to bow to the demands of society and change her moral stance on various issues.

 

Jeremiah 15:10, 16-21

10 Woe to me, mother, that you gave me birth! a man of strife and contention to all the land! I neither borrow nor lend, yet all curse me. 16 When I found your words, I devoured them; they became my joy and the happiness of my heart, because I bore your name, O Lord, God of hosts. 17 I did not sit celebrating in the circle of merrymakers; under the weight of your hand I sat alone because you filled me with indignation. 18 Why is my pain continuous, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? You have indeed become for me a treacherous brook, whose waters do not abide! 19 Thus the Lord answered me: If you repent, so that I restore you, in my presence you shall stand; if you bring forth the precious without the vile, you shall be my mouthpiece. Then it shall be they who turn to you, and you shall not turn to them; 20 and I will make you toward this people a solid wall of brass. Though they fight against you, they shall not prevail, for I am with you, to deliver and rescue you, says the Lord. 21 I will free you from the hand of the wicked, and rescue you from the grasp of the violent.

 

P S A L M

 

Psalm 59:2-3, 4, 10-11, 17, 18

R: God is my refuge on the day of distress.

1 [2] Rescue me from my enemies, O my God; from my adversaries defend me. 2 [3] Rescue me from evildoers; from bloodthirsty men save me. (R) 3 [4] For behold, they lie in wait for my life; mighty men come together against me. Not for any offense or sin of mine, O Lord. (R) 9 [10] O my strength! for you I watch; for you, O God, are my stronghold, 10 [11] As for my God, may his mercy go before me; may he show me the fall of my foes. (R) 16 [17] But I will sing of your strength and revel at dawn in your mercy; you have been my stronghold, my refuge in the day of distress. (R) 17 [18] O my strength! your praise will I sing; for you, O God,

are my stronghold, my merciful God! (R)

 

GOSPEL

 

We need to ascertain the value of an article before we put a price on it. Eternal life is a gift and yet we are asked to pay the price of our mortal life to receive it. There is a mystery here that we wil l never understand. Suffice it to say, none of the good things in life are free. Let us remember that eternal life is a priceless gift; no price is too high for us to pay in following Jesus as His disciple.

 

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

I call you my friends, says the Lord, for I have made known to you all that the Father has told me.

 

Matthew 13:44-46

44 Jesus said to his disciples: “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. 46 When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.”

 

think: Eternal life is a gift and yet we are asked to pay the price of our mortal life to receive it.

 

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ON ACCOUNT OF God’S WORD

 

I can’t blame Jeremiah for complaining. Everything was thrown at him for speaking out in God’s name. He got condemned for doing what he did not want to do in the first place. Young, inexperienced and unschooled about the ways of the world, he was sent right smack into the fray, to deliver his brand of “prophetic criticizing” and “prophetic energizing.”

I can identify with Jeremiah — been there, done that. I was also young when I tried to organize people against a growing drug menace. I was in the thick of my own version of prophetic criticizing. And just like Jeremiah, I began to feel the heat especially when my prophetic criticizing was translating into prophetic energizing as far as the people were concerned.

I began to realize that words were cheap and human life was even cheaper. I didn’t want to be a mere statistic, felled by a single blow, a possible but eerily probable mute witness to boundless greed and to man’s inhumanity to fellow man. Last year’s brave revelations of a woman who was in the thick of the fight against corruption in high places involving men in uniform reminded me of Jeremiah, of myself, and of the many whose courage did not only go unrewarded but even silenced forever.

My thoughts today go to Fr. Jerzy Popieluszko of Poland. Authorities in his native Poland could not bear his popularity and his effectiveness as a preacher. He was beaten and murdered in 1984, his body dumped in a water reservoir. He was beatified two years ago, in June 2010, with his centenarian mother in attendance.

But what the martyrs and saints had that I didn’t was exactly what Jeremiah also had. Jeremiah devoured God’s Word. Blessed Father Jerzy lived — and died — on the basis of that Word. They all suffered trying to uphold the Word of God. But God is a God of justice. Jeremiah and Jerzy discovered joy and happiness in God’s Word. Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: How do you uphold the Word of God in your life? Or do you even read God’s Word at all?

 

Father God, give me the thirst and the hunger for Your Word and may I live it according to Your will.

 

31 July 2012 Tuesday

I smile

 

“Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear.” – Matthew 13:43

 

I was very playful and outgoing as a kid. Being so, I devised a way to pick which kids to befriend when I was in elementary school. I would observe those who talked and laughed a lot and readily conclude that they were the best friends for me because they “shone.”

But as I grew up, I learned that not “all that glitters is gold.” Those who smile at and laugh with me aren’t necessarily the ones who turn out to be my best friends. Presently, I reckon most of my best friends are those whom I met when things were going downhill in my life. They were there to cry with me. The brilliance of their character shone ever brighter during those trying times in life.

At 36, I have gained the wisdom that God sees me shine even during my darkest hours. I’m not worried about people judging me just because I don’t always “shine” when I’m in a crowd. I believe that God sees through my heart, and with that thought, I smile. Eugene Cailao (eugenecailao@gmail.com)

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REFLECTION:

“A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.” (Unknown)

 

Lord, You are the Friend who sticks closer than a brother. Let me be that kind of friend to others, too.

 

St. Ignatius of Loyola, priest, pray for us.

 

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1^ST READING  

 

Metaphorically, God weeps tears of sadness over our sins and incorrigibility when it comes to our refusal to fight sin in our lives. It is up to us to decide whether or not we are serious about following His call. If we want God and the Holy Spirit to make a difference in our lives then it will be up to us to decide whether we are committed to those goals. God is not really interested in working closely with those who are not committed to Him.

 

Jeremiah 14:17-22

17 Let my eyes stream with tears day and night, without rest, over the great destruction which overwhelms the virgin daughter of my people, over her incurable wound. 18 If I walk out into the field, look! those slain by the sword; if I enter the city, look! those consumed by hunger. Even the prophet and the priest forage in a land they know not. 19 Have you cast Judah off completely? Is Zion loathsome to you? Why have you struck us a blow that cannot be healed? We wait for peace, to no avail; for a time of healing, but terror comes instead. 20 We recognize, O Lord, our wickedness, the guilt of our fathers; that we have sinned against you. 21 For your name’s sake spurn us not, disgrace not the throne of your glory; remember your covenant with us, and break it not. 22 Among the nations’ idols is there any that gives rain? Or can the mere heavens send showers? Is it not you alone, O Lord, our God, to whom we look? You alone have done all these things.

 

P S A L M

 

Psalm 79:8, 9, 11, 13

R: For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.

8 Remember not against us the iniquities of the past; may your compassion quickly come to us, for we are brought very low. (R) 9 Help us, O God our savior, because of the glory of your name; deliver us and pardon our sins for your name’s sake. (R) 11 Let the prisoners’ sighing come before you; with your great power free those doomed to death. 13 Then we, your people and the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; through all generations we will declare your praise. (R)

 

GOSPEL

 

It is difficult to weed among certain plants especially if the root systems of the weeds and the plant get entangled under the ground. The only solution is to allow the weed to grow alongside the wheat and separate the two at harvest. This may not be the ideal solution but sometimes it is the only practical one. The same can be true with the way evil and sin gets into the fabric of our lives as disciples of Jesus.

 

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower; all who come to him will live for ever.

 

Matthew 13:36-43

36 Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” 37 He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, 38 the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom. The weeds are the children of the Evil One, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. 40 Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his Kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. 42 They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

 

think: God is not really interested in working closely with those who are not committed to Him.

 

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OF STORIES AND PARABLES

 

Storytelling sessions are “in” these days in children’s museums and libraries. They invite celebrities to read the stories. Modesty aside, I must have been a good storyteller in grade school. I was asked to represent my school in a storytelling contest. I remember myself so engrossed with mastering the Legend of Tuko. But that’s another story.

Jesus, apart from being the most eloquent preacher who ever lived in this world, is the greatest storyteller of all time. How can He captivate such huge crowds numbering thousands?

Jesus never lacked in dynamism. He was a man ahead of His age. He used parables and stories that are relevant to His listeners. They understood very well the culture of farming and sowing, of baking and shepherding sheep, or storing goods and burning the rejects.

And the Apostles would receive more. He would explain to them the meaning of the parables. He talked about their life and destiny. Jesus also talked about His life. In explaining to the Apostles the parable of the weeds, He referred to the sower as Himself, the Son of Man. The devil is the enemy who placed the weeds. The harvest is the end-time when the weeds will be thrown into the fiery furnace and the good harvest, the wheat, will be gathered by the angels.

The Apostles may have listened to Jesus’ explanation with the enthusiasm of little children. Jesus explained to them everything. He inspired them to seek God’s salvation by remaining the good seeds that they were, to soar high literally to the heavens and be one with God forever.

They listened to Him intently because they must also tell and retell the story of Jesus and everything that He preached. They would actually do it when the Lord has returned to the Father and they start building the Kingdom of God here on earth. Guided by the Holy Spirit, they did it with so much passion and dedication. They had Jesus, the greatest storyteller and explainer, as their inspiration. Fr. Erick Y. Santos, SFO

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: How do you tell and retell the story of Jesus to others?

 

Lord, cleanse my heart that my mouth may speak about You and You alone.

 

 

 

30 July 2012 Monday

ENJOY THE PROCESS

“It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it grows up, it is the biggest of all plants.” – Matthew 13:32

My wife and I got involved in the distribution of agriculture inputs to farmers and farm owners. Because of this, we witnessed first-hand the process of planting and harvesting of rice and corn, studied how to increase yields of mango trees and how to extend the productive life of high vegetable plantations. It was a learning experience!

Given the exposure we’ve had on these various crops, I came to one simple yet important life lesson. Harvest doesn’t come in the same season as sowing. Nature has a process of growth. For rice alone, it takes more than 100 days from seed preparation, soil preparation, seed bed planting, seed transplanting, fertilization, harvest and rice milling. This doesn’t even include the difficulties the farmer has to face when drought or typhoons set in.

Today, the Lord points out that all big things that are of value started small. They all had to go through a maturing process. This takes time, work, patience and, most of all, God’s grace.

So the next time you feel “small” in your faith, know that God’s process is working on you. Instead of fighting it, enjoy the process! Ariel Driz (adriz77@yahoo.com)

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REFLECTION:

All worthwhile things take time. Am I enjoying God’s process in my life?

Lord Jesus, thank You for reminding me that You are not done with me yet… that everything is a process of growth. Grant me the grace to be patient so that I may be of great use for Your kingdom. Amen.

St. Peter Chrysologus, bishop and doctor of the Church, pray for us.

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1^ST READING  

Jeremiah uses prophetic action a number of times in his ministry. I have seen it done a few times in prayer meetings I have attended and it is a very effective way to get a point across to an audience. We live in a very visually oriented world so perhaps it would be a good thing to pray for an increase in this gift for the sake of the Church’s mission.

Jeremiah 13:1-11

1 The Lord said to me: Go buy yourself a linen loincloth; wear it on your loins, but do not put it in water. 2 I bought the loincloth, as the Lord commanded, and put it on. 3 A second time the word of the Lord came to me thus: 4 Take the loincloth which you bought and are wearing, and go now to the Parath; there hide it in a cleft of the rock. 5 Obedient to the Lord’s command, I went to the Parath and buried the loincloth. 6 After a long interval, the Lord said to me: Go now to the Parath and fetch the loincloth which I told you to hide there. 7 Again I went to the Parath, sought out and took the loincloth from the place where I had hid it. But it was rotted, good for nothing! 8 Then the message came to me from the Lord: 9 Thus says the Lord: So also I will allow the pride of Judah to rot, the great pride of Jerusalem. 10 This wicked people who refuse to obey my words, who walk in the stubbornness of their hearts, and follow strange Gods to serve and adore them, shall be like this loincloth which is good for nothing. 11 For, as close as the loincloth clings to a man’s loins, so had I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, says the Lord; to be my people, my renown, my praise, my beauty. But they did not listen.

P S A L M

Deuteronomy 32:18-19, 20, 21

R: You have forgotten God who gave you birth.

18 You were unmindful of the Rock that begot you, you forgot the God who gave you birth. 19 When the Lord saw this, he was filled with loathing and anger toward his sons and daughters. (R) 20 “I will hide my face from them,” he said, “and see what will then become of them. What a fickle race they are, sons with no loyalty in them! (R) 21 “Since they have provoked me with their ‘no-God’ and angered me with their vain idols, I will provoke them with a ‘no-people’; with a foolish nation I will anger them.” (R)

GOSPEL

It is amazing to see how the yeast causes the dough to expand. This is the image spoken of here when Matthew writes about how the Gospel truths should be leavening society. That is, society should become more “Christified” due to the living witness of Christians at work in the world.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The Father willed to give us birth by the word of truth that we may be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

Matthew 13:31-35

31 Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds. “The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. 32 It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the ‘birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches. ” 33 He spoke to them another parable. “The Kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch was leavened.” 34 All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables. He spoke to them only in parables, 35 to fulfill what had been said through the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables, I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation of the world.”

LIST

think: Society should become more “Christified” due to the living witness of Christians at work in the world.

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SMALL SEED, GREAT WONDER

It has always been a crisis for me to think of what souvenirs to bring home to my friends and parishioners whenever I go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. My baggage is usually overweight many times over. I have psoriasis, so I need to buy Dead Sea products aplenty. They yield great results for my sensitive skin. Imagine the heavy soap packages, the mud, cream — plus the rosaries, crosses and other Holy Land souvenirs that I would have to bring home. It’s the same story each time I do a pilgrimage.

Four years ago, I thought of buying the lightest yet equally meaningful souvenirs for my friends. I saw small crosses being sold by the hundred per bundle, which was pretty light. I toyed with the idea of repackaging the crosses in small plastic bags at home with maybe a dried olive leaf or some soil from Tierra Sancta.

Then I saw the mustard seeds being sold at the souvenir shop. Voila! A cross and a few mustard seeds in each plastic bag for my friends. And how they loved it! It seemed like a foretaste of heaven for them. To think thay they were mere seeds.

Small wonder that Jesus thought of the small and what seemed to be the most unnoticeable of things. But that’s how the kingdom of Heaven works. What seems to be the littlest can grow into an enormous and sturdy shrub. We are men and women of little faith. But even the littlest of faith, when nourished well and consistently sprinkled with God’s Word and sacraments, would turn out to be an indestructible tower of strength. We may have small faith, but when we allow Jesus to consume the small seeds of faith in our hearts, it would sprout mightily and become the largest and most fortified of shrubs.

It is important that we surrender even the smallest of faith and belief in Him. In the end, we will witness marvelous growth and immeasurable grace abounding. In spite of our smallness, we will continue to grow in the Spirit. Fr. Erick Y. Santos, SFO

REFLECTION QUESTION: How do you value small things and people?

Lord, in my smallness and nothingness, nourish me and help me grow.

29 July 2012 Sunday

keep the peace

 

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called. – Ephesians 4: 2-4

 

Sixty leaders of various committees from different provinces gathered the day before the celebration of the feast of the Blessed Mother. Final instructions were being given as well as food and gasoline allowances. That’s when the trouble began. What started as a peaceful meeting suddenly became an unruly crowd. People began to murmur and complain why others were getting more than them.

The overall coordinator stood up on stage, waiting for the noise to die down. When the room was still, he spoke softly, quoting the verse above.

It took a few seconds before the miracle happened. Then people stood up, clapped their hands vigorously and started hugging one another as they cried and laughed at the same time.

Words from an ordinary man would not have pacified their spirits but the words of God brought them back together, instilled peace and united them in their call to serve. Chelle Crisanto (ellehcmaria@yahoo.com)

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REFLECTION:

“Church isn’t a building. Church is what you do. Church is who you are. Church is the human outworking of the person of Jesus Christ. Let’s not go to Church, let’s be the Church.” (Bridget Willard)

 

Lord, let me be Your instrument of unity.

 

St. Martha, pray for us.

 

 

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1^ST READING  

 

Miracles such as this can not be explained scientifically. What is important here is not the miracle itself but what it indicates about both the one who performs it and the God who empowers it. God chooses to intervene in human history every now and then to remind us that He is present in our lives and to call us to deeper conversion to Him.

 

2 Kings 4:42-44

42 A man came from Baal-shalishah bringing to Elisha, the man of God twenty barely loaves made from the firstfruits, and fresh grain in the ear. Elisha said, “Give it to the people to eat.” 43 But his servant objected, “How can I set this before a hundred people?” Elisha insisted, “Give it to the people to eat.” For thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and there shall be some left over.’” 44 And when they had eaten, there was some left over, as the Lord had said.

 

P S A L M

 

Psalm 145:10-11, 15-16, 17-18

R: The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.

10 Let all your works give you thanks, O Lord, and let your faithful ones bless you. 11 Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might. (R) 15 The eyes of all look hopefully to you, and you give them their food in due season; 16 you open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. (R) 17 The Lord is just in all his ways and holy in all his works. 18 The Lord is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth. (R)

 

2^ND READING

 

 

Paul uses the language of ”complete selflessness.“ This is indeed a great challenge to us who are more self-focused than otherwise. The Gospels are quite clear that to enter into heaven, we have to learn to die to our own desires and be fully surrendered to God’s will. In obedience to God’s will, we will discover the fullness of life. It may take time for us to realize this truth.

 

Ephesians 4:1-6

1 Brothers and sisters: I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, 3 striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace: 4 one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

 

GOSPEL

 

The feeding miracle precedes the Eucharistic discourse in John’s Gospel. Perhaps John is trying to tell us that just as food nourishes us physically, it is the Eucharist and the things of the Spirit that nourish our souls. I wonder if we really believe this? If we do not, we will find it next to impossible to understand the central role of the Eucharist in our lives.

 

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

A great prophet has risen in our midst. God has visited his people.

 

John 6:1-15

1 Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee. 2 A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish feast of Passover was near. 5 When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” 6 He said this to test him, because he himself  knew what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people recline.” Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. 12 When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.” 13 So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat. 14 When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, “This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.” 15 Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone.

 

think: It is the Eucharist and the things of the Spirit that nourish our souls.

 

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THE MIRACLE OF THE BAON

 

People wanted to follow Jesus even if they had to cross deserts and mountains, even if they would go hungry. But Jesus proves to be more realistic than them. They would go hungry — definitely. Thus, the miracle. But behind the miracle is a boy who had five barley loaves and two fish. He brought provisions for himself. It seems odd that a mere child knew what to do while many other people, older than him, forgot about their needs for such long journeys and stints with Jesus.

We see another simple miracle here: a boy who was ready to let go of his own bread and fish so that others may not go hungry. Surely, he must have been listening to Jesus and lived His teaching. The miracle needed to start somewhere, somehow, from somebody who had bread and fish. I don’t know how the Apostles convinced the child to give all that he had at the moment. But I’m sure he happily did it with the disposition of a child. Jesus has always been fascinated by children. They’re pure and simple, kindhearted, selfless, obedient, faithful, trusting.

He believed that he could part from his baon (packed meal) knowing that Jesus will provide for him. It took a young, simple and selfless individual like him for a great miracle to happen. His selflessness and willingness to share is a miracle in itself. Not all people would do the same.

And it happened. About five thousand got their fill of bread and fish. It must have been one great picnic. And when they gathered the leftover, 12 wicker baskets of fragments were collected. Jesus gave them more than they needed. His love is simply overflowing — just like what happened in the days of Elisha when a hundred people were fed and some leftovers were collected. God’s generosity remains the same yesterday, today and forever.

Today, we remember the great miracle performed by Jesus and overflowing generosity and sensitivity to our needs. We also remember the boy who shared his own bread and fish. We don’t know his name, but we hope to find him in our midst — today. Fr. Erick Y. Santos, SFO

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: Are you willing to share whatever you have for the sake of the greater good?

 

Lord, help me to discover the joy of sharing and giving.

 

 

28 July 2012 Saturday

THE RISE AND FALL OF EVIL

“Tie them in bundles for burning, but gather the wheat into my barn.” – Matthew 13:30

Watching the news on TV makes me think that the evil trends of the world seem to be unstoppable. Dishonest officials always sit in high positions in government, promoting graft and corruption. Laws against Christian morality and ethics are being proposed in congress. Robbery and crime are on the rise. Wars never come to an end. People renounce their faith.

It appears as if the devil is already winning.

I asked the Lord why He allows these miserable things to happen.

As I reflected on Scripture, the Lord reminded me that everything in this world is temporary. The prevailing scheme of the evil one will also fail and end. Then, the glory of the Lord will rise and rule over this darkness. Everlasting happiness will be granted to those who stand firm and put their trust in Him. So it is best that we remain strong in our faith and persevere in drawing near to our Lord through prayers and good deeds.

God is at His strongest when we are at our weakest. Dho Rimando (dougsterrimando@yahoo.com.ph)

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REFLECTION:

“All God’s giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on His power and presence being with them.” (James Hudson Taylor)

Lord, You’ve empowered us to defeat the evil one. Grant me the courage I need to use that power.

St. Leopold Mandic, pray for us.

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1^ST READING  

A prophet’s basic message is always a call to conversion. This is something we need to reflect on often as sin is always trying to bring about the opposite result in our lives. It is essential that we seek to go deeper with the Lord every day as His disciple. If we do not, we will get lazy and then apathetic and before we know it, sin will have reestablished its stronghold in our lives.

Jeremiah 7:1-11

1 The following message came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 Stand at the gate of the house of the Lord, and there proclaim this message: Hear the word of the Lord, all you of Judah who enter these gates to worship the Lord! 3 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Reform your ways and your deeds, so that I may remain with you in this place. 4 Put not your trust in the deceitful words: “This is the temple of the Lord! The temple of the Lord! The temple of the Lord!” 5 Only if you thoroughly reform your ways and your deeds; if each of you deals justly with his neighbor; 6 if you no longer oppress the resident alien, the orphan, and the widow; if you no longer shed innocent blood in this place, or follow strange Gods to your own harm, 7 will I remain with you in this place, in the land which I gave your fathers long ago and forever. 8 But here you are, putting your trust in deceitful words to your own loss! 9 Are you to steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal, go after strange Gods that you know not, 10 and yet come to stand before me in this house which bears my name, and say: “We are safe; we can commit all these abominations again”? 11 Has this house which bears my name become in your eyes a den of thieves? I too see what is being done, says the Lord.

P S A L M

Psalm 84:3, 4, 5-6, 8, 11

R: How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!

2 [3] My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. (R) 3 [4] Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest in which she puts her young — Your altars, O Lord of hosts, my king and my God! (R) 4 [5] Blessed they who dwell in your house! continually they praise you. 5 [6] Blessed the men whose strength you are! 7 [8] They go from strength to strength. (R) 10 [11] I had rather one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I had rather lie at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. (R)

GOSPEL

God will wait until the end of the world before the final judgment is passed. However, there will be a particular judgment when we die that will indicate our final destiny. Though there will be purification to prepare ourselves for eternity in the presence of God, at least we will know that that is our destination. Purgatory is thus a happy place in that we know we are destined for eternal beatitude and not hell.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls.

Matthew 13:24-30

24 Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds. “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 While everyone

was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off. 26 When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well. 27 The slaves of the householder came to him and said, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from?’ 28 He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ 29 He replied, “No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. 30 Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn. ”

Esther C-7

think: Purgatory is thus a happy place in that we know we are destined for eternal beatitude and not hell.

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WAITING AND HOPING PATIENTLY

As a school director from 1993 to 2010, I had to deal with countless restless parents and problem students. At the end of the school year, those who were recommended for transfer to other schools (read: dropped from the roll) would show up in my office to seek reconsideration. I must admit that I have a soft spot for crying mothers. I have become famous (or infamous) for re-admitting students who have become a pain in the neck to their teachers. Deep inside me, I was hoping against all hope that each problem student would change after giving them a new lease in their academic life.

Once, I accepted a dropout from another school. I wanted to prove that there’s no such thing as a hopeless case. I asked the the teachers to patiently guide him and allow the best in him to come out. Come graduation time, he received the medal for Best in Deportment (Best in Conduct). Patience pays off after all. As the cliché goes, our God is a God of second chances — and a third, and a fourth, and so on. He never gets tired of giving us breaks. He believes in us. He is patient with us.

Today’s parable describes the patient landowner who did not allow the bad weeds to be removed until harvest time. It speaks of the judgment day when weeds would be burned after being separated from the wheat. In my mind, the bad weeds could still be turned to good wheat. It may seem scientifically improbable, but nothing is impossible with God. He is patient with all of us, both the good and the bad.

People have been talking about the end of the world because the world has gone astray. Doomsayers have predicted many dates for the end of the world. It never came. Not yet. God gives us every opportunity to change. He continues to enlighten people through His words and sacraments and, by His grace, the light shines through. There are not a few conversion stories within prison walls. And there are inspiring stories of those who used to walk in the dark but were embraced by His light. The stories are never ending. While He patiently waits...Fr. Erick Y. Santos, SFO

REFLECTION QUESTION: How do you help and practice patience towards difficult people?

May I be patient with others, Lord, just as You are patient with me.

 G

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27 July 2012 Friday

BEARING FRUIT

 

“And the seeds sown in the good soil stand for those who hear the message and understand it: they bear fruit, some as much as one hundred, others, sixty, and others thirty.” – Matthew 13:23

 

When my parents first moved to our subdivision, they planted seeds of mango, jackfruit, coconut and chico in the land surrounding our family’s home. After many years, these seeds have blossomed into trees whose fruits are enjoyed not only by our family but our neighbors as well.

Once, we harvested a total of 64 coconuts from just one tree. It’s amazing how one seed that fell on good soil produced a tree that bears so much fruit.

It reminds me how a word of encouragement or simply sharing God’s faithfulness in our lives can plant hope in someone’s heart. Imagine how the seed of kindness and the truth of the Gospel can change someone’s life. Imagine also how a person touched by God’s transforming love can influence the people around them until the whole country is transformed. It seems so massive, but the change begins from one seed of goodness planted today.

It is so important that we do our duty as Christians in planting the seeds of God’s truth and goodness in our lives. That way, the Holy Spirit can continue His renewing work in the world.Marjorie Ann Duterte (marjorie.travels@gmail.com)

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REFLECTION:

If no seed is sown, how will the Spirit bear fruit? Who can I share God’s Word with today?

 

Dear Lord, may we be like the good soil that receives Your Word in trust and obedience, so that Your Spirit may bear fruits of love, peace and joy in us. Amen.

 

Blessed Antonio Lucci,pray for us.

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1^ST READING  

 

Part of the process of conversion is that the Lord wants to reform our hearts according to His own. Our hearts have been hardened by sin and God wants to change this so that we will leave behind the life of sin and live in the name of the Lord. This means making God’s will and desires the foremost focus in our lives rather than the agenda the world has for us. It will take a minor revolution in our thinking and acting to accomplish this.

 

Jeremiah 3:14-17

14 Return, rebellious children, says the Lord, for I am your Master; I will take you, one from a city, two from a clan, and bring you to Zion. 15 I will appoint over you shepherds after my own heart, who will shepherd you wisely and prudently. 16 When you multiply and become fruitful in the land, says the Lord, they will in those days no longer say, “The ark of the covenant of the Lord!” They will no longer think of it, or remember it, or miss it, or make another. 17 At that time they will call Jerusalem the Lord’s throne; there all nations will be gathered together to honor the name of the Lord at Jerusalem, and they will walk no longer in their hardhearted wickedness.

 

P S A L M

 

Jeremiah 31:10, 11-12, 13

R: The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.

10 Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, proclaim it on distant isles, and say: He who scattered Israel, now gathers them together, he guards them as a shepherd his flock. (R) 11 The Lord shall ransom Jacob, he shall redeem him from the hand of his conqueror. 12 Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion, they shall come streaming to the Lord’s blessings: The grain, the wine, and the oil, the sheep and the oxen. (R)13 Then the virgins shall make merry and dance,

and young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into joy, I will console and gladden them after their sorrows. (R)

 

GOSPEL

 

We all face numerous challenges in life, all of which will require choices to be made, some of them difficult. This should not be cause for alarm but rather the expectation of seeing how God is going to bring about His will in our lives. Every time we face a challenge, the grace is there for us to deal with it well. The question is whether or not we are humble enough to rely on God’s help to address the situation at hand.

 

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance.

 

Matthew 13:18-23

18 Jesus said to his disciples: “Hear the parable of the sower. 19 The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the Kingdom without understanding it, and the evil one comes and steals away what was sown in his heart. 20 The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy. 21 But he has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away. 22 The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit. 23 But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”

LIST

think: Every time we face a challenge, the grace is there for us to deal with it well.

 

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PARABLE OF THE ROACHES

 

My parents recited this mantra while we were growing up: “Study hard. Education is the only treasure that we can give you.” My parents called themselves graduates of the University of Hard Knocks. They eloped before they finished high school. Thus, the endless reminder for us, their children, to do our best in ensuring a good future. The books, my parents and my teachers, plus the struggles of a poor, simple family inspired me to soar to greater heights. Suffice it to say that the lessons were well-learned and became deeply rooted in my persona.

The Word of God offers limitless avenues for us to learn and grow. We listen to the Word of God every day at Mass. The story of the sower is a hard-hitting parable which remains relevant to these days. There are still people who are indifferent to the Word. We have yet to equal the members of other Christian denominations in their reverence and love for Scripture. There are those who welcome the Word of God for a while but forget about it in the long run. And there are those whose worldly concerns take the first place in their hierarchy of values rather than their spiritual lives.

But there are those who welcome the Word of God, make it their source of strength and inspiration, establish it as the criteria and benchmark for a meaningful and spirit-filled life. Fortunately for the Church, the dawning of the Charismatic Renewal movement has led to a renewed thirst for the Word — to be read, heard, listened to and lived out.

Many families have Bibles in their homes, but very rarely do they enthrone it in their altars. They keep their Bibles inside cabinets, unread and being feasted on by roaches. One priest warned: Don’t be shocked when you reach heaven and find the roaches having halos and angelic wings — because the roaches seemed more interested in God’s Word than you are!

Lessons have to be learned. Impressions have to last. Challenges have to be faced with fortitude. The Word of God has to be firmly planted in the hearts of the faithful. Wanted: Good soil for God’s Word. Fr. Erick Y. Santos, SFO

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: In the parable, which soil are you? Why?

 

Lord, may Your Word bring fruits aplenty in my life.