21st SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel - Abunda

Parokya San Miguel (Diocese of Ipil)

Municipality of Mabuhay, Zamboanga Sibugay

Mindanao, Philippines

The grace and peace of the Lord be with you (+)

Our gospel reading for this Sunday is the very culmination of the litany of readings starting from July 29 (17^th Sunday) Let us have a short recap: Last July 29 (17^th Sunday), Jesus fed the 5,000 people. Then the following Sunday, August  5 (18^th Sunday), he started the Bread of Life discourse by saying “I am the Bread of Life.”  On August 12 (19^th Sunday), he said again, “I am the Bread of Life.” Then he repeated it last Sunday, August 19 (20^th Sunday) “I am the Bread of Life.”

Today our gospel opened with various reactions regarding his Bread of Life discourse. The people said, “This saying is hard; Who can accept it?”

If you have a wild imagination, you can picture this out: one of them might have said, “What he said is nice, but who will have the guts to accept it? I will never dare drink his blood nor eat his flesh! Who among us will volunteer?”

One of them said: “I dare you!”

To which he replied: “No way!”

That is why, it is not surprising why many decided not to go with Him anymore. Instead, they go back to their old way of life…

Receiving Christ is a Decision. Jesus confronted the twelve: “Do you also want to leave?” Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of everlasting life.” (John 6: 68). At this point, Peter felt the need to really make a decision to follow Christ or go back to his old life. While seeing the others who left, he might have reflected, “If I stop following Christ, to whom shall I go?”, “Is there somebody who will give me the assurance that I will receive eternal life?”  

Then Peter made a decision, ““Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of everlasting life.” (John 6: 68)

In our life as Christians, many times we are faced with decisions whether we are for Christ or against Christ. It can be small in matters like telling lies or admitting the truth. It can, however, also be in big matters like standing up for faith regarding moral issues in our time.

One time in our meeting with the priests and the lay faithful, a head of ministry shared, “somebody came to me and asked if we are still to initiate voter’s education in the parish since the election time is fast approaching. He then added that we are doing the good thing. Unfortunately, it saddened me because I knew that person, and he received money.”

Christ is asking us today: Are you for me or against me? Do you worship me during Sundays only or for the rest of the week?

Receiving Christ is a conviction. Peter said, “You are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:69) in our first reading, Joshua reminded the people of Israel regarding the many miracles done by God while they journeyed to the Promised Land and how the God of Israel also protected them from all enemies. The people responded, “We will serve the  Lord our God, and hear only His voice. ” (Joshua 24:24)

Are you convinced that the small host you receive in the Holy Mass is Christ?

One time, I saw a former seminarian in the mall. May companion said of him: “That ex-seminarian is amazing! He is prayerful, always prim and proper but was sent out because he punched his seminarian – companion. In fairness to him, he defended his thesis paper very well before his exit.

I asked, “What is the title of his thesis paper?

“Love of Neighbor.”

(Toinkz!)

Brothers and Sisters, receiving Christ is a personal response of loyalty. It is our plunge of commitment to Him who is the Bread of Life whom we receive in the sacrament. We do not receive Christ for nothing. It calls us to also respond with faith conviction to serve Him, and Him alone. Are you for Him or against Him?

20th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

"This is my body..."

20^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Date: August 19, 2012

First Reading: Proverbs 9:1-6

Second Reading: Ephesians 5:15-20

Gospel: John 6: 51-58

If you are a regular mass-goer, you will notice that our gospel this Sunday is almost the same these past few Sundays. Jesus talked about himself as the bread of life. Yes, you are right. Our gospel this Sunday is only a part of Jesus’ long discourse about the bread of life that came down from heaven to give life. This started last July 29 (17^th Sunday) where Jesus fed the 5,000 and there were 12 baskets left.  Then the following Sunday, August  5 (18^th Sunday), he claimed “I am the bread of life.”  Then, last Sunday, August 12 (19^th Sunday), he once again claimed “I am the bread of life.” And he still said today: “I am the bread of life.”

 

In our gospel today, the Jews murmured why Jesus was saying that he will give his flesh to eat (John 6: 52). “Unless you eat of the flesh of the Son of Man and dink his blood, you do not have life within you. (John 6: 53)

Once there was a parishioner who approached me and said: “Father, when Jesus said that he will give his flesh to eat, it sounded very morbid and cannibalistic.” I told him, do you know that the early Christians were accused of cannibalism  for reputedly eating the body of Christ?

My parishioner exclaimed with an open mouth: “Ewww.”

Eating his flesh and drinking the blood of Christ shows the deep intimacy of our relationship with Him. Jesus said, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.” (John 6:57) For the Jews, it is forbidden to drink blood. Thus, it is not surprising that they could not accept what Jesus said. On the other hand, eating his flesh and drinking his blood is a description of our oneness in the Eucharist. It shows here the height, depth, length and breadth of Christ’s relation to those who receive Him. Not only that, it also shows the height, depth, length and breadth of the bond between believers. Jesus indeed is the food and drink who gives life, not only in the present but also in the life to come.

During the time of the early Christians, Emperor Domitian of Rome ordered that the whole empire worship him as god. The Christians had to make brave decisions whether they are for Christ or for the emperor. If they truly profess Christ in the liturgy and in their life, then they must face persecution. Believe it or not, a handful of Christians opposed the decree of the Emperor and they victoriously became martyrs. The blood of the martyrs became the seeds of the Church.

But more than the deep intimacy, the flesh and blood of Christ in the Eucharist is of real presence. We partake of the real body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist. We affirm in the Eucharistic Prayer, “This is my body” and not “This is the symbol of my body.” If we eat ordinary bread, it is transformed into an energy which becomes useful for the body. However, if we receive Christ as our bread of life, we become part of His body.  In this way, his values and principles become ours too. His life becomes our life. His service becomes our service. His mission becomes our mission. St. Augustine beautifully captured this in a vision that said to him: “I am the bread of the strong, eat me! But you will not transform me and make me part of you; rather, I will transform you and make you part of me.”

Watch out! Jesus’ discourse on the bread of life doesn’t end this Sunday. Next Sunday, many who hear this message will turn their backs on him. Then he will ask the twelve, “Do you also want to leave?”

The answer will be next week.

19th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

ST. AUGUSTINE CHAPEL

 TANDU-COMOT, MABUHAY, ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY, PHILIPPINES

(The farthest chapel in my parish)

 

 

 

19^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Date: August 12, 2012

First Reading: 1 Kings 19: 4-8

Second Reading: Ephesians 4: 30-5:2

Gospel: John 6: 41-51

 

One experience I could not forget in my parish life is Mico (not his real name), 19. He was our youngest Eucharistic minister. He first served as knight of the altar few years back. Then, he became a lector and eventually a Eucharistic minister. One day, he came and asked for the sacrament of baptism. I was surprised because he has been serving the parish in the active ministry for years and yet he is not yet a Catholic.

He explained that when he was still a kid, his parents were converted to the Alliance Sect. He was also baptized in that religion. After several years, however, his parents went back to the fold of the Catholic Church while he was left in the Alliance. Because he was very participative in school activities, he also volunteered to join the Knights of the Altar. Before he knew it, he was already accepting other ministries and he took these ministries very seriously. When he became a Eucharistic minister, he got the courage to initiate telling me the truth.

Our gospel for today talks about the Jews who murmured  about Jesus when He said that He is the bread of life who came down from heaven. They said to one another, “How can he claim that he is the bread from heaven, when in fact we know him!”

But Jesus said to them, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. It is written in the prophets: they shall all be taught by God. Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.” (John 6:44-45)

Bulls-eye! Jesus clearly emphasized that nobody can come to God in his own effort. It is always the Father who draws the sinner who in turn moves closer to Christ. In the aspect of salvation, it is always the initiative of God, not man.

Our Eucharistic minister believed with all his heart that it is the calling of the Father that he got baptized in the Catholic Church. He only responded with faith. Through the Holy Eucharist, his life was changed.

What can we reflect today about the Bread of Life who came down from heaven?

The Bread of Life is a Person. Jesus is God but He chose to become man so we may attain salvation. In our part-taking of the holy sacrament, our relationship with Him only gets deeper.  I remember my old parishioner who lost track of her son after he (son) went to Sabah,  Malaysia without proper documents. I salute this old woman. Despite her problem, he is still able to go to Mass, and she never gets late. Sometimes, she is even earlier than our convent boy in opening the parish Church. She in fact is our daily mass-goer. One time, I asked her: “Madam,what keeps you going?” She replied: “The body of Christ.”

The Bread of Life has a Power. “Whoever eats this bread will live forever.” (John 6:50). It doesn’t mean that we shall enjoy our life to the fullest until the end of the world but it means that our life will be changed. The Bread of Life has the power to change our life! The sinner is like a person who is dead. if we listen to His words and partake of Him in the Eucharist, He will give us a new life, a renewed life. God’s Word is alive and it has the power to change you.

The Bread of Life has a Promise: Eternal Life. For St. John, eternal life doesn’t begin after we die. Eternal life begins in the here and now. If we live our life in faith, we already practice eternal life on earth. I knew of one person who lived his life in faith. His name is Tatang. When he was still young, he had only one wish to God – that he be given a peaceful death. It was his constant prayer whenever he received Christ during communion . On the last days of his life, he always mentioned “November 4, November 4.” Nobody understood it, not even his family. Believe it or not, when November 4 came, Tatang died peacefully.

Friends, don’t underestimate the small piece of host that you receive during Communion. That is Christ – the Bread of Life. Talk to him, offer your life to him in faith and He will bring tremendous change in your life. His saving power that you only heard in the lives of the saints will unfold before your own life.

18th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B) / ST. JOHN VIANNEY SUNDAY

18^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) / St. John Vianney Sunday

Date: August 5, 2012

First Reading: Exodus 16: 2-4, 12-15

Second Reading: Ephesians 4: 17, 20-24

Gospel: John 6: 24-35

When I initiated writing the history of the Catholic Church in my mission area, I found out that the first missionaries gave lands, carabaos, money and houses. This is what we called the dole-out system. One of my parishioners vividly described it: “On a Sunday, one can expect a throng of mass-goers. The Church is filled with people! And even before the Mass ends, you can already see the long line of people going to the parish convent to receive canned goods and imported food products.

The scenario was short-lived. When the time came that the priest had no more to give, the number of mass-goers also declined “because they have nothing to get from the Church anymore,” my parishioner sadly remarked.

Friends, our gospel for today speaks of the people who ran after Christ. They were among those  five thousand last Sunday who ate of the miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fishes. However, they followed Christ not because of the miracles he performed but because they were filled. Perhaps they said to one another:  “Let us follow Christ, and our stomach shall always be filled. For sure, we will never be hungry.” This is very much in contrast with what God said in our first reading: “You shall eat flesh, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread; and you shall know that I am the LORD your God.” (Exodus 16: 12)

We have different reasons why we go to the Church. Some ask for good health while others ask that their children pass the board exams. Still others pray for their partners in life.  There are also those who simply thank God for the many blessings they receive every day. Variety of reasons! It amazes me while watching you all from the sanctuary: different faces, different cultures, and yet one in faith.

This is only a testament that we do not live by bread alone. It is true that we need to eat every day, but equally important is the need to also nourish our soul. Listening to the Word of God and receiving Christ in the holy sacrifice of the Mass are very important aspects of our Christian life.

Many people became nominal Christians after the dole-out system. Why? Because their only motive is to receive goodies. When they have no more canned goods and imported products to receive, they also stop going to the Church. This is what Jesus said in the gospel today: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, You seek me, not because you saw the miracles, but because you did eat of the loaves, and were filled.” (John 6:26)

But despite those who became cold, there are those who remain faithful. They serve and support the activities of the Church. They have truly internalized the importance of partaking of the bread that gives eternal life. St. John Vianney beautifully said it:

“All the good works in the world are not equal to the sacrifice of the Mass because they are the works of men; but the Mass is the work of God. Martyrdom is nothing  in comparison for it is but the sacrifice of man to God; but the Mass  is the sacrifice of God for man.”

Wow! If we only see the Holy Mass from this perspective, surely no one will be sleepy, for before us in the Holy Eucharist is the unfolding of Lord’s ultimate sacrifice. Jesus admonishes us: “Labor not for the food that perishes, but for the food that gives eternal life.” (John 6:27)

On example we could reflect on is St. John Baptist Marie Vianney.

Who is St. John Vianney?

St. John Vianney (May 8, 1786 – August 4, 1859) was a parish priest in one of the parishes in France who became very popular internationally for the spiritual reforms among his parishioners and even nearby parishes. He was known for staying very long in the confessional.

In 1790, at the height of the French Revolution, many priests became underground in order to celebrate the sacraments. St. John Vianney grew up walking miles and trekking mountains just to hear the Holy Mass because it was illegal or not permitted by the government during that time. In fact, when he had his First Communion at 13, they had to close all the windows of the house so that the lights of the candles will not be seen from the outside. Since childhood, he looked upon priests with so much admiration and thought of them as heroes.

When he went to the seminary, St. John Vianney was very poor in Latin that his formators thought he had no vocation. The priests wanted to kick him out. Through the intervention of one priest who believed in him, he was ordained on August 12, 1815. He became a parish priest in the town of Ars. There he was surprised because his parishioners go to their farms on Sundays and spend the whole day dancing and drinking in taverns instead of going to the Church. Through his sermons that highlight the importance of the Holy Eucharist, he became instrumental for the many conversion of hearts. He spent in the confessional 12 hours a day during winter and up to 16 hours a day during summer. His fame spread far and wide.

When he died on August 4, 1859, there were 300 priests and 6 thousand visitors who attended his funeral.   He was canonized by Pope Pius XI on 1925 and declared patron of parish priests on 1929.

This Sunday is also called St. John Marie Vianney Sunday. The special collection will be intended for the on-going formation of the clergy.  The collection will be given to the Bishop, who in turn will hand over to the Commission on Clergy of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines. However, more than the financial help, let us also pray for our dear priests, specially the parish priests, that they may become models of Christian piety and goodness. May the Heart of Jesus live in the heart of our priests, and in the hearts of all.

17 SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B): FIL-MISSION SUNDAY

17^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) / Fil-Mission Sunday

First Reading: 2 Kings 4:42

Second Reading: Ephesians 4: 1-6

Gospel: John 6:1-15

One of the stories that inspired me to join the SVD was the story about a missionary who visited a village for the first time in Africa. He said that he experienced culture-shock. As a sign of courtesy to the chieftain, he had to suck the breast of the chieftain’s aged mother. I joined the SVD not to experience that (LOL) but that story strongly opened my eyes to the missionary endeavors of the Catholic Church. I came to realize that indeed there are people who offered their lives entirely to the Lord and His mission. I highly salute those people! That is why, when the Lord invited me to join Him in His vineyard, I accepted it with joy and the rest is history.

Every last Sunday of July, we celebrate here in the Philippines the Fil-Mission Sunday. It is dedicated to the missionary arm of the Catholic Church in the Philippines, the Mission Society of the Philippines (MSP).  The Fil-Mission Sunday is our act of solidarity in the undertakings of the MSP. The second collections during this day will also be given to them to help spread the Good News in all parts of the world.

One of the two Bible stories that really made a mark during my childhood is our gospel for today. When I was a little kid, my dear elder cousin (God bless him and his family+) read before me the story of the multiplication of the loaves and two fishes, complete with picture illustrations! In the illustrations, it showed an exhausted crowd. The apostles were in crisis because they don’t have enough to feed them. Out of the blue, a child offered his five loaves and two fishes. Jesus took them, gave thanks, and ordered them to be distributed. When they had their fill, there were twelve baskets left-over.

The first reading is also similar with the gospel. There was a drought in the land and a man from Baal-Shalisah offered his bread and wheat for the people of God. The servant who was asked to distribute the food wondered how could it feed  a hundred people. Prophet Elisha just said, “They shall eat, and there shall be some left-over.” Indeed, there were some left-over!

These two readings clearly showed us the value of generosity. A boy initiated to give in the gospel and another man gave what he had in the first reading. Giving is our sacred duty.  During the time of the early Christians, generosity was the their trademark. There is a very heartwarming story about this: when a drought set in Jerusalem and the poor ones were in danger of starvation, the Christian community of Antioch initiated a collection for the poor. How consoling it must be for the starving community to know that they could rely on their Christian brothers and sisters, even those far away, like the one in Antioch who gave material as well as spiritual support.

During the time of Vatican II, our dear bishops discerned what can we do as a Philippine Church to help in the mission of spreading the Good News. The fruit of their collective discernment gave birth to the Mission Society of the Philippines in 1965. We are no longer only a receiving country of missionaries from abroad. We are now a mission-sending country. We become a nation that generously shares its missionaries to all parts of the world. Every Filipino, wherever he is, is a missionary!  How consoling it must be for other countries who are in need of missionaries to know that they could also rely on their Filipino brothers and sisters in terms of spiritual and material support.

But more magnificent than our act of giving is God’s act of self-giving. God is God, but he chose to become flesh to dwell  among us. He gave His all to make us closer to Him. And when he gives – he gives it in good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over. The people who were present ate to their stomach’s delight, and yet there are still left-over!

I thought that if I enter the seminary, I will lose my family. But no, my friends and families even multiplied and became hundredfold. God is indeed generous!

I thought that if I am assigned to a poor parish, I will become thin. But no, I become filled with food…nurturance and love. God is indeed generous!

I thought that if I become a priest, there will be no more chance for me to become a newscaster. But no, God gave me more. He made me a Good News-caster. God is indeed generous!

Friends, let us start to give. God is indeed generous! He gives in good measure, pressed down, and shaken together and running over.

May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the light of the Word and the Spirit of Grace, and may the Heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all. Amen.