17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

July 28, 2019

Readings:

First Reading: Genesis 18: 20-32

Psalm: 69 “Lord on the day I called for help, you answered me .”

Second Reading: Colossians 2: 12-14

Gospel reading according to Luke 11: 1-13

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Homily: The Lord’s Prayer

Jesus very often communicates to God, his Father through prayers.  He constantly prays, especially if there is an important need he would like to ask to his Father in relation to his mission.  He does not choose any significant place.  When time comes for him to pray, he prays anywhere or in certain place where he cannot be disturbed and distracted.  Most of the times, he prays alone.  “Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples” (Luke 11: 1).  At a distance where his disciples were, one of them realized that Jesus was finished praying.  He was an observant disciple and always looking at Jesus with simplicity and humility.  But one thing he was lacking, the proper posture in prayer, proper disposition in prayer, and what to pray, meaning the content of his prayer.  We, too, sometimes we do not know how to pray, what to pray and the real reason why we pray.  The disciple who came to Jesus might be a former disciple of John, for he mentioned to Jesus that John taught his disciples his prayer formula.  He even told Jesus that John taught his disciples to pray.  We can also ask ourselves if Jesus did not teach his followers how to pray at the beginning of his ministry, for it is necessary to that inquisitive disciple to ask Jesus to teach them to pray.

Maybe Jesus realized also that it is time to teach his disciples to pray to God, his Father.  Since he was still fresh from praying, and he does not want to give the lesson on prayer only to that disciple, so, he called his other disciples to come and listen to the lesson on prayer, “He said to them, ‘When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come.  Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test’.” (Luke 11: 2-4).  This lesson on prayer is the most beautiful, most complete, and most perfect prayer a teacher can teach to his disciples (students).  It contains an order or dispose to prayer.  We can say that there are three parts, at least, in this “formula” prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ.  First, there is recognition to God whom Jesus called his Father and our Father.  God is our Father for we acknowledged that we came from Him as our Creator and Provider, and as a Father, He listens to our prayers as His children.  Then, we blessed and sanctified His Holy Name, for He is holy.  We, as His children, obey His will and commands so that His Kingdom of love, peace, justice, and integrity of creation may come and reign.  In the second part of this prayer, we ask our petitions and needs to God our Father, like our daily food (bread), clothing, shelter, and many others.  We also petition harmonious relationship to our neighbors by asking forgiveness to those we made offenses, and in response we reciprocate by giving forgiveness also to those who committed sins against us.  Thirdly and last, we believe that God, is a loving and merciful Father, and He will never allow us to put into test by the evil ones and to make us sin against His love and mercy.     

To make the prayer clearer and understandable to his disciples and easy to remember and to recite, as well as to reveal the meaning of it, he told them a story or parable, as to compare God to a friend who came to his friend at the middle of the night to ask for loaves of friend for his friend. 

To explain the prayer he just taught, he gave an example, a parable to his disciples.  “And he said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him, and he says in reply from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed.  I cannot get up to give you anything’.” (Luke 11: 5-7).  The friend inside the house did not say, “Sorry friend for we too also run out of loaves of bread,” but rather he just said that the door is locked and his children are in bed, it means they still have loaves of bread but he is lazy to stand up and to open the door and to lend the bread.  That is why, his friend who asked loaves of bread became more insistent and demanding just to have what he was begging – loaves of bread for his newly arrived friend. 

Jesus vividly told his disciples the persistence (kakulitan) of that friend outside the house.  The friend inside the house was so bothered and maybe irritated with the demanding friend who asked for pieces of bread.  “’I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence’.” (Luke 11: 8).  He got up not because of their friendship but because of the constant and non-stop yelling and shouting of his friend and disturbing even their neighbors at the middle of the night.

In praying, we must be persistent also, like that demanding friend, to God, our Father, not because He does not hear us, but we must be sure of what we are asking for, for God gives all our needs that is good for us.  “’And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you shall find; knock and the door will be opened to you’.” (Luke 11: 9).  As children of God, we should ask Him all our needs; always seek first the Kingdom of God, always knocking at the door of heaven in good times and in bad times.  God, our loving Father is always present.  He has long arms; He is always ready to move and to extend to us his long arms to reach us.  He has opens ears to all our pleading (pagsusumamo).  He has wide eyes, so He can see us.  And He has big heart to love and care us.

Jesus told his disciples to be open and constantly in communion with God, the Father, through prayer.  “’For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened’.” (Luke 11: 10). In God, anyone who asks receives; anyone who seeks, finds; and anyone who knocks at the door, it opens to him/her.  God is not a stingy, not ungenerous, (hindi maramot), not stiff-neck, not deaf (nagta-taengang kawali); but God is a generous God, so good/very good.  We cannot describe in one word the goodness of God to us, His children.

Again, to make the prayer clearer and understandable to his disciples and easy to remember and to recite, as well as to reveal the meaning of it, he told them a story or parable, as to compare to an ordinary father of the family.  Jesus compared God to a father of a family who provides what is good, and/or best to his children, to his whole family members.  “’What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish?  Or hand him a scorpion when he ask for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who as him?’” (Luke 11: 11-13).  As a father of the family, despite his limitations (kakulangan)), his weaknesses and sinfulness, he gives fish when his son/daughter is hungry and not a snake; or an egg instead of scorpion.  Jesus knew the heart and mind of a father, that’s why he said, “If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children,” so also our Heavenly Father who knows what we need even though we have not yet asking for it. Even impossible thing, like the Holy Spirit, He can give when we ask for it.  

The Lord’s Prayer shows how wonderful God is.  He is a good Father of the family who provides all the good things we need.  He can satisfy all our wants and desires of our hearts, to have the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts, in our whole being, He can give.  He is not a demanding God, but He teaches us to become demanding children by asking, seeking, and knocking at the door of heaven.  Pray and beg him, and He has answer in all our pleading, whether immediately, right now or it may take time to receive what we are asking for, for He gives what is good, better and best for us, His children.

19th Year of Priestly Ordination Anniversary

July 27, 2019

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Peace and all good!

Today is my 19th Year of Priestly Ordination Anniversary.   

I thank God for the many blessings He has given to me 

especially the gifts of faith, hope, love and perseverance.  

He is very merciful to me 

for He has overlooked all my limitations, weaknesses 

and sinfulness I have committed.  

Up to this time, He is always with me 

and protecting me from all evil temptations and harm.   

He never allows me to stumble and fall again, but always accompanies me. 

Thank you Lord for all the wonders you have done to me.

All of you are included in my Thanksgiving Mass, 

your intentions and even your families and loved ones; 

I would like to share with you my happiness and gratitude 

to our Almighty God and Father of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, 

in the Holy Eucharist.   

Thank you also for your continuous prayers for me.   

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

July 21, 2019

Readings:

First Reading: Genesis 18: 1-10a

Psalm: 69 “He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.”

Second Reading: Colossians 1: 24-28

Gospel reading according to Luke 10: 38-42

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Homily: Martha and Mary

Jesus informed many people that in their villages, through his disciples and apostles, he will come and visit them.  One of the villages he visited was the village in Bethany, to the house of Martha, Mary and Lazarus.  Jesus had special relationship with Martha, her sister Mary, and her brother Lazarus.  They were expecting the coming of Jesus beforehand as announced by his apostles.  So Martha and Marry were very busy in preparing the house, the utensils they will use, the food and drinks they will share, and they themselves were also prepared.  Everything was set and ready, but Martha exaggerated a little more touches.  And Jesus came.  “Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him” (Luke 10: 38).  As truly good hosts of so important a guest and friend, they prepared the day of the coming of the Lord in their house.  Martha was the first one who welcomed Jesus and his companions in their house.  Martha offered sits and served the Lord and his disciples aperitif, afterwards she continued setting the table and the food she was cooking.  She was very busy and later realized that Mary, her sister, was out of the kitchen and not helping her.  This is an ordinary scenario when we are receiving guests or visitors or friends in our house, we prepared food and drinks first before meeting and facing (istimahin) our guests.  But, in that village, an important guest was entering the house of Martha, of Mary and Lazarus.

Who is Martha who welcomes Jesus?  She is a typical Jewish woman who does not mingle with the Jewish men.  She is the stereotype woman whose role is in the house – kitchen, food and drink, cleaning the house, washing and ironing clothes, washing the dishes, marketing, etc., the works usually do of women, and if she is married, raising and taking care of children.  She avoided talking, listening and speaking with other people, or exchanging ideas; for her what is important is the order of the home where she lives.  She does not go out, making friends, a silent type woman whose occupation is work, work and work in the house.  Maybe the only time she goes out is when she worships in the Temple in Jerusalem which is near to their place, a walking distance, two miles from Bethany to Jerusalem.  Martha is hospitable to her special guest – Jesus.  Hospitality is one Martha believed its importance.

So entered Mary, the younger sister of Martha and Lazarus, who was interested to Jesus more than anything else.  “She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak” (Luke 10: 39).  Mary ignores the rule of hospitality and left Martha worked alone in the kitchen in order to sit and to listen to Jesus and to learn from him.  Mary did what was not supposed to do by a Jewish woman in front of men, sitting at the feet of a man (Jesus), who was not her husband, a brother or a father.  With all men in the reception/receiving room, Mary listened to Jesus’ words while sitting at his feet.  She did not mind the Jewish traditions and rules, especially the role of women in the Jewish society.  She liberated herself from the grip of male dominance when she sat at the feet of Jesus.  While Jesus respected the right of Mary to be with his (male and Jewish) disciples, to sit and listen to him.

And, who is this Mary who sits at Jesus’ feet? Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus, who sat at the Lord’s feet when he visited her family in Bethany, had chosen "the better part," that of listening to the master's discourse.  Mary took "the place of a disciple” by sitting at the feet of the teacher. It was unusual for a woman in first-century Judaism to be accepted by a teacher as a disciple.  By sitting and listening to the words of Jesus Christ, she does what a theologian epitomizes.  She studied the words of Jesus Christ and applied them for her community’s enlightenment and action.

Martha, who did all the works to give satisfaction to their special guest, felt overburdened.  She needed the helping hands and/or extra hands from her sister, Mary.  For her to set the table and the food to be served were the most important than to sit and to listen, and sometimes to share in the discussion, were secondary in attending (istimahin) the visitors’ need. “Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?  Tell her to help me’.” (Luke 10: 40).  As their special friend and very close to the family, Martha was so familiar to Jesus; he was also treated as the elder brother of the family, so she confidently told Jesus to scold Mary and go to help Martha (abalang-abala) in the kitchen.  That was what Martha only needed, a helping hand, a helper to make the work fast and finish before meal.  This is also her way in showing her love to Jesus.

But as a true friend, Jesus did not only come to eat with them, but also to know their conditions, how are they? Kuwentuhan at kumustahan.  This is the last day they see each other, for he is going to Jerusalem, to his death.  “The Lord said to her in reply, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. . .’” (Luke 10: 41).  His time is limited and running out short.  He wanted to spend the last remaining days of his life to his close friends.  If he was left alone in the “sala” while his close friends were busy preparing and making food for him, how can he enjoy their company?  Jesus also showed his love to Martha when he repeated saying her name.  Thus, he said to Martha that she was anxious and worried about unnecessary things, especially the food for the visitors and guests.  Here he is, their close and intimate friend who only needs their quality time, their presence and listening ears, heart and mind towards him, which he found to Mary.

What Mary did was to be with Jesus, sat at his feet and listened to his words.  “. . . ‘Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her’.” (Luke 10: 42).  She spent quality time to Jesus.  She listened to his words.  Jesus said that Mary has chosen the better part of friendship, sitting, listening and talking.to learn the good news from a friend, a truly and special friend. That’s the way she loves Jesus.  Both sisters, Martha and Mary, showed their love to Jesus.  Martha’s love is shown in her work and Mary’s love is shown in her sitting and listening to Jesus’ words.