33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

November 17, 2019

Readings:

First Reading: Malachi 3: 19-20a

Psalm 98 “The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.”

Second Reading: 2 Thessalonians 3: 7-12

Gospel reading according to Luke 21: 5-19

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Homily: 

The Temple in Jerusalem was one of the most beautiful temples in the Ancient Near East and of all over the Mediterranean Sea.  Its pillars of the porches and of the cloisters were columns of white marble, forty feet high, each one made of one single block of stone.  Of the ornaments, the most famous was the great vine made of solid gold, each of whose clusters was as tall as a man, as described by William Barclay (The Daily Study Bible: The Gospel of Luke, 1985, p. 258).   Josephus, a Jewish historian, described the Temple as it stood in the time of Jesus, wrote, The outward face of the Temple in its front wanted nothing that was likely to surprise either men’s minds or their eyes, for it was covered all over with plates of gold of great weight, and, at the first rising of the sun, reflected back a very fiery splendor, and made those who forced themselves to look upon it to turn their eyes away, just as they would have done at the sun's own rays.  But the Temple appeared to strangers, when they were at a distance, like a mountain covered with snow, for, as to those parts of it that were not gilt (gold), they were exceeding white (Josephus, The Wars of the Jews, book 5, section 5; William Barclay, The Daily Study Bible: The Gospel of Luke, 1985, p. 259).  While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, 'All that you see here – the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down'. (Luke 21: 5-6).  People were discussing about the beauty and the splendor of the Temple, (outside, façade) for truly it was, since it was covered by gold plated leaves and vines surrounding the pillars made of white marbles.  Jesus commented by prophesying. He said to those people full of awe and wonder that the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.  This meant a total destruction.  His prophesy happened in A.D. 70 when the Roman armies after a desperate siege in which the inhabitants of Jerusalem was reduced to cannibalism and in which the city had to be taken literary stone by stone (Barclay, The Daily Study Bible: The Gospel of Luke, p. 258). 

In order to prove a certain saying or prophesy, the Jewish people often ask for a sign.  There is a saying in their idiom or jargon: To see is to believe.   Then they asked him, 'Teacher, when will this happen?  And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?' (Luke 21: 7).  They asked Jesus the exact day it will happen and the sign indicating its happening.  He answered, 'See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, 'I am he,' and 'The time has come.'  Do not follow them!' (Luke 21: 8).  Jesus said that many will come and say I am he, that they are Jesus.  And truly many come saying they are Jesus, they are son of god, they are sent by god; even in our present time, like for example in Davao, the pastor there is saying that he is the son of god, and still many others were claiming that they were he, who came and gone.  Others also were saying the Time has come to their members, that is why many among their members were committing suicide, we called them the Dooms Day cults, the End Time cults, etc., where their leaders are taking advantages of the weaknesses of their members, especially women, girls and rich members ether to give themselves to their leaders or their properties.

In our daily news, we read, see and hear, for example, Seven dead in Iraq as security forces clear protest sites; Hugh Hong Kong rally after student dies and lawmakers arrested; Clashes erupt on anniversary of Arafat's death, Palestinian killed; Turkey begins deporting foreign jihadists, and many other news throughout the world, we cannot imagine life being lost, sacrificed, killed or murdered because of principles, religions, ideologies, etc.  But still Jesus said, 'When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end' (Luke 21: 9). These things must happen first, but it is not yet the end for more calamities, anxieties, wars, destruction will come to cleanse the world from its sinfulness.  Then he said to them, 'Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom' (Luke 21: 10).  Many nations will fight against one another due to political, socio-economic, and cultural motivations. Kings fighting other kings due to territories, sakop, extent of powers, military might, stretching of arms and armaments, and so on and so forth. We are not safe in this time due to human-made disasters or environmental degradation, ruin, and dreadful conditions, ang hagupit ng kalikasan, because of humans.  'There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place, and awesome signs and mighty signs will come from the sky' (Luke 21: 11).  Amazon, California, Indonesia and Australia bush-fires leave three dead, at least 150 home lost; 20 dead as Cyclone Bulbul smashes into India, Bangladesh coasts; Iceland students see chilling reality of melting glacier; Three times earthquakes in Mindanao and another in Batanes; Floods, landslides in Pangasinan and some parts of Cagayan Valley due to typhoons, Africa suffered drought, famine, etc., and many other natural and environmental disasters.  These were predicted by Jesus for us to be always prepared and be ready and alert in times of calamities, disasters, wars, famines, etc., and above all, to have faith in him.

Again, it is not the end time yet for there will be persecution also among us, his followers.  'Before the end happens, however, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name' (Luke 21: 12).  Because of our faith, hope, and love to Jesus the world who hates Jesus will also hate us.  It they were able to persecute Jesus body and soul, wounded his sacred heart, rejected his being as Son of God, and even His Lordship and as God by his enemies (Satan and his demons), how much more we who are followers of him will not experience the same experience he suffered and endured. All of us who follow him will experience what he had experience because of his name we proclaim, worship and praise.  We must be ready and prepare to offer ourselves to our persecutors for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer.  'It will lead to your giving testimony. Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute' (Luke 21: 13-15).  We are his witnesses by giving testimony of our lives and deeds as Christians.  But, he guarantees us that he is there to help us what to say or what to do for he is the one who will teach us what to say or do.  We will not go wrong in defense, dispute or argument with our enemies and/or persecutors.  They will have no match in our defense, argument and dispute for Jesus is the one defending on us against his enemies.

Even those people whom you do not expect to betray you, whom you know and close to you in the end you will discover that they too are your enemies.  'You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends and they will put some of you to death' (Luke 21: 16).  Our family members, relatives and friends, those people whom we trusted and loved might be the ones who will betray us, destroy us and even put us to death by handing over us to our opponents.  All people will hate us for following Jesus Christ. 'You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed' (Luke 21: 17-18).  But then again, Jesus is always at the rescue, at our side to protect and defend us, body and soul.  He will never allow us to loss, injure and defeat, not a hair on your head will be destroyed.

In all these predicaments we must be persistent in patient endurance, in our faith and perseverance to Jesus Christ.  'By your perseverance you will secure your lives' (Luke 21: 19), and believe that everything will pass away for the betterment of our spiritual and physical lives.  The Temple in Jerusalem will be destroyed, as prophesied by Jesus Christ; there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down,  but it will be restored as our body the new Temple of God; famines, wars, earthquake and other environmental calamities will come and go but our resiliency will prove our strong faith in God's power.  Everything will change for the better; even our family members and friends who persecute us will be changed to Christian family of brothers and sisters in one Lord and God.  By our perseverance we will be secured, guaranteed by Christ Jesus.

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

November 10, 2019

Readings:

First Reading: 2 Maccabees 7: 1-2, 9-14

Psalm 17 “Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.”

Second Reading: 2 Thessalonians 2: 16 – 3: 5

Gospel reading according to Luke 20: 27-38

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Homily: 

The time comes for the Sadducees, those members of a Jewish sect or party that denied the resurrection of the dead, the existence of spirits, and the obligation of oral tradition, emphasizing acceptance of the written Law alone (https://www.dictionary.com), to clarify their beliefs with regards to the resurrection of the dead, therefore not accepting also the teachings on the angels and saints and demons, heaven and hell, and about after life. All these things they do not believe. This is their chance to confront Jesus about his teachings as opposed or contrasted to theirs.  “Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward and put this question to Jesus, saying, ‘Teacher, Moses wrote for us, if someone’s brother dies leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother’.” (Luke 20: 27-28).  Some Sadducees came to Jesus to ask him question on the resurrection of the dead.  They cited the Law written by Moses on marrying and giving child to the childless deceased brother (cf. Genesis 38: 8, Deuteronomy 25: 5-10) in keeping his memory and name, particularly on the Book of Deuteronomy and the example of seven brothers in the Book of Maccabees (see the first reading).

They recited the story of the seven brothers tortured and murdered for the sake of faith, for they did not obey the command of the king to eat the (cooked) meat of pig. They said, “’Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman but died childless.  Then the second and the third married her, and likewise all the seven died childless.  Finally the woman also died.  Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be?  For all seven had been married to her’.” (Luke 20: 29-33).  Although in the first reading, all the seven brothers died on the same day on the hand of a king, maybe the Sadducees referred to another seven brothers who married the same woman for the first brother who married her died childless.  In the tradition of the Jews, any brother must re-marry the wife of his brother (his sister-in-law) in case his brother died childless to continue his name and his memory.  It so happened that there were seven brothers.  The first brother married and died childless, so it is the obligation and responsibility of the second brother to take his sister-in-law as his wife, and if he would like to marry another woman he can but what important is to give his sister-in-law a child (either a son or a daughter).  But the second brother died also childless to his wife and to his sister-in-law, so the third brother must remarry his sisters-in-law for the sake of his first and second brothers.  Even if he did not marry another woman, still he should give children to his sisters-in-law for the sake of his first and second brothers.  The third brother died and was not able to give children to his sisters-in-law, and even the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh, though some of them married another women and yet still took their sisters-in-law as their wives but they could not give them children; all brothers died.  All women became widows and childless.  All widows of the seven brothers also died.  So, the question of the Sadducees was whose wives will those women be, if all the brothers married and remarried those women and died in the day of the resurrection?  If they are raised from the dead whose husbands are those women whom they married and remarried?

Jesus explained to the Sadducees what will happen on the coming age and in the resurrection day using also the Books of Moses whom the Sadducees only believed.  “Jesus said to them, ‘The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are give in marriage.  They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise’.” (Luke 20: 34-36).  Jesus mentioned the written bill or contract on marriage and remarry (cf. Deuteronomy 24: 1-4) to be given by husband to his wife when he planned to divorce her in the present age so he can marry another woman.  But those who have self-control and self-discipline have will power, those who can abstain, who have determination and motivation for the sake of the Reign-Kingdom of God deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.  Jesus also said to the Sadducees what will happen to those who died and now are in heaven.  Even though they died here on earth, they can no longer die, for they are like angels in heaven; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise from the dead.  (See also Isaiah which states, “Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise.  You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead” (26: 19)).

Jesus gave comprehensive teaching to the Sadducees by mentioning the Book of Exodus with regards to the burning bush.  Even Moses believed in the rising of the dead when he witnessed the presence of the living God in the burning bush.   “That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called ‘Lord’ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive’.” (Luke 20: 37-38; Exodus 3: 1-5).  Moses called “Lord” the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob who is living and true.

We must realize that we are already dead from sins since Jesus once and for all offered himself up to death on the cross for our salvation.  He died and rose again and resurrected from the dead, and ascended into heaven.  We too who believed in him shall rise on the day of resurrection or reckoning.  And in heaven we are like angels worshipping, praising, and singing the Lord our God with thankful hearts.

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

November 3, 2019

Readings:

First Reading: Wisdom 11: 22 - 12: 2

Psalm 145 “I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.”

Second Reading: 2 Thessalonians 1: 11 - 2: 2

Gospel reading according to Luke 19: 1-10

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Homily: 

Jesus visited Jericho for many times and the last time he went out of Jericho was when one of its citizens, Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, who was a blind, was cured and restored his sight.  This time again Jesus returned to Jericho and passing by its town.  “At that time, Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town” (Luke 19: 1). He wanted to see Jericho and its inhabitants. Jericho (/ˈdʒɛrɪkoʊ/; Arabic: أريحا‎ Arīḥā [ʔaˈriːħaː]; Hebrew: יְרִיחוֹ Yeriḥo) is a Palestinian city in the West Bank. It is located in the Jordan Valley, with the Jordan River to the east and Jerusalem to the west. It is believed to be one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world and the city with the oldest known protective wall in the world.  It was thought to have the oldest stone tower in the world as well. Archaeologists have unearthed the remains of more than 20 successive settlements in Jericho, the first of which dates back 11,000 years (9000 BCE), almost to the very beginning of the Holocene epoch of the Earth's history. Copious springs in and around the city have attracted human habitation for thousands of years. Jericho is described in the Hebrew Bible as the "city of palm trees" (Deuteronomy 34:3; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jericho).

When Jesus was passing by the city, many people came and flocked to see him, to listen to his preaching and to receive healing of all their sickness and diseases, for they knew and learned from the story of many witnesses what he did to Bartimaeus.  He attracted also many Jews and non-Jews residing in Jericho.  Some of them came from the Northern Syria, the Amorites, Canaanites tribes, etc., some remnants of Israelites from the time of Joshua, and some foreigners.  People were gathering and congregating at Jesus.  In the crowd, there was a man who would like to see Jesus but he could not insert himself (hindi siya makasiksik o makasingit) because he was small; we called it dwarfism (unano, pandak, maliit).  “Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature” (Luke 19: 2-3).  Like Bartimaeus (the earliest version is in the Gospel of Mark 10:46-52) which tells of the cure of a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, literally "Son of Timaeus," which means in Latinized form of the Greek name Τιμαιος (Timaios), derived from τιμαω (timao) "to honor" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healing_the_blind_near_Jericho), was named and/or mentioned, he was Zacchaeus.  Zacchaeus, sometimes spelled or Zaccheus, Ancient Greek: Ζακχαῖος, Zakkhaîos; Hebrew: זכי‎, "pure", "innocent," (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zacchaeus). His work was avowed as chief tax collector, meaning he was the head of all tax collectors but actually he was very rich man, a wealthy man.

Because he was interested to see who this Jesus was, he made a plan, “So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way” (Luke 19: 4).  He tried his best to climb a sycamore tree, which symbolizes strength, protection, eternity, and divinity, in spite of his height and stature.  He tried his best to see Jesus, his strength, protector, eternity and divinity sooner or later who will pass in that way.

Jesus who was very sensitive person and who knew the hearts of all saw Zacchaeus.  Along that way where the sycamore tree was located, he raised his eyes and with loving heart and understanding mind he called Zacchaeus to come down from his strength, protector, eternity and divinity.  “When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.’ And he came down quickly and received him, with joy” (Luke 19: 5-6).  Jesus understood the heart and mind of Zacchaeus who was looking for many years people who could understand him and accept him whoever he was.  He was lonely because he was alone, nobody accepted him, talked to him, and made friends with him but rather he was hated and cursed by his own neighbors.  But this day, in Jesus he found who he really was and even accepting his limitations.  Jesus wanted to accompany him and even to stay with him in his home, meaning there will be a table fellowship, brotherhood, camaraderie, friendship and companionship.  Zacchaeus was relieved from his misery and loneliness because he was accepted by Jesus.

There is something with man or people that we could not understand.  Is it jealousy or envy; is it indifference or insensitivity, self-interest or greed?  We cannot explain why people make hindrance to the progress and change to their neighbors who need help and support, as what they did to Bartimaeus.  This time they were doing the same thing – to make Zacchaeus miserable for the rest of his life, for he was chief tax collector who was despised as traitor (working for the Roman Empire, not for their Jewish community), and as being corrupt.  “When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying, ‘He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.’  But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over’.” (Luke 19: 7-8). They made also Jesus a sinner who joined and accompanied a sinner.  For them, when you are in company of sinners, you too are also sinner.  They do not see the acceptance and forgiveness that bring in accompanying the one who needs understanding, love and acceptance, camaraderie and solidarity.  Because of what he had experienced with Jesus, Zacchaeus stood firm and with humility and with happy heart promised that half of his possessions he shall give to the poor, and as if he is saying that he never defrauded nor extorted, he shall repay anyone four times over.

Jesus proclaimed that the faith (soul) of the lost one of Israel has been found. “And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham’.” (Luke 19: 9).  If we change our lives for the better, if we accepted that we are sinners who need help and support from one another, especially from God whom we pray daily and every day He answered our pleading (pagsusumamo)), there and then, salvation comes in, for we too are sons and daughters, descendants of Abraham, the father of faith.  “’For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost’.” (Luke 19: 10).  Zacchaeus, Bartimaeus, tax collectors, prostitutes, and sinners, all of us are also descendants of Abraham, they were examples of Jesus's personal, earthly mission to bring salvation to the lost, weak, and unprotected, yet on the top of sycamore tree which symbolizes strength, protection, eternity, and divinity we find our salvation.