for-d-win

[for-d-win]

Friday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time | 17 November 2023

This Christmas, let us be ORDINARY and welcome THE ordinary.

During my high school and college days, when you go to bookstores like FullyBooked or National Bookstore, what will welcome and bombard you at the entrance are novels, particularly about LOVE. Naalala ko pa po ang unang-una kon book na nabinili noon yung Twiglight - love story of vampires.

The stories which made sense before are about love and easy-to-digest themes.

Now, if you happen to visit bookstores today, what will welcome you are shelves of SELF-HELP books! The likes of:

• Atomic Habits,

• The Daily Stoic,

• The Subtle Art of Not Giving an EF,

• 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,

• Ikigai,

• The 48 Laws of Power and the list goes on...

I read from an online article that we can surmise the rise of such titles are brought about my man's search for the SILVER BULLET - man's quest to find the simple, seemingly magical, solution to ALL his difficult problems.

We are on the look

• for that one EXTRAORDINARY MOMENT where our lives will change forver,

• for that one EXTRAORDINARY ANSWER to all our doubts and questions,

• for that one EXTRAORDINARY PERSON that will transform all the perspectives of our life.

We want to find the EASIEST WAY OUT to all our difficulties that is why we keep on looking for the extraordinay.

But experience taught us that the search for the EXTRAORDINARY is rather tiresome and sometimes depressing - KASY ANG TAGAL-TAGAL DUMATING!

So engrossed we are in this search of the extraordinary, we now fail to appreciate and find meaning in the most ordinary things in our lives.

If you listened carefully to our Gospel for today, the flood came to Noah and his people when they were eating and drinking - ordinary, day-to-day, household scenario.

How about in the days of Lot?

Fire and brimstone rained from the sky when they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, and building - ordinary, day-to-day, life in Makati.

And Jesus reminds his disciples that the same will happen when the Son of Man will be revealed - Jesus will make his presence felt, not in a very majestic, divine, and extraordinary way - The Son of Man, Jesus, will reveal himself in our lives when we are eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building, or even shopping.

A simple reminder that Jesus is in our here and now, that Jesus is among us even in the most neligible and ordinary manifestation - that his presence is not all about the goosebumps and aha experiences of our lives.

Jesus is here even if he is not felt.

And perhaps this is a good reminder for us as we near the end of our Church calendar and as we await for his arrival this Christmas - how has been your search for Jesus this year? And how are you expecting his arrival on December 25?

My dear brothers and sisters, let us be in touch in the ordinariness of our lives, appreciating the simple and little blessings we receive - though sometimes insignificant - but perhaps these little ones are ways of Jesus making his presence felt before us.

Be warned of the example in our first reading - people were rather distracted or disatisfied by what they saw when looking for God - because the things seen are fair. They are looking for grandiosity but God presented himself in simplicity

And let us open our lives as well to THE ordinary of our society. In many ways, perhaps the marginalized are often left behind is because our focus is on the grand, the deluxe, the extraordinary to the point that we neglect the ordinary people around us.

Let me remind you, according to the Gospel of Luke, the Son of Man will reveal himself in the most ordinary experiences of our lives.

Let us then prepare for Christmas by saying, "I will be ORDINARY and I will welcome THE ordinary.

Readings Year I:

Wisdom 13: 1-9

Luke 17: 26-37

#catholic #evangelization #homily #communication

[for-d-win]

Friday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time | 03 November 2023

We often hear from the stories of the Bible the word Sabbath. Actually, this is the root word of our Tagalog word for Saturday - Sabado. Sabbath, Sabado.

And what does Sabbath mean for our Jewish brothers and sisters? Sabbath means TOTAL REST! Everyone must stop working - from Friday evening to Saturday evening - and simply just REST!

It came from a commandment of God given to Moses:

"Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death."

Now, how radical is this rest? Allow me to cite you some examples.

1. If you are riding the public transport at 4:00 PM - that train or bus will stop for the Sabbath. No work! Maglakag kayong lahat pauwi.

2. For their appliances, there is such a thing as Sabbath Mode - refrigerator (disabled lights and electrical activity) and oven operate at a very minimal wattage lest their usual functions be considered as work.

3. Preparing and cooking meals are also considered work so before 4:00 PM, they already cooked their meals and use heat-sealing containers to preserve the warmth of their food.

A lot can be said but you get the whole picture.

Now, we heard in our Gospel, Jesus went to dine at the home of the leading Pharisee. Someone from them was suffering from dropsy or edema - manas.

If we will consider the law of sabbath - no work, only rest, is curing the sick, like the work of a doctor, permissible during the Sabbath or not?

NO! It is work! And Jesus will be considered working when he heals that sick man. We can understand why the people were - OBSERVING HIM CAREFULLY! Because they know... once he cured that sick man, he can be put to death.

Pero sa buhay - anu nga ba ang mas matimbang, PAGSUNOD SA BATAS o PAGDAMAY SA NANGANGAILANGAN?

Kung alam mong ikapapahamak mo ang pagtulong sa iba, itutuloy mo pa ba? O hayaan mo na lang siyang magdusa?

Sometimes, we have this tendency to hide our selfishness under the cover of "following the law."

Halimbawa na lang - yung mga namamalimos po sa mga kotse natin, yung nagpupunas ng windshield. May mga nakasabay po ako na nagsasabi, "'Wag ninyong bigyan yan, nasa batas yan, bawal mamalimos baka kasi gamitin nila sa droga!" Sasabihin natin sumsunod ka lang sa batas pero ang totoo, kuripot ka lang at ayaw magbigay.

Or halimbawa sa Grab, bubuking ko po sarili ko... nag-Grab Share po ako. 'Edi discounted na po 'di ba. Tapos para talagang masiguro kong di na rin po ako bubunot ng pera ko sa wallet ko, naka-card pa po ako. Sumunod naman po ako sa batas, bayaran ko lang kung magkano yung fare ko kahit discounted. Yun ung patas at nakasulat sa app eh - dahilan para di na mag-abot ng konting barya pangtulong kay Kuya.

Jesus in our Gospel can wait for the Sabbath to end before he can heal the sick man. Pwede naman siya maging masunurin. Para din hindi siya pagkadiskitahan.

Nonetheless, pinagaling niya yung may sakit kahit against the law at ikapapahamak niya - simply because love is always higher than the law. Iniisip kasi natin minsan, dun tayo sa tama, dun tayo sa wasto lang. Pwede naman po kaso pag palaging batas at tama ang batayan ng mga bagay-bagay, we might become exacting with one another. Nagbibilangan, naghahanapan ng mga butas at mali.

Rather, let us live by love just like Jesus did. We crossed the treshold of law just to prove his love for the sick man - to show us that only love is above the law, that love is the greatest law, better than sabbath.

And also be reminded that love cannot be scheduled. Bukas na lang kita mamahalin? No. Love is always now. 'Wag nang ipagpabukas kasi baka wala na yung iniibig mo bukas.

So my dear brothers and sisters, should you be torn between being law-compliant and lover of others - kung mamimili kayo sa pagitan ng masunurin at maibigin - sana piliin niyo lagi ang pag-ibig.

Hindi batas ang makapagpapabago sa iba kundi ang pag-ibig na iyong ipinaramdam sa kanila... akala natin, dahas at kapangyarihan at magpapabago sa mundo. No.

It is gentleness and mercy just like Jesus. Hindi niya pinakita na batas muna bago pagmamahal. Otherwise, we will all be exacting to each other nagbibilangan. Bagkus kahit may pagkukulang, nawa kayang punuan ito ng ng pag-ibig natin sa isa't isa at dito natin makikita ang tunay na paghilom ng ating komunidad.

Amen.

Year I Readings:

Romans 9: 1-5

Luke 14: 1-6

#catholic #homily #evangelization #communication

[for-d-win]

Wednesday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time | 25 October 2023

Isang beses po, na-invite po ako magbless ng bahay po dito sa Makati. Ang handa po nila ay medyo sosyal - familiar po kayo sa cold cuts, yung mga naka-tray po na sliced hams, and then may cheese, and then may olives tapso kakain ka lang gamit ang isang mahabang parang toothpick.

Nagulat po kasi yung may-ari ng bahay at mga kasama niya - father, ayaw mo ba ng pagkain namin? Bakit kakaunti ang kinuha mo?

Eh sa totoo lang po kasi kasi, yung ham and cheese, ang taas po ng sodium content nun - nag-iingat lang po kesa magkaroon po ako UTI or magkaroon ng salt crystals ung joints ko.

Sabi lang po nila, "Eh father, ang bata-bata niyo pa po. Hindi naman po siguro kayo maapektuhan niyan masyado."

At aminin po natin, madalas ganito po ang attitude natin - hangga't wala pa akong nararamdaman, sige kain lang ako nito, hangga't wala pang umaaray sakin, sige pwede pa sa akin to.

At kapag dumating ang APE or Annual Physical Exam - ayan na, dun niyo po makikita, yung isa di na kumakain ng sardinas o ng beef o lamang loob kasi mataas na po ang uric acid. Yung isa, bawas na po sa pork kasa baka ma-high blood. Yung isa naman po, nag no-rice na, akala natin nag-didiet yun pala mataas ang blood sugar. Yung isa rin, hindi na po nag-cold cuts kasi mataas na ang salt content.

Pero 'di ba po, mas maigi nang maagap kesa pagsisihan natin sa dulo ang pinag-gagawa po natin. Mas maigi na pong paghandaan ngayon pa lang kesa habangbuhay nating pagsisihan.

I'm telling to you this story because the experience is pretty much the same with our Gospel for today.

Jesus is asking his disciples to better be prepared for at an hour they do not expect, the Son of Man will come. Darating si Hesus sa buhay natin sa panahong 'di natin inaasahan - ang tanong, handa ba tayong tanggapin siya sa buhay natin? Anung madadatnan niyang pinaggagawa natin?

Kung kanina po, ang mindset natin, "wala pa naman akong nararamdaman, wala pa namang masakit sa akin - tuloy lang ako sa kain nito."

Sa totoo lang po kahit sa mga gawa natin, ganyan rin po tayo, "Hangga't hindi pa ako nahuhuli, hangga't hindi pa ako napagsasabihan, hangga't wala pa akong memo, hangga't hindi pa ako nakukulong - tuloy ko lang ito."

Please remember my dear brothers and sisters - Jesus is giving us so much time right now to transform and change ourselves. "Every gising is a blessing!" Wala siyang nilagay na deadline kung kailan tayo dapat magbago - wala po tayong Best Before or Expiration Day - but the time he is giving us is not for our kalokohan.

This vast amount of time he is giving us is to help us prepare ourselves for his 2 ways of arrival in our lives.

1. To fetch you going upstairs...

2. In the face of the people you meet here...

So what's our challenger for this week?

Change because of your personal motivation and intention.

Do not wait before the Annual Physical Examination or our Constitution change you.

Magbago tayo dahil sa pagmamahal natin sa Diyos, dahil sa sarili nating kagustuhan habang mayroon pang panahon.

'Wag na po nating hintayin bago ang APE o ang batas pa ang magbago sa atin - at baka huli na ang lahat.

Amen.

Year I Readings:

Romans 6: 12-18

Luke 12: 39-48

#catholic #evangelization #homily #communication

[for-d-win]

Monday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time | 23 October 2023

Our selfishness is a mockery to the generosity of God.

Nowadays, it is very prudent and wise to get an HMO and insurance for yourself and your family. Why? Because we cannot predict the future as to what might happen to us.

So, to save ourselves from overthinking, we turn to this insurance companies for a bit of security and peace of mind.

And I believe that the parable we heard in our Gospel for today is a version of what insurance would look like in the time of Jesus.

We heard about a rich man who, after reaping a bountiful harvest, destroyed his small barns to build bigger ones just so that he can "rest, eat, drink, and be merry." He built these larger ones so that he can enjoy the rest of his retirement without having any insecurity for his needs.

I cannot but ask from the story - why destroy the smaller barns and build larger ones - why do you have to keep for yourself even your surplus / extra?

And no other answer came to my mind but the fact that this rich man is living in CONSTANT FEAR.

The larger barn is a monument to the anxiety creeping up in his heart. And this accumulation is his way to overcome his fears.

Kaya nga po, I will admit, one time a young boy offered to wipe the windshield of our seminary vehicle. I looked inside my wallet and I have no coins, wala po akong barya. What I have back then were color yellows and blues. Ang hirap pong magbigay because I am also fearful, wala nang matitira sa akin. Mawawalan ang future ko.

This is also true for us, nakakatakot magbigay kasi baka wala nang matira sa atin. We are afraid to be emptied.

But Jesus reminds us, "Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possession."

Yes, it is good to take care of our future for events we might not expect. But we should warn ourselves against this attitude that because of our fears, we also become selfish lest a lot will be taken from us.

In the first place, when the rich man received a bountiful harvest, God did not think twice to share his blessings to this man. The rich man's selfishness is a mockery to the generosity of God in his life.

So, how are we going to balance between securing for ourselves and sharing what we have to others?

Let's turn to the first reading: St. Paul wrote, "Abraham did not doubt God's promise - he was empowered by faith that what God had promised, he was also able to do."

Let us remind ourselves that if God provided for us today, surely he will provide something for us tomorrow. His faithfulness and promises invite us to live and enjoy the present moment instead of anxiously building bigger barns for our tomorrow.

Let not our anxiety cause us to be stingy. Our selfishness is a mockery to the generosity of God.

Amen.

Year I Readings:

Romans 4: 20-25

Luke 12: 13-21

#catholic #evangelization #homily #communication

[for-d-win]

Friday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time | 20 October 2023

When I was in my kindergarten, our teacher has a simple yet effective way of keeping the class quiet and participative. She did it through a stamp of stars on our hands.

For every correct answer during recitation, one star.

If we have been behave or quiet for whole duration of our class, one star.

And before we go home, I and classmates will gather at the gate of our school and count who has the most stars. The one who got the least, or worst, the one who got none, will be teased and hardly mocked.

And I believe this is the case of our first reading. St. Paul is telling the Romans that it is rather easy to believe that their ancestor Abraham was justified by God because of ALL THAT HE DID FOR THE ISRAELITES.

He left his country to lead his people to a new land and he so loved the Lord that Abraham was more than willing to offer his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice to God.

If the basis of salvation is WORK alone - then we can say, Abraham was indeed saved. If Abraham should get a star for every good deed he has done for God, baka kulang pa ang dalawang braso niya sa dami ng stars niya!

But St. Paul was making a case. He said, "But when one DOES NOT WORK, yet believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, HIS FAITH IS CREDITED AS RIGHTEOUSNESS."

• When one falls short of our expectation for ourselves;

• When one cannot be like Abraham who can perform magnanimous feats for the Lord and his people;

• When one needs to lie just to make others like or admire us

• St. Paul is saying that the Lord, on the other hand, will not fall short of his love and concern for us.

"Hindi mo na kailangang magpakitang gilas kay Hesus para mahalin ka. Siya na ang nagpakitang gilas para sabihin sa iyong mahal ka niya!"

That is why we can hear Jesus saying in our Gospel today, "Even the hairs of your head have all been counted." 'Pag ang isang tao alam pati dami ng buhok sa ulo mo, sabihin ko po sa inyo, baliw na yang taong iyan, baliw na baliw sa pagmamahal sa iyo.

Jesus simply assures us that we have no reason to be afraid - "You are worth more than many sparrows." It is as if he is trying to tell us, we are more than our mistakes.

We are enough because of what He did for us and not because of what we are doing for Him.

My dear brothers and sisters, as we go out of this Chapel later and return to the reality of our lives, may I challenge you:

"Please be YOU!" No more hiding, no more lies - just be you with all your flaws and imperfections and with all you beauty and kindness.

Just be you and believe that, inasmuch that will be not be enough in the eyes of other people, remember that you are worth more than many sparrows, you are worth dying for.

Amen.

Year I Readings:

Romans 4: 1-8

Luke 12: 1-7

#catholic #evangelization #homily #communication

[for-d-win]

Monday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time | 16 October 2023

In an article I ready this morning, sicknesses that we have today like hypertension and diabetes are caused most likely by 3 factors:

1. Environment,

2. Lifestyle, and

3. Genetics.

Kaya nga, to be honest po, but not wishing it to happen soon, napapatanong po ako kung magkaka-high blood po ako kasi both of my parents have it. I have no miss. The chances of this gene passing me out is very slim.

At the beginning, we thought it was only my mom who had it. But one afternoon, my father - because he was fond of drinking spirits - his senses became numb, he did not notice that his nape or batok was in pain already, he did not notice that he was suffering high-blood already. In an instant, because of the hypertension, a vein erupted in his braind causing him to suffer stroke and have half of his body paralyzed.

And pondering on this family experience of ours, if only my father had listened to us before, this catastrophe could have been avoided.

My dear brothers and sisters, let us not wait for any catastrophe to happen before we turn our hearts to Jesus.

We heard in our Gospel today that people were seeking SIGNS from God. And the same is true even today most especially when we are having a dillemma in choosing between two really good things.

We ask for signs either to guide us in weighing our options or we ask for signs to validate our primal decision. But our Lord Jesus Christ is clear - "This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah.

No sign will be given to us except the sign of Jonah - if Jonah caused the Ninevites to convert their hearts and turn to Yahweh - the same will be the role of the Son of Man, of Jesus in our lives.

Jesus will be the sign to guide us in all our ways. How?

Simple, when faced with uncertainties, doubts, or questions, look at the sign of the Cross. And you will see there a man, not a dead man, but a man who offered his life for His beloved.

That is the sign that will guide us - a constant reminder to choose that option which will allow us to offer ourselves to others.

If Jonah became a sign for the Ninevites to repent and believe in God, may Jesus become a sign as well for us how to offer our lives to others. Piliin natin yung desisyon na mas makapagbibigay at mas makapag-aalay tayo ng sarili sa iba.

I don't know if I already shared this with you but one of my kuyas in the seminary once told me, "Aldwin, tandaan mo ito - kung nasaan ang hirap, naroon si Hesus."

Amen.

Year I Readings:

Romans 1: 16-25

Luke 11: 29-32

[for-d-win]

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time | 15 October 2023

We need open hearts, not open doors!

I have this growing concern at the moment - as a young priest, I have met many young professional who are practically the same age as me and when we exchange pleasantries and I introduce myself as a Catholic priest - most of their reply goes likes this:

"Ay father, pasensya na po ah. Matagal na po akong 'di nakakapagsimba because I am attending other Christian churches."

"Ay father, pasensya na po ah. I am not attending liturgical services because I am currently answering some questions or doubts about my faith."

"Ay father, pasensya na po ah. I am more spiritual than religous.

It means to say, a growing portion of our community is going outside, umaalis of our faith. At mas nababahala po ako, kasi mga ka-edaran ko po ito, mga kabataan. Kung mga ka-edad ko po ito, baka maubsan po tayo ng faithful in the near future.

That's why I did some research about this phenomena and found out that these recent conversations with young adults validates the survey of Social Weather Systems (SWS). In a country dominated by Catholicity, can you take a guess what's the percentage of Catholics going to Mass?

38%

I was expecting the number to be more than half. Then I ask, where are the other 62%. The real question is, are we even concerned for this 62 percent.

Because to be honest - kung makita po naming puno itong chapel - we priests are indeed happy. Pero kahit puno po ito sa 8 Masses - it will only be part of the 38%

And it is very saddening to hear these stories because if we listened carefully to the first reading, the prophet Isaiah is describing and flaunting what's on the mountain of the Lord:

On this mountain the LORD of hosts, there is

"a feast of rich food and choice wines,

   juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines."

And in our Gospel:

The king gave a WEDDING FEAST for his son.

"Behold, I have prepared my banquet,

   my calves and fattened cattle are killed,

   and everything is ready; come to the feast."

If there are juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines,

if the fattened calves and cattle are killed and

everything is ready - why are many not coming to the wedding feast, why are many not coming to the banquet of the Lord?

In fact, we never closed our churches. For example here in Greenbelt - sa totoo nga lang po, walang pinto itong chapel na ito. Meaning to say, it is always open to welcome each one of us. Pero bakit marami pa rin ang wala at marami pa rin ang umaalis?

Then I realized - the doors of our church might be open? But are the doors of our hearts open for each other?

BUKAS NAMAN LAGIN ANG SIMBAHAN PERO -

Baka kaya maraming di na nagsisimba;

baka kaya marami ng lumipat sa ibang sekta;

baka kaya marami ng hindi naniniwala

KASI HINDI NA NILA RAMDAM SA LOOB ANG INIT NG YAKAP AT PAGMAMAHAL NATIN SA ISA'T ISA!

Please remember that our faith is never an individual work alone - na iisipin ko lang ang aking sarili. No!

Faith always has a communatarian aspect were we look out and carry each other toward this wedding feast. The third commandment to always remember the Sabbath Day is both an individual and communal obligation - that inasmuch that each of one of us must go to Mass, we must also always remember that each one of us must bring each other to the Mass.

My dear brothers and sisters, Jesus described the Kingdom of His Father, He described heaven as place where everyone is welcome - The King said in our Gospel, "Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find."

May this be true not only for our chapels and churches, but also for our hearts as well.  Kung ang bawat isa may pwesto sa kaharian ng Diyos, sana ang bawat isa rin may pwesto sa ating puso.

More than our church programs, our services, our prusisyons, and novenas, may we also remember that equally important is our shared concern for each other. Ang pagdadamayan.

The real inviting factor for this wedding banquet is how the people who ate the food and drank the wine able to share the warmth of these food as warmth of love for other people.

Kaya nga po minsan nasasabi ko, kahit ba na gusto ko yung mga nakakausap kong young adults na kausap ko ay bumalik dito sa ating simbahan (huhusayan ko po mag-homily, bumalik lang kayo hehehe) - sa dulo ng araw, dalawa lang po ang kamay naming mga pari. 'Di namin kaya mag-isa itong laban na ito. Kailangan po ang conscious effort nating lahat to bring back and to invite more people to attend the Wedding Feast and eat the juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines of salvation.

May we learn to turn our hearts and ears outside - palabas naman po, 'wag lagi nakatuon sa loob - and listen to what others need from us. Bukas nga po ang ating simbahan pero kung wala naman ang init ng pagmamahal sa loob, bakit pa sila papasok.

It is my personal hope that every time an individual comes to our churches - regardless of his / her gender, ideology, spirituality, religion, culture and whatnot - may he / she feel what St. Paul felt in our second reading: "It was KIND of you to SHARE in my distress."

May our love and comppasion invite more and bring back many towards our Lord Jesus Christ. Let's go out and bring back the 62%.

Amen.

Cycle A Readings:

Isaiah 25: 6-10a

Philippians 4: 12-14, 19-20

Matthew 22: 1-14 or 22:1-10

#catholic #homily #evangelization

[for-d-win]

Friday of the 27th Week in Ordinary Time | 13 October 2023

'Wag po nating buhusan ng malamig na tubig ng ating inggit ang init ng pag-ibig ng isang tao para sa iba.

Kung hindi na po ninyo matatanong, 10 buwan pa lang po akong pari at sa kasalukuyan po ay naka-assign po ako sa Our Lady of Guadalupe Minor Seminary. Dito po nag-aaral ang isa sa mga seminarista po ng inyong parokya, si Yashua Caladiao.

Noong inoohan ko po last year si Cardinal Advincula na maging formator o tagahubog ng mga batang ito para maging future priests natin, ang akala ko po ang trabaho ko lamang ay magbantay sa kanila - turuan silang magdasal, turuan ng mabuting asal, turuan paano mapalapit sa Diyos, paano magsalita sa harap ng maraming tao... at inisip ko nung una, madali lang pala.

Pero kinalaunan, minsan napadaan po ako sa aming accounting office. Nakita ko po yung aming treasurer na pari, nagkakamot ng ulo, stressed na stressed. Sabi ko, "Father, anung problema po?"

Sabi niya, "Ang dami sa mga seminarista natin, hindi pa nakakabayad ng kanila monthly board and lodging." Eh magkano na po ba ang board and lodging ng isang seminarista ngayon - Php. 7,000 pesos multiply by 10 months = Php. 70,000 plus Php. 18,000 na miscellaneous fee - Php. 88,000. Almost isang daang libong piso kada taon.

Eh hindi naman po lahat sa mga seminarista namin ay galing sa mga naka-aangat na pamilya - ang iba po, ang parents nila ay fishball vendor, ang iba naman po ay midwife. Saan po sila kukuha ng 100,000.

Ang daming may utang naming seminarista. Kaya sabi ko, akala ko, magbabantay lang ako ng mga bata, yun pala, kami rin hahanap ng pambayad sa kanilang mga gastusin.

Isang beses, nagmisa po ako jan sa Makati - may lumapit po sa akin, "Father, I am willing to help you and your seminarians po! I will give you Php. 50,000 per month just to pay for the utang of your seminarians. But please - NEVER MENTION MY NAME AS THE DONOR! Even in your intentions sa Mass do not put my name.

And I asked, "Why?"

"Kasi Father, sa society natin ngayon - may magawang mali na hindi sadya, ang daming sasabihin ng ibang tao. 'Pag gumawa ka rin ng tama o mabuti - MAS MARAMING MASASABI ANG IBANG TAO."

At aminin po natin, minsan ganito rin po tayo gumalaw - kapag ibang tao ang nakita nating gumagawa ng mabuti, imbis na tayo ay matuwa, imbis na tayo ay magpasalamat, nilalagyan po natin ng ibang kulay ang kanilang malasakit.

"Nanlibre yan kasi gusto niya lang manalo sa susunod na election natin ng officers sa MBG!"

"Ayan nanaman siya, nagpakitang gilas nanaman siya, maghapon na nag-serve sa Parish, palibhasa, sipsip siya kay Kura!"

Katulad po sa ating ebanghelyo, narinig natin na gusto lang naman ng Panginoong Hesus na itaboy ang masasamang espiritu na sumapi sa mga tao. Imbis na siya'y pasalamatan, inakusahan pa na humihingi ng tulong sa demonyo (Beelzebul) rin para itabay ang kapwa nito demonyo. Nagmagandang loob na nga, pinagdudahan pa.

Kaya napapatanong po ako, "Bakit nga ba natin sinisiraan yung mga taong mas mabait, mas mabuti, mas masipag, at mas generous kaysa sa atin?"

Hindi po dahil inggit tayo - bagkus, takot tayo - takot na sa kabutihan nila, maiwan tayo, matabunan tayo ng kanilang kabaitan, na makalimutan tayo at 'di tayo mapansin dahil hindi natin kaya maging mabuti katulad nila.

Mga kapatid, "Wag po nating buhusan ng malamig na tubig ng ating inggit ang init ng pag-ibig ng isang tao para sa iba."

Bagkus, dagdagan pa natin ang alab ng kanilang pagmamahal nang sa gayon, mas marami ang mapaso, makaramdam ng pag-ibig ni Hesus sa sanlibutan.

'Wag sana tayong magkumpetensya kung sino ang pinakamapapansin. Bagkus ang paglabanan natin, sino ang mas nagmahal, sino ang mas nag-alay ng buhay, oras, at pagod para sa iba.

Amen.

Year I Readings:

Joel 1: 13-15; 2: 1-2

Luke 11: 15-26

#catholic #homily #evangelization

[for-d-win]

Wednesday of the 27th Week in Ordinary Time | 11 October 2023

May the misery of others move us to mercy and not to be happy! I believe, no one here is spared from any experiences of pain or difficulties.

Each one of us here has his / her own share of misery. Lahat tayo, in one way or another, may pinagdadaanan. Mayaman o mahirap, bata o matanda - walang takas - lahat mayroong pinagdadaanan.

And to all these baggages, we learned how to adapt by having different coping mechanisms, i.e., ways as to how we will curb / lighten its effects in our lives:

yung iba, bwelo muna - isolate o hiwalay muna sa grupo para ma-solo ang iniisip at nararamdaman;

yung iba naman, konting shot-shot muna para mag-numb ang pakiramdam;

yung iba naman, shopping spree - bili-bili na lang ang stress reliever;

yung iba naman, mag-travel - local or international;

sa mga banal, mag pray or mag pilgrimage;

at yung iba naman, diretso agad sa solusyon para matapos na ang problema.

But there is one coping mechanism, which for me, stands out from all the other mechanisms - yung gusto mong makinig sa lungkot / problema ng iba, hindi para makiramay o makiisa sa pinagdadaanan nila - pero para pagaanin yung kalooban mo at masabing - "Ay, okay pa pala ako - mas mabigat pa pala pinagdadaanan niya! Buti na lang!"

Minsan ganun tayo eh noh... imbis na makiisa sa pagdadalamhati / pagluluksa / paghihirap ng iba - nagiging masaya pa tayo kasi meron pa palang mas kawawa sa atin.

We find comfort in the misery of other people.

Just like Jonah in our first reading - Nung Monday, he was appointed by God to tell the Ninevites to repent lest God destroy their town.

Kahapon Tuesday, he preached about repentance and going back to the Lord which the Ninevites whole-heartedly done!

Today, nagbago na ang mga tao kaya hindi sinira ng Diyos. BUT Jonah is expecting na hindi na sila magbabago, kaya pala sa first reading today - gusto na ni Jonah masira ang bayan nila.

Ibig sabihin, kahit pala na nagpreach siya ng repentance to save the Ninevites, he was half-expecting them not to change so that God may destroy them, so that they will be more miserable than him.

Mga kapatid, hindi po natin ikinasisiya o ikinagagaan ng loob kapag may pinagdadaanan o problema ang iba... hindi po sila coping mechanism.

Rather, our Lord is teaching us that the misery of others should moves us to compassion and mercy - kung malungkot sila, lumungkot din sana tayo bilang pakikiisa.

Diba ganun naman, 'pag nagkwento tayo sa iba, ayaw mo naman na nakangiti sila. Wish natin, sana mag-sad face din po sila. Because in our difficulties, we do not wish good advices, we do not wish wise sayings of other people.

We only need someone who can feel what we feel diba...

Kaya nga po nakakalungkot kapag ang turing natin sa iba, "Hay mas mabuti pa pala ang kalagayan ko, may mas kawawa pa pala sa akin. Buti nga sa kanya!"

So, what is the challenge for us today?

May we give to others what we ask God to give us.

In our Gospel today - the Lord's prayer, a prayer that is very familiar to us - we take for granted the lines, "Forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us."

If we are asking God's mercy and forgiveness for our miseries and wretchedness - may we also give to mercy and forgivness to those asking it from us.

Gusto mo pala kaawan ka ng Diyos sa pinagdadaanan mo, eh bakit masaya ka sa pinagdadaanan ng iba. Ibigay sa iba kung anung hinihingi natin sa Diyos - and soon enough, you will see how God will let you feel his graciousness and love for your life.

Amen.

Year I Readings:

Jonah 4: 1-11

Luke 11: 1-4

#catholic #evangelization #homily