The "Emmanuel Family"

Feast of the Holy Family Dec. 28, 2008 (Lk 2:22-40)

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord", and to offer the sacrifice of "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons", in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.

He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: "Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel."

The child's father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted - and you yourself a sword will pierce - so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.

She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

On the Sunday immediately after Christmas, the Church celebrates the feast of the Holy Family into which the baby Jesus was born. The image of the Holy Family is a model of family life for all. It depicts a family wherein God is present and is not cast out of the picture. After all, it is the family of the Emmanuel, "the God-with-us".

Many families in the world today are faced with so many problems and threats to family life. The Holy Family was not alien to these threats. True, God did protect the Holy Family. But He did not shield them with a force field, an all-weather umbrella or any other supernatural protection. The Holy Family had to endure their problems in the natural way. Often, Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus are depicted as fleeing from place to place to escape those who threatened the child's life.

Mary and Joseph are both excellent parents. They offered their child in the temple as was required by the law. They treated Jesus as a gift from God. They offered Him back to God and did not prevent Him from fulfilling His mission. This serves as a reminder for parents. Often, they forget that their child is a gift from God. Many infants today are found dead or abandoned. Others are more unfortunate, for they are killed while still inside the womb. Then there are those who are fortunate enough to be welcomed and loved by their parents. But so much so that their parents control wish to control their whole lives. Many parents dictate what they want their child to be in the future. They do not give their child the opportunity to be what God called them to be. They do not offer their child back to God, unlike Mary and Joseph. One can imagine how much more priests we would have right now if some parents didn't hold back their beloved children from their vocation. It's not just in the priesthood, it could be in other courses. Many parents would force their children to take up courses with the sole purpose of earning money or perpetuating the family business, thus preventing their children to be happy and to use their God-given abilities.

Mary and Joseph were never selfish. They shared Jesus to others and offered Him back to God. Imagine how painful it was for Mary to know that a "sword shall pierce her heart" (Lk 2:35). And how much more painful it was to see her son dying on the cross. It was the greatest act of sacrifice for a mother. Why couldn't the parents of those who wish to enter the seminary do this?

As Mary and Joseph are model parents, so their son Jesus is a model for children. Jesus was God and had authority as such. But He chose to be obedient to Mary and Joseph. He probably helped Joseph in carpentry. Jesus was also very obedient to His real Father which is God. In fact, His obedience is the very reason He was born. He obeyed His Father's plan of salvation.

Amidst the threats against family life in our modern times, let us look again to the Holy Family to be our model and source of strength. Let us remember that they too, as a normal human family, had many difficulties. But these were all overcome. The secret of this blessed family is very simple: God was present in them. They are the "Emmanuel Family". They were obedient to the Father's will.

Our family life should be patterned after the Holy Family. We must let God enter the family and reign in it. We should pray and attend Mass as a family. As the popular saying goes, "The family that prays together, stays together." And indeed, it shall not only stay together; it shall be blessed by God.

Welcoming Jesus: A Challenge to Bring Him to Our Neighbor

Fourth Sunday of Advent Dec. 21, 2008 (Lk 1:26-38)

The Angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, "Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you."

But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

"Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."

But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" And the angel said to her in reply, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.

"And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God." Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.

As we celebrate the last Sunday of Advent, the Gospel invites us to reflect on Mary and on her noble submission to the will of God. The Gospel narrates to us how the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary the news that she was to be the mother of the Son of God and how Mary responded to the announcement.

In the Old Testament, God made a promise to David through the prophet Nathan, saying, "The Lord also reveals to you that he will establish a house for you. And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his kingdom firm.... Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever." (2 Sm 7:11-12, 16). Angel Gabriel's announcement is the fulfillment of this promise: "He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." (Lk 1:32-33).

Mary was very much confused with this announcement and had no idea how she could bear a son when she was still a virgin. She also faced a big problem since being found pregnant without a husband could cost her her life. Nevertheless, knowing that the news given her was from God, she humbly accepted God's will. With this great act of saying yes to God, she welcomed Jesus in her womb and in her heart.

As we await Christmas, we are challenged by the Gospel to accept Jesus like Mary did. We should always be ready to accept God's will even if we cannot understand it completely. As a priest from the Ministers of the Infirm said in his homily, we are all called to "magdalang-Jesus" or to "bear Jesus". Indeed, we bear Jesus and bring them to others when we show our love to our neighbor, especially to those in great need.

Let us not be afraid to do God's will even if the consequences threaten our very lives. Let us trust in God for He does not leave us. He guides everyone who travels the path that He prepared for them. He equips us with everything we need to follow him.

Mary was privileged to bear Jesus in her womb. And she brought Jesus to humanity. As she allowed God to open her womb, let us open our hearts to welcome Jesus and bring him to others. Let us give joy, hope and love to our brethren. Everyone needs to feel Jesus' presence in their lives. Often, suffering and deprivation of the good things in life hinder our neighbors from feeling Jesus. It is, therefore, up to us to bring Jesus to them. Let us remind them that there is a God who is at work in their lives. Let us bring them the joy that only Jesus can cause this Christmas.

Christmas Light: Rejoicing for the Right Reason

Third Sunday of Advent Dec. 14, 2008 (Jn 1:6-8, 19-28)

A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light.

And this is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him to ask him, "Who are you?" he admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, "I am not the Christ."

So they asked him, "What are you then? Are you Elijah?" And he said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No." So they said to him, "Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?" He said: "I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, make straight the way of the Lord, as Isaiah the prophet said." Some Pharisees were also sent. They asked him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?" John answered them, "I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie." This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

The Third Sunday of Advent is Gaudete Sunday, a Sunday of joy. The presiders at Mass may wear rose or pink vestments to symbolize joy. We also light today the pink candle of the Advent Wreath.

Advent is a semi-penitential season. Nevertheless, this season invites us to rejoice. We should rejoice always (1 Thes 5:16) even if circumstances call for grief. This is because even if it seems like everything in our life is hopeless, God still gives us reasons to be happy. And this happiness from God is greater than all grief.

In the Gospel, John the Baptist is again presented. He is said to be the one who "came to testify to the light" (Jn 1:8). His identity was questioned. But he never claimed to be anyone other than who he was, the herald of the light. He proclaimed the coming of the one greater than he was. This light to which John gave testimony is from God.

The greatest gift of God is the little baby whose birth we are going to celebrate soon, the light whose coming was heralded by John. God gave Him to us for us to be happy. This happiness is not just because a birth of a child is joyful, for Jesus is no ordinary child. The happiness that God gives to us through the little baby Jesus is eternal happiness. This will be accomplished in the redemptive act of Jesus.

Jesus is the greatest evidence of God's love for us and of God's desire for us to be happy. This gift of love from God is the ultimate cause of our joy this Christmas. We celebrate God the Son whose birth makes our salvation nigh. Jesus laid on the manger is the deep well from which Christmas joy springs. This is something we often forget.

Often, we get too amused with the luminous Christmas lights and decorations around us. They cause us joy as we feast our eyes on them. Amidst this great multitude of lights, John the Baptist points us to the true light, the one who gives us eternal joy. He reminds us that it's not about these electricity-powered lights. It is about the light of the nations who was given by God for our salvation.

This coming Christmas, let us be joyful. But let us remember to rejoice for the right reasons. Let Christ be the center of our celebration. After all, it is HIS birthday!

A Clean Heart is the Greatest Gift

Second Sunday of Advent Dec. 7, 2008 (Mk 1:1-8)

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths."

John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins.

John was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey.

And this is what he proclaimed: "One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

The Gospel today describes John the Baptist and how he prepared the people for the coming of Christ. He proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. He was able to baptize many people, drawing their attention to heavenly things, reminding them of the coming of the Messiah, the one mightier than him.

John the Baptist is an important figure in the Advent Season. He shows us that preparing for Jesus' coming does not require meaningless joy. It does not require decorations whose deeper symbolism we have forgotten, nor attending the Simbang Gabi just because it's fun and challenging to attend Mass in such an unusual hour.

Preparing for Jesus' coming should be a spiritual preparation, as John the Baptist showed us. He did not prepare a feast for Jesus. Instead, he spent his days in the desert, wearing clothes from camel's hair and eating locusts and honey. He proclaimed repentance. Before Jesus comes, we are asked to "prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight in the wasteland, a highway for our God. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; the rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley." (Is 40:3-4). This signifies a complete change of heart.

The valleys should be filled in. This means that we need to have the things that we ought to have. We need to be good, be "filled in" with virtues and values that a Christian is expected to have.

Every mountain and hill should be made low. This signifies that we should do away with the "mountains of sins" that we have built in our hearts. The Advent Season invites us to return to God, to meet Him in the confessional where He is ready to forgive us through the priest.

If we make so many material preparations for Christmas, we could end up rejoicing for shallow reasons. We will be celebrating parties with our friends and family, eating joyfully and exchanging gifts. We will be lighting Christmas lights and sending Christmas cards. These things are not at all bad. Christmas is a joyful celebration. But oftentimes, our joy comes from these things, not from the good news that Christmas brings. We seem to be forgetting the nature of the celebration. It's Jesus' birthday, for goodness' sake! This should be the ultimate cause of our joy.

The only thing which we could prepare for Jesus is a place in the manger of our hearts. Even if our hearts are just humble mangers for the Lord, it would mean so much to Him if our hearts were clean, free from sins. He chooses to dwell in our hearts. And we should do Him the favor of preparing our hearts for His coming.

Let us follow the example of John the Baptist, the herald of Christ, who prepared for Jesus' coming with a baptism, an act which nourishes the spirit, not the stomach. Let us make this Christmas more special, not with a red ribbon, but with a proper preparation of our hearts for His coming. Let us also remember that Advent is not only a preparation for Christmas, it is also a reminder of Jesus' second coming. With these in mind, we should be ready. A clean and charitable heart will be our ticket to God's Kingdom and our greatest gift for Jesus' birthday.

Always Put Your Best Foot Forward!

First Sunday of Advent Nov.30, 2008 (Mk 13:33-37)

Jesus said to his disciples: "Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.

"It is like a man traveling abroad. He leaves home and places his servants in charge, each with his own work, and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch. Watch, therefore; you do not know when the Lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: 'Watch!' "

Today, we begin a new liturgical year as we enter the Advent Season. Advent literally means "coming". In this season, the Church invites us to reflect on and be ready for Jesus' Coming. We are reminded of the fact that Jesus came to us in the past. He lived with us and even died for us. Aside from that, we are also reminded that we should be ready for Jesus' return and that the exact time of His return is unknown to us all, except to God, of course.

We Christians are all in waiting. We believe that Jesus will come again to judge us. This act of anticipation is not at all alien to us. We wait for many things in our lives. We wait for the arrival of a visitor. We wait for the birth of a baby. We wait for the results of important exams. We wait for our favorite TV show. We wait for our favorite love team to go steady. We wait for so many things, important or not.

Our Gospel for today appropriately opens the Season of Advent. Today, Jesus invites us not just to wait; he invites us to watch, to be vigilant. We have no idea when Jesus will be coming to judge us. Nevertheless, we are given a task as Christians and also as individuals. Each of us has a special task in this world. As Jesus said, "He leaves home and places his servants in charge, each with his own work..." (Mk 13:34). He expects us to be faithful to this work or task until He comes again. He tells us, "May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping." (Mk 13:36).

When we are expecting a critic or supervisor who will check the efficiency of our work, we always put our best foot forward. We make sure that he will see us at our best. This isn't bad. But sometimes, this has a negative bearing. The tendency is that we only give our best when we know that we are going to be evaluated. In the case of Jesus' coming, this kind of attitude will not work. How will we know when to put our best foot forward when we have no idea when He will come to "evaluate" the way we lived our lives? What if He comes when our "best foot" is being rested and our "inferior foot" (If there is such a thing!) is forward?

The solution: We should always put our best foot forward! We shouldn't give our best just because someone will evaluate us. We should always give our best in everything. Applying it in our daily lives and our spiritual lives also: we should be good always. We should live our whole lives as Catholic Christians. Holiness is not a mask that we wear only when inside the Church or when we want to make a good impression. It is a garment that we Christians should feel naked without.

There is wisdom in the words, "Live today as if it were the last day of your life." In the same way, we should always live as if Jesus were going to judge us soon! The Gospel is telling us to be good all the time. But it does not tell us that we should be good just because we might be punished. We should not do good just because we "dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell." (Act of Contrition). We should grow from this reward-and-punishment morality to a more mature one. We should do good because of our faithfulness to and our love for God who is "all-good and deserving of all our love." (Act of Contrition).

Blessed are we if Jesus finds us faithful when He comes again! To end this reflection, let us take a glimpse at a character from The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: the lamplighter. This lamplighter is ordered to light his lamp every night and to put it out every morning. The planet where he's staying rotated more rapidly as time went by. Eventually, a day in his planet became as short as a minute. Therefore, he had no time to sleep for he had to light and put out his lamp every single minute. He may be absurd, but he is faithful to his orders! When Jesus, our Master, comes back, how glad will He be if he finds us faithful to the task He left us with!

Jesus, A Different Kind of King

Solemnity of Christ the King Nov. 23, 2008 (Mt 25:31-46)

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

Jesus Christ is the Universal King. When He was resurrected, He was glorified by the Father and, in the end of time, He shall assemble and judge all nations. But looking back at Jesus' life here on earth, He appears to be a different kind of king.

Jesus was born in a manger, not in a palace or even somewhere fitting for humans. He was visited by lowly shepherds and wise pagan men, not by Jewish religious leaders and political giants. He was crowned with thorns and adorned with wounds, not with a gold crown and with precious stones. He was exalted on a cross, not on a throne. He was mocked and was considered a criminal, an enemy of the state and of religion. Jesus is very different from what we consider a powerful king. He Himself confirmed this when He said, "My Kingdom is not of this world." (Jn 18:36).

Jesus is a king who comes to us, His people. He is a king who is loving enough to dwell among us, becoming like us in all things but sin. He is a king who, wanting to save us, extended His hands and allowed them to be pierced by nails and be crucified. He "did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mk 10:45).

Because He obeyed the will of the Father, He was resurrected and glorified. After forty days, He ascended into heaven, leaving behind a cloud of witnesses with a world-shaking story of Divine love. He is destined to come back and judge all nations, as our Gospel shows us.

It is noteworthy that Jesus, as the Gospel tells us, will not judge us according to worldly achievements. Neither will He judge us according to how much we know God. He will judge us according to our actions. He identifies Himself with the poor and those in great need.

Non-Catholics argue that faith alone is enough for us to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Our Gospel for today proves otherwise. The failure to translate into action our faith and love brings condemnation. What is faith if it is not accompanied by good deeds? Many people claim to be Christians but are indifferent to the poor, not even remembering them in their prayers. Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only he who does the will of my heavenly Father." (Mt 7:21). Saint James reminds us that "faith, if without works, is dead." (Jas 2:17).

Let us, therefore, be obedient to our King. Let us live according to His will and we will be happy - eternally happy. His Kingdom has come to us, although not entirely. It is up to us, His people and brethren, to build His Kingdom here on earth. Let love for each other, especially for the poor, be the foundation of this Kingdom.

God's Gifts, Our Responsibilities

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Nov. 16, 2008 (Mt. 25:14-30)

Jesus told his disciples this parable: “A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one - to each according to his ability. Then he went away.

“Immediately, the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five. Likewise, the one who received two made another two. But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money.

“After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional five. He said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See, I have made five more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’

“Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. See, I have made two more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’

“Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter; so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.’

“His master said to him in reply, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I did nor plant and gather where I did not scatter? Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return? Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ ”

God gave each of us something with which we could make ourselves fruitful. Even the poorest of the poor have been blessed by God. The most common of His gifts to man are life, reason, health and, of course, talents. The talents referred to in this parable means a large amount of money. It is a denomination. Nevertheless, the symbolism of the talents entrusted to the servants may as well be the talents, abilities and other God-given gifts we have.

Just like the servants in the parable, we, too are expected to do something with everything God gave us. We are expected to make ourselves useful. We are supposed to make use of our God-given abilities to help ourselves and others reach our ultimate goal - the Kingdom of God. God's Kingdom requires "good fruits" from us. And we are blessed that God already gave us the "seeds" we can use to make "good fruits". We should not fear because there is nothing to lose. We should be more afraid of the certainty of punishment that will fall on us if we refuse to do anything. The lazy servant in the parable didn't do anything wrong. But he did not do anything right also. He did not do what he was expected to do. His is the sin of omission.

We are Catholic Christians and we are gifted with faith in God. This faith, as non-Catholics often argue, is enough for salvation. Does that mean that, secured by faith, we are only supposed to wait idly for the coming of our Lord? By no means! Our Lord Jesus, in today's parable, tells us that we, as Christians, are supposed to actively anticipate His second coming. It's like the Master is saying, "Make yourself useful while I'm gone."

As I already mentioned, we all have something we need to make fruitful. We are all given many, but different talents and abilities. We are given lots of time in our life. Are we going to just spend a whole lifetime living in fear and, therefore, laziness? Or are we going to live life making full use of our abilities, not being afraid because we are confident in God's help and, therefore, bearing much fruit? We shouldn't be afraid for every mission God gives us is given according to our ability. The popular notion that God doesn't give us challenges that we couldn't overcome holds much truth. So we cannot use any alibi before God.

God, unlike the master in the parable, doesn't abandon us, His servants. He doesn't just leave us with talents without any clue as to what to do with them. Instead, He goes the extra mile and even guides us as we live our lives. When God wills for you to do something, He will guide you the whole journey through, as we witness in the story of the patriarchs in the Old Testament. He will arm us with everything we need, and even accompany us. Therefore, we are obliged to live as God wants us to live, making ourselves fruitful. It is up to us to use our God-given gifts for our development and for us to finally hear God's words, "Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy." (Mt 25:21).

Stop Making Yourselves Like Marketplaces!

Feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica Nov. 9, 2008 (Jn 2:13-22)

Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money-changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, "Take these out of here, and stop making my Father's house a marketplace." His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, "Zeal for your house will consume me." At this the Jews answered and said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?" Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?" But he was speaking about the temple of his Body. Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the Scripture and the word Jesus had spoken.

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica. This church is the official cathedral church of the Bishop of Rome, the Pope. It is the mother of all churches in Rome and in the whole world. Therefore, it is a symbol of the unity of the Church, the people of God.

The Gospel for today shows us how Jesus gave importance to the sanctity of the temple, the house of God. Jesus drives away those who abuse their fellow men who wanted to offer sacrifices to God. The money changers in the temple did not give the people the equal value for their money. They cheated them; they maltreated them. And this made Jesus mad.

We often take the word “church” to mean a place for worship. Nevertheless, we know that it has a greater meaning. The Church is the people of God. We are the Church, Jesus’ Body, the one which He referred to in the Gospel as “the temple”.

Moreover, everyone of us is the dwelling place of God. In the Second Reading for today, Saint Paul teaches us, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.” (1 Cor 3:16-17).

In the light of St. Paul’s words, we can reflect on today’s Gospel with more depth than just saying that Jesus respects the temple of Jerusalem. Jesus says, “…Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” Where is the Father’s house that we should respect? It is all around us. It is us. We are the Father’s temples and we should treat ourselves as such. Jesus, in the Gospel today doesn’t just tell us to respect our places of worship. He is telling us, “Stop making yourselves like marketplaces.” We should treat ourselves and others as holy temples of God. We should not let sin destroy us and our neighbor.

Let us reflect on this, very few in their right minds, would dare desecrate a church building. I don’t think any good Catholic would go to Mass half naked or even dare to step on a crucifix. I don’t even think we could dare tear a picture of Jesus. But how dare we insult our neighbor? How dare we destroy their images, their good names? How dare we kill others? How dare we deceive them? How dare we abuse even ourselves?

The church where we gather to worship is indeed holy. That is why we dedicate it for the single purpose of worshipping God. Indeed, respect is due our churches since they are holy places. Nevertheless, we should not forget that every person deserves respect because they too are dwelling places of God, just as we are. Therefore nobody has the right to destroy anyone by his words or actions. God is within us, and within our neighbor. We should treat every human person as holy.

About Your Comments

I'm happy that I received a comment from a reader. Simple things like this make me realize that my efforts are not in vain, that the Word of God that I bring to others are actually received and feasted on by readers and not just posted and ignored. This encourages me not to lose spirit. Therefore, I thank you so much, Mr./Ms. Anonymous! I hope you will introduce yourself.

To those who will post comments, please be so kind as to post your names and, if you want, your contact information too. Through this, I will be able to properly thank you and to discuss with you matters which can help me reach out to more souls through this blog.

Let us help each other to establish the Word of God as the foundation of our lives and the guiding lamp upon our feet!

Ready to Be Born in Heaven?

Commemoration of All Faithful Departed Nov. 2, 2008 (Mt 25:31-46)

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

(Jn 14:1-6)

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going."
Jesus the Way to the Father

Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Our first Gospel reading is a prophetic story of what will happen when the world ends. This passage is known as the Last Judgment. In this Gospel, we see Jesus receiving into Paradise all those who have lived a life of love for God and for others while casting into the fire those who refused to love God and to love others.

The second Gospel reading presents Jesus encouraging His apostles to be courageous in their mission, for a reward is waiting for them in heaven. Jesus promises them a place in heaven and that He Himself will take them with Him.

These readings are just two that I have chosen to reflect on from a roster of twelve Gospel readings. These twelve are the Gospel readings which may be used for the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, which happens to fall on a Sunday this year.

The two readings can be connected with each other. Both maybe used to reflect on what happens after our life on earth. We all know that our immortal soul separates from the body in death. In the Prayer of Saint Francis, we poeticize this by saying, “It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.” The eternity of our soul’s life has been the theme of some of my past reflections here. Death is something we will all experience so we have to prepare for it. This is because, after our death, we will be judged by God, as we see in the first Gospel.

The second Gospel reading is a consolation for those who mourn the death of their loved ones and, at the same time, also for all of us who face the inevitable reality of death. Jesus says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” (Jn 14:1). Through His words, Jesus inspires us not to be afraid of doing good, even if it would mean pain or death for us. He tells us to believe in God and in Him. This faith, as we all know, is the requirement for us to enter the Kingdom of Heaven and be saved. We should not be afraid of anything as long as we live in righteousness and in faith. Knowing that our eternal life with God is secured should be enough for us not to worry about anything else, not even pain or death. This is what we mean by martyrdom or even holiness and saintliness. If we die unafraid because of doing the will of God, then we should rejoice, for our reward is a dwelling place in heaven.

We shouldn’t fear death because it’s an entrance to eternal life. We all have immortal souls, but that doesn’t mean we will all go to heaven and be with God. For all we know, we might be spending eternity in the fiery pit, suffering because of the longing for God.

So how do we avoid hell and achieve salvation or heaven? Well, we could not really achieve that salvation; it is a gift from God, an inheritance from our Father. Nevertheless, we have the responsibility to remain faithful children of God and worthy heirs by our faith and the good deeds which are the fruits of our faith, for what kind of father would give an inheritance to a disobedient son who doesn’t repent? He would surely disown him. In the same way, for us to receive the inheritance promised by Jesus, we must remain true children of God, our Father. Jesus, being the epitome of obedience, is therefore “the way, the truth and the life.” (Jn 14:6). It is in being like Jesus that we secure eternal life with God. It is only through Him that we can come to the Father. The first Gospel reading supports this truth by showing that Jesus shall judge us according to our acts of love for God and for neighbor.

Death is inevitable. Nevertheless, it is not something to be afraid of. It is our birth into eternal life. (That’s why we celebrate a saint’s feast day on the day of his death.) If we prepare for our entrance in college, if we prepare for our flight to other countries, so much more do we have to prepare for our death by living a life of love, a life like that of Christ. A friend of mine once asked me, “Why do we all have to die?” I said, “Do you not pass a project?” Our life is a project and death is our deadline. The sure way to get a 100 in this project is Christ, the way, the truth and the life.

Let us ask ourselves, how often do we reflect on the reality of death? Are we ready to die? If we are not ready to die, what are our reasons? Is it because we haven’t enjoyed life on earth yet? Or is it for the greater reason that we are not yet ready to be judged by God because we haven’t loved Him and others enough?

The Greatest of All - Love

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Oct. 26, 2008 (Mt 22:34-40)

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a scholar of the law, tested him by asking, "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?"

He said to him, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment."

"The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments."

In the Gospel, Jesus is again tested by Jewish religious leaders. He is asked what the greatest law was. Jesus answered with great wisdom by saying that love of God and love of neighbor are the principal commandments.

Jesus, of course, was aware of the existence of more than 600 laws which burden the Jews. Many unlearned Jews are becoming paranoid if they are breaking a law or not. On the other hand, the Pharisees who asked Jesus the question feel very good about themselves as they are certain that they are following the law. Their self-righteousness is the reason why they are not to find salvation. And their observance of meaningless rituals makes them without love.

The law that anyone follows becomes meaningless if there is no love, for love is the essence of the law. This is what Jesus knew and taught. He abstracted love from the so many detailed rituals and strict prohibitions and imposed this love as the new commandment.

Saint Paul explains this in his first letter to the Corinthians, "If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing." (1 Cor 13:1-3).

In the Gospel, we are reminded to love God above all. As was said in last week's reflection, we all belong to God. Therefore, He is deserving of all our love. This imperative to love God is oftentimes overlooked. We always assume that we love God enough. I have heard people say, "Oh, God will understand! I'm very busy" just to justify their failure to attend Mass or to pray. Of course, if asked, many Catholics would deny that they don't love God. We would say we do. But how much do we really love God? Would He be on top of your list if you would be asked to honestly list down the ones you love in order of how much you love them?

Our love for God is required of us because it is God who loved us first. God thirsts for our love back. Remember Jesus' words, "I thirst" (Jn 19:28)? It is up to us to quench God's thirst for our love. People say that love hurts. Does it really? Or isn't it not getting loved back that hurts? Imagine how God feels when so many people refuse to love Him back.

The Pharisees would not have been surprised when Jesus answered love of God as the greatest commandment. But they might have been when Jesus added love of neighbor as the second and closely related commandment.

Love of God and of neighbor are often described as two sides of the same coin. Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did to one of the least of my brethren, you did it to me." (Mt 25:40). We cannot give God anything aside from our love, praise and service. God is not in need of any material object we can give Him. But, our love for God can be shown by caring for all His creation. And, of course, His greatest creation is man. We are His obra maestras, every one of us. We are images of the invisible God. Therefore, we must treat each other with love and respect.

Saint John makes this clear in his first epistle, "Those who say, 'I love God', and hate their brothers are liars; for those who do not love a brother whom they have seen cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers also." (1 Jn 4:20-21)

I have also heard people say, "Why should I help my neighbor when I myself am poor?" This is a silly statement. First of all, money is not always needed to help one's neighbor. One can help others by lending a helping hand, sharing time, talent and maybe a little treasure, but that's not required. So long as you have shared whatever you can, that's enough to make them feel loved. One can also extend help through praying for others. Secondly, we should remember that Jesus said in our Gospel, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself". He did not tell us to love ourselves first. He didn't also tell us to love our neighbor first. Rather, we shouldn't be selfish and we also shouldn't forget to take care of ourselves.

God loved us first. And just as God loved us though we are not worthy of His love, we should also love our neighbor.

Let us ask ourselves, are we the reason why Jesus thirsts for love? Do we break His already wounded heart by our sins and our refusal to love our neighbor? Are we the reason why God has a heartache?

God is Where We Belong

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time Oct. 19, 2008 (Mt 22:15-21)

The Pharisees went off and plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech. They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. And you are not concerned with anyone's opinion, for you do not regard a person's status. Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?"

Knowing their malice, Jesus said, "Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays the census tax." Then they handed him the Roman coin. He said to them, "Whose image is this and whose inscription?"

They replied, "Caesar's"

At that he said to them, "Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God."

In our gospel today, we see the Pharisees and the Herodians again trying to ensnare Jesus through His words. They try to trap Him this time regarding the census tax. If Jesus says it was lawful to pay the census tax, He would be rebuked as a supporter of the Romans. If He said it was not, then they would consider Him a rebel.

Jesus was wise in answering that we should give to Caesar what is due him and to God what is due Him. This answer tells us that our life here on earth does not necessarily hinder us in living as sons of God. Jesus tells us that we have obligations to meet as citizens of this world in the same way that we have obligations to meet as "citizens" of heaven. We live in this world, but we must beware of becoming worldly. We do not belong to this world for we belong in heaven, we belong to God.

Seek first the kingdom of heaven, it is said. We should offer our all to God. This doesn't mean that we should spend all our time in the church. Our daily life can be an offering to God. Everything we do, even if it seems to have nothing to do with the Church or religion, can be an offering to God. Jesus said we should give God whatever belongs to Him. But everything belongs to God! Therefore, everything we do is an offering to God. We give glory to God by the things we do. As Jesus said, "You are the light of the world... Let your light shine before others that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven." (Mt 5:14, 16).

Nevertheless, we still shouldn't forget our obligations that are purely spiritual in nature. As Christians, we are bound to pray and to worship God. Furthermore, as Catholics who recognize the value of both individual and community prayer, we are bound to attend Mass at least every Sunday. Religion is our response to God's goodness. We are not asked to attend Mass everyday, but only once a week. We are not asked to pray every novena known to Christendom, but we are asked to pray with our whole hearts. This is giving to God the praise due Him as our Creator, Savior and Guide.

God said, "You are dust and to dust you shall return." (Gen 3:19). Similarly, we are God's and to God we shall return... for to God we all belong.

Kingdom's Call: A Vocation to Love and to Love Back

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time Oct. 12, 2008 (Mt 22:1-14)

Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and elders of the people in parables, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. A second time he sent other servants, saying, ' Tell those invited: "Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast." ' Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city."

"Then he said to his servants, 'The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.' The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests."

"But when the king came in to meet the guests, he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. The king said to him, 'My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?' But he was reduced to silence. Then the king said to his attendants, 'Bind his handsand feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.' Many are invited, but few are chosen."

In the history of salvation, we see God as the first and the greatest lover. He is Trinitarian, a community of love. He created man out of love. He redeemed man because of love. He continues to love man up to this very day. He is the God of Love. HE IS LOVE.

It is God who first loved us and He calls us all to love Him back. He invites everyone to His kingdom whose foundation is love itself. Nevertheless, He is met with so much rejection. His people would rather concern themselves with worldly affairs than attend His banquet.

One might find it strange that the people in the parable could easily turn down an invitation from their king. Since they know that the king is very powerful, there is a tendency for them to "suck up" on their king to gain influence. Or, if this is not the case, they should have been afraid of what the king can do if he gets mad. The people invited rejected the king's invitation as if it were no big deal. In the same way, isn't it strange that we sometimes refuse to accept God's call to His kingdom? The Kingdom of God is eternal. And considering that its privation means hell, I don't think anyone in his right mind will ever refuse it.

What we fail to do, most of the time, is to see the bigger picture. We always look at "living the kingdom of God" as burdensome. We do not see the eternal effects of the spiritual life we neglect. We give too much value to our life here on earth, not knowing that we have a wedding feast to attend - an eternal one!

In the second part of the parable, we see an unworthy guest thrown away from the feast. This shows us the reality that the Kingdom of God requires something from us. Being a member of the Church does not guarantee our salvation. The Kingdom of God is only for pure people. We must strive to be worthy of the call of God. Just because we are invited to God's banquet, it doesn't mean we can enter whenever we please. The invitation of God is not just to come to His feast, but also to be worthy of it. Thus, we must be properly attired.

By Their Fruits You Shall Know Them

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time Oct. 5, 2008 (Mt 21:33-43)

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: "Hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey. When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat, another they killed, and a third they stoned. Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way. Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, 'They will respect my son.' But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’ They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?" They answered him, "He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times." Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes? Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit."

In Genesis we find God entrusting creation to man - His greatest obra maestra. Man was made the steward of God here on earth. In the same way, the landowner in the parable entrusts the care of his vineyard to some tenants, which prove to be unworthy of the trust given them. They violate the virtue of justice, which dictates giving to our fellow man what they deserve. They are found useless and even destructive, therefore, they must be replaced with more loyal tenants.

We too, are entrusted by God with a mission here on earth. We all have a common mission, and that is to help each other achieve union with God - for that is the ultimate purpose of our being. We also have unique missions as unique individuals. This mission given us by God can be discerned through personal reflection. God gives us hints so we may easily find out our mission. He gives us talents and a set of unique qualities that we can use as bases for knowing our mission. It's like when a maid is given a spatula and cooking materials, it probably means that her master would like her to cook for the family. Our talents and qualities are the tools which God gives in order for us to complete our mission. We will never be truly happy if we do not fulfill our missions. If we follow our own will and reject God's, loneliness is ours.

We should give God what is due Him, and that is our obedience. We ought to obey Him since He is our Creator and because His will is also for our own good. His will is for us to be saved and be eternally happy with Him. We, as His stewards are given missions, the success of which could be determined by manifestations or fruits. If our mission does not bear fruit, then we are worthless. The Kingdom of God demands these fruits from us for it is "by our fruits that they shall know us" as children of God, as disciples of Christ.

If we really are firmly rooted in Christ, if we really are branches attached to the vine, where are our fruits? Are they good fruits? Can these fruits be given as a worthy offering to God?

Welcome to Lamp upon Our Feet!

Welcome! I, Dean Louis Bascon or Dale, as others call me, have made this blog for the purpose of sharing my personal reflections on the Sunday Gospel readings. Of course, I wish I can do this regularly, but I cannot promise that. What I can say is that I'll always try my best to find the time. This humble effort is done with the intention of touching souls through reflection on God's word. It's not my words, or our words that can change people. It is God's word that can transform, if we allow Him to do so. We are but mere echoes of God's words. We are His witnesses here, and we should take this task zealously.

Let this blog be a vineyard made fruitful by the rain - the word of God - which does not come back to Him void, but achieves the end for which it was sent.