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Mama Mary’s Birthday & SVD Foundation Day

135th FOUNDATION of the SVD

A LONDON unbeliever sat watching an Irish shoeshine boy polishing his shoes. The man noticed a medal on the boy’s neck and asked, “What is that you’re wearing around your neck, Pat?”

“A medal, with the Mother of Christ on it!” Pat answered.

“Why do you honor her? She is just like my mother.”

“Ahh… but there’s a hell of a difference between the two sons!” Pat replied.
The story might well illustrate the difference in attitude towards the Blessed Virgin between Catholics and non-Catholics.

* * *

Today, September 8, is the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The SPECIAL veneration Catholics show to the Blessed Mother comes no less from God who honored her first by choosing her from billions of women to be the Mother of his own Son.

In her thanksgiving Magnificat, Mary prophesied: “All ages to come shall call me blessed” (Lk. 1, 48).

* * *

While it’s a basic truth of Catholicism that there is only one God who alone is to be worshipped, that does not mean that we are forbidden to pay proper and sensible respect to creatures.

God explicitly commands us to honor our own father and mother. Is it then wrong to honor the Mother of Jesus Christ?

* * *

MOTHER OF GOD? Critics against the veneration to Mary ask: If God exists from all eternity, how can Mary, a creature, born in time, be called the “Mother of God?”

The answer depends on what you hold about Christ, her Son. If Jesus is merely a man, then Mary is merely the mother of Jesus, the man.

* * *

But if Jesus is truly the Son of God who took flesh in the Virgin’s womb, then Mary is rightly called the Mother of God, because her Son is God, the Second Person of the divine Trinity. But did Mary not merely give birth to the humanity of Christ?

* * *

The angelic doctor St. Thomas Aquinas gives the following answer: “Do mothers beget bodies or persons, i.e., made of soul and body? The answer is, of course, as persons!”

Mary conceived in her womb the Person of Jesus. When He was born, there was no distinction whatsoever between His divine and human nature. Therefore, she is rightly called the Mother of God.

As we honor Mama Mary on her birthday, let’s thank God that we have such a caring and loving mother interceding for us.

* * *

SVD FOUNDATION DAY. The Society of the Divine Word (SVD) to which I belong marked its 135th Foundation Anniversary today, September 8. The German founder St. Arnold Janssen, had a special devotion to the Blessed Mother, hence chose the inauguration of his mission congregation on her birthday in 1875.

* * *

Today the international congregation has afirst Asian and Filipino Superior General in its history, Fr. Antonio Pernia.

The SVD has numerous apostolates in the Philippines, like running seven colleges and three universities – University of San Carlos in Cebu, Liceo del Verbo Divino, formerly Divine Word University of Tacloban, Holy Name University of Tagbilaran, Bohol.

* * *
To date there are 137 Filipino SVD priests and brothers working in 40 countries making the religious congregation the biggest “exporter” of male missionaries.

SVD priests and brothers in the Philippines are involved in the apostolates of parishes, seminaries, justice and peace, mass media, evangelization of indigenous Filipinos who include Mindoro’s Mangyans, Tinguians of Abra, Manobos of Agusan, and ethnic communities like the Filipino-Chinese in Dagupan and St. Jude Parish and St. Jude Catholic School in Manila.

Readers are requested to pray for the Society of the Divine Word and its mission work in the Philippines and abroad.

* * *

ST. JUDE. Tomorrow is Thursday. Join our novena to St. Jude at the Divine Word Shrine, Christ the King Seminary Compound on E. Rodriguez Boulevard, Quezon City after the 6 p.m. Mass.
A healing session will follow.

Wednesday, September 8th, 2010 The Pastors Speak Comments Off

26th WORLD YOUTH DAY (2011)

World Youth Day 2011

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS

POPE BENEDICT XVI

FOR THE TWENTY-SIXTH WORLD YOUTH DAY (2011)

“Planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith” (cf. Col 2:7)

Dear Friends,

I often think back on the World Youth Day held in Sydney in 2008. There we had an experience of a great festival of faith in which the Spirit of God was actively at work, building deep communion among the participants who had come from all over the world. That gathering, like those on previous occasions, bore rich fruit in the lives of many young people and in the life of the whole Church. Now we are looking forward to the next World Youth Day, to be held in Madrid in August 2011. Back in 1989, several months before the historic fall of the Berlin Wall, this pilgrimage of young people halted in Spain, in Santiago de Compostela. Now, at a time when Europe greatly needs to rediscover its Christian roots, our meeting will take place in Madrid with the theme: “Planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith” (cf. Col 2:7). I encourage you to take part in this event, which is so important for the Church in Europe and for the universal Church. I would like all young people – those who share our faith in Jesus Christ, but also those who are wavering or uncertain, or who do not believe in him – to share this experience, which can prove decisive for their lives. It is an experience of the Lord Jesus, risen and alive, and of his love for each of us.

1. At the source of your deepest aspirations

In every period of history, including our own, many young people experience a deep desire for personal relationships marked by truth and solidarity. Many of them yearn to build authentic friendships, to know true love, to start a family that will remain united, to achieve personal fulfilment and real security, all of which are the guarantee of a serene and happy future. In thinking of my own youth, I realize that stability and security are not the questions that most occupy the minds of young people. True enough, it is important to have a job and thus to have firm ground beneath our feet, yet the years of our youth are also a time when we are seeking to get the most out of life. When I think back on that time, I remember above all that we were not willing to settle for a conventional middle-class life. Wewanted something great, something new. We wanted to discover life itself, in all its grandeur and beauty. Naturally, part of that was due to the times we lived in. During the Nazi dictatorship and the war, we were, so to speak, “hemmed in” by the dominant power structure. So we wanted to break out into the open, to experience the whole range of human possibilities. I think that, to some extent, this urge to break out of the ordinary is present in every generation. Part of being young is desiring something beyond everyday life and a secure job, a yearning for something really truly greater. Is this simply an empty dream that fades away as we become older? No! Men and women were created for something great, for infinity. Nothing else will ever be enough. Saint Augustine was right when he said “our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you”. Thedesire for a more meaningful life is a sign that God created us and that we bear his “imprint”. God is life, and that is why every creature reaches out towards life. Because human beings are made in the image of God, we do this in a unique and special way. We reach out for love, joy and peace. So we can see how absurd it is to think that we can truly live by removing God from the picture! God is the source of life. To set God aside is to separate ourselves from that source and, inevitably, to deprive ourselves of fulfilment and joy: “without the Creator, the creature fades into nothingness” (Second Vatican Council, Gaudium et Spes, 36). In some parts of the world, particularly in the West, today’s culture tends to exclude God, and to consider faith a purely private issue with no relevance for the life of society. Even though the set of values underpinning society comes from the Gospel – values like the sense of the dignity of the person, of solidarity, of work and of the family –, we see a certain “eclipse of God” taking place, a kind of amnesia which, albeit not an outright rejection of Christianity, is nonetheless a denial of the treasure of our faith, a denial that could lead to the loss of our deepest identity.

For this reason, dear friends, I encourage you to strengthen your faith in God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. You are the future of society and of the Church! As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians of Colossae, it is vital to have roots, a solid foundation! This is particularly true today. Many people have no stable points of reference on which to build their lives, and so they end up deeply insecure. There is a growing mentality of relativism, which holds that everything is equally valid, that truth and absolute points of reference do not exist.

But this way of thinking does not lead to true freedom, but rather to instability, confusion and blind conformity to the fads of the moment. As young people, you are entitled to receive from previous generations solid points of reference to help you to make choices and on which to build your lives: like a young plant which needs solid support until it can sink deep roots and become a sturdy tree capable of bearing fruit.

2. Planted and built up in Jesus Christ

In order to highlight the importance of faith in the lives of believers, I would like to reflect with you on each of the three terms used by Saint Paul in the expression: “Planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith” (cf. Col 2:7). We can distinguish three images: “planted” calls to mind a tree and the roots that feed it; “built up” refers to the construction of a house; “firm” indicates growth in physical or moral strength. These images are very eloquent. Before commenting on them, I would like to point out that grammatically all three terms in the original text are in the passive voice. This means that it is Christ himself who takes the initiative to plant, build up and confirm the faithful.

The first image is that of a tree which is firmly planted thanks to its roots, which keep it upright and give it nourishment. Without those roots, it would be blown away by the wind and would die. What are our roots? Naturally our parents, our families and the culture of our country are very important elements of our personal identity. But the Bible reveals a further element. The prophet Jeremiah wrote: “Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit” (Jer 17:7-8). For the prophet, to send out roots means to put one’s trust in God. From him we draw our life. Without him, we cannot truly live. “God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son” (1 Jn 5:11). Jesus himself tells us that he is our life (cf. Jn 14:6). Consequently, Christian faith is not only a matter of believing that certain things are true, but above all a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It is an encounter with the Son of God that gives new energy to the whole of our existence. When we enter into a personal relationship with him, Christ reveals our true identity and, in friendship with him, our life grows towards complete fulfilment. There is a moment, when we are young, when each of us wonders: what meaning does my life have? What purpose and direction should I give to it? This is a very important moment, and it can worry us, perhaps for some time. We start wondering about the kind of work we should take up, the kind of relationships we should establish, the friendships we should cultivate… Here, once more, I think of my own youth. I was somehow aware quite early on that the Lord wanted me to be a priest. Then later, after the war, when I was in the seminary and at university on the way towards that goal, I had to recapture that certainty. I had to ask myself: is this really the path I was meant to take? Is this really God’s will for me? Will I be able to remain faithful to him and completely at his service? A decision like this demands a certain struggle. It cannot be otherwise. But then came the certainty: this is the right thing! Yes, the Lord wants me, and he will give me strength. If I listen to him and walk with him, I become truly myself. What counts is not the fulfilment of my desires, but of his will. In this way life becomes authentic.

Just as the roots of a tree keep it firmly planted in the soil, so the foundations of a house give it long-lasting stability. Through faith, we have been built up in Jesus Christ (cfr Col 2:7), even as a house is built on its foundations. Sacred history provides many examples of saints who built their lives on the word of God. The first is Abraham, our father in faith, who obeyed God when he was asked to leave his ancestral home and to set out for an unknown land. “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God” (Jas 2:23). Being built up in Jesus Christ means responding positively to God’s call, trusting in him and putting his word into practice. Jesus himself reprimanded his disciples: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’, and do not do what I tell you?” (Lk 6:46). He went on to use the image of building a house: “I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, listens to my words, and acts on them. That one is like a person building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when the flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well built” (Lk 6:47-48).

Dear friends, build your own house on rock, just like the person who “dug deeply”. Try each day to follow Christ’s word. Listen to him as a true friend with whom you can share your path in life. With him at your side, you will find courage and hope to face difficulties and problems, and even to overcome disappointments and set-backs. You are constantly being offered easier choices, butyou yourselves know that these are ultimately deceptive and cannot bring you serenity and joy. Only the word of God can show us the authentic way, and only the faith we have received is the light which shines on our path. Gratefully accept this spiritual gift which you have received from your families; strive to respond responsibly to God’s call, and to grow in your faith. Do not believe those who tell you that you don’t need others to build up your life! Find support in the faith of those who are dear to you, in the faith of the Church, and thank the Lord that you have received it and have made it yourown!

3. Firm in the faith

You are “planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith” (cf. Col 2:7). The Letter from which these words are taken was written by Saint Paul in order to respond to a specific need of the Christians in the city of Colossae. That community was threatened by the influence of certain cultural trends that were turning the faithful away from the Gospel. Our own cultural context, dear young people, is not unlike that of the ancient Colossians. Indeed, there is a strong current of secularist thought that aims to make God marginal in the lives of people and society by proposing and attempting to create a “paradise” without him. Yet experience tells us that a world without God becomes a “hell”: filled with selfishness, broken families, hatred between individuals and nations, and a great deficit of love, joy and hope. On the other hand, wherever individuals and nations accept God’s presence, worship him in truth and listen to his voice, then the civilization of love is being built, a civilization in which the dignity of all is respected, and communion increases, with all its benefits. Yet some Christians allow themselves to be seduced by secularism or attracted by religious currents that draw them away from faith in Jesus Christ. There are others who, while not yielding to these enticements, have simply allowed their faith to grow cold, with inevitable negative effects on their moral lives.

To those Christians influenced by ideas alien to the Gospel the Apostle Paul spoke of the power of Christ’s death and resurrection. This mystery is the foundation of our lives and the centre of Christian faith. All philosophies that disregard it and consider it “foolishness” (1 Cor 1:23) reveal their limitations with respect to the great questions deep in the hearts of human beings. As the Successor of the Apostle Peter, I too want to confirm you in the faith (cf. Lk 22:32). We firmly believe that Jesus Christ offered himself on the Cross in order to give us his love. In his passion, he bore our sufferings, took upon himself our sins, obtained forgiveness for us and reconciled us with God the Father, opening for us the way to eternal life. Thus we were freed from the thing that most encumbers our lives: the slavery of sin. We can love everyone, even our enemies, and we can share this love with the poorest of our brothers and sisters and all those in difficulty.

Dear friends, the Cross often frightens us because it seems to be a denial of life. In fact, the opposite is true! It is God’s “yes” to mankind, the supreme expression of his love and the source from which eternal life flows. Indeed, it is from Jesus’ heart, pierced on the Cross, that this divine life streamed forth, ever accessible to those who raise their eyes towards the Crucified One. I can only urge you, then, to embrace the Cross of Jesus, the sign of God’s love, as the source of new life. Apart from Jesus Christ risen from the dead, there can be no salvation! He alone can free the world from evil and bring about the growth of the Kingdom of justice, peace and love to which we all aspire.

4. Believing in Jesus Christ without having seen him

In the Gospel we find a description of the Apostle Thomas’s experience of faith when he accepted the mystery of the Cross and resurrection of Christ. Thomas was one of the twelve Apostles. He followed Jesus and was an eyewitness of his healings and miracles. He listened to his words, and he experienced dismay at Jesus’ death. That Easter evening when the Lord appeared to the disciples, Thomas was not present. When he was told that Jesus was alive and had shown himself, Thomas stated: “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe” (Jn 20:25).

We too want to be able to see Jesus, to speak with him and to feel his presence even more powerfully. For many people today, it has become difficult to approach Jesus. There are so many images of Jesus in circulation which, while claiming to be scientific, detract from his greatness and the uniqueness of his person. That is why, after many years of study and reflection, I thought of sharing something of my own personal encounter with Jesus by writing a book. It was a way to help others see, hear and touch the Lord in whom God came to us in order to make himself known. Jesus himself, when he appeared again to his disciples a week later, said to Thomas: “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe” (Jn 20:27). We too can have tangible contact with Jesus and put our hand, so to speak, upon the signs of his Passion, the signs of his love. It is in the sacraments that he draws particularly near to us and gives himself to us. Dear young people, learn to “see” and to “meet” Jesus in the Eucharist, where he is present and close to us, and even becomes food for our journey. In the sacrament of Penance the Lord reveals his mercy and always grants us his forgiveness. Recognize and serve Jesus in the poor, the sick, and in our brothers and sisters who are in difficulty and in need of help.

Enter into a personal dialogue with Jesus Christ and cultivate it in faith. Get to know him better by reading the Gospels and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Converse with him in prayer, and place your trust in him. He will never betray that trust! “Faith is first of all a personal adherence of man to God. At the same time, and inseparably, it is a free assent to the whole truth that God has revealed” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 150). Thus you will acquire a mature and solid faith, one which will not be based simply on religious sentiment or on a vague memory of the catechism you studied as a child. You will come to know God and to live authentically in union with him, like the Apostle Thomas who showed his firm faith in Jesus in the words: “My Lord and my God!”.

5. Sustained by the faith of the Church, in order to be witnesses

Jesus said to Thomas: “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe” (Jn 20:29). He was thinking of the path the Church was to follow, based on the faith of eyewitnesses: the Apostles. Thus, we come to see that our personal faith in Christ, which comes into being through dialogue with him, is bound to the faith of the Church. We do not believe as isolated individuals, but rather, through Baptism, we are members of this great family; it is the faith professed by the Church, which reinforces our personal faith. The Creed that we proclaim at Sunday Mass protects us from the danger of believing in a God other than the one revealed by Christ: “Each believer is thus a link in the great chain of believers. I cannot believe without being carried by the faith of others, and by my faith I help support others in the faith” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 166). Let us always thank the Lord for the gift of the Church, for the Church helps us to advance securely in the faith that gives us true life (cf. Jn 20:31).

In the history of the Church, the saints and the martyrs have always drawn from the glorious Cross of Christ the strength to be faithful to God even to the point of offering their own lives. In faith they found the strength to overcome their weaknesses and to prevail over every adversity. Indeed, as the Apostle John says, “Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 Jn 5:5). The victory born of faith is that of love. There have been, and still are, many Christians who are living witnesses of the power of faith that is expressed in charity. They have been peacemakers, promoters of justice and workers for a more humane world, a world in accordance with God’s plan. With competence and professionalism, they have been committed in different sectors of the life of society, contributing effectively to the welfare of all. The charity that comes from faith led them to offer concrete witness by their actions and words. Christ is not a treasure meant for us alone; he is the most precious treasure we have, one that is meant to be shared with others. In our age of globalization, be witnesses of Christian hope all over the world. How many people long to receive this hope! Standing before the tomb of his friend Lazarus, who had died four days earlier, as he was about to call the dead man back to life, Jesus said to Lazarus’ sister Martha: “If you believe, you will see the glory of God” (cf. Jn. 11:40). In the same way, if you believe, and if you are able to live out your faith and bear witness to it every day, you will become a means of helping other young people like yourselves to find the meaning and joy of life, which is born of an encounter with Christ!

6. On the way to World Youth Day in Madrid

Dear friends, once again I invite you to attend World Youth Day in Madrid. I await each of you with great joy. Jesus Christ wishes to make you firm in faith through the Church. The decision to believe in Jesus Christ and to follow him is not an easy one. It is hindered by our personal failures and by the many voices that point us towards easier paths. Do not be discouraged. Rather, look for the support of the Christian community, the support of the Church! Throughout this year, carefully prepare for the meeting in Madrid with the bishops, priests and youth leaders in your dioceses, parish communities, associations and movements. The quality of our meeting will depend above all on our spiritual preparation, our prayer, our common hearing of the word of God and our mutual support.

Dear young people, the Church depends on you! She needs your lively faith, your creative charity and the energy of your hope. Your presence renews, rejuvenates and gives new energy to the Church. That is why World Youth Days are a grace, not only for you, but for the entire People of God. The Church in Spain is actively preparing to welcome you and to share this joyful experience of faith with you. I thank the dioceses, parishes, shrines, religious communities, ecclesial associations and movements, and all who are hard at work in preparing for this event. The Lord will not fail to grant them his blessings. May the Virgin Mary accompany you along this path of preparation. At the message of the angel, she received God’s word with faith. It was in faith that she consented to what God was accomplishing in her. By proclaiming her “fiat”, her “yes”, she received the gift of immense charity, which led her to give herself entirely to God. May she intercede for each one of you so that, in the coming World Youth Day you may grow in faith and love. I assure you of a paternal remembrance in my prayers and I give you my heartfelt blessing.

From the Vatican, 6 August 2010, Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord.

- BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

Saturday, September 4th, 2010 The Pastors Speak Comments Off

23rd SUNDAY in Ordinary Time – C (INSULIN)

TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

The COSTS of DISCIPLESHIP

First Reading: Wisdom 9,13-18b:

The incomprehensible Intention & Will of God Vs inadequate

& perishable human attitude & nature…

Second Reading: Philemon 9-10. 12-17:

Paul in the chains sends Onesimus not as a slave but as his own heart…

Feast: Mother Theresa…

Luke 14, 25-33: The Discipleship through Self-denial…

(Genesis 11, 4-9; Exodus 13, 17; Deuteronomy 13, 6; Job 22, 21; Psa

lm 127, 1; Matthew 5, 25; 10, 37; 16, 24; 19, 27-28; Luke 9, 23; Romans 9, 13; 1 Peter 2, 5; Revelation 12, 11)

The people of this world, particularly youth, seek for role models in their life! Models, Film-Heroes and other Leaders, they follow become their target. They ready even to sacrifice their identity before the ideologies of such icons. Rather, they identify themselves with those ideologies! Are these icons & ideologies more important and valuable than Jesus and His values? One has to rethink, reflect and rejuvenate! Our target must be the Father through Jesus in the Spirit.

The discipleship that Jesus calls for is similar but a still higher level of commitment and dedication leading to self-denial. When Jesus asks his follower to hate ones relationships and life itself, it is not just that! It is of the whole being: a physical (Body), psychological (mind), and Spiritual (soul & spirit) self-denial! Are we prepared for such a self-awareness and self-denial and let go our ego? Our body, mind and soul have to be surrendered to God if our spirit has to merge with God’s Spirit and commune with Him. Such is this self-denial and discipleship!

Let us reflect on the day’s reading with these thoughts at the back of our mind, asking further reflective questions…

1. If any man come to me, and hate not his father… his own life also,

he cannot be my disciple…(v.26)

Reference: Deuteronomy 13, 6; Matthew 10, 37; Romans 9, 13; Revelation 12, 11… Are we ready to let go our ego and relate with God and our fellow-humans?

2. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my

disciple…(v.27)

Reference: Matthew 16, 24; Luke 9, 23… Are we ready to deny ourselves, take up our daily cross and follow the LORD?

3. For which of you, intending to build a tower… counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?…(v.28)

Reference: Genesis 11, 4-9; 1 Peter 2, 5… Do we seek God’s help in all that we do and plan our actions?

4. This man began to build, and was not able to finish…(v.30)

Reference: Psalm 127, 1… Are we able to able to make decisions with God at our side and trust in His Mighty Presence?

5. What king, going to make war against another king…. counteth whether he be able with 10 thousand to meet him that cometh with 20 thousand?…(v.31)

Reference: Exodus 13, 17… Are we ready to calculate the harm that is ahead, change our ways, and repent before the Lord?

6. While the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace…(v.32)

Reference Job 22, 21; Matthew 5, 25…’ Are we ready to make peace with others before it is too late?

7. So likewise, whosoever he be of that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple…(v.33)

Reference: Matthew 19, 27-28…? Are we prepared to leave all for the Kingdom sake and wait for His judgment?

Saturday, September 4th, 2010 The Pastors Speak Comments Off

23rd SUNDAY in Ordinary Time – C (The LORD FIRST)

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

5 September 2010

The COSTS of DISCIPLESHIP

The Readings:

Wisdom 9:13-18b
Ps 90:(1) 3-6, 12-17

Philemon 9-10, 12-17

Luke 14:25-33

The LORD FIRST

What in your life is a higher priority than your relationship with God? That’s what Jesus wants us to look at in this Sunday’s Gospel reading

. What people? What work? What trial? What possessions? What friendships? What goals? What activities?

What crosses do you want to get rid of that, if you do escape from them, would require you to abandon Jesus on his cross? (Hint: What sacrifices of love are you unwilling to make?)

Jesus says that unless we are first and foremost committed to discipleship – learning from him and making every effort to become more like him – we are ill prepared for all the other tasks of life.

In other words, we can start building toward good goals, but if our relationship with Christ is not our highest priority, we’ll be unable to reach the right finish, because we will get distracted by worldly interferences and sin. We become victims instead of victors in the battles we face. Anything good that we do achieve will be only temporary, because it fall

s short of the kingdom of God and has no eternal value.

A disciple is a student. We learn from Jesus how to love others, and sometimes this is a real cross to carry. He teaches us how to li

ve a life of joyful love but also of unconditional, forgiveness-filled love. We also learn from Jesus how to put up boundaries against those who interfere with our spiritual growth, and this too can be a cross.

The strength to follow Christ and become more and more like him every day requires a conscious effort to grow stronger in our ability to carry our crosses while uniting ourselves to his cross and to his strength. W

hen we lack this inner bond to Christ, we stumble and fall, crushed by the weight of our crosses. But if we are willing to make sacrifices out of love for others, like Jesus did, we embrace him more fully and intimately than we could with any other form of prayer or worship.

Questions for Personal Reflection:
Consider your daily activities: They give evidence of your top priorities. What do you value more than the time you spend with Jesus in prayer, scripture, and other faith-building activities? What are really your top priorities?

Questions for Family & Community Faith Sharing:
What are some common ways that we move God down on our priority lists? In making him our highest priority, what are ways that we can lovingly show concern for others even while putting God ahead of them in our daily activities?

Thursday, September 2nd, 2010 The Pastors Speak Comments Off

23rd SUNDAY in Ordinary Time – C (ILOCANO)

5 September 2010

my disciples

Kakabsatko ken Kristo:

Apaman a makapag-wen wenno makapag-saan ti tao lalaki man wenno babai mabalin tayon nga awisen nga agbalin a disipulo wenno apostol ni Apo Jesus. Kadagiti agbasbasa mabalin a ruggian ti awis idiay Elementary, Secondary, Tertiary levels, wenno uray kadagiti nakaturpos iti kursoda. Maiyarig tayo laeng iti agipurpuroak iti bukbukel kadagiti nadumaduma a klase ti daga. Adda bukel nga agdisso iti natikag a daga, adda agdisso iti naar-arado a daga, adda pay nagdisso iti daga a narabaw unay, ket adda met nagdisso iti nadam-eg ken nakatabtaba. Kadagiti nagwen a tattao dublientayo a saludsuden no isu pay ti lumawlawag nga wenda. Tapno mamuli ti wenda intay ida iserrek iti kabatoganda a pagadalan. Inggana ita, adda pay laeng dagiti Minor Seminaries ken Major Seminaries. Idiay ti pakapaliiwan no agtuloyda wenno saan. Disipuloda ngatan ket mabalinton nga Apostolesda iti tawtawen a masakbayan? Sagaten tayo ida. Adda rummuar ket agawid ket adda met agbati ket ituloy a tamingen a kas mula iti hardintayo. No maseguradon ti kayatda agtitinnulong tayo a mangaywan, mangtaripato, mangikaluya, ken mangilualo ti naammoan tayo a panggepda.

Adda dagiti pagilasinan no mabalinda ti agpadi, agmadre, wenno agbrother. Kitaen tayo no nakasaganadan a sungbatan ti nakarit nga awis ni apo Jesus kadakuada. Kinuna ngamin ni Apo Jesus iti Ebanghelio tayo itatta: “Saan a makapagbalin nga adalak (padi, madre, brother, disipulo, Apostol) ti siasinoman nga umay kaniak malaksid no dadakkel ti panagayatna kaniak ngem ti panagayatna kadagiti nagannak kenkuana, ti asawana ken dagiti annakna, dagiti kakabsatna ken uray ti bagina met laeng. Saan met a makapagbalin nga adalak ti siasinno man a di mangbaklay iti krusna ken sumurot kaniak” (Lukas 14, 26-27). Mabalin kuna tayo, “kabaelak”. Ngem kabaelan tayo ngata ti innayon ni Apo Jesus: “Kasta met nga awan kadakayo ti makapagbalin nga adalak no dina panawan amin nga adda akenkuana” (Lukas 14,33). Mapalagipan ngarud ditoy dagiti nagkari iti Poverty, Chastity ken Obedience a Relihioso ta saan da koma labsingen ti inkarida nangruna ti Poverty. Saan da koma palubosan a makawaranda iti sanikua. Tallo ti karida dagiti Relihioso saan a dua laeng. No ikkaten ti karida a “Poverty” ad-adu ngata ti sumrek a Relihioso? Awan ti kari dagiti Diocesano a papadi a “Poverty” ngem adu kadakuada ti agpraktis iti SPIRIT OF POVERTY ket iti kasta rimbawanda dagiti nagkari iti kari nga agbiag a napanglaw.

Kapanglawan ti biag ni Apo Jesus kas tao ngem kas Dios kukuana amin. Saan laeng a dagiti Kristianos ti ukomenna no di ket amin a tattao. Ni Apo Jesus ti Ari ti Langit ken Daga. Iturayanna tayo amin.

FR. DOMINADOR FERNANDEZ, SVD

DWCV – Campus Minister

DF/helen

Thursday, September 2nd, 2010 The Pastors Speak Comments Off

22nd SUNDAY in Ordinary Time – C (HUMILITY)

TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

First Reading: Sirach 3, 17-18.20.28-29: The greatness of Humility…

Second Reading: Hebrews 12, 18-19.22-24a: The greatness of Mount Zion, the Heavenly Jerusalem…

Feast: Beheading of St. John the Baptist…

Luke 14, 1.7-14: The Greatness of Humility…

(Nehemiah 8, 10-12; Proverbs 3; 15, 33; 18, 12; 22, 4; Job 22, 29; Daniel 12, 2; Mark 2, 17; Luke 4, 18; 14, 2-6; John 3, 16; Acts 24, 15; Philippians 2, 8; 1 Peter 5, 5)

The LORD our God in all His Heavenly Glory, the Creator & Ruler Almighty created us and came down to tell us that He loves us. Even though we kept running away from His Presence, He kept approaching us as a Loving Dad. For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son… (John 3, 16) Where there is Love, there is Obedience & Humility. In Jesus, we see the Love, the Obedience & the Humility of God and today He teaches us this lesson THE WAY OF HUMILITY and its greatness. St. John the Baptist too is a model for us to imitate him in his humility as he said ‘He (Jesus) must increase & I must decrease!’

Let us reflect on the day’s reading with these thoughts at the back of our mind, ask further reflective questions…

1. He went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath day that they watched Him…(v.1)

Jesus unlike His Dad Who rested on the 7^th Day (Sabbath) after all His Wonderful Deeds of Creation, did work most of His wonders even on a Sabbath to give glory to His Father… (Luke 14, 2-6) Thus, the Pharisees watched His every move particularly on a Sabbath but Jesus knowing their wicked mind had an answer to all their queries… Do we behave like the Pharisees in being pessimistic to find some evil even in good or do we humble ourselves in love to learn from any person we encounter disregarding ones status or position in life?

2. When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room…(v.8)

Jesus “being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even death of the cross” (Philippians 2, 8)… Because He was humble and obedient, God raised Him and glorified Him… He teaches you and me today to be like Him in not looking for pomp and glory in life but look for everything that will glorify God as He glorified God all through His life especially on the cross… Do we selfishly look for the best in life only for ourselves forgetting those around us, who struggle through life or do we selflessly seek all that gives glory to God?

3. When thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room…(v.10)

Jesus teaches us the way of humility that is favourable in the sight of God and even before humans… Proverbs 15, 33 & 18, 12 both refer to the greatness of humility: “before honour is humility!” Only when we are humble we can learn the truths of life and grow in life towards success… Do we seek for the worst in life and learn to be humble feeling that we must decrease and Jesus in others must increase?

4. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted…(v.11)

Jesus was humble Himself and wants us to do the same to be lifted up, as we find St. Peter assuring us that God will lift us up with His Grace in 1 Peter 5, 5: “Be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble”. When everything is blue in life filled with terror and misery lets be humble before the LORD God who saves us as we find in JOB 22, 29: “When people are cast down, then thou shalt say, ‘There is lifting up; and He shall save the humble person!’… Are we self-righteous and proud to cast down others or do we humble ourselves to let others be praised and esteemed than ourselves?

5. When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours…(v.12)

Jesus affirmed in Mark 2, 17 that He came for the sinners to call them to repentance, as the sick needed a physician and not the righteous that are well off… If we love those who know us & love us, what does it benefit…? Are we kind only to those who like our way of thinking and get along with or do we humble ourselves to love even those who hate us and speak ill of our actions?

6. When thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind…(v.13)

Jesus in Luke 4, 18 proclaims that the Spirit of the Lord…anointed…preach the gospel to the poor…heal the broken hearted… and so on where He identifies Himself in solidarity with poor and the needy… Nehemiah 8, 10-12 & Proverbs chapter 3 speaks of sharing with those are not prepared to celebrate the holy day of the LORD and to be generous to the poor and the needy… Are we able to understand the need of others and identify ourselves with Christ to be in solidarity with the poor and the needy?

7. Thou shall be recompensed at the resurrection of the just…(v.14)

Jesus speaks of the last (Judgment) Day because only this reminder & thought of death or final judgment (Daniel 12, 2), can help us correct our present life and live a life of hope, leading a righteous life, forgiving & loving one another… Even St. Paul speaks about this before the governor in ACTS 24, 15: ‘the hope he has in God who is a just judge…’ Do we constantly remind ourselves of the last Day, live a better life, and prepare ourselves in humility for that Day?

Dear Friend,

We know that God the Father loved us, and still loves us through Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit. He is our Model Whom we need to imitate and be forever His Loving Children, Brethren, and Friends!

Here is a beautiful LITANY OF HUMILITY, which we can make our own. The more we pray this, the more we can become humble, and be found favourable in the Sight of God and before our fellow-humans.

THE LITANY OF HUMILITY

O, Jesus! Meek and humble of heart,

Hear me.

From the desire of being esteemed,

Deliver me Jesus.

From the desire of being loved,

Deliver me Jesus.

From the desire of being extolled,

Deliver me Jesus.

From the desire of being honoured,

Deliver me Jesus.

From the desire of being praised,

Deliver me Jesus.

From the desire of being preferred to others,

Deliver me Jesus.

From the desire of being consulted,

Deliver me Jesus.

From the desire of being approved,

Deliver me Jesus.

From the fear of being humiliated,

Deliver me Jesus.

From the fear of being despised,

Deliver me Jesus.

From the fear of suffering rebukes,

Deliver me Jesus.

From the fear of being calumniated,

Deliver me Jesus.

From the fear of being forgotten,

Deliver me Jesus.

From the fear of being ridiculed,

Deliver me Jesus.

From the fear of being wronged,

Deliver me Jesus.

From the fear of being suspected,

Deliver me Jesus.

That others may be loved more than I,