Gospel for July 25, 2015 (Saturday)

Mt 20:20-28

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached him with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.  He said to her, "What do you wish?" She answered him, "Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom."  Jesus said in reply, "You do not know what you are asking.  Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?"  They said to him, "We can."  He replied, "My cup you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, (this) is not mine to give but is for those whom it has been prepared by my Father."  When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers.  But Jesus summoned them and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt.  But it shall not be so among you.  Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

The Word in other words

There is a story about the lovable, good old Pope John XXIII.  On his way home to the Vatican, he made a surprise visit to the nuns of the Holy Spirit congregation.

The whole community led by their superior came out to meet their VIP guest.  "And who are you?"  the amiable pope asked the portly sister, leading the community members.  Visibly nervous, she blurted out, "Your Holiness, I am the Mother Superior of the Holy Spirit!"  The pope said, "I didn't know the Holy Spirit has a Mother Superior.  Lucky for you, Sister; I am just the Servant of the Servants of God."

In today's gospel, Jesus teaches about leadership and servanthood.  The apostles were discussing about who was the greatest among them.

Jesus, sensing their ambitions and "jockeying" for position, called them together and gave them a lecture on greatness.  He had to repeat a fundamental theme of his teaching.  The idea of authority common at that time, to which the apostles clung, was that of absolute power- "lording it over others."

"It cannot be that way with you,"Jesus stressed.  "Anyone among you who aspires to greatness must serve and whoever wants to rank first... must serve the needs of all."  The disciple must be like the Master "who came not to be served, but to serve."  Thus, authority as servanthood applies to authority figures like parents, teachers, employers, superiors.

Ask yourself; Do you aspire for titles and high positions for the wrong motives like enjoying the honors, perks, and privileges, as well as the adulations, if not flatteries, of people?  As superiors or employers, do you use your authority to stifle dissent or put down talented constituents out of jealousy?

In God's plan, authority is servanthood.  And to serve is to reign.


                     -  Fr. Bel San Luis, SVD (CKMS, QC)

Gospel for July 2, 2015 (Tuesday)

Mt 9:1-8

Jesus entered a boat, made the crossing, and came into his own town.  And there people brought to him a paralytic on a stretcher.  When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Courage, child, your sins are forgiven."

At that, some of the scribes said to themselves,"This man is blaspheming."  Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, "Why do you harbor evil thoughts?  Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and Walk?'  But that you may know that the son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins' - he then said to the paralytic.  "Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home."  He rose and went home.

When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to human beings.

The Word in other words

"Is it a sin not to go the holy mass on Sunday, Father?  Is it a sin to engage in sex before marriage?"  For those who have undergone catechism and religious education in school the answer is clear: Yes, it is!  Whether they're guilty of doing it themselves or not is immaterial.  They have been taught, that's it.

However, the idea of sin has become very ambivalent nowadays especially among the younger generation.  The number of teen pregnancies is high in many Catholic countries including the Philippines and the consciousness about observing Sunday as the Lord's Day is rapidly decreasing especially in the affluent world, affecting both young and old alike.  The word "sin" has become alienated and now seems to be strictly confined to monastic and religious communities.  But for the "normal" people, "sin" has gone out of mode.

Jesus told a paralytic, a sick person: "Courage, child, your sins are forgiven."  For the bystanding scribes this was a scandal, a mortal offense, since only God could forgive sins.  To prove his authority, however, Jesus healed a paralytic before their eyes.

For Jesus, sin is a reality.  More often than not, sickness is a mere manifestation of the reality of sin.  If we are humble enough to acknowledge our sinfulness, we can also hope for the healing of our illness.  And when we believe that Jesus is God, we then leave a space where he can wipe out our sins  and completely heal us.

                        - Fr. Robert C. Alda, Jr. SVD (Wendel, Germany)