Gospel for August 21, 2015 (Thursday) Feast of St. Bernard

Mt 22:1-14

Jesus again in reply spoke to them 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 the 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 then the king came in to meet the guest he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment.  He 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 hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'  Many are invited, but few are chosen.

The Word in other words

A wedding banquet is one of the most joyous feasts in Jewish life.  In fact, it could even last for a week just to lengthen the state of bliss.  It is not surprising therefore that Jesus made use of this feast as an illustration of the Kingdom of heaven.  What was surprising was the indifferent reception of those who were invited.  The gospel narrative underlines that "the feast is ready" making it a clear incongruence to the unready hearts of the invited guests.

Same is true with our first reading, while Jephthah desired victory at the battlefield, he had nonetheless an unready heart to fulfill the vow he made to God upon his victory.  I think, we all love heaven, we all love feasts.  That's why we can best relate the phrases like : masarap na buhay and biyaheng langit!  And yet the demands of heaven make it difficult for us to commit ourselves to righteousness and fidelity to the Kingdom.

Certainly these eschatological themes of judgment and eternal banquet favor those whose hearts profess readiness to "taste and see the goodness of God."  Our saint for today, Bernard of Clairvaux, is an excellent example who even in his own youth exemplified his readiness to enjoy the wedding feast (gospel) as a living sacrifice (first reading); a testament thus of taking the proper garment for a heavenly feast.

                - Fr. Antonio Gilberto S. Marqueses, SVD (Rome)

Gospel for July 1, 2015 (Wednesday)

Mt 8:23-27

When Jesus came to the territory of Gadarenes on the other side of the lake, he was met by two men who came out from the burial caves there.  These men had demon in them and were so fierce that no one dared travel on that road.  At once they screamed,  "What do you want with us, you Son of God?  Have you come to punish us before the right time?"  Not far away there was a large herd of pigs feeding.  So the demons begged Jesus, "If you are going to drive us out, send us into that herd of pigs."  "Go," Jesus told them; so they left and went off into the pigs.  The whole herd rushed down the side of the cliff into the lake and was drowned.  The men who had been taking care of the pigs ran away and went into the town, where they told the whole story and what had happened to the men with the demons.  So everyone from the town went out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their territory.

The Word in other words

Here is a picture of our Lord, trying to rescue us, going through a storm to cross a sea many would dare not go, so as to see two people who needed His help.  One would reject Him and the other would beg to go with Him, while the community who rejected them both also rejected Christ and demanded His departure, as they valued pigs over people, money over eternity.  This passage stresses the point that Jesus is no more man; He is divine.  Even the demons testify to this!

This is a strange story from a godly perspective, as people who should have marveled at Jesus saw a divine miracle performed before them and saved them from the torment of the demons, only to demand that He leave.  Yet, like them, so many of us do the same thing every day.  We may know if the Lord, even experience His gave and serve Him for a time, yet we too ask Him to go away.  We sometimes do not allow Him at all into our lives.  So, are we asking Jesus to leave, or are we allowing Him to embrace us?

How sad it is that as the demons cried out, "This is none of your business," we too make such heinous proclamations to the very Lord who crossed a storm to redeem us!  He who bridges the gap of the sin we could not cross is paving the way for our salvation and sanctification.  He allows us to remain in the boat with Him, even calling us to go with Him. Let us not fall into complacency and arrogance, seeing no need for our Lord, ignoring His call to us.  Let us not allow ourselves to be filled with so much "busy-ness" that we find no more time or Him!  Let us not be like the village people who saw the pigs to be of more value than the people.  What about our career- even our ministry?  Is it more important than our growth in Christ, so that our mission to build quality relationship is then pushed aside?  As with the village people, Jesus will not force Himself on us.  The call has been given; our sin has been covered.  It is up to us now to respond!

                       -Fr. Felix Ferrer, SVD (DWST, Tagaytay City)