Gospel for August 12, 2015 (Wednesday) Feast of St. Frances Chantau

Mt 18:15-20

Jesus said to his disciples, "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.  If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.  If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that 'every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.'  If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church.  If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or tax collector.  Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed on heaven.  Again, (amen), I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.  For where there are two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

The Word in other words

The reality of conflict is an inevitable circumstance of human existence caught  between the intricacies of human diversity.  Nevertheless, Jesus provides a practical solution to glitches that may arise from this seemingly unavoidable fact of life.  In other words, He does not detach this challenge from a true disciple's journey towards holiness and Christian maturity.

Once Thomas Edison was approached by one of his assistants complaining, "We have learned nothing from our experiments; until now we have not been able to single out an element that would suit our bulb!"  Edison confidently replied, " Oh, not so, for we have learned that thousands of these elements do not fit to make a suitable light bulb."  And so they continued experimenting until they succeeded in finding the right element for their groundbreaking discovery.

In a similar manner Jesus reminds us never to give up on each other, and that there are thousands of good and right ways to settle our differences.  Our community also plays a part in bridging over these difference, regardless of the fact that no single person is totally the same as the other.  We should therefore not be a hindrance to one another's striving after the true kinship in the Kingdom of God.  After all, we are all children, thus brothers and sisters, bound by the greatest love of all, the one offered on the cross.

                       - Fr. Sedfrey Nebres, SVD (Holland)

Gospel for July 7, 2015 (Tuesday)

Mt 9:32-38

As [Jesus and his disciples] were going out, a demoniac who could not speak was brought to him, and when the demon was driven out the mute person spoke.  The crowd were amazed and said, "Nothing like this has even been seen in Israel."  But the Pharisees said, "He drives out demons by the prince of demons."

Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness.  At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.  Then he said to his disciples, " The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest."

The Word in other words

The central message of the public ministry of Jesus Christ is the proclamation of the Kingdom of God.  Jesus did it in some definitive ways.  One, by preaching with authority; second, by forgiving sins; third, by healing the sick; fourth, by raising the dead to life; and fifth, by driving out demons.  Added to these are other miracles He performed.  All of these, no doubt brought amazement to the people.  Jesus then was a raising star, the center of attraction, the apple people's eyes. However, while gaining the attention and affection of the people, Jesus also gained opposition from the Pharisees.  Jesus for them was not a blessing but a great threat, a threat to their identity, to their religious traditions, including their fame.  Here was somebody who had the guts to challenge traditions and practices.

Sometimes, we are like the Pharisees in a way.  We are not happy about the achievements of others, we speak ill things about them and instead of affirming what is good in other people, we tend to condemn them.  Such attitude destroys the grace of God working in our midst.  The challenge then of the Gospel is that, first, let us not underestimate other people; second, let us mot overestimate ourselves. If we say God is with us, then it is also possible and true that God is also with other people.  With that, we also proclaim the Kingdom of God in our own little ways! Jesus our Lord finally teaches us to be compassionate in dealing with others especially the sick and the poor.  With compassion, we can be instruments of healing, not instruments of brokenness.