Gospel for June 22, 2015 (Monday)

Mt 7:1-5

Jesus said to his disciples, "Stop judging, that you may not be judged.  For as you judge, so you will be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.  Why do you notice the splinter in you brother's eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?  How can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove that splinter from your eye,' while the wooden beam is in your eye?  You hypocrite,  remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother's eye."

The Word in other words

A 1994 classic film, "Forrest Gump", depicts the story of a naive and dim-witted man, who is able to unknowingly influence the historical events of the United States in the late 20th century.  As a child Forrest wears leg braces and other children bully him for it.  He is often insulted for being dumb.  Fortunately he is athletically adroit, which enables him to become successful in college and the military, and eventually become popular in public.  Despite his low IQ, he has an endearing character which is seen in his devotion to his duties and loved ones.  The unconventional life of Forrest Gump calls to mid the adage:"Do not judge a book by its cover".

Judging people according to their outward appearance seems however natural and prevalent. External display tells us whether somebody is dangerous or friendly, suspicious or trustworthy.  The Germans say, "Kleidung macht den Menschen" (Clothes define the person).  What we wear reveals something essential about status of a person.  We also think that it tells us about the economic and educational status of a person.  This shallow thinking may lead us to overestimate the face may also be more intelligent, richer, and happier than the relatively uglier ones.  That is why advertising agencies and cosmetic companies profit immensely from this prevailing human trait of superficiality.

Jesus admonishes us not to judge others rashly, according to their appearance or according to our moods and preconceptions.  It is better to know the people before judging them.  The imperfections of others, which we immediately discover, often disguise our own imperfections, which we seldom notice.  We need to be aware that we don't always make the right decisions and that we often do the wrong things.  Our lives are far from perfect, so we cannot expect moral perfection from others.  We may disagree on disputable matters, but we should allow people to form their own convictions.  When we search within our own hearts, we will find plenty of reasons to keep us humble before the Lord without being occupied with other people.

                              - Fr. Simon Boiser, SVD (Hamburg, Germany)

Gospel for June 21, 2015 (Sunday) Father's Day

First Reading 
Jb 38:1.8-11

Then the Lord answered Job out o the storm and said:
Who shut within the sea,
when it burst forth from the womb,
when I made the clouds its garment
and thick darkness its swaddling bands?
When I set limits for it and fastened the bar of its door,
And I said: Thus far shall you come but no further,
and here shall  your proud waves stop?

Second Reading
2 Cor 5:14-17

For the love of Christ impels us, once we have come to the conviction that one died for all; therefore all have died.  He indeed died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.  Consequently, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh; even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him so no longer.  So whoever is in Christ is a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.

Gospel Reading
Mt 4:35-41

With the coming of evening that same day, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let us cross over to the other side'.  And leaving the crowd behind they took him, just as he was, in the boat; and there were other boats with him.  Then it began to blow a gale and the waves were breaking into the boat so that is was almost the waves were breaking into the boat so that it was almost swamped.  But he was in the stern, his head on the cushion asleep.  They woke him and said to him, 'Master, do you not care?  We are going down!' And he woke up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea. 'Quiet now! Be calm!' And the wind dropped, and all was calm again.  Then he said to them, 'Why are you so frightened? How is it that you have no faith?' They were filled with awe and said to one another, 'Who can this be? Even the wind and the sea obey him'.

The Word in other words

One of the first things they taught me as a "bush missionary" was to take off my shoes before boarding the canoe.  Crossing the wide river was dangerous and the canoes made of hollow tree trunks could capsize easily.  Without shoes it was easier therefore to swim and save one's life.  I was told that in the nearby village a group of pregnant mothers was on board the canoe.  They had to be on the other side of the river to have medical checkup in the health center.  A storm caught them by surprise and the canoe sank.  Everybody drowned including the boatman who preferred to die with the mothers than to face the blame of the whole village.  Lakes and rivers are more perilous than the sea.  No wonder many people are scared of them.

In the Old Testament the waters were considered as a terrible monster and symbol of all negative and evil forces.  If you see the big waves rocking through your boat and the strong winds blowing with horrifying  sounds you can really be frightened.  Only God was capable to tame the sea and prevent it from harming people.  The  setting of the Gospel today is in the Lake of Genesareth.  Jesus asked the disciples to cross the other side and, while doing so, they fell asleep.  A terrible storm came, so strong that even the disciples, mostly expert fishermen, panicked.  They woke Jesus up, "Master, do you now care? We are going down!" Jesus talked to the sea as if addressing a person:"Quiet now! Be calm!" A great calm followed.  Now Jesus questioned them in return: "Why are you so frightened? Have you still no faith?"

Mark recounts the story to impart many lessons.  Leaving the shore, the stable ground, to cross the rocking waters is to take a risk.  Following Jesus entails letting go of our security and being ready to face danger for a cause.  The consolation is we are not alone; we are on the same boat with other disciples.  In times of trouble we get the impression that Jesus doesn't care.  He seems not to know that we are perishing.  But he is just testing our faith.  If the boat collapsed, he would have drowned, too.  Note that Jesus did not say: "Have you no faith?" It is important to underline the word "still".  That means that faith is not static, it is in constant growth.  Later on the disciples' faith will grow and become so strong that Jesus is in the same boat with them.  He is capable of calming all kinds of storms.  Even the wind and the sea obey him.

Gospel for June 20, 2015 (Saturday)

Mt 6:24-34

Jesus said to his disciples, "No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon.  "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat (or drink), or about your body, what you will wear is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds in the sky; they do no sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are not you more important than they?  Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?  Why are you anxious about clothes?  Learn from the way the wild flowers grow.  They do not work or spin.  But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them.  If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the open tomorrow, will he not much provide for you, O you of little faith?  So don't worry and say, 'What are we to eat?' or ' What are we to drink?' or What are we to wear?'  All these things pagans seek.  Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.  But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.  Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.  Sufficient for a day is its own evil".

The Word in other words

There is a story about a man suffering from insomnia.  He decided to try the old remedy: counting sheep.  He went to bed and closed his eyes, but when the first sheep came along, it stumbled and fell.  Would someone come along to help the sheep?  How many more sheep would come along and stumble over the fallen sheep?  How many sheep would be injured?  How much more would the shepherd lose as a result of the accident?  The man was so personally involved with the situation that the more he could not sleep!

In today's gospel, Jesus teaches us not to worry and put more trust in God.  When He tells us that we should learn from the lilies of the field and the birds of the sky, He is saying that God, in His Providence, takes care of us "who are much more of value than they".

But the write J.C. Holland had this insight on God's Providence: "God gives every birds its food, but He does not throw it into the nest.  If you observe the birds, they work so hard scraping food here and there in order to feed their nestlings."  When Jesus says, "Don't worry", He doesn't mean, "Don't work".

Following Jesus' teaching on worrying, some might say, "Do you mean to say I should not worry if my creditors are running after me over my two-million peso debt?"  Or, "should I not worry if I'am on the verge of losing my job due to retrenchment?" Or "if this lump on my neck is diagnosed as terminal cancer?"  These should be causes for worry, indeed.  But with firm faith in the Lord, we should do our utmost best to remedy them.  But if the situation is beyond human control, say, the unexpected death of a loved one or an incurable sickness, then we just have to accept them in faith.  As someone rightly said, "Don't worry about things that you can't do anything about."  Do your best, then, God will do the rest.

What Praying is for Me

Our little altar

Prayer.

I learned back when I was a child that to pray is to talk to God.  Growing up, I find myself always talking to God, - how my day went, friends I met, games I played.  Then I also learned from the way of life of the Focolare (Work of Mary) community where I belong that even a simple "For you Jesus", in everything we do is already a prayer.  Every Wednesday, I would go to the Adoration Chapel with my mother and spend an hour praying and meditating.  But that habit ceased when I get to move and to study in Cebu and my schedule totally changed. Instead,  I get to pray the Rosary with my Aunt,

In college, I learned that to PRAY means - Praise, Repent, Ask, and Yield. I also found a very simple and easy to understand article on how to pray.

Now that I am on the family way and most of the time just staying at home with lots of free time, I find myself praying for people and for their intentions.  At night, with my Aunt, we pray the Rosary.  How we both feel that our day has been complete spending less than 30 minutes to praise, thank, adore, and thank God for the many many graces and blessings and even trials that come our way.  The light of the candle focuses our attention to prayer and reminds us that praying gives us the Light.

Aside from going to the Adoration Chapel and praying the Rosary, I also have special prayers or what we call Novena. These are prayers done for 9 days straight to a particular saint, to Mary, or to the Persons of the Holy Trinity. However, I am not only for 9 days straight because I also felt that I badly need the help of the Holy Spirit these days. Slowly, I felt so much peace and grace that He promised to give which I wish to continue just the same.

I have always believed that even at times I get to forget, God knows what is in my heart.  Yet, I also felt more close to Him whenever I really focus and just talk to Him.

Gospel for June 19, 2015 (Friday)

Mt 6:19-23

Jesus said to his disciples,  "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal.  But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there also will your heart is.

"The lamp of the body is the eye.  If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light; but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness.  And if the light in you is darkness,  how great will the darkness be".

The Word in other words

A newspaper carried this article about a young man who once found a five-dollar bill on the street.  From that time on, he never lifted his eyes when walking.  Through the years, he accumulated 29,516 buttons, 54,172 pins, 12 cents, a bent back, and a miserly disposition.  He lost the simple joy of the sunlight and blue sky, the glow of the moonlight or the stars, the smiles of friends, and the entire joy of living. (Roy B. Zuck, The Speaker's Quote Book)

I guess, what Jesus said about the eye being the lamp of the body goes with a caution to be careful where we fix our eyes on.  What can be said of the eye could be said of our mind's thoughts as well.  Indeed, what catches our attention by sight often fills our thoughts.  And the longer we allow ourselves to be drawn to the object of our desire, the sooner it consumes us.  As Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be".  This applies to many things or persons in life, but more so towards money and the so-called treasures on earth.

Why do we tend to store up or covet things, sometimes even beyond what we need?  It is not to have a sense of security?  But Jesus' advice in the gospel today challenges us: where does our real security lie?  It is not in money, power, prestige, nor even in relationships or our own strength.  If we over-rely on these things, the wise and truly rich will tell us that we are foolish indeed.  For, as the bible describes, they are life flowers that blossom in the morning and wither in the evening.  More pointedly, none of these earthly things is of value in heaven and eternity.

Our real security and treasure lie in our union with Jesus Christ.  Jesus made a promise that if you seek first the Kingdom of God and entrust yourself to Him, then He already assumes full responsibility for you and for all your needs, on earth as in heaven.  Can you name any one thing that God has come up short with and failed us?  None! Trust Jesus, fix your eyes on Him, put Him first over everything, and all the rest will fall in their proper places.

                             - Fr. Emil Lim, SVD (Hong Kong)

Gospel for June 18, 2015 (Thursday)

Mt 6:7-15

Jesus said to his disciples, "In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words.  Do not be like them.  Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.  This is how you are to pray: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. "Give us today our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and do not subject us  to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one. " If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you.  But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions."

The Word in other words

As a missionary, in Timor Leste, I realize that one that one of the most difficult gospel lessons to preach on is "forgiveness".  This is due to the Timorese people's terrible, horrible, bitter and painful experience with Indonesian soldiers during the war 13 years ago.  Before this country finally won her independence, thousands of lives were sacrificed.  Today, people always recall and retell their experiences.  One memory that causes pain is of fellow Timorese who were pro-Indonesian government and who participated in the killing of their own Timorese brothers and sisters.  Today, many of them are still roaming around the country.

Though it is very challenging, I as a missionary must preach and live 'forgiveness'.  Otherwise, as stressed by Jesus in the last part of today's gospel, our heavenly Father will not forgive us.  There is a line in the "Our Father" that says in Tetun, "Haraik perdua mai ami sala, nudar ami perdua ba ema halo aat ami" (Forgive us our since, as we forgive those who sinned against us).  This means that our Heavenly Father can only forgive us if we are able to forgive those who have done us wrong.  May you be one with me in praying for our Timorese brothers and sisters so that God will give them the courage to forgive those who killed their loved ones.

We may not have the same experience as the people here, but isn't is that we have also our so-called 'enemies', who may be our family members, officemates, fellow religious, classmates, or friends?  During my novitiate year my classmate became my enemy for many reasons.  I was not brave enough to talk to him personally.  I was then so disturbed that I was forced to approach my spiritual director for help.  After listening to my struggle, my director suggested that I pray everyday for my 'enemy'.  Though it was not easy, I did pray for him every morning.  As I woke up in the morning I would offer a short prayer for him.  I did it for several months and, believe it or not, in the end we became good friends.  This is what we call the ' the power of prayer'.

Let me suggest that, starting today, as children of our heavenly Father we should try to do the same.  Let us offer a short prayer everyday for our so-called enemies, believing that with God's grace a miracle will happen, the miracle of forgiveness.

               - Fr. Reniel Lumiwan Nachimma, SVD ( Timor Leste Region)

Gospel for June 17, 2015 (Wednesday)

 Mt 6:1-6, 16-18

Jesus said to his disciples, "Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people  may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.  When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others.  Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.  Bu when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be a secret.  And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

"When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that others may see them.  Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.  But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.  And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

"When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.  They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting.  Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.  But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden.  And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you."


The Word in other words

We are familiar with our "Panatang Makabayan" (Pledge of Loyalty to our Country): "Sisikapin kong maging isang tunay na Filipino, sa isip, sa salita, at sa gawa". (I will strive to become a true Filipino in thought, word, and in deed).  Are we truly living this pledge in our day-to-day life?

Today's Gospel gives us practical tips or reminders on how to perform righteous deeds, how to pray and how to fast.  In short, it presents to our consciousness how to truly live our Christian life.  When we do good, whether by charitable works, prayer or fasting, we should do them with the right motive and right intention and not for self-satisfaction or self-aggrandizement - to be praised, to be honored and to attract people's attention to us.

For our actions to be truly meaningful and helpful, we must aim at the good of all. Our prayers and actions must express our sincere gratitude to God for His countless blessings and our sincere desire to help build one another in love and responsibly care for the development of our environment.  We should fast with an honest heart and fast from gossip, rumor-mongering and dishonest deeds so as to promote peace, justice, and harmony in society and the world.  With St. John the Baptist, let our lives proclaim: "He must increase, I must decrease:.

As God has so wondrously blessed us in Jesus who is our Way, Truth, and Life, and as He continuously blesses us through the Holy Spirit, may we, in turn, be a blessing to one another and to the world.  He has gifted us through the things we honestly do in thought, word and deed.  May God be praised forever.

                    - Sr. Elena Rosa Salonga, SSpS (CHS, QC)