Gospel for September 7, 2015 (Monday)

Lk 6:6-11

On another sabbath he went into the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered.  The scribes and Pharisees watched him closely to see if he would cure on the sabbath so that they might discover a reason to accuse him.  But he realized their intentions and said to the man with the withered hand, "Come up and stand before us."  And he rose and stood there.  Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?"

Looking around at them all, he then said to him, "Stretch out your hand."  He did so and his hand was restored.  But they became enraged and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.

The Word in other words

The Scribes and Pharisees are a most pitiable lot.  In the Gospel, they were closely waiting and watching Jesus if He would cure on the Sabbath so they could lay a charge against Him.  It is quite incredible that they never said a good thing about Jesus.  Never. Wala. Zero.  Since they were blinded by pride and envy, they were always on the lookout for a flaw, a fault, a failure, an imperfection, a weakness.  In the end, they plotted and succeeded to kill Him.  Tragic figures.

Finding and picking faults in others is a subtle, destructive business.  It distorts one's view of things, destroys relationships, degrades the other person, and debases one's soul.

It is amazing how people can be so stingy with appreciation and praise.  The fact is, praising people is the most effortless thing to do.  It doesn't cost one penny to express one's admiration and appreciation.  It doesn't harm one to say a good word or two about one's officemate or colleague.  It doesn't make one less admirable or commendable if one acknowledges the greatness in others.  Not does it inconvenience one to applaud the other person's successes and accomplishments.

Any yet, at the great cost of energy, worry, and time, people always look for a ripple of weakness in the serene ocean of goodness.

It is said that praise is never entirely undeserved.  So don't hesitate to utter it.  All you need is sincerity- that's all.  Don't be sparing or grudging with your approving words.  Go ahead. Say it. Blurt it out.

You will never fail to discover something good in others to speak about. Be generous with your positive comments and kind remarks.  Tell all and sundry about the good things and virtues you hear and see in others.

The world is like an arid land in dire need of benevolence and magnanimity.  Let's sprinkle it with cool water of praise and approbation.  Let's shower it with refreshing drops of sincerity and kindness.  Let the rain of appreciation fall on everyone we meet, and let a thousand flowers of goodwill sprout and bloom.

                -  Fr. Raymun F. Festia, SVD (CKMS, QC)

Readings and Gospel for September 6, 2015 (Sunday)

First Reading
Is 35:4-7

Say to the fearful of heart:
Be strong, do not fear!
Here is your God,
He comes with vindication;
With divine recompense
he comes to save you.
Then the eyes of the blind shall see,
and the ears of the deaf be opened;
Then the lame shall leap like a stag,
and the mute tongue sing for joy.
For the waters will burst forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the Arabah.
The burning sands will become pools,
and the thirsty ground, springs of water;
The abode where jackals crouch
will be a marsh for the reed and papyrus.

Second Reading
Jas 2:1-5

My brothers, show no partiality as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.  For if a man with gold rings on his fingers and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and a poor person in shabby clothes also comes in, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say, "Sit here, please," while you say to the poor one, "Stand there," or "Sit at my feet," have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil designs?  Listen, my beloved brothers.  Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?

Gospel Reading
Mk 7:31-37

Again he left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis.  And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him.  He took him off by himself away from the crowd.  He put his finger into the man's ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, "Ephphatha!" (that is, "Be opened!")

And immediately the man's ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly.  He ordered them not to tell anyone.  But the more he ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it.  They were exceedingly astonished and they said, "He has done all things well.  He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."

The Word in other words

One Saturday morning I was presiding over a Mass in a convent quite popular among pilgrims.  I was all alone, without ministers, and the church was full.  Immediately I thought that I would have a problem at the distribution of communion.  Fortunately there were some sisters in the church.  So when communion came, I announced ," May I request two young sisters to help in the distribution of communion."

The first sister who came forward was probably the oldest in the community.  I was amused, thinking that the Lord was humoring me because I personally knew the old sister; she was also hard of hearing.  Anyway, I handed her the ciborium and proceeded to give communion together with another younger sister.  In the middle of the communion rite, I accidentally spilled three consecrated hosts to the ground.  At that time my eyes were opened.  I realized how much I had underestimated the old deaf sister, for it was I who acted blindly and carelessly. I whispered a short prayer to the Lord whom I was holding in my hands. "Sorry, Lord," I said, "But thanks for opening my eyes and ears."

The Gospel today speaks to us: "Ephphata!"  Let us be opened to our weaknesses and "blindness," so that we could welcome God's mercy and light in our lives.

- Fr. Atilano Corcuera, SVD (DWST, Tagaytay City)

Gospel for September 4, 2015 (Friday)

Lk 5:33-39

The scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, "The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same; but yours eat and drink."  Jesus answered them, "Can you make the wedding guess fast while the bridegroom is with them?  But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days."  And he also told them a parable.  "No one tears a piece from a new cloak to patch an old one.  Otherwise, he will tear the new and the piece from it will not match the old cloak,  Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins.  Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined.  Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins.  (And) no  one who has been drinking old wine desires new, for he says, "The old is good."

The Word in other words

Mismatch and incompatible are the words by which we usually describe couples who don't share the same color, height, intellectual level and economic status.  However, we can't deny that we have seen couples whose differences, incompatible gestures and mismatched faces have been dramatically transformed and eventually look similar as they live together for a longer period of time.  Incompatibility is gradually transformed into similarity and they become truly one and the same.

Incompatibility and transformation are the first two words that come to my mind as I read the readings of today.  In the first reading, Paul's letter to the Colossians show the image Christ as the image of the invisible God.  Paul wants to emphasize this reality to those who deny and consider Christ as the incompatible image of God.  But Christ, who co-exist with the Father, insists that "I and my Father are one."  "Whoever sees me sees my Father."

In the Gospel, we discover the incompatible outlooks of Jesus and the Pharisees.  The Pharisees are quick to notice the faults of Jesus' disciples.  For his part, Jesus is quick to defend what his disciples have done saying, "No one tears a piece from a new cloak and patch an old one" and "No one pours new wine into old wineskin."  Christ's message, as the new wine, is incompatible with and cannot be put into the old worldview of the Pharisees who consider sinners as outcasts.  But Jesus sees sinners as potentials for transformation.  That's why Jesus deals with sinners with compassion.  What Christ does reminds us of the basic Christian tenet: hate the sin but love the sinner.

A Costa Rican bishop once said :"La espiritualidad no se ensena sino se contagia."  Roughly translated, spirituality ought not to teach but to infect.  Christ deals with sinners so that people will slowly get infected with his conviction and spirituality.  May Christ's contagious spirituality continue to infect those who are considered by many as spiritually incompatible so that sinners and righteous alike will someday share in the same banquet prepared by Christ.


            - Fr. Semei Rebayla, SVD (Veruela, Agusan del Sur)

Gospel for September 3, 2015 (Thursday) Feast of St. Gregory the Great

Lk 5:1-11

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.  He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets.  Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, Jesus asked him to put out a short distance from the shore.  Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.  After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch."  Simon said in reply, "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets."  When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing.  They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them.  They came and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking.  When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man."  For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John; the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon.  Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men."  When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.

The Word in other words

There are good days, and there are bad days.  For Simon, it was one of those bad days for fishing.  We probably have days like that when we can also say, "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing."  Things are not going the way we want them to.  We are let down by discouraging results.  People, circumstances, and even nature seem to be conspiring to bring us down.  We can call it quits.  But then, for Simon, an amazing thing was about to happen that would change his life more than he planned or imagined.  The miracle in his life happened because he met and welcomed Jesus; and then he said "Yes" to Him, not once, but twice.

More often than not, God uses our lowest moment to lift us up.  St. Ignatius of Loyola had the call of conversion that provided the see for his founding of the Jesuit order while nursing a wound from battle, probably feeling useless and desperate at that time.  St. Arnold Janssen founded the SVD during the Kultur Kampf in Germany when the suppression of the church made it impossible to do anything for the church, much less to start a missionary congregation.  So, before you despair and give up, first, wait on the Lord and see how He will show you great opportunities disguised as impossible situations.

Secondly, Peter humbly obeyed Jesus with a "yes".  "At your command, I will lower the nets."  Why would a fisherman listen to a carpenter about catching fish in the middle of the day?  When we heed God's commandment and follow His will, He will honor our obedience with opportunities and blessing.

Thirdly, Peter also responded "yes" to the call to follow Jesus and became fisher of men.  Life changes for us when the awareness of our sins leads us to surrender everything to Jesus and follow Him in a new path of life.

               -  Fr. Emil Lim, SVD (Hongkong)

Gospel for September 2, 2015 (Tuesday)

Lk 4:38-44

After Jesus left the synagogues, he entered the house of Simon, Simon's mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her.  He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her.  She got up immediately and waited on them.  At sunset, all people who had been sick with various diseases were brought to him.  He laid his hands on each of them and cured them.  And demons also came out from many, shouting, "You are the Son of God."  But he rebuked and did not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Messiah.

At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place.  The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him, they tried to prevent him from leaving them.  But he said to them, "To the other towns I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent."  And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

The Word in other words

An eminent baby specialist (pediatrician) had a standard treatment for frail newborn babies who failed to gain weight.  When he came to see the baby during his rounds in the hospital, he would invariably scrawl on the baby's chart and give the nurse the following prescription: "This baby should be loved (fondled, hugged, massaged) every three hours.

Francis McNutt, in  New York University study of nurses, found out how effective are those nurses who lay their hands lovingly on patients with the intention of healing them.  These patients are found to recover more rapidly.  McNutt surmises that loving, caring people communicate life-giving power to sick bodies through the healing touch of their hands.

            - Fr. Fred Mislang, SVD (Villa Cristo Rey, CKMS, QC)

Gospel for September 1, 2015 (Tuesday)

Lk 4:31-37

Jesus then went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee.  He taught them on the sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority.

In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice, "Ha!  What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?  Have you come to destroy us?  I know who you are- the Holy One of God!"  Jesus rebuked him and said, "Be quiet! Come out of him!"  Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing any harm.  They were all amazed and said to one another, "What is there about his word?  For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out."  And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.

The Word in other words

My first encounter with exorcism happened in my parish when a young girl came with an amulet which had been handed down from generation to generation.  She was shouting, cursing and had extraordinary strength.  When the smoke of the incense touched against her skin, she shrieked and her voice changed.  When the Church bells signaled for the Angelus, she screamed in pain so that she elevated one meter above the Church floor.  As the prayer ended, she also slowly relaxed and all those who were around marveled at the power of prayer.

Jesus in the gospel today deals with demons to show he possesses the key to life.  This authority shows the presence and concern of the rule of God on behalf of those who turn to God in time of need.  Jesus meets the challenge and removes the presence and power of evil from the man without destroying the man himself.  What a picture of Jesus' power!  Indeed, the power of the demon is no match to the power of God.

The story of this healing closes with a profound impact on those who witnessed it.  They saw that Jesus approached the evil forces with authority and power.  We might picture the asking one another:  "What could it mean?  Where does such power come from?  Luke leaves the miracle as an event to ponder on.  The demon's confession suggests the answer:  Jesus is the Holy One of God, and his power exceeds that of the forces of evil.

Jesus conquered evil 2000 years ago, and is still conquering evil today.  Let Him do it in your life and pray that He will do it in the lives of your loved ones as well.
               

               -  Fr. Felmar Castrodes Fiel, SVD (WBC, Cebu City)

Readings and Gospel for August 30, 2015 (Sunday)

First Reading
Dt 4:2.6-8

Now therefore, Israel, hear the statutes and ordinances I am teaching you to observe, that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your ancestor, is giving you.  In your observance of the commandments of the Lord, your God, which I am commanding you, you shall not add to what I command you nor subtract from it.

Observe them carefully, for this is your wisdom and discernment in the slight of the peoples, who will hear of all these statutes and say, "This great nation is truly a wise and discerning people." For what great nation is there that has gods so close to it as the LORD, our God, is to us whenever we call upon him?  Or what great nation has statutes and ordinances that are as just as this whole law which I am setting before you today?

Second Reading
Jas 1:17-18, 21-22.27

All good giving an every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change.  He willed to give us birth by the word of truth that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Be doers of the word and not hearer only, deluding yourselves.  For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his own face in a mirror.  He sees himself, then goes off and promptly forgets what he looked like.  But the one who peers into the perfect law* of freedom and perseveres, and is not a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, such a one shall be blessed in what he does.  If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue*  but deceives his heart, his religion is vain.  Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Gospel
Mk 7:1-8.14-15.21-23

Now when the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, they observed that some of this disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is unwashed hands.  For the Pharisees and in fact all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders.  And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves.  And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds.

So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, "Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?"  He responded, "Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: "This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.'  You disregard God's commandment but cling to human condition."

He summoned the crowd again and said to them, "Hear me, all of you, and understand.  Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile."  From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy arrogance, folly.  All these evils come from within and they defile.

The Word in other words

You think that I don't even mean/ A single word I say/ It's only words and words are all I have/ To take your heart away.

Even if one means them or not, spoken words are always potent.  They can break one's heart or mend it or win it over.

Philosophers are always fascinated with spoken words,  The intelligible sounds uttered by a human mouth are invisible, immaterial, and mysterious.  You cannot see them coming; you cannot touch and feel them, or taste them, or smell them.

You can only hear them.

Spoken words are intangible yet real, familiar yet strange.  When released by a spiteful mouth, words are like invisible poisoned arrows that sting and injure a soul.

But when uttered by a kind mouth, words are like a beautiful melody winging in the air to touch and lift one's heart.

The materialists--- i.e. those who believe that the ultimate reality is matter- will be hardy-pressed if they are asked whether spoken words exist or not, or whether they are real or unreal. For spoken sounds are not material stuff.  Yet, they move you, touch you, hurt you, excite you, console you, disappoint you, strengthen you, etc.

And once expressed, words are irretrievable.

What is most intriguing about spoken words is that they only mean something when uttered by humans.  If a parrot asks me, "Have you eaten?", the sounds do not bear weight and significance.  But if asked by my mother, they are intelligible and merit response.

But why?  Do the words uttered by parrot travel in time unaccompanied by thoughts, while human words carry meanings?

But what are thoughts and meanings but intangibles?

Actually, words are thoughts and thoughts are words, and they are one and the same.  They convey essence of one's personhood and character.

And it is in this context that we can perhaps understand what Jesus said in the Gospel: "Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within (words) are that defile."  From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts (words), unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.  All these evils (words) come from within and they defile."

It is great deal better to hold one's tongue than to utter unkindly words about others. Remember General Ulysses Grant?  He was said to be able to keep his mouth shut in seven languages!  What a feat!

And don't forget the old adage: "Even a fool is counted wise when he holdeth his peace."

          -Fr. Raymun J. Festin, SVD (CKMS, QC)