12th Sunday of the Year, Year B

The Solemnity of Corpus Christi, Year B

"During the meal he took bread, blessed and broke it,
and gave it to them."

The universal calendar of the Catholic Church assigns
this day as the 11th Sunday of the Year, Year B. In
the Philippines, for pastoral reasons, the Bishops
assign this Sunday as the Feast of Corpus Christi.
The universal Church on the other hand has already
celebrated Corpus Christi last Thursday, the Thursday
after Trinity Sunday. For the purposes of this blog,
some reflection will be made on both: the feast of
Corpus Christi and the 11th Sunday of the Year.

The synoptic gospels, Mark, Matthew and Luke, plus
a passage in the letter of Paul to the Corinthians,
speak about Jesus saying to His apostles at the
Last Supper the "Eucharistic blessing" that was to
become, through centuries, the words of the consecration
in the Eucharistic liturgy. The words "take", "bless",
"break", and "give", in the scriptures have become
the words of the consecration in the Mass. In
the solemnity of Corpus Christi, we
celebrate this self-donation of Christ portrayed
in the Last Supper, as the Bread and Blood of Life
for us all. We also thank the Father for the
gift of His Son for us to follow and imitate. If
not for Christ giving us His Body and Blood on that
cross at Calvary, we would not have known the love
of God for us and how He wishes to save us from
our sins.

If we ask for the gift of faith to seek Christ in
all that we do in life, we would be like the mustard
seed in the gospel as it is proclaimed for
the 11th Sunday of the Year.
This gospel speaks of the mustard seed, the smallest
of all seeds. It says that even with such a small
seed, it grows into one of the biggest of trees.
Our faith in Christ can be likened to that mustard
seed. If we only have in our minds and in our
hearts, the size of faith as small as that mustard
seed, then, as we pray, discern what is God's
will, and act according to it, our faith will grow
and strengthen, and we will be able to help others
too with their mustard seed of faith.

Our task then is to believe in Christ as the Bread
of Life whom we receive every time we celebrate
the Eucharist with others. By nurturing our souls
through the sacraments of faith, we grow, and are
able to share also our faith with others. In time,
we will attain what the Father wills for us to be:
to be more and more formed and made in the image
of His Son - and doing His work and ministry
of proclaiming the Gospel through the ordinary
and everyday circumstances of our state of life.

Trinity Sunday, Year B

"Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit"

The mystery of the Holy Trinity is a mystery we will
have a glimmer only of understanding, but which we will
have a full understanding when we enjoy the gift of a
beatific vision after our entry into eternal life.
Saints and doctors of the Church have written about
this mystery and have succeeded to explain it, but
since it is a mystery beyond all human knowledge,
the language they use is symbols and analogies.
It is through their that we can understand to some
extent this holy mystery. And most often, we come to
understand that the mystery of three persons in
one God is really a mystery of love personified
as Father, Son and Spirit.

When we are baptized, we are baptized in the name
of the Trinity. This is a Christian tradition rooted
in Christ's commandment to his apostles. Many Christian
Churches have this Trinitarian formula in their
baptismal liturgy. In Roman Catholic liturgical
norm, when someone wishes to be Roman Catholic, if
he or she is already baptized in a Christina
Church that uses the Trinitarian formula in their
baptismal rite, he or she need not be baptized in
the Roman Catholic baptismal rite anymore. His
baptism already suffices [since he received already
the same Trinitarian blessing].

By our baptism in the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, like the apostles
of Jesus, we share in the vocation and mission
to make the gospel known to others. And we can
do this in many ways. Those who are connected
with the parish can help the parish in its mission
to build families and communities of service
and love patterned after the Trinity. While
those who are busy with their working,
professional, and family lives, can introduce
the values of the gospel through their work
and service in the family. Whatever our state
of life, all of us are called to live in the
spirit of love represented by the
Trinity: Father, Son and Spirit.

Pentecost Sunday, Year B

7th Sunday of Easter, Year B

"...Not one of them was lost, none but him who was
destined to be lost"

In the Philippines, this Sunday is designated as Ascension
Sunday instead of the 7th Sunday of Easter. Most Catholic
countries follow the universal calendar of the Church,
which designates the Thursday of the 6th Week of Easter
as, Ascension Sunday. However, in the Philippines, for
pastoral reasons, the 7th Sunday of Easter is designated
as Ascension Sunday.

For the purpose of the universal calendar, we will reflect
on the gospel for the 7th Sunday of Easter, Year B.

In the 4th Sunday of Easter, we commemorated Good Shepherd
Sunday. We saw how much the Lord is a Good Sheperd for
all of us - laying down his very life that we may not
be lost in sin but rather gain life through him. Today's
gospel can be connected to that same theme of Christ our
Good Shepherd. We see in this Sunday's gospel how Jesus
prays much that all his followers may be one in him,
and may not be lost. And he tells us that we will not
be lost, as long as we follow Christ, who calls us to
himself and his kingdom - a kingdom where truth, justice,
love, freedom, and all the gospel values are to be
found. We know that we are of Christ, if we see this
world as one in which we live in temporarily, and that
our home is really in God. Let us be reminded of what
St. Augustine states when he realized the truth of
"how our hearts are restless until they rest in the
Lord".

So, the lesson we gain from reflecting on the gospel
this Sunday is, that Christ must be the truth for us to
know. And when we learn how Christ is the truth for us,
we will not be tempted by the illusions proferred to us
by the many things we see all around us. Sometimes,
these illusions may even be within ourselves too. By
Christ's giving of his life to us, he consecrated us
to the truth, that we may not be lost in error. Let us
therefore always thank the Father, for the gift of His
Son, who showed us the path we must take, and the truth
we must pursue.

Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year B

"There is no greater love than this: to lay down
one's life for one's friends"

This passage from the gospel of John is one of the
popular verses that we know in Scripture. It depicts
the image of Jesus who sacrificed his life on the Cross
so that, we, his friends, may be saved from our sinfulness
and gain eternal life. Perhaps no man in the history
of the world has expressed love to its noblest and
its most sublime form as did our Lord Jesus Christ, when
he sacrificed his very life on the Cross out of love
and obedience to the Father. That is why the Christian life continues up to
this day, despite many things in our
modern world that is undermining its influence.
Christianity has survived the test of two millenium, not because of an ideal
or concept of love, but because of a Person, who showed through a very
concrete example,
what love really is: sacrificial, selfless and
life-giving. And this Person has truly made Christian
love a life-giving love by sending His Spirit on the
apostolic community on the day of Pentecost.

For those of us who have always known our Lord by his
example in the Gospel, let us be more attentive in these
times to base our ideal of love not on what the world
of our times teaches us, but more on what the Church
teaches us through its explanation of the Gospel. Let
us be strong and steadfast in our faith in the traditional
meaning of love that has been taught to all peoples
of all nations for many centuries past. If ever we
hear of something being taught that is not what we have
always known to be as the truth, let us be wary and
very cautious in accepting it, since the truth does not
change radically, or dramatically, when it comes to
the mystery of God's love and how he was incarnated in
Jesus. Rather than being swayed and swept by the
winds of contemporary beliefs, let us focus our eyes
more on the truth of the love of Jesus as we have
always known it to be in our Christian tradition.

3rd Sunday of Easter, Year B

"...he opened their minds to the understanding of the Scriptures."

Lectionary Readings for the 3rd Sunday of Easter, Year B

When the disciples beheld the Risen Jesus again in their midst in
this Resurrection narrative, they panicked and were frightened.
They did not understand what was happening and thus created
this fear in them. From a plain human perspective, the disciples knew
that the dead do not rise from the grave. Thus, Jesus had to prove
to them that he was no ghost and that he was made of flesh and blood.
And to really prove it to them, he asked for something to eat. And
this, Jesus knew the disciples will surely understand; because
dead people do not eat!

The fear, the panic, the lack of understanding, on the part of the
disciples, was due to the fact that they forgot what was said about
Jesus in the Scriptures. So Jesus then had to open their minds to
understand, that the Messiah was to die, and rise from the dead
after three days, in fulfillment of the Scriptures. Without this
Scriptural basis for understanding the crucifixion and resurrection
event, the disciples will not really understand what is going on.
Only when their experience of seeing their Master crucified and
then raised from the dead, is seen from the context of the
fulfillment of Scripture, can they see that all this is really
of God, and not just an ordinary human event.

Like the disciples, there are times in our life that we shall
experience much pain, suffering, even illness, a loss of a
loved one or a relationship, or even a job or business. We
will surely not understand all these experiences and life
events, if we see them only from our own limited human perspective.
We may panic, be frightened, and be discouraged in all of
these. However, if we open our minds and our hearts to the
person of Jesus, he will help us understand the meaning of
all the negative things that assail and afflict us. We will
especially understand them better when we listen to him as
he speaks to us in the Word of the Scriptures and as he
makes himself present to us in the Eucharist.

So like the disciples in the resurrection narrative of today's
gospel, let us not be disturbed, let us not panic or be
frightened. Let us rather be open to Christ, who will
open our minds to the divine meaning of his resurrection,
so that we may view life from this Christian mystery,
and have a healthy and positive outlook, even despite
the hardships and difficulties we experience in our day
to day living. When we root our Christian living in the
mystery of the Resurrection, we will share in the life
giving spirit that Christ has won for us, by his victory
over sin and death.

Passion Sunday, Year B

"Clearly this man was the Son of God."

Lectionary Readings for Passion Sunday, Year B

The gospel of Mark is dramatic, especially when it depicts Pontius Pilate
interrogating Jesus. Just reading the text of the gospel places in our
mind images of a life that was innocently condemned by a mainline religion
that wishes to save its people from the eyes of a watchful Empire who
does not like anyone of its subjects to "rock the boat" as it were.
Jesus, because of his love for the people, went out of the normal way,
departing from his comfort zone, in order to preach the kingdom of God
in word and deed. His style of mission really just involved healing
people, teaching people and preaching the good News. The reason the
leaders of their mainline religion were against him was because Jesus put
love above the law: healing many people on the Sabbath. This irked the
Pharisees and the scribes because nobody is to act or work on the Sabbath.
Another point they placed against Jesus was the controversial way Jesus
presented himself as God's Son and calling God, "Abba". For the Jewish
religious authorities, this is blasphemous.

The popularity of Jesus rose and many came to him for healing, to be
taught wisdom and to learn of the kingdom of God. Crowds always gathered
around him because they learn of his miracles and many of them have
sick they want to be healed. This large group of people, who probably
regularly followed him, caused fear and anxiety among the Jewish religious
leaders. They fear that Jesus, with his following, may subvert the
peace of the people and cause a revolution. And so, the Jewish leaders
plotted a way to have him arrested. Jesus, knew that his time was to
come, and so prepared himself for this.

The problem with the Jewish religious authorities was their lack of
perception and open-mindedness to the truth that Jesus was the Messiah.
Simple people did not have this problem because they see how Jesus
performed good works with their sick and in their lives. Even the centurion,
who belongs and represented the authority of the Empire, believed in
Jesus because of the manner of death he had underwent. Faith is a gift
not given to all. It is given only to those who open their minds to
the truth about Jesus. The Jewish religious authorities lack the faith
necessary to see the truth because their frame of mind and their mindsets
were dictated by their established law and tradition.

As we enter into Holy Week, let us examine our own frame of mind and our
own mindsets and ask ourselves, "Is my perception of Jesus as the center
of Truth in my life clouded with doubt?" Let us look deep down in our
hearts and reflect with the question, "What is preventing me to truly
believe in Jesus: denying myself, taking up my cross, and following Him?"

5th Sunday of Lent, Year B

"If it dies, it produces much fruit."


Lectionary Readings for the 5th Sunday of Lent, Year B

Jesus knew that his "time" was about to come. This "time" that he
was speaking about to his disciples is known only to him, since his
disciples as yet did not understand that he was to suffer and die
on the cross for the salvation of all. This "time" he was referring
to was not easy for him to accept, as it involved his Father's will
and an act of obedience on his part to be like the wheat that falls
on the ground and die. But, if he were to accept this mission that
is entrusted to him, like the wheat he speaks of, his death will
bear much fruit. In fact, it will save humankind from their sins.

In his ministry, Jesus always calls all people to follow him. We
hear him say: "If anyone wants to follow me, let him deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me." This call to discipleship will
find its best example in Jesus himself, who, in obedience to the
Father's will, truly denied himself and carried the cross to
Calvary and died so that all who believe in him may be saved. It
was not easy for him as we will learn when we read the passage
of the Agony in the Garden of Gethsemani. His great act of
humility cost him his life; but it produced such a great impact
on others that it led to the foundation of the Christian faith.

During this season of Lent, let us continue to examine ourselves
and see how we have not followed Jesus in denying ourselves and
"taking up our crosses" in life. Especially now, when many of
us are working, and very much into the many comforts that the
professional lifestyle can offer, we can easily forget that others
are not as easily privileged as we are. By following the regimen
of Lent: abstaining, fasting, praying and practicing mercy, we
can be more sensitive to the suffering of others. Christ and
his sacrifice will take a more central part in our lives, and
our responsibility to others will take its rightful priority
in our decisions and work. And more than the requirement of
Lenten spiritual practices, we can also take extra pains to
be of greater service to those whom we are directly responsible
for.

4th Sunday of Lent, Year B

"That the world might be saved through him."


Lectionary Readings for 4th Sunday of Lent, Year B

In today's gospel, we are given a parallel meaning of Jesus' death
on the cross from the Old Testament. The passage that is made
parallel in meaning to Jesus' salvific death on the cross, is the
Old Testament passage, which speaks of Moses lifting up the serpent
in the desert, so that those who were bitten by the serpents, may
be saved from dying. It is this symbolic image which medical
practitioners use in their medical profession.

Many of us forget that Jesus' life and death is meant for us sinners,
so that we may return back to the Father's love. And many of us
fail to see that it is in a life lived with much sacrifice and
pain for the good of others, that will lead us to be like Jesus
more and more, and to follow Him as our Lord and Master.
If we do not sacrifice our lives for others, we will not be able
to see the love of God for us and how much He wishes to save us
from a life of sin, perdition and destruction. God gave His
only Son that we and the whole world might be saved through him.

During this time of Lent, we are given the opportunity to
examine ourselves, and the lives we have been living in the past
months since last Lenten season. We can examine how much we
have returned indeed to the love of the Father and followed the
injunction of the Lord to love others as we love ourselves.
Let us take much time before the Lord to see where we have
also failed in following the great commandment. And if we see all
those times in which we have failed to do so, let us not despair,
but rather continue to have faith in the richness of the goodness
and mercy of God, and approach the sacrament of reconciliation.
Let us remember that the Lord forgave even those who have
killed Him. The Lord knows that His mission is not to kill
but to save those who have sinned and are lost, and that
includes for certain, ourselves, at one point of time
or another.

3rd Sunday of Lent, Year B

"Stop turning my Father's house into a marketplace!"
Lectionary Readings for the 3rd Sunday of Lent, Year B

In the gospel readings, we see Jesus getting angry with those who
are using the Temple for business activities. His anger is rooted
in the love He has for the Father's temple as the dwelling place
of God's Spirit. As the people questioned His authority, He then
relates it to the coming event of the destruction of His own body,
which the Spirit will raise up in three days. The people misunderstood
what He meant, because they were thinking in terms of the Temple in
the material world, rather than that of the temple of Jesus' body.

This gospel reading is a reminder for all of us to respect the
Temple of the Lord, His Church. Often, especially those of us who
are so familiar with the parish, we are frequently tempted to speak
and socialize with others who are also active in the parish. We
forget that the parish is a place of prayer and that the Spirit
of God leads all those inside the Church to prayer. When we engage
so much in speaking about secular matters in the parish when people
are praying, in a way, we turn the Church into a "marketplace" where
instead of the spirit of prayer consuming us, it is the spirit of
mammon leading us.

Let us then always remember to respect our parish as the house
where the Lord God lives. Probably, the best way to remind ourselves
is to see the Eucharist as one in which we are led to become more
the Temples of God's Spirit. When we realize how we are made the
Temple of God's Spirit through receiving the Eucharist in the Church,
then we shall truly the parish which houses the body and blood
of our Lord Jesus Christ. When we always invoke the Lord God in
His Temple, His Spirit comes to dwell in us and leads us more and
more into a spirit of prayer: one that reminds us that Christ's
body contains the Spirit of Life - a Spirit which calls us to
the service of respect and praise.

2nd Sunday of Lent, Year B

"This is my Son, my beloved. Listen to him."


Lectionary Readings for 2nd Sunday of Lent, Year B

This gospel passage is the biblical source for the fourth mystery of
light: The Transfiguration of our Lord. Here, we find Jesus being
transfigured before the eyes of the three disciples who were closest
to him: Peter, James and John. As he was transfigured, he became
dazzling white and Moses and Elijah appeared with him - both beside
him. The event was so awe-inspiring that Peter impulsively said that
they were willing to build three booths at that site: one for each
of them: Jesus, Elijah and Moses. However, the three disciples
misunderstood the event. What was important was the message imparted
to them by the Father: "This is my Son, my beloved. Listen to him."
Jesus was transfigured for the disciples so that they may believe
that in Jesus, the glory of God may be manifested to all.

Jesus enters our life not once but many times. When he enters our
life, we are called to really listen to him. Sometimes, we become
deaf because of the many noises within us and in our environment,
that we fail to really listen to him. And yet that is what we are
called to really do, for he tells us that he is the Way, the Truth
and the Life. Just as he manifested to the apostles the glory of
God, we too can witness how glorious our Lord is through the many
human and spiritual experiences we go through: in our prayer, in
our reception of the sacraments, in our service to the Church, and
in the many ways he heals us, teaches us wisdom, and shepherds us
to life in him. However this is good for us, to see how glorious
the Lord is, all he asks of us, and all the Father wants us to
really do, is to listen to him. For it is in listening to him
that we obey and do his will.

In this liturgical season of Lent, let us, amidst all our activities
and work, really take some quality time, some quiet time to really
be tranquil, serene, and silent before the Lord our Maker, Creator
and Provider. Let us listen to him more intently and discern what
he is asking of us to do in order to serve him more. Lent is really
a time for reconciling ourselves to the Lord. And what better form
of reconciliation we can perform than to really be at the foot of
the Lord's throne and making ourselves ready to listen to whatever
word he has to say to us. And as we listen, let us not forget to
be repentant and to atone for all our sinfulness. Let us not forget
how sinful we have been, how we have not forgiven those who wronged
us, how we have not really prayed from the heart, how we have not
practiced almsgiving, and how we have lived lives that are not
humble and modest. When we do admit this to him in prayer or in
the sacrament of confession, we shall be placed again in his favor
and really be ready to listen to his word.

1st Sunday of Lent, Year B

"Reform your lives and believe in the good news!"


Lectionary Readings for the 1st Sunday of Lent, Year B

The Spirit led Jesus into the desert where he was tempted by the
evil one. Satan tested Jesus and wanted Jesus to take a path that
was not of the Father's plan. Jesus, strong as he was because of
the Spirit in him, was able to resist these temptations and continued
with the mission entrusted to him by the Father.

After the test in the desert, Jesus appeared in Galilee and began
his ministry. His rallying cry was "reform your lives and
believe in the good news!" This was a preparation for people to
turn away from their sinful ways and believe in the salvation that
Jesus was offering them.

In this liturgical season of Lent, let us examine our life at this
time and see how many times we have been unable to resist the
temptations of the flesh, the world and the evil one. When we have
fallen, could it be because we have not rooted our life well in
Jesus? Perhaps we were so immersed in the world that we have
forgotten to pray to Jesus and ask him the strength to resist
sin. Let us then pray for sorrow for our sins and find means and
ways to reconcile with God through the sacrament of confession.
By constantly examining ourselves and being responsible for our
acts of sin, we are in the right step and direction of reforming
our life and believing in the good news Jesus offers us: that he
is victorious over sin and evil.

8th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

"The day will come...when the bridegroom will be taken away...on that day
they will fast."


Lectionary Readings for the 8th Sunday of the Year, Year B

In this Sunday's gospel, we see people coming to Jesus and saying in
objection: "Why do John's disciples and those of the Pharisees fast
while yours do not?" Jesus tells them that while the bridegroom is
with them, the people do not fast. Only when the bridegroom is taken
away, do the people fast. This bridegroom that Jesus was saying is
a reference to himself. Jesus knew that a time will come when he
had to lay down his life for his people; a time will come when he
had to obey the Father's will and sacrifice his life so that the
world may be saved from sin. Although Jesus was fulfilling the
Law and the Prophets, he was introducing a new tradition, a tradition
where love ruled over the Law, the Sabbath and simple traditions
like fasting and the cleansing rituals that had to be done before
eating.

For us today, especially those who belong to old generations, it
seems upsetting when things change or change is introduced into our
way of doing things. For the younger generation, this is no problem
as they are more open to change. In fact, they want change. And
this can be seen in their avid desire to follow fads and fashions
in the music and technological world. For those of us who have
already settled into life and have created quite a stable form of
living, when change comes, we are like the people and the Pharisees
and scribes who are get upset when Jesus does not "do what is
usually done". However, even though we may be part of the present
status quo, we are called to be open to change, especially if this
change is for the better. Only when we make ourselves docile to
the Spirit, then the Spirit can change our minds and hearts and
make it more receptive to the will of God. Let us therefore be
open especially to the Holy Spirit. For even if He brings on
change, we know that it is of God.

7th Sunday of the Year, Year B

"I command you: Stand up! Pick up your mat and go home."


Lectionary Readings for the 7th Sunday of the Year, Year B

In this Sunday's gospel, we have the story of a paralyzed man who could not
go to Jesus because the crowds prevented him. But, this did not deter him
and those who wished to help him. The four men who wished to help him,
carried him up to the roof of the house were Jesus was, opened up
the roof, and then slowly let down the mat on which the paralytic
was, over the spot where Jesus taught the people. This action of faith
impressed Jesus so much that Jesus said, "My son, your sins are forgiven."

Bible scholars tell us that in those times, the Jewish religious
mentality saw sickness as a punishment for sin. And it is in this
context of religious thought that Jesus said, "your sins are forgiven."
Although this statement angered the scribes who thought of this as
blasphemous, Jesus nevertheless stood his ground and made the
paralyzed man well.

In our present times, whenever we get sick or whenever anyone in our
family gets sick, our first response to the problem is to bring ourselves
or the member of the family to the doctor. This is a prudent action in
our present scientific mentality, because the body itself gets sick
and weak. However, we forget that before the body gets weak and sick,
most often, our spirits get weak and our soul is weighed down with
sin. Although this is not always the case, it is a reality for some
that when they are too much "in the world" and "in the rat race",
the involvement weakens their faith in God. A weakening in faith in
God makes us rely more on our own strengths - thus exhausting us
and sapping us of the vitality that really has its source in the
God of all life. And it is God who is really the ultimate
solution to all of our problems and all of the ills we experience in
our world.

Whenever we have the time for silence and reflection, let us heed
the call to prayer and repentance. Let us not wait until the moment
that we experience some form of "paralysis" in our lives. Let us
rather approach the Lord and seek His forgiveness and ask for good
health, in body and in soul. If we, however, are now in some state
of "paralysis", let us learn from the example of the gospel and follow the
paralytic, who did not lose faith despite the obstacle of the crowds
preventing him to approach Jesus. Let us pray for the gift of faith
to strengthen us so that we can approach the Lord in the sacraments
and be granted the grace of healing we need in our life.

6th Sunday of the Year, Year B

"I do will it, Be cured"

Lectionary Readings for the 6th Sunday of the Year, Year B

In this Sunday's gospel, we find a leper approaching Jesus and pleading to Jesus that he be cured of his disease. We know that in those days, leprosy makes one an outcast of the Jewish society and people consider lepers unclean. This ostracism is heightened all the more by the fact that leprosy is considered a punishment also for one's sins. Thus, anybody who has the disease is two times denied of his freedom: the freedom to be part of the everyday life of the people and the freedom to be favored in the eyes of God.

Today, even though leprosy is curable and does not really mean what it meant before in the time of Jesus, we still encounter life experiences that make us unfree to be part of the life of the people, and also unfree to be seen as favored in God's eyes. But even though we or other people may experience this, there is a way to regain our freedom. As the leper in the gospel approached Jesus, he said, "If you will to do so, you can cure me." And Jesus stretched out his hand, touched the leper and said: "I do will it, be cured." We need only to approach Jesus and he will really will that we be cured, and that we regain our freedom again as part of a family of communities who are favored in the Lord's eyes.

The priest in the Mass this morning tells us that we can be cured of whatever kind of leprosy in our life through the sacrament of reconciliation. It is a sacrament that restores us to the Church, where a family of communities are bonded together in Christ; it is also a sacrament that makes us feel again the Lord's favor as we experience God's love through being made whole from our sinfulness. And not only can we experience our freedom again through this sacrament of reconciliation, but even the Sunday Mass that we are called to celebrate, is an opportunity for us to be made whole again with our brothers and sisters in the faith.

Let us therefore not be afraid to approach the sacraments. This gospel shows us that Jesus indeed wills that we be made whole again; that we experience the freedom that is originally intended to us as a gift for being made in the image and likeness of God, and thus fulfill our role to make the good news known to all: Jesus wills that we be saved, regain our freedom, and be made whole again.

5th Sunday of the Year, Year B

"...He went into their synagogues preaching the good news and expelling demons throughout the whole of Galilee."

Lectionary Readings for 5th Sunday of the Year, Year B

In this gospel, we find Jesus performing his ministry of healing, teaching and preaching. His ministry was to preach the good news that God offers salvation in the form of health and knowledge of God through Jesus Himself. Many people benefitted from the cures of Jesus. One of them was Peter's mother-in-law, who upon being healed, waited at once on Jesus and his group of apostles.

This ministry of Jesus spread throughout the land and he was known by this work. Those who were ill and were cured, and those who were possessed by demons and were made whole, were signs itself of the wonders that God has done through his Son. This caused quite a stir and many sought him out. But Jesus would always go to a lonely place to pray. We can see that this pattern of ministry and prayer by Jesus is a pattern always reflected in the gospels. Although Jesus was very much immersed in going to the people and preaching, teaching and healing them, he also was aware of the need for prayer.

Today, we often see our salvation in terms of more money, a better working condition, a new house, or a new car, or a new type of ministry or apostolate, or even a new community and new companions at work. However, we neglect to see that in those times of Jesus when life was simple, people really sought salvation in terms of what is essential in life: life itself and not material things. Since life did not involve much of the complexity we now experience, they saw their salvation in terms of what Jesus really did for their life: He cured them, He gave them hope, He made them believe of a future, He expelled spirits which debilitated and tormented them, He gave a new vision and a brighter outlook, He saved their souls.

When we look at our lives and finally come to that point when we are at our sick bed or death bed, we will realize that it is not material things that will save us. It is not the doctor, nor the life-sustaining apparatus that will be attached to us. And if we experience this also with the people we love: family and friends - we will realize the same thing. Eventually, all of life hinges in our being saved by God in Jesus. Science and medicine can help, but the ultimate salvific factor is our faith in God.

4th Sunday of the Year, Year B

"He gives orders to unclean spirits and they obey him!"

Lectionary Readings for 4th Sunday of the Year, Year B

In this Sunday's gospel, we find Jesus ordering an unclean spirit in a man to: "Be quiet! Come out of the man!". This order convulsed the unclean spirit in the man and with a loud shriek, came out of him. With this sign, many were amazed at the power and authority that Jesus had shown. And Jesus' reputation spread more throughout the region of Galilee by this very act of his divine authority.

Jesus had power over sin and evil. And we know that despite our being made in the image and likeness of God, there still is deceit, sin and evil, that resides in us, because of concupiscence - a disorder brought about by original sin. We are also taught to know that Jesus' authority speaks to our sinful serlves when we listen to Him through the Word in Scriptures and in the sacrament of the Eucharist. There will be many times that we will be humbled and be made to realize that despite our desire to be perfect in God's eyes and in the eyes of others, we will still find the authority of God in Word and Sacrament, as always having power over our selves. But let us remember that God's power over us is not a harsh and impersonal power. Rather God, through his Holy Spirit, is a Doctor with healing power, a Teacher with teaching power, and a Sheperd with leading power, all helping us to be more in the light and closer in likeness to his Son, Jesus through the gift of his graces.

We are called then to pray always and be vigilant; and always to be constant in our desire for repentance. When we take on an attitude of humility and always have a filial fear of God, then our souls will be guarded from the evil around us: in the world, in others, and from the temptations of the evil one. The best way to guard ourselves against evil is to avoid every occasion of sin and to do God's will in the situation. And this ideal is best realized when we always immerse ourselves in prayer and in the celebration of Word and Sacrament.

3rd Sunday of the Year, Year B

"Reform your lives and believe in the Good News."

Lectionary Readings for the 3rd Sunday of the Year, Year B

In today's gospel we see Jesus calling the first apostles. He saw Simon and Andrew, who were fishermen, and called them to follow him. They abandoned their nets and followed Jesus. Then he saw James and John and called them too. These two abandoned their father Zebedee and followed Jesus.

Before this happened, Jesus was announcing to people in Galilee that the kingdom of God was at hand. And he urged the people to repent and believe in the Good News. Scripture scholars say that probably before Jesus called Simon, Andrew, James and John, these men already heard of Jesus and knew of him from others. However, since they were fishermen, they had to earn a living and so continued with what they had to do: make a living. But Jesus saw potential in these men that he himself approached them and called them to follow him. And since these fishermen already [according to Scripture scholars] have heard of Jesus, they made the final decision to follow him and leave their nets and livelihood behind.

When was the last time that we heard Jesus calling us to follow him? Was his call for a more regular prayer life? Or was his call to do more active work in the Church? What is Jesus calling us to do right now? Is it to repent and believe in the Gospel with more conviction? If this is what Jesus is calling us to do, then let us be ready to respond to him with a yes. Yes, we can repent of our sins and believe in the Gospel with more conviction than before. Yes, we will convert from our wicked and evil habits and do what is more according to God's will. It only takes the gift of faith which is freely given to us by the Holy Spirit.

So, even if we need to earn a living, we can follow Jesus right where we are. We need not change our circumstances. All we need to do is to repent from our sinful ways, believe in the Gospel with much more conviction, and follow Jesus and the Father's will according to our state of life. In this we have already fulfilled what God is asking of us.

2nd Sunday of the Year, Year B

"They said to him, 'Rabbi, where do you stay' 'Come and see,' he answered. "

Lectionary Readings for the 2nd Sunday of the Year, Year B

In this Sunday's gospel, we see two disciples who were introduced by John the Baptist to Jesus, whom John referred to as the Lamb of God! The disciples in response asked Jesus where he stayed. And Jesus said, "Come and see."

The two disciples were introduced to Jesus as the Lamb of God. Their response to this was to ask Jesus where he stayed. And Jesus said, "Come and see." Since Jesus was introduced to them as the Lamb of God, the disciples wanted to know more about Jesus - how he is the Lamb of God. They wanted to know how his dwelling place looked like to get more truth about his being the Lamb of God. For the disciples, the word lamb has already some meaning attached to it: animal for food, for sacrifice, for shepherding, an animal that is meek, and doesn't say anything while it is being sheared. The disciples were curious of who Jesus was and wanted to know more about him and so they asked him where he stayed. And Jesus invited them to learn more of his being the Lamb of God.

In many urban places, we do not see many lambs anymore. We know what they are and what their animal traits are from books and from pictures. Jesus was referred to as the Lamb of God. What does this mean for us? If Jesus is the Lamb of God, how is this related to our discipleship and our following of him. We know that as the Lamb of God, he was sacrificed on the cross that our sins may be atoned for. This means that in our following of him, we are to sacrifice our lives also for the good of others. How we do this depends on our present circumstances and our present priorities and responsibilities. There may be opportunities offered to us: opportunities that would seem to offer greater possibilities of promotion or greater ranking or more money or better political connections. However, sometimes, we are asked to sacrifice the possibility of that life in order to follow Christ more closely and to be with him in our prayer and to follow his will in the direction the light of Christ is leading us.

It takes much humility to follow Christ as the Lamb. It involves much pain and sacrifice. But if we do his will and sacrifice our lives for the good of others, then we shall be led to his promise of eternal life. Let us always ask ourselves daily how we are to follow him in his life of service to others - sacrificing much of ourselves in this line. We will know that we are on the journey to a greater life of service to others in the spirit of Christ if we know that despite much hardship and difficult, we continue to pray and have the gift of faith, hope and charity. If the fruit of our service brings about goodness, faith, charity, gentleness, joy and long-suffering, then we know that we have rooted ourselves much in the Christ's Word and Sacrament. So let us not forget to always seek Christ. To find him in prayer and in our service to others. For it is in seeking him that we find him. And in getting to know him as the Lamb of God, we will learn from him how to sacrifice our lives according to his will.

Solemnity of the Epiphany, Years A, B, and C

"They prostrated themselves and did him homage."

Lectionary Readings for the Solemnity of Epiphany, Years A, B, and C
http://www.pcentral-onlne.net/catholic/lectionary/epiphany.html"

In this Sunday's readings, we find three wise men from the East learn about the birth of "the king of the Jews". They went to King Herod to find out about him. Herod became disturbed because this reality could be a threat to his being in power. For he also knows what the prophets say about in the Scriptures: 'And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the princes of Judah, since from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.' Herod then commissioned the three wise men from the East to inquire about the child themselves and to find where he is so that he himself will also pay homage to the child.

The wise men followed the star and when they arrived at the point where it was at a standstill, they saw a place where the child was. They entered the place and saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they offered their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. This is the mystery of the Epiphany. God manifested Himself to the world as a child born of a virgin and laid in a manger for the shepherds and the magi to see.

Do we search for the 'star' that will lead us to Jesus so that we may prostrate ourselves and pay him homage? We hear of Jesus in many ways as we go along our daily lives. We learn of how He comes to save us from our sins. We hear of Him through the sharing of others: of how Jesus has saved them from their sins. We hear of Him through the news that comes to us - the good news of people helping people and the good news of people actually giving their very lives for Christ in a special field or profession or even in some missionary or apostolic work. Yet, let us examine ourselves more deeply. Have we really followed the 'star' that would actually lead us to Him? For only when we follow the 'star' that leads us to Him shall we know that He is a God who did not put on His divinity for all to see, but rather God Himself who shed His Godhood and took our simple humanity so that He may be close to us and let us know Him better. When we follow the 'star' everyday in our lives, we shall be led to the person of Christ who will reveal Himself to us as the One who truly created us and brought us to being. Let us pray then that we be sensitive everyday to the 'star' that will lead us to Jesus. It could be in the form of silence, a friendly chat with a neighbor, the grace we receive in confession, our acts of charity and kindness to others, or any sign that will make us discover Jesus as God who became man so that we may live in the light.