33rd Sunday in OT (C) - By your Perseverance you will Secure your Lives

33^rd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 

Luke 21:5-19

November 17, 2013

GOSPEL READING: The Poor Widow’s Contribution / The Destruction of the Temple Foretold / The Sign of the End / The Coming Persecution

While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, he said, “All that you see here—the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.”

Then they asked him, “Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen? ”He answered, “See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’Do not follow them! When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end.” Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.

 “Before all this happens, however, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name. It will lead to your giving testimony. Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives.

REFLECTION: By your Perseverance you will Secure your Lives

The first part of the Gospel speaks of Jesus’ prediction of the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem. The disciples were awed by the size and splendor of the temple. We are like the disciples who are also awed by the beauty and splendor of God’s creation especially in the scenic places and buildings on this earth. However, we must not forget that all these have God as the source of all beauty. Psalm 8 states: ’’O Lord, our God, how awesome is your name through all the earth.”

The second part is the eschatological discourse of Jesus. He speaks of the signs of the end of the world. These seem to be frightening to us if we do not have faith in God Who is in control of everything. We should not be afraid of THE END because after that is another new beginning. Jesus predicts wars among nations, earthquakes famines and plagues, which are actually happening in this planet. We ask ourselves Why are these happening? When will these sufferings end? We cry to God for help. But the end is not here. Christ Himself tells us that nobody knows the time when THE END comes. Not even the angels. It is only God the Father Who knows it. We do not really know if this will happen during our lifetime. It is then good for us to heed the call of St. Paul (2Thes 3: 12-13 ) to work quietly not to burden other people and to continue doing good. Thus like the Boy / Girl Scouts  we should  always be prepared.

In the last part of the Gospel Jesus tells us of the future that awaits His disciples. He tells us that we will be persecuted for His sake. In our lives as Christians in this contemporary world, persecutions come our way not as fierce and violent as those of the first Christians but in subtle and different ways. It can happen in the workplace where faithful  Christians who live by the Gospel values are branded as old fashioned and out of this world.  In such case, a true disciple should stand by his/her faith and persevere in living according to the teachings of the Church and his/her informed conscience.

Jesus promises us of His protection and guidance everyday of our life. He gives us that assurance when he said “I am with you always, until the end of the age“ (Mt 28:2b). Our Father will give us the Holy Spirit to speak in our behalf and to strengthen us in times of trials and tribulations.  We must remain faithful as He is forever faithful to us We will persevere in doing what God wills for us as we call upon Him for unconditional love for His Son and His  Church.  At the end of our journey here on earth and as we come face to face with Him Whom we love and serve, we will receive our reward of eternal joy.

ABOUT THE SHARER:

SR. LORETA A. PENULIAR, O.P. is the Prioress General of the Dominican Sisters of Our Lady of Peace based in Tarlac.

KEYWORDS:

Ordinary Time, Cycle C, OP Sisters, Beauty, Faith, Eschatology, Persecution, Joy, Signs

32nd Sunday in OT (C) - Now and Forever

32^nd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 

Luke 20: 27, 34-38

November 10, 2013

GOSPEL READING: The Question about the Resurrection.

Some Sadducees -- those who argue that there is no resurrection -- approached him and they put this question to him, 'Master, Moses prescribed for us, if a man's married brother dies childless, the man must marry the widow to raise up children for his brother. Well then, there were seven brothers; the first, having married a wife, died childless. The second and then the third married the widow. And the same with all seven, they died leaving no children. Finally the woman herself died. Now, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be, since she had been married to all seven?' Jesus replied, 'The children of this world take wives and husbands, but those who are judged worthy of a place in the other world and in the resurrection from the dead do not marry because they can no longer die, for they are the same as the angels, and being children of the resurrection they are children of God. And Moses himself implies that the dead rise again, in the passage about the bush where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is God, not of the dead, but of the living; for to him everyone is alive.'

REFLECTION: Now and Forever

We could very well classify people into two groups: the "Now" group and the "Forever" group.

People in the "Now" group tend to live colorful lives, intent on living the dream but don't care much about the imminent future.  For many among them, they believe that we have one chance at life and we need to make the most of it.  Quality of life is centered mainly on the present since the next life, if it is to be believed, appears to be too distant, if not outright hazy.  Much is placed on faith, however, the human condition has somehow made us rely on experiences to be able to successfully achieve something and at the same time, have something to show for it.

The "Forever" group is intent on winning the prize at the end of the race but oftentimes without regard to how it is achieved.  They somehow live in a trance-like wonder often oblivious to the world and indifferent towards people around them who may not be similarly inclined to share in their fastidiousness to that future state. Their concept of forever is often not anchored in the now, for the current world is a world of suffering and its path runs towards the very valley of emptiness, pain and ultimately death.  Life for them is but a temporary reality.

Human as we are, we normally miss the entire picture by failing to focus on a tiny yet sublime fact:  "Now" is not meant to be taken alone when there is a future to speak of; while "Forever" is not meant merely to be aspired for since how we achieve it is directly dependent on how we fare in our current lives: "Now and Forever" is a coordinated truth.  Jesus gives a "now" dimension to the phrase "eternal life" (which we usually categorize as "future" or "forever") in His high priestly prayer: "This is eternal life: that they should know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ Whom you have sent." (John 17:3).  It seems that Jesus is saying that eternal life is a matter of relationship with the Father –– something that will be fully realized in the future, but that has its beginnings in our lives now. Death should never be made a chasm that separates now from forever, body from the spirit, sinner from the Creator, for He is not a God of the dead but of the living.  Since Christ already had won victory over death; the death knell merely signals the end of the race on the one hand, but trumpets the attainment of the much-hoped for bliss, on the other.

"Now and Forever" is never easy, no wonder very few subscribe to it as a single, unifying truth.  People would rather consider it an "Either/Or" rather than an "And" to make believing in it much more bearable.  Many are ridiculed for believing in that truth.  Seemingly, "Now and Forever" is an ideal that has largely been passé, especially at an age when promises are broken, when wicked deeds triumph over good, when temporal matters appear more significant than the eternal.  I believe it is to this end that the Church normally ends its prayer to which we all say "Amen."  Bridging “Now and Forever” requires the triumvirate of the great virtues that exist now and last forever: faith, hope and love –– Hope refreshes the everydayness of living; Faith strengthens our conviction that what we aim to achieve will come to pass; Love makes it all worthwhile.

Understanding the interplay of “Now and Forever” somehow clarifies Christ's promise to be with us all the time.  Forever is happening now; Forever ceases to be a distant reward to the deserving with death as a necessary gateway.  Christ's resurrection has unified "now" with "forever" by removing death's sting; with Him conquering death, there is absolutely nothing that could conquer us.  That no matter how we get wounded now by our own sinfulness or bogged down by the realities of life, we're never conquered forever: 

Sorting through the wreckage of broken dreams and daring to dream again, says: "I’m not conquered."

Throwing aside the jagged edges from failures on the path I now walk, says: "I’m not conquered."

Not being afraid to risk again whether in life, love or business, says: "I’m not conquered."

To give even when you feel all used up, says: "I’m not conquered."

Forgiving and letting go, says: "I’m not conquered."

Opening the heart to love again after pieces were broken and missing, says: "I’m not conquered."

Staring at fear and still going through the fire, says: "I’m not conquered."

To feel worthy after bouts of feeling worthless and despite the doubts, says: "I’m not conquered."

Having faith and holding on in the darkest hours, says: "I’m not conquered."

For to God, all are alive...now and forever.

ABOUT THE SHARER:

MR. JOEL R. GABRIEL is a member of the Filii Sancti Dominici Philippinensis

KEYWORDS:

Ordinary Time, Cycle C, OP Filii, Now, Forever, Resurrection

All About Lights

All About Lights

I've never tried to understand the sunrise.
I only know it takes away the dark.
I can't explain Your healing or all the joy I'm feeling.
I only know You've come into my heart.

The light of a million mornings filled my heart.
The sound of a million angels sang my song.
The warmth of a love so tender
Touched my life and suddenly
The light of a million mornings start in me.

--Claire Cloninger and Mark Hayes, "Light of a Million Mornings"

In our world today, there are many types of light.  Let me enumerate some:  There is the neon light; most of us fancy the dancing light; still others are drawn to the spot light; while some can't wait to switch on the Christmas light, and of course, who could miss the ubiquitous fluorescent light? 

Let me share with you some of their characteristics: 

Neon Light. The neon light is what we see most of the time adorning billboards, it is lovely especially if applied with different colors.  It makes the billboard ad more inviting, appealing to the eyes and which more often than not, snatches our attention.  But then, it has one major weakness.  For it to be truly useful, it has to wait for the sunlight to vanish where it roars into life giving the city its pomp and rhythm.  But half the day, it is dead for it is no match to the daytime’s brightness. 

Dancing Light. Almost all of the dance halls are dead without the cadence of the dancing light.  It makes the environment conducive to dancing giving the pretense that a ballroom or dance hall is no hall at all if people just stare at each other’s eyes without the necessary blink of the dancing light. 

Spot Light. The spot light is an all-powerful light which makes you sweat and almost be blinded  should you find yourself blocking its path.  Though powerful it may seem, its strength is confined only in one place at a time; where it gives daytime brightness to one side, it lets the other side  fall into stark darkness. 

Christmas Light. The Christmas light is a seasonal fixture lending the air the aura of cheer and giving.  While it is popular in that one event, it is almost out of place outside the season and is left to lie useless for most of the year. 

Fluorescent Light. The fluorescent light is ever lowly but dependable.  Legend has it that the fluorescent light was invented by a Filipino.  I consider it lowly because of its utter simplicity and total lack of style, it seldom finds its way in the big house of the financially well-endowed.  And when it does, it takes on another form or shape, becoming somewhat obscured as if to say its mere appearance destroys the ambience of the room.  And yet we almost always find one in the shanties of the less privileged where it safely gives light to anyone and anything else in the room. 

We are the light of the world…so often we've heard; but exactly which type? 

Are we like the neon light where we always prefer our world to be dark because we feel powerless and unappreciated in the bright?  That our usefulness begins at dusk when people scramble to the safety of their homes after a day’s work and we then we bug them with all our adornments and superficial colors? 

Are we like the dancing light, where we give the world its rhythm and life but feel inadequate once the music stops or slows down; where we always want everything around us to be upbeat as if it were the only trace of life? 

Are we like the spot light where we leave the rest to grope in the dark, feeling unnoticed while showering specific people with attention in all its lavishness until they sweat in the heat of our praise, invariably moving them to discomfort; where we focus our attention to the minutest detail but leaving the perspective to some other space? 

Or we might be like the Christmas light where we lend ourselves to the spirit of giving and sharing as if to herald the coming of the Savior, but lying asleep and without purpose for the most part of the other seasons as if we were the modern-day Scrooges awaiting the wake-up call of the Christmas spirits? 

Or perhaps we are like the fluorescent light: lowly and utterly simple, where we feel most welcome in the homes of the less fortunate; where most of the time it is the only vestige of modernity and pride that they can surely afford?

You are the light of the world… Neon light, dancing light, spotlight, Christmas light, fluorescent... 

And you, what sort of light are you?

ABOUT THE SHARER:

MR. JOEL R. GABRIEL is a member of the Filii Sancti Dominici Philippinensis

KEYWORDS: OP Filii, Special, Lights

31st Sunday in OT (C) - Jesus came

31^st SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 

Luke 19:1-10

November 3, 2013

GOSPEL READING: Zacchaeus, the Chief Tax Collector

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector, and rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today."

So he made haste and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it they all murmured, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost."

REFLECTION: Jesus came.

There are many people who come to our lives. All of them come with a purpose. In their coming, sometimes, we prepare and sometimes, we just let things take their normal course. People come, people go. But what interest us is what they leave behind and what they take with them after when they are gone. When encounter happens between two worlds, many things change. The one is moved by the other, the other lets himself flow through the current of relationship, and their journey together begins to unfold. In our gospel reading today, Luke introduces, Jesus came, and the story of Zacchaeus into conversion began.

But many times our vision is too shortsighted. Many times, our biases precede our judgments; hence, our vision is mostly but a cloud of faulty interpretations about events in life. In our experience in daily living, usually gossips come first than the facts. Refutations come first than the real person. And so, we ask, how do we get to have a better vision? How do we benefit more from the gift of what we already have? What blurs our vision and what prevents us from doing so?

Zacchaeus got to deal with this same problem. He was seeking to see Jesus Who is to pass by, but He could not see Him because of the crowd. The tree was the instrument for him to encounter Jesus. His being short in stature made him climb that tree. It elevated him into a higher position so he could have that glimpsed he wanted. This tree is a figure of the Church where one is helped to have that experience with Jesus. Our being Christians doesn’t end in the Church, but it should lead us where we could experience Jesus.

Jesus came, and he looked up where Zacchaeus was. Jesus knew exactly where to find whom he is calling. And he calls at that time when our disposition is challenged, just like Zacchaeus who is being prevented by the crowd. Every challenge should be constructive, it is meant to build us and keep us holding to our faith. But what Jesus would like to hear, despite the pressure and the conflicts, is our response. When he heard Jesus called him, it was as swift as when he was climbing, he came down quickly. His coming down the tree expresses humility, the openness to welcome God’s invitation. And his being short humbled him, he was more limited in height but he was gifted with the grace of being called. Yes, he was short but he was there where Jesus wanted him to be.

Jesus came, and he stayed at Zacchaeus house. The gospel says it was the house of a sinner. But although it was such a house, Jesus was received with joy. We always have a space in our hearts where there is only one who can fill. It is like a void that is only fitted to welcome the Divine. God’s imperishable spirit is in all things. God rebukes offenders little by little, warn them and remind them of the sins they are committing, that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in him. Now, even great sinners have this room in their heart intended for God. And when sinners welcome Jesus, it is conversion. In fact, it is the purpose of His coming to seek and save what was lost.

ABOUT THE SHARER:

SEM. AUSTIN JOHN ORTINERO, OP is from the Archdiocese of Caceres and a member of the Dominican Clerical Fraternity of the Philippines. He is studying at the UST Faculty of Philosophy.

KEYWORDS:

Ordinary Time, Cycle C, OP Domfrat, Vision, Relationship, Encounter, Zacchaeus, Conversion, Grace, Joy