33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Faithfulness
Matthew 25:14-30
Br. John Paul A. Sontillano, OP

Everyone has a calling. Not all are priests or religious men and women. Some are married while others decidedly remained single until death. Whatever our status in life is, everyone is called to faithfulness – to a life of holiness.

In today’s gospel, the parable of the talents reminds us that as we await the coming of the Lord, there is work to be done. Diverse as we are in terms of gifts or interests, all are held responsible in the discharge of our duties as citizens of the world and as members of the Church in a given context we are in.

As Christians, it is our special task to help build the Kingdom of God. Whenever we work for justice, do acts of charity and promote a peaceful environment, we are somehow making God’s reign already present among us. In our workplaces, we can preach grace by performing our job in a truly Christian way. If a parish is entrusted to us as priests or a school as administrators or a class as teachers or a family as parents or children, faithfulness is expected from us. Whether we are carrying out great or small responsibilities, it is always about faithful and loving service. Love is the greatest commandment; fidelity in this is the real measure of success – not the amount of wealth accumulated or the number of academic degrees gained for ourselves. This faithfulness is our sanctity.

May the Lord, when He returns in the least expected time, mercifully grant us eternal life. Amen.

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

BEAUTY WITHOUT, BEAUTY WITHIN
John 2:13-22

Br. Reynor Munsayac, OP

St. Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians said “Do you not know that you are God’s temple, and that God’s spirit abides within you?” As Christians, do we acknowledge the presence and the workings of the Holy Spirit in our lives?

Consumerism tends to highlight the superficial. People are more conscious on their external appearance. That is why the advertisements we see in the television are mostly of products or of clothing brands that promise to the consumers an external beauty. The effect of this to the viewers is the insatiable desire to acquire these things and the promised external beauty. There is nothing wrong with desiring to be beautiful externally. But what is dangerous is when we give too much emphasis on beautifying the outside to the detriment of the inside. What is the use of having beauty on the outside if the inside is rotten? We need to find the balance between the material and the spiritual.

The fruits of the Holy Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We pray to God that He bestows on us his Holy Spirit so that we may be able to merit these fruits and manifest them in our life, within and without.

31st Sunday in ordinary Time

The Judgment

Mt. 25: 31-46

Br. Junel C. Pedroso, OP

No one wants to be damned. We all hope for a better future and even a peaceful afterlife. We can endure inconveniences or can make sacrifices if these would entail achieving something better or more valuable. Thus, no one wants to be eternally punished in hell. We all aspire for perpetual bliss in heaven. 

In our Gospel, we are reminded of God’s calling to be with Him in His heavenly kingdom. He lays down the requirements for the admittance to His abode which is to do good deeds on earth in every instance of our lives. Thus, God calls us to a life of generosity and kindness, and challenges us to keep from selfish acts.  

Today we remember those people who had gone ahead of us. Let us pray that they may be purged from their sins and enter God’s home. May we also prepare ourselves to be worthy of entering God’s kingdom and partake from His heavenly banquet.

ANG PINAKAMAHALAGANG UTOS

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sa pag-ibig nakasalalay ang tanang kautusan ng Panginoon; pag-ibig sa Diyos at sa kapwa. Pagibig ang isinagot ni Hesukristo sa mga Pariseo na nagnais subukan ang Kanyang dunong, sa halip na matuto mula sa Kanya. Pag-ibig ang mensaheng ipinahayag Niya sa Kanyang pangangaral at gawi ng pamumuhay; pag-ibig na nakamit ang kasukdulan sa Kanyang pagaalay ng sariling buhay sa krus. Pag-ibig din ang inaasahan Niya mula sa atin na Kanyang iniibig nang lubos.

Ayon sa kahuwaran ni San Juan Crisostomo (Pseudo Chrysostom), pag-ibig sa Diyos ang isinagot ni Hesukristo, bilang pinakamahalagang utos ng Diyos at hindi takot, sapagkat sa alipin ang takot, sa mga anak ang pag-ibig; takot ang nasa sapilitan, pag-ibig ang nasa malaya. Hindi nais ng Diyos na paglingkuran Siya ng tao sa paraang pinaglilingkuran ng isang alipin ang kanyang amo. Pag-ibig ang nais ng Diyos, kapara ng pag-ibig ng isang anak sa kanyang ama, kung kaya nga ba kinupkop Niya tayo bilang Kanyang mga anak. Inibig tayo ng Ama. 

Lantad ang pag-ibig ng Ama para sa atin, sa pamamagitan ni Hesukristo kasama ng Espiritu Santo. Marapat, kung ganoon, lantad din ang pag-ibig natin sa Kanya;pagibig ng isang anak sa kanyang Ama. Isabuhay natin ang pag-ibig natin sa Diyos sa pag-ibig natin sa kapwa, kung hindi wala tayong pinagkaiba sa mga Pariseyo; sinusubukan at hinihiya lamang ang Panginoon.

HIPOKRITO KA BA?

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Ano ba ang mas mabuti; ang mamuna ka o ang mangutya ka? Ang pamumuna ay ang pagsasabi ng mga maling gawa ng kapwa na naglalayong maitama ang mga ito. Ang pangugutya naman ay pagsasabi ng mga maling gawa ng kapwa ngunit naglalayong idiin sila sa kanilang pagkakamali. Malaki ang pagkakaiba ng dalawa subalit maaari itong maging magkatulad kung ito ay gawa ng isang hipokrito

Ang salitang hipokrito ay mula sa salitang Griyeko na hupokritēs na ang ibig sabihin ay isang artista. Ang isang hupokritēs ay umaarte sa isang palabas; nagkukunwari bilang isang mabuti o masamang karakter. Ang isang hipokrito ay umaarte o nagkukunwari sa totoong buhay; nagkukunwari bilang magaling at walang kapintasan kumpara sa iba. Kaya madalas, siya ay namumuna o kaya nama’y nangungutya ng ibang tao sa paligid niya.

Sa ebangelyo, ang mga Pariseyo ay inilarawan bilang mga hipokrito o mapagkunwari; kunwaring matuwid, baluktot naman. Sa pagtatanong ng mga Pariseyo kay Hesus, sinusubukan nila ang dunong Niya. Bilang tapat at marangal na mamamayan, sumagot siya ng tama at tapat: “Ibigay kay Cesar ang nararapat kay Cesar, at ibigay sa Diyos ang nararapat sa Diyos”. Bilang Anak ng Diyos, namuhay si Hesus nang tapat at totoo-- di umaarte o nagkunwari kailan man.

Kung madalas man tayong mamuna ng kapwa, ito sana ay dahil nais nating maiwasto ang kanilang pagkakamali. Kung madalas tayong mangutya ng iba, iwasan na natin ito dahil wala itong maidudulot na mabuti. Sa halip, katotohan at katapatan ang pairalin natin upang mapabuti ang lagay ng ating kapwa. Iwasang maging hipokrito, mapagkunwari. Piliing maging tapat kapara ni Hesus!