January 31, 2016
4th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year C)

“The Manifestation of Divine Love”

HAPPY 5th YEAR ANNIVERSARY. PARANG KAILAN LANG... 5 YEARS NA PALA ANG BLOG KONG ITO... SANA'Y MAIPAGPATULOY KO PA ITO HANGGA'T KAYA KO..... :)

The book that I'm talking about last last week is now available in gumroad.com. I posted a link also in the side bar of this blog.

Entrance:
1.     Diha sa Halaran, swak sa Psalm “Dayga ang Ginoo”
2.     Daygon ta ang Ginoo, swak pa rin sa Psalm “Dagyga ang Ginoo”
3.     Awit ng Pasasalamat (Hontiveros)
4.     Pag-aalaala (Francisco) Prioritize Stanza 2.
5.     All I ask of you (Norbet)
6.     Blest be the Lord (Schutte)

First Reading                  Jer 1:4-5, 17-19
The word of the LORD came to me, saying:
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I dedicated you,
a prophet to the nations I appointed you.

But do you gird your loins;
stand up and tell them
all that I command you.
Be not crushed on their account,
as though I would leave you crushed before them;
for it is I this day
who have made you a fortified city,
a pillar of iron, a wall of brass,
against the whole land:
against Judah’s kings and princes,
against its priests and people.
They will fight against you but not prevail over you,
for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.

Responsorial Psalm             Ps 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15-17
R. (cf. 15ab) I will sing of your salvation.
In you, O LORD, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your justice rescue me, and deliver me;
incline your ear to me, and save me.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
For you are my hope, O Lord;
my trust, O God, from my youth.
On you I depend from birth;
from my mother’s womb you are my strength.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
My mouth shall declare your justice,
day by day your salvation.
O God, you have taught me from my youth,
and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.
R. I will sing of your salvation.

Second Reading                1 Cor 12:31—13:13 Or 13:4-13
Brothers and sisters:
Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.
But I shall show you a still more excellent way.

If I speak in human and angelic tongues,
but do not have love,
I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.
And if I have the gift of prophecy,
and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge;
if I have all faith so as to move mountains,
but do not have love, I am nothing.
If I give away everything I own,
and if I hand my body over so that I may boast,
but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind.
It is not jealous, it is not pompous,
It is not inflated, it is not rude,
it does not seek its own interests,
it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury,
it does not rejoice over wrongdoing
but rejoices with the truth.
It bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.
If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing;
if tongues, they will cease;
if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing.
For we know partially and we prophesy partially,
but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
When I was a child, I used to talk as a child,
think as a child, reason as a child;
when I became a man, I put aside childish things.
At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror,
but then face to face.
At present I know partially;
then I shall know fully, as I am fully known.
So faith, hope, love remain, these three;
but the greatest of these is love.

or

Brothers and sisters:
Love is patient, love is kind.
It is not jealous, it is not pompous,
it is not inflated, it is not rude,
it does not seek its own interests,
it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury,
it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth.
It bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.
If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing;
if tongues, they will cease;
if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing.
For we know partially and we prophesy partially,
but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
When I was a child, I used to talk as a child,
think as a child, reason as a child;
when I became a man, I put aside childish things.
At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror,
but then face to face.
At present I know partially;
then I shall know fully, as I am fully known.
So faith, hope, love remain, these three;
but the greatest of these is love.

Gospel                         Lk 4:21-30
Jesus began speaking in the synagogue, saying:
“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
And all spoke highly of him
and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.
They also asked, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?”
He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb,
‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say,
‘Do here in your native place
the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’”
And he said, “Amen, I say to you,
no prophet is accepted in his own native place.
Indeed, I tell you,
there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah
when the sky was closed for three and a half years
and a severe famine spread over the entire land.
It was to none of these that Elijah was sent,
but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon.
Again, there were many lepers in Israel
during the time of Elisha the prophet;
yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”
When the people in the synagogue heard this,
they were all filled with fury.
They rose up, drove him out of the town,
and led him to the brow of the hill
on which their town had been built,
to hurl him down headlong.
But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.

Homily/Reflection of the Readings (February 3, 2013)
Welcome my brothers and sisters in Christ to today's celebration of the Holy Mass in remembrance of the infinite goodness and love of the Lord Jesus who has revealed the Heavenly Father to us. Today, progressing through the early development of the Liturgical Calendar, we are celebrating the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time. At this stage, our hearts are progressively opening to the manifestation of Divine Love.

During today's First Reading, in the dialogue between Yahweh and the prophet Jeremiah, we heard a perfect example of Divine Love. Some of the Words that the Heavenly Father spoke are very touching. Yahweh said, "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you"

In His infinite knowledge, the Almighty Lord God knew Jeremiah before He formed him in the womb of his mother. There is no doubt that before each and everyone of us were formed in the womb of our mothers, the Lord God also knew us.

Then, the Lord God said, "Before you were born, I consecrated you." When studying the biblical history of the term to consecrate something or someone, we learn that it means to set it aside for a Divine service. Consequently, we can conclude that Yahweh had set Jeremiah aside for His prophetic mission to the nations.

While we are not all called to be prophets, by the grace of God, through our Baptism, we also have been set aside for a Divine service. Our Divine calling, as revealed to us through Jesus Christ, is to adore the Lord God, to obey His commandments, to share the good news in all four corners of the world, to serve one another and to shine in love towards others for the glory of God.

When the Lord God told Jeremiah "gird up your loins," He was emphasizing the necessity to be prompt to accomplish the order [1 Kings 18:46] of being a prophet to the nations. To gird up your loins means to be in an immediate state of preparation. [Job 38:3, 40:7]

In the same way, in our calling to serve the Lord Jesus, we must always be in a state of preparation. We must always be prompt to accomplish what God has commanded us to do through Jesus Christ. As Jesus said, "Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour." [Mt. 25:13] No one knows which will come first, if the Lord Jesus will return in His glory with His angels at the end of time or if we will be called to appear before the Lord God at the end of this earthly life.

The Apostle Peter said, "Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you." [1 Pet. 5:6-10]

During today's Second Reading, St. Paul was addressing the Corinthians. Based on the content of the First Letter to the Corinthians, it is believed that the faithful were debating as to which gift of God was the greatest. Was it speaking in tongues? Was it the gift of prophecy? Was it understanding the mysteries of God? Or was it faith? In answer to those questions, St. Paul stated that the best gift of God is the gift of love.

The type of love that St. Paul was speaking about is called "agape" in Greek. This is the kind of love that flows to us from God through Jesus Christ. It is creative and unmotivated. It seeks nothing. It is not attracted by goodness because God loves us as sinners in Jesus. As such, we must open ourselves to the Divine love of God to allow it to be active in us. Then and only then will our love towards others always be pure and unmotivated. 

One of the reasons that love is so important is because it is eternal. It will always be with us. The love that we show towards God and our brothers and sisters in Christ, it will be with us for eternity. The manner in which we love one another today in this world, in Heaven, we will be required to continue to manifest this love.

While all the gifts of the Holy Spirit will come to an end, love will not. While our limited knowledge and understanding of things will come to an end, love will persist forever. Why will love persist forever? It is because "God is love." [1 Jn. 4:8] It is because "Love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God." [1 Jn. 4:7] "All who obey His Commandments abide in Him, and He abides in them. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit that He has given us." [1 Jn. 3:24]

Some of you may have realized that some versions of the Holy Scripture uses the word "love" while other versions use the word "charity." The word "charity" echoes active love. No Christian actions can be performed without active love. If you are kind to someone, it is because you love the person in Christ. If you are feeding the hungry or clothing the sick, such charitable acts are acts of love. Love is perfected by our charitable acts towards others. What we do to others, we do to Christ.

During today's Gospel Reading, thinking spiritually, we were able to perceive how God manifested His Divine love in a very personal way. Through the incarnation in Jesus Christ, God came to dwell among us. What great love God has for us, that He set aside His divinity, took human form upon Himself, and dwelled in our midst so we may come to know Him as He truly is, holy, perfect, eternal, merciful, forgiving, etc... There are no other like Him.

When God came down from Heaven to dwell upon us, not all accepted the manifestation of His Divine love. As the prophets of the Old Testament were rejected in their hometown, the Lord Jesus also found rejection among His own. In the eyes of the people of His hometown, He did not meet their standards. Because they knew Him since His childhood, He was nothing special to them. How judgmental and blind the human nature can be at times.

In our daily Christian lives, we must always be aware of our thoughts, our words and our actions. Do we misjudge and condemn others as the villagers judged and condemned Jesus? Do we discriminate against others because of their colour, their race, their nationality, their education, their gender, their age or the way they dress? None of these judgments perceive the soul of others, all souls being equal in the eyes of God.

To manifest Divine love towards others, we must be prepared to make ourselves little so others may be raised. We must be prepared to serve so others may be served. We must be prepared to take the back seat so others may have the front seat. We must be prepared to honour others as we would like to be honoured. We must die in Christ so Christ may shine in others. That is what Divine love is all about.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, this week, let us take time to assess our personal status in the world. Are we gladly serving versus demanding service? Are we humble versus being proud? Are we giving love versus always expecting to receive it? Are we at the giving end of charity versus taking advantage of receiving it? These are holy reflections. May our hearts feed upon them so we may always glorify the Lord God in all things.

Offertory:
1.     O Dios Dawata (Koro Viannista)
2.     Diyutay lang Kini
3.     Ang Tanging Alay Ko
4.     Narito Ako (San Andres) Prioritize Stanza 2.
5.     Narito Ako, Panginoon (Que)
6.     Prayer for Generosity (Arboleda) 
7.     To Be Your Bread (Haas)

Communion:
1.     Ang Kinabuhing Mahinungdanon
2.     Ang Tawo niining Kalibutan
3.     Kini maong Akong Lawas
4.     Awit ng Paghilom (Aquino) 
5.     Kaibigan
6.     Halina, Lumapit sa Akin (Isidro, Que) Best choice.
7.     Hesus ng Aking Buhay (Aquino)
8.     Huwag Kang Mangamba (Pagsanghan, Francisco)
9.     Huwag Limutin (Aquino)
10.   H’wag Mangamba (Francisco)
11.   Far Greater Love (Go, Francisco)
12.   God of Silence (Francisco)
13.   Here I Am, Lord (Schutte)


Recessional:
1.     Ang Atong Tulubagon
2.     Kinsa?
3.     Ang Tawag
4.     Magpasalamat sa Kanya (Ramirez)
5.     O Bayan ng Dios (Aquino)
6.     My Heart’s Thanksgiving (Aquino)

Enjoy and have a nice weekend everyone J

January 24, 2016 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year C)

January 24, 2016

3^rd Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year C)

National Bible Sunday

“There are many members, yet one body.”

Today is National Bible Sunday. I hope that all of us, even in our own little way can support the different Bible Societies in our country to promote giving a bible in every family. In the Philippines we call it MAY THEY BE ONE project. Please call and coordinate with the officials of different Bible Societies where you are now, and ask them how you can help them. Thank you :)

Please if you have a time (especially to the Filipinos) visit my wattpad account and read my stories for free. Click here : https://www.wattpad.com/user/YGKing

Entrance:

     1.      Kon Magkatigum Ta

     2.     Pag-inambitay

     3.     Pag-aalaala (Francisco) “pagliligtas niya sa atin”

     4.     Halina, Lumapit sa Akin (Isidro, Que)

     5.     Sing to the mountains (Dufford)

     6.     City of God (Schutte)

First Reading                       NEH 8:2-4A, 5-6, 8-10

Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly,
which consisted of men, women,
and those children old enough to understand.
Standing at one end of the open place that was before the Water Gate,
he read out of the book from daybreak till midday,
in the presence of the men, the women,
and those children old enough to understand;
and all the people listened attentively to the book of the law.
Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform
that had been made for the occasion.
He opened the scroll
so that all the people might see it
— for he was standing higher up than any of the people —;
and, as he opened it, all the people rose.
Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God,
and all the people, their hands raised high, answered,
“Amen, amen!”
Then they bowed down and prostrated themselves before the LORD,
their faces to the ground.
Ezra read plainly from the book of the law of God,
interpreting it so that all could understand what was read.
Then Nehemiah, that is, His Excellency, and Ezra the priest-scribe
and the Levites who were instructing the people
said to all the people:
“Today is holy to the LORD your God.
Do not be sad, and do not weep”—
for all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law.
He said further: “Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks,
and allot portions to those who had nothing prepared;
for today is holy to our LORD.
Do not be saddened this day,
for rejoicing in the LORD must be your strength!”

Responsorial Psalm                           PS 19:8, 9, 10, 15

R. (cf John 6:63c) Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart
find favor before you,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

Second Reading                              1 COR 12:12-30

Brothers and sisters:
As a body is one though it has many parts,
and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body,
so also Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,
whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,
and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.

Now the body is not a single part, but many.
If a foot should say,
“Because I am not a hand I do not belong to the body,
“it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.
Or if an ear should say,
“Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body, “
it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.
If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be?
If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?
But as it is, God placed the parts,
each one of them, in the body as he intended.
If they were all one part, where would the body be?
But as it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you, “
nor again the head to the feet, “I do not need you.”
Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker
are all the more necessary,
and those parts of the body that we consider less honorable
we surround with greater honor,
and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety,
whereas our more presentable parts do not need this.
But God has so constructed the body
as to give greater honor to a part that is without it,
so that there may be no division in the body,
but that the parts may have the same concern for one another.
If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it;
if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.

Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it.
Some people God has designated in the church
to be, first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers;
then, mighty deeds;
then gifts of healing, assistance, administration,
and varieties of tongues.
Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers?
Do all work mighty deeds? Do all have gifts of healing?
Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?

Or                          1 COR 12:12-14, 27

Brothers and sisters:
As a body is one though it has many parts,
and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body,
so also Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,
whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,
and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.
Now the body is not a single part, but many.
You are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it.

Gospel                                         LK 1:1-4; 4:14-21

Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events
that have been fulfilled among us,
just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning
and ministers of the word have handed them down to us,
I too have decided,
after investigating everything accurately anew,
to write it down in an orderly sequence for you,
most excellent Theophilus,
so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings
you have received.

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,
and news of him spread throughout the whole region.
He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.

He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day.
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me 
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.
Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them,
“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Homily or Reflection of the Readings:

There are many members, yet one Body. [1 Cor. 12:20] Welcome my brothers and sisters in Christ to today's celebration of the Holy Mass in honour of the glorified Lord Jesus.

During the Gospel Reading, we heard Jesus proclaiming, today the year of the Lord's favour as it was written in the Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing. [Lk. 4:19, 21] What did Jesus mean by the words that the year of the Lord's favour had been fulfilled? He meant that the long awaited messianic jubilee had finally arrived. The promised messianic salvation had finally arrived. Jesus affirmed that He was the long awaited Messiah that God the Father had promised to His people throughout the days of the Old Testament.

Two thousand years ago, on Pentecost Day in Jerusalem, [Acts 1:4, 2:2] Jesus established the visible Church to which we belong. At the same time, He established the invisible Kingdom of God on earth as it is in Heaven. Both together, the visible Holy Catholic Church and the invisible Kingdom of God compose the Mystical Body of Christ.

The Holy Catholic Church, visible in nature, is part of the Body of Christ because it is composed of members who share in the life of the Risen Christ. The invisible Kingdom of God is also part of the Body of Christ because it is composed of all the saints who have persevered in their living faith in Christ, therefore receiving their just eternal reward and salvation. The visible is our first step; the invisible is our final step. The visible is our journey and blessed hope towards the invisible; the invisible is our eternal joy and peace in the continuous Divine presence of our Lord God and all His heavenly creations.

In His proclamation, Jesus said that He had been anointed to bring good news to the poor, He had been sent to release the captives, for the recovery of sight of the blind and to let the oppressed go free. Literally taken with a worldly approach, these words imply that Jesus had come to bring abundance to those who were poor, to free the slaves and the prisoners, to heal the blind and to stop all worldly oppression. But this was not what Jesus meant.

Embracing a spiritual approach, it becomes clear that the proclamation of the Lord Jesus was to announce the arrival of the Kingdom of God on earth. The Kingdom of God was the good news that Jesus was proclaiming. For the arrival of the Kingdom of God to be fulfilled, it meant the arrival of the promised Messiah. It meant that those who were spiritually blind would be enlightened, now being able to see the way, the truth and the life. It meant that those who were captives of sin, slaves of Satan, would be free, first through the Sacrament of Baptism and then through the Sacrament of Confession so that they could instantly enjoy eternal life after their physical death.

It meant that those who were spiritually poor would finally have a living hope in Christ. We as Gentiles, had we been born prior to the coming of Christ on earth, we would have been spiritually poor. We would have had no living hope of the eternal glory that comes with salvation because we would not have been part of God's chosen people, the Jewish nation. Before our new birth in Christ through the Sacrament of Baptism, we were poor; now, we are spiritually rich.

The way of life [Acts 2:28] that has been made known to us through Jesus Christ requires our humility and our obedience to the Lord God.

As Christians, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, we are commanded to clothe ourselves with humility. [Col. 3:12] Whoever becomes humbles like a child is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven. [Mt. 18:4] He who humbles himself before the Lord, the Lord shall exalt him. [Jas. 4:10] For God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. [1 Pet. 5:5-6]

As Christians, we are also commanded to obey God's Commandments. Today's First Reading from the Book of Nehemiah tells us how much importance was placed in those days on knowing and obeying the law of Moses. In the days of Nehemiah, anyone who had reached the age of reason and could hear with understanding, he was required to be present and to listen to the reading of the law. I can assure you that there was more than one law. It took from early morning until midday to hear them all while they were being read. That would be equivalent to listening to a three or four hour sermon.

Jesus must have known that some of us Gentiles can be very impatient when it comes to long sermons. So, He summarized the Ten Commandments and the law of Moses into two simple Commandments for us. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first Commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. On these two Commandments hang all the law and the prophets." [Mt. 22:37-40]

Those two laws are for the benefit of the one Body of Christ. Jesus did not say, "You shall love yourself and your ways." He said that with all your might, you shall love God first. Secondly, you shall love your neighbours. Why so much emphasis on love? It is because "God is love. [1 Jn. 4:8] Love is one of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. [Gal. 5:22] "Love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God." [1 Jn. 4:7] "All who obey His Commandments abide in Him, and He abides in them. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit that He has given us." [1 Jn. 3:24]

Today's Second Reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians revealed to us how important it is for the members of the Body of Christ to be united. Each of us has been called to serve the Lord Jesus. While I serve as a priest, you may serve in the choir as a musician or as a singer. Some are called to be Deacons, others as Extra-Ordinary Eucharistic Ministers. Still others may serve as Altar Servers, as Gift Bearers, as Lectors, as Ministers of Hospitality, as Secretary, as Knights of Columbus, etc... And let us not forget those who have the spiritual gifts of healing, speaking in tongues, of interpretation, of leadership, etc... With each calling comes spiritual gifts to equip each and everyone of us for the benefit of the Body.

If everyone said, "I want to be the musician" or "I want to be the Altar Server," we would have a very serious problem. There is a limit as to how many musicians or Altar Servers we can use during the celebration of one Holy Mass. (Optional: That is when Church Committees are very beneficial. In such situations, the pastor can delegate the authority to the Church Committee to resolve the problem.) As such, in His Divine Wisdom, the Holy Spirit has taken care of this potential problem. He made sure that each and everyone of us are equipped with a variety of gifts that would meet the diversity of needs within the living Body of Christ.

All of this tells us that while there are many members, there is but one Body in Christ in which all its member are indispensable. If someone neglects his functions as a member of the Body of Christ, all the members suffer. Why? Because there is something missing. It is like trying to point a direction to someone with a missing index finger. No finger, no pointing!

Some may choose to say, "Well, I am a part-time member. I am busy with my worldly affairs and so I go to Church once a year." To this, Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters, for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth." [Mt. 6:24]

Another one may say, "I go to Church every Sunday but I do not want to commit myself to anything." To this, the Book of Revelation tells us, "I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold, nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth. For you say, 'I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.' You do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked." [Rev. 3:15-7]

Now some may not like the previous answers and say, "I quit!" Sorry, but you cannot quit the Body of Christ. You see, when you received the Sacrament of Baptism, you were born again in water and Spirit. [Jn. 3:5] You received your new creation of the godly seed [1 Jn. 3:9] in fulfillment of the promises of the Heavenly Father that are found in the Old Testament. During your admission in the Body of Christ as a new creation, you received as "first instalment," [Eph. 1:13-4; 2 Cor. 1:22, 5:5] the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit for the purpose of your sanctification. 

To quit the Body of Christ, you would have to totally and freely reject the grace of God and the purifying fire of the Holy Spirit. You would have to reject the Advocate that the Father and the Son have sent to sanctify you in Christ.

So belonging to the Body of Christ is not the same as working for a Company. As an employee, if you do not do your job, the employer fires you and replaces you. Then productivity resumes with the new employee. But in the Body of Christ, it is different. If the index finger decides that it will not become actively involved in the ministry of the Church, then I am afraid that the Body of Christ will have to go without a pointing finger.

So you see, when you have a fallen-away Catholic who has shipwrecked and abandoned his living faith in Christ, he is still a Catholic. He still belongs to the Body of Christ. And the Body of Christ shall suffer as long as the faithful members of the Church do not commit themselves to evangelizing in their Parish to ensure that all the members of the Body of Christ are active participants of their local Church. That is what St. Paul was teaching to the Corinthians.

The Body of Christ cannot be divided. No one can say, "There are Catholics and then there are Catholics." For there is one Christ, one Spirit, one faith, one Baptism and one Body. When a small part of the Body of Christ isolates itself from the remaining of the Body, it creates disharmony that can lead to division. Such action is not of the Spirit of Christ.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, this week, with a sincere heart, let us reflect upon our commitment to the Body of Christ. Let us ask ourselves, "Am I actively involved in my Parish?" "Am I making an effort to draw to my Parish those that I know who have shipwrecked in their faith?" Or, "Am I the cause of division within the Body of Christ?"

As we continue the celebration of the Holy Mass, let us pray for one another, that through our Christian Unity, the Body of Christ may come to its fullness so the Lord God may be glorified in all things.

Offertory:

1.      O Dios, Dawata (Koro Viannista)

2.     Uban ning Pan ug Bino (Cubillas)

3.     Panalangin sa Pagiging Bukas Palad (Arboleda, Francisco)

4.     Pag-aalay ng Puso (Nero, Que) “minsan lamang”

5.     Prayer for Generosity (Arboleda) “Teach me”

6.     One Bread, One Body (Foley)

Communion:

1.      Kini Maong Akong Lawas

2.     Kalig-on sa Pagtoo

3.     Natawag ko na Ikaw

4.     Ang Tawo niining kalibutan

5.     O Hesus, Hilumin Mo (Francisco)

6.     Pananatili (Miranda)

7.     Huwag Mangamba (Francisco)

8.     Hiram sa Dios (swak sa 2R)

9.     Panunumpa (Gonzales). This is not a song exclusively for weddings. This could be for holy orders, basta when the apostles are involved.

10.   God of Silence (Francisco)

11.    Lead Me Lord (De Pano)

12.   Teach My Heart

13.   Here I am Lord (Schutte)

Recessional:

1.      Ang Atong Tulubagon

2.     Kinsa?

3.     Humayo’t Ihayag (Francisco-Catalan-Go)

4.     Magpasalamat kayo sa Panginoon (Ramirez) Prioritize Stanza 2. 

            5.     Life Forevermore (Ellerton, Francisco)

            6.     I Will Sing forever (Francisco) “A song of forgiveness” is so 1R.

            7.     Pilgrim’s Theme (Go, Francisco)

Hope, makakatulong ito and those people who always visit my blog, please, please, please, please try to leave a comment on the comment box. Thank you!!!

January 17, 2016 Feast of Sto. Niño 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

January 17, 2016

Feast of Sto. Niño

2^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

Entrance:

1.      Lungsod nga Balaan

2.      Kon Magkatigum Ta

3.      Saulogon ta Karon

4.      Pagmamahal sa Panginoon (Hontiveros)

5.      Halina at Lumapit (Habito)

6.      Magnificat (Haas)

7.      Come with Praise (Schutte)

First  Reading                        IS 62:1-5

For Zion’s sake I will not be silent,
for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet,
until her vindication shines forth like the dawn
and her victory like a burning torch.

Nations shall behold your vindication,
and all the kings your glory;
you shall be called by a new name
pronounced by the mouth of the LORD.
You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the LORD,
a royal diadem held by your God.
No more shall people call you “Forsaken, “
or your land “Desolate, “
but you shall be called “My Delight, “
and your land “Espoused.”
For the LORD delights in you
and makes your land his spouse.
As a young man marries a virgin,
your Builder shall marry you;
and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride
so shall your God rejoice in you.

Responsorial Psalm                     PS 96:1-2, 2-3, 7-8, 9-10

R. (3) Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Give to the LORD, you families of nations,
give to the LORD glory and praise;
give to the LORD the glory due his name!
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Worship the LORD in holy attire.
Tremble before him, all the earth;
Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He governs the peoples with equity.
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Second Reading                        1 COR 12:4-11

Brothers and sisters:
There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit;
there are different forms of service but the same Lord;
there are different workings but the same God
who produces all of them in everyone.
To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit
is given for some benefit.
To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom;
to another, the expression of knowledge according to the
same Spirit;
to another, faith by the same Spirit;
to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit;
to another, mighty deeds;
to another, prophecy;
to another, discernment of spirits;
to another, varieties of tongues;
to another, interpretation of tongues.
But one and the same Spirit produces all of these,
distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.

Gospel                                  JN 2:1-11

There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee,
and the mother of Jesus was there.
Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.
When the wine ran short,
the mother of Jesus said to him,
“They have no wine.”
And Jesus said to her,
“Woman, how does your concern affect me?
My hour has not yet come.”
His mother said to the servers,
“Do whatever he tells you.”
Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings,
each holding twenty to thirty gallons.
Jesus told the them,
“Fill the jars with water.”
So they filled them to the brim.
Then he told them,
“Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.”
So they took it.
And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine,
without knowing where it came from
— although the servers who had drawn the water knew —,
the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him,
“Everyone serves good wine first,
and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one;
but you have kept the good wine until now.”
Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee
and so revealed his glory,
and his disciples began to believe in him.

Homily and Reflection of the Readings

My brothers and sisters in Christ, welcome to today's celebration of the Holy Mass that commemorates the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Today's Readings from the Holy Scriptures reveal to us that the Lord God rejoices in the Holy Catholic Church that has been instituted on earth by Jesus Christ Himself through the grace of the Heavenly Father and the power of the Holy Spirit. As you will shortly perceive, in the eyes of God, the Holy Catholic Church is the Bride of God.

Today's First Reading was taken from Chapter Sixty-Two of the Book of Isaiah. This particular Chapter has to do with the vindication and salvation of Zion. Zion, a Mount within the Holy City of Jerusalem, had found favour in the eyes of God. The Lord God promised that through His mercy, the past sins of Zion would be absolved. In other words, Zion was about to be justified.

Prior to those days, God had remained silent for a long period of time because of the sins of His disobedient children. Their prayers were no longer being answered. It was as if God no longer existed, as if He had abandoned them.

But, all of a sudden, something happened. God spoke to His people. He said that He would no longer remain silent. Going to the complete opposite, He would no longer rest until such time as His people had been justified as if it was a new beginning. God would no longer rest until the salvation of Jerusalem shined like a burning torch. In other words, He would not rest until it has become obvious to everyone that God's chosen people had been justified and saved.

Now history tells us that the Lord's chosen people had stumbled through the coming of Jesus Christ as God incarnated. As such, it appeared that the final glory of Jerusalem was yet to come. On this subject, St. Paul says, "So I ask, have they stumbled so as to fall? By no means! But through their stumbling salvation has come to the Gentiles..." [Rom. 11:11] "As regards the gospel they are enemies of God for your sake; but as regards election they are beloved for the sake of their ancestors; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." [Rom. 11:28-29]

The stumbling of God's chosen people was all part of the progressive Divine Plan of salvation for the Gentiles. Through them, the grace of God was opened to us.

During the First Reading, it was stated that all the kings would see the glory of Jerusalem and it shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give it. Indeed, the kings and rulers of every nation have seen the glory of Jerusalem. They have come to the knowledge and understanding that Jesus Christ was the promised Messiah, that He triumphantly entered Jerusalem as the King of kings, that He was crucified outside the gates of Jerusalem as the Lamb of God for the salvation of mankind, and that the Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost.

All of these events came to pass for the fulfillment of God's promise. Through these events, the invisible Kingdom of God was instituted on earth, having its beginning in Jerusalem. All of these events came to pass so the world would recognize the new name of the Body of Christ on earth, the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. For the Holy Catholic Church which has its seat in Rome is the visible reflection of the invisible Body of Christ which has its seat in Jerusalem, its Ruler being Jesus Christ, the King of kings.

Indeed, the Holy Catholic Church has become a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord and a royal diadem in the hand of our God. The Lord God delights in her. The joy of the Lord is in the establishment of His eternal Kingdom. While Satan had the power to seduce our first parents to capture the first Kingdom of God in order to become the Prince of this world, he can no longer harm the new Kingdom that is being established. This Kingdom, the new Jerusalem, populated by the righteous angels and saints, is continuously growing towards the fullness of the glory of God. The new Kingdom cannot be destroyed. It is eternal and spiritual in nature. While the human nature can experience death, the spiritual nature cannot experience it! The eternal joy and peace of the righteous ones is guaranteed by God Himself.

What is the relationship that God promised to have towards His Church. In the Sacred Words of God, the Holy Catholic Church is called to become His spouse. When we consider the sacredness of the Sacrament of marriage, we only begin to perceive the tremendous love and loyalty that God has for us as living members of His Church.

My brothers and sisters, the joy of the Master Builder is in His Church. The joy of the Lord is in us, the living stones who build up the Holy Catholic Church for His eternal glory.

To build up the Bride of Christ, God has sent His Spirit on Pentecost Day. For the common good of all, the Holy Spirit freely distributes gifts to the members of the Body. While there are a number of spiritual manifestations, all come from the one Divine source, the Spirit, the Lord, and the Father. All graces are given primarily for the benefit of the Church.

The spiritual manifestations fall into three categories. These are the gifts, the ministries and the activities. The gifts are attributed to the Holy Spirit who has been sent by the Lord Jesus and the Father. The ministries are attributed to the Lord Jesus, who was sent as God incarnated to minister and to serve. The activities are attributed to God the Father who is the source of all being and activity.

There are nine gifts from the Holy Spirit for the building up of the Holy Catholic Church. These are the utterance of wisdom, the utterance of knowledge and faith. Then there are the gifts of healing, the working of miracles and prophecy. These are followed by the gifts of discerning the spirits, speaking in tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. As the members of the human body exist for the goods of the whole, these gifts are directed to the welfare of the Church.

Today's Reading from the Gospel of John reveals to us one of the events that came to pass to manifest to us that the promise of God the Father was being fulfilled in the fullness of time. A few days ago, we celebrated the Baptism of the Lord Jesus. That special moment, when the voice of God the Father was heard from Heaven and the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in the form of a Dove, marked the beginning of the public ministry of Jesus Christ on earth.

Up until then, Jesus had not done anything extraordinary to prove His Divinity. But at the Wedding of Cana, it was different. That was when Jesus performed His first public miracle. By transforming the element of water, by changing the water into wine, Jesus Christ proved beyond any doubt that He was God. He executed an act that cannot be matched by any human being.

My Christian brothers and sisters, the Wedding of Cana was prophetic of the celebration of the Holy Mass. During the "Preparation of the Holy Gifts," the celebrant says, "By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity." These words remind us of the Wedding of Cana.

Both, the celebration of the Holy Mass and the Wedding of Cana consist of a great Feast during which time the bride and bridegroom are present. Every time we participate in the celebration of the Holy Mass, in spirit, we witness the delight of the Heavenly Father who rejoices in His Bride, the Holy Catholic Church.

If I may also add, the serving of the old wine first and the new wine last, is a progressive symbol of our creation. Because of the disobedience of our first parents, we are all called to experience spiritual death. But, thanks to the Redeeming Blood of Christ, we received a new life. Through the Sacrament of Baptism, we died with Christ, we were buried with Christ, and we resurrected with Christ as new creations. The old has passed away, the new has arrived! The former has died, the new creation is a member of the Body of Christ.

The new life that we have received in Christ is of the godly seed. [1 Jn. 3:9] It is no wonder that God rejoices in His Bride of which we are living members. As the Lord God rejoices in His Holy Church, He also rejoices in each and everyone of us. Why? Because, precious in God's sight, and like living stones, we have been called to be built into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood. [1 Pet. 2:5]

My brothers and sisters in Christ, this week, let us set aside a few moments here and there so we may reflect upon the blessings that we have received through our Lord Jesus as members of the precious Bride of God. Let us not take for grant the spiritual gifts that have been given to us for the common good of all. Let us reflect upon our active involvement in the Body of Christ and pray that by the grace of God, we may always persevere in our living faith as shining lights.

Offertory:

1. Mugna sa Dios
2. Diyutay Lang Kini
3. Unang Alay (Magnaye)
4. Paghahandog ng Sarili (Arboleda-Francisco)
5. Take our Bread (Wise)
6. Dwelling Place (Foley)

Communion:

1. Ako ang  Kahayag (swak sa first reading)
2. Kini Maong Akong Lawas (Koro Viannista)
3. Hesus na Aking Kapatid (Hontiveros)
4. Halina Lumapit sa Akin (Que, Isidro)
5. Lead Me Lord (de Pano)
6. One More Gift (Francisco)

Recessional:

1. Ang Tawag
2. Tanda ng Kaharian
3. All the ends of the Earth (Dufford)

Sana’y makatulong ito sa inyo…. Hala Bira! Viva Señor Santo Niño!

January 10, 2016 - Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

January 10, 2016

Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

“Anointed with the Holy Spirit and Power”

Actually ang post na ito ay kinuha ko na lang mula sa nauna kong post noong January 13, 2013 dahil nga pareho lang naman ang readings nila. Paulit-ulit lang naman siya.

Ako po’y lubusang nagpapasalamat sa inyong walang sawang pagsunod sa blog na ito kahit na hindi ko na masyadong naa-update simula nang pumasok ako ng seminary.

Baka sa mga susunod na linggo ay ilalabas ko ang aking libro dito na pinamagatan kong “My Food, My Strength” (Selected Text from the Bible for Different Spiritual and Emotional Needs)… I need your help to promote it para na rin sa aking bokasyon dahil lilipat na nga po ako ng Diocese sa susunod na taon dahil hindi po ako recommended for novitiate sa SVD because of my turbulent family background. Sana po ay matulungan ninyo ako sa pabor kong hinihingi sa inyo…

Entrance:

1.     Lungsod nga Balaan

2.     Kon Magkatigum Ta

3.     Saulogon ta Karon

4.     Sa Hapag ng Panginoon

5.     Purihi’t Pasalamatan

6.     Isang Pananampalataya

7.     Come with Praise (Schutte)

8.     Water of Life (Haas)

9.     Table of Plenty

First Reading                                  Is 42:1-4, 6-7

Thus says the LORD:
Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one with whom I am pleased,
upon whom I have put my spirit;
he shall bring forth justice to the nations,
not crying out, not shouting,
not making his voice heard in the street.
a bruised reed he shall not break,
and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,
until he establishes justice on the earth;
the coastlands will wait for his teaching.

I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice,
I have grasped you by the hand;
I formed you, and set you
as a covenant of the people,
a light for the nations,
to open the eyes of the blind,
to bring out prisoners from confinement,
and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.

Or Is 40:1-5, 9-11

Comfort, give comfort to my people,
says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her
that her service is at an end,
her guilt is expiated;
indeed, she has received from the hand of the LORD
double for all her sins.

A voice cries out:
In the desert prepare the way of the LORD!
Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!
Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill shall be made low;
the rugged land shall be made a plain,
the rough country, a broad valley.
Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
and all people shall see it together;
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Go up on to a high mountain,
Zion, herald of glad tidings;
cry out at the top of your voice,
Jerusalem, herald of good news!
Fear not to cry out
and say to the cities of Judah:
Here is your God!
Here comes with power
the Lord GOD,
who rules by a strong arm;
here is his reward with him,
his recompense before him.
Like a shepherd he feeds his flock;
in his arms he gathers the lambs,
carrying them in his bosom,
and leading the ewes with care.

Responsorial Psalm                     Ps 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10.

R. (11b) The Lord will bless his people with peace.
Give to the LORD, you sons of God,
give to the LORD glory and praise,
Give to the LORD the glory due his name;
adore the LORD in holy attire.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The voice of the LORD is over the waters,
the LORD, over vast waters.
The voice of the LORD is mighty;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The God of glory thunders,
and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
The LORD is enthroned above the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as king forever.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.

Or Ps 104:1b-2, 3-4, 24-25, 27-28, 29-30

R. (1) O bless the Lord, my soul.
O LORD, my God, you are great indeed!
you are clothed with majesty and glory,
robed in light as with a cloak.
You have spread out the heavens like a tent-cloth;
R. O bless the Lord, my soul.
You have constructed your palace upon the waters.
You make the clouds your chariot;
you travel on the wings of the wind.
You make the winds your messengers,
and flaming fire your ministers.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul.
How manifold are your works, O LORD!
In wisdom you have wrought them all—
the earth is full of your creatures;
the sea also, great and wide,
in which are schools without number
of living things both small and great.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul.
They look to you to give them food in due time.
When you give it to them, they gather it;
when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul.
If you take away their breath, they perish and return to the dust.
When you send forth your spirit, they are created,
and you renew the face of the earth.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul.

Second Reading                                Acts 10:34-38

Peter proceeded to speak to those gathered
in the house of Cornelius, saying:
“In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.
Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly
is acceptable to him.
You know the word that he sent to the Israelites
as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all,
what has happened all over Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism
that John preached,
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and power.
He went about doing good
and healing all those oppressed by the devil,
for God was with him.”

Or Ti 2:11-14; 3:4-7

Beloved:
The grace of God has appeared, saving all
and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires
and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age,
as we await the blessed hope,
the appearance of the glory of our great God
and savior Jesus Christ,
who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness
and to cleanse for himself a people as his own,
eager to do what is good.

When the kindness and generous love
of God our savior appeared,
not because of any righteous deeds we had done
but because of his mercy,
He saved us through the bath of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
whom he richly poured out on us
through Jesus Christ our savior,
so that we might be justified by his grace
and become heirs in hope of eternal life.

Gospel                                 LK 3:15-16, 21-22

The people were filled with expectation,
and all were asking in their hearts
whether John might be the Christ.
John answered them all, saying,
“I am baptizing you with water,
but one mightier than I is coming.
I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

After all the people had been baptized
and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying,
heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him
in bodily form like a dove.
And a voice came from heaven,
“You are my beloved Son;
with you I am well pleased.”

Homily or Reflection of the Readings:

My brothers and sisters in Christ, today's First Reading from the Book of Isaiah consisted of a prophecy related to the coming of the promised Messiah. The Reading from the Gospel of Luke announced that when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, this was the event that marked the official beginning of the Lord's ministry on earth as Christ the Redeemer.

The First Reading consisted of God speaking to His people through the prophet Isaiah. In those days, God's chosen people were coming out of captivity. Jerusalem was in shambles. [Is. 49:17, 51:17] The Jewish people had endured great suffering.

The Lord God told Isaiah to comfort His people, to speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and to cry out to her that she had served her term that her penalty was paid, that she had received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.

The repetition of the word "comfort" echoes a tone of mercy. God was about to show mercy towards His people. To speak tenderly meant to speak to the heart. This was a delicate expression of Divine love that God was manifesting towards His people. During the past centuries, the people had turned away from God. As such, they had been punished. They paid double for their sins. While some may view such a punishment as being very severe, it should not be perceived as Divine anger but as a time of purification. God sanctified a people unto Himself. Now, a new era was on the horizon, a time of joy and peace, the glorious moment when God's people would be redeemed.

Then the Lord said, "A voice cries out: 'In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.'" A voice crying out echoes a new exodus. The Lord Himself was about to lead the new exodus. He was about to take His people out of Babylon, through the desert, and back to Palestine.

The words, "in the wilderness prepare the way" introduces one of the richest terms found in the Holy Bible. The "Way" is a manner of life, for men and for God. There can be two ways, either good or evil. [Mt. 7:13-4] John the Baptist cried out in the wilderness to prepare "the way of the Lord." [Mk. 1:3] Jesus declared that He Himself was that Way. [Jn. 14:6, Heb. 10:20] Christianity itself is called "the Way." [Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23]

Through this prophecy, Jerusalem was highly glorified. It was hailed as the home of God on earth and the center of world redemption. The pre-exilic days of sensuousness and hypocrisy were finally coming to an end.

Jerusalem, synonym of Zion, was called the herald of glad tidings. It was proclaimed, "Here is your God!" In these prophetic words, Isaiah was not suggesting a human king of the lineage of king David but rather a Divine King, Yahweh Himself.

Among those words, there was a sudden change, from "king" to "shepherd." In other parts of the Old Testament, we find that the words "king" and "shepherd" are synonymous of each other. [2 Sam. 5:2; Jer. 3:15] Now, the prophet Isaiah reveals God as a shepherd- king who draws His people unto Himself and who even carries them. [Jer. 31:10; Ezek. 34:11-6; Ps. 23]

The Reading from today's Gospel of Luke presented John the Baptist's Messianic preaching. In the psychological setting, we can perceive that the people were expecting the arrival of the promised Messiah at any time. In their hearts, they wondered, "Is He the one that we are waiting for?"

Knowing their hearts, John the Baptist answered, "But one who is more powerful than I is coming." The words "one who is more powerful" echoed Jesus the great liberator in the war against Satan. The words "more powerful" or "mighty" was frequently used in the Holy Scriptures to describe the leader of the final struggle against evil. [Mk. 3:27; Lk. 11:20-2; Rev. 18:8]

In this particular passage, a great importance was given to the Holy Spirit. Throughout the Holy Bible, many amazing manifestations were credited to the presence of the Spirit, as the life and power of God. Such is seen in the creation [Gen. 1:2] and the warriors. [Judges 3:10, 11:29, 1 Sam. 11:6] But now, the Holy Spirit is identified as a separate Divine Presence in the Blessed Trinity. While the voice of the Heavenly Father was heard from Heaven, the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in bodily form like a dove.

When John the Baptist stated that the believers would be baptized with fire, such is associated with sanctification and salvation. Fire represents a sanctifying action. At the same time, in Scripture, fire is very often associated with the presence of the Saviour-God. God will sanctify His people as through refining fire so they may be made righteous in His eyes to inherit the eternal salvation of the children of God.

When we hear that "all the people were baptized," we perceive a new episode, a whole community advancing towards the new and most joyful promised land, the spiritual Kingdom of God on earth. So great was the Divine Presence of God in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, that all the people were touched, repented of their sins and were baptized. There was no space left for doubters. 

The voice of God from Heaven echoes the Heavenly Father's desire and determination to save His people. Through the Words, "You are my Son." the Heavenly Father confesses the Divinity of Jesus. Jesus is God incarnated in human form.

It should be noted that Jesus did not get baptized because He needed to repent of His sins. Being God, He was without sin! Why then was He baptized? Because from the moment of His birth to the moment when He began His ministry on earth, Jesus completely submitted Himself in obedience to the customs of His people. By submitting Himself to the Baptism of John the Baptist, He placed His seal of approval that we all need to repent of our sins. 

But there was more to it then could be perceived at that time. Jesus' example of being baptized was to tell us that the Sacrament of Baptism is the Way to the new life, to being born again of water and spirit. As Jesus said, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit." [Jn. 3:5]

My brothers and sisters in Christ, Jesus is the Way, and the truth and the life. [Jn. 14:6] As John the Baptist was commissioned to prepare the Way of the Lord, we as baptized and confirmed Christians have been called by God and sent by our Bishop to preach the Good News to all those with who we come in contact during our life. For the glory of God, our commission obligates us to show the Way to those who have yet to find the Lord Jesus in their lives. For the glory of God, our commission obligates us to show the Way of the Lord to those who have shipwrecked in their faith. 

This week, let us reflect upon our actions. Have we prepared the Way of the Lord so all humanity may share in the blessed hope of the eternal joy and peace that awaits the righteous children of God who have lived their faith in Christ?

Offertory:

1.     Mugna sa Dios

2.     Palihug Dawata Ginoo

3.     Unang Alay

4.     Paghahandog ng Sarili

5.     Prayer of Rupert Mayer

Communion:

1.     O Espiritu Santo

2.     Kini Maong Akong Lawas

3.     Tubig ng Buhay

4.     Awit ng Paghahangad

5.     Huwag kang Mangamba

6.     As Water to the Thirsty

7.     I Seek You for I Thirst

Recessional:

1.     Ang Tawag

2.     Humayo na’t Ipahayag

3.     Any song from entrance na hindi nakanta

Have a blessed week everyone J