Roman Catholic and Christian

NO TO HOMECOMINGS TURNING SOUR

2012-02-01T21:18:00.001+08:00

1^st READING - 2 Samuel 24:2, 9-17

P S A L M - Psalm 32:1-2, 5, 6, 7

R: Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.

GOSPEL

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.

Mark 6:1-6

SABBATH
This February, we start with the Gospel from Mark 6. And what we have today is an interesting episode. It’s about Jesus’ visit to His hometown. Homecomings are generally happy occasions, but somehow they can also open old wounds and trigger past issues. In the case of Jesus, His townmates’ initial reaction of seeming amazement turned out to be really one of derision or contempt. A barrage of questions on their part reveals insulting insinuations. Then instead of the typical Jewish tradition of being called after one’s father, they gave Him the label “Son of Mary.” Reading between the lines, they even seemed to cast doubts about Jesus’ legitimacy. Worse still, they apparently disdained the fame of Jesus, His reputation which at that time was already spreading. Their familiar knowledge of Him worked against His favor. Truly, as the saying goes, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” Now, can this also be said of us, “familiar” as we might already be with our Lord? It may be good for us to examine our relationship with Him. Could we have somewhat lost our respect for Him, treating Him as an ATM-like dispenser of graces which we can conveniently avail of just because we have problems? Or is He more just like a “buddy” for us? What a pity that Jesus worked no miracles in Nazareth itself, apart from healing a few who were sick. The neighboring villages instead were the ones who benefited. Let us not be dismayed if others, who are more respectful and receptive of Jesus than we are, will be the ones to enjoy Jesus’ favor more. Let us make Jesus’ homecoming into our hearts the joy-filled event that it is meant to be. Fr. Martin Macasaet, SDB REFLECTION QUESTIONS: How is your relationship with Jesus now? Are you too familiar with Him that you have lost the respect due Him? Lord Jesus, I welcome You once more into my life. My heart rejoices in You.

WIN OVER THE ENEMY

2012-01-31T10:18:00.002+08:00

1^st READING - 2 Samuel 18:9-10, 14, 24-25, 30-19:3
P S A L M - Psalm 86:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
R: Listen, Lord, and answer me.
GOSPEL

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Christ took away our infirmities and bore our diseases.
Mark 5:21-43

SABBATH

Today’s First Reading presents to us the end of the rebellion mounted against the reign of King David. Absalom, David’s own son, was overcome by ambition and led a mutiny against his father, King David. He did not succeed and today’s reading narrates how he fell from the sword of Joab the Cushite, killed as he lay helpless, hanging by his hair stuck in the terebinth tree. Excited over Absalom’s death, the Cushite reported to King David, “Let my lord the King receive the good news!” A king usually rejoices at the news of a traitor’s end but the first thing David asked was, “Is young Absalom safe?” Discovering that he has been killed, David wept bitterly crying out, “My son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you.” The reading ended with the words, “That day’s victory was turned into mourning.”

Today’s reading gives us once more an intimate look at David’s heart. Remember when King Saul was madly trying to kill the young David? David tried reasoning with Saul again and again, longing to win him over, even once purposely sparing Saul’s life when he had the chance to kill him (see 1 Samuel 24:4ff). David is a different kind of king. His goal is not only to win. His goal is to win over. He does not rejoice at the elimination of an enemy. His desire is the elimination of the enmity. That’s why he did not kill Saul when he had the chance and reason to do so. That’s why he mourned the death of the rebellious Absalom.

David truly is a king after God’s heart. The way of the world is to win. Its instrument is violence and uses power to eliminate and silence the enemy. It uses its fists to do the talking. That way the enemy is eliminated, but not the enmity, and so the cycle of violence continues.

The way of God’s kingdom is to win over by reason, dialogue and love. Winning over also “eliminates” the enemy because it resolves the enmity, and so the enemy is transformed into a friend.Fr. Joel Jason

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: In resolving your conflicts with others, do you try to win or to win over? Do you try to eliminate your enemy or the enmity?

Lord Jesus, Prince of peace, transform my heart after the pattern of Your own heart. Amen.

HIS NAME IS LEGION

2012-01-30T10:13:00.000+08:00

1^st READING - 2 Samuel 15:13-14, 30; 16:5-13

P S A L M - Psalm 3:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

R: Lord, rise up and save me.

GOSPEL

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

A great prophet has arisen in our midst and God has visited his people.

Mark 5:1-20

SABBATH
Today’s Gospel narrates another instance of Jesus exorcising a man possessed by the devil. Jesus asks the name of the unclean spirit. In response, it said, “Legion is my name,” for they are many. Yes, the Bible affirms the existence of the devil. Several years ago, a random survey of 1,500 respondents conducted by a famous Philippine college revealed a contradiction that 81 percent believed in heaven but only 42 percent believed in hell or the existence of the devil. Why the contradiction? It’s probably because we all want a God who rewards but not a God who “punishes.” We all want a God who gives blessings but not a God who calls us to task and responsibility. The devil deceives by making himself unknown. If you do not believe in him, you will not do anything to put up a fight or any form of defense against him. Satan is then able to act with much more freedom. Here are some facts about the reality of the devil from the Catechism of the Catholic Church: 391. The Church teaches that Satan was at first a good angel, made by God: “The devil and the other demons were indeed created naturally good by God, but they became evil by their own doing.” 392. This “fall” consists in the free choice of these created spirits, who radically and irrevocably rejected God and his reign. 393. It is the irrevocable character of their choice, and not a defect in the infinite divine mercy, that makes the angels’ sin unforgivable. “There is no repentance for the angels after their fall, just as there is no repentance for men after death.” Jesus asks the name of the unclean spirit because knowledge of the enemy is the first step to victory over that enemy. Let us know our enemy and its ways that we may always be on guard and victorious against its cunning. Fr. Joel Jason REFLECTION QUESTION: Are you aware of the entry points of the devil in your life? “Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.”

Today's Gospel - January 29, 2012 with Reflection

2012-01-29T16:50:00.001+08:00

1^st READING - Deuteronomy 18:15-20

P S A L M - Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 7-9

R: If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

2^ND READING - 1 Corinthians 7:32-35

GOSPEL

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light; on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death, light has arisen.

Mark 1:21-28

21 Then they came to Capernaum, and on the sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and taught. 22 The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. 23 In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; 24 he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are — the Holy One of God!” 25 Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet! Come out of him!” 26 The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. 27 All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.” 28 His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.

1st READING 2nd READING

GOSPEL PSALM

SABBATH
SAY IT IN FAITH In today’s Gospel, we hear a declaration of the true identity of Jesus: “I know who you are — the holy One of God!” Biblical scholars call it an indirect theophany, i.e., a manifestation of the Divinity of Jesus by another other than God Himself. It is just ironic that such declaration came from an unclean spirit that possessed a man in the synagogue. In response to such declaration, Jesus rebuked the evil spirit sharply and commanded, “Be quiet! Come out of the man!” Jesus obviously was not flattered by the declaration. In some other parts of the Gospels, Peter also made an indirect theophany when, in response to Jesus’ question, “Who do you say that I am?” he declared in behalf of the Apostles, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). Jesus commended Peter for such declaration. It is worth noting that Jesus said to Peter, “Blessed are you, Simon…” while to the evil spirit Jesus said, “Be quiet!” Both Peter and the evil spirit made the same declaration. But the same declaration received a different response from Jesus. What accounts for the difference? The evil spirit simply made a declaration of fact. Peter made a declaration of faith. The devil cannot avoid the fact. Jesus is God. But it is simply a dry fact for the devil. Even if he does not want to, the devil has no choice but to acknowledge it. The devil may have even uttered it in fear. For Peter, it was different. It was a declaration borne out of love, out of a personal relationship with Jesus. Every Sunday, we go to church and profess and declare our faith in the living God. But we are not simply there to declare a fact. If we do that, our declaration will be no different from that of the devil. We need more than a declaration of fact. God does not need to be reminded of the fact of His divinity. He does not need a massage to the divine ego. He knows it from eternity. But God does long to hear a declaration of faith and love from His children. So what is it for you — fact or faith?Fr. Joel Jason REFLECTION QUESTION: Do you cultivate a personal relationship with God in your prayer, study, and a life of righteousness? “Lord, You have no need of our praise, but our desire to thank You is itself Your gift. Our prayer of praise adds nothing to Your greatness but makes us grow in Your grace. Amen!”

The best introduction to Aquinas ever written!

2012-01-26T14:36:00.000+08:00

Approaching Aquinas without a guide is daunting. It can easily become a frustrating and disorienting experience.

Do you begin with his Commentary on the Ten Books of Nicomachean Ethics or his Commentary on Aristotle's Politics? How about Against the Errors of the Greeks to Pope Urban IV?

Perhaps just play it safe and start with the one you have some familiarity with, the Summa Theologica ... all five volumes.

Thomas Aquinas was prolific and his range of thought was astonishingly broad. At times elegant, precise, and easily grasped, just as often his subject required a dense and scholarly style assuming a level of expertise on the reader's part.

Like trying to climb Mt. Everest without a Sherpa, simply knowing where to start with Aquinas is vital if your journey is to be successful.

Sophia Institute Press is excited to announce the publication of Thomas Aquinas: Scholar, Poet, Mystic, Saint by Fr. A. G. Sertillanges. There is no better guide to help you make your ascent of Thomas Aquinas.

One of the most widely recognized experts on Aquinas, Sertillanges knew that the key to understanding Thomas was not a total immersion into his all his works, but to instead begin with the man himself.

Understanding the forces that compelled him to write, the method he used, and most crucially, the unifying spirit animating all his work is how one must begin with Aquinas. It is then that the beauty and lasting power of the Angelic Doctor is revealed.

As Sertillanges explains: "The circumstances that gave rise to Thomism are dead, its problems are dead, its method and vocabulary are dead ... but the doctrine is not .... His doctrine contains something whereby it can renew itself from age to age, while his personality, perfect type as he is of scholar, social benefactor, and saint, is a constant example."

Thomas' philosophical and theological concepts and arguments will forever have relevance. In clear bold strokes, Thomas Aquinas: Scholar, Poet, Mystic, Saint stands as one of the best introductions for those new to Aquinas and for those already well acquainted.

As to how to compare Aquinas with modern philosophies, Chesterton offers useful insight:

"[T]he philosophy of St. Thomas stands founded on the universal common conviction that eggs are eggs. The Hegelian may say that an egg is really a hen, because it is a part of an endless process of Becoming ... the Pragmatist may believe that we get the best out of scrambled eggs by forgetting that they ever were eggs, and only remembering the scramble. But no pupil of St. Thomas needs to addle his brains in order adequately to addle his eggs; to put his head at any peculiar angle in looking at eggs, or squinting at eggs, or winking the other eye in order to see a new simplification of eggs."

When you order Thomas Aquinas: Scholar, Poet, Mystic, Saint you will also receive a beautiful Italian made St. Aquinas relic prayer card FREE (while supplies last).

Read an excerpt from Thomas Aquinas.

It's almost over! Sophia's store-wide sale ends January 31st: at check out enter discount code newsite25.

Thomas Aquinas

by A. G. Sertillanges

160 pgs ppbk $18.95

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Today's Gospel - January 25, 2012 with reflection

2012-01-25T14:58:00.000+08:00

Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, Apostle

1^st READING - Acts 22:3-16 (or Acts 9:1-22)

P S A L M -Psalm 117:1, 2

R: Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

I chose you from the world, to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.

Mark 16:15-18

15 Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. 18 They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

LIST

SABBATH
Creative Passion Once there was a religious skeptic who ridiculed people who take their faith seriously. He had a neighbor who was a very holy and prayerful woman. Every morning, he would hear her pray aloud her petitions to God. One time, he heard the woman pray for bread. So he decided to put bread at her door, knocked, and hid behind a tree. When the woman opened the door and saw the loaf of bread, she prayed aloud and said, “Thank you, Lord, for this answered prayer!” “You fool,” said the man, “don’t you know I was the one who put bread at your door? I answered your prayer, not God.” The woman calmly retorted, “No, God always answers myprayers, even if sometimes He had to use the devil to answer them.” Today’s First Reading from Acts 22 is a first person account of St. Paul’s conversion, which we celebrate today. Paul himself said, “I persecuted this new way to the point of death. I arrested and imprisoned both men and women.” The same Paul who used to destroy Christ’s Church will be the same Paul who will build it up and make it flourish beyond Israel. More than the personal conversion of Paul, we celebrate today the fact of God’s grace working in and through unworthy instruments. Even after his conversion, Paul would often refer to himself as “the least of all the apostles.” He was a passionate man but his passion was misdirected and destructive. But God redirected his passion. From one who passionately persecuted and killed Christians, he became one who would be persecuted and killed for Christ. That is conversion. When one is converted, what is really changed is the heart of the inner person. Friends, don’t fall into the temptation of thinking that you are not worth anything. You are worth something. On this feast of Paul’s conversion, let us make an inventory of how we have been using the gifts that God has given us. Let us lift them up to God and allow His grace to transform them into positive energies for good. Like Paul, be surprised at what God can do in and through you, to yourself and to others! Fr. Joel Jason REFLECTION QUESTION: How are you using the gifts that God has given you? “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me; I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see. ‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear. And grace, my fears relieved. How precious did that grace appear, the hour I first believed.”

DAVID IS CROWNED KING OF ISRAEL

2012-01-23T23:22:00.000+08:00

1^st READING - 2 Samuel 5:1-7, 10

P S A L M - Psalm 89:20, 21-22, 25-26

R: My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him.

GOSPEL - Mark 3:22-30

SABBATH
David receives the crown of the nation of Judah and, seven years later, Israel as well. He unites the Jewish people once again. As their king, he expands the borders of the nation and creates a great military power feared in the region, triumphant against all enemies. It is under him that Israel reaches the zenith of its power, and it is to the Kingdom of David that future generations will look to for inspiration in times of hardship. It is easy to live in the past and exult in the glories of days gone by, but this will not secure one’s future. In the same way we can dwell on the failures and defeats of the past, but this, too, will not secure the future. We must live in the present — both for the present and the future. If we do this, our legacy will be secure. The past glory of a nation will not ensure anything for the future. However, foundations of truth and righteousness laid today will make possible a future greatness. Too often we forget that success is built on faithfulness to the fundamentals and, when it comes to our faith, this can be summed up in one idea: obedience to the will of God. Jesus constantly affirms that this is the basis of His ministry – doing what the Father tells Him to do, obeying His will. Let us all seek to imitate Jesus and follow His example of submission and obedience. In this way we will contribute to the building of His Kingdom and thereby live fulfilled and holy lives. David was not perfect — he failed many times, but he always accepted the forgiveness God offered him and got back to work! Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Do you lose heart when you sin or when things do not go as you expect them? Do you give in to temptation and disappointment too easily? Jesus, help me to focus my life on imitating Your obedience and so come to know the only path that will bring me fulfillment in my life.

Today's Gospel - January 22, 2011 with Reflection

2012-01-22T17:11:00.001+08:00

1^st READING - Jonah 3:1-5, 10

P S A L M - Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R: Teach me your ways, O Lord.

2^ND READING - 1 Corinthians 7:29-31

GOSPEL

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel.

Mark 1:14-20

14 After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: 15 “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” 16 As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. 17Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 18 Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. 19 He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. 20Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.

SABBATH
TIME IS GROWING SHORT Many people in the past and even now have attempted to predict the day when the world will end. This is a pure and utter waste of time and energy. It is more of a distraction than a help to men and women of faith. The Scriptures are quite clear in their statement that only the Father knows the exact day when the world will end. As for us, we should simply live our lives with an appropriate sense of urgency according to the call God has placed upon us. Each of us has one life to live — approximately 80 years if present life expectancy statistics are correct. This means that we have 80 or so years to make our impact on the world and accomplish the task God has set before us. If we fail to do so in those 80 years, then there are no second chances. A close friend of mine believed she had been given a reprieve when she suffered a heart attack at 70. So, she decided that the rest of her life, however long it may be, would be spent in the service of God and His little ones. She devoted her life and ultimately all her earthly resources to Anawim, a home for the abandoned elderly, living with them for the last decade of her life. A few months before she died with her “boots on,” she was orienting the trainees serving at the center. She had exhausted her life’s savings and was probably aware that she had only a little time left. I remember speaking with her before her death and she was as ready to die as anyone I have met — reconciled to the Lord and herself as regards the way she had lived her life. She lived every day as though it was her last. This is what it means to live with the correct sense of urgency as to when the world will end. For all intents and purposes, our earthly existence and the existence of the world ends with our death. In this sense, we will all witness the end of the world when we die. Let us make our lives worth something to the Kingdom of God by seeking God’s will and living it as best we can in our lives. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL REFLECTION QUESTION: Are you worried about predictions of the world’s end? I hope not! Our earthly existence is a passing reality — let us make the most of it. Jesus, open my heart to Your call so that I may live and do what You want me to do. Help me to give my all in the service of Your Kingdom.

The Incredibly Perilous Task of the Catholic Novelist

2012-01-19T08:50:00.002+08:00

The Catholic novel is a potentially dangerous thing.

Just as good poetry is able to say more and say it more intensely than ordinary language can, a good novel reveals truths about human nature and reality in ways our actual experience with reality can't.

Done well, the Catholic novel in particular has the power to inspire the imagination and give us valuable perspectives on how to see our lives as the dramas they actually are: Lives seeking God; God pursuing us.

Done poorly though, a Catholic novel can repel, souring the reader to the whole idea of religious fiction as something noble, a source for renewal and deeper understanding.

In Flannery O'Connor's posthumously published book Mystery and Manners, we are given a description of the Catholic novel:

"If I had to say what a 'Catholic novel' is, I could only say that it is one that represents reality adequately as we see it manifested in this world of things and human relationships. Only in and by these sense experiences does the fiction writer approach a contemplative knowledge of the mystery they embody."

O'Connor continues:

"Ever since there have been such things as novels, the world has been flooded with bad fiction for which the religious impulse has been responsible. The sorry religious novel comes about when the writer supposes that because of his belief, he is somehow dispensed from the obligation to penetrate concrete reality. He will think that the eyes of the Church or of the Bible or of his particular theology have already done the seeing for him...We must say whether this or that novel truthfully portrays the aspect of reality that it sets out to portray."

For Flannery O'Connor then, the Catholic author has an obligation to present reality as it is and to avoid creating a sanitized world dressed with pious phrases, no amount of which will convince, let alone inspire, a reader.

With this tall order in mind, Sophia Press proudly announcesChristopher, a new Catholic novel steeped in a Catholic context but one authentically in tension with the world.

David Athey is a seasoned author who understands well the responsibility of the novelist as described by O'Connor.

An associate professor of English at Palm Beach Atlantic University, Athey has published nearly 200 poems, stories, and essays in several prominent literary journals such The Harvard Review, The Iowa Review, and Southern Humanities Review. Christopher is hissecond novel.

Set beneath the grandeur of the vast Minnesota sky, and in its cold lakes and dark forests, Christopher is a modern love story and a quest for the Holy Grail. But much more as well.

Poetic, funny, touching, and often daringly honest, page by page, mystery by mystery, adventure after adventure, and with ever-growing urgency, we travel with young Christopher Lagorio as he grows toward manhood seeking to discover and become worthy of the perfect girl, while resisting a call he fears may literally destroy him. He is haunted by heaven, but tethered to the earth.

Christopher is a tribute to a genuine love of our fellow man, the Great Books, and to the source and summit of our Faith.

"David Athey has written another marvel."

-DALE AHLQUIST, President
American Chesterton Society

Read an excerpt from Christopher.

Intended for adults and mature teens.

And remember to take advantage of our store-wide 25% discount good through the end of January: at check out enter discount code newsite25.

Christopher

by David Athey

384 pgs ppbk $19.95

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newsite25

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RULES ARE THERE TO GUIDE US

2012-01-17T23:22:00.001+08:00

1^st READING - 1 Samuel 16:1-13

P S A L M - Psalm 89:20, 21-22, 27-28

R: I have found David, my servant.

GOSPEL

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our hearts, that we may know what is the hope that belongs to our call.

Mark 2:23-28

SABBATH
Rules are there to guide us in our choices. There can be times that they need to be “put aside” for a particular reason or in a certain situation as there are other aspects of the choice that demand this. It is not that the rule is wrong but that it was not made to address the particular situation in question. We have an example of this in today’s Gospel where Jesus reminds the people of what David once did in eating the bread reserved for the priests. Here we are faced with a choice between legalism, following the law to the letter, and allowing the troops to go hungry and, as such, maybe not acquit themselves properly in war. Is the law reserving the bread to the priests absolute and morally binding in this case? Of course not! David’s chosen course of action is the obvious way to respond to his dilemma. To force the troops to go hungry when there is food available and lose the war as a result of weak troops is clearly wrong. This does not mean that we should look for ways to avoid the rules that generally apply across our lives and that guide our moral choices. Situations like the one of David are not all that common, and so we should not expect to find an excuse for avoiding a rule the next time it impinges upon our choices. Many of our moral laws are meant to be applied without exception, and we have no justification to ignore or neglect them. One example of this is the call to love our neighbors – there is never going to be a situation where this law and command is negated. One of the key traits of a holy person is his willingness to submit to the moral law of the Church even though he may not fully understand it. This act of religious and faithful submission recognizes that we, as individuals, do not have the necessary authority to create laws. We are called to recognize and obey them and, in this way, act in accordance with the nature God has given us.Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL REFLECTION QUESTIONS: What is your attitude to the law? Do you think you are above it and see yourself as having a role in creating moral right and wrong? Jesus, help me to realize that the Church’s moral law reflects my true nature as You have given it to me. Help me to understand it and live it to the full.

Today's Gosperl - January 15, 2012 with Reflection

2012-01-15T20:05:00.002+08:00

Feast of the Santo Niño

1^st READING - Isaiah 9:1-6

P S A L M - Psalm 98:1,2-3,3-4,5-6

R: All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.

2^ND READING - Ephesians 1:3-6,15-18

GOSPEL

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

Mark 10:13-16

13 At that time people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.14 When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” 16 Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.

SABBATH
A CHILD BORN TO US On my arrival in the Philippines, one of the first celebrations I was introduced to was the Santo Niño. Sorry for my ignorance, but I had to ask someone what the Santo Niño was. I thought it had something to do with climate change issues surrounding the world these days — oh, that’s El Niño! I soon discovered that Santo Niño is a rich and beautiful devotion to the Infant Jesus. It is the culmination of the Christmas season in Filipino faith. The feast of the Santo Niño has its origins in the discovery of the Philippines by the Spanish explorer, Magellan. After baptizing and converting the native Queen Juana to the faith, Magellan gifted her with the image of the Infant Jesus. Many years passed after Magellan’s death but the image was found unspoiled. Devotion spread far and wide and many miracles were attributed to the image, affectionately called Santo Niño. Many centuries before the birth of Christ, Isaiah conveyed a beautiful prophecy. A child was to be born for us. Isaiah prophesies that this Child will be holy, eternal, mighty, wonderful and prince of peace. This of course was fulfilled in Jesus, the Son of God given to us, born of Mary. In the Gospel, Jesus reminds us to be like little children. In contrast, power and strength is found in the weakness and littleness of a child. There is strength in weakness, power in vulnerability, and greatness in littleness. Today’s feast celebrates a child who is unlimited in power and grace to save — the Infant born in a stable at Bethlehem. Let today be a day of rejoicing as we remember the children mentioned in the Gospel approaching Jesus. While the disciples were eager to dissuade the children (Jewish culture saw children as insignificant and of little worth), we invite children into our lives as a blessing and gift from God. Let the image of the Santo Niño stir our faith in childlike confidence and simplicity. The Santo Niño reminds us that we are all children of the Heavenly Father. We devote our families and children to the intercession of the Child Jesus today, manifested beautifully in the image of the Santo Niño.Fr. Brian Steele, MGL REFLECTION QUESTION: Lord Jesus, we thank You for Your power at work in our lives. Help us to remember that we are children of the Father. Amen. Father, we offer a prayer for all children of the world, especially those exploited in evil pursuits. Save and protect Your little ones, Lord!

FOLLOW ME

2012-01-14T14:16:00.000+08:00

1^ST READING - 1 Samuel 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1

P S A L M - Psalm 21:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

R: Lord, in your strength the king is glad.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor and to proclaim liberty to captives.

Mark 2:13-17

SABBATH
Levi, the son of Alpheus, was a tax collector. He was renamed Matthew, which is Greek for “Gift of God.” What a gift of God Levi came to be! He answered the call of Jesus to follow Him in a radical way, leaving everything behind. I remember serving in a parish under the patronage of St. Matthew. At the front of the church is a life-size statue of St. Matthew. The tax collector is holding the Bible in his arms. What is moving about the image are the coins being trampled underfoot by the saintly Matthew. It reveals a man captured by the love of Jesus, willing to give all to follow Him. His feast day is September 21. Mark tells us that at the call of Jesus, Levi got up and followed Him. Where did he go? What did he do? Why did he get up and follow Jesus? Sitting at the customs house was a good position. Levi could see everyone coming into town. He was quick to grab their money on their entrance, a necessity for those under Roman rule. The Romans needed something to keep their meals on the table. The taxes were just one of many forms of corruption held by the government of the day. Levi was despised because of his occupation which lent itself to fraud and selfish gain. Levi probably had seen Jesus and His disciples passing through many times. Something captured and fulfilled the heart of Levi that day. Perhaps sitting at the customs post gave him much time to ponder his future. He was not happy being an outcast, but this was his lot. However, at the call of Jesus, his life would never be the same again. To follow was to imitate, and Matthew did that. Tradition tells us that Matthew died a martyr. We are called to follow and imitate Jesus. Let us be eager to follow Him, not looking back at what we have given up but what we could gain. Pope Benedict says that in giving Jesus everything, He gives everything to us. And in the words of the late Pope John Paul II, let us “open wide the doors to Christ.” Fr. Brian Steele, MGL REFLECTION QUESTION: What is the “customs house” you must leave behind in order to follow Jesus? Have courage to stand up and follow Jesus. Lord, I rejoice that You call me to follow You. Give me grace to let go of everything in order to follow You, my strength and my joy. Amen.

The Intimidating Saint

2012-01-12T09:03:00.000+08:00

How do you know St. Thérèse?

For many it is through plastic statues and well-meaning but sugary devotions that veer dangerously close to superstition: the Little Flower as a spiritual rabbit's foot.

"Not for me," you say.

Another common encounter with Thérèse yields the same off-putting feelings. You know the facts about her short life. You've read her autobiography, Story of a Soul. You've seen the pictures.

And yet ... you struggle to identify with the young girl from Lisieux, with her superhuman zeal, her willingness to suffer, with her total surrender to Christ at an age when most of us were just giving up playing with toys and turning our attention to the opposite sex.

Either type of encounter with Thérèse makes her unapproachable and intimidating.

But both are inaccurate.

What then are we supposed to do with Louis and Zelie Martin's little Thérèse?

Does her life really provide instruction for the rest of us or are we to just stare from a distance?

In 1933 French playwright, novelist, and critic, Henri Gheon was asking the same questions about Thérèse. Gheon spent much of his youth away from the Church immersed instead in nature, literature, music, and art.

After a powerful conversion back to the faith, his writing became uniquely informed and penetrating, brimming with candor, sensitivity, and insight. It was his appreciation for life's subtleties which transform his treatment of St. Thérèse into a book unlike any other written.

The Truth about Thérèse recovers the humanity of the saint. The platitudes fade away. Left is the joy in finding the real Thérèse. Gheon shows what lay behind the smile; an intense soul living a life of heroic grandeur amidst dull and worldly associates. A soul driven by a burning love for God, even as she wrestled with great physical and emotional pain.

In The Truth about Thérèse you will discover the secrets of the Little Flower and understand why she is indeed the saint most fitted to be our model at this moment.

Read an excerpt from The Truth about Thérèse.

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The Truth about Therese

by Henri Gheon

168 pgs ppbk $18.95

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Today's Gospel - January 11, 2012 with Reflection

2012-01-11T10:27:00.002+08:00

1^st READING - 1 Samuel 3:1-10, 19-20

P S A L M - Psalm 40:2, 5, 7-8, 8-9, 10

R: Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.

Mark 1:29-39

29 On leaving the synagogue Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. 31 He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them. 32 When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. 33 The whole town was gathered at the door. 34 He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him. 35 Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. 36Simon and those who were with him pursued him 37 and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.”39 So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.

SABBATH
GOD SPEAKS TO YOU The First Reading today gives us a delightful story of God calling out to Samuel, the son of Hannah. We read that Samuel had not yet understood the ways of the Lord. He was assisting the old priest, Eli, in the Temple when he heard a voice calling out his name. Three times he went to Eli in response to the voice. Eli then began to realize the voice was that of Yahweh who was seeking to catch the attention of young Samuel. We must rejoice in the Elis of our life who have helped us discern the voice of God. The author of the Book of Samuel tells us that it was rare in those days for God to speak. But we know that God desires to speak to us. He speaks to us in various ways: daily events, experiences, nature, the sacraments, Scripture, wise people, and so on. We just need to open our ears and hearts and be ready to respond to Him. “Speak, Lord, Your servant is listening.” We should follow the advice of the great old priest Eli. The Lord speaks to us “loud and clear” in the “whisper of silence.” In our prayer time, we seek the voice of the Lord. He quietly woos us in love, corrects our faults, or speaks words of comfort and mercy. God speaks to you now, even as you read and reflect on this message. Let us pray for the gift of prophecy. This is a Charismatic gift that God wishes to give His people. It is through this gift that God uses us as His spokesperson to others. Sometimes the Lord may reveal an image, word or experience either for you or another person. This is a supernatural way in which God communicates to His people. We pray for the gift of prophetic utterance to know the mind of the Lord and to build up the Body of Christ. The Scripture is a good way to grow in knowledge of what the Lord says to us. In the Bible, God always speaks to us since it is the revealed will of God. The Scriptures are Spirit-inspired, God-breathed, and life for our souls. Learn the Scriptures, study and pray them, for the Lord wants to speak to you. Fr. Brian Steele, MGL REFLECTION QUESTION: What do you think the Lord is telling you now? Lord, give me the grace to hear You speak to my heart. Let me understand the message You wish to give me today.

HE TEACHES WITH AUTHORITY

2012-01-10T09:44:00.002+08:00

1^st READING - 1 Samuel 1:9-20

P S A L M - 1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8

GOSPEL - Mark 1:21-28

SABBATH
As Jesus begins His public ministry, the people are impressed with His teaching. He teaches with authority. This can be difficult for some to digest as they realize He is just a son of the carpenter. Where could He have acquired His intellect and wisdom? The scholars of the day, the rabbis, were the great intellects. They would quote from one source or another and their disciples would marvel at their wisdom. However, Jesus teaches with authority, not quoting from any source, except by the Spirit of God. The Father had given Him words of wisdom, from whom comes His authority. Jesus is the Holy One of God and so He teaches with the power of the Spirit. The teaching that Jesus conveys is freedom from evil and sin. It makes an impact upon His listeners and people marvel at His words. Jesus’ reputation spreads. We, too, have been given authority. By virtue of our baptism, we are Christians empowered with the Spirit, cleansed in the Blood of Jesus, and strengthened in His grace. We can call upon the authority of the Lord to free us from sin, to help us witness to the truth, and serve each other. In being saved from sin, we are to move and act under the authority of His name. Let us call on the promise of the Spirit who enlightens us and empowers us. We need not fear as God is on our side. And His authority is an act of love, not domination, selfishness or greed. We need to consider how we exercise our authority. Do we do it with love or do we dominate? Oftentimes, authority is abused. Authority figures may have wounded us and stopped us from growing in the Lord. Let us bring these hurts to the Lord for healing and forgiveness. If we serve one another in love, walking under the mighty hand of God, we will see the authority and power of Jesus in our lives. Jesus teaches with authority and He desires us to also act in the authority given us — out of love, not domination. Fr. Brian Steele, MGL REFLECTION QUESTIONS: How can you put the authority of Jesus in your life? Where can you use His authority to overcome sin, to help a friend in need, and witness to faith and conviction? Lord, I rejoice in Your saving help. I claim Your authority over my life. Govern me and empower me with the grace of Your Holy Spirit. I believe that You are the Holy One of God. Amen.

Today's Gospel - January 9, 2012 with reflection

2012-01-09T16:20:00.001+08:00

Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

1^st READING - Isaiah 55:1-11

P S A L M - Isaiah 12:2-3, 4, 5-6

2^ND READING - 1 John 5:1-9

GOSPEL

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

John saw Jesus approaching him, and said: Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Mark 1:7-11

7 This is what John the Baptist proclaimed: “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. 8 I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” 9 It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. 10 On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him. 11 And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

SABBATH
YOU ARE MY BELOVED The liturgy of our Lord’s baptism sets the scene for Ordinary Time, that season of the Church where we reflect on the events of Jesus’ life until His passion. This year, we read from the Gospel according to Mark, the simplest and perhaps most revealing of the humanity of Jesus. Jesus, the Son of man, baptized in the River Jordan, prepares to undertake His public ministry. Luke tells us that Jesus is 30 years of age when He begins His public ministry. Whenever I read the account of the baptism of Jesus, I am always struck by the words from the Father: “You are my beloved Son. On you my favour rests.” I am certain that these words rang in Jesus’ ears and mind throughout His life, especially at the most trying and difficult times. Yes, it is true, Jesus is the beloved Son of the Father, the One sent by the Father, willing to give His life for the glory of the Kingdom. These words are addressed to us at baptism, too, when we begin our life in the Church. At baptism, thanks to Jesus, we are made children of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus. God doesn’t have grandchildren. All of us are children of God. St. John reminds us in his letter: “Think of the love the Father has lavished upon us by letting us be called God’s children” (1 John 3:1). The words the Father spoke to Jesus are worthy of our meditation today. They can serve as our prayer mantra: “I am the Beloved child of God.” You are God’s son or daughter! Wow! How awesome is that — the child of the Creator, Almighty, Powerful and Ever Living God whom Jesus teaches us to call “Abba,” “Daddy”? I used to think it corny when people would tell me that God loves me. But it is an amazing fact that can change our life’s course if we let it sink into the depths of our being. Take some time today to bathe in the Father’s love for you. He loves you. You are His child. And God the Father delights in you. St. Paul reminds us that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Jesus. We owe a lot to Jesus for what He has made possible through His life, death and resurrection. Fr. Brian Steele, MGL REFLECTION QUESTION: Pray the words of the Father in your prayer and reflection time. Then take it through the day, especially when hard times come your way. Thank You, Father, that I am Your beloved child. Amen.

Today's Gospel - January 8, 2012 with Reflection

2012-01-08T19:57:00.000+08:00

Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

1^st READING - Isaiah 60:1-6

P S A L M - Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13

R: Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

2^nd READING - Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.

Matthew 2:1-12

1 When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” 3 When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: 6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.’ ” 7 Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage.” 9 After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. 10 They were overjoyed at seeing the star, 11 and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.

SABBATH
MODERN EPIPHANIES Epifanio delos Santos is a famous name in the annals of Philippine history. His name has been made more famous because a major thoroughfare in Manila, which used to be called Highway 54, was named after him. This road rose to international fame because of the bloodless revolution that took place along that very highway in 1986. When the famed EDSA revolution reached its peak on February 25, this road teemed with millions of people. I remember hearing this from a radio commentator during those perilous times. It was reported that soldiers from above (in choppers, perhaps) have already been given orders to crush the revolution. But what they witnessed from the sky prevented them from starting an assault — the throngs of people along EDSA and Santolan Road formed a cross. And it just made those soldiers shudder with the thought that they would attack the cross formed by those people fighting for freedom. I recall vividly how the radio announcer described the experience, “It was a real Epifanio delos Santos or Epiphany of Saints. Those people came in droves and formed, albeit unwittingly, the symbol of their liberation. In their zeal to topple the forces that oppress them, they have manifested the forces of the good, the forces of the saints.” Today we celebrate the greatest of all epiphanies, God’s manifestation of the God-self to humanity. And just as we marvel at how divine epiphanies can effect change, we pray that God will see us worthy to behold His divine countenance as we truly strive to be drawn by His manifestation to an authentic transformation of our own lives. Fr. Sandy V. Enhaynes REFLECTION QUESTION: How has the Lord manifested Himself to you lately? When I am down and out, Lord, please manifest Yourself to me. And when someone is in need of Your presence, let me manifest You to him.

Today's Gospel - January 6, 2012 (1st Friday of the month) with reflection

2012-01-06T17:30:00.002+08:00

1^st READING - 1 John 5:5-13

P S A L M - Psalm 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The heavens were opened and the voice of the Father thundered: This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.

Mark 1:7-11 (or Luke 3:23-38)

SABBATH
THE MEANING OF JESUS’ BAPTISM John the Baptist’s testimony about himself (John 1:19-28) presents some remarkable facts about how baptism is understood during the time of Jesus. The line of questioning in those verses reveals how the Jews understood who can only administer baptism: the Messiah, Elijah or any of the prophets. Granting that he was given the freedom to exercise such “ministry” unopposed (by the religious powers that be), why did John the Baptist baptize Jews knowing fully well that such practice was exclusively administered to “converts” (Gentiles converting to the faith)? Jews already belong to God and so they did not need to be “cleansed.” Gentiles had to be immersed in water through baptism if they are to belong to the chosen ones of God. Astounding! But what is even more remarkable is Jesus’ decision to submit Himself to this baptism. Jesus is a Jew. As the unblemished One, He has no sins to repent of. That baptism was unnecessary as far as Jesus, the only begotten Son of God (thus, the sinless one) and Son of Mary (thus, a Jew) is concerned. His baptism, therefore, should be understood in a different light. For Jesus it was a baptism that ushered in His public ministry. It was His commencement exercise. After that He would go full blast in attending to the affairs of His Father. By virtue of His baptism, man is able to begin his ascent to God. And Jesus, being true man, identifies with man in this journey of turning away from sin and turning to God. His baptism introduced Him to the ones He would save. Just as His Father laid claim on Him, His real identity was revealed as the Father’s “beloved Son on whom He was well pleased.” Because of that baptism, we now fully see how God marvellously commenced His redemptive work for man — how He, the Emmanuel, is truly with us in our journey towards the Father and how we are to accept our Lord who has been revealed to us, no less, by His and our Father. Fr. Sandy V. Enhaynes REFLECTION QUESTION: Now that you know what Jesus’ baptism really means, do you accept and trust that He is with you in your journey to the Father? Thank You, Lord Jesus, for becoming man and identifying with us so that we may be saved.

BECOMING A PEACE MAKER

2012-01-05T10:35:00.000+08:00

1^st READING - 1 John 3:11-21

P S A L M - Psalm 100:1-2, 3, 4, 5

GOSPEL- John 1:43-51

SABBATH
The prophet Micah prophesies about the Lord’s universal reign of peace. He mentions how the Lord will settle disputes during His reign and swords will be hammered into plows, and spears into pruning knives. “Everyone will live in peace among their own vineyard and fig trees” (Micah 4:4a). The book of Kings mentions the kind of reign Solomon has on his people. It mentions the prosperity that he and his subjects enjoy. He is not just regarded as a good ruler of his people — he was as good to the neighboring countries as well and was at peace with all of them. “As long as he lived, the people throughout Judah and Israel lived in safety, each family with its own grapevines and fig trees” (1Kings 4:25). These are some references quoted by scholars that provide background for today’s Gospel. The short exchange of words between Jesus and Nathanael is a little puzzling, if not understood, in the above context. For the Jews, a fig tree always signifies peace. Peace is when a man is able to sit undisturbed in full tranquility under a fig tree. This is what Jesus saw in Nathanael. He was the kind of man He was looking for to be part of this small clique of learners (disciples) that He was starting to organize. He needed Nathanael to put flesh to His teaching about the blessedness of those who work for peace. Someone like Nathanael could pacify the likes of Peter who would cut the ear of the soldier intending to take his master away. He was the kind of man who would surely rejoice in the company of angels heralding His coming, singing, “Glory to God in the highest and peace to His people on Earth!” Is there a Nathanael in me? Will I be worthy to be called by Christ for I, too, can sit peacefully under my fig tree? Fr. Sandy V. Emhaynes REFLECTION QUESTION: What will it take for you to be a Nathanael, a peacemaker? Divine Potter, mold me and make me a lover of peace like Nathanael. May I be a source of peace for others, too.

SHARING WHAT WE HAVE DISCOVERED

2012-01-04T11:21:00.000+08:00

1st READING - 1 John 3:7-10

P S A L M - Psalm 98:1, 7-8, 9

GOSPEL - John 1:35-42

SABBATH
“Behold the Lamb of God,” John the Baptist said to Andrew and another disciple of John when he brought them before the presence of Jesus. After hearing those words, they started to follow Jesus. Since Andrew began to follow Jesus, we see him doing some very interesting things as His disciple. In John 1:42, we find Andrew bringing his brother Simon Peter to Jesus, this after initially proclaiming to him that they have already found the Messiah. Next, we see him on top of a hill together with the other disciples. People were starting to mill around Jesus in hundreds and thousands. As it reached five thousand, not counting women and children, Jesus asked Philip, “Where are we to get food for all these people?” As Philip saw the impossibility of responding to the situation by saying, “Seven pounds worth of bread is not enough to give each of them a little to eat,” Andrew found a lad with five barley loaves and two fishes. Andrew brought the lad to Jesus (John 6:8-9), and the rest, as we say, is history. In John 12:20-22, we read, “There were certain Gentiles among those who went up so that they might worship on the feast day.” They went to Philip and requested that they be allowed to see Jesus. Philip relayed the request to Andrew and the two of them brought the Greeks’ request to Jesus. We see in Andrew the enthusiasm of a man who has discovered something or someone so great that he cannot just keep it to himself. And so, he brings people to Jesus and shares Him with them. Here lies the greatness of this disciple who found perfect fulfillment by bringing people to the One whom he has discovered, the One he serves. That should also mark our own discipleship. We should not keep to ourselves the joy that we have in finding Christ. We need to bring more people to Him so that they, too, would discover what we have come to see as we “behold the Lamb of God.”Fr. Sandy V. Enhaynes REFLECTION QUESTION: Identify at least five people whom you want to bring to Jesus. Start praying for their openness to receive Jesus and for your courage to share Him with them. Lord Jesus, accompany me with Your Holy Spirit as I try to share You with others.

THE POWER OF AN EXAMPLE

2012-01-03T17:41:00.002+08:00

1st READING - 1 John 2:29-3:6

P S A L M - Psalm 98:1, 3-4, 5-6

GOSPEL - John 1:29-34

SABBATH
“You brought me to Jesus!” This is perhaps the greatest compliment that a Christian can get. Because of how you live as a father or mother, or how you witness to your faith in God through your conscientious performance of your job, or how you preach and walk your talk, or how you live out your faith — others are drawn to Jesus. You can never discount how our good and noble lifestyle attracts others to our faith. I recall hearing this story from someone. A young Christian man works in a country that is predominantly non-Christian. He works hard to support the young family he is raising back home. His work ethic and graciousness towards everyone endear him to most of his colleagues — Christians and non-Christians alike. Vacation time comes and his boss, wanting to reward him for his exemplary virtue, doubles his take-home pay. The man, instead of taking everything for himself, shares with his fellow workers the unexpected fortune. As each one comes to him to receive their share, they thank him no end, delighted by his magnanimity. But the last person, a non-Christian, surprises him by aying, “I do not want your money.” “But why? I just wish to share my blessings,” he said. The man continues, “What I want is that which made you share those blessings to us.” You never know how much your life as a good Christian affects other people. Your witnessing can draw people to Jesus. Your goodness will make people want to have your faith. Your life itself will be like John the Baptist directing people to “Behold the Lamb of God.” So persevere in doing good and become a sign directing people to Jesus. Fr. Sandy V. Enhaynes REFLECTION QUESTIONS: How do you think your present lifestyle is affecting the people around you? Are you drawing them to or away from your faith? Give me the boldness, Lord, to proclaim my faith not only through my words but, most importantly, through my lifestyle.

MISSING THE REAL ONE

2012-01-02T17:09:00.003+08:00

1st READING - 1 John 2:22-28

P S A L M - Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4

G O S P E L - John 1:19-28

SABBATH
“Come on, join us in this life raft!” his neighbors prodded him as he stood in knee-deep water on his front porch. But he would hear nothing of it. “My Lord will save me and I shall wait till He comes and rescues me,” he told himself. The rains continued to pound their town. The floodwaters rose steadily and he had to climb up the stairs to reach higher ground. A much larger boat came filled with the last remaining evacuees of the town. The head of the rescue team pleaded with him, “Come on, this will be our last trip back to gather the remaining people of this town. There won’t be anyone else to come back for you. Join us now or you will perish in this deluge.” But he held his ground. He shouted back, “Worry not, I trust in my Lord. He will save me.” And that became his last conversation on earth. He was a good man so he reached heaven soon afterwards. He asked the Lord, “I thought You’d come and save me. Why did you let me perish?” Then the Lord said, “I did. Twice! But you ignored Me.” The Jewish people’s questions about Jesus’ identity reveals something about their knowledge of all that was happening. They knew that a messiah was coming — someone who would bring about peace over all the earth, lift them up to their real stature before men and before God, save them and restore them as a chosen race. The awaited One came alright, but they failed to notice Him. And so until now they wait for the time when the One sent by God would come and visit them. He came and it was us, Christians, who noticed. Now, if only we would recognize how privileged we are for having noticed His coming, for not dismissing Him, for heeding His invitation to “ride His boat.” Then the regretful sigh on John the Baptist’s words, “There is one among you whom you do not recognize,” will be no more. Fr. Sandy V. Enhaynes REFLECTION QUESTIONS: How sensitive are you to the work of the Holy Spirit in your life? Do you welcome Him or do you dismiss Him? May I be ever attuned to the work of Your Spirit in me, Lord God.

Today's Gospel - January 1, 2012 with Reflection

2012-01-01T13:00:00.002+08:00

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

1st READING - Numbers 6:22-27

P S A L M - Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8

2nd READING - Galatians 4:4-7

G O S P E L

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son.

Luke 2:16-21

16 The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child. 18 All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. 19 And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them. 21When eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

SABBATH
JUST AS WE HAVE BEEN TOLD You are certainly thankful you have reached this point in your life. You wonder how things would have been had you not listened to your parents. Their words still reverberate in your mind, “Just focus on the good that awaits you. Don’t allow the distractions of the present to take your mind away from what is essential and important. You’ll see — all your hardships will pay off in the future.” And so now you’re here — your heart overflowing with gratitude to the ones who saw you through. “I told you so,” your mom enthuses. You just smile in agreement, for your heart cannot contain the joy of seeing yourself with all these blessings at your fingertips just as you have been told. Imagine the joy of the shepherds seeing the Infant Jesus lying in the manger. They have been told all these by the angel — the personages, the dimly lit cave, the animals, the lights, the star, the angels, the melodic sound coming from above. They all marveled at these, for they are exactly how the angel had told them. The joy of a promise fulfilled — a vow kept, a pact realized, a covenant faithfully followed. There is no explaining how much joy there can be in the hearts of those who have seen these realized in their own lives. But the story in today’s Gospel is no ordinary story. It is an account of the beginning of God’s redeeming act. The promise of salvation has long been told. And in these events they gradually unfold just as it has been told. Just imagine how things would be when our vindication happens — to the poor in spirit, the kingdom of heaven; to the meek, the earth; to the mourning, consolation; to the hungry, satisfaction; to the merciful, mercy; to the pure of heart, beatific vision; to the peacemakers, divine sonship. How our hearts will be filled with joy, when all these are realized, at the end of our life’s journey, just as we have been told.Fr. Sandy V. Enhaynes REFLECTION QUESTION: Are you still waiting for the fulfillment of a promise made to you — either by God or another person? Don’t lose hope — it may happen this year. Lord Jesus, thank You for the new year. May this year bring us renewed hope and trust in the fulfillment of Your promises to us.

Today's Gospel Reading - December 31, 2011 with reflection

2011-12-31T19:03:00.001+08:00

1st READING - 1John 2:18-21

P S A L M - Psalms 96:1-2, 11-12, 13

G O S P E L

ALLELUIA

R: Alleluia, alleluia

The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us. To those who accepted him he gave power to become the children of God.

R: Alleluia, alleluia

John 1:1-18

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be 4 through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; 5 the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 A man named John was sent from God. 7 He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.8 He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. 9The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him. 12 But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, 13 who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth. 15 John testified to him and cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’” 16 From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace, 17 because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. The only-begotten Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him.

my reflections

t h i n k : When we receive Jesus into our lives, we receive the light of the world, which casts out the darkness.

SABBATH
YEAR ENDER Today is the last day of the year 2011. In less than 24 hours, we will bid goodbye to 2011 and welcome 2012. If you are reading this reflection, then you are probably one of the many who do not want 2011 to pass by unnoticed and unreflected. They say there are two ways of seeing the year end. There are those who stay up to make sure the old year leaves. There are those who stay up until midnight to see the New Year come in. They say the first group are the pessimists, the second optimists. The first group ends and begins the year with regret and bitterness. The second group ends and begins the year with hope and positive attitude. To which do you belong? Choose to be an optimist. Your 2011 may not be perfect. Many things may have happened in 2011 that you would rather forget. An optimist does not try to forget 2011; he tries to transform it. An optimist cannot change the past, but he can change the way the past affects him. An optimist chooses to be a victor, not a victim. He chooses to see his mess as a message. He chooses to see his setbacks as opportunities to make a grand comeback. So what will it be for you for 2012? You have the power to choose. Fr. Joel O. Jason Reflection Question: I’ve shared this with you before: “The best way to predict your future is to create it.” What are you doing now to create your future? Lord Jesus, for all that has been, thanks! For all that will be, amen! *St. Melania, pray for us.*

Jesus, the failed Messiah?

2011-12-29T08:58:00.003+08:00

Fr. Shay Cullen

(His columns are published in The Manila Times,
in publications in Ireland, the UK, Hong Kong, and on-line)

The truly amazing thing about the birth of Jesus Christ, called the Messiah, Son of David, Son of Man, Son of God, Saviour, Teacher, Rabbi, Master, healer, as he is named throughout the gospels, is that he never claimed those titles for himself other than the simplest thing of all, “Son of Man” which means “ordinary human being”. He used it 70 times of himself as written in all the four gospels.

He never claimed to be the Messiah, the gospel writers interpreted his mission as that. The Messiah was supposed to be a fiery warrior-leader come into the world to arouse the patriotic spirit of Israel and throw out the occupiers, bring back the kingdom of the ancient King David and right all wrongs. But Jesus was born as a non-violent peace-maker calling all to repent, of their own free choice and help create a spiritual and socially just way of life, where justice, fairness, and respect for all would be the rule. The other commandment of that spiritual kingdom is to love God and others as one’s self.

He was born poor, in the humblest place imaginable – a smelly animal shelter his birth witnessed by animals. Let’s respect them too and save them from cruelty and extinction.

What is it then that caught and held the world’s attention for 2000 years? To the non-believer he was a homeless itinerant preacher that ran afoul of the authorities in a corner of the vast Roman Empire and was a dismal failure in his time.

He was a champion of the poor and questioned the unequal system and irresponsible rich that neglects the hungry and the sick and used money and power to exploit them. Today he would strongly reprimand the greedy bankers, politicians and medical merchants who treat the old and the sick as exploitable commodities. He had no forgiveness for child abusers and said a stone should be tied around their neck and they be thrown into the ocean. For exploiters of the poor he challenged them to repent and make restitution and do penance.

Christmas is also about Mary, the mother of Jesus and Joseph who guided them as they fled Herod’s death squads. Mary’s prayer “The Magnificat” is about trust and hope for freedom from hunger and oppression. God, Mary says, planned a world where justice, equality and truth would overcome evil and kings and tyrants would be thrown down from their thrones and the rich would be sent away empty, while the hungry would have their fill and the downtrodden would be lifted up. That powerful prophecy delivered by a woman became the mission of Jesus. It is a message that inspires millions from then until now.

Women were to have their rightful equal place in the Kingdom but sadly generations denied it to them and today women are still struggling to establish more and more their true position of dignity and equality. This is our mission too.

Jesus gave us an extraordinary example of unselfish sacrificial love. He inspired the poor and questioned and challenged the rulers of his time and their unfair ways. They judged him a heretic, a serious political threat, a subversive and blasphemer no less, and they executed him with the ironic mocking sign over his head “King of the Jews”.

They feared they would lose their status, wealth and entitlements because of him. They were driven by the same materialistic madness loose in the world today and all people of good will are challenged to share and use money in a responsible way to build a more just world. A Christmas gift for the poor is great but what about the rest of the year?

As the wise say a shroud has no pockets, we can’t take it with us. So we can donate money wisely to a trust fund to help the abused children, exploited women and all the victims of human rights violations for years to come. The Preda Foundation Trust Fund is doing this.

Working for justice and freedom of children and women from slavery can help change unjust and corrupt system and bring about a happier society based on the love and care of our neighbors. That’s what Christmas is all about.

http://www.preda.org/en/news/fr-shays-articles/jesus-the-failed-messiah/

HAVE A CHRIST MAS HOLY DAY

2011-12-23T12:13:00.000+08:00

1st READING - Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24

P S A L M - Psalms 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14
G O S P E L - Luke 1:57-66
SABBATH

Two days before the whole Christendom celebrates the birth of Christ, our Gospel narrates to us the birth of John the Baptist. The story of His birth is not superfluous to the story of the birth of Jesus. The role of John the Baptist is clear: to prepare the way of the Lord, to point out the coming Messiah.

Just in case you don’t notice, there is in the world right now a subtle yet manifest attempt to conceal the person of Jesus; perhaps not only during Christmas but for all times.

Watch CNN and you will hear the anchors greet you, “Happy Holidays” and not “ Merry Christmas.” They do this out of political correctness. The presence of Christ in the word Christmas might offend the sensibilities of non- Christians watching their program. At the same time last year, the State of Denver prevented their students in a choral contest from singing “ White Christmas” and asked them to sing “White Holiday” instead. And when the students were sent off for vacation, they were told to enjoy not the Christmas holidays but the “winter” holidays.

Make no mistake about it, the subtle eradication of Christ from Christmas has become a blatant political hostility against anything and everything Christian.

Of John the Baptist, the people asked in today’s Gospel, “What will this child be?” He is to be the courageous forerunner, the bold proclaimer of Jesus and His Gospel, to the point of losing his head in martyrdom.

Today let us ask for a little of John the Baptist’s courage. Make a conscious effort to show the world that you are a Christian. Do not abbreviate “Christmas” to “Xmas” even if it means a little more ink and effort in your typing and texting. Better yet, write Christ in bold letters in your Christmas greetings so that your wishes may become not only greetings but an act of faith and proclamation as well. Fr. Joel O. Jason

Reflection Question:
Are you looking at these days of Christmas simply as holidays or as holy days?

Pray repeatedly this ancient Christmas hymn: Gaudete! Gaudete! Christus est natus ex Maria Virgine Gaudete! (Rejoice, rejoice! Christ is born of Mary the Virgin, Rejoice!)

St. Dagobert II, pray for us.

A MEMO TO PARENTS

2011-12-22T09:22:00.001+08:00

1st READING - 1 Samuel 1:24-28

P S A L M - 1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8

G O S P E L - Luke 1:46-56

SABBATH
When I was a little boy, I was intrigued by a large cucumber I saw in school. It was just an ordinary cucumber but it was in the strangest place. The cucumber was kept inside a bottle on a shelf. This cucumber was many times too large to go through the neck of the bottle and I wondered how it was able to pass through it. It was a constant puzzle to my young mind and my teacher would always tease the class that it was a magic trick of hers. Until one day, in one of her lectures, my teacher finally explained that when the cucumber was very tiny, it had been passed through the narrow neck and then was allowed to grow while still attached to the vine. It was little but it grew inside the bottle while attached to the vine. In our readings today, we see two women with their sons. In the first reading, Hannah brings the young Samuel to the temple. In the Gospel, Mary speaks of the Child in her womb. What is common in both mothers is that they kept their “little cucumbers” (read: sons) attached to the Vine of God. Both mothers realized that their sons were not their own. They are bound for great things and thus need to be attached to the Vine of God. Hannah consecrates Samuel in the temple, Mary prophesies the marvels that Jesus will accomplish as Messiah. My mother practiced a similar principle with me and my siblings. From my earliest recollection, she surrounded me with prayer and instruction and the Gospel. She taught me my night prayers. She showed me how to fold my hands and bend my knees in prayer. She guided me in praying the rosary. Thus, like a little cucumber, I grew up safe inside the bottle of the Church. A confident parent once wrote, “Give me a child until he is seven and I don’t care who gets him after that.” So self-assured! But I guess if your child is strongly attached to the vine, you will have the same confidence. I pray that this confidence be the Advent grace for all parents reading this. Fr. Joel O. Jason Reflection Question: Parents, where are your “little cucumbers” at home attached to? Lord Jesus, You are the Vine, we are the branches. Draw us and keep us close to you. Amen. *St. Hunger, pray for us.*

Today's Gospel - December 21, 2011 with reflection

2011-12-21T08:56:00.000+08:00

1st READING - Zephaniah 3:14-18 (or Song of Songs 2:8-14)

P S A L M - Psalms 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21

R: Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song.

G O S P E L

ALLELUIA

R: Alleluia, alleluia

O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law: come to save us, Lord our God!

R: Alleluia, alleluia

Luke 1:39-45

39 Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. 45Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”

SABBATH
HAIL MARY! A Catholic priest was invited by a Christian group to speak in their Church about the Catholic devotion to Mary. Before he began his talk, the pastor reminded him firmly that they were a Bible-based community and they do not say prayers to Mary as they were not “Mary worshippers.” As the priest began, he invited the congregation to stand and pray. “For our opening prayer, please open your Bibles to Luke 1:28 and let us read it aloud together.” They read, “Hail, O highly favored daughter, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.” Then the priest invited the congregation to turn their Bibles to Luke 1:42 and asked them again to read it aloud. They read, “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” Then he said, “My dear friends, you have just prayed the Catholic prayer, Hail Mary.” The Hail Mary is not a Catholic invention. It is a Scriptural prayer taken directly from Luke’s account of the Visitation which is the Gospel for today. The first part of the Hail Mary is taken from Luke 1:28, uttered by the Angel Gabriel no less. The second part is from Luke 1:42, a tribute spoken by the lips of Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist. The angel Gabriel honored Mary and so did Elizabeth. There’s no reason why we should not do the same. A Christian who claims to be Bible based should not feel uneasy with the Hail Mary. Ignoring the Hail Mary is not biblical. The Hail Mary, or any prayer or doctrine attributed to Mary, is not intended for her alone. Every Catholic doctrine regarding Mary is Scriptural, i.e., from the Bible, as well as Christological, i.e., pointing to Christ. We give loving attention to Mary only insofar as she points our attention to Christ. She reminds every Christian, “Do whatever He tells you.” In a few days, we shall celebrate the birth of our Lord. Mary is inescapably a part of the Christmas mystery and ultimately, of the Christian mystery. We look to Mary as the highest honor of the human race. We worship the fruit of her womb, Jesus the Emmanuel. Fr. Joel O. Jason Reflection Question: How well are you acquainted with the Catholic doctrines related to Mary? In mantra fashion, pray this prayer slowly and with devotion: “Hail Mary, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.” *Blessed Andrew Dung Lac, pray for us.*

GENERATION “ME”

2011-12-20T10:07:00.000+08:00

1st READING - Isaiah 7:10-14

P S A L M - Psalms 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

G O S P E L - Luke 1:26-38

SABBATH
While driving one time, I noticed the bumper sticker of the car in front of me. It said, “Everyone is entitled to MY own opinion.” It is a satire of the well-known original, “Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.” But more than a funny satire, I believe it is an illustration of how our world has become what sociologists call the “Generation Me.” In May 2010, a study came out about the level of empathy among young people. It studied generations of students in the US and revealed a significant drop in the capacity to empathize with others beginning the year 2000. From that year on, the respondents were less attracted and responsive to statements like, “I sometimes try to understand my friends better by imagining how things look from their perspective,” and “I often have tender, concerned feelings for people less fortunate than me.” The study opined that technology that brings the world into the palm of one’s hand may have contributed, among many others, to a generation that has the tendency to be competitive, isolated and comfortable at being alone. Genuine compassion didn’t seem to be an attractive value as the findings express. Pity is different from compassion. When one sees a street child, one can feel pity and write a check to an orphanage. Compassion is more than pity. It comes from the Latin cum (with) and pati (to suffer). Therefore compassion is to suffer with. It is a desire to be an equal to the one who has less or is lesser. It moves one to maybe spend a day with the orphans, feeding and taking care of them or volunteering in the soup kitchen project of one’s parish. Today’s Gospel is the Annunciation. At the greeting of the Angel Gabriel and after Mary’s fiat (i.e., “Let it be done unto me…), God, who in Himself is complete and self-sufficient, deigned to be made flesh — to be withhumanity, to be among humanity. Christmas is not about a God who felt pity for humanity. It is about a God who is compassion — the God who deigned to be with the people He loves, to suffer with the people He loves. That is what we celebrate at Christmas. Fr. Joel O. Jason Reflection Question: What characterizes your feeling towards the less fortunate, — pity or compassion? Lord Jesus, slowly, draw me and help me to grow in compassion. Amen. *St. Julius, pray for us.*

PLEASURE AND PURPOSE

2011-12-19T08:55:00.002+08:00

1st READING - Judges 13:2-7, 24-25

P S A L M - Psalms 71:3-4, 5-6, 16-17

G O S P E L- Luke 1:5-25

SABBATH
Both readings for today allude to the Jewish spiritual practice called the Nazirite vow. A Nazirite vow is a practice of self-discipline that Jewish males undergo as a form of consecration to God or to a higher and noble purpose. It includes, among others, refraining from eating anything unclean, avoiding taking strong wine or drink, and keeping the hair untouched by the razor until the fulfillment of the vow. Samson in the first reading and John the Baptist in our Gospel were both consecrated to the Nazirite vow. Later on, in the New Testament, we also read of Paul committing himself to the same vow. The vow is not a statement against food, drink or good grooming. It is a commitment to a divine consecration. The object is to train one’s willpower in order to fulfill a higher goal or purpose in life. We need this kind of a vow in everyday life. Such a vow helps train the individual recognize a hierarchy of values in his life, to sift through the difference between pleasure and purpose. Every good thing has two elements of goodness in them: pleasure and purpose. Pleasure brings delight and enjoyment in our pursuit of purposeful things. Purpose gives direction and ethical value in our enjoyment of pleasure. Since pleasure is in the realm of the senses, it’s easy to pursue it independent of purpose. Eating is pleasurable but it has a purpose. Pursue the pleasure alone and you fall into eating disorders. Sleep is pleasurable but has a purpose. Pursue its pleasure alone and you’ll find yourself sleeping through the Mass, in classes or at work. Sex is pleasurable but also has a purpose. Every sexual sin is the result of pursuing the pleasure of sex apart from its natural and God-ordained purpose. We no longer hear the Nazirite vow nowadays, but we need it more than ever. We no longer call it Nazirite vow. We can call it asceticism and self-discipline. These values have always been the character of great men and women. It defined Samson, John the Baptist and Paul. It should define us as well. Fr. Joel O. Jason Reflection Question: Make a self-evaluation and ask yourself: Are you pleasure-driven or purpose-driven? Lord Jesus, grant me the prudence and willpower to live a purpose-driven life. Amen. *St. Bernard Valeara, pray for us.*

Today's Gospel - December 18, 2011 with reflection

2011-12-18T11:06:00.004+08:00

1st READING - 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8-12, 14, 16

P S A L M - Psalms 89:2-3, 4-5, 27, 29

2nd READING - Romans 16:25-27

G O S P E L

ALLELUIA

R: Alleluia, alleluia

Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.

R: Alleluia, alleluia

Luke 1:26-38

26 The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, 33 and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” 35 And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. 36 And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; 37 for nothing will be impossible for God.” 38 Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

SABBATH
GOD IS WITH US Last October, a friend invited me to preside over the blessing of his new house, a beautiful and modest one that took almost two years to build as the construction was not planned and the fund was scarce and intermittent. They were among the victims of Ondoy, the powerful typhoon that adversely affected a great number of Filipino families in September 2009. After the blessing, he showed me photos of their old house and his family that he managed to take with a cell phone as Ondoy ravaged their community. One photo caught my attention. They were on the second floor, and the whole family was on top of a table (there were four of them), half submerged in flood water, hoping and praying it would not rise any higher. With a half smile and moist eyes he told me, “Father, I lost everything in that typhoon, but thank God, I still have my treasure.” I remember now an old parable. A man lost everything he had in a terrible typhoon. Distraught, he approached a monk and told him, “I lost everything!” “I’m sorry to hear you lost your faith,” the monk responded. “I did not say I lost my faith,” the man corrected. “Oh, I’m sorry then that you lost your hope,” the monk continued. “I did not lose my hope either,” the man volunteered. The monk then said, “You still have your faith. You still have your hope. Then you did not lose everything. You still have something upon which everything can be built.” My friend’s treasure was his family. I would like to add more. His treasure is his faith and his hope in God. In the midst of a storm, his faith was strong. God was with him. Today, we read from Luke the story of the Annunciation where the angel Gabriel announced to Mary the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy that the “the virgin shall be with child and give birth to a son, and they shall call Him ‘Emmanuel,’ a name which means ‘God is with us.’” Let us hold on to this truth. There will be times this will be challenged or will not be evident. But like Joseph and Mary, let us act on this assurance — He is Emmanuel, God with us.Fr. Joel O. Jason Reflection Question: My friend’s treasure is his family and his faith. What are yours? Pray this in mantra fashion: “The virgin shall be with child and give birth to a son, and they shall call Him Emmanuel.” *St. Moses, pray for us.*

FORTUNE TELLING, FORTUNE DOING

2011-12-17T15:00:00.000+08:00

1st READING - Genesis 49:2, 8-10

P S A L M - Psalms 72:1-2, 3-4, 7-8, 17

G O S P E L - Matthew 1:1-17

SABBATH
Even now, when I meet old friends and classmates at get-togethers and reunions, I always receive comments like, “I really can’t believe you’re a priest today.” And until now, I still don’t know what to make of it. Do I take as a compliment or an insult? Seriously, I don’t really blame them. No one in the family tree has been a priest or a religious. And if you knew me back then, you’d be a good fortune teller if you predicted I’ll be a regular churchgoer. Today we read of the Genealogy, the family tree of Jesus: Generations and generations of people comprising the lineage from where the promised Messiah would come. If a fortune teller looks at that family tree, he would have no second thoughts dismissing the idea that the Messiah would spring up from that stock of people. I don’t really know everyone in that list, but Scripture scholars tell us that men and women of ill repute are included in that list. Included are some adulterers, prostitutes and even scheming murderers. And yet, that is the undeniable truth. The Messiah, the Son of God, did originate from that line of people. The Genealogy of Jesus can teach us something about how to look at the past and the future. First, the past does not necessarily determine the future. Freedom to correct and learn from the past is always the gift of the present moment. We are not creatures of chance. We are creatures of choice. It is not by chance that I found myself in the priesthood. It is my choice, despite a past that doesn’t seem to point to it. Second, one does not “tell” the future. We make our future. It will do us well to remember what the sage says, “The best way to predict your future is to create it.” I was not born a priest; I underwent formation to become one. Ten years of formation to be exact. And my formation continues until now. Fr. Joel O. Jason Reflection Question: What is your attitude towards your past? Are you resigned and passive about what the future holds for you? Jesus, in Your Name, I declare freedom from whatever enslaves me in the past and courage towards what frightens me in the future. Amen. *St. John of Matha, pray for us.*

Obama vs. Catholics: A battle we must win

2011-12-17T11:19:00.002+08:00

"Lazy, ivory-tower intellectuals."

"Self-important specialists."

"Arrogant wool-gatherers!"

Sometimes professors deserve their titles. Perhaps my colleagues and I at Thomas More College have even been guilty of too much detachment; too much other-worldly contemplation . . . but now a dark shadow has ruined such a peace. A dark shadow lies across our land.

A dark shadow threatens all Catholic institutions and new Herods threaten to kill with extinction at the stroke of a pen.

This rising pagan culture drives good professors out of the library, out of their studies, and out of their cherished classrooms.

We are driven not only into the public square, but literally to the streets to defend rights and values that less than 50 years ago were upheld by all men and women of goodwill, whether housed in ivory towers or not.

CASE IN POINT: quite recently, the American government declared its intention to force Catholic colleges to provide its students with health insurance that pays for sterilization and contraceptives, including those that cause abortion. The government specifically states that this mandate "ensures that collegiate women have access to contraception, abortifacients, sterilization, and the like."

Now maybe I am an "ivory tower intellectual" wedded a bit too closely to my books. I certainly didn't spend those long years in graduate school studying the Classics so that I could spend even more years battling government regulators and bureaucrats who are trampling on my rights as a Catholic . . .

But then maybe I did: The truth must be defended!

In the streets as in the classroom: the Truth must be defended.

Enough is enough!

As President of Thomas More College, I am morally obligated to uphold the teachings of our beloved Catholic Church.

I must stand by the best traditions of our civilization.

I must resist by all means possible every effort to compromise the dignity of human life.

I must, therefore, resist all who attempt to lure young people into the Culture of Death through the stealthy introduction of contraceptives and abortifacients, and all those who seek to use our funds to fuel immorality and murder.

And I do not care if the Culture of Death is backed by a Federal Mandate.

Consequently, with scores of American bishops, I have come out fighting. We have joined forces to demand that the Obama administration repeal this immoral new regulation; and we will not stand down until we win.

Unfortunately, battling the Bureaucracy of Death drains away time and money; it tears me away from my primary vocation of strengthening Thomas More College. Most dangerously, it keeps me from critical fundraising efforts that allow our College to fight for Life and Truth.

But what can we do?

Abandon our bishops?

Abandon other Catholic Colleges
still asleep to this sinister threat?

Help me battle this immoral regulation and make up the funding shortfall it will cause here.

Could you give $25, $50, $100, $250, or even $500 today?

Your support will preserve our modest campus where we've created a gracious community of faculty and students rooted in the Christian civility that alone forms virtue in souls.

For four years, we require each student to dwell at length on the Great Books that built Western civilization -- the books whose study will make it once again a shining city on a hill, books from:

Holy Scripture, Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Plutarch, St. Augustine, Dante, St. Thomas Aquinas, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Cervantes, Burke, Hamilton, de Tocqueville, Hawthorne, Chesterton, T.S. Eliot, and the other great men and women whose wisdom gives courage its meaning.

And for four years, we expect our students to live the truth, to think and to act in accord with it; they travel as pilgrims to Rome; they work in homeless shelters, they pray the liturgy of the hours, they stay close to the Sacraments, to their books, to Our Lord.

That's the education young Catholics in our day need—the education that countless bishops, cardinals, public leaders, and trusted institutions have recognized as top flight.

	"Thomas More College is dedicated to forming students intellectually and spiritually within the Catholic intellectual tradition and with unapologetic fidelity to the Teaching Authority of the Church." Francis Cardinal Arinze
"The teaching at Thomas More College exemplifies the right relationship between faith and reason, which is always at the service of the truth." Cardinal Raymond Burke
	"Excellence in every respect is what Thomas More College offers young people. I do not exaggerate when I say that Thomas More College is exactly the kind of Catholic college you would want your children and your children's children to attend." Patrick J. Buchanan, Author and Public Figure
"Thomas More College is is exactly what a Catholic college should be." the late Robert D. Novak, Conservative Columnist

Thomas More College was also just ranked in the top 2% nationwide in educational quality by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni. Out of 1,009 schools reviewed, we were one of only 19 to receive an "A" rating.

You know, "ivory tower intellectual" is spat out as a slur.

But we teachers and scholars --- those of us who study our Faith --- know that for centuries "Tower of Ivory" has been one of the loveliest names of Mary. Quiet and retiring she was, like a gentle teacher, and a contemplative like we strive to be at Thomas More College.

But Our Lady was not weak or afraid of battles forced upon her: she crushed the head of the serpent, the Devil himself. She is the ivory tower that stands against the shadow of darkness.

So now I, an "ivory tower intellectual" proudly go forth into the public square under the banner of Mary, the Tower of Ivory herself, to battle an administration drunk on regulation, a regime that tries to force its dark ideas through "mandates," a regime that tries to compel teachers and students to co-operate with the Culture of Death.

We go forth to defend the Truth and to defend the innocent and vulnerable so dearly loved by Our Lady.

Will you help?

We don't need your help tomorrow.

We need it today!

Please click here to make your donation now.

$50 if you can possibly afford it, but no contribution is too small -- or too large!

Thank you, and please keep us in your prayers.

Sincerely,

William Edmund Fahey, Ph.D.
President, Thomas More College

HOW GREAT THOU ART!

2011-12-16T08:51:00.001+08:00

1st READING - Isaiah 56:1-3, 6-8

P S A L M - Psalms 67:2-3, 5, 7-8

G O S P E L - John 5:33-36

SABBATH
When the Pope goes around Rome or visits neighboring cities in Italy, a Swiss guard drives him in a papal car with a special plate and a Vatican state flag. Here’s a fictional story about Pope Benedict XIV. One day, he decided to sneak into the papal car and drive it himself. Excited, he stepped on the gas pedal and cruised at a very high speed. An Italian police flagged him down and when the Pope rolled down the window, the police immediately called his superior. “Give him a ticket. I don’t care who it is. The law is the law,” the superior said. “Sir, we have a situation here. I caught someone over-speeding, but I think he’s more than a VIP.” “Why, is it the President of Italy?” the officer dared. “No, I think it’s God,” the officer countered, “because his driver is the Pope.” If you are human, there will be someone higher than you. Yesterday, Jesus gave John the greatest tribute ever given to man. But even with the highest of compliment, John is still a man and someone is higher than him — Jesus. Today, Jesus puts things in perspective. Still speaking of the witness of John, Jesus paints him as the light that illumines the people who are in darkness. But John is described by Jesus in the Gospel only as a lamp. A lamp by itself is useless. It needs a flame to set it burning. By saying that “I have a testimony greater than John,” Jesus sets Himself as the flame that sets the lamp burning. Jesus is greater than John, and John knows this. Of Jesus, John can only say, “Someone greater than me is coming. I am not even worthy to untie the strap of his sandals.” Every Christian is called to be a lamp that lights. Just like John the Baptist, we are called to be light — not a spotlight but a flashlight. Spotlights call attention to the individual. Flashlights are always pointed away, illuminating the way for others. Yes, God wants us to flourish and to shine, and we are to shine not like spotlights but flashlights. Let us call attention, not to ourselves but to Christ and His message of love. Fr. Joel O. Jason Reflection Question: In what areas of your life is self-glorification a very strong temptation? Do you have what they call “diva” moments? “Lord what is man that you care for him? Mortal man that you keep him in mind? Man who is merely a breath, whose life fades like a passing shadow?” *Blessed Raynald de Bar, pray for us.*

THE GREATNESS OF HUMILITY

2011-12-15T09:28:00.002+08:00

1st READING - Isaiah 54:1-10
P S A L M - Psalms 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11-12, 13
G O S P E L - Luke 7:24-30

SABBATH
There was an accident and a man lay unconscious by the road. As the crowd gathered around, a gentleman approached, trying to see what he could do to help the man. Then from behind, a woman’s voice was heard, “Step back, everyone. I know CPR. I’m the one he needs right now.” The gentleman gave way and said, “I’m glad there’s someone who could administer CPR here. By the way, I’m a doctor. If you need my help, I’ll be right behind you.” It’s a paradox that those who have little knowledge are the ones who think they know everything. And those who know so much are the ones who understand that they still know too little. Just think back when you were still a teenager. Oh, I remember the arrogance of my youth. Just at the threshold of discovering new things, I thought I knew everything. I remember reading someone defining adolescence as “that time of our life when you wonder why everyone is wrong and only you get it right.” I resented that definition so much that I still remember it today. But now, far beyond my adolescent days, I can only nod in embarrassed agreement. When I was ordained in 1996, I felt I was ready to conquer the world and offer it the fresh wisdom of a newly ordained. Fifteen years into the ministry, I realize I have offered so little and there is still much to learn. Today, Jesus pays tribute to John the Baptist. Reading the Scriptures, it seems like he knew so little. Unlike Paul and the other Evangelist who wrote extensively about Jesus, John didn’t have much going for him. And yet we can see from Scriptures that he knew enough — he knew that which matters. He was the first one to recognize and point out to Jesus as the Lamb of God. No wonder Jesus reserved for him the greatest tribute ever said of man by God, “No man born of woman is greater than John.” Like the doctor in our story, let us strive to be knowledgeable. Likehim and John in the Gospel, let us be humble, for only the humble recognizes that which is worth knowing, and that there is always much to learn in this life and beyond. Fr. Joel O. Jason Reflection Question: Rice grains, when empty, stand straight and tall. Those which have something inside are the ones that are bowed down to the ground. Lord Jesus, Emmanuel, born poor and yet a King, inspire me to aspire for the greatness of humility. Amen. *St. Nino, pray for us.*

I’M SO EXCITED!

2011-12-14T10:51:00.000+08:00

1st READING - Isaiah 45:6-8, 18, 21-25

P S A L M - Psalms 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14

G O S P E L - Luke 7:18-23

SABBATH
For centuries it has been prophesied that a Messiah will come to bring liberation to Israel. What kind of Messiah and what kind of liberation He will bring was not easily apparent in the prophecies. In our Gospel reading today, we see a sense of curiosity among the people regarding the person of Jesus. News about this newcomer from Nazareth have been brewing in the Galilean countryside and we feel among the people a sense of excitement regarding Jesus and His connection with the prophecy of old. John the Baptist sent two disciples of his to Jesus to ask Him, “Are you the one who is to come or do we look for another?” “Do we look for another?” At this time of the year, I usually take a two- or three-day self-imposed retreat before the start of the Christmas season and the Simbang Gabi(dawn Masses). I do not necessarily go off to a secluded place and be by myself, but I do put off and put out anything that I feel clamors for my attention unnecessarily. These self-imposed Sabbath days include no TV (except the news, EWTN and TV Maria), no Internet and only periodic use of the cell phone. In their place, more time for silence and reflection. The Christmas season is a very exciting and busy season and I can easily be distracted. In this season, the question of the disciples is actually my question, too: “Are you ‘He who is to come’ or do we look for another?” I know Jesus is the One but it’s easy for me to get excited and look for another. A sage once said, “When someone points at the moon, only a fool looks at the finger.” As we plunge into these exciting days of Christmas, I invite you to make your own Sabbath day for “He who is to come.” Let us avoid the foolish temptation of looking for another and at our finger. Fr. Joel O. Jason Reflection Question: What Sabbath preparation are you willing to do to dispose yourself for “He who is to come?” Pray this in mantra fashion, “O come Emmanuel, come. Maranatha! Lord Jesus.” *Sts. Justus and Abundius, pray for us.*