May mapalad pa ba ngayon?

January 30, 2011
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Zep 2,3;3,12-13 . 1Cor 1,1,26-31
Mt 5,1-12a
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Paano nasasabi ng isang tao na mapalad siya?

Kapag siguro nasa kanya na ang lahat sa mundo, kapag multi-billionaire na siya at kaya niyang bilhin ang lahat ng bagay na gusto niya. Malamang, kapag nakilala niya ang isang taong mahal niya. O di kaya, kapag akala niya ay wala nang pagkakataong makita pa si Vic Sotto o si Willie Revillame, tapos mabibigla na lang siya nang mapansin niya na katabi na ang kanyang mga idolong artista.

Meron pa namang mga pagkakataong nasasabi ng isang tao na mapalad siya o nabiyayaan ng wagas. Pero ito yung mga kadalasan nating naririnig na mga dahilan kung kaya nasasabi na 'mapalad' ang isang tao.

Hindi natin maiiwasang isipin na napakababaw ng mga dahilan na ibinibigay natin upang isipin na 'mapalad' ang isang tao.At hindi naman masamang ibigay ito na kahulugan, lalo na sa panahon natin ngayon na mahirap makamit ang mga pangarap ng ganun-ganun lang.

Yan ang mapapalad. Ayon ito sa "words and stuff" ng mundo. Pero si Hesus ay may ibang definition ng salitang 'mapalad.' Hindi lang isa, kundi siyam. Ang tawag dito, Beatitudes. At ito ang pahayag sa atin sa araw na ito ng pamamahinga.

Isn't it good to be considered among the "blessed?" Jesus gives us the qualities of a real follower, of a real disciple, of a real Christian. If you consider yourself among these nine qualities, then you are worthy enough to be called blessed. It is because you have successfully fulfilled one, if not all, of those requirements of Jesus which serves as your passport to Eternal Life.

However, we must admit that what is achievable before is now hard to reach. Blame the devil and his cohorts for this. Temptations come in diverse forms and shapes. Even those which are considered sin before is a good deed now.

Mahirap ito para sa mga Kristiyano ng panahon natin. Habang ang iilan ay nagsusumikap na mamuhay ng maayos, ang karamihan ay patuloy na nabubuhay tulad sa Sodom at Gomora. At hindi nila alam na mali na ang ginagawa nila, ngunit patuloy nila itong ginagawa, at hinahangad dahil dito sila masaya. Dito nila nararamdaman na mapalad sila.

Sandali! Kung ganoon ang sitwasyon, maitatanong natin ito:

May mapalad pa ba ngayon?

May mapalad pa ba sa panahong ito na wala na halos takot sa Diyos ang sangkatauhan? May mapalad pa ba ngayong hindi na iniisip ng tao ang kanyang ginagawa? May mapalad pa ba ngayong puro kasalanan na lang ang iniisip niyang gawin?

OO! Sigurado, meron pa! Kahit kaunti lang sila, siguradong meron pa. Ang problema ay yung katotohanan na KAUNTI NA LANG SILA!

Kapag tayo ang tinanong ng ganito, maiisip natin, Meron pa namang mapalad, eh! Pero ang kasunod na tanong nito ay mas malalim...

Kung meron pang mapalad ngayon at kaunti na lang sila, itinuturing mo rin ba ang sarili mo na kasama sa kaunting mapapalad na ito?

Mahirap sagutin, no? Kasi alam natin sa puso natin na tayo man ay hindi bahagi ng mga mapapalad na ito. Tama nga na mapalad tayo dahil tinubos tayo ng Dugo ni Hesus at sa kanyang kamatayan, tayo ay iniligtas. Pero kung hanggang dito lang ito at hindi natin pinalago sa isang mabuting pamumuhay, mamamatay ang pagiging mapalad natin. Mawawalan ito ng saysay.

We are blessed because Jesus died for us; likewise, we should cultivate this blessing through living a holy life, and being a blessing to others.

Sa linggong ito, hamon at panawagan sa atin ni Hesus na samahan ang kaunting bilang na ito ng mga mapapalad. Tayo man ay tinatawag na maging mapalad sa ating munting paraan. Mahirap nga, oo, pero ngayon na ang takdang panahon upang ganapin ang ating tungkulin bilang Kristiyano, ang maging 'mapalad,' at maging 'pagpapala' sa iba. 

Muli, ang hamon na tanong sa atin ngayong linggo,

> MAY MAPALAD PA BA NGAYON? 
> KUNG MERON, KASAMA KA BA SA MGA MAPAPALAD NA ITO?

Pagpalain nawa tayo ng Panginoon sa Linggong darating!

Tara! Mangisda Tayo!

January 23, 2011
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Is 8,23-9,3-1 . 1Cor 1,10-13.17
Mt 4,12-23
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Lumaki ako sa isang lungsod na sagana sa pangingisda, at halos araw-araw (kahit hanggang ngayon), ay isda ang lagi naming ulam sa bahay. Pero natuto na akong kumain ng isda noong teenager na ako. Ayoko kasi ng isda, takot ako sa tinik nito. Pero nang lumaki ako, doon ko dahan-dahang natikman ang tunay na sarap ng biyaya ng dagat.

Siyempre, bida sa pangingisda ang mga namamalakaya na nagpupuyat gabi-gabi sa laot para mangisda. Ang usual na eksena sa umaga dito sa may amin, kapag dumating na ang mga namamalakaya, ang ilan ay pumunta sa palengke at inilalako yung isdang nahuli nila. Ang iba, nagdadala ng sariwang isda sa mga bahay-bahay. Samantalang yung iba ay dumadaan sa bahay namin at naglalaro ng bilyar. Karamihan sa kanila ay hindi na nakapag-aral at tumanda na sa ganitong hanap-buhay. Ang mga kabataang mangingisda ay sumusunod na sa yapak ng mga nakakatanda.

Ganito ang buhay ng mangingisda sa amin. Kahit nakakalungkot at mahirap na isipin, gayun pa man, ay patuloy silang nagsisikap upang makapaghatid ng pagkaing pantawid-gutom ng pamilyang Pilipino.

Sila ay mamamalakaya ng isda. At sila ang ginawang huwaran ni Hesus sa ating Ebanghelyo ngayon.

Nakita ni Hesus si Andres at Pedro, Santiago at Juan. Sila ay mga mangingisda by profession, ngunit sa paglaon, ay bibigyan sila ng isang magandang misyon. Tulad natin, ay nagtrabaho sila gabi-gabi sa Lawa ng Galilea upang mangisda at mangalakal ng isda. Tipikal na mamamalakaya, kung baga.

Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Sa pagtawag ni Hesus sa kanilang apat, ay nag-iba ang kanilang larangan sa buhay, mula sa isang simpleng propesyon hanggang sa isang dakilang misyon. Sila ay pinapagbago ng Diyos mula sa trabahador ng tao hanggang sa pagiging lingkod ng Panginoon.

At hindi nila itinakwil ang Panginoon. Sila ay kusang-loob na sumunod kay Hesus at hinarap ang darating na tatlong taon na walang inaasahan kundi ang biyaya na nagmumula kay Hesus. Ang dumating na panahon ay nag-iba para sa kanila. Sila ay sinugo sa mga malalayong lugar, nagpagaling ng mga may-sakit, at nagpahayag ng Mabuting Balita, kahit na umabot ito sa punto ng pag-aalay ng buhay. Lahat ito ay nagkabunga sa mga sumunod na henerasyon, sa pamamagitan ng isang komunidad ng mga mananampalataya kay Kristo. Ito ay ang ating Simbahan.

Tayo man ay mga Apostol rin! Patuloy ang pagtawag ni Hesus sa atin upang maging mamalakaya ng ating kapwa, lalo na ng mga taong nalalayo sa piling ng Diyos. We should not be afraid in proclaiming the Gospel in the secularized world of today, because from the first moment, Jesus is always with us!

Sila ay mangingisda. Tayo ay namamalakaya ng tao. Tara, mangisda tayo!

Have you seen my Childhood?

January 16, 2011
FEAST OF THE SANTO NIÑO
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Is 9,1-6 . Eph 1,3-6.15-18
Mt 18,1-5.10
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Sa buong mundo, isa lang itong ordinaryong araw ng Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon, pero para sa mga Pinoy, isa itong espesyal na araw ng pagdiriwang. Sa araw na ito, ay ipinagdiriwang natin ang isang banal na bata, ang simula ng pananampalataya ng isang bansa, at ang simula ng pagngiti ng Diyos sa ating minamahal na bayan.

We go back to our roots today as we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Child Jesus. This is one special feast in the Philippines, and this one is prepared and celebrated the 'mardi gras' way. From the colorful street dancing in Tondo and Cebu, to the simple procession in the parishes. Truly, the Feast of Sto. Niño is the pinoy way of giving gratitude to Jesus, the Divine Child who was born for our sake.

But beyond the revelry which we already knew of this day, the Gospel cries out something unusual. We are called to give proper regard to the children and youth of today. More than being the hope of the future of our land, they are also considered the greatest ones in the Heavenly Kingdom.

Subukan nating tignan ang mga bata sa paligid natin. Maitatanong natin, Kung sila ang mga mahigit sa kaharian ng Diyos, bakit ganito ang turing natin sa kanila? Mula sa malawakang pang-aabuso sa kanila hanggang sa mga gawaing nagpapatanggal ng kanilang pagkabata, totoo ngang hindi na sila bata sa kanilang kalagayan dahil sa mga pagpapahirap na kanilang natatanggap sa ating mga nakakatanda.

I remember Michael Jackson's song, Childhood. He shows here his yearning for the joys of childhood, which was taken away from him when he began his singing career at age 5. This is also the suffering of the innumerable children and youth of our time. Because of lack of care, poverty, and selfish interests of the powerful ones, the little ones of the society is being degraded, and backlashed.

Of this Jesus reminds us, See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.  I'm very much sure that the mailbox of heaven is jampacked already with concerns regarding the problem of our children and youth. At sigurado rin ako na hindi magtatagal ay ipaghihiganti ng Diyos ang mga batang ito sa mga taong nanamantala sa kanilang kamusmusan, at kahinaan.

Bilang nakakatanda sa lipunan, tungkulin nating gabayan ang mga kabataan ng henerasyon natin, hindi sa kasamaan, kundi sa ikakabuti nila. Higit sa lahat, atin sanang maaalala na karapatan ng mga bata at kabataan ang kanilang malasap ang buhay ng isang bata, ng isang kabataan. Let them enjoy what it is to be a child, for in it they will learn more and in turn, they will be wise enough to share their experiences to the coming generation.

As we celebrate the feast of the Holy Child today let us pray for the children and youth of our country, and of the Church. May Jesus, the Santo Niño, continue to guide them through their juvenile challenges, that by having His protection, they may have one Holy and happy life. As for us adults, may we learn from the Child Jesus who never stayed as a child, but grew up and became a responsible Man of God. May we learn his humility, his simplicity, his obedience, and so be true Christians in the world of today.

Ngayon, sabay-sabay nating isigaw...

VIVA SANTO NIÑO!!!

BINYAGAN NA YAN!!!

January 09, 2011
FEAST OF THE LORD'S BAPTISM
Is 42,1-4.6-7 . Ac 10,34-38
Mt 3,13-17
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Kapag nakita mo si bestfriend na may suot-suot na bagong sapatos o damit, at sinabi niya sa iyo, "Oi, best! Tignan mo ang bago kong sapatos!" Ano ang sasabihin mo? Di ba, "Bago ba yan? E di binyagan na yan!" sabay apak sa sapatos? Ganyan ang pagtingin natin sa halos lahat ng mga bagong bagay na nagkakaroon tayo. Kapag ginulo o binarubal ng kasama natin, o kapag namantsahan, o anuman ang mangyari doon, turing natin ay "nabinyagan" ang bagay na iyun. Tama ba?

Ganyan rin sa mga fraternity o sorority, may initiation. Bago ka makapasok sa grupo, padadaanin ka nila sa mga pagsubok para malaman kung hanggang saan ka matatag. Yan ang binyag sa kanila.

Sa maniwala tayo o sa hindi, nang tayo ay isinilang sa mundo, makalipas ng ilang buwan, ay nag-isip rin ang ating mga magulang ng kung ano ang unang gagawin sa atin bilang mga sanggol. At isa lang ang nasa isip nila... Binyagan na 'yang batang yan!

 

Anuman ang bagay na meron tayo, basta bago, binibinyagan natin... pinapaliguan, dinudumihan, inaapakan, binibigyan ng pagsubok, kahit ano ginagawa natin para maturing na 'binyagan' ang isang bagay o ang isang tao.

Sabi nga nila, sa binyag nagsisimula ang buhay ng isang nilalang. Ang simpleng panganganak, o ang pagsulpot sa lupa ng isang munting dahon ay hudyat na ang isang nilalang ay bininyagan na sa mundo, nagsisimula ang kanyang buhay. Ganyang kahalaga sa atin ang salitang "binyag"; kasingkahulugan nito ay ang salitang 'pasimula.'

Sa Simbahan, ay mas malalim ang kahulugan ng salitang 'Binyag.' Sa totoo nga lang, ito ay isa sa mga pitong sakramento ng Simbahan. Sa pagbuhos ng tubig sa sanggol o sa taong bibinyagan, ay nagsisimula ang kanyang panibagong katauhan. Wala na ang lumang pagkatao, siya ay nagiging isang Alter Christus. Isa na siyang tunay na anak ng Diyos at kapatid ni Hesus. Ganyan kahalaga sa ating mga Kristiyano ang Binyag. Ito ang nagpapasimula sa ating buhay na kasama ang Diyos.

Pasimula. Ito rin ang nasa isip ni Hesus nang siya ay magpabinyag sa Ilog ng Jordan kay Juan. Sa kanyang paglublob sa tubig, nagsisimula ang kanyang paghayag ng Ebanghelyo sa lahat. Dito nagsimula ang kanyang ministry. In short, dito nagsimula ang lahat!

Sa totoo lang, hindi na dapat nagpabinyag si Hesus, pero bakit niya ginawa ito? Ayaw nga siyang binyagan ni Juan Bautista, eh! Gusto ni Juan, siya ang binyagan, hindi magbinyag.

Pero ano ang sabi ni Hesus? Gawin na natin ito, dahil ito ang nararapat. Tinatanggap ni Hesus ang realidad na siya ang Anak ng Diyos, at para umpisahan ito, dapat siyang magpabinyag. Para kay Hesus, siya man ay dapat ring dumaan sa prosesong pinagdaanan ng karamihan sa Israel na nakinig sa tinig ni Juan.

At hindi nagkamali si Hesus! Pagkatapos siyang binyagan, ay bumaba sa kanya ang Banal na Espiritu sa anyong kalapati. At isang tinig ang narinig mula sa Langit, Ito ang aking Anak na lubos kong kinalulugdan. Tinatakan ng Langit ang pagpapasimula ni Hesus. At dahil dito, ay maaari na niyang umpisahan ang paglilibot sa buong Judea para magpahayag. 

Pero Stage One pa lang pala ito! Antabayanan ang Stage Two...sa Unang Linggo ng Kuwaresma.

Mabalik tayo sa pasimula. Tandaan natin na tulad ni Hesus nang siya'y binyagan, tayo man ay nagpapasimula ng ating buhay bilang Anak ng Diyos noong tayo naman ang binyagan. Isa itong malaking biyaya mula sa Panginoon. Tinatakan ng Diyos ang ating pamumuhay. Tayo ay hindi na mga nilalang ng kasalanan, tayo ay mga iniligtas! At lahat ng ito ay nagsimula noong tayo ay binyagan.

Ang binyag ay isang pasimula. Huwag sanang manatiling simula ang lahat. Matatanda na tayo, at nalalaman na natin ang mga tama o mali sa ating pananampalataya. Atin itong isabuhay. Ating ikarangal na minsan sa buhay natin, ay sinabihan tayo ng ating mga magulang, Binyagan na yan! dahil diyan nagsimula ang isang panibagong yugto ng ating buhay.

O, bago ba ang sapatos mo? BINYAGAN NA YAN!!!

SEARCHING...

January 02, 2011

SOLEMNITY OF THE LORD'S EPIPHANY

Is 60,1-6 . Eph 3,2-3a.5-6

Mt 2,1-12

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I remember that day last year when I lost my cellphone. When I slept the night before, it is still there in my bed. I know that it is secure there, since no stranger enters my room without my permission. In fact, its alarm have still rung by 5:00 am.

But everything turned the other way around. When I woke up by 8:30 am, the cellphone is not there anymore! I've searched for it everywhere in my room, even under my bed, but it is REALLY not there. Finally, I gave up, knowing that I could not find it anymore. Now, I'm suffering the consequences of a lost cellphone...

...good thing there is facebook! 

This is our reality, guys. Whenever we lost something, we search for it. We look for that one guy or girl who would "complete: us; others search-in just to find out if they are "called" to service of the Church.

This is our life. It is a continuous search for the ultimate goal. Day in and day out, we search for that goal in the things that we do, in the company of family, friends, and even in ourselves. Some succeed in their look-out, while others do not. We are all desperate to find that special something that would complete us. 

This is the quest of the Three Wise Men. Being sages of their own culture, they know that somebody greater than them is born. And with that, knowing that their calculations won't take them wrongly, they wandered along the vast desert to search for Him. 

They reached Jerusalem, but they did not find him there; instead, they were accepted with false entertainment from Herod, who at the time is king in Jerusalem. He was frightened that this child may overthrow him (The same reason why we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Innocents).

They proceeded towards Bethlehem, and with them is a guide, a star, which led them to the child. And upon seeing him, they gave him the renowned gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

We look deeply into this and see this reality: we are like the Wise Men! We search all our lives for what would make us happy and contented in life. Some look for it in riches, others in company of friends.Some in sexual pleasures, leaving few in desperation.

But guys! Here is happiness! It is in the infant born in Bethlehem! It is in the crucified in Golgotha! The Jews rejected him, but the gentiles accepted him with profound dignity. For all of us, Jesus appears today and everyday as guide, as rabbi. He is the key to eternal happiness. And those who find him will be sure to have found that ultimate happiness and contentment. Those who find him would offer not only gold, frankincense or myrrh, but most of all, they would offer the gift of their lives.

More than everything we've been searching for in this world of exile, Jesus completes us, our identity. This is because He is Emmanuel! God is with us! We could continue searching for something that can make us happy in this world, but remember this, WE CAN NEVER BE HAPPY WITHOUT CHRIST IN OUR LIVES.

Let's continue with our search. But I pray that at the end of this search, may we find the true treasure, the real contentment and happiness that we may experience. May we find Christ!

LET'S BEGIN THE NEW YEAR WITH MARY!

January 01, 2011

SOLEMNITY OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD

New Year's Day

World Peace Day

Nm 6,22-27 . Gal 4,4-7

Lk 2,16-21

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Perhaps, the most anticipated and most prepared-for day of the year is when we welcome it on January 01. The excitement to start anew with a smile on our lips and hope in our hearts motivates us to begin another year full of graces and challenges alike. So before I begin this reflection, let me greet you a very peaceful and prosperous 2011 ahead for you, and your family and friends.

Well, let me ask you. How did you start your New Year? With the company of family and friends? In the revelry of fireworks and bottomless food and drinks? Did you spend the whole night jumping, or eating the twelve fruits on the table? Did you find time to give your parents and family a hug? Did you begin it by making a sign of the Cross and a little prayer before everything else? How did you begin the New Year?

We all have our different strategies in welcoming the New Year. Nevertheless, we start this year anew and leave the old one in the grace of God. With Mary, His Mother, we invoke His grace for us to have true peace in the world for the year to come.  


Anno Domini 2011...

Well, as we know of it, today is not the beginning of the year in our Liturgical Calendar; our New Year began on the First Sunday of Advent, that was Nov. 28, 2010. Still, the Church, through Pope Gregory XIII in 1582, recognized this day, January 1 of each passing year, as the beginning of the Civil Year. In fact, the calendar which we are using today is known as the Gregorian Calendar, named after his honor.

We also hear of the Roman god Janus. Being the two-headed god of beginnings and endings, he is regarded as the Roman god of time. His two faces look in two opposite directions, like one face is taking a glimpse of the past, the other heading towards the future. He serves as everybody's example in going on with each passing year; leaving the old one and moving on with the new. That's also the reason why the first month is called January.


Well, I've mentioned Mary in the beginning of this reflection. Today is also a very special day offered in her honor. Aside from the start of a New Year, we also celebrate today the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. We look on today's Gospel passage and read thus,

Mary had kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.

Through the council held at Ephesus, the whole Church acclaims Mary as the Theotokos, the God-bearer, who bore Him in her womb for nine months, and gave birth to him on the lonely night, witnessed by the shepherds. Through this, the Savior, the Emmanuel was brought to being in this world, being one with us on all things but not sin.

When we speak of Mary as the Mother of God, we speak of Mary as the Mother who gave birth to Jesus the God-made-man. She who had been conceived without sin, she who gave her fiat to the archangel has all the right to be made known as the Mother of God. As St. Cyril of Alexandria said, "For if our Lord Jesus Christ is God, how is the holy Virgin who gave (Him) birth, not (Theotokos)?" 

But though she is experiencing quite acclaim in our times, we look at her and see her reflect on all these things. She took all these in her heart and pondered from it. Never taking everything for granted, never boasting whatever grace she received from God. She just sits on a corner, and meditate on the wondrous events deep within her heart.She is truly an example of a humble and caring mother who would always do everything for her child; a Mother who always reflects on the wonders of God to man.

But Mary is our Mother too! She always looks after our care and guides us in our every endeavor in life. Maybe, another reason why this day is dedicated to Mary is because we entrust our whole year to her Motherly Protection. We know that she would never let us down, and leave us whenever we are down. Her care was tried-and-tested by God (through Jesus) and man (through St. Joseph). And so, the whole year would be sure to be a year of graces and blessings if we entrust it to her guidance.


As we start the Year 2011, we continually ask the Lord that whatever joy we felt as we welcomed the New Year would extend to the next 364 days. We pray to Mary, the Theotokos, that we may be an instrument of peace to others. We start the year by entrusting it to her care, knowing that as she gave birth and cared for the Son of God in the flesh, she would also take care of our frail beings, and lead us to her son, Jesus.

So, let me ask you again? How did you begin your New Year? It would simply be better if we begin it with the things that would guide and form us to become a holy and new person. I have a good suggestion. LET'S BEGIN THE NEW YEAR WITH MARY! 

Happy New Year 2011!