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Showing posts from December, 2013

KAPISTAHAN NI MARIA, INA NG DIYOS; BAGONG TAON 2014

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PAGNINILAYAN NATIN ANG TAONG DUMARATING Ang Mahal na Birheng Maria ang ating kalakbay simula pa noong Adbiyento.   Napakaraming pangyayari ang naganap sa kanyang buhay na isa-isa nating hinimay nitong mga simbang gabi sa ebanghelyo. At sa ganitong mga nakakahilong pangyayari, hindi kaya nahirapan ang Mahal na Birhen na malusutan bawat pagsubok?   Sa ebanghelyo ngayon matatagpuan natin ang lihim ng tagumpay ng Mahal na Birhen. Sabi dito: itinago ni Maria ang mga bagay na ito sa kanyang puso at pinagnilayan niya ang mga ito (Lk. 2:19). Minsang nagtataka ako kung ano ang kaugnayan ng Mahal na Birhen sa Bagong Taon. Pero ngayon malinaw na tinatawag pala tayong hindi lamang salubungin ang mga pangyayaring dumating at darating pa sa ating buhay. Mas kailangan nating unawain at maintindihan ang kahulugan at mensahe ng Diyos para sa atin. Mahalagang magkaroon ng pananaw sa buhay na pagiging “mapagnilay”. Marami pang magaganap sa ating buhay ngayong taong

SOLEMN FEAST OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD; NEW YEAR 2014

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REFLECTING THE YEAR WITH MARY The Blessed Virgin Mary was our one constant companion from the start of Advent.   Amazing, mysterious events unfolded so rapidly in her life simple and unsuspecting life. The angelic visitor came, then she was pregnant, and then she gave birth to the Child in poverty. She would have to flee with St. Joseph to Egypt to protect her son.   She would spend years of exile before coming back home. With this fast cadence, what young woman would not suffer a dizzying confusion?   But today, the Gospel leads us to the secret of Mary’s survival.   How did she manage to confront and surpass all her troubles?   The gospel says:   Mary “kept all these words, pondering them in her heart” (Lk. 2:19).   I have always wondered about the connection between Mama Mary and the New Year. But it became clear to me that we are not only to absorb events as they happen but to try to understand their meaning and God’s message in them too. We m

ANG BANAL NA MAG-ANAK

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PAGGALANG AT PAGIGING BUKAS Ibang iba na ang mga pamilya ngayon.   Maraming pamilyang hiwalay sa isat isa.   Maraming bata ang papalit-palit ng dalaw sa bahay ng kanilang amat ina. At meron ding iniwanan na lang sa mga lolo at lola at mga kamag anak.   May mga pamilyang hindi dumadaan sa kasal.   Dumarami ang nagnanais makatakas sa masaklap na sitwasyon ng kanilang pamilya. Dati ay matatag ang mga pamilya, banal ang mga pamilya, malakas ang pundasyon ng mga pamilya.   Pero ngayon ang dami nang pagbabago na nakaka- apekto sa mga mag asawa at lalo na sa mga anak. Sa aking karanasan sa paaralan, ang pangit na kilos ng mga bata ay gawa ng kanilang hindi mailabas sa sama ng loob sa kanilang mga pamilya. Bilang mga Kristiyano, tayo rin ay naglalakbay sa mahirap na daan ng pamilya sa ating paghahangad ng magandang bukas para sa ating mga minamahal.   Alam natin na walang pamilyang lampas sa mapagmahal na titig at yakap ng Ama. Kitang kita ito sa Ebanghelyo

THE HOLY FAMILY

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RESPECT AND OPENNESS TO GOD A chapel called Holy Family, was renovated. The images of Jesus, Mary and Joseph used to stand together side by side in a niche on the main altar. But after the renovation, the Virgin Mary was placed at the extreme left of the altar, St. Joseph was placed at the extreme right, and the Child Jesus was enthroned in the middle. A parishioner gasped when she saw the arrangement and said: This used to be the Holy Family.   Now, they have made it a broken family! Families today are not the same as many years ago.   Recently I talked to several young people.   One was devastated that her parents separated days before Christmas. Another expressed confusion that he and his siblings have to live some days with their father and other days with their mother. A student begged me to convince his parents to consider having their union blessed by the Church. An overseas Filipina worker came home to file for annulment after a 5 year marriage.

PASKO NG PAGSILANG NG PANGINOONG HESUKRISTO A

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ANG BETLEHEM AY BASBAS NG DIYOS Muli akong nakarating sa Betlehem sa taong ito, ang aking pangalawang pagdalaw doon.   Bakit nais nating dalawin ang lugar na ito?   Bakit binabalik-balikan natin ito kahit sa gunita at diwa man lamang tuwing Pasko? Kasi, ang Betlehem ay nangangahulugan ng pagbabasbas para sa atin. Itong “tahanan ng tinapay” ay umaapaw sa sustansang nakahanda para sa mga anak ng Diyos.   Sa Betlehem, lumalapit tayo sa Sanggol na pagpapala ng Ama sa daigdig, ang ating Panginoon at Manunubos. Sa Paskong ito, hingin natin ang pagpapala ng Betlehem: Hilingin natin na pagpalain ng Betlehem ang ating isip.   Maraming alalahanin, suliranin, problemang dapat harapin sa bawat araw. Tila sasabog ang isip sa bigat ng paglutas sa mga ito. Sanggol ng Betlehem, basbasan mo ang aking isip ng kapayapaan. Hilingin natin na pagpalain ng Betlehem ang ating puso. Kahit ngayon, may mga takot sa loob ng puso.   May galit at hinanakit, may panghihinayang a

THE SOLEMNITY OF CHRISTMAS YEAR A

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THE BLESSING OF BETHLEHEM This year I was in Bethlehem for the second time in my life, something I did not expect to happen again since even the first pilgrimage was for me enough to last a lifetime. But there I was in Bethlehem, the sweet little town we read in the Gospel of S.t Luke, which became the privileged place for the merging of heaven and earth. The Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ was born in a   humble manger in an undignified cave in this place. It is said that millions wish to go to Bethlehem each year to kiss the holy ground traditionally believed to be the grotto where the Lord was born. As I kissed it again, I was holding in my hand a little image of the Infant Jesus, made of olive wood, and a cherished memorabilia of this particular visit.   I wish to allow my parishioners to kiss this image on Christmas day, a spiritual sharing of my experience. Why do we go to Bethlehem? Why do we desire to visit this place?   Why do we re-visit B

IKA-APAT NA LINGGO SA ADBIYENTO A

KATAHIMIKAN AT PAGSUNOD Sa simula ng adbiyento, isang malakas na boses ang gumambala sa atin, ang tinig ni Juan Bautista.   Ngayong malapit nang matapos ang panahong ito, at malapit na ring dumating ang Pasko, ang sigaw ng propeta ay nagbibigay-daan sa katahimikan ng isa pang gabay natin sa paghahanda, si Jose ng Nazareth. Tahimik si Jose hindi dahil wala siyang kailangang sabihin.   Sa katunayan, ang daming tanong sa kanyang puso at isipan.   Ang daming gumugulo sa kanya tungkol sa misteryo ng kanyang kasintahang si Maria at ang magiging anak nito. At tiyak naipagdasal niya ang mga ito sa Diyos. Subalit pinili pa rin ni Jose na tumahimik, hindi sapilitan kundi bukal sa kalooban.   Ito ay dahil nais niya talagang makinig.   Nais niyang marinig kung ano ang sasabihin ng Diyos.   Sabi sa ebanghelyo, kinausap siya ng anghel ng Panginoon sa kanyang pananahimik.   At dahil tahimik siya, mas lalo niyang naunawaan, natanggap at nasunod ang kalooban ng Diyos. I

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT A

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SILENCE LEADS TO OBEDIENCE In the early days of Advent, we heard the loud voice of John the Baptist, crying in the wilderness, shouting the need for repentance, and calling people to conversion.   His voice was loud, forceful, and emphatic.   He spoke because there was a message that needed to be proclaimed. Now that we are fast approaching Christmas, the loud voice of John gives way to the silence of another Advent figure, the man Joseph from Nazareth.   Already destined to be the Virgin Mary’s spouse, the gospels record not a single word from this man.   He was to be the legal guardian of God’s Son Jesus the Christ and yet, in this important role, he does not speak. Joseph was silent not because he had nothing to say.   In fact, his mind and heart were full of anxious questions. No doubt, he expressed these concerns in prayer.   He was a strong, hardworking, active figure, not a passive one. And yet, he chose to be silent. I remember another biblica

IKATLONG LINGGO NG ADBIYENTO A

WALANG HADLANG SA PAGDIRIWANG Dahil sa bagyong Yolanda, marami ang nagtatanong: May Pasko pa ba? Dapat pa ba tayong magdiwang? Isang magandang tugon ang nagmula sa isang pari, si Fr. Benny Tuazon ng Maynila: alisin ninyo ang Christmas party, pero, parang awa ninyo na, magdiwang pa rin tayo. Ibig sabihin, kahit na simple at payak lamang ang ating Pasko ngayong taon, walang dapat pumigil sa mabuting balita na malapit na ang Pasko! Siguro ito ang magandang okasyon para makita natin ang pagkakaiba ng kaligayahan (happiness) at kagalakan (joy). Ang kaligayahan ay dulot ng mga materyal na bagay o ng mga taong kinagigiliwan natin sa buhay. Di ba kapag nawala ang mga ito, maraming tao ang nalulungkot, nanghihina at nanlulupaypay? Pero ang kagalakan ay iba.   Ito ay bunga, hindi ng bagay o tao, kundi ng kaugnayan natin sa Panginoon.   Kaya nga, ito ay kaloob o regalo ng Diyos.   Hindi ito lumilipas o nawawala dahil ang pinagmumulan nito ay ang Panginoon. Isa

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT A

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BY ALL MEANS CELEBRATE! After the major calamity known as typhoon Yolanda/ Haiyan in 2013, people admirably gave up their Christmas parties and toned down their decorations, celebrations and other expenditures. Instead, they willingly donated money and goods to the needy victims.   As Christmas approached, there was a question: Is there sense in commemorating Christmas? Should we still celebrate? A wise priest gave this response to the press: Forego Christmas party, but please celebrate Christmas. In other words, go for the simple, go for the less but by all means, rejoice and be glad! In the midst of any crisis, Christmas is always good news. Nothing can hinder the coming of the Lord’s gift, his only Son. In this season, it is good to discover the difference between happiness and joy.   Happiness is a delight over sensory thing – material things and people you like or love. Notice that when these things are taken away or when these people go, many of

IKALAWANG LINGGO NG ADBIYENTO A

ANG TINIG NG PROPETA Tuwing malapit na ang Pasko, sumusulpot ang katauhan ni Juan Bautista, tulad sa ebanghelyo natin ngayon. Bakit nga ba? Ang mga Israelita kasi ay isang bayang sanay sa mga propeta. Marami silang propeta at ipinagmamalaki nila sila.   Kahit madalas hindi sila nakikinig sa propeta, alam nilang pag may propeta, nariyan din ang Panginoon. Subalit matagal nang walang propeta sa panahong ito. Halos 400 taon nang walang mensahe ang Diyos. Kaya nang biglang sumulpot si Juan, laking tuwa at pananabik ng maraming nais marinig muli ang tinig ng Diyos sa pamamagitan ng propeta. At si Juan ay may angking katangian na kakaiba at natatangi bilang propeta. Una, siya’y propetang nagsasakdal ng mga tao sa kanilang mga kasalanan.   Hindi pinalalampas ni Juan ang anumang masamang nakikita niya sa mga tao. Matapang siyang nagtutuwid sa kanila. Ikalawa, siya’y propetang naghahayag ng daan palayo sa kasalanan.   Hindi negatibo ang pananaw ni Juan. Hindi ba

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT A

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THE VOICE OF GOD Once again, this season of waiting presents to us the figure of John the Baptist. Why does John always appear before Christmas?   Why is he so important in Advent? Israel was a country proud of its prophets.   They had great and unforgettable prophets, men who brought them God’s message in times when they needed consolation, inspiration or reminders.   The people did not always believe the prophets but they were happy to have them around since they knew God anointed these men. In the time of Jesus, there has not been a prophet for about 400 years. The prophetic voice was silent, dead. All of a sudden, John the Baptist came and spoke on behalf of the Lord. This ignited the people’s hope that God was present. What important traits do we find in John? First, John denounced evil. He was courageous in confronting wrong even if it meant shaking people from their satisfied condition and hurting their feelings. His stinging and harsh word