OUR PARISH PRIEST

THE KIND OF HEART YOU HAVE At first glance the gospel seems to be a warning against the rich.   Jesus gives the parable of a rich man who built bigger and bigger barns to store his harvest.     Then he relaxed, undisturbed and secure in his material wealth.   But that night, he died.   He had no time to enjoy his great abundance.   Well, others did it for him. I think the gospel is not all about the rich.   It is for all of us, whether millionaire or simple folk.   Far from chastising riches, the Lord Jesus challenges all human heart. For today’s gospel, there are two types of hearts:   first, the heart that is afraid to lose and second, the heart that is ready to share. Many of us have a heart that is full of fear and insecurity.   We fear that we do not have enough.   And so if we give, or share, then we will end up miserable. Some rich people think like that.   But surprisingly, even poor p...

PRAYING TOGETHER THE LORD’S PRAYER One of the most moving parts of any Sunday Mass in the Philippines is the moment we all sing the Lord’s Prayer.   Unlike in other countries, we do not merely recite this prayer; we love to sing it.   We sing it with gusto.   We sing it with emotion.   Notice that in the Mass, there may be young men who seem indifferent and almost impatient by the door to just go home.   Or there may be seatmates in the pew oblivious to the world around them. Or there may be children mindlessly going through the motions of worship.   But when they hear the priest’s invitation for the Lord’s Prayer, all eyes look at the altar, hands reach out to their neighbors and voices belt out the enthusiastic melody. What brings together the congregation in this oneness of mind and heart as they prayerfully sing? I believe that two things are happening here. First, we are drawn together by a feeling that God is with us...

THE BETTER PART Jews and Filipinos share an affinity when it comes to cultural practices on hospitality.   Jews have always been portrayed as accommodating and kind to their guests, even to total strangers. Abraham welcomed his guests, washed their feet, offered them rest and prepared for them great food (Gen. 18).   Filipinos today go to great lengths to show guests their welcoming hearts. We are excited when they come over to visit us at home, specially if there is enough time to prepare.   Sometimes, though, our attention is fixed more heavily on the comfort of our visitors than on their presence. I visited an elderly couple who, seeing me, started to prepare a meal together in the kitchen, leaving me with their little grandson in the living room.   The boy and I played computer games, of which I knew nothing about.   How relieved I was when the food was cooked, so that I could finally converse with the couple I really wante...

THE ONE WHO IS NEAR A man inquired of the Lord about the possible ways of attaining eternal life.   Jesus’ answer was scriptural, sensible and simple.   Love God in an intense and dedicated way and love your neighbor as yourself. While there was no mistaking the sense Jesus meant when he said: “Love God,” the man had a little confusion about the meaning of Jesus’ words: “Love your neighbor.”   So the asked again: “Who is my neighbor?”   It is obvious that in this area of love, the man really needed a clarification.   And Jesus did provide such, giving us in the end, the beautiful parable of the Good Samaritan. Who really is our neighbor?   Any dictionary will bring you to the etymology of this word.   A neighbor is one who is near, one who is related, one who is “just next door.”   A neighbor does not have to be always a stranger you meet for the first time.   Instead, there is the quality of proximity, near...

YOUR NAMES ARE WRITTEN IN HEAVEN Last week, we bade Fr. Mars, one of our priests, a final farewell.   After almost two years of battling with cancer, he succumbed and gave up his last breath.   He was my friend and my parish companion. As we mourned for him, I couldn’t help but recall the very words of the Lord Jesus in today’s gospel: “The harvest if great, but the laborers are few.   Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest to send more laborers into his harvest.”   (Luke 10:2) Let me reflect with you on the life and mission of a priest. You may not be ordained priests, but hopefully, you will come to realize how connected you are to the life of the priests you know in your church community. The gospel points out three moments in the life of a priest.   First, Jesus calls men to be his priests.   God calls these men to serve him.   We may jokingly tell a person: “Why don’t you go and become a priest!”   I hope it’s t...