OUR PARISH PRIEST

KAPAG ANG DIYOS ANG PUMASOK SA PUSO Ngayong Linggo, sa Ebanghelyo, pumasok si Hesus sa bahay ni Zaccheo na isang makasalanan at iniiwasan ng kanyang kapwa tao. Ano ang kahulugan kapag “pumasok” si Hesus sa tahanan ng isang tao. Una, kitang kita natin ang pananabik ng Diyos sa pagpasok na ito ni Hesus.   Plano niya ang pagdalaw na ito.   Gusto niyang gawin ang bagay na nakakagulat sa isang taong hindi nag aakala. Siguro inaasahan ni Zaccheo na tiyak kagagalitan siya ng Panginoon, sesermunan, sisitahin.   Pero hindi, eto at pumapasok na siya sa kanyang bahay.   Anong kaligayahan!   Anong laking biyaya! Ikalawa, ang tahanan ay larawan lamang ng lalong mahalagang tahanan na nais pasukin ni Hesus – ang tahanan ng puso ng tao.   Naparito si Hesus kay Zaccheo upang makilala siyang lubos, makipag-kaibigan at buksan ang pintuan ng puso ni Zaccheo para asamin ang isang bagong buhay kasama ang Diyos. Tagumpay si Hesus. Sa tuwa ni Zacche...

WHEN JESUS ENTERS YOUR HOUSE Last week’s gospel showed two men “entering” the temple, the self-righteous Pharisee and the contrite Publican.   This Sunday Jesus “enters” the house of a sinner, the head of the tax collectors, Zacchaeus (Lk. 19:1-10). I wish to focus on this movement of “entering” that two consecutive Sundays bring before us for our reflection and prayer. What does it mean for Jesus to enter a house, the house of a man who is avoided by his neighbors and ostracized by his faith? First, there is a direct intention on the part of Jesus to enter that house.   It must have struck Zacchaeus that the first words from Jesus disclosed his desire to visit his place.   “Come down quickly for today I must stay at your house.” The gospel describes the reaction of the tax collector, how he jumped quickly from his treetop perch and welcomed Jesus with joy.   He did not expect Jesus to be interested in him, to call him by name, ...

NAKAKASIRA ANG “PRIDE,” ANGAT ANG “HUMBLE” Ang Pariseo ang modelo ng tunay na mayabang.   Bulag siya sa kanyang sariling kasalanan at mga pagkakamali. Subalit dilat na dilat ang mata nya sa pagkukulang ng iba.   Ito ang dahilan kung bakit nainis sa kanya ang Panginoon. Ang publikano naman ang modelo ng mababang loob.   Kilala niya ang sarili.   Alam niyang wala siyang maipagmamalaki dahil makasalanan siya sa mata ng kapwa niya dahil sa kanyang hanap-buhay. Ang tangi niyang lakas ay ang aminin ang kanyang kahinaan sa harap ng Diyos.   Ito ang dahilan at naging kaaya-aya siya sa mata ng Panginoon. Tingnan ang iyong puso:   puno ka ba ng pride o ikaw ba ay humble sa harap ng Diyos? (trial summary of the gospel reflection in Filipino, for Filipino/ Tagalog readers)

PRIDE DESTROYS, HUMILITY UPLIFTS Jesus reveals to us in today’s Gospel (Luke 18: 9-14) what attitude earns God’s favor and what draws God’s disdain. Pride is clearly an offense while humility is a fragrant offering to the Lord.    In illustrating this, the Lord presents two characters in his parable:   a Pharisee with inflated pride, and a publican with a realistic sense of humility. The Pharisee is the great specimen of a proud person.   Why does he not find favor with God?   First, the Pharisee is partially blind – to his own sins, his weaknesses and his faults.   All he prefers to see are his good traits, his religious observance and accomplishments. And he even thanks God for these: I thank You that I can fast and tithe, etc. Second, the Pharisee had a clear eye for other people’s shortcomings.   He immediately notices the publican next to him during prayer: I thank you Lord that you did not make me like this publican… ...

PRAYER AS A SIGN OF FAITH Last week, through the Samaritan leper, Jesus taught us that gratitude is a sign of faith.   This Sunday, the gospel (Luke 18: 1-8) gives us another sign of faith – prayer - the prayer that asks, seeks, implores, the “prayer of petition.” Experience tells us that it is comforting to pray when what your prayer is granted in the way you expect.   But prayer is also darkness.   At times, it seems God does not yield.   We realize also that at times we must wait long for God’s action to unfold. There are moments we feel our prayer bounces off a blank wall. When this happens, we are heavily tempted to stop approaching God, to give up the habit of relying on him.   Some of us may have even thought of doubting altogether whether there is a God out there. But Jesus guides us to respond and not merely to react. In today’s gospel the Lord insists that we continue on.   In fact, he recommends prayer “alwa...

SIMPLY GRATEFUL Today we have strong reminder that gratitude is a sign of a faith-filled heart. Children are trained to constantly say “thank you.”   And growing up, this attitude is reinforced in most of us. Why is it though that as adults, the one thing easiest to neglect is to be grateful? Gratitude is connected to memory. Remembrance of goodness disposes a person’s heart to give thanks. In the first reading, from the Second Book of Kings, Naaman, healed of leprosy, makes a return voyage to Israel to thank the prophet Elisha and to collect some soil to be kept as remembrance. In the second reading, St. Paul reminds Timothy of the greatness and goodness of the Lord Jesus Christ so that he will remain faithful.   And the Gospel (Luke 17) recounts the pleasure of Jesus as he welcomes the one former leper among the ten he healed, who retraces his steps to express gratitude and adoration. When we remember then we are overwhelmed by grace. When ...

HOLY IMPATIENCE Have you ever experienced waiting too long for something good?   Lord, when will I be fully healed?   Lord, when will you restore our family to unity?   Will I finally get my dream job now?   O God, how long before you introduce Mr. Right into my life?   When will peace reign in the war-torn regions of the earth? We are not alone in waiting for the good things, the wonderful promises, the fulfillment of dreams.   In the first reading from the 1 st chapter of the Prophet Habakkuk, the prophet personifies our feelings too:   “How long, O Lord? I cry for help but you do not listen!”   Yes in waiting, there are moments we are tempted to think that our cry, our tears reach nowhere.   Is there someone out there listening to me? It is normal to grow impatient as we undergo the ordeal of waiting. Especially in our day, people are not accustomed to wait.   Communications is fast through the late...