OUR PARISH PRIEST

PAGKAING PANGMATAGALAN Ngayong Linggo, patuloy ang kamangmangan ng mga tao sa Mabuting Balita. Hinahabol nila si Hesus. Sinusundan nga nila siya. Hinahanap-hanap. Pero mali ang motibo nila. At nagbabala ang Panginoon: Huwag ninyong asamin ang tinapay, kahit libre pa ito (Mabuting Balita ng nakaraang Linggo). Huwag ninyong hanapin ang tinapay na panandalian lamang.   Huwag kayong kumapit sa pagkaing napapanis! Matiyagang tinuruan ni Hesus ang mga tao tungkol sa katotohanang nais niyang maunawaan nila: ang Tinapay ng Buhay, ang tunay na Tinapay mula sa langit. Ito ang tunay na mahalagang Tinapay, dahil nagdudulot ng buhay, hindi makalupa kundi makalangit, hindi makamundo kundi sa ibayo pa ng daigdig na ito. Ito ang Tinapay na nagbubukas ng pintuan ng langit. Ang Tinapay na ito ay mismong si Hesus, ang kanyang buong katauhan, na dapat tanggapin, mahalin, panaligan at sundan. Ang makilala si Hesus at isuko ang lahat sa kanya ang kahulugan ng ating buh...

IMPERISHABLE BREAD This Sunday, the people continue to show their ignorance and their indifference to the heart of Jesus. Yes, they run to seek him. Yes, they are willing to follow him, but their motive is wrong. And Jesus warns them: Do not seek for bread, not even for free, miracle bread of last week’s gospel. Do not look for temporary bread.   Do not hold on to perishable food. Jesus, in patience, instructs the people about the reality he wishes them to perceive and understand: the Living Bread, the true Bread from heaven. It is this Bread that is most important, and that assures them of life, not terrestrial, but celestial, life which is not earthly but life that continues on to eternity.   This is the Bread that opens the gates of heaven. This Bread is a Person, the very Person of Jesus, who the people must learn to love, accept, believe and follow. Knowing Jesus and loving him and surrendering to him is the real meaning of our life. Bein...

WHATEVER YOU ASK OF ST. JOSEPH, YOU SHALL RECEIVE. (ST. TERESA OF AVILA) (a unique icon of St. Joseph during the Presentation of the Child Jesus at the Temple, holding the offering of the poor, 2 turtledoves; only available at the Pater Noster Church and Convent in Israel)

LIBRENG TSIBOG! Nakakatuwa ang isang FB message: Meron ka bang mga kaibigan na ganito? Yung laging nagsasabi na: Libre naman diyan! Mahilig tayo as free, sa libre. Kaya sikat ang free wifi, free taste, free trial, buy 1 get 1 free! Pero ano ba ang tyansa kapag free ang isang bagay? Pwedeng libre nga dahil promo. Next time tiyak may bayad na. Pwedeng libre kasi walang kuwenta. Marami naman at hindi mahalaga, e, kaya ipamigay na lang. Pero puwede kayang libre dahil nagmula sa pagmamahal? Nakatanggap ng libre ang mga Hudyo mula sa Panginoon. Libreng tinapay at isda mula sa himala ni Hesus. Inisip siguro ng ilan: Baka promo ito a. Ano kaya kapalit nito? Kelan kaya singil? Yung iba siguro akala ay walang kuwenta ang ipinamigay. Ang dami naman e, sobra-sobra. Mabuti ipinamigay na nga lang. Mabubulok lang yan sa dami. Hindi kayang ubusin ni Hesus at ng mga alagad lahat ng ito. Tuloy dahil hindi nila naintindihan ang ginawa ng Panginoon; ninais nilan...

FOOD FOR FREE! I found this message on Facebook: Do you have friends like these? Those who always say: Treat me out! Many people like to receive free items. Thus the popularity of free lunch, free taste, free wifi, free use, buy 2 get 1 free! But what are the possibilities about the "free"? A free item may be just a promotional product. It's free today but next time, you have to pay for it. A free item may be worthless. Given away for nothing because it's worth nothing really.  But can something be free because it comes from love?  The Jews got a dose of free offerings from Jesus. They had all the bread and fish they wanted. Maybe some of them were thinking, this is just a promotional. He is giving it for free, but later there will be a catch. I wonder what will the repayment be?  Some might be thinking: this is worthless, there’s a surplus. He has the power to multiply food, so why not give it away. Jesus and his disciples ca...

TAYO NAMAN ANG MAGING PASTOL Nagulat ako sa napagmasdan ko sa isang college dorm isang araw ng Linggo ilang taon na ang nakalilipas.   Late nagising ang mga estudyante at pupungas-pungas na nag-agahan. Pagkatapos nito, dahan dahan na silang naghanda para magsimba. Karamihan nagpunta sa ecumenical worship sa isang mall na nire-renta ng Campus Crusade for Christ. Doon ay may preaching, kantahan, banda, patotoo at personal na panalangin. Bawat isa may dalang Bible. Pati yung mga Katolikong estudyante doon na rin nagsisimba. Tupang walang pastol, tupang gutom sa direksyon. Ito ang nakita ng Panginoong Hesus nang tingnan niya ang mga taong sumusunod sa kanya (Mk. 6: 30-34). Ngayon lalong halata ito sa buhay natin. Ang mga tao ay gutom at uhaw nga sa direksyon, paggabay, inspirasyon. At handa silang tumungo kung saan nila ito masusumpungan. Ano ang ginagawa ng simbahan para dalhin ang mga tao sa Panginoon? hinihintay natin silang dumating? Pinatutulog natin si...

OUR TURN TO BE SHEPHERDS I was surprised at what I observed in a college dorm on a Sunday morning some years ago.   The students lazily woke up to take their breakfast but after that, slowly they prepared themselves for church. Most of the students went to the ecumenical worship in a rented mall area organized by the Campus Crusade for Christ. There were preaching, singing, band music, testimony and personal prayer. Each one brought his or her own Bible. Even the Catholic students worshipped there with their classmates and friends. Sheep without a shepherd, sheep hungry for direction.   This is what Jesus saw when he looked at the multitude of people (Mk 6: 30-34). Today this is very obvious in our lives. People hunger and thirst for direction, for guidance, for inspiration. And they are willing to go where they see that these are being offered to them. What is our church doing to bring people to the Lord? Are we just waiting for them to come? Are w...

PRAY FOR US, HOLY MOTHER OF GOD! WE LOVE YOU, MOTHER OF GOD AND MOTHER OF SINNERS LIKE ME!

MABUHAY AT PAGPALAIN KAYO LAGI NG DIYOS!

GREAT POWER, GREAT TEMPTATION In the gospel this Sunday (Mk 6: 7-13), we see the Lord first, bestowing on his 12 apostles great power. They were sent out two by two on mission, and given the power to defeat the evil spirits.   That meant that they could expel demons and they could heal the sick. What power! This is too great for any ordinary man to receive! With a power like that, surely there would be privileges. But wait, the gospel is telling us something Jesus also did. The Lord Jesus demanded great poverty from his disciples, right after he bestowed on them great power. In the natural, if you have power, you must enjoy that power. You must ride the best car. Eat the finest food. Have a stock of provisions. It won’t hurt if you have some cash on the side for emergencies. But the Lord Jesus said No!   No car; you just walk.   The walking stick and the   sandals are a concession because the travel would be too difficult for tired and...

MALAKING KAPANGYARIHAN, MALAKING TUKSO Sa Mabuting Balita ngayon (Mk. 6:7-13),   biniyayaan ni Hesus ang 12 apostol ng malaking kapangyarihan. Hahayo sila upang magmisyon na dala-dalawa at magpapalayas sila ng mga masasamang espiritu. Ibig sabihin malulupig nila ang demonyo at mapapagaling nila ang mga maysakit. Grabeng kapangyarihan! Tila hindi kayang tanggapin ng ordinaryong tao! Sa ganyang uri ng kapangyarihan, iisipin mong tiyak maraming pribilehiyo. Pero, tila iba ang ginawa ng Panginoon. Pagkatapos na bigyan sila ng malaking kapangyarihan, hiningi niya sa kanila ang matinding karukhaan. Sa ordinaryong sitwasyon, kapag may kapangyarihan, dapat magpasasa sa kapangyarihan. Sumakay sa pinakamagarang kotse. Kumain ng masasarap. Mag-imbak ng mga kailangang supply. Dapat may pera para sa kung anong emergency. Pero ang sabi ng Panginoon: Hindi!   Walang kotse; basta maglakad lang. Kaya nga puwede and tungkod at sandalyas dahil mahirap mapagod at m...