OUR PARISH PRIEST

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--> MALAYA SA KATAKAWAN Ano ang masama kung nais ng isang taong kunin ang bahagi ng pamana mula sa kanyang kapatid? Gusto lang naman niyang pakinabangan ang iniwan ng kanyang mga magulang para sa kanya. Ano ang masama sa taong nagbuo ng mas malaking kamalig para sa mga ani niya? Gusto lang naman niyang huwag masayang ang mga ito at makasiguro sa kanyang kinabukasan. Sa mabuting balita ngayon (Lk 12: 13-21), nasilip ng Panginoon Hesus ang isang bagay mula sa dalawang taong ito – ang bahid ng katakawan o pagka-gahaman. Hindi lang mana ang nais ng unang tao, nais din niya ang mas malaking mana. Hindi lang malaking kamalig ang nais ng ikalawa, nais niyang mahiga sa yaman at ginhawa niya. Ang katakawan o pagka-gahaman ang attitude na bumubulag sa atin upang makita lamang natin ang ating sarili at hindi ang ibang tao.  Maraming tao na ang gahaman sa pera, sa ari-arian, at sa kapangyarihan. Ang pagka-gahaman ang nagdadala sa...

--> FREEDOM FROM GREED What is wrong with a person who wants a piece of his inheritance from his brother?  It is his legitimate right to enjoy what his parents left him as their patrimony. What is wrong with a rich man constructing a bigger barn for his growing harvest? He does not want to waste his resources and just wants to invest for his future. In the gospel today (Lk 12:13-21), the Lord Jesus detects something in these two men. He sees in their heart the presence of greed. Not only does first one want his piece of inheritance; he wants a bigger portion, in fact. Not only does the second one want a bigger barn; he wants to be satisfied only by his wealth. Greed is the attitude that blinds us from seeing others because we only focus on ourselves. Many people are greedy for money, for possessions, for power.  Greed leads them to ignore others. Greed leads them to put their security not in God but in material posse...

--> PANALANGIN NA MARUBDOB Sa Mabuting Balita ngayon (Lk 11), sinasariwa na nagbigay ang Panginoong Hesus ng dalawang mahahalagang aral. Una, ang napakagandang panalangin, “Ama Namin,” na mas maikli kaysa sa kay San Mateo. At ang ikalawa ay ang pananaw tungkol sa panalangin (v. 8). Lumaki ang mga Katoliko kapiling ang Ama Namin. Simula sa kuna noong sanggol pa, hanggang sa bawat Misa, klase ng katesismo at turo ng mga nakatatanda, nandun na ang dasal na ito. Kung madasalin ka, tiyak kahit minsan sa isang araw, dinadasal mo ito. Maraming tao ang paborito ang dasal na ito. Nang magkasakit si Francisco Ferro, inutusan niya ang kanyang mga anak na isulat ang Ama Namin sa manila paper sa wikang Tagalog. Ipinaskil nila ito sa pader ng kuwarto niya upang lagi niyang mabasa at madasal ang panalanging natutunan niya mula sa kanyang ina sa tuwing makakaramdam siya ng sakit ng katawan. Pero nagturo din ang Panginoon ng tamang pananaw sa p...

--> PRAYING WITH FERVOR Our gospel today (Lk 11) recounts Jesus giving his disciples two valuable lessons for their spiritual life.  The first is this beautiful prayer, “Our Father,” which is shorter than the version of St. Matthew’s gospel.  And the second is the attitude or disposition that should accompany prayer (v. 8). Catholics grow up with the Lord’s prayer on their lips. You absorb this prayer from the crib, at every Mass, religion class, and lessons from your elders. If you later on develop the habit of praying, you recite this prayer at least once a day. Indeed for many people, the Lord’s prayer is the favorite and most important prayer. When the late Francisco Ferro was on his sick bed, he asked his family to write in big letters the words of the Lord’s Prayer in Tagalog on manila paper. He instructed them to post the prayer on the wall of his room where he could recite the prayer he learned from his mother everytime ...

--> KARIBAL O KATOTOHANAN? Tila kwento ng mag-karibal ang salaysay ng Mabuting Balita ukol kay Marta at Maria (Lk. 10). Kapwa nais ng magkapatid na ipakita kay Hesus ang kanilang pagtanggap sa kanilang tahanan. Mahal ni Hesus ang pamilyang ito at lagi siyang dumadalaw dito upang magpahinga kapag napapagod. Ang dali nating husgahan si Marta na para bang nagpakita lang siya ng mababaw na pagtanggap sa Panginoon. Abala sa pagkain at inumin, ginawa ni Marta ang lahat upang tugunan ang kailangan ng isang gutom at pagod na panauhin. Pero tiyak, ang pagiging abala ni Marta ay bunga ng kanyang malalim na pagmamahal sa Panginoon. Hindi siya mag-aabala nang ganito kung kung hindi mahalaga sa kanya si Hesus. At tiyak na natuwa si Hesus sa kilos ni Marta. Gusto lamang ng Panginoon na sa bandang huli, matuto si Marta na maging mas kumportable at panatag sa kanyang presensya at hindi lamang sa pagka-abala. Madali din nating purihin si Maria bilang a...

  RIVALRY OR REALITY? At first glance, the story of Martha and Mary seems to be an obvious sibling rivalry (Lk. 10). Each of the women wanted to show Jesus the hospitality of a Jewish home. Jesus was very close to this family and so, often visited when he needed rest from his hectic ministry of preaching and healing. We easily dismiss Martha as a woman who showed Jesus a merely external hospitality. Preoccupied with food and drink, Martha wanted to fill the physical needs of a tired and hungry visitor. Surely though, Martha’s busy-ness was a product of her deep love for Jesus. She would not enslave herself with these physical preparations if Jesus were not important to her. And Jesus did not demean Martha’s efforts. In the end, the Lord just wanted Martha to be more comfortable, more relaxed in his presence and to welcome him in her heart most of all. We also easily extol Mary’s as the one who showed Jesus an interior hospitality. What ...

PAANO MAGING MABUTING SAMARITANO? May mga ideya tayo ng isang “mabuting Samaritano.” Ina-announce sa radyo na nagsauli ng nawawalang bag ang isang “mabuting samaritano.” Natutuwa ang isang ampunan na may nag-donate na “mabuting samaritano” na ayaw magpakilala. Sa Mabuting Balita ngayon (Lk 10), talagang may ginawang mabuti ang samaritano. Tumulong siya sa isang nangangailangan. Ginamit din niya ang kanyang salapi para isang naghihirap. Pero bago dumating ang samaritano, may dumaan pang dalawang Hudyo na mabubuti namang tao. Dumaan ang isang pari na laging relihyoso at paladasal. Dumaan din ang Levita na laging nasa Templo. Dumaan silang pareho. Nakita nila ang taong duguan at sugatan. Bilang mga tao din, tiyak naawa sila sa binugbog at ninakawan.   Tiyak nabagbag ang kanilang damdamin sa pagkakita sa isang naghihirap. Pero tumawid sila sa kabilang kalsada dahil marami pang dapat asikasuhin. Dito kakaiba ang samaritano. Hindi...

WHAT MAKES A GOOD SAMARITAN? We have classic ideas about a “Good Samaritan.” Radio stations announce that a “good samaritan” returned a lost bag to its rightful owner without getting anything from the find.   A charitable institution reports about a “good samaritan” making a big donation while remaining anonymous. In the Gospel today (Lk 10), the Good Samaritan really performs a good work. He personally helps somebody in need. He also uses his resources to help, by paying for the upkeep of the needy person.   But before the Samaritan comes into the picture two other righteous Jews pass by. There was the priest, who was always religious and pious. There was the Levite who was always present in the Temple.   They passed by. They saw the wounded, dying man by the side of the road. As human beings perhaps they felt pity for the robbery victim. Im sure they were touched at the sight of a suffering fellowman. But they had other ...