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--> HUMBLE LOVE The gospel today (Lk 14:1, 7-14) is Jesus’ invitation to humility of heart. Having been invited to a luscious banquet, the Lord uses the occasion to teach and to challenge people to have a lowly heart. It is easy to understand the way of humility addressed to the guests.  They are not to choose the better seats reserved for people of higher dignity. They are to wait for the host to show them their proper place. This is how we normally understand humility, not to think of ourselves as deserving, entitled or better than others. But a complete picture of true humility is seen in Jesus’ challenge to the host of the party.  To have a humble heart, the host must open his banquet to the least expected, to people he does not prefer to invite, to a crowd that is alien to his taste and sensibilities. Real humility is not only in self-abasement; it is also in opening one’s heart to the company of people who need the most love an

--> PAG-IBIG NA MABABANG-LOOB Sa Mabuting Balita ngayon (Lk 14: 7-14) naroon ang paanyaya ng Panginoong Hesus tungo sa kababaang loob. Naimbitahan siya sa isang piging at ginamit ito ng Panginoon na pagkakataon upang magturo at humamon sa mga tao na magkaroon ng pusong mababang-loob. Tila madali ang landas ng pagiging mababang-loob para sa mga naanyayahan sa piging. Basta lang daw huwag piliin ang mga upuang nakalaan sa matataas na tao.  Hayaan lamang daw ang punong-abala na ituro sa iyo kung saan ang puwesto mo. Ganito naman talaga ang normal nating pagkakaunawa sa kababaang-loob, ang huwag ituring ang sarili na karapat-dapat, mas mataas o mas magaling sa iba. Pero hindi kumpleto ang larawan ng tunay na kababaang-loob kung hindi pakikinggan ang hamon ng Panginoong Hesus sa nag-aanyaya sa piging, ang punong-abala. Para magkaroon ng pusong mapagkumbaba, dapat buksan ng punong-abala ang kanyang pintuan sa ibang tao, pati na iyong hindi niya kara

--> LUMAYO KAYO! Shocking talaga ang tono ng mabuting balita ngayon (Lk 13: 22-30) kung saan tila ipinagtatabuyan ng Panginoon ang mga tao.  Kapag kumatok sa pintuan ng panginoon upang makapasok, may sasagot daw mula sa loob, “Hindi ko kayo kilala.”  Kapag sinabi ng mga tao na kabarkada sila ng panginoon ng tahanan, sasagot ito, “Lumayo kayo sa akin.” Sinasabihan bat tayo ng Panginoon Hesus na talagang konti lang ang maliligtas at makakapasok sa langit? Nasaan na ang mainit na pagtanggap na kaakibat ng kanyang salitang: “Halikayo at sumunod kayo sa akin.”? Ang gustong ipahiwatig ng mabuting balita ay hindi limitado sa iilang ispesyal na tao ang kaharian ng langit. Papunta si Hesus sa Jerusalem noon at nagtuturo siya. Nag-aanyaya siya na damahin ang pag-ibig ng Ama. Binubuksan niya sa mga tao ang pintuan ng buhay na walang hanggan. Kaya, hindi si Hesus, hindi ang Ama ang nagsasara ng pintuan ng langit. Sa halip ang mga tao ang tunay na hin

--> DEPART FROM ME! The gospel’s tone might surprise us because the Lord seems to be sending people away (Lk 13: 22-30).  When a person knocks on the door of the master’s house and asks to enter, the voice from inside shouts “I do not know you.”  When people say that were in the company of the master, the latter replies, “Depart from me!” Is the Lord telling us that indeed those who will be saved are few and that it is difficult to enter heaven?  Where is the welcoming tone of the Lord that says, “Come, follow me.” The gospel actually destroys the idea that heaven is the exclusive domain of a few privileged souls.  Jesus was going to Jerusalem, and while passing through the towns and villages, he was teaching.  He was inviting people to experience the Father’s love. He was opening to them the door that leads to eternal life. So, it is not Jesus, not the Father, who limits entry into the kingdom. Jesus however is telling the people ho

--> FIRE! FIRE! Terrible things happen when there is a fire. Properties are destroyed, lives are lost, so much ruin left behind. That is why there is a fire prevention month each year, specially during summer.   But there is one thing positive that happens when there is a fire. The community suddenly becomes awake. The community becomes united. People forget even their animosities toward each other and start to help put out the fire. After the fire, people assist each other in building up from the ashes of the unfortunate event. Today Jesus speaks about bringing fire to the world. it is not the fire of destruction but the fire that wakes people up, and propels them to action. It is the fire that makes make the best decision for their lives, leaving behind petty things and focusing on what is really important. That is why this fire can separate people from each other too, once what is most important become clear. Sometimes events happen in our families or co

--> SUNOG! SUNOG! Terible ang dulot ng apoy, lalo na ng malaking apoy, ng sunog! kasiraan sa ari-arian, kamatayan, pagkawasak. Kaya merong buwang nakalaan sa pag-iingat laban sa sunog lalo na sa tag-init. Pero isang magandang bagay ang nagaganap kapag may sunog. nabubuhay ang pamayanan. Nagkakaisa ang mga tao. nakakalimot tayo sa hidwaan at biglang nagtutulungan. Matapos ang apoy, tahimik na binubuo muli ang buhay. Ngayon sinsabi sa atin ng Panginoon na magdadala siya ng apoy, ng sunog sa mundong ito. Hindi apoy o sunod ng pagkawasak kundi ng paggising, ng pagkilos. Ito ang apoy na tutulong sa ating gumawa ng magandang desisyon para sa ating buhay, na iwanan ang hindi mahalaga. Kaya nga ang apoy na ito ang maghihiwalay sa mga tao, lalo na kapag lumutang na ang tunay na mahalaga. Minsan parang dinadalaw tayo ng apoy, ng sunog sa buhay natin. Pero higit sa pinsala, hindi ba’t mas maraming mga mabubuting bagay na dulot ito? Nagkakaisa a

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--> TULAD NA ISANG LINGKOD Higit sa lahat ng panahon, ngayon ang mga tao ay wala nang pasensyang maghintay. E bakit nga? Kung may fax, email o LBC naman? Puwede pa rin naman sa post office pero lalo namang bumagal ang serbisyo nito, kaya bakit pa? Ang gusto natin ay mabilis, agad-agad na resulta, hindi lamang sa komunikasyon kundi sa pamimili, pagkain, at pati sa pakikipag-ugnayan. Wala nang pasensya ang mga tao, kahit pati sa kapwa tao nila. Isang babae ang handang handang iwanan ang kanyang asawang nahuli niyang nagluluko, pero dahil nakakita na rin naman siya agad ng kapalit! Tila dito, makaluma ang Panginoong Hesukristo. Kasi ang gusto pa rin niya ay iyong naghihintay. Tinuturuan niya tayong maghintay, kahit na ito ay matagal at hindi sigurado. Ang tiyaga at pasensya sa paghihintay ng isang lingkod ang gamit ng Panginoong Hesus na halimbawa para sa paghihintay na dapat nating taglayin sa ating puso. Iyong matatapat na lingkod ay

--> LIKE SERVANTS Today more than ever, people have no patience to wait. Why should we? We used to send letters, and today, who waits for the post man? use the fax, the email or send it through LBC or DHL! We can still use the old-fashioned postal service but it has become slower than before, so why do it? We are now accustomed to the fast, quick results, not only in communications but also in shopping, food, and relationships. People have grown impatient, even with one another. A woman was too ready to give up on her husband who was found unfaithful and irresponsible, but only because she too has easily found a replacement! The Lord Jesus however is old-fashioned. He expects people to wait. He teaches his disciples to wait, even if the waiting is long and uncertain. It is the patience of servants that Jesus uses as example for the kind of waiting we need to have in our hearts. Faithful servants wait because they love their master. T