OUR PARISH PRIEST

  HANDANG MAMATAY, HANDANG MABUHAY       Ano ang ginagawa ni Hesus sa bundok? Simple: naghahanda para sa kamatayan. Sa pagbabagong-anyo, dalawang tao mula sa nakaraan ang lumitaw kasama ng Panginoon: si Moises at si Elias. Siyempre si Moises ang kinatawan ng Batas ng Israel; ang tagapagbigay ng utos mula Sinai. Si Elias naman ang kinatawan ng mga propetang isinugo ng Diyos. Ang Batas ay tumutukoy sa Mesiyas bilang kabuuan nito. Ang mga propeta din ay nakaturo sa Mesiyas bilang kaganapan ng lahat ng mga mensahe ng Diyos.   Nakikipag-usap si Moises at si Elias kay Hesus. Tinatalakay nila kung paano magaganap ang batas at ang mga pahayag ng mga propeta. At magaganap lamang ito sa pamamagitan ng Krus. Kailangan ni Hesus na dumanas ng sakit at paghihirap upang magampanan ang kanyang misyon. Pero hindi dito nagtatapos. Pinag-uusapan din nila ang Pagkabuhay. Pagkatapos ng krus, darating ang pagkabuhay. Matapos ang paghihirap, nariyan ang luwalhati! Ang Pagbabagong-anyo ni Hesus, ang h

    READY TO DIE, READY TO LIVE       What was Jesus doing on the mountain? The simple answer is: He was preparing for his death. At the Transfiguration, two figures from the past appeared together with the Lord: Moses and Elijah. Of course, Moses is the representative of the Law of Israel; he was the lawgiver at Sinai. Elijah, for his part, represented all the prophets God sent to his people. The Law pointed to the Messiah as its embodiment. The Prophets foretold the coming of the Messiah as the fulfillment of all God’s messages.   Moses and Elijah were in conversation with Jesus. They were discussing how the fulfillment of law and prophecy would come about. And this could only be possible through the Cross. Jesus had to undergo pain and suffering in order to perform the mission he was sent for. But that was not all. They were also talking with the Lord about the Resurrection. After the cross, comes the resurrection. After the passion, comes the glory! And the Transfigur

  ANG ESPIRITU SANTO, KAAGAPAY NATIN       Kung kailangan ng patunay na si Hesus ay tunay na naging tulad natin — na bumaba siya mula sa langit para yakapin ang pagkatao — ito na yun! Ang Panginoong Hesus ay sinubok ng maraming tukso sa disyerto, matapos ang kanyang binyag. May mas higit pa bang karanasan ng tao maliban dito?   Sa buhay natin ay pabalik-balik lang ang tukso; madalas pa nga kapag katatapos lang natin magsimba o magdasal o minsan habang nagbabasa pa tayo ng Bible. Naghihintay lagi ang tukso na hilahin tayo papalayo sa anumang bakas ng kabanalan o kabutihan na nais nating marating.   Subalit may malaking pagkakaiba sa karanasan ng Panginoong Hesus at ng sa atin — hindi siya nahulog sa kasalanan. Libot ng tukso, pero hindi nabali ang pasya niyang sundin lamang ang Ama, hindi ang mga boses na nag-aanyayang unahin ang ginhawa, pasarap, pagkamakasarili. Ano kaya ang sikreto ng Panginoong Hesus at napaglalabanan niya ang tukso? Sa Mabuting Balita (Mk 1) sinasabi: Din

  THE HOLY SPIRIT, OUR COMPANION       If we need proof that Jesus truly became one of us — that from heaven he came down and embraced our human nature —then this is it! The Lord Jesus was subjected to temptations in the desert, right after he was baptized. How more human can he be than that?   In our lives temptations come and go; most of the time they occur when we just came out of church or right after we pray or even while we are reading the Bible. Temptations are just waiting to snatch us away from any trace of holiness or goodness we are trying to achieve.   But of course, there is a major difference between the Lord Jesus and us — he did not fall into sin. Tempted all over, yet the Lord was resolute in his decision to obey only the Father, not the voices that invite him to comfort, pleasure and selfishness. What was the secret of Jesus strength in the midst of the temptations? The Gospel (Mk 1) says: The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert… The Lord was not alone;

    BAKIT TAON NI SAN JOSE ANG 2021?

KAKAIBANG PANANAW     image from the internet   May kakaiba sa ketongin sa ating Mabuting Balita ngayon. Lumapit siya kay Hesus na may kahilingan. Iyong iba, pag nagdala ng kahilingan sa Panginoon ay ganito: Gusto ko pong makakita. Gusto ko pong makalakad. Pagalingin mo po ako. May ganito ring hangarin ang ketongin at nais niyang tugunin siya ng Panginoon. Pero may munting kaibahan sa kanyang paglalahad ng hangarin sa Panginoon. Napansin mo rin ba?   Sabi ng ketongin: “Kung nanaisin mo, gagaling ako.” Kung nanaisin mo – ibig sabihin, “Kung okey lang sa iyo, Panginoon,” o “Kung ito ang gusto mong maganap, Panginoon.” Malinaw naman na gusto ng ketongin na gumaling. Pero habang nasa harap ni Hesus, ipinailalim niya sa kagustuhan ng Panginoon ang sarili niyang pagnanasa. “Gusto kong gumaling at handa akong gumaling… pero, kung ito ang plano, pasya at ang kusang-loob ng Diyos.” Alam ng ketongin ang gusto niya, pero mas mahalaga sa kanya kung ano man ang iniisip ng Diyos na pinakamab

  A DIFFERENT APPROACH   image from the internet     There is something different in the leper’s approach to Jesus in the Gospel today. He came to the Lord with a request. Others go to Jesus for their intentions and say: I want to see; I want to walk. This leper had a desire in his heart that he wanted the Lord to act on. But the way he presented it to the Lord was nuanced; there was a subtle difference. Do you notice it too?   The leper said: “If you wish, you can make me clean.” If you wish — It’s as if he was saying “if it’s all right with you, Lord,” or “If you want it to happen, Lord.” The leper clearly wanted to be healed. But now before the Lord, he submits his own desire to what is God’s desire. “I want to be healed and I am ready to be healed… but only if it is your plan, your decision, you initiative, Lord.” The leper knows what he wants, but more important than that is what God truly thinks is best for him.   I’m just wondering if Jesus replied in an unexpected

PINAGAGAAN NIYA ANG PASANIN…       Matinding pagsubok ang gumising sa umaga para sa maraming tao. Paano ba kung ang buhay mo ay puno ng dusa at pagod at wala ka nang inaasahan pang magandang mangyayari pa? Sa unang pagbasa, inilalarawan ni Job (Job 7) ang di-mapakaling pagtulog ng isang taong may dinadala, at ang kawalang pag-asa niya pagdating ng umaga. Sa Mabuting Balita (Mk 1) mababasang nakaratay sa karamdaman ang biyenan ni Pedro at ang daming mga taong maysakit at pinahihirapan ng masasamang espiritu sa bayan na iyon na dinalaw ni Hesus.   Ang Panginoong Hesus ang tugon sa mga tanong ni Job. Ang pagmamahal at habag niya ang nagbibigay ng kahulugan maging sa ating pang araw-araw na mga pasanin. Kapag alam nating malapit siya nagkakaroon ng pag-asa na higit pa sa anumang problemang kinakaharap. Nang pagalingin ni Hesus ang biyenan ni Pedro, ibinahagi din niya ang kanyang kapangyarihan sa mga taong naghihintay sa labas ng pintuan ng bahay ni Pedro; binigyan din sila ng kagal

  HE LIFTS UP THE BURDEN…       Getting up in the morning is one of the most difficult things for most people to do. What if you expect nothing of the new day but hardness and boredom? The first reading from Job (ch 7) very accurately describes the restless nights of a person in distress, and the hopelessness with which he greets each new day. The Gospel (Mk 1) highlights the sickness of Peter’s mother-in-law, and of the many ill and possessed people in the town as Jesus came visiting.   Jesus is the answer to the questions of Job. Jesus’ love and compassion for us gives meaning even to our daily sufferings. Knowing that he is near makes us look with hope beyond the present difficulties we contend with. As Jesus healed peters mother-in-law, he also shared the gift of wellness to all those who came knocking at the door and begging for healing and peace.   A young man was diagnosed with incurable disease and the doctors told the parents to prepare for the worse, and even to b