OUR PARISH PRIEST

  ANG KALOOB NA ESPIRITU, KALOOB NA KAPAYAPAAN JN 20: 19-23       Laking sindak at gulat ng mga alagad! Si Hesus na inakala nilang patay na, ngayon ay lumitaw sa harap nila. Natakot sila sa maaaring kahinatnan ng engkuwentrong ito. Bago siya mamatay, hindi pa naman nila kinayang Samahan siya sa pagdarasal sa Halamanan. Nagtakbuhan pa naman silang lahat nang dinakip siya ng mga kaaway. Sa Kalbaryo, ni isang hibla ng buhok nila ay hindi nakayang saksihan ang kanyang kamatayan. Takot sila, nahihiya sila, dahil iniwan nila siyang nag-iisa.   Handa na sila ngayon sa sasabihin niya. Kahit pa sumabog siya sa galit at sabihing: Nasaan kayo nang nagdurusa ako? Paano Ninyo natiis na pabayaan ako doon? Ni wala bang isa man sa inyo ang may tapang at lakas na manindigan para sa akin? Anong klase kayong mga alagad na hindi sumubok man lang na ipagtanggol ako?   Subalit narito si Hesus ngayon, paulit ulit sa iisang mensahe niya – Kapayapaan! ...

  GIFT OF THE SPIRIT, GIFT OF PEACE JN 20: 19-23       What an unexpected surprise came to the apostles! Jesus, who they have given up for dead, now appears before them. They were terrified for there might be a backlash. Before he died, they could not accompany him for an hour of prayer at the Garden. They fled at the time his enemies arrested and tried him. At the foot of the cross, none of them was present, save John with the Blessed Mother. In fear and shame, they abandoned him.   Now that he is here, what will he say? Surely, it is understandable if his first words would be: Where were you when I was suffering? Why did you leave me alone and undefended? Has no one got the courage to stand, to speak up, to offer his life for me? What kind of followers are you?   But Jesus stands in their minds, repeating only one message – Peace! The Man of Sorrows who was bruised and bloodied all over now calmly says, peace. The Crucified O...

  HANDA NA KAYO! LK. 24: 46-53       Kung isa kang unang alagad ng Panginoong Hesus, at nalaman mong nabuhay siyang muli, ano ang aasahan mo sa kanya? Na babalik siya sa Herusalem para magpakitang gilas, harapin ang kanyang mga kaaway at buuin muli ang kanyang grupo. Hindi malayong isipin mo na ngayon na ang panahon ng katuparan ng kanyang mga pangako at pagtatatag ng kanyang Kaharian sa lupa.   Subalit iba ang plano ng Panginoon. Bago pa man siya ipako, nasabi niyang babalik siya sa Ama. Ipinagdiinan niiyang hindi sa mundong ito ang kanyang kaharian. Ang pag-akyat niya sa langit ay bahagi ng plano niya matapos ang tagumpay ng kanyang misyon. Sa kanyang puso, tiwalang-tiwala siya sa kanyang mga alagad. Para sa kanya, handa na sila!   Handa na sila na maging kanyang Katawan. Ang mga alagad ay binubuo ng iba’t-ibang ugali, katayuan, kakayahan at pananaw. Hindi sila perpekto subalit kahit iba-iba, kaya na nilang magkaroon hindi...

  YOU ARE READY! LK 24: 46-53       If you were one of the early disciples of the Lord Jesus, and you learned that he was risen from the dead, what would you expect? That he will return to Jerusalem to display his power, confront his enemies and consolidate his group? It sounds just right to imagine the Lord Jesus fulfilling his promises and establishing his kingdom here and now.   Yet the Lord had something else in mind. Before his death, he said he was going back to the Father. He reiterated that his kingdom was not of this world. His ascension was part of his plan once his mission was accomplished. In his heart, Jesus placed his full confidence in his band of revitalized, rejuvenated disciples. For him, they were now READY.   First, the disciples were ready to become his body. The followers of Jesus were composed of people with different characters, status, economic standing, and visions. Jesus knew that though imperfect, ...

  GUSTO NAMI’Y KAPAYAPAAN JN 14: 23-29       Ipinagtapat ng isang propesyunal sa kaibigan niyang pari na ligalig siya at kulang sa pagka-kuntento kahit may maayos naman siyang buhay at trabaho. Matapos makinig, simple lang sinabi ng pari: Baka kapayapaan ang kailangan mo? Bakit di mo subukang hingin sa Panginoon ang kapayapaan?   Kung may maituturo sa atin ang mga kaganapan ngayon, ito ay ang pagiging marupok ng kapayapaan. Di ba, nagulo ng pandemya ang dati nating buhay? Di ba, hindi pa tapos ang pandemya, nagsimula na naman ang giyera ng mga bansa? Di ba, bukambibig ng mga tao ang mga problema ng pagkabagabag atpagkaligalig ng isip at puso na nararanasan nila? Mailap ang kapayapaan ngayon.   Mayaman sa kahulugan ang ebanghelyo ni San Juan. Itinuturo nito ang kaisahan ni Hesus at ng Ama, kaisahan na nagbibigay lakas kay Hesus na magpahayag ng pag-ibig sa mundo. Isinasaad din nito ang Kaloob, ang Regalo na laan ni Hesus para ...

  WE WANT PEACE! JN 14: 23-29       A young professional was consulting his priest-friend about the restlessness and dissatisfaction in his life in spite of his relatively good life and stable job. After listening to him, the priest made a strong but laconic remark: What about peace? Maybe it’s time to ask the Lord to give you peace.   If there is anything that recent world events can teach us, it is the fragility of peace. The pandemic disturbed our lives like no universal phenomenon could. While this worldwide problem was still raging, some countries resumed their itch for war. And more and more people are complaining of the hurdles they have to overcome in terms of their mental health regardless of status or wealth.   Peace is an elusive commodity.   John’s gospel is very rich in meaning. On the one hand, it tells us about the unity of Jesus with his heavenly Father, the unity that enables him to spread God’s love on ...

  LUWALHATI MULA SA KRUS JN 13: 31-35       Isang kabataan ang humarap sa matinding problema sa buhay. Naisipan niyang konsultahin ang isang matandang puno ng karunungan. Maikli at simple lang ang payo nito sa kanya: Matapos ang krus, naroon ang luwalhati!   Sa mabuting balita ngayon, ang tema ni Hesus ay luwalhati. Sa ebanghelyo ni San Juan may bahagi na ang tawag ay Aklat ng Luwalhati at dito hango ang ating pagbasa. Ano ba itong luwalhating binabanggit ng Panginoon? Ito ang kanyang maringal na pagbabalik sa Ama, ang pagpapakilala ng kapangyarihan ng Ama sa kanyang katauhan. Iaangat at titingalain siyang tunay na Anak ng Diyos na nakaupo sa kanan ng Ama.   Pero napansin ba ninyong may munting pagbanggit kay Hudas sa pagbasa? Tanong ko nga sa sarili ko: ano ginagawa nito dito? Tila asungot na sumulpot kahit hindi inaasahan, isang Maritess na nakasilip at nagmamanman. Ang pagbanggit kay Hudas ay tila karatula, aral, at paalal...

  GLORY COMES THROUGH THE CROSS John 13: 31-35       A young man confronted one of the greatest trials of his life and he was totally confused. He went to confide in an old wise man who gave him an enigmatic piece of advice. The wise man said: After the cross, glory!   Today the Lord Jesus speaks about his glory. The gospel of John contains a section called the Book of Glory which starts precisely on chapter 13, where our reading today comes from. What is this glory Jesus speaks of? This refers to his impending return to the Father, the hour when the Father will manifest his power in the life and witness of his Son. Jesus will be exalted when he is lifted up and all people will recognize in him the Son of God, who sits at the right hand of the Father.   But an interesting part of the Gospel is the mention of Judas at the beginning. Noticing this, I asked myself, what is this man doing here? He seems like an uninvited guest, a...

  WALANG MAKA-AAGAW SA INYO... JN 10: 27-30     Alam ba ninyo na sobrang pagdurusa ang dinanas ng mga Katoliko sa Cambodia sa panahon ni Polpot? Pinatay o pinalayas ang mga obispo, pari at madre; pinagbawalang isabuhay ang pananampalataya at halos kalahati sa kanila ay pinaslang. Nang bumuti ang situwasyon, nagbisikleta ang mga misyonero sa mga baryo para mag-survey kung may natira pang mga Katoliko. Binabati nila ang mga tao sa salitang French na wikang natatandaan ng mga Katoliko sa kanilang dating mga paring misyonero. Nang marinig sila ng ilang natitirang Katoliko, lumantad sila at nagpakilala bilang survivors ng genocide sa bansa.   Madalas banggitin ng Panginoong Hesus ang matibay na ugnayan ng pastol at tupa. Kilala kasi ng tupa ang boses ng pastol. Kapag narinig nila ito, sumusunod sila sa kanilang amo. At ang pastol naman, tutok sa pag-aaruga sa mga tupa hanggang humantong pa ito sa pag-aalay niya sa sariling buhay kung kinakailanga...

NO ONE CAN SNATCH YOU AWAY FROM ME JN 10: 27-30   Do you know that Cambodian Catholics suffered greatly during Polpot’s regime? Bishops, priests and nuns were killed or banished; Catholics were forbidden to practice their faith and nearly half of them were massacred. When freedom of religion was allowed, missionaries cycled through the villages greeting people in French to survey how many Catholics survived. And indeed, the hidden Catholics, who knew their former priests spoke French, joyfully gravitated towards the missionaries and rejoiced at their return.   The Lord Jesus often spoke about the mutual attachment between shepherd and sheep. The sheep can identify the voice of the shepherd. Upon hearing him, sheep follow their master. The shepherd in turn devotes his life tending the sheep to the point of laying down his life if needed.   What does the voice of the shepherd signify for the sheep? Perhaps it reminds them of security. Here c...

  KASAMA NATIN SA MISTERYO Jn 21: 1-19   fr tam nguyen's photo   Nang banggain ng lasing na driver ang kotse ni Katie, naipit siya sa pagitan ng upuan at manibela. Habang nagdurusa, humiling siya sa mga rescuers niya na ipagdasal din siya. Biglang may lumapit na pari at ipinagdasal, pinahiran ng langis at kinumpisal si Katie. Pagkatapos, tila naglahong parang bula ang pari habang si Katie naman ay matagumpay na naihatid sa ospital. Nagtaka ang mga tao sa inakalang misteryo at inisip na anghel ang pari na sumaklolo.   May mga pagkakataong nagsasabi ang mga tao ng kanilang karanasan ng pagdalaw ng Diyos sa gitna ng kanilang pangangailangan. Hindi ibig sabihin na personal dumating ang Diyos kundi sa pamamagitan ng mga tao, bagay o pangyayari na nakatulong sa kanila sa sandaling iyon.   Kita natin sa mabuting balita ngayon ang tensyong nadama ng mga alagad matapos ang Pagkabuhay ng Panginoong Hesus. Sa isang banda, hindi siya agad nakil...

  WITH US IN MYSTERY Jn 21: 1-19   fr tam nguyen's photo   When Katie’s car was rammed by a drunk driver she was pinned in the front seat and was in terrible suffering. Her vital signs failing fast, she requested rescuers for prayer. And out of nowhere, a priest approached to pray, anoint and give Katie absolution. The priest soon left without a trace while Katie was successfully brought to the hospital for treatment. People thought the priest was an angel, a total mystery, until one day, he was finally identified.   At times we hear people talk about their experience of having met God or his angel in a time of great need. They don’t mean that God came to them in person but that he has come in some unexplainable way through people, things or events.   Today’s gospel shows the tension felt by the apostles after the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. They did not recognize him at first, and yet they instinctively knew it was he. T...

  MARAMING HINDI NAISULAT JN 20: 19-31   fr tam nguyen's photo   Nang magkasakit ang isang kakilala ko, nasindak siya sa maaaring gastusin. Dahil walang masyadong pagkukunan, may dahilan siya upang mag-alala. Subalit ilang buwan matapos simulan ang gamutan, nagulat siya sa mga kamag-anak at kaibigan na patuloy tumutulong. Hindi siya pinabayaan ng Diyos; hindi lang sapat kundi higit pa sa pangangailangan niya ang dumating!   Dapat bang bigyan ng ikalawang pagkakataon ang mga alagad? Sa totoo lang, kitang kita ang kanilang kaduwagan. Nang ipako ang Panginoon, walang ni isang sumalungat; walang pumigil. Sa halip, nagpulasan lahat! Pero narito si Hesus sa gabi ng Pagkabuhay upang dalawin sila at bahaginan ng kapayapaan, patawan ng kapatawaran.   Hindi tatalikuran ni Hesus ang mga alagad dahil lang sila ay mahina. Hindi niya sila iiwan tulad ng ginawa nila sa kanya. Ang makapangyarihang pagmamahal ng Diyos ang bumuhay sa kanya mula sa li...