Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Feasts

  • Listen. Live.

    Listen. Live.

    May 13, 2020 – Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima

    Click here for the readings (http://cms.usccb.org/bible/readings/0513-memorial-our-lady-fatima.cfm)

    Did Jesus just downplay the role of his Mother, Mary by saying, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it?”

    On this memorial day of Our Lady of Fatima, the Lord has actually reminded us how Mary, his mother, is indeed blessed. Mary is blessed among women not just because she carried Jesus and nursed him. Before Mary conceived Jesus, Mary listened to God. Mary welcomed the word of God proclaimed to her. By listening to the word of God, Mary observed it. Mary lived the word of God. 

    This is how Mary silently lived her life within the life of Jesus. And living in that life, Mary became life-giving for she is at the very source of life and of love.

    Hence, the conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary was made possible through her generous participation in the Divine Plan of God. Mary indeed opened her heart and welcomed God’s word. This action of Mary made God’s plan to be fulfilled in our history, through a human participation.

    As a consequence to that, Mary conceived Jesus in her womb. Mary became pregnant with God and brought the Immanuel in our midst.

    Today’s memorial of the first appearance of Mary in Fatima, Portugal in 1917 to the three children, Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta reminds us also of the blessing that we have received from God. Mary’s appearance would tell us of God’s presence in our midst. It is a reminder that God has not forgotten us. God is with us.

    Thus, the call to pray the Holy Rosary daily is a call to constantly listen to God. The Holy Rosary is not a mere memorized prayer that must be done dutifully. Rather, it must be done “prayerfully.” Doing the Rosary “out of duty” is not what Mary wanted because with that attitude, it will only make us tired and disappointed once we have not done it. The invitation is that the Holy Rosary becomes a channel for us to converse with God – in listening to God and listening to ourselves.

    During this month of May, children are being taught to pray particularly the Holy Rosary. Yet, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this annual religious gathering is also suspended. (Photo from Brgy Nabitasan, Iloilo City 2018)

    The repeated prayers in the Rosary and the mysteries attached to each decade are invitations to dwell deeper in the life of Jesus. In every decade, it is an invitation to see our life, and the life of our brothers and sisters within the life of Jesus recalled in every mystery in the Holy Rosary.

    The Holy Rosary then, is a form of making ourselves more aware of God’s presence and more attuned to God’s word, to God’s many invitations for us. 

    This is where we realize how “blessed” we are, because God speaks to us. We are invited to listen to Him and to live by the word of God as Mary, our Mother, did it.

    May Mary, the Lady of Fatima, teach us how to listen prayerfully and lovingly to God’s words revealed in the Holy Bible, in our Sacraments, in our relationships and in our daily affairs with the world. By living God’s words, we may find life then, and become life-giving to every person whose life we are able to touch today. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

    Join 2,876 other subscribers
  • God is at work

    God is at work

    May 1, 2020 – Memorial of St. Joseph the Worker

    Click here for the readings (http://cms.usccb.org/bible/readings/0501-memorial-joseph-worker.cfm)

    When the creation finished, we were told in the Book of Genesis, “God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good.” 

    What God has made reflect who God is. It means that God’s goodness and love overflows towards all creation precisely because God who is so good made everything on earth with love.  Yet, God did not stop working and creating after the creation. God continues to be at work in each of us and in everything. And it is God’s desire that we grow more and be transformed according to His Divine plan.

    This is an assurance then, that God’s work in us and in everything means God’s presence. In God’s presence, we shall find that even a dreadful disease such as COVID-19 has no match with a working God who desires for a world that experiences peace and joy.

    This tells us now of the beauty and the value of work. When we work, we give ourselves into what we are working. Hence, we do not merely extend ourselves to what we are working but it is ourselves in that very work. A masterpiece or any work of art, for example, reveals the personality of the artist, or the person of the artist himself/herself. That is why, God found everything very good because God is in each of us, and in everything.

    Today, we also celebrate the feast of St. Joseph the Worker and at the same time celebrating Labor day. This feast of St. Joseph who is the patron of workers and laborers reminds us of the dignity of labor or work and on how our work can serve God and be in service of others. 

    As a carpenter or craftsman, St. Joseph silently dedicated his every work to God. Most likely, as we do not have a direct account from the Bible, this was how Joseph also brought up the young Jesus.

    Indeed, Jesus was made aware of the value and dignity of work through his human experiences of labor with Joseph. Jesus learned to appreciate work and to realize how work affirms and develops a human person into what God desires us to be.

    This Labor day reminds us too to give respect and honor to every workmanship. May this celebration also remind us of the struggles of those who labored and worked hard to earn their living, which include farmers, carpenters, constructions workers, janitors, garbage collectors, drivers, nannies, domestic helpers, vendors, police, office workers, teachers, nurses, doctors and other professionals and to be in solidarity with them.

    These days of Enhanced Community Quarantine as a protective measure against the COVID-19 Pandemic, work in most sectors of our community has been suspended. Those who earn daily and do not have the security of tenure and other benefits have been affected the most. They have to rely now on the help from the government and from charitable institutions.

    Furthermore, those in the medical field have more weight on their shoulders these days as an unfamiliar virus is infecting many. Many of them were infected too and unfortunately many died of the same infection.

    These days also, we rely on the knowledge and expertise of those in the medical science that through these scientists a vaccine will be developed to fight the virus and save us from this disease. And we pray, that it is progressing. 

    What we realize then, is how a particular work plays an important dynamism in the life of our community. Hopefully, we may also value our own work, whatever that may be and no matter how limited it has become in these days of Community Quarantine. May our work, our profession or ministry will become our own participation in God’s continuing work in us. 

    Mahatma Gandhi said, “It is the quality of our work that will please God, and not quantity.” Thus, God calls us too that like Him, we may give ourselves to what we are working because the quality of our work also reflects who we are. So, give the best in you. When you fail, make it a learning experience. And when you succeed, be proud of it and thank the Lord for the gift of work and for the gift of your person, who is fearfully and wonderfully made by God.

    May our work then, become an act of loving service to others and an act that multiplies goodness and kindness springing forth from our very person.

    With this, let us take confidence in God who is at work, who shall bring fulfillment to our heart’s desires. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

    Join 2,876 other subscribers
  • Go and Share Jesus today

    Go and Share Jesus today

    April 25, 2020 -Feast of St. Mark, the Evangelist

    Click here for the readings (http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/042520.cfm)

    St. Mark was converted to the faith by Peter, who journeyed with Peter to Rome and served as his secretary or interpreter. When St. Peter wrote his first pastoral letter to the churches in Asia, he called him affectionately as “my son Mark.” Mark is considered as the author of the Gospel of Mark. According to tradition, he was sent to Egypt and founded the Church of Alexandria. One day he was seized by pagan authorities, dragged by ropes over stones and thrown into prison and died as a martyr. (Source: ibreviary)

    Today is the Feast of St. Mark, believed to be the author or the person behind the Gospel of Mark. The Gospel of Mark is believed also to be the earliest Gospel among the four. One evident characteristic of the Gospel that would tell us about this, is that it is the shortest. The Gospel is more direct in telling the story of Jesus. There are less elaborations or if there are explanations, then, those are short and simple.

    This tells us too that the community of St. Mark to whom this Gospel was addressed had that consciousness to preserve the story of Jesus through writing. It is through writing, then, that the memory of the Risen Jesus will be preserved and will be handed down from one generation to another. True indeed, that memory has been preserved and we today, share that memory of the early Christian community.

    What actually moved them to do this? Or what made Mark to decide to write what had been told to him by his mentor St. Peter? 

    We will find the answer at the end part of the Gospel of Mark. Jesus said to the apostles, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.” 

    The followers of Jesus were now ready. They have become firm in their faith and so were all sent by Jesus to share and proclaim the joyful message who is Jesus himself. 

    Yes, the Gospel that they were about to proclaim is the person of Jesus, the God-with-us, who died and restores us through his resurrection. Mark being an assistant to St. Peter had become a witness of such joy. Mark himself experienced the joy of being with Jesus and being loved by the Lord just like Peter.

    This joy of being with Jesus is what made Mark and his community to write down their memory of Jesus so that others will also be able to experience the joy that they have tasted.

    Today, for all of us who have been the recipients of this great joy proclaimed to us in the Gospel of Mark, each of us is also called to “proclaim Jesus to every creature.” Each of us who have been able to experience the “goodness of God is called to to sing it for ever,” as our Psalm proclaimed to us today.

    May I invite you then to be more aware of this invitation from Jesus – to go and share Jesus to every person we meet, to every creature that we will touch and encounter.

    Despite the physical distancing, the call of staying home and enhanced community quarantine, sharing Jesus to our brothers and sisters in the most concrete ways is still very possible. Expressing concrete actions of kindness and generosity to your neighbors in need is a way of sharing Jesus. Comforting an anxious and troubled friend is a way of making Jesus alive too. We do share Jesus not just as a mere memory of the past, but making Jesus alive in flesh through us. Thus, go and share Jesus today! Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

    Join 2,876 other subscribers
  • When hoping against hope, brings hope

    When hoping against hope, brings hope

    April 14, 2020 – Tuesday of the Octave of Easter

    Click here for the readings (http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/041420.cfm)

    Among the women friends of Jesus, perhaps Mary Magdalene was the closest to him. Mary Magdalene was closely following the Lord wherever he would be. Mary Magdalene was confident that God is in Jesus. She was most sure of it next to Mary, mother of Jesus. Thus, when the disciples fled and hid because of fear. Mary Magdalene together with other women remained. They followed Jesus until his death. Even when Jesus was brought down from the cross, Mary was surely there. Indeed, Mary was filled with grief and sadness when Jesus suffered and died.

    Yet, despite the grief and sadness, Mary returned to that place of pain and darkness. She went to the tomb of Jesus. Why go there when it would only remind her of sadness and grief?

    She went into the tomb at dawn, while it was still dark, the Gospel says. The darkness here means sadness and pain, yet, what is interesting was the dawn was breaking. The sun is soon to come out. Indeed, what Mary will witness is the victory of light over darkness.

    This brings us into the kind of relationship Mary had with Jesus. Despite the grief and sadness, Mary did not just go away and give up even though her friend died. The sadness, disappointment and pain that she felt, urged her more actually to seek Jesus even in times of confusion and darkness in her life.

    This reminds us of our experiences. When we too encounter difficulty and pain, sadness and frustrations, and even boredom in life, we might find ourselves to go away, to step back and become fearful.

    There is something to learn from the friendship Mary Magdalene had with Jesus. It was a friendship that was beyond physical attraction and emotional attachment. It was a friendship built on trust, faith and confidence of being loved.

    Even though Mary was confused and in pain, but, somehow, she knew in her heart that Jesus did not left them, and did not abandon her. She completely believed in Jesus. That is why, even in the seemingly senseless way of going to the tomb; Mary still went to hope against hope.

    Mary recognized the Lord when Jesus said her name, “Mary!” Jesus has her way of calling the name of Mary and when she heard him, Mary opened her eyes from grief and sorrow and recognized that it was Jesus. It is the same when our parents would call us. We would always recognize that it is our mother or father calling us. It is the shared intimacy or the close relationship that we have that make us recognize the voice of the person. The Lord also has his own way of calling our names. Discover how God calls us!

    Each of us is invited to develop this kind of friendship that Mary developed with Jesus. How do we develop it? Four points to remember.

    1. Be with Jesus always and follow him. Wherever Jesus went, Mary also followed. Thus, always seek the desire of Jesus for you to lead you where he wants you to go. You may ask, “What Jesus wants for me today?” So, as we continue to struggle with “community quarantine and physical distancing” ask this question so that you may follow him in your heart, in your mind and in your actions. Surely, when we are with Jesus, we will never get tired. We will be filled with joy and satisfaction.
    2. Allow Jesus to come to you and call your name. Like Mary, she allowed the Lord to come into her life and to call her name. Allow also Jesus to occupy your mind and heart. Receive him constantly through “Spiritual Communion” at this moment of quarantine until things get back to normal and you receive Him physically. Moreover, receive Jesus also through the Bible. You might want to begin to do “Bible sharing” in your family. This might be awkward at the beginning, but it will be enriching.
    3. Constantly pray. Mary learned from Jesus in praying to the Father in heaven. Through prayer, Mary became more aware also of herself and of God’s presence. Thus, since the quarantine has given us more time to be at home, pray. Grab this opportunity to gather as family to pray and reflect. While at home, you may also “tweet” with Jesus, speak “What’s on your mind?” and post to Jesus your “instragamable” feelings and concerns.
    4. Know that you are loved and forgiven. Mary accepted in her life that Jesus loved her and that through him she was forgiven. Despite her sins in the past, Jesus never condemned her, but accepted her because she is being loved.

    All of these led Mary Magdalene to be ever grateful to Jesus. And because she was grateful, she was confident; she was filled with hope and became fearless. This is how Mary showed to us when hoping against hope, brings hope to us. 

    This leads to Mary’s Easter Proclamation, “I HAVE SEEN THE LORD” 

    Mary had seen the Lord. Going to the tomb was never useless and senseless because even in the midst of pain and confusion, God reveals himself.

    We may also ask ourselves, “Have I also seen the Lord, in those times of difficulties and pain in my life?” or “How have I seen the Lord in these times of COVID-19 and Community Quarantine?

    Mary’s painful experiences had become the ground for God to reveal himself to her. Mary’s relationship with Jesus was also the foundation of Mary’s keenness in recognizing Jesus in her life. And seeing Jesus, empowered Mary to become the “Apostle to the Apostles.”

    By seeing the Lord, Mary was sent to become the first Missionary after the resurrection of Jesus. Mary was sent and so we are. Each of us who have seen the Lord in our life is also called to proclaim to others, “I have seen the Lord.” Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • EASTER VIGIL MESSAGE: DO NOT BE AFRAID!

    EASTER VIGIL MESSAGE: DO NOT BE AFRAID!

    April 11, 2020 – Easter Vigil Homily

    Click here for the readings (http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/041120.cfm)

    An Easter message by Fr. Glenn Tito Pascual, CSsR – Prefect of Students, Redemptorist Formation Community, Davao City.

    I am very afraid Lord. We are afraid. I don’t know until when my courage can last, Lord. How long? 

    I dread this night that I will preach before you the Easter message. I dread it because I do not know what to say to all of you about the joy, hope and the life that Easter brings. I am afraid that someone will ask, 

    “Is there joy about our situation? Is there still hope when more than a million across the world are sick because of covid-19? I am afraid if someone will say, what life awaits us when there are 4,428 confirmed cases and 247 death all over the Philippines as of tonight? When we second the highest number of cases in the ASEAN region, next to Malaysia, how long will this last? Until when shall we endure?” 

    These are the questions of many and the same questions that I also have. Honestly I do not know the answer that is why I dread this night to preach before you.

    I tried to reflect and pray over and over again on the readings for today. It seems nothing inspired me. I caught myself still searching for an answer to the questions that I have and I share with others… “Until when Lord? Until when will this covid-19 last?”

    I am very afraid Lord. We are afraid. I don’t know until when my courage can last, Lord. How long? 

    As I was struggling inside myself there was just nothingness, darkness, emptiness… no answer. I messaged our Community Superior and another brother in the community this morning. I told them “I cannot preach tonight. It seems I have no inspiration from God. What words to console God’s people when I myself feel that we are in darkness.” 

    Empty. Nothing. Darkness… then fear came.

    I started to be afraid when questions came into my consciousness, “What if the lockdown continues, do we have enough food to eat? Or what if a relative, a friend a member of the family or me becomes sick of covid-19? What will happen to us?”

    Again fear came to me. I struggled in my prayer until I glanced back at the Gospel and my eyes immediately caught sight of the words “DO NOT BE AFRAID”. When I read those words there was a seeming energy that moved me closer to read the Gospel again and the words “Do not be afraid” were repeated on the same text twice.

    Click here for the video recording.

    When Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the tomb, the angel greeted them “Do not be afraid!” The angel told them that Jesus is not in the tomb. Then the angel invited them to enter the empty tomb. The same words are also spoken to us by the angel today, “Do not be afraid!” Just as the angel invited Mary Magdalene to enter into the empty tomb, we too are invited today to enter into the seeming emptiness of our lives. We are invited to look into our questions of “how long Lord? Until when will this last?” We are invited to enter into the darkness of our fears of ‘what if someone I love is sick? What if I am the next to be sick?” 

    Join 2,876 other subscribers

    We are invited to see that we are only people passing by on this earth. We are invited that we are nothing. We came to this world with nothing and we will leave this world with nothing except for our faith in God. This is the beauty of this Easter Vigil celebration that we started with darkness. It was dark but it is only the light of Christ that can show us back to life. “Do not be afraid!”

    The same words “Do not be afraid,” are repeated in the same gospel passage. When Mary Magdalene and the other woman were fearful but overjoyed they went back to tell others. On their way they met Jesus our Lord whose message to them again was “DO NOT BE AFRAID!” Then he added, “Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee and see me.” 

    In a similar way Jesus gives the same consolation to all of us in the midst of our fears, “do not be afraid.” Although we are mortals, our life on this earth will end but it is the eternal life he promised that must propel us how to live a meaningful life. 

    Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers is also a command for all of us. It is a command that we need to share the life we receive in Christ. We share Christ when we take care of each other in this time of the pandemic. We tell others about Jesus when we don’t hoard our resources but to also share them to those in need. After all, even if we have gathered so much possessions for ourselves, we can’t carry them when we die. We tell others about the Easter message of life when we help each other by staying at home and keeping social distancing. We share the hope of Easter when we act as brothers and sisters to one another and not as master-slave, superior-inferior, rich-poor, or good-sinner. Do not be afraid!

    Do not be afraid because Easter reminds us that God created the world and is recreating it anew. So let us ask the Spirit of God to give us the gift of courage, faith and hope in the midst of what is happening in our world. 

    In prayer we echo the song “Spirt of God, creation is groaning: Fill the earth, bring it to birth, and blow where you will. Blow, blow, blow till I be. But the breath of the Spirit blowing in me.” Amen.

    Join 2,876 other subscribers