Category: Pastoral Team

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Fr. Reu Galoy Reflections

POPE FRANCIS: JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE, SUNDAY GOSPEL REFLECTION By Fr. Reu Jose C. Galoy, OFM

(Pope Francis has urged the faithful to look beyond material needs and turn to Jesus who is “the bread of life.” The Pope’s words came as he addressed the crowds gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the Sunday Angelus.)

Taking his cue from the Gospel reading which tells of the crowd that went looking for Jesus, not because they saw the signs but because they had eaten the loaves of bread and were filled, Pope Francis pointed out that those people gave more value to the bread than to He who gave them the bread.

He explained that before this spiritual blindness, Jesus highlights the need to look beyond the gift and discover the giver. God himself – the Pope said – is the gift and is also the giver.

Jesus invites us – the Pope continued – to be open to a perspective which is not only that of daily preoccupation and material needs; Jesus speaks to us of a different kind of food, food which is not corruptible and that we must search for and welcome into our lives.

He exhorts us not to work for food that perishes but “for the food that endures for eternal life which the Son of Man will give us,” he said.

With these words – Pope Francis continued – He wants us to understand that beyond a physical hunger, man has a different kind of hunger – “we all have this hunger” – a more important kind of hunger that cannot be satisfied with ordinary food.

“It is the hunger for life – the hunger for eternity – that only He can satisfy because He is the bread of life,” he said.

And pointing out that the true meaning of our earthly existence is to be found at the end, in eternity, Pope Francis said that to be open to meeting Jesus every day of our lives will illuminate our lives and give meaning to small gifts, sufferings and preoccupations.

And quoting from the Gospel of John, the Pope said “Jesus said to them: I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

“This – he said – refers to the Eucharist, the greatest gift that fulfills body and soul.”

To meet and to welcome Jesus, “the bread of life” – Pope Francis concluded – gives meaning and hope to our lives that are sometimes tortuous; but this “bread of life” – he said – also gives us the duty to satisfy the spiritual and material needs of our brothers.

To do this – he said- we must announce the Gospel everywhere, and with the witness of a fraternal attitude of solidarity towards our neighbor, we can make Christ and his love present amongst men.

About Fr. Reu and his other reflections…..

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Fr. Reu Galoy SSAP Foundation

A Samar-itans call to Mission by Hannah G. Roa

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The following write up describes Hannah’s experience working on the Housing project in San Antonio, Basey, Samar.Hannah is a member of the SYA or Single Young Adults ministry and the LeCom ministry. The project is a beneficiary of FrancisFest 2015. – Ed.

Living in the 4 walls of a concrete jungle and trying to survive in this fast paced life gets a toll on you after a while… You’d dream of your next beach destination to just unwind and relax or your next out of the country trip for a solo adventure. I so definitely wanted to get out of the city so bad and just not think of surviving in it even for just a little while. I wanted to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Killing time I checked my Facebook app and saw a post on our SYA Facebook page about helping in building homes of those that have lost theirs and loved ones in the storm called Yolanda, in Samar. As I was reading the post I wanted to jump to the chance to do so. I was hesitant because I didn’t know if I could be able to travel a 20- hour bus ride all the way to the site with strangers I didn’t know and cross seas from one island to the next on ferries. Yes the trip would be free of charge if I did join on the bus but the long hours sitting would be quite a challenge. I’ve already experienced a 10-hour bus ride from New York, NY to Pittsburgh, PA and I know the feeling of your derrière being numb as well as your legs from sitting down the whole time. I also wanted to be sure with whom I would be traveling with. So I didn’t grab the chance when I wanted to, just yet.

As part of the current team in SYA, a team member of mine announced in our Viber chat group about helping on Samar’s rebuild, about the post on our FB page. This time we didn’t have to travel with the bus and we could actually travel via plane and have shorter workdays. So I grabbed the chance then and was thrilled that there was an opportunity to go for shorter days than a 10-day build and not travel on the bus. I was excited to be able to give my time and be physically able to help in building the homes of those who have lost theirs in the storm. I wanted so much to do this ‘cause I know I won’t be able to give any financial aid. This was my way of serving for the church of SSAP, for SYA and for myself to give to those less unfortunate.

When the day came that 6 other SYAers and I were to travel to Tacloban we were all nervous because we don’t know what to expect; our sleeping arrangements, the mosquitos, the bugs, every city slicker’s nightmare. Though we were excited as well. This was our first trip to go help build homes and didn’t know a thing about building, but we were all pumped and thrilled to be part of this adventure and service for the people of Samar.

I thought of this trip to be my charity work cause I am not as active with the other ministries of the church than I should be. I just can’t find myself wanting to be active in them unlike being a part of this opportunity. This was to me a calling to serve, to be able to do the work of the Lord and be part of God’s army in rebuilding lives. This I was capable of doing.

As soon as we arrived at the airport of Tacloban, native dancers were there to greet us passengers. What a sight to see with all their smiling faces and energetic dancing. It didn’t feel like a place that has gone thru devastation. We made our way to one of our SYAers’ home near the airport, who which was part of the organization committee. We were all welcomed with open arms by her family and of course with a hearty breakfast to start the day. Then we headed off to the pier to catch a 15-min boat ride to San Antonio, Basey, Samar. As soon as we docked there was Fr. Reu to welcome us to the Barangay and show us where we would be spending our nights at, in the Parish Center of San Antonio.

We settled in nicely and we even got surprised that we would actually be having the air-conditioned office as our sleeping quarters. What a blessing we all thought, ‘cause this whole time we were prepping ourselves that we would be sleeping in quarters where only an electric fan would be given to us or even none, just the breeze of the province and mosquito nets as refuge from mosquitos. We didn’t expect to be sleeping in an air-conditioned area. So when we heard A/C we were all so happy knowing that after a tiring day at the work site we would be coming home to this. Sleeping on the floor we didn’t mind anymore.

Bags were all positioned neatly, we prepared and got into gear and set out to head to the site. It was a nice leisure walk from the parish, less than a kilometer. Lunch was served and we started to help out in steel work together with the other Franciscan brothers. Work wasn’t that bad because we had great company, good conversations, and delicious food to nourish us. All we did was laugh a lot, bonded with the Franciscan brothers also with the mothers and lolas who gave their time preparing our food every single day; from breakfast, snack, lunch, snack and dinner they were there to keep us healthy☺we were well fed.

For 3 days we did manual labor: steel work, digging, transporting hollow blocks from the manufacturing station up towards the houses and tree planting. But we never forgot to say morning masses before we started our days. Our days would start at 630am for mass and would end at 6pm to clean up then dinner at 7pm onwards. Come the 3rdday our bodies were tired since we weren’t used to this kind of physical work. But the tiredness was worth every pain especially knowing that you are doing this for the families that lost a lot and even everything. Just seeing the smiles on their faces and hearing their ever non-stop “Thank you’s” was just so heart warming. Mobile reception there was sparse that I forgot about the city. Not having signal helped because I was so involved in the building and didn’t mind any more if I got a message or not.

Conversations were also being shared rather than everyone being busy checking out the news on their mobiles. I felt connected.

On the 4th day, Sunday, there was a medical mission planned and it was our last day before we, SYAers headed back to Tacloban and the friars and brothers back on the road to Manila. It was sad because all the mothers and lolas that had prepared our food were teary eyed to see us leave. It was also sad to know that we were going back to civilization and to the concrete jungle we call Manila. We all felt a little bit of separation anxiety (sepanx) leaving cause it meant that we wouldn’t be waking up early in the morning to go to the site to hear mass and work and laugh around and help out. Even if it was a short time of service work it was such meaningful service that we were doing and it meant so much to each and every one of us that it was sad to leave.

Back in Manila I’d be thinking and reflecting on what had happened during this charity work that I did. As Fr. Reu asked us, what was a striking memory for you; I would say that during the whole experience we all felt that everything was striking and memorable ‘cause everything was a first for all of us. But as we were reminiscing on what we did during the whole experience one thing came to mind that was very meaningful to me. It was when we had our sharings with the beneficiary families. We were all divided into groups so that time would be more efficient. There were stories told that some of them were all safe and intact as a family and some were devastating ones with one or two or three that had died during the storm. Some were miraculous stories too.

Hearing each and everyone’s experiences in my group kept me thinking that they are all so strong and that their faith has grown so much. Devastating news like this would make me think how can I move on? I’d probably even question the Lord why it happened. I would wonder how they can just look at life and be positive about it. No grudges on what happened to them. No ill feelings towards the Lord on the devastation that haunts them even until this very day. Where do they get this optimistic view in life? How can they just move on without being a bit negative about the experience?
There was one member in my group that even before she started sharing her story she started crying. She explained herself to the others in Waray, in which I could not understand. I could only figure out the context of what her explanation was about her crying and what I got from it was it’s either been a while or it was the first time she ever spoke about her experience. It made me tear up cause she was so brave to even go forward and share what had happened to her even if it was hard to do so. She lost her mom, her sister and another member of her family to Yolanda but if you see her now she seems happy and optimistic. Ready to take on the world.

There was also a mother who shared about their arduous incident on how she almost lost her child. Her child’s lips were already blue because of being swept by the water but she never let go of her in her arms and she kept on telling her daughter not to give up. Breath. Breath. She survived but had such a traumatic experience that she does not want to be left alone at home and when the rains start she would murmur to her mother “anjan ulit ang tubig” in their native tongue. How sad to hear these stories and feeling helpless not to be able to do something for them. What uplifts me though is the fact that all of them have been thanking God for keeping them alive and blessing them with people like us that helped them through moving on. In hearing them speak about what they went through and seeing how they are now, optimistic and happy, makes me realize that life is just simple if you make it to be and that if you have faith anything is possible in the Lord.

From hearing mass in the mornings, working the whole day, to bondings after dinner I would say this was a fun and meaningful experience for me. I’ve made friends, learned from the locals about life and faith, solidified my friendships with my co-SYAers that were there with me during this Franciscan Solidarity Camp and I realized that, as Jolly [Gomez] said it best (rephrased a bit), when you work with a community that works together the task is easier than doing it alone. So for those that seem to see the world as being difficult or challenging remember to ask for help from your community or faith family, ‘cause someone and maybe even everyone will definitely give a helping hand. We are all called to mission, whether to be disciples to spread the word of the Lord or to be carpenters to use our hands and help build lives. This is our mission.

Another mission trip to Samar will be done at the end of August. This project is a beneficiary of FrancisFest 2015. Your donations and support through FrancisFest will help raise more funds to finish the houses. – ed.

The Basey Samar Housing Project is one of the beneficiaries of 2015 Francisfest. Pls. support Francisfest 2015, featuring world renowned Filipina pianist, Cecile B. Licad, on October 2, Friday at 7PM in the Main Church.

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Fr. Laurian Janicki

“The Joy of the Gospel” SUNDAY GOSPEL REFLECTION By Fr. Laurian Janecki, OFM

“I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ.”

All quotes are from The Joy of the Gospel – by Pope Francis.

How to have a renewed personal encounter with Christ.

Adsum

With this simple word, Mary allowed her heart to be drawn into God’s heart. Adsum means in Latin “I am present” and it is the posture of prayer. Let this word now lead us to to draw closer to Christ.

1. God loves you and is always ready to embrace and forgive you.

Like the father of the prodigal son, God stands at the crossroads, looking for you, hoping you will return to him with your whole heart. God desires that you draw near to him.“Come to me, “ God tells us, “I have forgiven you completely. I love you unconditionally. You will always be my child and my mercy is always offered to you.”

2. We tend to be distracted from God and from love, caught up in selfish designs of our own, for we are sinners.

We often do not walk with God in our daily lives. We’re busy about so many other matters. We often do not listen carefully to the divine voice which echoes within us. Calling us to do what is good and to avoid evil.

And yet, whenever we seek God’s mercy, it is gladly given to us. God speaks to us like this: “I forgive you, you are my daughter or on and I love you. Take my hand and walk with me, sin no more.”
This wonderful hope draws us ever closer to Christ. In him we find joy.

“Let me say this once more; God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking mercy.” Pope Francis, Joy of the Gospel #3

3. Christ’s self-giving love on the cross opens the pathway to love in our own lives.

By this love, we are being saved all the time, saved from our own selfish selves. Pause here in the midst of everything and simply turn your heart to Jesus. Let yourself be in his presence and sense how near to you he is. Like a shepherd cares for his sheep, so Jesus Christ cares for you. In the nighttime, when you awaken from sleep, turn your heart to the shepherd of your soul. Speak to him as a friend. There is an element of surrender in this just as the lamb surrenders to the care of the shepherd. Give yourself over to Christ and trust him. You will not be disappointed.

4. Living in Christ brings us great joy; it is, indeed, the only pathway to true human happiness and fulfillment.

Let the spirit judge your heart to be more open to encountering Christ in your daily life. Let forgiveness be your first impulse when you are wronged. Let generosity drive your decisions. Learn the art of selfgiving love and you will be on the pathway to great happiness.
As you become the servant of all, your own heart will fill with meaning, happiness, and peace. You will be eager to share it with others.

You will soon find a sense of direction for your life in the constant turning of your heart toward Christ and you will encounter him. Listen to him carefully as he speaks to you, and follow his lead. Invite others to also share in the great joy. It is the joy of the gospel.

In these words, Christ speaks to you: “I love you tenderly and my love is forever. Even when you suffer difficulty, imitate my self-giving love, and you will be at peace. Walk with me and allow me to guide you.”

5. Sustain your faith through life in the church, the people of God, the Body of Christ.

Drawing close to Christ also draws us to one another. We do not come to mass for our own good but in order to donate ourselves to the parish. Let yourself be drawn into the Eucharist by the love of Christ.

This will also draw you into greater attention to the poor, the suffering, and the rejected. Examine your own life in the light of the gospel. Do you have room in your heart for these poor ones who are beloved of Christ?

Because God loved and has forgiven you so often and so completely, you must now also become someone ready to love and forgive no matter what. As Jesus told his disciples after he has washed their feet, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done to you.” (John 13:15)

(How to turn your heart to Christ/Pastoral planning)

About Fr. Laurian and his other reflections…..

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Fr. Baltazar Obico Reflections

The Lord is my Shepherd, 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time SUNDAY GOSPEL REFLECTION By Fr. Baltazar Obico, OFM

The English language uses the word herd mentality; it comes from the pastoral setting of tending the sheep. It means a mindless grouping/congregation of people very similar to our phenomenon of the so called HAKOT SYSTEM, where people are grouped together in a place not knowing why they are there in the first place, except that everybody is there. The basic disability of the sheep is its lack of vision, hence it is almost half blind. Therefore their security is in being together. Their sense of smell is their source of action. No other reason except vulnerability and survival instinct put them together.

Readings: Today the 16th Sunday in ordinary time, the responsorial psalm sums up the theme of our reflection. The first reading from Jeremiah speaks about the false shepherd who doesn’t care about the sheep; hence God will send a shepherd, who will shepherd them so that they need no longer fear or tremble. Someone who will govern wisely and do what is right and just in the land. Mark’s gospel speaks about Jesus moved with pity for the people and saw the pastoral situation as being like “sheep without a shepherd.” And Jesus, despite their need for rest & nourishment, attended to their needs, teaching them many things. Shepherding is not an 8-5 job, but a 24/7 ministry. The need of the sheep is paramount more than the Shepherd’s. When the crowds seek Jesus at a time when Jesus is seeking privacy, there is no question that which need priority. It is the crowds. Tending the flock is not just a job to keep the groceries on the table; it is his reason for being, and for dying. It is a vocation given by the Father, which there can be no greater. The Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

For us to admit that we are sheep is to put our trust completely, unreservedly in Jesus, the Good Shepherd. The relationship between this kind of shepherd and his sheep is a power of connectedness, of empathy. The relationship between the Good Shepherd & his sheep intimate that it is an extension of the relationship between the Father and the Son. The Father’s omnipotence is the guarantee of Jesus’ promises; his promise of eternal life, that we shall not perish, that no one can take us out of his hands are promises to his flock that can be fulfilled by the Father. With him we shall not only “never perish”, not only protected from danger and harm, but will be led to eternal life, where we would not want anything, for God is the only necessity in our life.

1. Like sheep, we are almost half blind. We would not be able to see what lies beyond the horizon that awaits us. Neither can we see the dangers around us trying to exploit and mislead us. It is Jesus alone who can lead us to the eternal pasture. The grind of the daily life can lull us to contentment and we lose sight of the beyond. We can get so engrossed with daily cares and concerns that we are not able to see the marvelous future ahead of us.
2. Jesus is not only content in giving us the vision. Aside from the images of security of giving us the basic necessities, he leads us to the right paths, to mean all danger is averted. At the moment of greatest danger, God still provides, thus the Psalmist can say, “fear no evil.” God’s scepter/rod connotes royal authority hence his guidance and provision are reliable because God is sovereign. Jesus as Good Shepherd will put his life at risk in face of danger.
3. The caring and tending of the sheep includes knowing the sheep personally, each by name. An intimate relationship between Good Shepherd and the sheep binds them in an inexplicable way. The shepherd knows each one. Who is missing; who is sick; who has no appetite. There is no stranger in the clock. We are all known. None should feel she/he is unrecognized. But more than recognition, knowing means involvement in our lives.

In this age where many communities, neighbors are strangers to one another, whose neighbors scarcely know the name of those living next door and when many in fact seek anonymity, let us put away out isolation and alienation . Let us start hearing the voice of and follow the Good Shepherd that we may become one flock, where one knows and is known in the process.

About Fr. Tasang and his other reflections…..

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Fr. Sergio Santos

“Jesus Christ, Son of God is a Merciful and Compassionate God” SUNDAY GOSPEL REFLECTION 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time By Fr. Serge Santos, OFM

Have you ever thought that our savior Jesus Christ could have done differently in proclaiming the Gospel to the world? In today’s gospel Jesus Christ sends the apostles two by two to the neighboring villages, preaching repentance, casting out demons, and healing the sick. They are to trust absolutely in Divine Providence for daily sustenance.

It’s over two thousand years ago since the time of Jesus Christ. Millions of people have come to know about him and his message. It is a reality that this is still far from the millions and millions in this world who are not evangelized yet. We are still waiting for the event when he would endorse to God, Father and Creator, everyone so that the New Heaven and New Earth could usher in.

As God and Son of God there are alternative ways Jesus Christ could have adopted to evangelize the world quickly. After his resurrection, he could have gone to all corners of the world and could have taught his doctrine to all humanity, proving his words with supernatural deeds (miracles). Yet he chose the more human way of evangelization…he sent his own fellow human beings to bring the good news. In this way he shows his divine love and understanding of weak human nature. This is a lot better way than the supernatural means which he could have done.

God gave humanity free will. Human beings are able to choose between alternatives. Jesus Christ has never used force or coercion on persons to choose heaven as eternal home. The person who chooses heaven can select the means for reaching it. By appointing mortal beings to bring the good news of salvation and the means of getting there to all of us, Christ gives us the opportunity to exercise our free will and thereby merit heaven. We can accept to reject the Gospel of Christ. If Christ chose to inform us miraculously or taught us personally, it is impossible to refuse the Gospel.

Jesus Christ earned heaven for ALL people and not only for Christians. He founded the Church with its truth and aids and shared to those who would become his followers. By virtue of our baptism, we are followers of Jesus Christ. For us, the way of the Gospel is a sure way to reach heaven, if we are faithful to the commandments.

There are still millions of people who have not heard Christ and the church. Other millions who heard of Christ and his church did not accept the Christian way of life because of their upbringing, culture and environment; would Christ exclude them from heaven? Jesus Christ is aware of these millions and He wants them to be in heaven. It could be that their situation and circumstances, lack of knowledge of the Christian truths, limited perception, personal biases, which were brought by circumstances beyond their control prevent them from being attracted to become Christians. Would Jesus Christ exclude them from Heaven? Certainly NOT!

Jesus Christ has foreknowledge of those who could not accept his Gospel and yet they want to reach heaven. This is why he lets other persons who may be doubted to proclaim the Gospel. It would not be acceptable to refuse to listen to his teaching if it was delivered by some other form or preached by Christ personally. These people could be excused if they doubted Christ’s human stewards because of some reasons like their personality and lifestyle. Christ would let them enter heaven! This is telling us that Christ found ways and means to excuse those who choose to trek the wrong way rather than travel on the highway to heaven that he offered.

In all of these we see Divine Mercy and Compassion at work with Jesus Christ. We are all children of God regardless of nationality, race, color and language. The will of God is that all people may be saved, that is, to be able to enter heaven. While on a pilgrimage on earth, we serve Jesus Christ according to our God-given talents. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ’s Divine Mercy and Compassion could reach frontiers and trails less traveled through his chosen workers/followers. Christ continues to shower Mercy and Compassion to people along the way.

With expectant hope may we all enter heaven and live blissfully ever after because our Friend and Good Shepherd Jesus Christ, Son of God, is a MERCIFUL AND COMPAASIONATE GOD.

(Ref: THE SUNDAY GOSPEL by Kevin O’Sullivan, OFM)

About Fr. Serge and his other reflections…..

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Fr. Reu Galoy

CONGRATULATIONS, FR. REU!

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THANKSGIVING MASS, TESTIMONIAL DINNER AND OATH TAKING
The friars of the Franciscan Province of San Pedro Bautista, Philippines hosted a thanksgiving mass and testimonial dinner last June 22, 2015 at the Santuario de San Antonio parish. The occasion installed Fr. Cielito R. Almazan, OFM as the new Minister Provincial and Fr. Reu Jose C. Galoy, OFM (our very own parish priest) as the new Vicar Provincial of the OFM province of San Pedro Bautista. The event was also a despedida for Fr. Lino Gregorio V. Redoblado, OFM or Fr. Greg as we know him. Fr. Greg was elected the new General Definitor for Asia, Australia and Oceania.

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Fr. Reu Galoy homily

Making Change Possible by Jack Finnegan, A SUNDAY GOSPEL REFLECTION By Fr. Reu Jose C. Galoy

Each of today’s readings raises serious issues for the person who wishes to follow Jesus along the way. A few phrases strike me in a particular fashion and I would like to reflect on these against the background of God’s call in Christ to all of us to live according to His way of love, justice and compassion. Ezekiel says that the Spirit of God “set him on his feet.” This reminds me that without the Holy Spirit, without grace, without the energy that is God’s gracious gift, faith-life is not possible, inner transformation is not possible, change is not possible, the movement into the wholeness that Yahweh-Shalom offers is not possible.

In saying this I remind myself that it is easier to do nothing than to do something, it is easier to be negative than positive, easier to be destructive than creative, and that I am an amalgam of these contradictory tendencies. That is why I have so often been stiff-necked, stubborn and rebellious, even cynical–because free-wheeling refusal to be responsible takes little effort and less understanding. To live the covenant, however, demands awareness; it calls for a commitment to be conscious of grace and of the practical implications of grace that must find expression in real, practical, reconciling, forgiving, growth oriented patterns of life and relationship.

If today’s gospel means anything, we must confront any tendency to judge others, take hurt and offence from them, reject them, and make the scapegoats of our own unrecognized, unaccepted aversions and resentments. We must become acutely aware of how we spread negativity at home, among our friends at work–or wherever–lest we become like Pharisees or Herodians, or those of Jesus’ own people who so readily rejected him. We must realize how easy it is to confuse reality with our own ingrained prejudices and preferred viewpoints. We need to see that every story has another side, every person has his or her own reasons for what they do.

With St. Paul I need to acknowledge my own “thorn,” my own complex, shadow, inferior function, potential for neurotic behavior; call it what you will, each of us has it! If I really want to be a disciple I must learn to rebuild the center of my existence on God’s terms lest I scatter myself and lose myself because I have no ground of coherent meaning on which to base my relationship with reality. This is spirituality, this is what psychology so often discovers we need. May we remember God’s grace, may we remember that it precedes us along the way, may we allow it to set us on our feet and make us courageous. May we permit it to energize us for the next few steps on the perilous, wonderful, bright, dark journey to abundant life.

Reflection Guide Questions (rjcg):
1. What where the opportunities I miss in life due to my negative perception and judgmental attitude toward others?
2. Why is it that I cannot appreciate the goodness in others and good things around me?
3. In what way does my faith in Jesus help me live for and like Jesus in this changing and challenging world?

About Fr. Reu and his other reflections…..

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Fr. Laurian Janicki

12 Ordinary 2015 Mk: 4:35-41 SUNDAY GOSPEL REFLECTION By Fr. Laurian Janicki, OFM

Falling asleep in the middle of chaos/problems has never come naturally to me…nor do I think it comes naturally to most people. In today’s reading from St. Mark, Jesus takes a nap while crossing the Sea of Galilee in a boat with the disciples. Then the storm brings high winds and rough seas, the boat fills with water and the disciples panic, waking Jesus to ask if he cares if they all drown. Instead of answering, Jesus speaks to the wind and the sea, calming them. In the safety and stillness that follows, Jesus asks the disciples why they were afraid and whether they have any faith at all. Instead of answering the question, the disciples respond with another question, asking who Jesus is that the wind and the sea obey him.

Nature can be terrifying because it is so clearly beyond our power to control storms, typhoons, tornadoes, hurricanes. The disciples are literally in danger from the wind and rain, these forces of nature, and it challenges them to trust in Jesus – to trust in Jesus’ trustworthiness and protection. He seems to be sleeping, but he wakes quickly to answer their call for help.

In many passages of scripture, when humans perceive God to be inattentive or far off, they feel that God is indeed sleeping. Jesus does mediate God’s loving concern to the disciples by waking up to calm the storm. Seeing Jesus asleep in such a crisis, the disciples feel neither Jesus nor God is paying attention to them. St. Mark’s gospel was written for a community besieged by persecutions. St. Mark’s audience, community, may well have identified with the disciples’ outraged cry that Jesus wakes up and shows his concern, and most likely have been comforted that Jesus responds as they asked.

But! It is easy to misread Jesus’ question, “ Why are you so afraid? Have you no faith? Notice that Jesus calms the storm before asking the questions.

Lessons of the story. The fact that the Master is aboard their little boat does not prevent a wicked storm from brewing up. The apostles strive to cope with the storm on their own but it proves too much for them. They awaken the Master and he speaks to the wind and there comes a great calm.

If only it were like that in real life! If only the Lord would intervene when we are caught in the middle of some storm, and with a simple command, restore calm to our troubled lives! Let’s take a closer look to see if we can grasp what the story is really saying to us.

We encounter various kinds of storms – bad situations of one kind or another which disrupts our lives and sometimes even threatens to sink us. But this should not surprise us. The mere fact that we are trying to follow Jesus is no guarantee that we will be spared the storms.

Christ never promised his followers that their lives would be a Caribbean cruise. Rather he hinted we would have to pass through stormy waters. Therefore, when the storm hits us, we shouldn’t feel that God has abandoned us…much less that he is punishing us for our sins.

In some of these storms we may feel that we can no longer cope on our own. Our own resources and strengths are clearly not enough. The waves of anger, fear, pain and despair rise up and threaten to overcome us. It is then that we must believe that Christ is with us and that his help is available to us.

If our faith is strong we will know that Christ is sleeping in our boat, that all we have to do is call to him in faith and prayer. With his help we will survive any storm. Our fears will subside and peace and calm will return to our troubled hearts.

And if we should be faced with death and there is no escape for anyone – then we should realize that Christ is there to help us negotiate the dark and threatening waters of death. What St. Mark is really saying to his community, today we are the community, make sure that Christ is a familiar traveling companion of yours on the journey of life..

He also asks each of his followers to do the same for each other. To make ourselves available to another person who is caught in the middle of the storm of their life. We have no magical words to offer, really, nothing except our presence and our availability. And these are indeed precious moments – these are the things that calm the storm – no magic words, but loving, supportive and calming presence.

Lastly, a disciple is grateful when the storms of our lives are calmed. A perfect reason to come to mass and say – THANK YOU.

A final word of wisdom: The storm, the people that you get along with and don’t get along with, your work load and responsibilities, your sick parents, your sick children, whatever it is – will be there when you wake up from your sleep. Life is hard and rest is critical, for Jesus and for all of us.

Lesson – God is near – just reach out.

About Fr. Laurian and his other reflections…

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Fr. Baltazar Obico Reflections

SUNDAY GOSPEL REFLECTION By Fr. Baltazar Obico, OFM

FEAST OF CORPUS CHRISTI: Corpus Christi celebrates the gifts we received, identifies who we are, and renews our commitment to which we are called.

Background: Today’s feast is in a sense an unexpected feast for several reasons. It duplicates Holy Thursday; we are repeating the Last Supper celebration without the sadness of Good Friday. Secondly, because every Eucharistic celebration is a feast of the Body and Blood of Jesus. Unexpected, because of the origin of its feast. An Augustinian nun, Juliana of Liege reported a vision. She had seen a full moon in splendor, save for the dark area on one side. As she understood it, the moon was the Church, the area that was dark because the Church has no feast of Blessed Sacrament. Fifty five years later, Corpus Christi became a universal feast of the Church.

GOSPEL: Today we have Mark’s account of the Last Supper. The 1st two readings (Ex. 24:3-8; Heb. 9:11-15), together with the gospel speak of sacrifice, blood and covenant. What we call Last Supper, Jesus (and the rest of the Jews) called it the Passover meal. This meal meant a great deal to Jesus and that he himself carefully organized its celebration to the last detail. While the beginning is full of vivid touches, the rest of the narrative is extremely simple. The gestures made by Jesus are those of any head of the household at a paschal meal. But the words pronounced by Jesus when accomplishing these familiar gestures are extra ordinary.

…”This is my body…this is my blood…the evocation of his death, close at hand is obvious. Still more, his blood is the blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.” Jesus did not merely make a prophetic gesture in order to announce that he was about to die. He proclaimed that he was giving his life to seal the covenant so that all might drink at the source of this life.

WORD:

1. Corpus Christi means first of all the physical body of Christ. It is this body that suffered torture, bloodied by whipping. It is the same body that took all the cruelty thrown at him, the same body that was nailed and hung on the cross. Jesus took all of them not in stoic indifference neither by vengeful spirit but by dignified silence. His body took all of these without eliciting sympathy and exhibiting anger; there is serenity and strength that can only spring from a heart in communion with God; his words are only forgiveness. When Jesus took upon his physical body all the injuries inflicted on him and breathed his last on the cross, he acted out and fulfilled the words he said on the Last Supper when he said “This is my body which will be given up for you.” Therefore when we receive the Body of Christ, we want to conform ourselves to the depth of Christ’s love. We should be able to bear the suffering for the sake of others. We too are willing to give up our bodies for others. When Jesus asks us to “to do this in memory of me” he was referring to that kind of love for others.

2. Corpus Christi also means the Eucharistic body of Christ in the Eucharistic species. In the Eucharist we have Jesus himself, body and blood, soul and divinity. When we receive Holy Communion, we have a closer contact with Jesus than was possible to anybody during his earthly life. In the Eucharist the actual distance between ourselves and Christ vanishes. The God-man out of sheer love gives the lowly bread and wine his flesh to eat and his blood or drink. We can only respond with awe and wonder because something marvelous and enrapturing has broken into our common place world. As we grow older, most of us have lost our sense of wonder. We get blasé, we become worldly-wise and sophisticated. We have grown up. Heschel saw it as modern man’s trap, believing that everything can be explained, that all of reality is simply an affair which has only to be organized in order to be mastered. All enigma can be solved and all wonder is nothing but effect of novelty upon ignorance. The enemy of wonder is to take things for granted. We need to recover this sense of wonder. We have nothing to rely on except the words of Jesus, when he said “this is my body.” He did not say this is the symbol of his body. His words are trustworthy. When we come to mass to receive the Eucharist we are making a number of statements. We are acknowledging Jesus as the Bread of life, the one who alone can satisfy our hunger. In that sense we cannot take it lightly. Our familiarity with the mass and the frequency with which we celebrate it can dull our senses to the full significance of what we are doing.

3. Corpus Christi means above all the mystical body of Christ, the community of believers. The Eucharist is essential a meal. It intends to bring together not only us with God but with one another. When we receive the body of Christ in communion, we are also accepting the presence of Christ in one another. We can’t share fruitfully in the first if we are unmindful of the second. When we as family have a meal at home together, we are drawn closer by that sharing more than anything else. When we provide hospitality to friends by way of meal – or they for us – we have the opportunity for closeness with them that nothing else has. The Last Supper had a powerfully unifying effect on the disciples. In the Last Supper together, they became conscious in a new way that they belonged not only to the Lord but also to each other. In the Eucharist, God is providing us the same opportunity, with the addition that the closeness, intimacy and union are provided for by God in abundance. The more we eat together, the more we become his mystical body. Those words, Corpus Christi, express who we are in this parish. In this year of faith, we commit ourselves again to being Corpus Christi, one body of Christ.

Brothers and sisters, we are what we receive, Corpus Christi.

About Fr. Tasang and his reflections….

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Fr. Sergio Santos Reflections

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, SUNDAY GOSPEL REFLECTION By Fr. Serge Santos, OFM

Our brother and friend, Jesus Christ, obeyed totally his father and our father in his life acknowledging his mission as Son of God, undergoing his passion, crucifixion, and death on the cross in Calvary.  Our Lord Jesus Christ is faithful to God the Father in the Holy Spirit from the beginning of his life as Son of God, teaching in the synagogues of Nazareth and Capernaum.

Jesus Christ’s saving mission benefits the disciples, including us, because he promised for those who believe him and are baptized that none will be lost of those given to him by God the Father. Our pursuit of this so-called Salvation depends upon our intimate and loving relationship with our God.

As finite human beings, we have choices and priorities in life.  Because of the freedom of choice, we practice what we believe is right and good.  At times, usually we do not care about something that we do not understand; therefore it is hard to believe and practice.

The Holy Trinity (Blessed Trinity) is a doctrine of the church.  This doctrine teaches that there are three persons in one God.  The one God (Yahweh or Lord) in the Old Testament is the God that the Israelites (Jews) believe in and no other.  However, we the New Testament people are blessed with stories in Jesus’ life which help us understand the mystery.  For example, during the baptism of Jesus Christ by his cousin John the Baptist, we recall, “Jesus too was baptized.  Then while he was praying, the heavens opened.  The Holy Spirit came down upon him in the bodily form of a dove and a voice from heaven was heard, “You are my Son, this day I have begotten you.”  (Luke 3:21-23)

It is known that the relationship of the Most Holy Trinity is personal and intimate.  Christ invites the disciples including us to be friends – no longer servants – with him.  Praise the Lord, we could have Jesus Christ as best friend.  We stay united with Jesus Christ by obeying his commandments in loving God and neighbor (everyone is our neighbor).

Jesus Christ is very personal and intimate with us.  He revealed his secrets in the Holy Scriptures (secrets of his Father) to us as we always have God with us (Emmanuel – Incarnation).  We are all spiritually blessed.  What more can we ask for from God? Paul in the second reading today reminds us: (Rom 8:15-17)  “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.”  As we share with Jesus Christ in the cup of passion (suffering and death), we also share in the cup of glory (Resurrection and Ascension). Jesus Christ is present with us in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist (Holy Mass).  That is why the priest who represents Jesus Christ in the Holy Mass intones the doxology of the Blessed Trinity.

We must come to appreciate the value of praying to the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit.  After all, when Jesus taught us to pray he said, “When you pray, say “Our Father…”  It has been observed that Christianity is not much looking at Jesus as it is looking in the same direction with him.,. that is, to the Father.  And so the Trinity is indeed a very important mystery for us, not just something to believe and then we forget.  This great truth should shape our attitude toward the three persons in God and influence our prayer.  Indeed the mystery of the Trinity is a very personal matter.

Because we have joined a pilgrimage towards a loving, compassionate and merciful God, we could always be grateful and thankful to God the Father and the Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit for an intimate and friendly relationship with them (hopefully and peacefully).

About Fr. Serge and his other reflections…

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