Tag: Sunday Reflection

Categories
Fr. Jesus Galindo

“Why were you looking for me?”, Sunday Reflection, FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY by Fr. Jesús Galindo, OFM

The Christmas season is above all a family celebration. Overseas relatives and contract workers make it a point to come home at this time of the year to celebrate Christmas with the family. The most joyous moment of the season is definitely the Christmas midnight’s nochebuena, when all the family members gather at table. The Church has wisely placed the feast of the Holy Family in the context of the Christmas season in order to highlight the importance of the family. So important is the family that God himself entrusted his only Son, not to a monastery or to a seminary, but to a family.

The family was created by God to be the mirror of God himself and the expression of the Trinitarian life–unity and love despite differences: “God created man in his image… male and female he created them” (Gen. 1:27). The family provides all our basic needs: food, clothing, education, etc. In the bosom of the family we get our first experience God’s love through the love and care of our parents.

Indeed, we are the product of our family. If we experience love and affection in our childhood, we grow up to be loving individuals; but if we experience rejection, violence and abuse at home, we grow up to be violent and abusive ourselves. It is statistically proven that most cases of juvenile delinquency can be traced to an unhealthy family life.

Today, the Holy Family is presented to us as our model. Being a “holy” family and having God’s only Son among its members, we might think that the Holy Family of Joseph, Mary and Jesus enjoyed a peaceful and blissful kind of life. Not at all. What we see is a family beset by problems and trials, bigger perhaps than those experienced by ordinary families. Being close to God and to God’s Son doesn’t mean being exempt from trials. On the contrary, the closer we are to the Lord, the greater our share in his sufferings.

Many families today are going through painful crises and broken relationships. Each family, of course, has a story of its own to tell. However, there are certain factors which are frequently observed in most broken marriages. For instance, many among the young no longer believe in life-long relationships. The expression “until death do us part” scares them. They rather make their commitment “until further notice.” That’s hardly the way to build a strong family life.

Economic or financial factors play also an important role in the deterioration of the family. Parents are forced to look for greener pastures abroad; but in the process they find, very often, greener partners. Besides, leaving small children to be raised by the lola or the yaya hardly contributes to the strengthening of family life. Material wellbeing is a legitimate pursuit for married couples, of course. However, it is no guarantee of happiness. Children need, and want, more than money. They look for care, affection and quality time from their parents.

Little or no communication is another weakening factor in the family. The intrusion of communication gadgets into our homes has paradoxically weakened or lessened communication among the family members; each member has his/her own TV set, laptop, tablet, cellphone, i-pad, etc., and is busy talking to somebody from outside the family.

Most importantly, there is no time for prayer in common. Gone are the days when the family members gathered around the altar in the evening to pray the rosary. Now, leaving God out of family affairs can only result in loss of family values. Parents should learn from Mary and Joseph to lead their children to the Lord.

In this year of the Family and the Holy Eucharist, let’s commend to the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph all our families, in particular those that are going through difficulties and trials, that they may draw strength and inspiration from the Holy Family of Nazareth and from Jesus, the living bread.

About Fr. Jesus and his reflections……

Categories
Fr. EJ

SUNDAY GOSPEL REFLECTION Gaudete Sunday 3rd Sunday of Advent Year C by Fr. Efren Jimenez, OFM

The liturgy of the 3rd Sunday of advent is full of reassurance and comfort for us. In the past it was known as “Gaudete Sunday,” the Latin word meaning “rejoice.” The liturgy then tells us to be happy, not to worry, that the Lord is near And if we want the peace of God to be in our hearts and in our thoughts – our hearts that are always seeking to possess the things of this world – our circumstances, but moreover about our future – then that peace will be ours if we simply and trustfully ask God for it. Scripture tells us to do precisely this where it says, “There is no need to worry; but if there is anything you need, pray for it, asking God for it with prayer and thanksgiving.” Note as well that it tells us not to wait until after God grants our requests before thanking him. Even as we ask, we should be giving thanks. One of the things we should thank God for at the end of this year has been the Christian witness given by so many good people in our time.

Wherever there is evil, God will ensure that resolute and saintly souls will rise up to combat it. Such was the call, the prophetic witness associated with the person of St. John the Baptist, as described in the readings for this Christmas preparation period. People were prepared to walk all the way from Jerusalem down to the vicinity of Jericho in the deep Jordan valley, on the edge of the desert – all of fifteen miles each way – in order to see John, this charismatic figure who until then had lived the life of a recluse in the desert around the Dead Sea. Having seen him, many moreover wanted to stay and listen to his message and be baptized by him. But the reaction also of many of them to John was one of uncertainty – that uncertainty which surfaces in all of us when we take time to cast a critical eye on the kind of life we are leading.

“What must we do?” they asked him. And John spelt out the answer for them in no uncertain terms. While their seeking for guidance showed their willingness to change, it also showed that they were lacking in the Holy Spirit, in that fire in which according to the Baptist, Christ when he comes will baptize. For not only does the Holy Spirit guide us, he pleads for us with sighs too deep for words. “Love and do what you will,” was to be the motto of St. Augustine; meaning that if people have total inner commitment to God then they will be incapable of doing wrong. They will know instinctively what is right from the promptings of the Spirit within them.

John the Baptist however attempted to effect this inner change in his listener’s hearts by telling them not to be grasping, not to exact from others more than a just return for their services but rather to help those in need. “If anyone has two cloaks, he must share with the man who has none.” “Give your blood,” the ancient monks in the desert used to say, “and you will possess the Spirit.” The society to which John was addressing himself – as indeed Jesus did later – was to collapse because of its lack of spiritual depth, its over concern with externals as evidenced by the Pharisees, its pursuit of a narrow minded nationalism as seen in the Zealots who resorted to violence and assassination in their hatred of the Romans.

The greatest danger to the continuation of any society becomes a reality when most of its members become motivated by selfish concerns, greed and covetousness. The message that our own society invariably highlights is not, alas, that of sharing cloaks but of wearing outfits that are better, more comfortable, more in keeping with the size of one’s pay differential. The sad thing is that all this unbridled seeking for earthly comforts, this concern with the cares of life pulls us further and further away from the yearning for himself that God has placed within all of us. It turns us away from the things of the Spirit and from the pursuit of religious idealism. Prayerfully then and in the presence of God, let us give thanks to the Father in this mass for the gift of his divine Son, who in its celebration, makes us one with himself. Let us ask for the peace of God as Sacred Scripture urges us, for that abiding peace which is so much greater than we can ever understand, so much greater than anything in this world can ever offer us. And we can be assured that for all who faithfully do this the reward will be everlasting.

About Fr. EJ and his other reflections…..

Categories
Fr. Baltazar Obico

SUNDAY GOSPEL REFLECTION Second Sunday of Advent (B): John the Baptist as Advent Companion, By Fr. Baltazar Obico, OFM

Introduction: There is something in the Christmas season that the church has difficulty dealing with: the preparatory character of Advent to Christmas. The ambiguity is seen here in the church as two contrasting colors signifying contrasting moods juxtaposed here. We have the bright colors of Christmas thus effectively glossing over Advent as a necessary prelude to Christmas. The market place has dictated the dizzying tempo of the season. John the Baptist was relegated to obscurity and Santa Claus was thrust into prominence as the symbol of the season – a symbol of abundance, fecundity and generosity, someone well fed (overeaten), well clothed (overdressed) and bubbling with joy.

Gospel: Today the gospel gives us the figure of John the Baptist to help us prepare toward a meaningful, fruitful celebration of Christmas, not only joy brought about by material abundance but the joy of being reconciled with God and with one another. What Santa Claus is, John the Baptist is not. John appears eccentric when you look at his wardrobe and diet. He wears a garment of camel hair with a leather belt. His food is locust and wild honey. It is not the “eat all you can” burst of buffet meals in fashion nowadays. His ascetic dress and wild diet is associated with the wilderness. He breaks its silence with his unsettling call to repentance. His own life is his message. It is in the desert that they become God’s people. It was in the desert that they intimately experience the providence and nearness of God, something they did not realize when they were enjoying the comforts of Egyptian civilization. Gradually it dawned on them that they are one people, not 12 tribes of Jacob.

Word:
(1) Call to repentance. The Greek word for repentance is metanoia. It carries a double connotation of changing your mind and behavior. It signals a need to go beyond your mindset and allow a new mindset to drive new action. Repentance begins by entering into the desert far from the madding crowd. Desert experience would lead us to the appreciation that if people survive it is not because of their own talents and efforts but because of God’s providence. Until we enter into solitude and do some inner work, we will always be a one-sided creation of other people. It is not a question of simple remorse but positive commitment to the way shown him by God. It does not mean simply going toconfession. It is asking why I transgressed God’s commandments at all.

(2) Bear fruits of repentance. One of the dangers of equating repentance or metanoia to simple confession and admission of guilt is the absence of change behavior. The same transgressions are repeated. True repentance means new behavior and a new way of living. If Christ were to come to us in a meaningful way, if Christ is to be more than “ho ho ho and a bottle of rum” we Christians have to change our minds with a corresponding change in behavior. The inner voice says we are children of Abraham and that is enough. No need for repentance for they claim physical descent. They are part of the 56 chosen people and the fact of their birth takes precedence over inner repentance.

(3) New life in Jesus. Metanoia or repentance literally means a 180-degree turn. It is turning back to God from a life centered on self. A life centered on oneself loses its spiritual character and is reduced simply to its material dimension. Without being conscious of it, the materialistic orientation of one’s life makes us consumeristic, greedy and selfish. This is the root of our transgressions of God’s commands. In our consuming desire to satiate our material satisfaction we alienate ourselves from our true selves. No amount of material things can fully satisfy us – not the 12,000 Burberry shirt nor a hundred thousand Hermes bag nor a thirty thousand iPhone. Not even your Maserati sports car which can get you into trouble with traffic enforcers. It can only lead to compulsive addiction to branded products.

Brothers and sisters, Santa Claus as a Christmas symbol of generosity, sharing and abundance becomes meaningful only as a result of our response to John the Baptist message of repentance. It is not abundance as such that makes this season joyful. Imagine you have all you wish for in your Christmas list from small gadgets and the latest accessories to more expensive amenities but you have no one to share it with. Imagine how pathetic it would be if you are alone for Noche Buena at Solaire or Resorts World. It is abundance shared with others that make this season joyful. We cannot luxuriate in the midst of want and misery. Santa Claus is no longer in the liturgical calendar.

About Fr. Tasang and his other reflections…..

Categories
Fr. Jesus Galindo

“Be Vigilant At All Times,” First Sunday of Advent C by Fr. Jesús Galindo, OFM

Today, the first Sunday of Advent, marks the beginning of a new liturgical year–Year C, during which the Gospel of St. Luke will be mostly read. Luke’s gospel is the gospel of prayer, the gospel of joy, the gospel of the poor, the gospel of the Holy Spirit, the gospel of mercy, the gospel of women… a beautiful gospel indeed. It is New Year’s Day today in the Church.

* * *

It feels a little bit awkward to announce today the beginning of Advent, in preparation for Christmas, since the flavor of Christmas has been with us for several months now. Since the start of the “-ber” months, Christmas carols have been on the air; Christmas trees and décor are all over the place. For all practical purposes, the Advent season does not exist. It is our task to re-discover the meaning and the importance of Advent as the time to prepare for a fruitful and meaningful celebration of Christmas. We must not allow ourselves to be dazzled by the glitter of the Christmas lights or by the perks and trappings thrust upon us by the department stores.

Lest we forget, it is not Santa Claus, loaded with goodies that we are waiting for. It is the poor, little Baby laid on a manger that we are waiting for. He, not Santa, is the reason for the season.

The liturgy of Advent is divided into two parts: The first, from today up to December 16, focuses on the second coming of Christ at the end of time. The second, from December 17 to 24, draws our attention to his coming as man in Bethlehem. This structure is clearly expressed in the two Prefaces of the Advent season.

In today’s gospel we heard the announcement of Christ’s coming amid cosmic upheavals: Signs in the sun, the moon and the stars, the roaring of the sea, etc. To those unfamiliar with apocalyptic writings (and that includes most of us) this gospel may sound scary. In fact, through the centuries, this gospel has been used as the basis to predict the end of the world. But then, deadlines (such as 12-12-12) came and went… and here we are still, alive and kicking.

As a matter of fact, the message of today’s gospel is not one of fear and trembling, but rather one of joy and hope—as are all apocalyptic writings: “When these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your head because your redemption is at hand.” We are not told to run and hide, but to stand erect… Your redemption is at hand! Being redeemed means being ransomed, being set free. Advent’s favorite song is: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel.”

It is not only Israel that is captive. We are all captive in one way or another. O yes, we are free to move around. But if we carry within us anger, or hatred, or envy, or pride… we are captives. Then, we are all captive of fear—fear of bombings, of terrorists attacks a la-Paris, of drug addicts, of hold-uppers, of kidnappers… Captive of political and economic uncertainty; captive of the hopelessness and helplessness which envelop much of our society.

Rightly then, today’s gospel invites us to be vigilant and to pray constantly. Let us not spend these days of Advent in endless shopping and partying. Saving a little cash in order to feed some empty stomachs is much more meaningful and Christmassy. Also, let us spend some extra time in prayer with the Lord—who is the reason for the season. We will discover the true meaning of Christmas, not in the noise of the shopping malls or restaurants but in the silence of the adoration chapel; in the silence of prayer.

About Fr. Jesus and his reflections…..

Categories
Fr. Sergio Santos

“Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth – Heirs of Eternal Life in Heaven,” SUNDAY GOSPEL REFLECTION 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time by Fr. Serge Santos OFM

God in his mercy and compassion is calling everyone to be ready when he calls us to see him face to face. We must be always ready to face our judgment. We don’t know the day nor the hour when we will be called from this life.

But we have control about the state of relationship with God when death comes. “We cannot avoid a sudden death, but we can avoid an unprepared death.” With the aid of God’s grace we can ensure that our relationship is more or less ok. We can strive always to live in peace with God. This does not mean that we must be always on our knees praying to God and that we take no interest in the things and joys of this world. Far from it. God wants us to use the things of this world, but to use them so that they will not hinder us on our journey ‘as strangers and pilgrims’ on earth.

Today we can ask ourselves: “How would I fare if I were called to render an account of stewardship tonight?” If I find there are many things I need to put right before I face my judge Jesus Christ, I will start promptly to put them right. I will not dilly-dally. I may or may not get a second warning or chance. I value my eternal happiness, so I will put my books in order. I will make peace with Jesus Christ and my neighbors. Acknowledging His grace and compassion, I will be creative and wise to trek the right road to eternal life in heaven.

“When the Son of Man (Jesus Christ) took our human nature, he made us capable of becoming sharers in the eternal glory and happiness of the Infinite God.” We can not fathom that God raised us up to the status of adopted children. “He (God) had no need of us, he did not require our company or adoration, he is infinitely perfect and happy in himself.”

God gave us the gift of incarnation. Jesus Christ became our brother and through him we became adopted children of God and therefore heirs to heaven. “The sins of mankind which had corrupted the world brought about the death of Christ on the cross – a death he freely accepted.” “Christ’s offering himself on the cross was sufficient to obtain eternal sanctification for all humankind. Christ’s one act of self-sacrifice on the cross is sufficient for all time. It need not be repeated. Through that death and as our representative and senior brother, he made perfect atonement to God the Father for all our sins. His triumph over sin and death was our triumph; ever since his ascension, the incarnate Son of God is in the seat of glory in heaven interceding for us sinners; he is preparing a place for us, his brothers (and sisters), which will be ours when life on this earth ends.”

“The members of the Chosen People who did God’s will earned heaven through the merits of Christ and only after ascension. Because of God’s loving generosity these infinite merits of Christ were applied to all Jews and Gentiles, who, before Christ, lived according to their lights. They will be applied to all provided they act according to the revealed or the natural knowledge of God which is given them.”

We can resolve to be good and holy in the light of Christ. With God’s grace we will do in our power and creativity to pursue this resolution until we finish the race to eternal life. Not all of us would avail of this bounteous divine mercy but those who believe in and acknowledge and accept the merciful plan of God would certainly receive an eternal reward.

Knowing all these facts and truths, it is just right to offer God endless gratitude and thanks. I believe that God will let us live long enough to earn eternity. For those who are worried about their weaknesses, temptations and trials, are reminded that they are not left orphans…they are not on their own, they are not left to fend for themselves…they have Jesus Christ as brother, in heaven pleading with the Father of mercies on their behalf. We cannot lose our inheritance provided we do our very best to be true and loyal Christians. Being grateful we can gladly cooperate with God to earn the eternal merit already won by Christ.

Pilgrims and Strangers on Earth, we are Heirs to Eternal Life in Heaven. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

(Reference: The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O’Sullivan OFM)

About Fr. Serge and his reflections…..

Categories
Fr. Reu Galoy

SUNDAY GOSPEL REFLECTION 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time by Fr. Reu Jose C. Galoy, OFM

Our Gospel reading this Sunday has two major divisions. Jesus provides warning on the first part and lessons on the second part. Let me share with you William Barclay’s thoughts and reflection as we try to collectively make the message of the Gospel alive in the midst of our community.

A warning against:

1. It warns against the desire for prominence. It is still true that a person accepts office in the church because he/she thinks he/she earns it, rather than because he/she desires to render selfless service to the house of the people of God. Many may still regard office in the church as a privilege rather than a responsibility and ministry.

2. It warns against the desire for deference. Almost everyone likes to be treated with respect. And yet a basic fact of Christianity is that it ought to make a person wish to obliterate self than to exalt it.

3. It warns against the attempt to make a traffic religion. It is possible to use religious connection for self-gain and self-advancement. But this is a warning to all who are in the church for what they can get out of it and not for what they can put into it.

A lesson to learn in giving:

1. Real giving must be sacrificial. The amount of the gift never matters so much as its cost to the giver, not the size of the gift, but the sacrifice. Real generosity gives until it hurts. For many of us it is a real question if ever our giving to God’s work is any sacrifice at all. Few people will do without their pleasures to give a little more to the work of God. It may well be a sign of the decadence of the church and the failure of our Christianity that gifts have to be coaxed out of church people, and that often they will not give at all unless they get something back in the way of entertainment or of goods. There can be few of us who read this story without shame.

2. Real Giving has a certain recklessness in it. The woman might have kept one coin. It would not have been much but it would have been something, yet she gave everything she had. There is a great symbolic truth here. It is our tragedy that there is so often some part of our lives, some part of our activities, some part of ourselves which we do not give to Christ. Somehow there is nearly always something we hold back. We rarely make the final sacrifice and the final surrender.

3. It is a strange and lovely thing that the person whom the New Testament and Jesus hand down to history as a pattern of generosity was a person who gave a gift of half a farthing or the least possible amount. We may feel that we have not much in the way of material gifts or personal gifts to Christ, but, if we put all that we have and are at his disposal, he can do things with it and with us that are beyond our imaginings.

About Fr. RJ and his other reflections…..

Categories
Fr. Sergio Santos

RATED X (FOR ADULTS ONLY) – PG (PARENTAL GUIDANCE) SUNDAY GOSPEL REFLECTION 27TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME by Fr. Sergio Santos, OFM

This reflection is rated X-PG: Parental guidance for children is required as heard in many teleseries dramas nowadays. Why do many people, even today’s Christians like to watch them? One reason is possibly because the so-called bed scenes excites/stirs up sexuality/sensual desire/libido – seeing two naked persons performing sex. Usually the characters are not married yet either civilly or in Church but because of their passion (strong feeling of romantic love for each other), they grab the opportunity/right to consummate the physical act reserved for married couples!

First of all, there is an alarming increase of divorce rate in Western countries (USA and Europe); there are also increasing numbers of legal separations here in the Philippines.

In a course on Marriage, Family, Sexual and Crisis Counseling at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, the professor states that DIVORCE IS NOT THE SOLUTION FOR MARRIAGE on the verge of failure. He further said that marriage of so short a term of three years is salvageable. Married couples could avail of marriage/psychological counseling and/or spiritual direction to save the marriage.

“Some psychologists are pointing out that divorce does not solve problems, but only opens up an avenue of temporary escape, an avenue with a dead end. They observe that after divorce, a trauma of failure remains, with loneliness and guilt as constant reminders of what might have been. Family counselors have long maintained that children need love and guidance of both parents, and they insist that divorce destroys a part of children’s birthright and jeopardizes their future happiness. There is growing awareness, among some at least, that the relaxation of divorce laws is a favor to no one.” (The Word Made Flesh by Fr. Charles Miller, CM) Jesus Christ in the Gospel takes a strong stand on marriage and divorce. “He clearly states that from the very beginning, God’s plan for marriage was that it should be a life-long unity of one man and one woman. Its purpose is the procreation of children and their education, as well as the mutual love and fulfillment of the husband and wife. These demand this life-long bond. Divorce, which tries to break this bond, breaks the law of the creator who decreed what was best for the temporal and spiritual welfare of the human race.” (The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O’Sullivan, OFM)

It is important to mention here about the children. Jesus Christ loves the children; he told the disciples: “Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God.” Married couples have the choice to practice true Christianity by following Jesus’ teachings/commandments in a child-like way: Humble, Receptive, and Grateful. A child is unselfconscious, happy and content to be dependent on the elders.

Married couples have a choice to practice true faith by the total acceptance of commitment to each other and to the covenant with God. They could act like adults with no parental guidance required!

About Fr. Serge and his reflections…..

Categories
Fr. Laurian Janicki

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time SUNDAY GOSPEL REFLECTION By Fr. Laurian Janicki, OFM

At this time in September many of us are beginning to see changes that remind us Fall is near. The leaves are changing to glorious colors, but this bit of pleasure is merely a reminder of the dying that is happening in all of nature, a reminder of the bleakness and deadness of winter. Nature moves relentlessly in a rhythm in which the lushness of life gives way to the starkness of death. Today’s gospel is a pivotal one, not only in Mark’s account but also in the liturgical year. It marks a clear change in the unfolding story of Jesus.

Immediately in the very opening line of the gospel today clues us to a shift. Jesus sets out with his disciples to Caesarea Philippi…moving towards Jerusalem. We all know what happens in Jerusalem. For St. Mark, the disciples are still clueless. From now on Jesus openly begins to teach his disciples what is in store for him (he spoke this openly)…but also what is in store for those who follow him (the disciples).

Jesus turns the conversation – to begin informing his followers towards the real demands of discipleship. Jesus asks the question, “Who do people say I am?” He asks about his identity. Peter responds: “You are the Christ.” Peter indeed recognizes Jesus as more than the prophets: Jesus is the long awaited Messiah. Messiah means the anointed…Peter’s understanding of anointed…most likely was that of a king who would restore Israel as a great nation.

Jesus’ meaning of Messiah was quite different. He “warned them not to tell anyone about him” since he did not want the disciples to raise false expectations of what was to come. Jesus’ reign – his kingdom, would be something quite different from power and wealth.

And so he began to teach them: he would suffer, be rejected, killed and rise after three days. Jesus’ identity as the suffering servant (the First Reading) has implications for us as his disciples. We too must deny ourselves; we too must take up our cross and follow Jesus. This is telling us that the first image of the cross in Mark’s Gospel is not in relation to Jesus’ cross but to our cross – our own difficulties, our own commitments, our own choices, in following Jesus as the Messiah.

Our denying ourselves, our taking up our cross and following Jesus is not about a showy response. Rather it is about how we live every single day: dying and rising in our ordinary simple circumstances. In other words we must die to our way of thinking, and embrace how God thinks, meaning, carrying the cross of goodness, righteousness, justice, integrity, wholeness, fullness of life. It means as St. James puts it, in todays Second Reading, demonstrate your faith by your works. Faith of itself – if it does not have works – is dead.

About Fr. Laurian and his reflections…..

Categories
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…..

Categories
Fr. EJ Reflections

SUNDAY GOSPEL REFLECTION, 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) By Fr. Efren Jimenez, OFM

For about three Sundays now, the liturgical readings from the gospel of St. John are about the theme of the “Bread of Life.” Jesus points to Himself as the Bread of life. This is one of the great passages of the New Testament , and one of the most difficult text to understand, just as the Jews have difficulty in understanding Jesus’ saying of the Bread of Life because it is so allusive and use of symbolism is not familiar to us.

But this is why the liturgy has carefully matched these excerpts with stories from Hebrew scriptures that shed light on the sayings of Jesus, and later its special relation to the Eucharist will be quite obvious.

For most Christians this narrative of John brings us to the gradual understanding of the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the center of their religious observance. It is a special moment in the week, perhaps in the day, perhaps less often, but nevertheless in the Eucharist they find their faith and hope engendered. It is not just a time set aside but it is an action that sets them apart in the whole of their lives.

To take pat in the Eucharistic celebration is always an act of allegiance, of self-identification and commitment, however slight.

For many decades now, many liturgical reforms and changes have taken place, and has made possible a simpler yet classic, accessible ritual for the faithful to participate. The Vatican II Constitution on the Liturgy has guided the believing community to make the Eucharistic celebration the peak or summit of their daily Christian experience of Jesus, to which everything was directed and from which everything flowed. Some of the changes in liturgical matters have often been distressing or disruptive, yet if the liturgical changes were theologically and pastorally well based, the faithful will no doubt integrate their faith towards a meaningful celebration.

Some question maybe pertinent – has the Christian gospel anything to say in response to the social questions of our day? (That is, the questions that arise out of urgent and widespread human suffering today, like the world problem of hunger.)

The Bread of Life is full of implications beyond immediate physical nourishment. But the message that man does not live by bread alone really only acquires a human experiential meaning when seen as the complement to the message that man does not live without bread. There is an obvious, though not literal sense in which we claim to be bread of another, and beyond the strictly physical sense, one person in fact is the sustenance of another whenever one rescues another from despair, hopelessness and after something to which to live.

Our encounter with Jesus, the Bread of Life, is our encounter with hope, light, and salvation.

About Fr. EJ and his other reflections……

Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started