25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B), Readings

We have beautiful readings today.  I decided to post them here instead of giving my poor commentary.

Reading 1
Wis 2:12, 17-20

The wicked say:
Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us;
he sets himself against our doings,
reproaches us for transgressions of the law
and charges us with violations of our training.
Let us see whether his words be true;
let us find out what will happen to him.
For if the just one be the son of God, God will defend him
and deliver him from the hand of his foes.
With revilement and torture let us put the just one to the test
that we may have proof of his gentleness
and try his patience.
Let us condemn him to a shameful death;
for according to his own words, God will take care of him.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 54:3-4, 5, 6 and 8

R. (6b)The Lord upholds my life.
O God, by your name save me,
and by your might defend my cause.
O God, hear my prayer;
hearken to the words of my mouth.
R. The Lord upholds my life.
For the haughty men have risen up against me,
the ruthless  seek my life;
they set not God before their eyes.
R. The Lord upholds my life.
Behold, God is my helper;
the Lord sustains my life.
Freely will I offer you sacrifice;
I will praise your name, O LORD, for its goodness.
R. The Lord upholds my life.
Reading II
Jas 3:16-4:3

Beloved:
Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist,
there is disorder and every foul practice.
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure,
then peaceable, gentle, compliant,
full of mercy and good fruits,
without inconstancy or insincerity.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace
for those who cultivate peace.

Where do the wars
and where do the conflicts among you come from?
Is it not from your passions
that make war within your members?
You covet but do not possess.
You kill and envy but you cannot obtain;
you fight and wage war.
You do not possess because you do not ask.
You ask but do not receive,
because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
Gospel
Mk 9:30-37

Jesus and his disciples left from there and began a journey through Galilee,
but he did not wish anyone to know about it.
He was teaching his disciples and telling them,
“The Son of Man is to be handed over to men
and they will kill him,
and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise.”
But they did not understand the saying,
and they were afraid to question him.

They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house,
he began to ask them,
“What were you arguing about on the way?”
But they remained silent.
They had been discussing among themselves on the way
who was the greatest.
Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them,
“If anyone wishes to be first,
he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”
Taking a child, he placed it in the their midst,
and putting his arms around it, he said to them,
“Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me;
and whoever receives me,
receives not me but the One who sent me.”

A Spiritual Talk

THEME: “Walking in the Legion Wonderland towards Holiness”

Spiritual Talk by Fr. Jose Conrado A. Estafia

It is my joy to be a part of this Legion Congress.  Your theme “Walking in the Legion Wonderland towards Holiness” reminds me of a Christmas song that goes this way:
 

Sleigh bells ring, are you listening,
In the lane, snow is glistening
A beautiful sight,
We’re happy tonight,
Walking in a winter wonderland. Gone away is the bluebird,
Here to stay is a new bird
He sings a love song,
As we go along,
Walking in a winter wonderland.

Walking in the Legion Wonderland

We will try to reflect on this phrase.  As I understand being a Legionary is not a walk in the park.  A Legionary is a soldier of Mary.  Am I right?  A wonderland is like Disneyland or Star City.  In it we find Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Cinderella, those roller coaster rides, and more.  It is a world of fantasy and fairytale.  The Legion is not like that.  Since you are soldiers, you are in for a battle.  So your walk as Legionaries is not a walk in the wonderland, but a walk in the battlefield.This battle is a “spiritual warfare,” as St. Paul calls it.  As Legionaries, you are many; and I hope many young men and women will enlist in the Legion and be part of the battle.  But a word of precaution: never underestimate your enemy.  Don’t forget that in the Gospel, the name given to the devil is “legion”, meaning many devils (Mk. 5:9; Lk.8:30).  And they are not just many but are exceedingly fierce (Mt. 8:28-34).  Hence, the Legion is not a walk in the wonderland.  It is a walk in a battlefield.  Mary’s Legion is fighting against Satan’s legion.

Now how will you win this battle?  Since this is spiritual, what will be your weapon as legionaries?The answer is found in your theme: holiness.  In winning over the devil our weapon should come from God, not from ourselves.  Holiness comes from God.  It is a holiness that is not just “towards” but “actual.”  Certainly it is the goal of every Christian.  We can only defeat our enemy, the devil, if we live a holy life.  How can we be holy?  Remember that holiness is not achieved through our human effort.  We don’t merit it.  It is a gift.  But our Lord has given us the means to it.  We have the sacraments, where there is an abundant of God’s grace.  Your faithfulness to attend daily masses gives you strength.  Your daily rosaries are your best weapons against the devil.  I always admire your zeal for apostolate and for your constant corporal works of mercy.  Keep it up.  And one thing: don’t miss your legion meetings.

The battle is not yet over, my dear Legionaries.  And every time you say this prayer, say it with all your heart.

Confer, O Lord, on us, Who serve beneath the standard of Mary, That fullness of faith in you and trust in her, To which it is given to conquer the world.  Grant us a lively faith, animated by charity, Which will enable us to perform all our actions From the motive of pure love of you, And ever to see you and serve you in our neighbor; A faith, firm and immovable as a rock, Through which we shall rest tranquil and steadfast Amid the crosses, toils and disappointments of life; A courageous faith which will inspire us To undertake and carry out without hesitation Great things for your glory and for the salvation of souls; A faith which will be our Legion’s Pillar of Fire – To lead us forth united – To kindle everywhere the fires of divine love – To enlighten those who are in darkness and in the shadow of death – To inflame those who are lukewarm – To bring back life to those who are dead in sin; And which will guide our own feet in the way of peace; So that – the battle of life over – Our Legion may reassemble,  Without the loss of any one, In the kingdom of your love and glory. Amen (Legio Mariae Handbook, pp. 134-135)

My dear Legionaries, bear in mind that the battle is not yet over.  But you need not worry!  The Blessed Mother is by your side.  One day when the battle is over, you will reach the prize of your sacrifice – heavenly life; and this is more than any wonderland…

Delivered during the Legion Congress at Our Lady of Loreto Curia, Sampaloc, Metro Manila on 30^th of August, 2009. 

  

 

 

  

SEC Duly Approved Send A Soul to School Movement, Inc.

CEO27511

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, CEBU EXTENSION OFFICE CEBU CITY COMPANY REG. NO. CN200931025

KNOW  ALL  PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS:

This is to certify that the Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws of: SEND A SOUL TO SCHOOL MOVEMENT, INC. were duly approved by this Commission on this date upon the issuance of this Certificate of Incorporation in accordance with the Corporation Code of the Philippines (Batas Pambansa Blg. 68, and copies of said Articles and By-Laws are hereto attached.

Approved Aug. 18, 2009 by LINDEZA ROGERO-GAVINO, Acting Director SEC CEBU OFFICE.

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, 23 August 2009

Do you remember Lucifer?  He was once an angel of God.  His name comes from the Latin word “lux”, which means light.  Or Lucifer comes from a Latin word which means “light-bearer.”  Originally, it comes from the Hebrew word “helel,” which means brightness.  Isaiah presented him as the “morning star” or “star of the morning” or “bright star.”  Lucifer’s downfall was an account of pride.  Here is how the prophet Isaiah pictures him: “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn!  How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low!  You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the mount of assembly on the heights of Zaphon; I will ascend to the tops of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High’” (Isaiah 14:12-14, NIV).   Lucifer was a former angel who has chosen to reject God by saying: Non serviam (I will not serve).  He has chosen not to serve the Lord.  How contrary Lucifer’s position to what Joshua proclaims in today’s first reading: “As for me, I and my household will serve Yahweh” (Jos 24:15).  Joshua reminds the Israelites not to abandon Yahweh by serving other gods.  He warns them that if they do that, punishment and destruction will be their lot (Jos 24:20).Hence in this Sunday’s readings we are called to serve the Lord.  But how do serve the Lord?  Is it total or just partial?  In the second reading (Eph 5:21-32), it is mentioned that wives should submit themselves to their husbands.  The husbands are the heads of the family.  This analogy points to Jesus Christ as the head of the Church.  Therefore to belong to Christ is to submit totally to him.  There is no partial here.  It is either or.  It is to serve or not to serve.  It is a choice.  I am always convinced that religion is a choice.  In today’s gospel many of the Lord’s disciples turned away and stopped following him (Jn 6:66).  Then Jesus asked the Twelve: “Will you also go away?” (v. 67)  This was a challenge.  Maybe it was the same challenge the angels in heaven were confronting and it led to the downfall of Lucifer.  But Simon Peter replied: “Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life” (v. 68).Can the world apart from Christ bring us eternal life?  Today we speak of secularization.  We regulate laws undermining God’s revelation.  We want to be in control of our lives.  Maybe we want to be like the superman of Nietzsche.  We are proud.  When we are healthy and strong, we forget God.  Material prosperity leads many rich countries to turn away from God.  I heard this from one foreigner who told me that he does not believe in God.  And I cannot blame him for he comes from a rich country.  Money and material success can oftentimes blind us from seeing God.  Material things cannot truly make us happy; and if they do, never forget that it is part of the devil’s lie.  Lucifer’s lie.  Lucifer’s ambition to be like God.  We put it this way: if on earth we only rely on material satisfactions, how about one day when these material supports crumble, where shall we go?  I know someone who was not really religious.  He went to Church just to comply his obligation.  He just smoked outside the Church during the mass.  He gambled and was not a faithful husband.  He was rich.  One day, he was diagnosed with cancer.  And how things had changed.  From then on he went to attend mass every morning.  He said the rosary every day.  He suddenly became religious.  Medications were no longer possible.  Chemotherapy was already very painful, so he just took only once.  There was no more earthy power to turn to.  Only with God, he could find strength and hope.  There was nobody to turn to.  When one is already approaching death, one can ask: What then?  To whom shall we go?  Only Jesus Christ has the words of eternal life…        

Give us this bread… Come and believe!

I heard this from a cousin.  One day, in one of his lectures, Bo Sanchez showed a one thousand peso bill to his audience.  He was asking whether anybody from them would like to have it.  Of course, most of them raised their hands.  But one person among them stood up and walked in front and grabbed the money from Bo’s hands.  “Here is the man,” Bo remarked.  “When I said whether anybody would like to have that one thousand peso bill, it was not enough to just raise your hands.  You should stand up and get it from me,” Bo explained afterwards.The crowd in the gospel, after Jesus’ discourse on that life-giving bread that comes from heaven, asks the Lord to give them that bread.  Jesus replies to them that He is the bread of life and that whoever comes to Him will never go hungry and whoever believes in Him will never go thirsty (cf. Jn. 6:35).  Our Lord shows to them that it is not enough to ask for it.  They should come and believe.  If you want to have that one thousand peso bill of Bo Sanchez, you should stand up and get it from him.  If you want to have that life-giving bread who is Christ, you should come to him and believe in him. 

There was this lay minister who went to the barber for a haircut.  Knowing that he was a lay minister, the barber said that he did not believe in God.  The lay minister only listened and never argued with the barber.  After the haircut, the lay minister went out.  Just outside the barber shop he saw a man with long hair; his face looked dirty.  All of a sudden, there was this urge to go back to the barber shop.  Back inside the shop, he told the barber, “Brother, you know, I do not believe that there are barbers.”  Surprised, the barber retorted, “We just had your haircut.  And now you are saying that you do not believe that there are barbers?  Come on!”  “Yes,” the lay minister answered back, “since if barbers exist then there would be no person with long hair.  Look at that man outside your shop.  He looks dirty with his long hair.”  “He has long hair because he does not come to us for a haircut,” argued the barber.  Smiling, the lay minister said, “See, there is no God because you do not come to him.”

The point is this: In order for us to have this bread that gives life, we should come to Christ.  We should believe in him.  Many times in life we fail to do this.  Maybe we often complain why bad things happen to us.  We are like the Israelites who were once complaining to Moses and Aaron of their sad flight in the desert.  They said that it could have been better if they stayed in Egypt and died there rather than being in the desert and die in hunger (cf. Ex. 16:2-3).  Why so many problems?  Why can’t I get the things I want?  Why the crosses and trials?  Why, why, why?  So many why’s…  Hay naku!  We still lack what St. Paul says in his letter to the Ephesians: “You must lay aside your former way of life and the old self which deteriorates through illusion and desire, and acquire a fresh, spiritual way of thinking.  You must put on that new man created in God’s image, whose justice and holiness are born of truth” (4:22-24). 

St. Paul speaks of “spiritual way of life.”  This is what we also call spiritual poverty.  It means that in life we totally depend on God, for earthly bread – material things and all – cannot truly satisfy us.  God alone.    

Until Jesus Christ Rules Over Our Hearts…

The gospel according to John (6:1-15) mentions about the feeding of the multitudes.  Jesus “took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those whore were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted” (v.11).  Jesus then satisfies the hunger of the multitude.  This event already prefigures the institution of the Eucharist during last supper. In the same gospel account Jesus declares: “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty” (Jn. 6:35). 

We now ask: what kind of bread Christ has brought us? Is it purely to satisfy our bodily desire? Is it material or spiritual? Earthly bread, I believe, cannot truly satisfy us. Time and again it has been proven that worldly and material things cannot give us full satisfaction. I remember here that rich British national who came to visit our country. All his life he was not exposed to seeing poverty until he came here. He saw how poor we are as a people. Poverty was all over the place. Touched by what he witnessed, he went back to England and sold his properties.  When he came back to our country, he donated everything he had to Gawad Kalinga. And since then he became its active member. Before when he was materially rich, he was not happy; there was emptiness. But being spiritually poor after giving up everything, there was joy and contentment in him. I also recall Bill Gates, one of the world’s richest men, commenting that if you want to feel unhappy, then become a rich man.

Indeed, to say that material things make us happy is an illusion. So what Christ has brought to us is not material satisfaction. He does not feed us with earthly bread. He brings us spiritual contentment. He brings us himself, the bread of life. With him alone we are fully satisfied.

After they were full, the people were amazed. They realized that Jesus was truly a prophet. So they wanted Jesus to be their king. Sensing this, Jesus managed to flee to the mountain all alone (cf. vv.14-15). The people were satisfied, but their satisfaction only remained at the level of the material. We see this how they planned to have Jesus as their king. They were only looking at Jesus as a political messiah; that Jesus would establish in them a worldly kingdom.

But Jesus is no political leader. His kingdom does not belong here. What he wants of us is that he rules over our hearts. His calling is metanoia - a change of heart. The philosopher Plato, who lived prior to Christ’s coming, once said that until philosophers become kings and kings have the spirit of philosophy, only then that we can have a just society. But I may add further: Until Jesus rules over our hearts, only then that we can have a just and humane society. Only then, as St. Paul mentions in his Letter to the Ephesians (4:1-6), that we can live in a truly human manner: humble, kind, patient, bearing in love with one another, peaceful and united.

Jesus is the bread of life; he is our life. And if he rules over our hearts, then what a world we have.