GOSPEL POWER l JULY 27, 2022 - WEDNESDAY

17th Week in Ordinary Time

Gospel: Mt 13:44-46 

Jesus said to his disciples, 44“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; 46on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

Though the twin parables feature two precious things — buried treasure and pearl of great price — what they, in fact, highlight is the similarity in the actions of the characters. It seems that Jesus likens the Kingdom of heaven, not to the precious things themselves, but to the powerful encounter that moves the characters to make life-altering decisions. Both men choose to part with all their possessions, so that the chance encounter with the reality that has captivated their entire being may become a permanent relationship. They know that the encounter is kairos, an opportunity that they will lose if they do not take immediate decision and action. Like the other parables of Jesus, what we have here are wisdom-tales that mean to jolt those among us who go through life with unexamined priorities and with hearts that cannot connect with the desire for that singular reality that can calm their restlessness. 

Lord Jesus, may your Kingdom be the sole criterion for ordering our priorities in life. Amen.

HULYO 26, 2022 – Martes sa Ika – 17 na Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon

San joaquin at Sanata Ana, mga magulang ng Mahal na Birheng Maria

Pinaalis ni Hesus ang mga tao at saka pumasok sa bahay. Lumapit noon sa kanya ang kanyang mga alagad at nagtanong: “Ipaliwanag mo sa amin ang talinhaga ng mga trigo sa bukid.” Sumagot si Hesus: “Ang nagtanim ng mabuting buto ay ang Anak ng Tao. Ang bukid naman, ang daigdig; ang mabuting buto, ang mga tao ng Kaharian; at ang masasamang damo, ang mga tauhan ng demonyo. Ang kaaway na naghasik sa kanila ay ang demonyo; ang pag-aani ang katapusan ng mundo, at ang mga manggagawa ang mga anghel. Kung paanong tinitipon ang masasamang damo at sinusunog sa apoy, ganito rin ang mangyayari sa katapusan ng mundo. Ipadadala ng Anak ng Tao ang kanyang mga anghel at titipunin nila sa kanyang Kaharian ang mga iskandalo at mga gumagawa ng masama. At itatapon ang mga ito sa nagliliyab na pugon kung saan may iyakan at pagngangalit ng ngipin. At pagkatapos nito, magniningning ang mga makatarungan tulad ng araw sa Kaharian ng kanilang Ama. Makinig ang may tainga!”

Pagninilay:

Naalala nyo ba ang pinagbabaril na labinsiyam na mga istudyante at dalawang teachers sa Robb Elementary School sa Uvalde, Texas? Ang gunman? Isang 18-year-old young man. Bago pa naganap iyon, nalukuban na siya ng masama. Binaril niya ang kanyang lola sa ospital na naghihirap sa sakit.  Marami na rin siyang tinakot na mga kabataang babae na hahalayin sila at papatayin. Ito ang naging laman ng dasal ko sa ilang araw.  Hanggang dumating sa akin ang tugon: Ang Diyos ay Diyos ng pag-ibig, awa, at habag. Hindi Niya nilikha ang masama. Kung sino man ang gumagawa ng masama, udyok ito ni Satanas na sa simula pa lang naging tampalasan na. Ikalawa, may misteryo tungkol sa kasamaan. Ayon kay St. Paul ito ang “Ang misteryo ng katampalasanan.” Ito ang kakilakilabot, kalagimlagim, kayamutyamot, karimarimarin na kawalan ng katarungan at kabuktutan. Kahit na ano’ng ingat natin, susuot pa rin siya mula sa dilim at sa kasuluksulukan. Madalas, hinahayaan ito ng Diyos. Dahil? Ito ang ikatlo, matapos maganap ang trahedya, nagdudulot ito ng pagtutulungan. Nagiging sanhi ng pagkakaisa at may nabubuong diwa ng komunidad. Ang sakuna, malaking kasawian, ang paghihirap ay mga pagkakataon para magbahaginan tayo ng ating pasanin. Madalas hindi natin ito kayang mag-isa. Hindi nga ba’t nangako ang Diyos na hindi tayo iiwan? Pinaka-iingat-ingatan tayo ng Diyos na loob Niyang paligiran tayo ng taong nagmamahal sa atin. Sila ang tulad natin na nakikibaka at nagpupunyagi. Sila ang mga nagbibigay sa atin ng lakas. Sa kanila namamagitan ang Diyos at doon tayo nakakaranas ng Kanyang yakap at kaligtasan. Iyan ang pagkalinga ng Diyos sa gitna ng sakit. Kaya kahit patuloy pa ang masama sa kanilang pambibiktima sa atin, nakasulat sa Aklat ng Pagpapahayag ang solusyon. Itatapon sila ng makapangyarihang Diyos sa madilim na hukay sa loob ng libo-libong taon. Mula doon ilalabas sila at ihahagis sa ilog ng walang hanggang naglalagablab na apoy. Sa kasalukuyan, sa Diyos tayo manalig.

GOSPEL POWER l JULY 26, 2022 - Tuesday of 17th Week in Ordinary Time

Saints Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Gospel: Mt 13:36-43 

36Jesus left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, 42and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!”

Only God can effectively put an end to evil. But God is not in a hurry to do that. Being the Lord of time and eternity, God knows the right moment. There is a profound wisdom God wants us to learn now as we co-exist with evil in the world. Light becomes more visible and shines brightly when it is dark. That is why the stars can be seen only at night. When God’s Son came to inaugurate the Kingdom-of-heaven on earth, he did not eradicate evil. He showed us that the way to turn evil around and make it serve the highest good is by embracing the cross — being faithful even when threatened with evil. And this is what he tells anyone who wants to be his disciple: “Take up your cross and follow me.” The cross of Christ is the greatest manifestation of love in the face of the darkest evil. Only love can conquer evil. The images of the parable want to tell us that at the end of the age, the love of God will triumph, and evil will be no more.

 Lord Jesus, open our hearts to the wisdom of the cross, that we may find meaning in our co-existence with evil in the world. Amen.

GOSPEL POWER l JULY 25, 2022 - MONDAY

Saint James, Apostle

Gospel: Mt 20:20-28 

20The mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, and kneeling before him, she asked a favor of him. 21And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Declare that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 22But Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 23He said to them, “You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left, this is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 24When the ten heard it, they were angry with the two brothers. 25But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. 26It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, 27and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; 28 just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Isn’t it ironic that on the feast of the apostle James, what the Gospel recalls about him is the shameless ambition, which he and his brother John expressed to Jesus through their mother’s voice? On second thought, there is much wisdom here. For what are saints if not transformed sinners? And we, sinners, who hear today the Gospel’s down-to-earth portrayal of the apostles as avid seekers of worldly greatness and prestige, can see a ray of hope for ourselves, as we struggle with our divided loyalties between the Kingdom and the world. The apostles failed dismally despite the intense formation they directly received from Jesus. But nothing is out of place in God’s plan, because all is grace. James, the ambitious apostle turned saint, assures us that grace will open the way for us, too, just as it did for him. 

Lord Jesus, you love sinners because you see the potential saints that they are. Open our faith-vision to see others as you see them. Amen.

GOSPEL POWER l JULY 24, 2022 - SUNDAY

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel: Lk 11:1-13 

1 Jesus was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial.” 5 And he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.’ 7 And he answers from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs. 9 “So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 10For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 11Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? 12Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? 13If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

The translation “persistence” weakens the impact of the original Greek word anaideia. Sts. Irenaeus and Clement of Alexandria, Church Fathers who spoke and wrote in that language, translated it as shamelessness. Indeed, Jesus portrays the needy friend in the parable as shamelessly disturbing the peaceful midnight slumber of his friend and his household. Genuine prayer is confident, daring… and yes, shameless in its trustful looking to God as both friend and father. We do not have to tiptoe in approaching God, whose character is fully revealed in his compassionate and gracious Son Jesus. Had Abraham, in the first reading, been more shameless and less preoccupied that God would be impatient or angry as he bargained for the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah, wouldn’t the story have had a less tragic ending? Would God not have granted his plea had he dared to intercede for less than ten righteous people?

 Lord Jesus, compassionate face of God, we stand before you shamelessly naked, with our hearts rent and exposed to your gentle gaze. Grant our most urgent needs! Amen.

GOSPEL POWER l JULY 23, 2022 -  Saturday of 16th Week in Ordinary Time

 Saint Bridget, religious

Gospel: Mt 13:24-30 

24Jesus put before the crowd another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; 25but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ 28He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 30Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”

The parable calls attention to the secrecy with which the weeds are sown among the wheat. What could this image be trying to convey to us? Perhaps it is reminding us of something we already know but find difficult to accept — that evil is a mystery which is part of earthly existence, and that we cannot figure out its inner workings, for the purpose of suppressing it, no matter how much we try to. We know that many have attempted to uproot evil through violent means and ended up bringing more damage and intensifying the evil rather than resolving it. The parable gives us a hint of the profound wisdom in waiting patiently and trusting the plan of the owner of the field, for he alone knows the complex relationships of all realities that co-exist in his field.

Lord Jesus, subdue our prideful presumption to heroically confront the mystery of evil and conquer it. Help us to endure the evil that marks our earthly existence and to trust God’s unfathomable wisdom. Amen.

GOSPEL POWER l JULY 22, 2022 - FRIDAY

Saint Mary Magdalene Apostle to the Apostles

Gospel: Jn 20:1-2, 11-18 

1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” … 11But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; 12and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. 13They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). 17Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

The male-dominated world of first-century Palestine was totally unprepared for how God revealed the most wondrous divine act in history — the raising of Jesus from the dead. Just as God chose lowly shepherds to be the first hearers of the news of his Son’s birth, so now God chooses a woman to be the first witness and announcer of his resurrection. In doing so, God turns upside down the prevailing prejudice against the validity and reliability of the testimony of women. Again, God turns upside down the masculine bias in early Christianity, that reserved the title “apostle” to the mandated male disciples of Jesus. From the twelfth century onward, Mary Magdalene has been honored as the “apostle to the apostles,” the one sent by the risen Christ to announce to his apostles the good news of his resurrection.

 Lord Jesus, sharpen our attention to the way God reverses the world’s unjust standards, that we may look to the future with renewed hope. Amen.

GOSPEL POWER l JULY 21, 2022 - Thursday of 16th Week in Ordinary Time

Saint Lawrence of Brindisi, priest and doctor of the Church

Gospel: Mt 13:10-17 

10The disciples came and asked Jesus, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11He answered, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 13The reason I speak to them in parables is that ‘seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.’ 14With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says: ‘You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look, but never perceive. 15For this people’s heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn – and I would heal them.’ 16But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”

Jesus’ prayer of praise in Mt 11:25 is the key to understanding his reply to the disciples’ question as to why he speaks to the crowd in parables. Kingdom-knowledge is not something that we, human beings, can figure out by ourselves. It cannot be the intellectual achievement of the wise and the learned of this world. It is revealed from above, a gift given gratuitously. The heavenly Father is the one who chooses the recipients of this knowledge. Jesus’ prayer-of-praise shows us God’s preference: “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.” The parables, which look like innocent little stories, safeguard the knowledge of the Kingdom concealed in their plot, and they deliver their meaning only to the childlike.

 Lord Jesus, help us to hear the parables not as the wise and the learned do with their analytical minds, but with the simple hearts of little children. Amen

ST. JOHN EUDES l PATRONAGE OF EUDISTS, ORDER OF OUR LADY OF CHARITY, DIOCESE OF BAIE-COMEAU MISSIONARIES

Feast Day: AUGUST 19

Our saint for today is not very popular as many others, but he was the one who compiled the Mass and the Divine Office of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The Masses he compiled were both celebrated during his lifetime. He dedicated himself to the promotion of both Masses and wrote many prayers and elucidations about the Two Hearts. He taught that there is a mystical union of the Two Hearts with Jesus as the center. Friends, please welcome St. John Eudes, a French Catholic priest, confessor and prolific writer, founder of the Order of Our Lady of Charity and the Eudists. John was born on November 14, 1601 to Isaac Eudes and Martha Corbin. He made his first communion at age 13 and the following year took a private vow to remain chaste. Eudes studied under the Jesuits, then joined the Oratorians on March 25, 1632. He was ordained to the subdiaconate on December 21, 1624, and was ordained to the priesthood on December 20, 1625. He celebrated his first Mass on Christmas day. A few weeks after his ordination, he was taken ill and remained bedridden until 1626. When he regained health, he was sent to Aubervilliers for his theological studies. During the severe plagues in 1627 and in 1631, with the permission of his Oratorian superiors, he volunteered to care for the sick in his diocese. He administered the last sacraments to those infected and ensured proper burial for those who died.  To avoid infecting his colleagues, he quarantined himself in a big cask in the middle of a field. In 1633 he began parish preaching missions in IIIe-de-France, Burgundy, Paris, Versailles and Brittany. He was called “the prodigy of his age” by a famous writer. His mission often lasted several weeks or months, evangelizing and hearing confessions. He was concerned about the spiritual life of the priests and seminarians. He also founded several seminaries dedicated to the devotion to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. In 1674, he received six papal bulls of indulgences from Pope Clement X for the confraternities and seminaries he established. When he observed in his mission that the prostitutes who wanted to leave their way of life, but were not given shelter and care, he founded in Caen in 1641 the Order of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge, a congregation caring for former prostitutes. It later included a convent from which the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd was established in 1829. With the help of Cardinal Armand Richelieu and a number of bishops he left the Oratorian Order and on March 25, 1643 he founded the Eudists for the education of priests and for parish missions. He also established a Third Order whose members included Amelie Fristel and Jeanne Jugan. Jeanne Jugan, L.S.P., also known as Sr. Mary of the Cross, later founded the Little Sisters of the Poor, a congregation dedicated to caring for the elderly poor. Sr. Jeanne was canonized on October 11, 2009. St. John Eudes died at Caen, on August 19, 1680. In 1903, Pope Leo XIII, in proclaiming Eudes’ heroic virtues gave him the title “Author of the Liturgical Worship of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Holy Heart of Mary.” The feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary was first celebrated on February 8, 1648 and that of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on October 20, 1672. Eudes was canonized on May 21, 1925. His feast day is August 19. St. John Eudes, we pray you, help us to love the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Do I cherish the First Friday and First Saturday devotions or am I lazy to involve myself?

HULYO 25, 2022 – Lunes sa Ika – 17 na Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon

Kapistahan ni San Santiago, Apostol

Lumapit noon kay Hesus ang ina nina Jaime at Juan, kasama ang dalawa niyang anak at lumuhod sa harap n’ya para makiusap. Tinanong s’ya ni Hesus, “Ano ang ibig mo?” “Narito ang dalawa kong anak, iutos mong maupo ang isa sa iyong kanan at ang isa naman sa iyong kaliwa sa iyong kaharian.” “Hindi n’yo alam ang inyong hinihingi, maiinom n’yo ba ang kalis na iinumin ko?” “Kaya namin.” “Totoong iinom din kayo sa aking kalis ngunit wala sa akin ang pagpapaupo sa aking kanan o kaliwa para iyon sa mga hinirang ng Ama.” Nang marinig ito ng sampu, nagalit sila sa magkapatid. Kaya tinawag sila ni Hesus at sinabi, “Alam n’yo na sinusupil ng mga naghahari ang kanilang mga bansa at inaapi ng mga nasa kapangyarihan. Hindi ganito sa inyo. Ang may gustong maging dakila, s’ya ang maging lingkod n’yo. Ang may gustong mauna sa inyo, s’ya ang maging alipin n’yo. Gayundin naman dumating ang Anak ng Tao hindi para paglingkuran kundi para maglingkod at ibigay ang kanyang buhay bilang pagtubos sa marami.”

 Pagninilay:

Alam ninyo ba ang gabay-aral sa buhay na “I am third?” Ako ay pangatlo lamang. Para hindi tayo maging masarili at malunod sa pagkagarbo at pagkakilala na ibinibigay na mundo, isapuso natin na ako ay pangatlo. Dahil ang una parati ay ang Panginoon, siya yung may akda ng buhay natin. Sa kanya galing ang lahat ng pagpapala at biyaya na ating tinatamasa. Pagkatapos nito ay hindi pa ang sarili natin dahil ang pangalawa ay ang ating kapwa. Malawak ang kahulugan ng kapwa – ito ay sumisimbolo sa lahat ng tao bago ang mga sarili natin. Nasanay at nadiktahan kasi tayo sa mundong ito sa salitang, “dapat ako ang una. dapat ako ang pinakamataas.” Na ang pagiging lamang ko sa iba sa lahat ng aspeto ng buhay ay nangangahulugan ng kadakilaan at mataas na karangalan. Hindi ito ang turo ni Hesus. Kung gusto nating itaas ang sarili natin, dapat matuto tayong magpakumbaba. Hindi tayo lamang sa iba, hindi natin hawak ang tropeyo ng Kaharian ng Diyos. Tayo ay pantay-pantay at parehas na alagad ng Mabuting Balita. Isang alagad na may busilak na pakikipagkapwa, may pusong hindi nagmamaliw sa rangya ng buhay sa mundo, Ako ay pangatlo. Una ang Diyos (gagawa ng patayong linya sa harap ng camera). Pangalawa ang iba (dito pahalang na linya naman). Ito ang kahulugan ng kaligtasan tulad ng Krus.