Peb .28,2021*Misyon

Dss. Sheila Faye Dayrit Binuya , UMC

Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16

https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/291959988318937400/

Awit 22:23-31

Roma 4:13-25

Marcos 8:31-38 o Marcos 9:2-9

Unang Pagpapahayag tungkol sa Kamatayan at Muling Pagkabuhay ni Jesus

31 Mula noon, itinuro ni Jesus sa mga alagad ang mangyayari sa kanya. Sinabi niya, “Ang Anak ng Tao ay kailangang magdanas ng matinding hirap. Siya’y itatakwil ng mga pinuno ng bayan, ng mga punong pari at ng mga tagapagturo ng Kautusan. Siya’y ipapapatay ngunit muling mabubuhay sa ikatlong araw.” 32 Malinaw na sinabi niya ito sa kanila at dahil dito’y dinala siya ni Pedro sa isang tabi at pinagsabihan. 33 Ngunit tumalikod si Jesus, tumingin sa mga alagad, at sinabi kay Pedro, “Umalis ka sa harap ko, Satanas! Ang iniisip mo’y hindi galing sa Diyos kundi sa tao.”

34 Pinalapit ni Jesus ang mga tao at ang kanyang mga alagad, at sinabi sa kanila, “Ang sinumang nagnanais sumunod sa akin ay dapat itakwil ang kanyang sarili, pasanin ang kanyang krus, at sumunod sa akin. 35 Ang sinumang nagnanais na magligtas ng kanyang buhay ay mawawalan nito; ngunit ang mawalan ng kanyang buhay alang-alang sa akin at sa Magandang Balita ay magkakamit nito. 36 Sapagkat ano ba ang mapapala ng isang tao makamtan man niya ang buong daigdig, ngunit mapapahamak naman ang kanyang sarili? 37 Ano ba ang maibabayad ng isang tao para mabawi niya ang kanyang buhay? 38 Kapag ikinahiya ninyo ako at ang aking mga salita sa harap ng mga taksil at makasalanang mga tao sa panahong ito, ikakahiya rin kayo ng Anak ng Tao pagparito niya na taglay ang dakilang kapangyarihan ng kanyang Ama, at kasama ang mga banal na anghel.”

Pagbulay bulayan natin ang isang reflection sa ating leksyonaryo para sa Ikalawang linggo ng Kwaresma, mula sa Ebanghelyo ni Markos 8: 31-38.

Sa unang bahagi mula sa mga talatang 31- 33

Ipinahayag ni Hesus ang kanyang nalalapit na kamatayan at muling pagkabuhay, sa pamamagitan ng tahasan na salita at hindi sa pamamagitan ng parabula na madalas niyang gawin sa panahon ng kanyang pagtuturo sa mga alagad. Ibinahagi niya sa kanila ang mangyayari sa kanya, magdadanas ng matinding hirap, itatakwil ng mga pinuno ng bayan, ng mga punong pari at ng mga tagapagturo ng Kautusan. Siya’y ipapatay subalit muling mabubuhay sa ikatlong araw. Ang pagiging tapat ni Hesus na ito ay nagdulot upang dalhin siya ni Pedro sa isang tabi upang pagsabihan. Marahil ay hindi ganap na naunawaan ni Pedro ang kanyang mga pahayag, maaring sinidlan sya ng  takot o pag-aalala , kayat tinawag niya si Hesus upang kausapin subalit  tumalikod si Hesus , tumingin sa mga alagad at sinabi kay Pedro, “ Umalis ka sa harap ko.. ang iniisip mo’y hindi galing sa Diyos kundi sa tao.

 Ang mga talatang ito ay hindi kakaiba sa ating mga kasalukuyang kalagayan, may mga taong simbahan na buong tapang na nagpapahayag ng katotohanan subalit may mga naka-ambang kapahamakan sa kanila. Ang mga pagsisiwalat ng katotohanan , mga paglilinaw sa mga batas na umiiral na hindi maka mamamayan at paghahangad ng katarungan para sa iba ay nagiging daan upang ang mga taong naglalakas loob at nagsasama-sama ay mapahamak, subalit ang pagpapahayag nilang ito ay magdudulot ng buhay at pag asa para sa iba. At may mga tao rin na tulad ni Pedro, sapagkat hindi nauunawaang lubos ang pangyayari ay nagpapahinto sa gampanin ng iba nang dahil sa takot. Subalit si Hesus ay hindi nagpatinag upang matupad ang layunin ng kanyang pagparito kahit pagdaanan niya ang pasakit, kahirapan at kamatayan, sapagkat ito ang plano ng Dios para sa kanya at para sa buong sanlibutan. Sa ating buhay bilang mga lingkod ng Dios, at mga taong simbahan, may mga nagpapahinto man sa atin upang magpahayag- hindi ito ang kalooban ng ating Panginoon sapagkat ang layunin ng ating mga paglilingkod at pagkasugo sa atin ng Panginoon ay isinasaad sa Lukas 4: 18-19 “Ang Espiritu ng Panginoon ay sumasaakin,sapagkat hinirang niya ako upang ipangaral sa mga mahihirap ang Magandang Balita. Isinugo niya ako upang ipahayag sa mga bihag na sila’y lalaya, at sa mga bulag na sila’y makakakita. Isinugo ako upang palayain ang mga inaapi, at upang ipahayag ang panahon ng pagliligtas ng Panginoon.”

Ikalawa, sa  talatang 34, pinalapit ni Jesus ang mga tao at ang kanyang mga alagad, at sinabi sa kanila, “Ang sinumang nagnanais sumunod sa akin ay dapat itakwil ang kanyang sarili, pasanin ang kanyang krus, at sumunod sa akin.

Si Hesus ay nagbigay ng kongkretong halimbawa ng paglilingkod sa pamamagitan ng pagtuturo, pagpapagaling, pagpapakain at pangangaral. Ang kanyang misyon ay nagkaroon ng katuparan ng kanyang gampanan ang ibat-ibang ministeryo kasama ang mgg tagasunod, at ngayon na ipinahayag na N’ya ang kanyang nalalapit na paghihirap, kamatayan at muling pagkabuhay, siya ay nanawagan sa mga tao at mga alagad na kung sino ang nais sumunod sa kanya ay kinakailangang itakwil ang sarili, pasanin ang kanyang krus at sumunod sa kanya. Ang pagparito ni Hesus upang makisalamuha sa mga tao ay paglimot sa kanyang sarili bilang Anak ng Dios, isang hari subalit nakipamuhay sa mga ulila, makasalanan, may karamdaman, mga aba at walang kapangyarihan, pinasan niya ang kasalanan ng sanlibutan upang ipahayag ang pagmamahal sa ating lahat at sa ganitong diwa ay ang pagsunod niya sa plano ng Panginoong Diyos.

Hindi natatapos ang pagtawag ni Hesus sa mga tao anumang uri ng kasarian, at kalagayan sa buhay. Tinatawag nya upang sumunod at bakahin ang gampanin na kanyang ginampanan dito sa lupa- ang ipahayag ang kaligtasaan at isang buhay na sagana  na marapat danasin ng lahat.

Sa ating pagsunod, kinakailangang limutin ang ating sarili… mga bagay na kung saan ay komportable tayo, mga bagay na ginagawa natin para lamang sa ating sarili, ang hamon sa atin ay kalingain at pagmalasakitan ang iba, ang paglimot sa sarili ay pagkakataon upang makita ang pangangailangan ng iba, kumilos at makibahagi upang tugunan ayon sa ating kakayahan para sa mga taong higit na nangangailangan sa atin, mga bata at kababaihan na biktima ng karahasan at pagsasamantala. Sa pagpasan ng krus ng ating Panginoon ay paglalagay sa ating mga balikan ng ministeryona kanyang ginampanan, at mula dito ay makasusunod tayo sa kanya at tawagin tayo bilang mga alagad.

Katulad ng sa isang awit na nilikha ni Gary Granada na nagsasabing… Hangga’t may isang nagugutom, hangga’t may isang nauuhaw, hangga’t mayroong mga pusong nagdurusa’t namamanglaw, hangga’t mayroon naaalipi’t sa layaw ay nalululong…Tayo ay mayroon gawain…tayo ay mayroong misyon.

Hangga’t may isang naulila, hangga’t may isang nakapiit, may kapansana’t napinsala, naging balo’t nagkasakit, hangga’t may isip at damdamin, naghahagilap ng tugon…tayo ay mayroon gawain…tayo ay mayroon misyon

Hangga’t ang kanyang katarungan, pagpapala at pagmamahal- mangyari sa sandaigdigan at pangalan Niya’y itanghal. Hangga’t may luhang papahirin hangga’t may pagkakataon… tayo ay mayroon gawain…tayo ay mayroon misyon. ##

Text Source: https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/lections.php?year=B&season=Lent

28 February 2021 – Sunday SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT*

Bro. Noy Loyola of the Redemptorists Lay Mission 

Psalms 116: 10, 15, 16-17, 18-19

Genesis 22: 1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18

Romans 8: 31b-34

Mark 9: 2-10

The gospel today is actually a happy note to bolster our courage and to dispel our fears after Jesus foretold of his upcoming severe rejection, suffering, and death, but on the third day, he will be raised to life again (Lk 9:22). Nonetheless, as always, Luke presents Jesus addressing every difficulty with prayer, and thus sets the context and event of the transfiguration.

We had been encountering the story of transfiguration year after year, and we may ponder upon, what could be its meaning every time we reread it?  Could there be  a revelation, new one or something to be re-affirmed?. In this age of science and technology, any person with a lot of money can literally transform oneself into anything as one wishes. If you are sixty years old, you can make yourself look like sixteen again. With proper skill, diligence and monetary back-up,  we can go wherever and can become whatever our hearts desire. Although there is always a limit to what we want to accomplish. Hence, the lesson of last Sunday’s gospel regarding our need to resist temptations, which are usually about fame, power and fortune continue.

This is easier said than done. There are distractions in our way as we focus ourselves towards our aim. For instance, our propensity for relaxation and entertainment had actually developed our capacity to endure annoying  TV commercials that keep us from listening to God. Everyday  is an opportunity to hear God’s word. By tradition,  Sundays  become the celebrative summing up of week ’s recognition of God’ might revelation.

We, can observe, however, that for the week-days (working and school days) we seem to get entertainment through the boob tubes and consider it as a  moment of relaxation. We become the hostage of advertisements.  We are flooded with marketing strategies of capitalists and tempt us to acquire new gadgets and purchase online latest digital games. When we get tired of watching TV we tune in to online music or our favorite radio station. Do they become instruments of God’s message? Can we listen to God’s voice through those moments of entertainment? What message do we hear beneath those marketing strategies?

Pope Francis offers us practical advice on how to go about this season of Lent. Indeed, we need to double our efforts in praying. And the way to do that is by way of ascending and descending movements[1]. By ascending movement he means that we go to a quiet place, like “mountains,” to get closer to God.  We can choose our own “mountains” to get closer to God.  It is in places where we can see and listen to what God is about to reveal. After praying we also need to descend “from the mountain” and face reality once again. We must continue our mission of announcing God’s love especially to the poor.

Prayer reinforces our loving relationship with God. This is precisely the content of Genesis 15:5-12,17-18. God has shown his love for Abraham and Sarah who were childless. God promised them descendants as numerous as the stars of the evening sky, and the condition to raise those descendants by giving them a land of their own.

Pope Benedict XVI asserts that our relationship with God is the basic condition for peace in the world. He says, “Only the man who is reconciled with God can also be reconciled and in harmony with himself, and only the man who is reconciled with God and with himself can establish peace around him and throughout the world.”[2]

The way for our own transfiguration is our continuous descent (going down from prayer) in the form of self-emptying. Instead of accumulating fortune, fame, and power for ourselves, we divest our life in service for others, especially for the poor. This descent is to be continued in making ourselves servants and purveyors of care and nurture in order to deliver the maximum impact of unconditional love for others. Meantime, let us continue with that cleansing and purifying work of God in our lives this Lenten season. Amen.  ##

[1] Pope Francis’ Angelus Message on the Transfiguration — Second Sunday of Lent — March 16, 2014, https://www.missionsandiego.org/pope-francis-2014-angelus-message-on-the-transfiguration/.

[2] Pope Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth from the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration, http://my.ilstu.edu/~jguegu/BenedictXVIPart2.pdf.

21 February 2021 – Sunday FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT *Triumph in the wilderness

Levi Albania, United Methodist Church

^{Psalms 25: 4-5, 6-7, 8-9}

https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/574279389969071613/

^{Genesis 9: 8-15}

^{First Peter 3: 18-22}

^{Mark 1: 12-15}

¹² At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, ¹³ and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted^[a] by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him. ¹⁴ After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ¹⁵ “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Truth be told, the way Mark wrote the story of Jesus in the wilderness being tempted for forty days was probably the account that I find least appealing and less significant. Among the three Gospel accounts, I find it boring and least appealing for it did not describe the separate acts of temptation and how Jesus triumphed over all of these. I also consider the account less significant because it failed to highlight the message of Christ’s victory over hedonism, egoism, and materialism. The temptations represent things that humanity has lusted for over thousands of years now. We go hungry and feel the need to satisfy our bellies. Money, nice things, and privileges have become our indicators of success and the fulfillment of our dreams and passions. We wished we were filthy rich so we could afford the price of power and prestige.

A pastor had this story to share during his sermon:

“One day, a father was trying to teach his 6-year-old child how to shoot a basketball. The boy would push the ball as hard as he could toward the basket, but it would always fall short. The dad would then demonstrate how to do it and effortlessly toss the ball toward the goal, saying, “Just do it like this, son. It is easy.” The boy would try again and fail again. So, the father would demonstrate it again. Finally, the boy said, “It’s easy for you up there. You don’t know how hard it is from down here!”

O, God, temptation is everywhere. We hope You knew it is hard down here!

But, what was it really like when Jesus was tempted? Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. He was alone except for wild beasts and Satan who was tempting Him. Later, the angels were said to have been ministering to Him. Let us remember that all these things happened right after Jesus was baptized. Remember the voice of God from heaven saying, “You are my beloved son, and I am pleased with you.”? How difficult would it have been for a son to hear the same from His father and find out later that He will be abandoned in the dessert.

But Jesus Christ was probably not abandoned. He was driven to the wilderness by the Spirit to experience what it is to be human. The wilderness experience and the realities it represents is commonplace to humanity. Many people bear sacrifices, temptations, even isolation and exclusion. Despite abundance, there are so many reduced to poverty, including those deprived of the means to realize their dignity as persons. People are suffering from physical and social evils, from persecution and other forms of injustice. Christ himself, in this gospel, went through an extremely difficult situation. While it might be true that He could have felt deserted in the desert when He came to experience temptation, He allowed it to happen to show us the way to overcome it.

This victory of Jesus Christ over temptation in the wilderness could not have been told by anyone except Jesus himself. The apostles were not around Him nor were there any human witnesses. Jesus Himself had told the story to inspire change in everyone who learns about it. After forty days and winning over Satan, Jesus went on to preach the Good News.

We, too, need to hear the Good News today. Lent has just started, and it is inviting us to see temptations, our wilderness experience, in a different light. Let us turn such difficult situation into an opportunity to turn to God, especially when our own will power is not enough.

When Jesus preached the Good News, he told all who heard Him to repent. To be remorseful and sorry may require us to give up some things that we have learned to accept or have been comfortable living with. It entails that we rectify our actions and no longer commit personal and allow social sins. Repentance is manifested in one’s practice of life-giving and liberating actions. 

The Gospel reflection last week shared in this same platform gave us a glimpse of the life of a monastic who thrives in today’s “wilderness” of social injustice and apathy. In the gospels, the wilderness was a place of revelation. Time and again, we are assured that God is present even in places of solitude where it is extremely difficult to believe He is really there. The last eleven months of community quarantine experience may have confronted us with this reality already. As we seek His wisdom amid all these, let us learn from the reflection shared by Weena Salvador Meily on being a vowed solitary. It “requires faithfulness, stillness, silence, and the practice of prayer and meditation”. Lent is a good time to pause and let the Spirit bring us to the discovery of our wilderness. Let us ask ourselves:

Where is the Spirit sending me?

What temptations have I been entertaining lately? When do I say, I’ve had enough, I need to overcome these?

What am I willing to give up to be genuinely in solidarity with the rest of humanity?

What life-giving and liberating actions can I do for myself and others?

How can I proclaim the Good News today?

May the Lord Almighty give us the grace to triumph in the wilderness.

14 February 2021 * SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME*Solitary Life, Lepers, And Valentine’s Day

Weena Salvador Meily, Association of Women in Theology(AWIT)

Psalms 32: 1-2, 5, 11

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/jesus-heals-the-leper-ann-lukesh.html

Psalms 32: 1-2, 5, 11

Leviticus 13: 1-2, 44-46  

First Corinthians 10: 31 – 11: 1   

Mark 1: 40-45

Usually, when I write for this blog, I would first take a stroll in the oval of the campus where I teach, or among trees in a nearby park, or that famous university we have here in my city.  Just to breathe, and take in some inspiration from nature.  This time it’s a no-no.  The last time I wrote was before the pandemic. The pandemic taught me how to be a true vowed solitary.   The new monasticism is more challenging than traditional monasticism. But both requires faithfulness, stillness, silence and the practice of prayer and meditation. Being a solitary does not have to be shut in a monastery up in the mountains or in the midst of the desert.  Living a solitary life is even more trying in the midst of the city, in the center of the marketplace.  Right now, my young neighbor is just about belting high notes of “Pwede Ba”  (my cat looked for a safer place away from the “biritera” sounds, under the couch!) , while I try to immerse into a relaxing African shaman music. It can be crazy but this is how it is.  I find my mountain, my desert, or even my ocean right here and now, in my little rented apartment unit I call “My Hermitage”. 

There are many lessons to learn from living a solitary life.  Indeed a double treat it is from this pandemic!  But one thing is for certain. Vowed solitaries, like monks,  hermits, prisoners, those who are suffering from illnesses, psychologically isolated persons, emotionally confined individuals, the world in lockdown, all have one thing in common – delimitation, restraint, at times pushed back or down, confined to the edges of life. Once, I found myself saying to my students, there is almost no difference in our lifestyle. You in the prisons, and me in my house, in community quarantine.  At the moment I have about 30 students learners of the Alternative Learning System assigned to my tutelage who are inmates renamed PDL (Persons Deprived of Liberty) of the Mandaluyong City Jail serving their jail terms, continuing hearings in court, awaiting their conviction or acquittal. While incarcerated, those who have not accomplished their basic education may enroll themselves. An opportunity for those who want new beginnings, for after all, there is life after prison.

There are many living on the edges of this circle of life.  The marginalized, I choose to call them.  A common image we see when we approach a subdivision.  Did you not notice? At the center are the beautiful houses, and even the church!  And at sides, at the peripheries are the houses made of flattened cardboard boxes, rotten wood, dilapidated, rusting galvanized iron.  The villagers are at the center, and the “gilid-gers” are at the “gilid”, the sides, the edges of the area.  The poor so popularly, they are called. But contrary to popular reason, it is not their fault to be poor.  It is a failure of government and society to give opportunities, the circumstances and decisions of key persons in our history, the arrogance  of many in seats of parliament to serve their own interests, the greed of autocrats. These are the reasons that have made poverty a curse in the eyes of many.   If we still have “the poor” in our midst, it is because we have failed.  The world in all its glory, must have failed indeed.

Which brings me to our Gospel reflection for today.  We read Jesus healing a leper.  Lepers as we all know, are afflicted with a disease that has made them, for years, an ostracized lot. They were frowned upon, banished to the edge of the territory, never to be seen. It was believed to be contagious, and a curse in the family.  At least that was what we read and have known about the Biblical lepers of the time of Jesus.

And so, lepers are those marginalized by society, in poverty, stricken with an illness losing their noses, ears and extremities, and losing their loved ones, their self esteem, their future, losing everything. What else is there to lose? The leper who came to Jesus must have asked himself, but what is there to lose to go to this Jesus? “If you want to, you can make me clean.” In all humility, the leper asks. Only if Jesus wants to.  But if not, perhaps he will have to accept his fate and embrace this sorry state.  But no, Jesus healed the man! Jesus’ compassion prevailed over the “curse”.  Imagine the joy of the cured man, who would be just like everyone else, clean and whole!  He is alive again! A new life awaits him.  Here is the beauty of Jesus’ mission.  He was not only a great teacher, but his teaching effected change. So that from then on, this cured man can move into the center, one with the people, away from marginalization.  

I would like to see this healing motif in this piece of narrative as a deep sign of what love and compassion can do. If I can be witness to a transformation of my life of renewing, taking the risk, seizing every moment as an opportunity to begin again, then Jesus’ words are indeed words of eternal life!  Such is the life of the transformed man.  He took the risk of losing everything over and over again. And out of the love of this man Jesus, his life was transformed.  Then as the narrative continues, Jesus imposed a certain silence on the part of the healed unnamed man, never to spread a word of this healing but instead do what is required for cleansing, present himself to the priest of the Temple, and to him give this testimony.  In other words, follow the Law.  Jesus’ warning comes because the people, especially those within Israel territory are expecting a warrior messiah, a vengeful savior. 

This was the first part of Jesus’ public life where he wouldn’t want any obscurity about his mission.  It is only when Jesus distanced himself from this popular understanding of the messiah would he begin the gradual unfolding of the mystery of his person, first to his disciples.  It is good to note here, that the gospel writer Mark, reserved his use of ‘son of God’ only three times to privileged moments of Jesus’ revelation to people: his baptism, transfiguration and at the conclusion of the passion narrative from the centurion’s lips.  This is to underscore the paramount significance of the revelation of the mystery of Jesus through his mission.

Jesus came into this world to teach justice , love, mercy and compassion. And to act on this- healing the sick, driving out demons, forgiving the sinner, changing water into wine.  Jesus spoke to the hearts of people. He disturbed the comfortable and comforted the afflicted. He confronted injustice with indignation at the Temple and offered compassion and no condemnation to a woman caught in adultery.  And finally he fulfilled His Father’s love for humanity by accepting death on the cross and rising to new life.

For many ,many years our country has been confronted with all kinds of evil.  But most particularly the reality that majority of the people of our nation are in the fringes.  The evils of privatization, liberalization and deregulation have pushed us to such a lamentable drudgery, slavery and backbreaking meaningless toil.  This struggle for a just wage, a comprehensive health care system, quality education for all, housing for the needy and homeless, food security,  are only a few of what a land of rich natural resources should be providing. Instead, the toiling masses have fattened our politicians, filled their pockets to overflowing and have served as bait to a farce security act.  This Anti-Terror Act has turned into an Act of Terror.  Giving hired motorcycle-riders the license to kill anyone suspect; to kill in the name of a senseless war on drugs.  Today, we think we are living in a highly advanced world of technological knowhow that can save a world in distress.  In reality, we are living in temples of profit and worship a god of greed and exploitation that brings the world to an even greater distress.  

And this distress then brings me to the life of a martyr.   Whose feast we celebrate today.  What ‘s the Gospel got to do with Valentine’s Day? Well, a lot actually.  For one, Valentine was a martyr, who was beheaded.  You can actually Google his or their stories (there are about three Valentines) and you will find it to be such inspiring narratives.  Nevertheless, I should say that lepers and the Christian martyrs have many things significant in common.  Being ostracized, driven into the dungeons, banished out of the sight of many (because these persons reminded their tormentors of their sins).  So, it is but fitting to assign this Gospel reading on St. Valentine’s Day.  And what about flowers, chocolates and romantic love?  I don’t think a beheading will be such good reason to celebrate in fine dining, wine-drinking and hearts designs galore.  Consumerism and commercialization has given license to patent hearts and sweets for St. Valentine’s Day.  I’d say, we’d better get our acts together, and find the real meaning of this day as we discover alternative ways to celebrate.  Or lament? 

On this feast of a martyr for God, let us remember the love of mothers who lost their sons and daughters to this nonsensical war on drugs, those healthcare workers serving the frontlines risking their lives out of love and  care for Covid patients, the homeless, hungry and needy, the children suffering in desperate conditions, the women and children victims of domestic violence whose numbers have risen in the advent of the lockdown, the rising number of out-of-school youth and adults, the LGBTQ community pushed to the margins of society, and many more who suffer a martyrdom, a loss of the sense of self, a loss of a sense of hope. 

Surely the coming of Jesus as healer of the leper in the Gospel, may afford us the right to a lamentation of our hearts…

We lament,  o hear our cry O Lord! 

We cry out our pains to the heavens. 

Hear us, as we bring before you the troubles of our times. 

Listen Lord to the lamentations of your children,

as we suffer our despotic leaders, and tyrants. 

Bestow on us your hope as we walk through this valley of death. 

Transform us unto your love, heal us unto wholeness. 

So that we may rise with you

and walk with you in restored faith and dignity. Amen.

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time*Feb.7,2021* Quiet Moment

Jeff R. Vito, College of the Holy Spirit, Manila

https://www.heqiart.com/

Job 7:1-4, 6-7

Ps 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

1 Cor 9:16-19, 22-23

Mk 1:29-39

Today’s Gospel offers us captivating glimpses into Jesus’ fruitful life of service and mission. As followers, he beckons us to follow his example and be kind and open-hearted, to have a heart filled with love and compassion, to “bend down to touch and heal the wounds of others.” Like him, we listen to their cries and groans.

Being part of the SSpS ( Holy Spirit Sisters) life and mission, working with other church-based and cause-oriented organizations has broadened my perspective, deepened my compassion and ignited my passion to serve and be a positive change in the society. It offers me a different way of being in the world by conscientious commitment in the day-to-day routine of life and service.

Working in a school environment is such a tough, demanding and challenging mission, yet a gratifying one. It presents me with great joy and also with great challenges as well as frustrations and pains. My work allows me to encounter people from all walks of life, the learned and unschooled, the rich, powerful and famous, and those at the margins of society who are victims of impoverishment and social justice neglect. These diverse human encounters teach me to care, to be selfless, fair and bold enough to stand with the poor and the oppressed. I have realized that to really care I have to keep pushing towards a world in which everyone, especially the marginalized can enjoy their basic right to live freely and enjoy the fullness of life that Jesus promised.

We live in a world riddled with unwarranted violence, extra-judicial killings, stark poverty, brazen corruption, skepticism and indifference. The challenge is enormous, the mission is great. During these troubling and challenging times, waking up before dawn and finding a quiet and deserted place to connect with God is sometimes the most important thing we can do to get us going.

Let us always attune ourselves to the Spirit, who “spins out the song and dance of our lives.” Let us continue to burn with passion for God, for life, for Mother Earth and for our country. Together, let us breathe new life into our world, and create a new era of hope, engagement and solidarity. It is Jesus, the Incarnate Love, who stirs in us the desire to do something great with our lives.##