Feast of Christ the King, Year A

34th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A - Christ the King

"He will sit upon his royal throne, and all the nations
will be assembled before him."

Matthew 25:31-40

The first time we encountered this gospel for this liturgical Year
A, was last November 2 - the solemnity of the Faithful Departed
(All Souls Day). Since this Sunday is the feast of Christ the
King, then we are given by the gospel a descriptive image of Jesus
who "will sit upon His royal throne" and judge all the nations
assembled before Him. The nations who helped the poor and the
less fortunate, will enter into His Kingdom. And the nations who
neglected to give to the sick, the hungry, the naked, the thirsty
and the prisoner, will be condemned to eternal punishment.

When we reflect on this gospel passage, we see that good deeds
done for others is the moral standard by which Christ will judge
us. And the judgment of eternal punishment does not go mainly to
the one who did bad or evil actions to others, but to those who
"neglected" to do good to the poor and the little ones (given
the context of meaning in this gospel). By the standard of this
gospel account, a serious evil is to be attributed also to
neglect, indifference to others, and lack of concern. So, our
sins of commission (our bad actions) will be compounded with an
even greater evil if we fail to do good (sins of omission).

Families who live in a provincial, rural, or suburban locale are
more fortunate in the sense that they know the people in their
area well. Families are close to one another, they help each
other, and they are there for each other in times of difficulty,
grief, sorrow, loss or tragedy. Individuals and families who
live in a very urban set-up are less fortunate in the sense that
there is a lot of anonymity, transiency, and less stability of
residence. Relationships in this set-up are often formal,
professional, short, superficial and filled with fear, mistrust,
and hostility.

There is a way however by which families in an urban set-up can
get to know each other better: through the structure of
relationships in a Catholic parish. With the basic ecclesial
formation being given by many parish priests to their
parishioners, families and individuals get to know one another
better. And a network of supportive relationships is created to
bridge the gap of indifference, anonymity, and rugged
individualism that goes with a highly urbanized area.

When the parish priest teaches well his parishioners to be
centered on Christ and the Eucharist, all families know that the
head of their household and family is Jesus. There is unity and
harmony in the family when each member lives a good Christian
life and let Jesus be the King of his heart. With Jesus
acknowledged as King, then there will be fear of doing evil and
only a seeking to please the One who has the power to judge us
if we have done good or neglected to do what we should do as
Catholics.

Let us then thank the Father for the gift of His Son Jesus, who
in many ways reveal to us that all dominion, power, glory, and
authority, belong to Him. Let us also thank the Father that our
King is One who know how to be human like us, except for sin.
And lastly, let us thank the Father for giving us a King who
serves as a model par excellence of genuine humility - a
humility exercised even to the extent of giving His life on the
cross, so that we may be saved from our sins of neglect of
others, indifference, apathy, and lack of concern and love.

On a more personal note, let us also examine ourselves very well:
in my day to day living, is Jesus enthroned as King of my heart?
Or are there other things that prevent Him to rule over my
soul? Is it anxiety over our job or finances? Or is it a
structure of relationships that causes us to lose our peace and
focus on Christ? Maybe, as the liturgical year is now at its
end, we can take more time to examine how we have lived the
year. It is not too late to confess that we have not made Jesus
the center of our life and the King of our hearts. There is
always room to progress in our spiritual life. And we can decide
for this by opting for Christ as our King and Savior all the days
of our life.

33rd Sunday Year A

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

"Come, share in your Master's joy"

Matthew 25:14-30

The 33rd Sunday Year A gospel features another parable of Jesus:
the parable of the silver pieces or talents. It is a parable
preceded by another parable (the ten virgins) and followed by
the account of the Last Judgment (in the 25th chapter of the
Gospel of Matthew). In the parable of the silver pieces, the
story is about a man who went on a journey. But before he left,
he gave silver pieces to each of his three servants, with amounts
according to each of their abilities. Entrusting these amounts
to them, he departed and expected that they invest them to make
a profit until he returns. And as the story goes on, we find
the master returning and discovering his first two servants
making use of their abilities well and providing him with a
profit. The third, however, out of fear, hid his amount under
the ground, and returned it to his master just as it was given
to him. The man was happy with the industriousness of his first
two servants, but condemned the third who did not do anything
with the silver pieces given him.

Although this parable speaks of money being invested and making
a profit out of it, if we also place it in context with the
preceding message of the parable of the ten virgins, and then
with the following account of the Last Judgment, we can see a
broader meaning to the message Jesus wants to teach us in this
Sunday's gospel. All three gospel passages speak of the the
return of the master (Master). But before his return, all are
accountable to him for the time and resources given by him.
The two parables and the Last Judgment account teach us many
lessons: first of all, to be prepared for the return of the
Master - to be on the watch, to be vigilant; second, to wisely
supply ourselves with what is necessary to comply with the
Master's requirements; third, to optimize our use of time and
resources so as to present a profitable return to be given
to the Master; and fourth, to do good and render acts of kindness
and charity to those less fortunate than we are.

So, we shall really come to share in the Master's happiness if
we are like the "wise virgins", the "industrious servants", and
the "charitable people" (the sheep in the Last Judgment account)
of which Matthew speaks of in chapter 25 of his gospel. The
special focus for this Sunday is in being industrious with our
time, talent and resources. In these times of increasing
hardship and difficulty in making ends meet for our families,
are we working harder, praying more intently, finding ways to
save money and profit, growing smarter at solving problems, and
facing life's daily challenges creatively?

Each of us has been given unique abilities and talents. What
Jesus wants of us before we face Him as our King in His judgment
seat, is that we become better than our good, and to use all
that He has given us in life as best as we could for our family
and for others. We will indeed come to share in His joy when
we can offer Him double the good He has given us in life. So
let us therefore never neglect to pray for the gifts of fortitude,
strength, perseverance, prudence, wise stewardship, generosity,
and fidelity to our responsibilities that we may truly please
our Lord with a life industriously lived in His service and His
love.

Feast of Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

John 2:13-22

According to Catholic tradition and our Church historians, the
Lateran Basilica is the episcopal seat of the pope as bishop of
Rome. It is called the "mother and head of all churches of Rome
and the world." This Sunday is special because it marks the
anniversary of this Church when in November 9, 324 A.D., Pope
Sylvester I dedicated the Church to the Savior, and to St. John
the Baptist.

The gospel for this Sunday presents the account of Jesus
purification of the Temple of Jerusalem from profane activities.
Many translations of the Bible tell us in different words why
Jesus made a whip of cords and drove out all the animals and the
money-changers out of the temple. According to the RSV, Jesus
says that they should not make His Father's house a "house of
trade". Then, according to the GNB, the NAB, and the NRSV, He
judged the situation as a "marketplace". Then also in the JB,
He judged what was happening as a "market". (RSV - Revised
Standard Version; GNB - Good News Bible; NAB - New American
Bible, NRSV - New Revised Standard Version; JB - Jerusalem
Bible).

Jesus was indignant at what He saw not so much because of the
secular situation of a marketplace where goods are traded for
the benefit of people, but because their activity was profaning
and disrespecting what is sacred: like noise, chaotic trade,
or unfair business problems that harm the spirit of prayer in
the Temple. The Temple is a sacred place. And He also took
the occasion to teach the Jews that the Temple of His Body
was also sacred and He knew that it would also soon be
profaned and desecrated upon His impending passion and death
on the cross.

The message Jesus wanted to convey to the Jews by His action
in the Temple was that they were to respect what is sacred and
consecrated - everything set apart for God's purposes. And
this means not only in the physical sense - the Jerusalem
Temple and all that is in it - but also in the spiritual sense
(His Body and Blood, which we now receive at every Sunday Mass
when we celebrate the Eucharist).

On second reflection, we are called to also respect our parish
and everything in its environs. Let us ask forgiveness from
Jesus our Lord and Savior for all the times we turned the
parish into a "marketplace" by the noise of our profane
conversations and all the misbehavior we have committed in
the premises which could have scandalized others. Also, let
us ask forgiveness from Jesus for all the times we have not
prepared well our soul to receive the purity of His gift in
the Eucharist. May we amend our ways and teach especially
our children to respect everything that is of God - the parish
environs and most especially where the Blessed Sacrament is
enthroned.

All Soul's Day

Matthew 25:31-46

The gospel for this Sunday, Nov 2, is from Mt 25:31-36 - the
gospel for the second Mass of the Commemoration of All the
Faithful Departed.

When we read the passage, we will be reminded of the Last
Judgment, because Jesus speaks of His Second Coming. He says
that when that day comes, He will assemble all the nations and
separate them into two groups: the sheep on the right (those who
did good), and the goats on his left (those who failed to do
good).

The standard of ethics and righteousness Jesus uses in this
gospel passage is very concrete and specific: feeding the hungry,
giving water to the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, clothing
the naked, comforting the sick, and visiting the prisoners.
Those who did these kind acts and deeds are the "sheep", while
those who failed to do so, are the "goats". The former will
receive the blessing of God and inherit the Kingdom, while the
latter will reap eternal punishment.

How often have we judged people because they do not fit our
"standards"? Many times perhaps, and judging them many times
over within our hearts and our minds. And we do not have to go
far, we may be guilty of judging people right in our very own
homes, in the places where we work, or in the parish where we
serve. But the Lord stresses an important teaching: "judge not
that you may not be judged".

The Lord is the true Judge of our character. He knows what is in
our heart. We may appear good before others, but the Lord sees
the sinfulness that is embedded in our heart. It is from a heart
filled with sin that foolish words are spewed forth from our lips;
and it is from a heart displeasing God that causes us to be
unwise and imprudent in our actions. Therefore, it is good to
be like the Publican who sets himself right before the Lord when
he admits his unworthiness and sinfulness before God.

When the day of God's Judgment will come, no one really knows.
Even Jesus said: "only the Father in heaven knows". But Jesus
helps us to prepare for such an event. In Luke 22:34-36, He says
that the day "will come upon all who dwell on the face of the
earth. So be on the watch. Pray constantly for the strength to
escape whatever is in prospect, and to stand secure before the
Son of Man."

"To stand secure before the Son of Man" may mean for us that
we have followed the two commandments of the Lord which we have
heard in the gospel last Sunday: "to love God with all our mind,
with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our strength;
and to love our neighbor as ourself".

Since this Sunday is also All Soul's Day, we are invited by the
Church to pray for our departed loved ones who have gone before
us and who, together with us, shall be judged by the Lord on the
Last Day. What is important for us to realize now is to always
keep vigilant; be awake and alert, and be on the watch...to pray
constantly and to obey the commandment of the Lord...so that in
the end, we shall "stand secure before the Son of Man".

30th Sunday Year A

Matthew 22:34-40

You shall love the Lord your God and your neighbor as
yourself.

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees,
they assembled in a body; and one of them, a lawyer, in an
attempt to trip him up, asked him, "Teacher, which commandment
of the law is the greatest?" Jesus said to him:

"'You shall love the Lord your God
with your whole heart,
with your whole soul,
and with all your mind.'

This is the greatest and first commandment. The second is like
it:

'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'

On these two commandments the whole law is based, and the
prophets as well."

The gospel of the Lord.

The gospel for this 30th Sunday Year A is taken from Matthew 22:
34-40. It is a passage where we shall see a lawyer, who is part
of the assembly of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. He wanted to
challenge Jesus with a question, asking Him, "Teacher, which
commandment of the law is the greatest?" And Jesus answered:


"'You shall love the Lord your God
with your whole heart,
with your whole soul,
and with all your mind.'

...The second is like it:

'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'

With that answer of Jesus, we are able to see in so few words,
what all the Ten Commandments and all of the teachings of the Old
Testament prophets and the teachings of Jesus and St. Paul in the
New Testament, are writing about. It is the Christian commandment
summed up in its essential form. Therefore, it can act as a simple
guide for us in our daily Christian living, and when we need to go
to the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. It can help us
examine our consciences. Dwelling in this answer of Jesus, we can
let His Spirit search our hearts and see how, by action or
inaction, we have sinned. Three essential relationships are
brought to us for healing in the sacrament: our relationship with
God, with others (especially family and everyday social contacts),
and with ourselves (the way we used our senses, food, drink, etc.).

29th Sunday Year A

Matthew 22:15-21

Give to Caesar the things the belong to Caesar and to
God the things that are God's.

The Pharisees went off and began to plot how they might trap
Jesus in speech. They sent their disciples to him, accompanied
by Herodian sympathizers, who said: "Teacher, we know you are
a truthful man and teach God's way sincerely. You court no one's
favor and do not act out of human respect. Give us your opinion,
then, in this case. Is it lawful to pay tax to the emperor or
not?" Jesus recognized their bad faith and said to them, "Why
are you trying to trip me up, you hypocrites? Show me the coin
used for the tax." When they handed him a small Roman coin he
asked them, "Whose head is this, and whose inscription?"
"Caesar's," they replied. At that he said to them, "Then give
to Caesar what is Caesar's, but give to God what is God's."


The Gospel of the Lord.

In the gospel for the 29th Sunday of the Year, we will see how
the Pharisees were thinking how they could trap Jesus in His
speech. They sent their disciples to Jesus to ask Him: "Teacher,
give us Your opinion, is it lawful to pay tax to the emperor
or not?" Jesus recognized what their intention was in this
question. The question may have been probably related to a
controversy or issue for the Jews living in the Roman Empire
during that time. But Jesus gave the Pharisees' disciples a
wise and prudent answer: He asked for a coin and answered also
with a question - "whose head is in the coin and whose
inscription is in it?" They replied, "Caesar's." And then
Jesus ended what would have been a controversy and issue among
them by saying, "then give to Caesar what is Caesar's, but give
to God what is God's."

When we reflect on this gospel, the controversial question can
be seen to revolve around the elements of government, money,
God, and us. The question challenging Jesus was really meant
to trap Him because the Pharisees see Him as One revolting
against their Jewish law and teaching. But Jesus answered
wisely. And His answer helps us also to think a little more
deeply: do we give to institutions what is due them, and to
God what is due Him? It is true that the face of many leaders
of government are in our currencies. But let us place our
hearts in our imagination: "is the face of God in our hearts?"
If it is, then that is what is due our Lord. If not, then let
us humbly pray and work more that God's countenance becomes
clearer and brighter within the hearts of everyone in our
family and friends.

27th Sunday Year A

Gospel Matthew 21:33-43

"It was the Lord who did this and we find it marvelous to
behold"

The gospel for the 27th Sunday of the Year, begins with a parable
of a property owner who planted a vineyard, and leased it out to
tenant farmers, and then went on a journey. When vintage time
came, the property owner sent his slaves to obtain his share of
the grapes. But the tenants responded by mistreating his slaves
- some of whom they even killed. When he could not get his share
of the grapes, the property owner sent his son, thinking that the
tenants will respect his son. But the tenants knew that this son
would receive the vineyard as an inheritance from his father, the
property owner. And so they also killed him.


This parable Jesus spoke to the chief priests and elders of the
people was meant to make them discover that He was that son in
the parable, and His Father was the property owner. And the
slaves which the tenants mistreated, were the prophets who were
killed by the people Israel before Jesus became the prophet of
the new Israel.


We will be judged by the Lord by how we steward and shepherd the
gifts He has given us: our family, our work, our possessions, our
formal relationships, and friends. If we mistreat these people
or misuse the material things like the tenants in the parable,
the Lord will bring us to a bad end, and will give His blessings
to those who will take care of the gifts He has given us. The
lesson for us to learn in this parable is to respect everyone in
our social network, to treat them kindly, to be faithful in our
work and service of prayer to God, so that as Jesus inherited the
Kingdom from His Father, we shall also share in His inheritance:
a Kingdom filled with God's blessings, both material, and much
more importantly, spiritual - for both our family and our work.

26th Sunday Year A

Readings http://www.pcentral-online.net/catholic/lectionary/26th-sunday-a.html


"'No, I will not'; but afterward he regretted it and went."


The gospel for the 26th Sunday of the Year, September 28, is about
the parable of the two sons. Jesus presented this parable as a
case for the leaders of His people: the chief priests and the elders.
In the parable, a father ordered his two sons to go and work in the
vineyard. One son said, "Yes", but did not really go. The other son
said, "No", but later on, went to work in the vineyard. The lesson
Jesus wanted to teach through this parable was: even if we have
failed to do what we promised to do, when we have repented, and then
went out to do what we were supposed to do, then we will be have
eventually obeyed the Lord's will.


A popular saying comes to mind when we reflect on this parable:
"action speaks louder than words". In our life as young children, or
even as teenagers, we often disobeyed our parents (or in the case of
the more obedient, only occasionally). Our disobedience is made
more serious when we do an action that we were not supposed to do.
We may have argued with our parents, or we may have even outrightly
shouted, "No", to one of their orders. But this disobedience in word
carried a lot more weight and serious matter when it flowed into an
action displeasing not only to our parents, but most especially to
God.


It is therefore a very important lesson for us to understand that as
adults, who have responsibilities in work and in family, before the
Lord, we are still His children - He being our Father. Let us then
examine the many times we went against our consciences. Did we repent
and do the proper thing? If we did not, then as long as there is
time to do so, then the Father will always be there to receive us
back to Him. And, let us also examine our present active life. Do
we pray to live a more virtuous life? To be more patient, forgiving,
prudent, moderate, just, persevering, generous, and chaste? Although
what we are in prayer before the Lord is also important, we are
called to do what will really please Him. And the Psalmist of the
Old Testament tells us what pleases the Lord: a humble and contrite
heart, that heeds His word, and with the gift of faith, puts it in
action, to serve Him through our family and work.

25th Sunday Year A

Readings http://www.pcentral-online.net/catholic/lectionary/25th-sunday-a.html


"The reign of God is like the case of the owner of an estate
who went out at dawn to hire workmen for his vineyard."


This Sunday, September 21, the gospel will teach through a parable,
about the generosity of God and His justice. Because of the way
God expresses His generosity in this parable, we will see that His
justice in not the way the world practices justice - especially in
the manner of compensating workers, laborers, and employees for the
work they have performed. The parable that Jesus uses to teach this
justice of God, truly makes us see (as the first reading from the
book of Isaiah teaches also), that because of God's mercy and His
generosity, "His thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are
not our ways". And, Isaiah also adds one more detail about God:
"God's ways are higher above our ways, and His thoughts are above
our thoughts". (Isaiah 55:6-9)


What is important in our Christian living, is that we never forget
that God is very merciful, very generous with His gifts and blessings,
and just in all His ways. To have faith in this as individuals, or
as family, is a gift we need to ask God in prayer. For despite all
the bad things that may happen to us (even though we always strive
to be good), we will surely at one time or another, suffer some pain
or injustice. But we will suffer all the more if we focus our problem
and look at it solely from a human point of view. If, however, as the
gospel this Sunday teaches, we focus on the generosity and justice
of God, we will be given the gift of understanding and the knowledge
to see God's ways and thoughts as truly above and beyond our own.
The lesson we are taught is not only to rely on our own intelligence
but to trust in the mystery of God's will.

24th Sunday of the Year, Year A

Readings http://www.pcentral-online.net/catholic/lectionary/24th-sunday-a.html


"Not seven times; I say, seventy times seven times."


The theme of the gospel for the 24th Sunday of the Year, is God's
mercy and forgiveness. The gospel begins with Peter asking Jesus
a question: "how many times must I forgive my brother, seven
times?" Jesus replied, "Not seven times; I say, seventy times
seven times." Then, Jesus goes on to tell the parable of the
merciless servant. In this parable, a servant owed his master a
large debt of money. When his master asked that he pay the debt,
the servant pleaded for mercy. The master pitied the servant and
wrote off the debt. But then this servant went to another fellow
servant who also owed him an amount of money. But when his fellow
servant could not pay, the merciless servant had him put in jail.
When the others saw this happen, they reported it to their master.
The master of the merciless servant got very angry with the servant
and handed him over to the torturers - for he was shown mercy but
did not practice it with his fellow servant.


When St. Stephen the deacon, one of the early Christian martyrs,
was about to be stoned to death by his accusers, he forgave them
for what they would do to him. Many of the Christian martyrs also
did the same - forgiving those who were to put them to death. This
is certainly in imitation to the forgiving and merciful nature of
Jesus, who, despite all the physical sufferings he endured from
his torturers, forgave them all. Jesus knew that they did not know
what they were doing.


In the passages of the Wisdom books in the Old Testament, it is
said: "do not repay evil for the evil done upon you. Rather, let
vengeance be upon the Lord's hands, for He will always vindicate
the just. It is but a human reflex and an instinct for self
preservation to hit back when we are harmed. This is a base desire
in our being human. But Jesus was sent to us by the Father so
that we will share in His divinity - especially, that of being able
to forgive those who have caused us pain or evil. We can be able
to imitate Jesus in this sense, when we begin to have greater faith
in Him and His teaching. Just as He forgave those who nailed Him
to the cross, God's justice vindicated Him and He was raised to
life again in the power of the Holy Spirit. So, whenever we have
experienced an injustice, or we have been badly mistreated and
hurt, let us pray for the gift of Christ's humility and patience,
and imagine placing ourselves at the foot of the Cross where Jesus
was nailed. Just as our Master was vindicated for his being
merciful, forgiving and just, so shall we share in the blessing
Jesus received from the Father, if we learn to forgive and be
merciful like Jesus.

In the gospel for the 23rd Sunday of the Year, we will learn of two
sayings of Jesus: one on fraternal correction, and the other on the
power of united prayer. If we were to refer this teachings of
Jesus to how He Himself lived what He preached, then we may obtain
insights into what He really meant by these two sayings.


As we read the gospel of Matthew, especially in the previous
chapters where Jesus is increasingly being set against the
Pharisees, he was already correcting the people's understanding
of what the Law in essence meant: the spirit of love, humility and
mercy should be above the Law. And He made this point through the
teaching of parables - like the parable of the lost sheep (Mt
18:10-14) and the parable of the merciless official (Mt 18:21-35).
As for the saying of Jesus as regards prayer, we know that in the
early chapters of the gospel of Matthew (in the Sermon on the
Mount), Jesus taught His disciples how to pray with the "Our
Father" - a prayer which we can infer Jesus Himself prayed and
which truly expresses our being of one spiritual family, asking
God for what we daily need, and seeking God's mercy for our sins.


In these two sayings of Jesus, Jesus is helping us to understand
that part of being His follower requires us to take responsibility
for our brothers and sisters who are in error, most especially
those who are in a morally wrong situation in life. This is
indeed difficult. The power of our good example is easier to
do, than to speak and preach and teach as Jesus and the prophets
did. But according to the saying of Jesus, we can only win our
brother or sister's heart when what we teach them as morally
right, can be backed up by a life that is also morally upright
and righteous like Jesus. And this we cannot do alone. We also
need the help of others who are also good and morally upright,
and who sincerely desires to bring others to Christ. The best
form of obtaining the power of persuasiveness and of fraternally
correcting with charity and gentleness, is through the united
prayer we do in the Eucharistic celebrations. As one family in
God, we ask the Lord for the graces and the virtues necessary
to shepherd all those who are lost back into the fold of Jesus,
the Good Shepherd. We fraternally correct others as a Church;
and we get the power to do so through united prayer.