Repleksyon para sa Kapistahan ni San Matias Apostol

Obreros ang samahan ng Parokya na gusto kong salihan noon. Pakiramdam ko ay namumuo na sa aking puso ang debosyon sa Mahal na Birhen at naniniwala akong sa Obreros ko mapapalalim iyon. Kaya't sumasama ako sa kanilang mga gawain—4th Saturday Devotion, Monday Devotion, Lakbay Dalaw. At noong buksan ang registration at pagsasanay para sa maaaring maging bagong kasapi, siyempre ninais ko ring makasali. Ngunit hindi lang pala ako ang makapagdedesisyon kung para ba sa akin ang nais ko. Makailang ulit akong nagpabalik-balik sa Camarin ng Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados at sa Adoration Chapel, nakaluhod na nagtatanong at humihingi ng sign, "Mama OLA...O Diyos ko...karapat-dapat ba ako..." Ilang araw na discernment.

Laging may posibilidad na mapili at hindi mapili. Na-realize ko, ang Diyos pa rin pala ang nagtatakda kung saan tayo nababagay, kung saan tayo tinatawag para tumugon. Wala na si Hesus sa piling ng mga Apostol noong napili si San Matias na kahalili ni Judas. Ngunit sa Diyos pa rin tumawag si Pedro—Panginoon, nakikilala mo ang puso naming lahat. Ipakita mo sa amin kung sino ang nararapat na maging apostol.

Umatras ako sa aking aplikasyon dahil lumabas sa pagninilay ko na sa ibang Ministry ako tinatawag upang maglingkod. At napapatunayan kong mukhang tama naman ang naging discernment ko. Kahit hindi ako tinawag sa Obreros, araw-araw naman akong tinatawag ng Diyos upang palalimin ang debosyon ko sa Mahal na Ina ng mga Walang Mag-ampon. Sa bawat paglalakbay, magrosaryo. Sa bawat 4th Saturday, magsimba at magprusisyon. Ang mahalaga ay sa pag-usad ng panahon, umaalab pa rin sa aking puso ang debosyon sa Mahal na Ina.

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O Diyos, na nagtalaga kay San Matias na mapabilang sa linya ng mga Apostol, ipagkaloob mo, na sa kanyang pananalangin, maipagdiwang namin ang inilaan mong pag-ibig sa bawat isa at mapabilang din sa iyong piniling mga lingkod. Sa pamamagitan ni Kristo, nabubuhay at naghahari kasama mo at ng Espiritu Santo, iisang Diyos, magpasawalang hanggan. Amen.

Tula Alay sa Ina ng mga Walang Mag-ampon, Birhen ng Marikina

Turuan Mo ang Aking Pusong Tumibok
(Tulang alay sa Ina ng mga Walang Mag-ampon, Birhen ng Marikina)

Hipuin mo ang aking pusong
umiibig nang seryoso
ngunit hindi pa rin perpekto.
Ituro mo kung paano ito dapat tumibok,
kung paano ito mabuhay ng banal,
kung paano ito mamatay ng may ipinaglalaban;
kung paano ko ito maiaalay:

tulad ng iyong puso—
maawain, maalam at matamis—
para sa mga kapuspalad ng aming bayan.
Sa mga nanlilimos sa dyip, turuan mong tumibok.
Sa harap ng may kapansanan, turuan mong tumibok.
Sa mga inampon na ng lansangan, turuan mong tumibok.
Sa mga nagkasala sa akin, turuan mong tumibok.
Dahil ang puso ko'y sa 'yo, Ina.
Turuan mo rin sanang tumibok sa mga walang mag-ampon.

Ang buhay mong puno ng katahimikan
at pagtitiwala ay nag-iwan sa akin ng susundang landas.
Naunawaan mong nasa mga kamay ng Diyos
ang iyong buhay. Sa gitna ng alinlangan at takot,
pinili mong sa Kanya pa rin sumunod.
Kaya turuan mo rin sana akong sumunod sa Kanya
kahit pa itong puso ko ay naliligalig
sa dami ng pangamba,
sa dami ng takot
at pag-aalinlangan sa plano ng Diyos.

Pahimlayin itong aking puso, Ina,
at ibulong sa akin ang mga salita
ng pag-ibig mong nakauunawa
sa kabutihan ng Diyos
sa taong tulad ko: takot at mahina.

Pagninilay tungkol sa Mabuting Pastol

Ang isang lider na nagmamalasakit ay hindi lamang tinatawag na lider. Sa Simbahang Katolika, ang tawag sa kanya ay Pastol. Kapag sinabi mong pastol...ang pastol ay nangangalaga sa kanyang mga tupa. Ano ba'ng pagkakaiba ng tupa sa ibang hayop? Ang isang tupa ay medyo may 'katangahan'. Alam ninyo kumbakit? Sapagkat lagi silang magkakasama at nagkakatipon ng mga kasama niyang tupa. Maya-mayang kaunti, maghahanap siya ng 'greener pasture' at lalayo pa ng kaunti at merong makikita sa bandang dulo, tumitingin siya sa mga kasama, nandoon pa rin sila at malilibang siya.

At kapag siya ay nalibang, siya'y mawawala at kapag hindi niya nakita ang mga kasamahan niyang tupa, hindi siya maghahanap. Ang isang tupang nawawala ay iikot nang iikot, hindi katulad ng aso. Kapag ang aso ay nalibang at nawala, walang hanggang amuyan papunta sa kanyang tahanan. Ang tupa ay iikot nang iikot lamang.

Alam niyo ang gagawin ng pastol? Ang pastol ay iiwan ang 99 na tupa at hahanapin iyong nag-iisa. Kapag hindi iyon nahanap, ang tupang iyon ay mamamatay sa kaiikot. Nakita niyo na ba, na kapag ang isang tupa ay natagpuan ng pastol, hindi ito hinahatak. Ito'y binubuhat sa kanyang balikat sapagkat karaniwan ang tupa ay hilong-hilo na. At iyan ang isang pastol...may malasakit sa kanyang mga tupa.

Hinahanap ng tupa ang tinig ng kaniyang pastol, at silang lahat ay sumusunod sa kanya. Ang ating Santo Papa, kasama ng mga Obispo at buong kaparian, ay mga pastol. Pinakikinggan natin sapagkat sila'y nagsasalita at nangungusap. Sa pamamagitan ng kanilang katungkulan, binibigkas nila ang salita ng tunay na Pastol, si Hesukristo.

Ikaw, bilang tupa, nakikinig ka ba sa iyong Pastol?

Are you willing to follow Jesus?

Let’s begin with what Jesus didn’t mean. Many people interpret “cross” as some burden they must carry in their lives: a strained relationship, a thankless job, a physical illness. With self-pitying pride, they say, “That’s my cross I have to carry.” Such an interpretation is not what Jesus meant when He said, “Take up your cross and follow Me.”

When Jesus carried His cross up Golgotha to be crucified, no one was thinking of the cross as symbolic of a burden to carry. To a person in the first-century, the cross meant one thing and one thing only: death by the most painful and humiliating means human beings could develop.

Two thousand years later, Christians view the cross as a cherished symbol of atonement, forgiveness, grace, and love. But in Jesus’ day, the cross represented nothing but torturous death. Because the Romans forced convicted criminals to carry their own crosses to the place of crucifixion, bearing a cross meant carrying their own execution device while facing ridicule along the way to death.

Therefore, “Take up your cross and follow Me” means being willing to die in order to follow Jesus. This is called “dying to self.” It’s a call to absolute surrender. After each time Jesus commanded cross bearing, He said, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?” Although the call is tough, the reward is matchless.

Wherever Jesus went, He drew crowds. Although these multitudes often followed Him as Messiah, their view of who the Messiah really was—and what He would do—was distorted. They thought the Christ would usher in the restored kingdom. They believed He would free them from the oppressive rule of their Roman occupiers. Even Christ’s own inner circle of disciples thought the kingdom was coming soon. When Jesus began teaching that He was going to die at the hands of the Jewish leaders and their Gentile overlords, His popularity sank. Many of the shocked followers rejected Him. Truly, they were not able to put to death their own ideas, plans, and desires, and exchange them for His.

Following Jesus is easy when life runs smoothly; our true commitment to Him is revealed during trials. Jesus assured us that trials will come to His followers. Discipleship demands sacrifice, and Jesus never hid that cost.

If you wonder if you are ready to take up your cross, consider these questions:
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing some of your closest friends?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means alienation from your family?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means the loss of your reputation?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your job?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your life?

In some places of the world, these consequences are reality. But notice the questions are phrased, “Are you willing?” Following Jesus doesn’t necessarily mean all these things will happen to you, but are you willing to take up your cross? If there comes a point in your life where you are faced with a choice—Jesus or the comforts of this life—which will you choose?

Commitment to Christ means taking up your cross daily, giving up your hopes, dreams, possessions, even your very life if need be for the cause of Christ. Only if you willingly take up your cross may you be called His disciple. The reward is worth the price. Jesus followed His call of death to self (“Take up your cross and follow Me”) with the gift of life in Christ: “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it”.

Sino si Hesus para sa iyo?

Ang tagpuan sa Ebanghelyo ngayon, ang Caesarea Philippi, ay hindi teritoryo ng mga Hudyo. Mas maraming pagano ang nakatira roon. Sa lugar na ito tinanong ni Hesus ang kanyang mga disipulo kung ano ba ang tingin sa kanya ng mga tao. Hindi niya tinanong kung naiintindihan ba ng mga tao ang pangangaral niya kundi kung ano ang pagkakilala sa kanya ng mga iyon.  Narinig natin ang sagot ng mga tao: may nagsabing siya si Juan Bautista, o si Elias o si Jeremias at yung ibang walang masagot ay nagsabing isa siya sa mga propeta. (Siyempre alam natin ngayon na hindi lamang Siya isa sa mga propeta.)

Nagustuhan marahil ni Hesus ang sagot ng mga tao. Ngunit nagpatuloy siya sa pagtatanong dahil may nais siyang patunayan. At sa pagkakataong ito, mas mahirap na ang tanong dahil nangangailangan ito ng mas personal na sagot: "Sino ako para sa iyo?"

Marahil natahimik ang mga disipulo, nagsikuhan o nagkatinginan muna—parang mga estudyanteng nangingiming sumagot sa tanong ng guro. Marahil may inaasahan silang may isa sa kanilang grupo ang sasagot sa tanong ni Hesus. Kaya si Simon Pedro, ang itinuturing na lider ng grupo, ay nagtangkang sumagot: "Kayo po ang Mesiyas, ang Tagapagligtas, ang Anak ng Diyos."

Ikinalugod ni Hesus ang sagot ngunit sinabi niyang hindi kay Simon Pedro o sa talinong taglay ng isang mangingisda o sa tagal ng kanilang pinagsamahan nagmula ang sagot kundi sa kapangyarihan ng Ama. Sa Diyos nagmula ang inspirasyon kaya ganoon ang naging sagot ni Simon Pedro. Mapalad si Simon Pedro dahil nagpakilala ang Diyos sa kanya ng personal.

Kung ako kaya ang tanungin ni Hesus—"Sino ako para sa 'yo?"—paano ko kaya sasagutin? 

Marami akong puwedeng isagot: kapatid, kaibigan, kasama, guro, tagapagtanggol, tagatubos ng kasalanan...walang katapusan ang maaaring ilista rito. Subalit may mga tanong na hindi kailangan ng sagot. Minsan, kailangan lang nating pagnilayan kumbakit ba tayo tinatanong dahil doon makikita natin ang kalooban ng nagtatanong. Hindi kailangang sumagot; baka mas kailangan natin ang makinig. Baka mas kailangan nating kilalanin ang nagtatanong kaysa isipin kung ano ang isasagot.

Noong tinanong ng Diyos sina Adan at Eba—"Nasaan kayo?"—hindi Siya nagtatanong kung saang lupalop sila napadpad. Iniimbitahan sila ng Diyos na pagnilayan nila kung nasaan ang kanilang kalooban, kung bakit napalayo sila sa Diyos.

Ganoon din siguro ang paraan ng pagtatanong ni Hesus. Nag-iimbita siyang pagnilayan natin kung sino ba siya sa ating personal na kalooban. Kung nasaan ba si Hesus sa ating mga puso. Malapit ba siya o malayo? O kumbakit tinatanong niya rin tayo kung nakikita ba natin siya sa ating buhay.

Naniniwala akong si Hesus ay buhay at kasama pa rin natin hanggang ngayon. Nararamdaman ko ang kanyang presensya sa pamamagitan ng paggalaw sa aking buhay ng handog niyang Espiritu Santo. Mas mabuti sigurong harapin ang buhay nang kinikilala si Hesus kaysa itigil sandali ang buhay upang maisip kung ano ang isasagot sa tanong ni Hesus. Dahil sa mismong buhay natin makikita si Hesus.

Sa personal na karanasan, naramdaman ko ang misteryong pagkilos ng Espiritu Santo. Isang hapon, habang nagninilay ay natanong ko ang aking sarili, bakit kaya sa tagal ko nang nasa Parish Youth Ministry at sa dalas kong pagpunta sa simbahan, ni hindi ko naramdamang may Vocation Ministry? Siyempre hindi ko iyon masagot, ngunit ipinagdasal kong sana'y makilala ko rin ang mga kasapi ng Vocation Ministry dahil sa likod ng aking isip, ninanais kong makasali roon upang makatulong sa aking paglago bilang kabataang naghahangad mapaglingkuran ang Diyos sa pamamagitan ng pagsagot sa tawag ng bokasyon. Noong gabi ring iyon, may balitang dumating na di ko inaasahan. Sa isang iglap, magbabago pala ang pamunuan ng Vocation Ministry at tinanong ako ni Padre kung maaari kong tanggapin ang isang posisyon doon. Naisip ko, ganoon pala magpakilala ang Diyos. Hindi mo Siya makikita pero mararamdaman mong Siya nga iyon na kumikilos sa aking buhay.

Ito ngayon ang ikalawa at huli kong punto tungkol sa Ebanghelyo ngayong Linggo. Kalakip ng pagpapakilala ni Hesus ay ang imbitasyong sundan Siya. Nakilala ni Simon Pedro si Hesus kaya tinawag siya upang maging bato na magsisilbing sandigan ng Simbahan. At ang pagtawag ng Diyos ay walang hanggan; hindi matatalo kahit ng kamatayan. Subalit nasa atin ang kalayaan sa pagsagot. 

Kaya naman noong ako'y imbitahan ni Padre na maging kasapi ng Vocation Ministry, gaya noong imbitahan niya rin akong tulungan ang Tarcisian Adorers ng simbahan, sumagot ako ng "oo" pagkatapos kong manalangin sa Diyos na tulungan Niya ako sa aking pagsagot.

Patuloy ang pagpapakilala ng Diyos. Patuloy ang pagtawag ng Diyos. Nasa ating mga palad kung kikilalanin natin Siya, at kung papakinggan natin ang tawag Niya. Patuloy tayong magdasal at magnilay upang makilala natin nang lubos si Hesus sa ating buhay. At kung mayroon Siyang ginagawang pagtawag, ipanalangin nating huwag tayong matakot na pakinggan at sundin ang tawag Niya. Amen.

Contemplating the Call of Matthew.

“Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus saw Matthew, sitting at his customs table, Jesus must have seen how the people despised this tax collector. Jesus had to sense that this kind of resentment and rejection did things to a tax collector. He had to immediately feel compassion on Matthew and what it had done to him. Had it made him defensive and thick skinned? Had he become gruff and insensitive to others? Did he bark and push others away?

I imagine that the first thing Matthew noticed was how Jesus was looking at him. Could it have been that the first experience Matthew had of Jesus was that Jesus was simply looking at him in a way no one had ever looked at him? When their eyes met, Matthew must have seen love and compassion, not blame and judgment. Jesus did not look on him with hate and contempt. Jesus simply looked at him with care.

As I picture the scene, Matthew immediately sensed that Jesus somehow understood the predicament he was in. He got himself into this and he'd not been an attractive character at all. He played the role people had put him in. But, Jesus didn't fix him in that role somehow. Before he uttered a word, Jesus' eyes must have said to Matthew, "I know this isn't really you. I understand how much playing this role is distorting you, souring you, hardening you." It was as though Jesus' face, and the sadness it revealed, reflected the sadness in Matthew's heart.

"Follow me." The words must have made their ways straight to Matthew's heart. Never had his heart been so opened by such understanding, compassion and loving acceptance. For a moment, he must have thought, "Me? I'm just a ... I can't change ... I'm stuck here ... And, what'll they say about ..." But, those protests surely were replaced with something responding from deep inside that welcomed this call, this liberation, this vote of confidence more than anything in the world. Without a word, with their eyes still locked in that communication of intimacy, Matthew's heart said, "Yes! Amen! I'm yours!" Nothing else had a hold on him. There were no excuses, doubts or fears. Matthew had been healed as he had been called. His yes was his surrender to being loved.

Can we look up from our own custom table today and see Jesus looking at us with compassion and love? He knows and understands whatever has us locked into roles, images, patterns that aren't very attractive and that we don't really like about ourselves. Can we let ourselves experience and feel his love? On the other side of that loving acceptance, there's a freedom to imagine him calling us today, in our situation, and say "Follow me."

Reflection on the Most Lovable Heart of Jesus.

We have three Hearts to adore in our Savior which, nevertheless, are but one single Heart by their intimate union. The first is his divine Heart, which is God, for God is love; it is also the eternal love of the Word in the bosom of the Father which, with the love of the Father, is the source of the Spirit. The second is his spiritual Heart, which is the higher function of his soul, where the Holy Spirit wonderfully lives and reigns, and concentrates the treasures of the wisdom and knowledge of God; it is also his human will, whose work is love, love to the extent of laying down his life for us in obedience to the Father. Finally, the third is the organ of the body, hypostatically united to the Word, shaped by the Holy Spirit from the blood of his loving mother and pierced by a lance on the cross.

The most lovable Heart of Jesus is a furnace of love. He loves the Father eternally, immensely, and infinitely. He loves his Mother without measure or limit, which is abundantly proven by the inconceivable graces he has granted her. He also loves the Church—triumphant, suffering and militant—whose sacraments, especially the Eucharist, which is a summary of all the wonders of God’s goodness, are so many inexhaustible sources of grace and holiness flowing, as from an ocean, from the Sacred Heart of our Savior. Finally, he loves each and every one of us as he is loved by the Father. That is why he did everything and suffered everything to withdraw us from the abyss of evil in which we have been thrown by our sinfulness, and made us children of God, members of Christ, heirs of God with Christ, having the same kingdom that the Father gave his Son.

Our duty to this most loving Heart consists in this: that we adore him, praise him, bless him, glorify him, give him thanks and ask his forgiveness for ail that he suffered because of our sins; also, that we offer him, in atonement, all the joy given him by those who love and all the affliction endured by us for the sake of his love; and finally, that we love him fervently. We must also make use of this Heart, because it is ours: the eternal Father, the Holy Spirit, Mary, and Jesus himself have given it to us, to be our refuge in need, our revelation in doubt, and our treasure in difficulty. Moreover, they gave it to us not only to be the model and norm of our life, but also to be our very own Heart, so that we might, through this wonderful Heart, fulfill our duty to God and neighbor.