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.

The importance of the birth of St. John the Baptist.

The Church observes the birth of John as a hallowed event. We have no such commemoration for any other fathers; but it is significant that we celebrate the birthdays of John and of Jesus. This day cannot be passed by. And even if my explanation does not match the dignity of the feast, you may still meditate on it with great depth and profit.

John is born of a woman too old for childbirth; Christ was born of a youthful virgin. The news of John’s birth was met with incredulity, and his father was struck dumb. Christ’s birth was believed, and he was conceived through faith.

John, then, appears as the boundary between the two testaments, the old and the new. That he is a sort of boundary the Lord himself bears witness, when he speaks of the law and the prophets up until John the Baptist. Thus he represents times past and is the herald of the new era to come. As a representative of the past, he is born of aged parents; as herald of the new, he is declared to be a prophet while still in his mother’s womb. For when yet unborn, he leapt in his mother’s womb at the arrival of blessed Mary. In that womb he had already been designated a prophet, even before he was born; it was revealed that he was to be Christ’s precursor, before they ever saw one another. These are divine happenings, going beyond the limits of our human fraility. Eventually he is born, he receives his name, his father’s tongue is loosened. See how these events reflect reality.

Zechariah is silent and loses his voice until John, the precursor of the Lord, is born and restores his voice. The silence of Zechariah is nothing but the age of prophecy lying hidden, obscured, as it were, and concealed before the preaching of Christ. At John’s arrival, it becomes clear when the one who was being prophesied is about to come. The release of Zechariah’s voice at the birth of John is a parallel to the rending of the veil at Christ’s crucifixion. If John were announcing his own coming, Zechariah’s lips would not have been opened. The tongue is loosened because a voice is born. For when John was preaching the Lord’s coming he was asked: Who are you? And he replied: I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness. The voice is John, but the Lord in the beginning was the Word. John was a voice that lasted only for a time; Christ, the Word in the beginning, is eternal.

Aba Ginoong Maria.

ABA GINOONG MARIA. Sa aking palagay, malamang ito ang isa sa mga unang panalangin itunuro sa atin ng ating mga magulang. Isang panalanging ipinasa sa ating mga lolo at lola, ng kanilang mga lola at lolo. Ilang beses ko na rin kasing nasaksihan ito sa aming parokya. Kung paano itinuturo ng isang ina o isang ama ang panalanging ito sa kanyang anak. Bago umalis ng bahay at pumasok sa paaralan. Bago kumain ng hapunan matapos maglaro. Bago matulog matapos gawin ang assignment.

Malamang, unang nagisnan din natin ang panalanging ito mula sa mga madre at mga katekista. Sa unang pagtanggap natin ng mga sakramento ng simbahan. Sa binyag. Sa unang kumpisal. Sa ating first communion. At tila nga nakagisnan na rin natin ang panalanging ito sa iba’t ibang panahon ng ating simbahan. Tuwing Oktubre. Tuwing Pasko at Bagong Taon. Tuwing Biyernes Santo at Linggo ng Muling Pagkabuhay.


Madalas nga, hindi tayo malay na isinasambit na pala natin ang panalanging ito sa samu’t saring ritwal nating mga Pinoy. Bilang panghele sa anak. Habang nagbabantay sa ospital. Habang nakasakay sa FX papuntang opisina. Madalas, nananalangin tayo sa ating Mahal na Ina, kung may hinihiling tayo. Bago tayo mag-abroad para magtrabaho ay dinadalaw natin siya sa Antipolo. Bago tayo mag job interview ay nagno-nobena tayo sa Baclaran. Bago tayo mag-board exam ay dumadayo pa tayo sa Manaoag. 


Napapansin ko nga, madalas may mga rosaryong nakatago sa ating mga bulsa. Lalo nga itong patagong nakalihim sa bulsa ng mga kalalakihan o lantaran na ring nakasabit sa mga motorbike. Ginagamit man natin itong agimat o panlaban sa masama. Ito ang ating dala-dala, construction worker man tayo sa site o sales lady sa isang department store. At inilalabas mula sa taguan at idinadasal habang nakatirik ang dyip sa trapik. O di naman kaya’y kung tayo ay pauwi na, sakay sa MRT.

At madalas kung tayo’y nagkaka-krisis bilang pamilya o sambayanan, ito ang panalanging paulit-ulit nating binabanggit. Nakakailang Aba Ginoong Maria kaya ang isang ina habang hinihintay ang resulta ng kanyang biopsy test? Nakakailang Aba Ginoong Maria kaya ang isang tatay habang isinusugod ang anak na naaksidente at duguan? At nakakailang Aba Ginong Maria kaya ang isang binata habang hinihintay niya ang sagot ng kasintahang nililigawan?

At kung titingnan natin ang kasaysayan ng ating bansa, ilang daang Aba Ginoong Maria kaya ang isinamo ng mga katipunero para makamit ang kalayaan? Ilang daang Aba Ginoong Maria kaya ang ipinalangin ng mga gerilya sa gitna ng digmaan? At ilang libong Aba Ginoong Maria kaya ang isinamo sa EDSA noong 1986 at 2001 sa gitna ng di katiyakan at pag-aalinlangan?
Kung ito ang panalanging ating unang natutunan, tila ito rin ang huling panalanging ating isinasambit sa bingit ng kamatayan. Nabalitaan natin noon kung paano yumao si Pangulong Cory Aquino. Sa ikalimang misteryo ng hapis, huling huminga raw ang ating mahal na Pangulo. At sa mga sumunod na araw, ating nasaksihan kung paano inihatid ng panalanging ito si Tita Cory mula simbahan hanggang sa kanyang huling hantungan. 

Bakit kaya malapit sa ating mga puso ang panalanging ito? Sa aking palagay, may tatlong dahilan kung bakit nakagisnan at nakaukit na sa ating mga puso ang panalangin ni Maria. Unang dahilan: dahil sa biyaya at pangako. Ikalawang dahilan: dahil sa galak at pasasalamat. At ikatlong dahilan: dahil sa pagsamo at pagapapaubaya. 

At habang patuloy nating dinarasal ang Aba Ginoong Maria, mamumulat tayo na lalalim ang ating pananampalataya, pag-asa at pagmamahal. Sa gitna ng biyaya at pangako, namamayani pala ang pananampalataya. Sa gitna ng galak at pasasalamat, matatagpuan pala ang pag-asa. At sa gitna ng pagsamo at pagpapaubaya, magwawagi pala ang pagmamahal. 

Kaya naman, hanggang may isang batang nagdarasal ng Aba Ginoong Maria nang buong pananampalataya, malalampasan natin ang disyerto at makakamit natin ang lupang pangako. Naniniwala akong hanggang may isang binatang nakaluhod at nagdarasal ng Aba Ginoong Maria, may pag-asa pa rin ang ating bayan. At hanggang may isang lolo na nagdarasal ng Aba Ginoong Maria sa tabi ng kanyang irog, limampung taon na ang nakararaan, mamamayani pa rin ang pagmamahal natin sa kapuwa at sa bayan.

Kaya marahil sa kasaysayan ng ating mga pamilya at sa kasaysayan ng bayan, tugmang-tugma ang panalanging ito. Sa panahon man ng kagipitan at di katiyakan, nariyan ang ating Mahal na Ina. Akmang-akma ang panalanging ito, maging isa man tayong sundalong isinabak sa Mindanao, o isang pulis na gustong manatiling tapat kahit corrupt na ang hepe ng kanyang himpilan. Tugmang-tugma ang panalanging ito, maging estudyante man tayo ng Ateneo, taas-noong inaawit pa rin ito sa gitna ng pagkatalo o di kaya’y isang sastre sa Sapang Palay, tuwang-tuwa na nakapasa ang kanyang anak sa UP. At masasamahan tayo ng panalanging ito sa gitna ng kadiliman at kahirapan. Sa simbahan na matatagpuan sa tagpi-tagping barung-barong sa Navotas na malapit nang ma-demolish. O di kaya’y sa mga nagsisilakihang mga simbahan sa Roma at Milan, punung-puno ng ating mga kababayang sabik umuwi dahil malayo sa mga pinanggalingan. Mapapasaatin ang panalanging ito sa gitna ng paghahanap natin ng kasagutan sa napakasalimuot na suliranin ng ating bayan. Sa gitna ng mga tanong na tila walang kasagutan.

Batid kong lahat tayo ay may mga ipinapanalanging mga biyaya at pangako. Batid kong lahat tayo ay may nais ipaabot na galak at pasasalamat. At batid kong lahat tayo ay may itinatagong mga pagsamo at pagpapapaubaya. Kaya’t sa gitna ng katahimikan at sa gabay ng ating Mahal na Ina, taglay ang pananampalataya, pag-asa at pagmamahal, lagi at lagi sana tayong manalangin:

Aba Ginoong Maria, napupuno ka ng grasya.
Ang Panginoong Diyos ay sumasaiyo.
Bukod kang pinagpala sa babaeng lahat
At pinagpala rin naman ang iyong Anak na si Hesus.
Santa Maria, Ina ng Diyos.
Ipanalangin mo kaming makasalanan.
Ngayon at kung kami’y mamamatay.
Amen.

Panalangin sa Araw ng mga Ina

Diyos na pinagmumulan ng Buhay
Diyos ng mga babaeng banal tulad nina Sara, Ruth, at Rebecca.
Diyos ni Elisabet na ina ni Juan Bautista

Diyos ng Mahal na Birheng Maria na ina ng iyong Anak na si Hesu-Kristo,
dinggin po ninyo ang aming panalangin, at pagkalooban ng pagbabasbas
ang lahat ng mga ina at lolang natitipon sa lugar na ito.

Basbasan mo po sila ng lakas na nagmumula sa iyong Banal na Espiritu
sapagkat sa pamamagitan nila natutunan ng mga anak at apo
kung paanong tumayo at lumakad,
kung paanong magsalita at maglaro,
at kung paanong makalapit sa Iyong banal na harapan
sa pamamagitan ng tapat na pananalangin.

Pagkalooban mo po sila ng biyayang makiisa sa Iyong Banal na Hapag
at matanggap ang Pagkaing nagbibigay buhay
sapagkat sila ang mga nagtaguyod at nagpakain sa amin
at sila din ang nagturo sa amin kung paanong itaguyod ang aming mga sarili
at ang aming mga pamilya.

Pagkalooban mo po sila ng kalusugan at kapayapaan,
ng galak at kaligayahan,
at ng pagkakataong kami’y kanilang maipagmalaki bilang mga anak.

Pagkalooban mo din po sila ng mga kaibigang mananatiling tapat
upang kanilang patuloy na madama ang Iyong pagkalinga’t pagmamahal.

Gayundin aming isinasama sa panalangin ang mga babaeng walang nakakaalaala
lalo na ang mga tahimik na itinataguyod ang kanilang pamilya,
naglilingkod ng may kababaang-loob, at nagtitiis ng hirap sa buhay para sa kapakanan ng kanilang asawa’t mga anak.

Kaya ang aming hiling, O Diyos ng kadalisayan,
na ika’y manahan sa aming lahat na naririto,
sa ngalan ng Ama, at ng Anak, at ng Espiritu Santo. Amen.

Ina ng mga Walang Mag-ampon, ipanalangin mo kami.

Ang kababaang-loob ng Diyos ay katumbas ng kalayaan ng tao.

Ngayong araw ay ipinagdiriwang natin ang dakilang kapistahan ng Pagpapahayag ng Diyos kay Maria sa pamamagitan ni Anghel Gabriel, o ang Solemn Feast of the Annunciation. Inaalala natin kung paanong dalawang libing taon na ang nakalipas ay humingi ng pabor ang Diyos sa tao. Nangyari ito noong hilingin ng Diyos kay Maria na maging ina ng Kanyang Anak, sa pamamagitan ng Espiritu Santo. 

Tinanong si Maria. Mayroon siyang pagpipilian. Maaari siyang humindi lalo na't alam naman nating nakatakda siyang pakasal kay Jose. Subalit, narinig natin ang matamis niyang "Oo." At dahil sa kanyang pagpayag, natupad ang plano ng Diyos na tayo ay matubos sa kasalanan.

Sa maraming pagkakataon, humaharap tayo sa mga sitwasyon na nangangailangan ng mabigat at seryosong pagdedesisyon. Ang bawat desisyon ay may nakaambang marami pang pagdedesisyon kalaunan. 

Ang kababaang-loob ng ating Diyos ang misteryo ng bawat bokasyon. Ang Diyos, na Siyang nakababatid ng lahat—na nakakakilala sa ating lahat, kung sino tayo, ano ang kaya at himdi natin kayang gawin—ay salamin ng pagpapakumbaba. Na sa tuwing tatawag Siya sa atin, una Niyang gagawin ay tanungin muna tayo: "Is it alright for you..." dahil nirerespeto Niya ang ating kalayaang pumili. 

Nahihiwatigan talaga ako kung naiisip na katumbas ng pagpapakumbaba ng Diyos ang kalayaan natin bilang tao. Na tunay ngang nais ng Diyos na tayo'y maging masaya sa bawat natin pagdedesisyon, sagutin man natin ng "oo" o "hindi" ang Kanyang tawag o imbitasyon.

Profile Picture of the Holy Family.

Looking closely at the way Jesus, Mary, and Joseph lived, we can find striking patterns and parallel lines of self-sacrifice, of self-giving. Mary opened herself to the far greater plan of God, instead of pursuing her own dream of settling down with Joseph in marriage. She did this though she must have been scared of the uncertainty of being an unmarried mother. Joseph wanted to divorce Mary quietly after finding himself in that uncomfortable truth about her. And yet he made a difficult decision to marry her, if only to protect her and her child from whatever harm that could befall them. Jesus carried out the will of the Father to become one like us, setting aside the dignity of his divine origin, living the life of a humble human being, and finally embracing the fearful and gruesome death with the words: “Not my will but yours be done, Father”– and all these for the sake of bringing us salvation!

This is what brought the Holy Family together; and it is the profile picture of both parents and the child who are identified with one sterling quality of being a person given to the other, to others. Life for them – at least the early part – must have been anything but a continuously idyllic and tranquil family life. They had to deal with great challenges. But how do you think Mary and Joseph managed to address the physical demands of traveling to Bethlehem while Mary was pregnant? How did she give birth to Jesus in an animal stable as her makeshift delivery room? And how could they have bravely gone through the dark night of that tremendous threat to the life of their child, ending up in a foreign land, and having to relocate again afterwards to Nazareth? How did they go through all these heroically, if not for that willingness to give themselves to a higher cause, for the sake of something far greater than themselves?

At a time when many families are breaking up and breaking down, the Holy Family presents itself as our source of great hope and consolation. There is perhaps no other way to keep each family intact and moving onwards except through the virtue of sheer self-sacrifice and self-giving for each other in the family.

May the Holy Family intercede for all families that they may remain one and united in the years ahead!

Happy Feast of St. Augustine!

"What then, brethren, shall we say of God? For if you have been able to comprehend what you would say, it is not God; if you have been able to comprehend it, you have comprehended something else instead of God. If you have been able to comprehend Him as you think, by so thinking you have deceived yourself. This then is not God, if you have comprehended it; but if it be God, you have not comprehended it. How therefore would you speak of that which you can not comprehend?" - St. Augustine


HAPPY FEAST OF ST. AUGUSTINE!  (Aug 28)