Daily Reflections

July 31, 2011
FROM THE HEART

The late Fr. Pascual Adorable, SJ, whom Buklod-Marriage Encounter members lovingly called “Fr. Ado,” loved to repeat in his talks: “It is the love, not only the power, of Jesus that heals us.” The Gospel narrative about Jesus’ miracle of feeding the five thousand validates this. As the evangelist stresses, it was the pity or compassion that Jesus felt in His heart that made Him do the great favor of healing people, teaching them and feeding them.
The mind tends to divide, dichotomize, distinguish. The mind argues and justifies. The heart, on the contrary, opens, reaches out, touches, empathizes, sympathizes, understands. Hence, the heart, which many times expresses itself in music and arts, has a universal appeal. It bridges people, regardless of race, color and creed. The heart appeals to our common humanity and, therefore, to human solidarity.
Christian ministry is not so much a challenge to preach the Good News through creative and discursive ways. Many a times, the simpler and more humane way of ministry — one that comes from the heart — is what proves effective. People are impressed by ideas but they are moved not by ideas. Passion from the heart is what truly touches people. With a sincere passion, people identify with another’s vision. The scribes and the Pharisees were persons of intelligence and ideas. They were respected and were seen as a group apart. Jesus, on the contrary, spoke about God’s truth from His heart. People began to say, “He speaks with a different authority... not like the scribes and the Pharisees.” Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
Recall some persons whom you consider as “heart persons.” Recall also some persons who impress you as “head persons.” Compare the impact of their words and works to your life.

May my words and works, Lord, always come from my heart and speak of Your love for Your people.

St. Neot, pray for us.

Daily Reflections

July 30, 2011
THE PROBLEM WITH PROPHETS

Prophets are the mouthpiece of God. This is the literal meaning of the Hebrew word, “nab.” Prophets are God’s gift to a nation, to a church, to a community. In the Old Testament, Yahweh always tried to bring back the Israelites to the path of righteousness through the ministry of prophets. In our Gospel, we hear how even King Herod was touched by the proclamations of John, the last prophet.
Like King Herod, though, we live to regret that we never heed the words and follow the examples of prophets. Like Herod, we tend to appreciate prophets after they are gone. As the proverbial words of the Holy Book puts it, “No prophet is acceptable in his native place.” To this we can add, “No prophet is acceptable in his own time!”
What makes prophets hard to accept?
1. Prophets are not diplomats. We want to hear about mistakes and the need to reform our ways, but we want this expressed in a gentle and kind manner. However, the prophets are often too naive, too plain and too loud with their words. They do not sugar-coat their talk. They seem to be imprudent at times, too sharp with the way they teach.
2. Prophets confront us with their ways. More than their words, prophets challenge us with their ways, their lifestyle. They reveal to us that it is not impossible to live with the ideals of humility, simplicity, truthfulness, chastity of mind and heart. They make us see that what sets us apart from our ideals is not impossibility but our lack of resolve and our compromising ways. They mirror to us the best of self that we fail to achieve.
3. Prophets make us envy their joy. We take a lot of effort and a lot of detours in trying to be happy and blessed. Prophets show us a direct way that we oftentimes fail and do not want to embrace: the way of detachment and simplicity. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
Have you known someone whom you can consider as a present-day prophet? What makes you regard this person as a prophet? What attracts you to him? What do you find difficult to follow and accept in him?

Lord, send us prophets every now and then who will challenge us to reform our ways.

St. Hatebrand, pray for us.

Daily Reflections

July 29, 2011
THE WORRIER is A SAINT

We have often been unkind to Martha, the saint whose feast we commemorate today. Preachers have the tendency to generate more sympathy and admiration for her younger sister, Mary, who opted to sit and listen to Jesus. Many times, we caricature Martha as the incessant doer, the anxious worker who tends to compare her busyness with the seemingly uncaring attitude of her sister, Mary. Biblicists say that Martha was probably the eldest of already orphaned siblings, so she was the one who took charge of things at home whenever important guests like Jesus would come.
But St. John’s Gospel story on the death of Lazarus brings us the positive side of the practical Martha. Amidst the sorrow she felt about the demise of her brother, Martha went out to welcome Jesus who arrived rather late as Lazarus had been buried for four days. It was a Jewish belief that if a person has been dead for four days, his spirit has already left the earth. Hence, any hope for resuscitation is nil. Nonetheless, Martha came out to welcome the tardy Jesus. Mary, the contemplative one, decided to stay at home, probably feeling bad about the whole event.
The practical Martha, with her concern about the daily flow of life, must have said to herself, “Lazarus is dead; life must go on.” For her, there was no room to sulk in pain and grief. Being the eldest, if indeed she was, she needed to buoy the hope and gladness of the rest of the household.
Indeed, without meaning to demean those who are prayerful, it could happen that our prayerfulness can make us detached and unrealistic about the events in life. It could happen that our inclination to meditate and contemplate can make us slow to face up to the harshness of life’s inevitable moments.
Rather than be engaged in the arguments, Martha or Mary, action or contemplation, let us ask for the gift of integration.Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
Do your faith and spirituality make you face up or gloss over your pains and trials in life? What is real faith for you?

Lord, I need Your grace to be a contemplative in action.

St. Olaf, pray for us.

Daily Reflections

July 28, 2011
HE WANTS THE BEST FOR EVERYONE

I was assigned to be part of the team of formators for the seminary when I was a young priest. At the start of every school year, we would pray fervently that our vocations promoter would find a good number of young men who were interested in training in the seminary and had the calling. But at the end of every school year, we’d find ourselves sifting through those who have gone through the seminary formation with us and making tough decisions on whom to re-admit into the next level of training and whom to advise to go out.
Today’s Gospel makes me realize that this routine in the seminary is a microcosm of God’s work of building His Kingdom. He loves to embrace and welcome all into His “net.” However, in the end, there is also a need for evaluation and judgment. Our desire for quantity must not blind us from considering quality.
The wisdom in Jesus’ parable should be a good guide in our effort to build up our parishes, renewal groups, marriage encounter communities and so on. Much as we want to involve everyone, we also have to balance the number of members with the quality of those whom we invite into the community. The following considerations could help us:
1. Invite and retain people who can share and further our mission and vision. Persons who are convinced of the community’s vision-mission and who have the human, spiritual and material ability to work for it can take on the task of shepherding the community in the future.
2. Discern who can be leaders and those who are committed workers. Be realistic about your expectations of people based on their aptitude, personality and resources. Even St. Thomas Aquinas preached, “God’s grace builds on nature.” Community life is like the body where there are different parts with different competencies.
3. To be realistic is an act of charity. Joy comes with fulfillment; fulfillment can only be achieved according to what God has decreed. Let us not raise false hopes in others. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
Pray for the grace to combine being frank and being gentle in dealing with others, especially in your community and ministry.

Father of the Harvest, send workers to Your Kingdom.

St. Peregrinus, pray for us.

Daily Reflections

July 27, 2011
MANY WAYS TO ONE GOD

I was a member of one of our choirs at the Paco Catholic School when I was a young student. One piece that we had to master was a song entitled “One God.” Part of the lyrics of the song goes: “Many the ways, all of us pray to one God; many the paths winding their way to one God...
One Father, loving each the same.” These words ring loudly in me as I reflect on the two parables about the Kingdom of God in today’s Gospel.
The first parable about the buried treasure highlights how God’s reign and friendship can come to someone in the midst of other preoccupations in life. The stories of a good number of the apostles illustrate the parable. These men encountered the greatest treasure in their lives — Jesus calling them — while they were engaged with their trades. The second parable, which likens God’s Kingdom to a merchant’s search for the best pearl, makes us realize that there are occasions when the treasure is found through a quest.
Whichever way the Lord God chooses to reveal His reign and friendship to us, it is important that we are receptive to the work of His spirit. More importantly, we have to know how to yield to God when He reveals His plan to us. This is usually where the struggle is — in giving our unconditional “yes” to the Lord.
The two parables teach us that the Kingdom of God demands an exchange. The man who accidentally discovered the hidden treasure in the field had to go home and sell all that he had in order to buy the field. The merchant engaged in the search for fine pearls also had to go and sell all his other pearls and gems so that he could buy and possess the pearl of the great price.
When we discover the path to God, we need to make a choice — one choice among many. The hardest choice is a choice among so many goods. Surely, the man’s and the merchant’s other possessions that they had to sell were “good things.” How ready are we to walk with God and follow the path He has chosen for us? Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
Which of the two parables today speak more about your own experience with God and with His plans in your life? Are you enjoying your life with God? What is your secret?

Lord God, give me the courage to say “yes” to Your call for my life. And when I have said my “yes,” help me fulfill it to the best that I can. Amen.

Blessed Titus Brandsma, pray for us.

Daily Reflections

July 26, 2011
GOD ’S GOODNESS AT WORK

It is unfortunate that we do not have official biblical materials on the lives of members of the human family of Jesus. The Gospel writers, working under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, simply wrote about Jesus, His person and His ministry, with some related mention about Joseph and Mary. Perhaps this is the Holy Spirit’s way of keeping our faith focused on the essential: Jesus.
As we honor today Sts. Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and grandparents of Jesus, we can however apply the short Gospel passage on Joachim and Anne by accommodation. Joachim and Anne were not just privileged in the sense that it was from their bloodline that the Incarnate Jesus came. They were blessed with a long life — long enough to witness the fulfillment of the prophecies about the coming Messiah, long enough to have held Jesus in their arms, as did Simeon in the Temple.
I remember two related experiences: First, I used to hear my maternal grandmother mention to our relatives and friends that part of her daily intercession before God is to ask for the blessing of being able to live long enough to see us, children of her only offspring, graduate college. Second, I recall that whenever I solemnize a wedding, one beautiful part of the nuptial blessing is to ask God to let the newly-wedded couple “live to see their children, and their children’s children... in their happy old age.”
Our Gospel proclamation makes us realize: long life and happy old age are not simply prayer requests for oneself. To live long happily is a grace to see God alive and at work in our descendants. To live long and age graciously is to be given the grace to praise and worship God concretely for all His goodness to one’s family. To live long and age graciously is to be blessed with a vocation to lead one’s family to deeper spirituality and prayer. So, start invoking this blessing now — for yourself and for your family.Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
What are your earnest prayers for yourself and the rest of your family?

Father God, I pray for my family. May all of us be an instrument to bring one another closer to You. Amen.

St. Valens, pray for us.

Daily Reflections

July 25, 2011
MOTHERS AND OUR VOCATION STORIES

The story of James and John in our Gospel today is an interesting account about their mother’s intervention with Jesus. It reminds me of my own vocation story. My mother played a great role in motivating me. When I was young, my mother used to bring me along to her devotional practices.
Every Sunday, she and Papa would lead us to church in our Sunday’s best. And every night, she would gather the whole family around our altar for the recitation of the rosary. When I was of age to be admitted as an altar server, she and my godmother introduced me to the kind Belgian priests who were then administering the Parish of San Fernando de Dilao. I then moved on to become a lector, a commentator and even a song leader for the Masses.
I believe that the seed of my vocation came from my mother. I love to repeat in my sharings: “Perhaps if there was an opportunity for women to train inside the seminary as aspirants to the ministry, my mother would have been among the first applicants!” She, more than my father, had the greater desire for me to be a priest. When I was finally ordained in April 3, 1988, my mama was most touched. She cried more than any of us in the family. The day was the answer to her many prayers.
While we thank the Lord God for fathers who provide for our families and who give our families a sense of stability, we do acknowledge that, for the greater number of us, our mothers formed our hearts, souls and spirits. Our mothers greatly molded the gentler side of our life orientation.
Like the mother of James and John, our mothers could have been the ones who really encouraged us into certain advocacy and values that we now find deeply embedded in us. Of course, like the mother of James and John, our mothers may at times come across as too strong and emphatic about their convictions. But we are sure of one thing: Their prayers are always for our well-being and for our success.
So, today, let us say, “Hooray” for mothers!Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
Recall the goodness of life that came to you through your mother. Spend some time praying for the intentions of your mother.

Lord Jesus, help me to respect, obey and take care of my mother as You would want me to, given my state of life.

St. Cucuphas, pray for us.

Daily Reflections

July 24, 2011
NO TWO LOVE STORIES ARE THE SAME

Three years after my ordination to the priesthood in 1988, I began to get involved in the Marriage Encounter Weekend. This experience equipped me with tools for conflict handling and resolution. Over the years, I realized that no two relationships are the same and every love story is unique.
Jesus brings down to the level of His audience His teaching about the Kingdom of God which, by the way, is all about the “reign of God” in our lives. He used parables to illustrate this and the entire 13th chapter of Matthew is devoted to this. It is interesting to note that the treasures have varied stories. The treasure hidden in the field was a surprise for the person who found it. The pearl of great price was one that came to the merchant’s possession through his diligent and deliberate search for something valuable. The marvelous catch of fish was a blessing enjoyed by the fisherman through a combination of his untiring efforts and Divine Providence. Overall, Jesus was driving home the point that our stories of faith and love for God defy stereotypes. This is so because we, humans, are not only unique, but because God Himself is a God of all possibilities.
When I was young, my mother gave me an illustrated book on the lives of saints. I first fell in love with the beautiful pictures of the Apostles, martyrs, virgins, religious priests and nuns who have been officially recognized by the Church as models of holiness. As I read their lives, I marveled at how they all came to one common point: the saintly witness. They were men and women who had their own lives — some serene, some colorful and tumultuous, and so on — but each one had a personal encounter with God who changed them and made them fall in love with Him. St. Augustine, one of my favorites, led a life of pleasure and decadence until God transformed him. Later, in his autobiography entitled Confessions, he wrote, “Oh late have I loved Thee, Ancient Beauty ever new.”Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
To what will you liken your story of faith and love for God? Based on your walk with God, try to make your own parable about the Kingdom of God.

Lord, help me to trust that my walk with You is unique and what’s important is that You are the one leading the way.

St. Lewina, pray for us.

Daily Reflections

July 23, 2011
TO BE GODLY, BE COOL

In today’s Gospel, we read about the wonderful disposition of the owner of the field. Even if he realized that the culprit behind the growth of weeds among his wheat crops was “an enemy,” he did not react as I would have reacted. Had I been the owner, I would have immediately instructed my tenants to pull out the weeds and called in mercenaries to do something against the “enemy” who maliciously planted the weeds.
Beyond the great message about God’s mercy and magnanimity, today’s Gospel teaches us a lesson for day-to-day living. That is, one way to make the best of the life given us is to remain cool in good and bad times. Reactionary ways, even in situations when one is clearly disadvantaged, lead to:
1 . Waste of our time: Instead of moving on and accomplishing more important tasks, our efforts to avenge the wrong done to us eat up our time.
2. Waste of our energies: Bent on punishing the enemy who did us wrong, we spend our intellectual abilities and even our material resources negatively.
3. Waste of our emotional drives: We need passion to do good and to pursue our plans. Instead it is spent on planning and pursuing our revenge.
The option of the owner of the field to just let things be until harvest time, when wheat and weeds will be pulled out anyway, is not just symbolic of God’s magnanimity. It is wisdom. The owner refuses to be enslaved by negativity.
Without trying to be a political analyst, I feel that what actually pulled us down as a nation during the post-Marcos era was because we were so bent on pursuing justice for all the supposed transgressions of the previous leaders. We regressed into past pains and hurts, and we failed to follow the path of transcendence. Late did we find out that justice is always imperfect in this life anyway! Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
How do you take oppositions and attacks in your life? Do you spend so much time trying to get even with those who do you wrong? What is today’s Gospel personally challenging you to do?

Lord, give me a magnanimous heart to be able to accept criticisms.

St. John Cassian, pray for us.

Daily Reflections

July 22, 2011
APOSTLE OF THE HEART

“Apostle to the Apostles.” This has been the traditional title given to Mary Magdalene since the early Church. Although she did not belong to the important group of “The Twelve,” which is regarded as the formal group of leaders in the early church, Mary Magdalene is reported by the Gospels as the privileged one to whom was entrusted the story of the empty tomb — the story, therefore, of the Resurrection of Jesus. With this, she was the bearer of the glad tidings about the Risen Jesus to the Twelve.
Why did the divine plan favour Mary Magdalene as the “Apostle to the Apostles”? Our Gospel reading for today’s feast underlines a sterling quality of the woman from Magdala — her undeniably strong love for Jesus as her teacher. She called Him “Rabbouni,” which literally means “dearest teacher.” In fact, the Gospel story shows that her love for Jesus is stronger than even death itself! She loved to stay in vigil at the tomb of Jesus. For her, whether Jesus was dead or alive, He remains her “number one.”
That the bearer of the Gospel is a person who loves Jesus is of great importance. It is not enough that one brings the Gospel to others with logic and remarkable reasoning. It is not enough that one proclaims the Gospel to others with brilliant eloquence. What moves people is the heart. Heart talk penetrates, inspires, leaves long-lasting impression and speaks to the heart of the other. Heart talk melts opposition. The language of the heart enables us to speak about our faith with all candidness and conviction.
To speak with love and out of love is effective not only for evangelization but for all other human exchanges and transactions. Even in marketing and business deals, faithful clients are gained not simply with impressive sales presentations and superior products. Many a times, connections and friendships count. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
What is your own unique way of bringing the Good News to others? Honestly, have you been effective with your style? Recall moments when you were able to touch people not so much with your arguments but with your appeal that come straight from the heart.

Lord, give me the courage to speak more boldy, but with love, about my faith with others.

St. Movean, pray for us.

Daily Reflections

July 22, 2011
APOSTLE OF THE HEART

“Apostle to the Apostles.” This has been the traditional title given to Mary Magdalene since the early Church. Although she did not belong to the important group of “The Twelve,” which is regarded as the formal group of leaders in the early church, Mary Magdalene is reported by the Gospels as the privileged one to whom was entrusted the story of the empty tomb — the story, therefore, of the Resurrection of Jesus. With this, she was the bearer of the glad tidings about the Risen Jesus to the Twelve.
Why did the divine plan favour Mary Magdalene as the “Apostle to the Apostles”? Our Gospel reading for today’s feast underlines a sterling quality of the woman from Magdala — her undeniably strong love for Jesus as her teacher. She called Him “Rabbouni,” which literally means “dearest teacher.” In fact, the Gospel story shows that her love for Jesus is stronger than even death itself! She loved to stay in vigil at the tomb of Jesus. For her, whether Jesus was dead or alive, He remains her “number one.”
That the bearer of the Gospel is a person who loves Jesus is of great importance. It is not enough that one brings the Gospel to others with logic and remarkable reasoning. It is not enough that one proclaims the Gospel to others with brilliant eloquence. What moves people is the heart. Heart talk penetrates, inspires, leaves long-lasting impression and speaks to the heart of the other. Heart talk melts opposition. The language of the heart enables us to speak about our faith with all candidness and conviction.
To speak with love and out of love is effective not only for evangelization but for all other human exchanges and transactions. Even in marketing and business deals, faithful clients are gained not simply with impressive sales presentations and superior products. Many a times, connections and friendships count. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
What is your own unique way of bringing the Good News to others? Honestly, have you been effective with your style? Recall moments when you were able to touch people not so much with your arguments but with your appeal that come straight from the heart.

Lord, give me the courage to speak more boldy, but with love, about my faith with others.

St. Movean, pray for us.

Daily Reflections

July 21, 2011
LEARNING IS ALSO A MATTER OF THE HEART

Disciples of the Dominican theologian, St. Thomas Aquinas, and those of the Father of the Church, St. Augustine, are often locked in argument. St. Thomas Aquinas used to say, “The more you know, the more you love.” St. Augustine of Hippo, however, presented a seemingly contradictory view: “The more you love, the more you know.” In reality, the two are both true. It is true that more knowledge enables us to lovesomeone more. Knowledge brings understanding, which in turn opens our heart to compassion and empathy. On the other hand, it is also true to say that a loving heart is more open to understand and comprehend.
As Jesus explains to the disciples why He had to speak in parables, His logic combines that of St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine. His teachings and demands are not simply understood by thinking and critical minds. His teachings and demands are accessed by persons whose hearts have love and faith. Unfortunately many of the Jews had nothing in their hearts but hate and suspicion for Jesus. As such, their hearts disabled their minds from truly relishing the good and liberating revelations of Jesus about God’s true plan.
Ignorance is not the block against learning. Bias, pride and pretensions are. These things activate a lot of defenses in a person’s thoughts and feelings to the point that the person may harden up. Worse, no gesture of goodness could touch his heart. The person wallows in an ocean of self-righteousness.
To understand and journey with today’s X-Y-Z generation, for instance, you need to give them a lot of respect and open up to them. Brought up and schooled in the ever evolving world of digital communications, their reason and imagination have become accustomed with expressions that combine letters, numbers, symbols (like @, www, http://), colors, pictures, anime and avatars. But most older people tend to shoot down their creative expression. Pope John Paul II, who grew old with a heart for young people, had a very important expression: “Open wide. Do not be afraid.” Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
How do you take new things that you encounter? Are you challenged or threatened?

Lord, grant me an open heart and mind to accept new things

St. John of Edessa, pray for us.

Daily Reflections

July 20, 2011
PARABLE OF THE GOOD SOWER

On May 8, 2010, Sr. Natividad Valdez, whom we call Apo Madre or Apo Miliang, of the Sister Servants of the Holy Spirit celebrated her 70th year in the religious life. Then on May 26, 2010, her family members and friends joined her in celebrating the Eucharist to thank the Lord for her 100th birthday, not just for giving Apo Madre a long life but a quality life as well. She remains alert and has a joyful disposition.
Wherever she was assigned, Apo Madre went and served with all her heart. Her fellow nuns say that she was capable of a terrible temper now and then, but she was also one who could readily laugh at herself and blend with everyone. And yes, she was one who accompanied everything with a deep sense of prayer. Apo Madre had no room for discouragement. She just went on and on... and she reaped a harvest of contentment and joy.
Our Gospel today is called the Parable of the Sower. The real lesson we must focus on is not from the type of soil but on the person of the Sower who went on scattering the seeds. In the end, his good disposition gave him a harvest: some thirty-fold, some sixty-fold, some a hundred-fold. Experts who study agriculture in Palestine say these results were miraculous since the average yield with the type of soil in Palestine is 7.5 percent.
Jesus narrated the parable to the first disciples so that they, like Him, should remain optimistic even as they face hardships and challenges in serving God and others.
Different kinds of soils —different types of character, levels of enthusiasm and receptivity, cultural adaptabilities — are encountered in mission. The difference, though, does not just depend on soils. The difference can also be created by the healthy and positive outlook of evangelizers. As many organizational and human resource experts today would put it: Amidst the challenges of work and the environment, one may either be simply reactive or proactive. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
How do you take initial failures and rejections in your work, in your community? To which element of the parable are you more drawn to meditate: the soils, or the indefatigable character of the sower?

Lord, may I be like You who never tire of sowing good work, in season and out of season. Amen.

St. Severa, pray for us.

Daily Reflections

July 19, 2011
“Ka mag-anak, Incorporated”

When reports came that Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III was most likely the winner in the Philippines’ 2010 presidential elections, an issue began to circulate: “To what extent will his relatives influence the running of state and economic affairs?” Many Filipinos believe that the Aquinos and the Cojuangcos, collectively referred to by many as “Kamag-anak, Inc.,” benefitted materially during the presidency of Corazon Aquino, Noynoy’s mother. Though the veracity or extent of this impression was never objectively investigated, a number voiced apprehensions that the same could happen with a Noynoy presidency.
In the Gospel, we read that even Jesus had to level with issues regarding the interference of His relatives in His work. It is but human — and Jesus participated this — that family members express and show concern for a family member, not only in matters that are personal. Our families played a great part in our growing up, in our education, in our aspirations, in our discernment of careers and life orientations, and even in the choice of life partners. In a way, we are who we are also because of the contribution of our families of origin.
A very important lesson from Jesus’ story, however, is this: Jesus knew at what point He had to stand up for Himself. He knew He had a mission to accomplish — one that makes Him accountable to the Heavenly Father. He knew that the time for this mission was limited. Hence, for Him, His family members, including the Blessed Mother, should help Him to be faithful to His God-given task and appointment. And the Gospel indicates that Mary was truly Jesus’ first disciple. She was there for the first miracle of Jesus at Cana. She was there when Jesus finally brought His mission to completion at the Cross of Calvary. Mary was one with Jesus in His lifelong faithfulness to the will of the Father. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
Sit down and think about the ways your family showed you great support in your life decisions. Thank God for the great gift of a supportive family. Outline concrete ways to acknowledge your family’s great support for you and your life mission.

Thank You, Lord, for the gift of a supportive family.

St. Macrina the Younger, pray for us.

Daily Reflections

July 18, 2011
Changed Hearts: The Greatest Miracle

May 20, 2010. A few weeks before the opening of the school year 2010- 2011, I joined the Oasis of Love Charismatic Community in a Mass for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. They conducted a two-day “Life in the Spirit Seminar” for the teachers and the staff of the Holy Child Catholic School in Tondo, Manila. It was a humid day and the air conditioning units were of little help. There were around 150 participants and 50 facilitators. Just before I celebrated the Eucharist, one of the facilitators candidly shared to the coordinators the apparent lack of attention and restlessness of the participants.
The actual moment of praying over for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is usually melodramatic, with all the outpouring of emotions. The condition of the seminar room and the time constraint to finish the activity made me decide to scrap an earlier plan to have the participants prayed over individually. Even then, the invocation to the Holy Spirit and the praising in tongues that followed were truly inspiring. As the saying goes: “The Holy Spirit blows where it wills.” As I reminded myself, the true measure of success of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit was not just that morning but what happens with the lives of the participants days and years after.
Jesus stresses in the Gospel: Wonder works and mighty deeds by God are not for the satisfaction of the curious. The miracle of Jonah led to a concrete and lasting fruit: the conversion of the king and the citizens of Nineveh. The wise teachings of Solomon were not just for the listening pleasure of the Queen of Sheba. Rather, the wisdom of Solomon made the Queen of Sheba a believer.
As I went home that night, I prayed, “Jesus, thank You for making me an instrument for the baptism in the Spirit of the participants. They are now Yours. Let them feel Your transforming touch in their lives.”Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
What concrete fruits do you look for in your works of evangelization? What particular things do you tend to regard as measures of success in your ministry and apostolate in Church?

Lord, keep me humble in my work of evangelization and apostolate. Help me to always remember that I am a mere instrument in Your hands.

St. Theneva, pray for us.

Daily Reflections

July 17, 2011
No Perfection Here!

May 10, 2010 is history for us, Filipinos. On this day, we had our first automated national and local elections. Anxiety was high in the run-up to the elections. It seemed the electoral process would not push through. The timetable for the preparation of ballots, the delivery of the PCOS (Precinct Count Optical Scanner) machines and the testing and sealing of computers for the voting precincts seemed too short. The anxiety heightened with the need to recall and reprogram the computer cards containing the software for the decoding of ballots. On election day, the long lines at the polls and the slow turnaround of voters seemed to lead to a massive disenfranchisement of voters. But as the days passed, things proceeded generally well and at the end, the whole nation witnessed with excitement the fast tallying of votes. But the story did not stop. Days later, there were those who came forward with complaints about election anomalies and frauds. People asked: When will we ever get to a perfect system of elections?
Jesus’ words in our Gospel parable are prophetic. They make us realize that in this world, no matter how much we try, there is no real perfection. Evil, like weeds, does not stop thriving. The important thing is that we should also never tire doing good and weeding out the forces and influences of evil.
There are moments when we behave like the workers in today’s Gospel. We want the landowner, who is God, to make things simple and easy by just decreeing to end evil. Jesus exhorts us to instead search for the wisdom why God allows evil to co-exist with goodness until the Day of the Lord appears. First, the continuing existence of evil makes us vigilant. In fact, for many, vigilance against evil in all its forms has given them a mission and a meaning in life. Second, the presence of evil makes us also more mindful of God. It makes us pray for protection and deliverance. Third, the activity of evil also makes us more active and assertive in doing what is good. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
What ongoing experiences in your life do you consider as “weeds” that you would love to disappear? What is today’s Gospel personally telling you?

Lord, open my eyes to the forces of evil around me and within me so I may not be trapped by them.

St. Theodota, pray for us.

Daily Reflections

july 16, 2011
To be like CHRIST IS To Think Less of Oneself

During the campaign period for the 2010 national elections, a candidate running for the presidency, who was an early favorite, began to decline in approval ratings. An obvious factor for this was not just his failure to answer the various allegations of malpractice and corruption he committed as a senator but a general perception that he was a user. He used entertainment and sports personalities to endorse his candidacy. He used his aged mother to sway the sympathy of public opinion to his favor. To this last scheme, many reacted and commented, “Aging mothers are better shielded from the pain of unpredictable and merciless public opinion. Their children should not use them as shield; the children are strong enough to fight their own fight.” With such reaction, his strategy boomeranged on him.
It is indeed a strong human tendency to seek support for oneself, to utilize moments of being down to play with other people’s soft hearts, to capitalize on being an underdog to win others to one’s side. Our vulnerability seeks to feed on other people’s vulnerability.
It is interesting to note that Jesus avoided this pitfall. In today’s Gospel, the Pharisees and His other enemies had just come together to hatch the plot to entrap and kill Him (cf Matthew 12:14). Jesus could have easily excused Himself away from the crowd; Jesus could have put on a facade of irritability but He did not. He spared the crowd from the experience of pain. In fact, the story goes that Jesus went on curing all who were ill. He did not contend nor did He cry and shout. Beautifully, the words of the Gospel underline: “A bruised reed he did not break.” He allowed the Spirit to lead Him to ways of peace and gentleness even as He was in deep turmoil within.
Jesus teaches us the practice of genuine sacrifice. It is self-effacement: thinking less and less of one’s needs and pains. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
Do you tend to make others aware about your pains and bitterness? What are your real and deep motivations when you do so? What is Jesus’ challenge for you in today’s Gospel?

Lord, make me think less of myself; instead, help me to focus on what others may be feeling and going through.

St. Vitalian, pray for us.

Daily Reflections

July 14, 2011
AN ART CALL ED EMPATHY

Pastoral Psychology was a subject we had to take as part of our Theological studies at the Loyola School of Theology in Ateneo. It helped us learn about non-directive techniques in counseling which is becoming more and more a part of the priestly ministry. People now tend to come to confession with the expectation that priests counsel them, too.
On the pastoral side, the subject provided candidates for the priesthood with candid awareness on the dangers of counseling. Among these dangers are transference and counter-transference. That is, problematic penitents may end up being hooked on a manipulative and co-dependent relationship with their confessors.
On a positive note, Pastoral Psychology, especially in the way Jesuit Fr. Ruben Tanseco taught it to us, made us see the importance not of sympathy but of empathy. Empathy teaches us to genuinely understand the other person’s experience and various feelings by making us bracket out our personal thoughts, biases and feelings. Empathy is an art of understanding people, with great respect to their personhood.
Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel are words of empathy. Jesus does not mean to simply cuddle and comfort the weak and the weary. What Jesus wants to do is to lighten these people’s burdens by making them aware that He is with them. Jesus was able to empathize with those who labor because He was Himself raised up in a laborer’s family. Jesus was a carpenter like His legal father, Joseph. He was able to genuinely understand the variety of human situations because, although he is God, He became truly human. He can feel with us, the sheep of His flock, because even though He was the Good Shepherd, He is the Lamb of God!
The art of empathy flows not from learned principles and techniques. It is the product of immersion and transcendence. One has to go through with the other person. One has to live out the path of Jesus’ own incarnation and redemptive life with us. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
What particular human experiences have you personally gone through that now provide you with the emotional maturity to accompany others in their moments of difficulty? Look back and thank God for all these.

“Grant me compassion, that I may be Your heart today.”

St. Phocas, pray for us.

Daily Reflections

July 13, 2011
God Is LIKE a Sea

My mother originated from Ilocos Sur, a village located by the shores of the South China Sea. When we were young, we loved going there during school breaks — oftentimes in December and May. We cherished bonding times in a wooden ancestral house built by my mother’s great grandfather using wide hardwood slab floors. We also enjoyed eating the bounty of fruits — papayas, mangoes, guyabanos, guavas — picked from fruit trees that my maternal grandmother planted. Of course, not to be missed was the regular dip into the salty waters of the sea. It was fun, relaxing and therapeutic.
In May, the waters of the South China Sea can get treacherous. Waves would be strong and big, depending on the lunar cycle. There were times when the undercurrents were dangerous. While standing with my feet on the sandy bottom of the sea, I could feel the waves sucking the sand from under my feet. And before I knew it, I would be in deep waters.
There was one occasion when I was pulled into the deep. Waves sucked my feet and my body into the open sea. The deep waters and the strong waves made my every stride towards the shore seem futile. I began to panic, especially because I was not a good swimmer. Good thing I had presence of mind. Instead of fighting to reach the shore, I abandoned myself to the strong waves. I raised my feet, relaxed my body and kept myself afloat with arms spread wide as I looked up to the blue sky. I allowed the strong waves to carry me closer to shore where, on shallower waters, I managed to stand up and walk to safety.
The ways of God are wide and deep, mysterious and threatening like the sea. The more we resist Him and try to do things our way, the harder it could be for us. Instead, let us open wide our arms and let Him carry us to where He wants to bring us! Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
Recall a moment in life when you managed to survive, not by struggling and fighting out your way, but by a candid and sweet surrender.

Lord, when I am sinking into deep holes in life, grant me the grace to surrender my situation into Your hands and allow You to carry me to the light. Amen.

St. Teresa de los Andes, pray for us.

Daily Reflections

July 12, 2011
Jesus Had Regrets

I found myself listing some of my regrets in life as I look forward to celebrating my 50th birthday in two years. Among the things I wrote were: “I should have cared more for my hair. I should have been more conscientious about my diet and food intake. I should have been more demonstrative of my love for my grandparents. I should have spent more time with them. I should have learned how to drive.”
As the lines of a famous song goes: “Regrets I have a few...” While life seemed slow when we were young, it seems to pass us by more quickly now that we are older, more mature and more serious about things that we have to accomplish and do.
Jesus spent just 33 years of life on earth, and devoted only three years for teaching and preaching. In today’s Gospel, it is uplifting to know that He also had some regrets about the outcome of some of His mission work. Not everything ended the way He would have wanted them to. There were places where His efforts to win people over to the values of the Kingdom were not welcome. Part of the reality of life is having to reckon with a good number of unknowns and variables. For instance, a driver may really be conscious about driving safely, but he has no control over the driving habits of others. So, accidents may happen even to the most careful driver.
The beautiful point we can learn from Jesus is this: Let us not allow our regrets to spoil everything. In the same way that Jesus had to move on despite His message being rejected by the people of Chorazin, Bethsaida, Tyre and Sidon, we need to learn the art of surrendering each and every event in our life to God’s all-knowing ways. In God’s wisdom, even the most foolish thing finds meaning. In God’s mercy, even the worst error and sin find redemption and justification. Let us not try to play gods, goddesses, or demigods even. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
Befriend your own failures and regrets. List them down, recognize, name and own them. Lift them up to God in prayer and ask for His wisdom and mercy.

Father God, help me to surrender my regrets to You and grant me courage and hope to make the most of what is to come. Amen.

St. Veronica, pray for us.