The Promised One

 

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception  

of the Blessed Virgin Mary 

The Promised One 

The Catholic Church teaches dogmatically that Mary was conceived without  sin. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “Through the centuries  the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, ‘full of grace’ through God  (Luke 1:28) was redeemed from the moment of her conception. That is what  the dogma of the Immaculate Conception confesses, as Pope Pius IX proclaimed  in 1854: The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her  conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of  the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from  all stain of original sin” (no. 491). 

Through the singular merit of Jesus Christ, Mary was preserved from sin in  anticipation of her role as the Mother of God. The Immaculate Conception is  not really about Mary. It is about Jesus. And Mary’s whole life was only about  Jesus. She was not only immaculately conceived; her heart is also immaculate  in its desire: only Jesus, always Jesus. It behooves us to do the same. 

Do you remember the last words Mary uttered in the Scriptures?  It was at the wedding of Cana. Mary became aware that the couple ran  out of wine. She presented this to her Son. And then, instructing the servants  to pay attention to Jesus, we hear her last words: “Do whatever he tells you”  (John 2:5). These are not simply words of instruction to a caterer. This is a  spirituality Mary the Immaculate proposes for every Christian believer.  One of the most beloved hymns dedicated to Mary has a line that says,  “She will show us the Promised One; she will show us the Promised One. Oh,  Mother of Jesus, be so kind as to show us the Promised One.”  The celebration of the Christmas season brings with it many distractions,  many distracting “promises.” Mary’s immaculate heart is a summons for us to  focus not on the superficial but on the essential of the season—the promised  One, only Jesus, always Jesus. Fr. Joel Jason

 

REFLECTION QUESTION 

Is your heart locked in on the Promised One this Advent and Christmas season?

 

“O Mother of Jesus be so kind as to show us the Promised One. Amen! 

 

Today, I pray for: __________________________________________________________ 

What’s Your Plan?

 

What’s Your Plan? 

It was a busy day and, as usual, people crowded Jesus to listen to His teachings  and to bring their sick to Him. A paralytic lying on a bed was brought by his  friends, but by then it was already impossible to even get within hearing distance  of Jesus. But these friends of the paralytic were enterprising. They had a plan  and failure was not part of it. So they went up the roof, calculated where Jesus  was, ripped off the tiles of the roof, and slipped down the paralytic before Jesus.  

If they were not going to have Jesus’ attention, they were going to get it— and get it they did. Luke mentions that Jesus saw their faith. They got Jesus’  attention, healing, and forgiveness as well. 

We can learn from the friends of the paralytic. First, they had a plan. They  intended to do something, and they were intent on carrying it out. They did  not simply wait for things to happen to them; they made things happen. They  believed in this principle: If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail. 

How many of us go through a day without a plan? How many of us go  through life without a plan? For example, I hear people tell me regretfully,  “Father, I thought it was going to be a great marriage.” When I ask them  whether they actually had plan for a successful marriage, I am often given a  surprised look or a regretful sigh. I have learned a lot from many of my married  friends. Marital bliss is not something that just happens; it is something you  make happen. The same principle applies to every human endeavor. 

Secondly, the paralytic’s friends did not only have a plan. They acted on  it. Most of our plans remain as they are—plans. Have you heard of the saying,  “The grass is greener on the other side of the fence”?  

People who act on their plan believe something else: “The grass is greener  where you water it.” Is the grass greener on the other side of the fence? Maybe  because you keep dreaming and pining to jump on the other side, you forget  to water your own side of the fence. Fr. Joel Jason

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS 

What area of your life is affected by the paralysis of a lack of a plan? Also, what  area is affected by the paralysis of an unworked-out plan? 

 

Lord Jesus, heal me from all my paralysis, both real and perceived. Help me plan my work and  work out my plans. Amen. 

 

Today, I pray for: __________________________________________________________ 

Listen

 Listen 

A priest was greeting the people at the church entrance after Mass when a  child grabbed his hand and handed him money. Surprised, the priest asked  the child, “What is this for my child?” The child said, “I thought you could  use the money. After your homily, my mother whispered to me that you are  the poorest preacher this parish has ever had.”  

In February 2019, a national conference for priests was arranged. It was  titled “The Joy of Preaching.” Several speakers, both priests and lay people,  were invited to help us priests rediscover the joy in preaching. One lay speaker  spoke of the need for priests to better our homilies to offset what he termed a  “crisis in preaching.” I can only nod in agreement.  

But if we can speak of a crisis in preaching, I believe we can also speak of  a crisis in listening. I do not speak here of a collective hearing disability. I’m  not talking about an aural listening, i.e, to listen with one’s ears. I’m speaking  of a cardiac listening, i.e., to listen with one’s heart (from the Greek kardia or  heart). Notice, therefore, that at the heart of the word “heart” (pun intended),  is the word “ear.” Listening is, in essence, the proper function of the heart. 

This is why both First Reading and the Gospel of Mark remind us of a  “voice crying out in the desert,” calling us to prepare for the coming of the  Messiah. The desert is a place of silence. In fact, it is so silent, you can literally  hear the beating of your heart. 

What do you hear as December 25 approaches? The sound of carols, new  gadgets, get-togethers, eating binges? What makes you excited in the heart?  Christmas beckons. And as that day approaches, I think of that familiar  carol, “Do You Hear What I Hear?” What is that song inciting us to hear? It  beckons us to listen with our heart to “the child, the child, sleeping in the night,  He will bring us goodness and light. He will bring us goodness and light!”  This Christmas, let us remember to leave space in our hearts for the Child  who will bring us goodness and light. Fr. Joel Jason

 

REFLECTION QUESTION 

As Christmas approaches, listen to your heart. What do you hear? 

 

Amidst the many attractions of the Christmas season, attract my heart, O God. Amen.

 

Today, I pray for: __________________________________________________________ 

TURN, TURN, TURN

 

TURN, TURN, TURN 

The ‘60s singing group, The Byrds, popularized something that both the Old  and New Testaments taught, as indeed, taught by the passage from Ecclesiastes  3:1-8: “There is a season for everything under the heavens.” 

One thing about getting older is that one can look back realistically and  see past events for what they were, not for what one wanted them to be. Being  young has its advantages definitely, but seeing things in future realistically may  not be one of them. One can dream of big things, but what one conjures up  in dreams and desires may or may not come true for you and me. 

God knows how many plans I have made, how many projects I started, and  how many worthy and unworthy dreams I have conceived, and not everything  ended up as what the world calls success. In retrospect, not everything was  meant to be. 

But Stephen Covey, more than two decades ago, taught us to look  realistically at something that is not yet but still to come. “Begin with the end  in mind,” he counseled. Start out not with whimsical dreams but with a long,  hard look at how everything will end up eventually, sooner or later. 

This, in essence, is what today’s readings remind us of—that there is an end  to the world and the realm of worldly time as we know them. The readings help  us set our sights on the end—the reality of the final judgment at the Second  Coming of the Lord, at the end time. This is something that has always been  part of the whole teaching of the Church since the beginning. 

The past is over and done with, and there is not much we can do about it  except accept it. The future is yet unfolding, and while we rightfully think we  can do a lot about its outcome, the one certainty that we all would do well to  remember is what the liturgy throughout this week reminds us of. 

The time to reap will come. Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

REFLECTION QUESTION

 

How do you regard your unfulfilled dreams?

 

Let me trust in Your ways, Lord—now and for always.

 

Today, I pray for: __________________________________________________________

SIMPLE OBEDIENCE IS BEST

 

SIMPLE OBEDIENCE IS BEST 

Mary and some of Jesus’ relatives are looking for Him. When they find  Him, they send word that they are waiting for Him outside. Jesus takes this  opportunity to teach the people something about the nature of discipleship.  There is an almost universal respect for the role of a mother in teaching and  bringing up a child. Is Jesus’ response, then, rude and uncaring toward Mary  His mother? I think not. Jesus is simply saying that it is even more important  to respect God’s will in our lives. God holds a higher call over our life than  either or both of our parents do. 

Now, I am not saying that we should disregard our parents. We must  still respect them in every way. We are not to try and use one against the  other. However, we need to balance our respect for them with an unbreakable  commitment and obedience to God’s will. 

For example, I can remember telling my parents about my desire and  decision to become a priest. I had not talked to them about my discernment  at all. I realize now that it would have been better if I did. When I told them I  knew deep within my heart two things. First, that I wanted my parents’ blessing  for the decision I was making. Second, that I believed that it was what God  wanted for me and even if they were not happy with my decision, I would go  ahead with it anyway. 

Fortunately, they were happy and gave me their blessing. It is not that I  would have enjoyed defying my parents, but the will of god and His call had  a greater pull on my life. I never doubted that my parents would want to stop  me. In fact, they gave me their full support. It was one of the happiest moments  of my life to know that Mom and Dad were behind me in my decision. I know  of others who pursued the path of priesthood without their parents’ blessing  because God’s call was the greater. It is a practical example of Jesus’ words when  He says to those around Him that it is those who do the will of His Father in  heaven who are His mother and sister and brother. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

 

REFLECTION QUESTION 

Is there anything that you would allow to deflect you from God’s will for your life?

 

Lord Jesus, help me to be obedient and persevering when it comes to Your will. Amen.

 

Today, I pray for: __________________________________________________________ 

A HOT-TEMPERED JESUS?

 

A HOT-TEMPERED JESUS? 

Are you a hot-tempered person? Then you must enjoy today’s Gospel passage  about the cleansing of the Temple. But before you take Jesus as a model and an  excuse for your outbursts, reflect a bit more about the situation. Wasn’t Jesus  the incarnation of God’s love? Didn’t He say He was meek and humble? Surely  He was not a hot-tempered man. 

We said yesterday that Jesus shed tears not so much about the destruction  of a building, but because of the suffering people inflict on themselves when  they refuse to listen to His message of peace. Similarly, the cleansing of the  Temple is not just the cleaning of the holy building, of the House of God from  business and corruption. The Temple stands for God’s relationship with His  people, the Body of Jesus who compared His Body with the Temple. It stands  for all followers of Christ whom Saint Paul called “temples of the Holy Spirit.” 

As the Temple area was polluted by moneymaking vendors, the relationship  of Israel with God had been polluted by greed and rebellion. Prophets and  people sent by God had been persecuted and even killed. This pained Jesus so  much that in a prophetic action, He showed the people how they were offending  the love and kindness of God. And soon they would arrest, torture, and even  kill Him, the real Temple of God. 

But Jesus also saw the defilement of many temples of the Holy Spirit, of  us. There are those who ignore God and engage in premarital sex but then cry  when a baby is on the way. There are many marriages where a partner becomes  unfaithful. There are those who engage in corruption and end up suffering  when they are exposed. So much evil is done by us! 

Jesus wants us to be saved. But we often live our life as if there were  no eternal tomorrow. Look at the angry Jesus today, at the frustration of a  lover whose love is refused, the frustration of loving parents who experience  ingratitude. Do you want to cause Him that pain? Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS 

Which sin or bad habit defiles most the temple of the Holy Spirit that is your  body? What are you going to do to avoid this sin?  

Lord, whenever I am tempted to sin, make me remember Your love and how much sin hurts You.  Amen. 

Today, I pray for: __________________________________________________________ 

THE TEARS OF GOD

 

THE TEARS OF GOD 

 

It is rare that men shed tears. And when they do, they try not to be seen by  others. But Jesus wept—openly. That He wept at the tomb of a friend, we can  understand. But to shed tears over a city that would be destroyed?  

The view from the Mount of Olives is breathtaking even until now. It must  have been even more impressive when the Temple in all its splendor still stood.  When the planes of the terrorists smashed into the World Trade Center, and  we saw it on TV, many shed tears. I thought at that time: “What if they struck  the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome?” My eyes turned misty. 

But Jesus did not only think about the destruction of a building. He  thought of the horrible suffering the people would undergo. Jesus knew that  rebellious groups were planning to overthrow the Romans and that this would  lead to the horrors of destruction. If only they would listen to Him, accept His  message of peace, and abandon their dreams of political power. But they would  not listen. So He exclaims: “If you, even today, would recognize peace!” 

The tears of Jesus shed over Jerusalem are the tears of God—when He sees  His children suffer because they do not listen, running into all kinds of problems  and needless pain because we foolishly rebel. I have a confession to make.  Sometimes I think, “Wouldn’t it be better to be a minister of a non-Catholic  community which tries so hard to do what their pastor tells them?” Why such  thoughts? You cannot imagine the frustration of many priests who try every  Sunday to prepare a good homily but do not see any change in the lives and  attitude of their faithful. If a priest gives a lousy homily, don’t condemn him  immediatley. He might just be so frustrated that he lost the energy to prepare a  good one “because it’s useless.” Ask yourself today: How many of my problems,  how much of my suffering is caused by ignoring the words of Jesus? How many  tears have I caused Him to shed because I ignore what He tells me through the  Gospel and through the teachings of the Church? Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

REFLECTION QUESTION 

Which of my sufferings and problems could I have avoided had I listened to the  Lord and obeyed Him?  

 

Lord, I know I have caused You many tears because of my disobedience to You. Forgive me  my foolishness. Amen.  

 

Today, I pray for: __________________________________________________________

BE YOURSELF BEFORE GOD

 

BE YOURSELF BEFORE GOD 

I am glad that I am not a judge. I would not enjoy reading today’s parable  about the unjust judge. In case a judge reads this reflection, please don’t get  angry with Jesus. Listening to Jesus’ parables, we all get a slap in the face once  in a while. Like when I read the parable of the Good Samaritan where a hated  Gentile is portrayed as better than the priest. 

Jesus exhorts all of us today “to pray at all times without losing heart.” We  know well how difficult it is to persevere in prayer. This can have several reasons.  We might be very busy and think that we waste too much precious time when  we pray. Or we have experienced that God did not answer our prayer. Or our  prayer has lost spontaneity. Maybe our prayer is too often just a repetition of  formula prayers and not a real encounter with God. 

Look at the widow. Her prayer was insistent, almost violent. Did you ever  become violent before God? This parable could help us to free ourselves from  a wrong notion about prayer. Prayer is not always peaceful and calm. The  psalms in the Bible provide many examples of tortured prayers. Some accuse  God of not listening, of being far away, of not caring. There are psalms which  are outbursts of people nearly breaking down in despair, demanding that God  punish their enemy. These are real prayers, and I am glad they are in the Bible. 

Before God, we are not supposed to make nice speeches, to cover up our  inner emotions, to use sweet words we don’t actually mean. Prayer must not  always be lofty. The widow had a problem and she submitted it to the only  one who could solve it—the judge. And when she addressed him, she did not  beat around the bush. So, tell God what you feel, tell Him when you are angry  with Him, tell Him about what your enemy has done to you. God is a great  shock absorber. He knows us because He made us. And He understands. It is  always better to tell all this to God than to someone else. If we let steam out in  the presence of God, He can and will give us inner peace. All the angry psalms  in the Bible end with a feeling of inner peace and new hope. And then we can  pray nice words that come from the heart. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

 

REFLECTION QUESTION 

Do you easily give up when your prayers are not immediately answered? 

 

Lord, send Your Holy Spirit to teach me how to pray and never give up. Amen.

 

 

Today, I pray for: _________________________________________________________

UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST

 UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST 

The trip to Jericho is still true for today’s tourists and pilgrims in the Holy Land.  One feature of that trip is the sight of an old, big sycamore tree.  Zacchaeus was a small man but he had huge assets as a chief tax collector.  But more than this, he sure knew how to add more than just a few inches to  his low stature. He clambered up one of those trees to catch a glimpse of the  Lord who was passing by. 

Those of you who have been there would know that it is not easy to climb  up a tree with such a massive trunk. Presumably, Zacchaeus was able to do so  with a little help from friends. After all, what were a few shekels for, if they  could buy you a willing shoulder or two to step on as you move up higher,  literally heads and shoulders above the rest of the crowds? 

But I do not intend to bash Zacchaeus today. In fact, I intend to honor  him and offer him as an example for you and me. At the very least, Zacchaeus  was a man who looked actively for the Lord and did everything to achieve  his dream. I really couldn’t care less how he did it, whom he used, and whose  shoulders he turned into a makeshift stirrup. 

But I do admire the man’s curiosity and deep interest to see the Lord even  from a distance. His desire was laudable, and his commitment and dedication  to do whatever it took to catch a glimpse of the Lord even commendable.  

We all have pious thoughts and desires. We come up with resolutions each  time we celebrate Holy Week, Christmas, or even New Year. But often, we lack  the resolve. Resolutions go the way of most political promises during campaign  periods. We lose sight of them and we end up exactly the way we were. 

We should give credit to Zacchaeus for showing an efficacious desire that  was translated into concrete actions. He did all he could and used whatever he  had just to see the Lord. Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

 

REFLECTION QUESTION

When was the last time you did the utmost for His Highest? 

Grant me, Lord, a resolute heart, that I may always do my best to live as a real Christian. Amen.

Today, I pray for: __________________________________________________________

ONE TAKEN, ONE LEFT

 

ONE TAKEN, ONE LEFT 

 

Predictions of the end of the world are as old as humankind. Even now, some  people still live in the end time rather than in the reality of today. As the liturgical  year moves toward its end, we will have several Gospel readings about the end.  They are all disturbing and puzzling. It is not clear whether Jesus is speaking  here about the horrible days of Jerusalem’s destruction which happened in the  year 70, or of the end of the world. Maybe it’s about both. 

 

There are at least two important messages in today’s passage. The first is  that the horrible event comes without warning. And that has a reason. When  we know the day of the end of the world or the hour of the end of our life, we  might live an indifferent life. We would not care whether we do good or bad,  because we plan to convert just a day before and go to confession. What a life  that would be. Unfortunately, many people live as they would never die. Jesus  could have told us the exact time but He did not. He urges us to be always  prepared and ready. The saying about the body and the vultures is a common  Jewish proverb which means everything will happen when certain conditions  are fulfilled. “In His time,” we say. 

 

The second point is that two people who work or live together would not  automatically be both saved. Here is a hidden warning. Intimacy with a good  person is no guarantee for our salvation. Each one will be judged individually.  There are young people who excuse themselves from going regularly to church  because the grandmother goes to Mass every day. There are husbands who leave  being pious to their wives. We cannot discharge our duty to God by proxy. 

 

This should not scare us. As long as we try to listen well to all of Christ’s  teachings, do the will of the Father, and be prepared for the great encounter  with the Lord, we could look forward to this moment with great expectation  and not with fear. That is why we pray after the Lord’s Prayer, “Protect us from  all anxiety as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ.”  Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

REFLECTION QUESTION 

In what areas of life do you have to change to apply the warnings of Jesus  in today’s Gospel? 

 

Lord, I need Your help to live more mindfully of my final destination—eternal life with You. 

Today, I pray for: __________________________________________________________ 

TWO BEAUTIFUL WORDS

 

 TWO BEAUTIFUL WORDS 

 

Two of the most beautiful words are not known anymore to many people today. These are “thank you.” 

 

Each one of us has probably experienced ingratitude. We did somebody  a favor, and this person didn’t show gratitude. Too much is taken for granted  by too many people. But this is nothing new. The nine healed lepers in today’s  Gospel did not come back to say thank you to Jesus. They are proof of this  fact. And how sad Jesus was. People are often like children who write a letter  to Santa Claus for a gift but seldom send him a thank you note. When we are  in need, we run to God like the lepers did. We offer Masses for our intentions.  We pray a novena or two, light some candles, and beg the Lord for help. But  a few offer a thanksgiving Mass. 

 

Taking God for granted goes hand in hand with taking our fellowmen for  granted. How many parents suffer when their children don’t thank them for  their efforts and sacrifices? Have we thanked our teachers? We criticized them  and complained about them, but have we really thanked them for helping us  become what we are now? Isn’t it a pity that people who have to give most of  themselves are often paid the least, such as teachers, nurses, and social workers? 

 

Gratitude is a close associate of happiness. It does not put people down  but lifts up those who hear the two words and those who say them. Gratitude  expressed to our fellowmen will lead us to be more grateful to God, and vice  versa. The fact that we wake up in the morning, have a job through which we  earn our keep, friends who love us—all these things we take easily for granted  but are actually signs of God’s love for us. They are gifts of a loving Father in  heaven. 

 

Learning the two words and using them more frequently, we can do so  much good. We can make many people happy. We can encourage them. And  we ourselves will live a bit happier than before.  

 

So, thank you, dear readers! Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD 

 

 

REFLECTION QUESTION 

 

Who do you need to thank today, aside from God? Do it now. 

Lord, thank You for the reminding me to be grateful. Let me not forget this lesson for life. Amen. 

 

Today, I pray for: __________________________________________________________ 

 

DISCIPLES 24/7

 

DISCIPLES 24/7 

 

Isn’t there a little Pharisee in all of us? We easily view the relationship between  God and us under the form of a contract: I give so as to receive. After we have  done something for the Lord, we expect a salary. The parable rejects this way  of thinking. God owes us nothing, not even gratitude. Yes, we acknowledge  our weaknesses and sins, but we are also tempted to excuse ourselves a lot, like  an employee before his employer. It is the others who caused us to commit  this or that sin. I cannot tell how often I have a hard time hearing confession  when penitents accuse the husband, the neighbor, or somebody in the office  for causing anger or resentment or harsh words. It’s always the others, not me.  I am a victim of the bad people around me.  

 

The next step is that we begin to tell God that we are not bad at all. “Am  I not doing so much good, Lord? I pray regularly, I always go to Mass.” Oh  yes, we have a hard time admitting our faults, that we are sinners in dire need  of God’s abundant compassion. We try to bargain with Him. 

 

Jesus had foreseen this and told His disciples—and us—that we can never  put God in our debt. When we have done our best, we have shown only our  gratitude to God who has done so much for us that we could never repay Him. 

 

Who are we to criticize or judge God? When Saint John Paul II became  weaker, when he was confined to the wheelchair throne, many urged him to  retire and rest. But he would not give in. He wanted to die with his boots on  in the service of his Master. What a dedication! 

 

Jesus did not intend to give a picture of God as a master and us as His slaves.  No, He wants us to be servants who are aware of God’s infinite greatness. He  wants us to show total dedication. God is not limited to eight hours of service  a day. He wants disciples who are His followers 24/7. As we do not measure  our love when we deal with a loved one, we also do not measure our love when  we deal with God who is love. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

REFLECTION QUESTION 

Do you do everything for the Lord out of love, as gratitude for the love He has  shown you? 

 

Lord, You reward me with so many good things I take for granted. Increase my faith and love.  Amen.  

 

Today, I pray for: __________________________________________________________

 

A FEAST OF UNITY

 

A FEAST OF UNITY 

 

Not many people, even Catholics, realize that the pope, the head of the universal  Church, is also bishop of Rome and that his cathedral is not the Vatican. Not  many know that the popes have lived from the fourth to the fourteenth century  not in the Vatican but in the Lateran Palace. Because the Lateran Basilica is the  cathedral of the bishop of Rome, we commemorate today the dedication of  the first Lateran Basilica, which was built by Emperor Constantine the Great.  This beautiful church is dedicated to the Savior and to St. John the Baptist and  St. John the Evangelist. Above the entrance, the visitor can read: “Mother and  Head of All the Churches in the City and in the World.” 

 

This leads us to reflect on the relevance of this feast for us. St. Caesarius  wrote: “Although the universal Church of God is constituted of distinct orders of  members, still, in spite of the many parts of its Holy Body, the Church subsists  in an integral whole, just as the Apostle says, ‘We are all one in Christ,’ nor is  anyone separated from the office of another in such a way that a lower group  has no connection with the head.” 

 

And so today’s feast makes us aware of our unity with other churches all  over the world, and of the unity of all these churches with the one in Rome,  the Mother and Head. It saddens me sometimes when I see our non-Catholic  brethren split into countless competing churches, sects, and communities. Was  not one of Jesus’ last prayers a prayer for unity? 
 

We are all individuals with different temperaments, ideas, and plans. Even  in a small community, it is hard to be always united. That the worldwide  Catholic Church remains somehow united is close to a miracle. We can see  here the working of the Holy Spirit through the Pope. Today’s feast then brings  us to Rome, and invites us to pray for the Holy Father and for unity among  all Christians, so that Jesus’ last wish will come true: “That all may be one.”  Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS 

Do you contribute to unity in the place where you live and work? What more can  you do as an agent of unity? Do you pray for the unity of all Christians? 

 

Lord, help me to contribute to the unity of all Christians by working for it in my home, community, and workplace. Amen. 

 

Today, I pray for: __________________________________________________________ 

TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR LIVES

 

TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR LIVES 

 

When we read the parable in today’s Gospel, we may be tempted to think that the wise maidens should have had mercy on the foolish ones and shared their  oil with them. Is that what you also thought? However, sometimes the only way  to teach some people to be responsible is to allow the course of events to take  place so that they will be able to learn that their actions have consequences. The  wise maidens do not keep the oil to themselves out of selfishness. That would  be wrong too. The reason that they retain their oil for their own use is so that  they can responsibly discharge their duty. If they give oil to the foolish ones,  they too might run out of oil and there will be no one to greet the bridegroom. 

 

Each of us has duties to perform. We must learn to take proper responsibility  for them. This means that we should prepare for possible problems that may  arise in the discharging of these duties. I am not saying that we have to worry  ourselves to death trying to foresee and then forestall all of the problems that  may arise. Responsibility only demands that we take reasonable precautions. 

 

One of my pet peeves as a priest is that, more often than not, people turn  up late for weddings, Masses, baptisms, etc. without a good excuse. Too often,  people do not realize that their actions have consequences that do not affect  them directly but do affect others. Tardiness is one of these sorts of actions.  There is rarely a good excuse for a person being late. The truth of the matter is  that they did not allow themselves enough time to do what they had to do or  were just plain lazy. 

 

This is the case of the foolish maidens and they suffer the indignity of  being shut out of the wedding feast. Let us hope that they learned a good  lesson from their failure to prepare well. Let us pray that we do not suffer the  same indignity or similar ones, simply because we also fail to prepare well or  are too lazy to be responsible in discharging our duties at home, in the office,  or in the Kingdom of God. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS 

Do you take your responsibilities seriously? Are you diligent and wise  in preparing for them? 

 

Lord Jesus, help me to be prepared for whatever tasks You want me to do. Amen.

 

Today, I pray for: ___________________________________________

OF MONEY AND CHOICES

 

OF MONEY AND CHOICES

 

If yesterday’s Gospel surprised and confused us, today’s passage shocks. Did we  read correctly? “Use money,” Jesus says, “tainted as it is, to win your friends.”  Does this not contradict the next words of Jesus, “No servant can serve two  masters . . . You cannot serve both God and money”?  

Money is important. How people work for money! But when it comes  to faith and religion, very few Christians are willing to devote to it the same  dedication or effort. How sad Jesus must have been when He said what we  read yesterday: “The children of this world are more astute in dealing with their  own kind than the children of light.” 

 

Jesus is critical of money, not because it is an evil thing but because it  easily becomes the ultimate goal instead of an instrument. But He is also very  realistic when He suggests to make use of money. Saint Theresa of Avila said,  “Money is an excrement of the devil but a good fertilizer.” It all depends on  our attitude toward money. Does it become the sole goal in life and so replaces  God? Or do we use it for the growth of the Kingdom of God, for others who  are in need? Somebody wrote, “The rich help the poor in the world, the poor  help the rich in the world to come.” 

 

The warning not to serve two masters may seem, at first sight, exaggerated.  All of us know wealthy Christians who live simple lives and share their wealth.  We can use money while serving God. But if we serve money as a god, then  we become idolaters. The greed makes us more and more unscrupulous about  how we get it. Greed makes us slaves and erases all that is good and holy in us.  Serving God is also something that affects our whole being. It can never be a  part-time job. In view of eternal life at stake, it should not be so difficult to  choose the right master and make the right choices. And once we have chosen  God, we must be ready to acknowledge that God is the most exclusive of all  masters. We belong to Him totally—or not at all. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS 

When do you feel the danger to serve money more than God? Are you as  dedicated to the service of God as you are to worldly things? 

 

Lord, I feel the struggle between You and money inside of me. Keep me aware of the danger of  serving material things instead of using them for Your Kingdom. Amen. 

 

Today, I pray for: __________________________________________________________

A WAKE-UP CALL

 

A WAKE-UP CALL 

 

I wonder who is not confused and shocked by today’s Gospel. It is a story about  rascals: the landowner should have put his dishonest manager in jail, but praises  him. The manager is a cheater, and the debtors only too eagerly cooperate in  the cheating. How can Jesus praise this dishonest manager and put rascals as  models before us? He is not afraid of telling stories with rascals as heroes. After  all, His Father was not afraid to dirty His hands by creating man from soil, and  Jesus was not afraid to dirty His hands with our sinful humanity. The Gospels  are not soap operas but down-to-earth Good News for sinners.

 

Let us be clear: Jesus did not approve of the dishonesty. He praises the  aptitude of taking a quick decision at a time of crisis. With this, He tells us:  “When you have to face the ultimate crisis, that of ensuring your eternal future  before God, the only smart thing to do is to act daringly and cleverly.” And  so He puts this dishonest but clever manager before us, His disciples, to learn  from Him to be clear about our goals in life and use our intelligence and energy  to achieve this.  

 

Unfortunately, we often lack the desire, the determination, and the energy  to achieve these goals. It is sad, but we Christians are usually not that clever,  eager, and efficient in bringing about the values of the Kingdom. Evil people  often rule the world because good people do not take the lead or lack the  initiative. We often live as if there would be no final reckoning before God.  And so the parable reminds us that, at the end of our lives, we have to give an  account to the Lord for the graces we received from Him. Will we also rush  to straighten out some crooked business? I am afraid most of us have to. But  again, the parable gives us hope. How? The manager gambled on his master’s  generosity and won. With this, Jesus tells us: “When you face the crisis of God’s  judgment, the clever thing to do is to bank on His generosity. By staking your  whole eternal future on His mercy, you are sure to win.” Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

REFLECTION QUESTION 

Are you eager and ready to secure your eternal future?  

 

Lord, thank You for waking me up from my slumber. I have taken my faith and my relationship  with You for granted. I’m sorry. Please strengthen me for this task. Amen. 

 

Today, I pray for: __________________________________________________________

THE LAST, THE LEAST, AND THE LOST

 

THE LAST, THE LEAST, AND THE LOST 

There’s a joke about the seeming inability of the Church to be effective. The  parable in today’s Gospel is reversed, i.e., only one sheep is inside the cage and  the ninety-nine outside. In the case of the coin, the woman is now looking  for the nine coins while holding only one. Of course, this joke is the Church  basher’s way of showing Her irrelevance and dwindling influence. But the  parable was not about the ones mentioned. In fact, it was the reverse. God,  through the Church, cares for all. Whether ninety-nine or one, He still goes  out of His way to look for the lost. Nobody is left behind. Later, He will die  on the cross not for the holy few but for all. 

I remember how my father who, no matter what time he went home at  night, would still take time to visit us in our rooms to make sure that all his  eight children were accounted for. While there wasn’t a time when we were  incomplete, I’m sure my father would not have slept until the missing ones  were back. I can deduce this because, during meals, we would not say grace  until everyone was seated. God is like that. He will never stop until everyone  has gone back to Him. 

This does not mean that those who have tried hard to obey God every day  of their lives would be treated less. The response of the Father to the elder son’s  question in the parable reverberates: “My son, you are here with Me always;  everything I have is yours” (Luke 15:31). Instead of dwelling on what has been  given to the lost, appreciate what you have with God. Also, the probability of  being the lost one rather than the one under His favor is greater. When that  happens, are you not glad to be given another chance and be welcomed? 

Many times, we cannot fathom what God wants and does. Indeed, God’s  ways are not man’s ways. His love is best expressed in forgiveness. Rather than  analyze and criticize it, why don’t we just do it? In the end, what God wants  should prevail—that all of us will be with Him. So be it! Fr. Benny Tuazon

REFLECTION QUESTION 

How do you treat those who are far away from the Church? 

Lord, give me a heart that embraces the last, the least, and the lost. At the same time, I pray that  I may never be lost from Your sight. Amen. 

Today, I pray for: __________________________________________________________