Today is the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and
Joseph. God freely created without constraint as He made us in His image and
likeness. He made us all come to this world and be part of a family. The family
is the foundation and the fundamental cell of society. God's view of a family
is beautiful. We have to live and act this out by giving to each other totally
in our family as we express and receive it. We all hope and pray that our
families will be blessed by the same love that bonded Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
Amen. Hallelujah!
Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14
God sets a father in
honor over his children; a mother’s authority he confirms over her sons. 3
Whoever honors his father atones for sins; and preserves himself from them. 4
When he prays, he is heard; he stores up riches who reveres his mother. 5
Whoever honors his father is gladdened by children, and when he prays he is
heard. 6 Whoever reveres his father will live a long life; he obeys the LORD
who brings comfort to his mother. 12 My son, take care of your father when he
is old; grieve him not as long as he lives. 13 Even if his mind fail, be
considerate with him; revile him not all the days of his life; 14 kindness to a
father will not be forgotten, it will serve as a sin offering-it will take
lasting root.
One of the purposes
of marriage is for procreation. When we enter into it we should be open to
having children and the responsibilities that go with it. It is a very
challenging task and we need to know how to really walk in God's ways in order
to live a happy and favored life. There is only one thing needed and that is to
follow the ways of the Lord. Whenever we come to a point in our lives when we
encounter trials and difficulties and standing up firm in our faith in God
seems to be an impossibility then all the more should we remain faithful and
true to God. The psalm reading tells us exactly why. This fear being spoken of
in today's psalm is the holy fear of the Lord and is different from other kinds
of fear that we know. It's more of the kind of fear that is coupled with respect
and is the beginning of wisdom as written in Proverbs 1:7. We have to be
perfectly aware of this and strive to maintain it within ourselves so as not to
lose sight of this aspect of God's Holiness. Over the years, the olive has been
the symbol of peace, wisdom, glory, fertility, power and pureness. The olive
tree and olives are mentioned over 30 times in the Bible, in both the New and
Old Testaments. It is one of the first plants mentioned in the Bible, and one
of the most significant. For example, it was an olive leaf that a dove brought
back to Noah to demonstrate that the flood was over. The Mount of Olives east
of Jerusalem is
mentioned several times. Olive oil has long been considered sacred; it was used
to anoint kings and athletes in ancient Greece . It was burnt in the sacred
lamps of temples as well as being the "eternal flame" of the original
Olympic Games. Victors in these games were crowned with its leaves. Today, it
is still used in many religious ceremonies. Today's psalm mentions and compares
children to olive plants. We have always been awed by such great affection a
mother has for her child. We've seen a lot of things throughout time that
attest to this. I am a mother myself and I have done things beyond my capacity
because of how much I love my children.
This love of mothers for their brood grows into something very special
which explains why they are referred to or likened to olive plants around the
table. Let us hope and pray that the Lord will continue to look after our
families. No matter how difficult this year is, for our families we have to be
confident in God's assurance in today's Psalm reading. If we truly believe that
we have an Extraordinary and Awesome God then we, too must be willing to take
on the challenge of doing something out of the ordinary and really get out of
our way to live out what God calls us to do. Nothing is ever wasted for it has
always been proven throughout all generations that those who follow and obey
the Lord will surely be blessed not only today but all the days of our lives.
We really have to always start with the basics, keep it simple and really get
down with the real stuff. We've got to take things one step at a time. We know
for a fact that we humans have a tendency to make things complicated. We know exactly why. It is because we want to
make excuses, create our own rules and get away with it. God tries to make it
as simple as possible for us but we just don't want it His way because we've
got to have it our own way. That's when the problem starts. It is always easier
said than done but we've got to take God's word for it. I like the writing on
the shirts of my son, Jude and these young people when they attended the YFC
(Youth for Christ) Youth Camp. It says, "It's not about me, it's all about
God." It's right on target and what it is all about. For in the end and to
top it all, it will all come down to us as a blessing and favor from God. Amen.
Hallelujah!
Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
R: Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
1 Blessed are you who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways! 2
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork; happy shall you be, and favored.
(R) 3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants around your table...may you see the prosperity
of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
It is always for the best to consult scriptures and be
guided by it. Let us pray that we all
find ourselves bearing the fruits of the Holy Spirit as we commit to not only
the duties and responsibilities we owe our families but to love them
wholeheartedly. It is always for the best to consult scriptures and be guided
by it. Today's 2nd reading gives us good
instructions as to how we become better Christians every day. As we constantly
do this and develop in ourselves a love for it we will just be surprised as to
how we will see the words of God take its form through our experiences and come
alive in us. It is through our total surrender and acceptance of God’s will in
our lives that we can experience perfect peace. No amount of disturbance or
chaos should ever push us to the brink of doubt and despair. We should always
have the confidence that if God brings us to it, He will bring us through it.
The will of God will never take us where the grace of God will not protect
us. We must not give in to sadness or
desperation for what we are going through today. God knows how we feel and
knows exactly with perfection what is being allowed to happen at this precise
moment. God’s purpose is simply perfect. He wants to show us things that only
we can understand by living what we are living and by being in the place we are
now. I would like to quote the words of
William Faulkner, “I have found that the greatest help in meeting any problem
with decency and self respect and whatever courage is demanded is to know where
you yourself stand. That is to have in words what you believe and are acting
from.” For this we should continue to carry on and maintain in ourselves the
things Paul that is saying in today’s 2nd reading. Amen. Hallelujah!
Colossians 3:12-21
12 Brothers and sisters: Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy
and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and
patience, 13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a
grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
14 And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. 15 And let
the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also
called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you
richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another,...
Jesus is born in a family. Today we celebrate the Feast of
the Holy Family. We are reminded of the truth of the greatness and dignity of
human family. We are invited to go back to Nazareth where Jesus, Mary and Joseph lived
as a Holy Family and contemplate its sacredness and holiness. As we travel
through life and encounter struggles in life that leave us wounded may we
always hold on to these values that the Holy Family teaches us. As Pope
Benedict XVI describes the Holy Family as fully engaged in the desire to do the
will of God and put the Kingdom
of God St. Joseph
and his courage to do what has to be done that he cooperated in God's plan of
salvation for us through the Lord Jesus Christ His Son. It tells us to always
commit to the family through its ups and downs. It demands sacrifice and
heartfelt compassion. In humble obedience to this we can always call upon the
grace of God in times of difficulty in order to endure and persevere. As Pope
John Paul II said, human suffering clears the way for the grace that
transforms. Jesus Himself lived as man and went through everything just like
any human being. We can unite our
sufferings with Christ and take on a deeper meaning to appreciate its value.
Today’s gospel is about the presentation of Jesus in the
temple in obedience to the Mosaic law of Joseph and Mary. There is a wide variety of aspects to
contemplate upon. In Israel at that time, women had to
wait 40 days before the presentation of the child she has given birth. They
understand that when a woman bears a child they are in the realm that belongs
specifically to God. The birth of a child is something that depends on God
giving life and there is a great sacredness in the process of giving birth to a
child and they are set apart. This ritual needs to be completed before entering
the life of community. We can not often understand the OT teachings. At this
time a woman is considered unclean although not necessarily sinful since it
could also mean something sacred. We could look at it in a way they see the
scriptures since they are considered very sacred. In the synagogue everyone is
forbidden to actually touch a scroll with their finger so they have a stick to
point at the scripture. It is very sacred and if you touch it you become
unclean. The idea is that it is so sacred and considered a power that belongs
to the realm of God. If you are rendered unclean then one has to go in a ritual
bath. This is why Jewish women have to go into a ritual bath after 40 days
because they entered into the realm of God when they give birth to a child. It
works in a way that it is also at the time when the body after birth is
completely healed. All these things work hand in hand with each other as the
mystery of God unfolds in our very own lives. The characters of Simeon and Anna
are inevitably drawn into this event of Jesus' life. They serve as models of
faith and hope for the people of God. There is no doubt that God is with us but
are we with or for God. In any good relationship we know that it should be a
2-way or mutual thing. One can not govern over or not respond to the other. If
we aim to develop an intimate relationship with God then we need to work on it.
We can also learn from Anna the prophetess. It was said that “she was
constantly in the temple, worshiping day and night in fasting and prayer.” Her
devotion to the Lord paid well. We sometimes go through life like a routine and
we do things automatically without much thought. There are times when we just
let things and circumstances pass us by without noticing any difference. Anna
did not fall for this kind of trap or complacency. She immediately knew and
felt the Lord's presence. There may be thousands of babies being presented in
the temple during that time but she spotted the Lord. This could not have been
possible if not for her prayerful and discerning attitude. Just like her, may
we be sensitive always to God's presence in our midst and be endowed with
discernment. This is what happens when we decide to always draw near to God. He
will surely not just draw nearer but nearest to us. God does not just match or
double our works and efforts but maximizes to the superlative. We’ll never find
ourselves in the losing end but always in a winning situation with the Lord.
When God stooped down to our level and disrobed his kingship for our sake He
knew from the start what He is headed, for He is All knowing. But some still
contradicts God despite everything He has done for us. And this is all because
of His great love for us. Jesus is an obedient and loving Son as He is a symbol
of perfection. That even His own mother was not spared of the hurt and pain is
way too much for Him. From every beginning to the end of it all, there should
only be one truth that guides us to the ultimate, unsurpassed and unending
power of God which has long been revealed throughout the ages. Jesus came to
save us. This is a very powerful statement that not every one of us can grasp
its true meaning. There's this story of a man who heard a banging on the
windows one winter night and saw the freezing sparrows who were trying to get
in. The man tried to save them by shooing them away towards the barn where they
could have shelter. Every time he tried to come near them he scares them and
they fly away. He realized that he can not save them because they can not
understand him. The only way to save them is to become small like them and lead
them to where they should go. Unless he becomes one of them there is no way he
can save them. This is what God did in order to save us. Jesus manifested God’s
love. He became a model for us to follow. This is all because He wanted to give
us a participation in His Divine Life. Mass is a perfect worship to God who is
perfect. During mass we offer Jesus, the perfect sacrifice to God who lived in
humble obscurity laid down His life in death, obeyed perfectly and won life for
us, the Church. Death is a part of life
and we ought to prepare for it. Not in the morbid kind of way but by giving and
surrendering all in union with Jesus. Simeon and Anna were both righteous,
devoted to God and prayerful. They were gifted by God with prophetic
revelations. We, too are gifted with the Holy Spirit but there is a need to
unleash the power in us. We can start by striving to follow the good example of
the holy men and women who came before us and faithfully and diligently wait on
the Lord. It is an opportunity just like Simeon and Anna in today’s gospel to
say our yes to the Father as Jesus did. We are reminded that even Jesus
followed what was written in the law. We are reminded to conduct our affairs of
this world in accordance to the law and live a life that is pleasing in the
eyes of the Lord. We ask the intercession of the Blessed Mother whose heart was
pierced by a sword, may we be always covered by her blue mantle of protection. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 2:22-40
...“Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace,
according to your word, 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you
prepared in sight of all the peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the
Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”...“Behold, this child is destined
for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be
contradicted 35 — and you yourself a sword will pierce — so that the thoughts
of many hearts may be revealed.” ...She never left the temple, but worshipped
night and day with fasting and prayer. 38 And coming forward at that very time,
she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the
redemption of Jerusalem .
No comments:
Post a Comment