RECOLLECTION

You are all invited

to a 3-part Holy Week Recollection

with Fr. Dennis S. Soriano

at Transfiguration of Our Lord Parish

18th Ave. Murphy-Cubao, Q.C./ 912.1306

ooOOOoo

April 2, 2007 Holy Monday

7:00 PM Mass

7:30 PM Evening Prayer

7:45 PM Reflection

"Sumasampalataya ako kay Jesu-Kristo:

Pinagpakasakit ni Poncio Pilato at Pinako sa Krus"

ooOOOoo

April 3, 2007 Holy Tuesday

7:00 PM Mass

7:30 PM Evening Prayer

7:45 PM Reflection

"Sumasampalataya ako kay Jesu-Kristo:

Namatay, Inilibing, at Nanaog sa Kinaroroonan ng mga Yumao"

ooOOOoo

April 4, 2007 Holy Wednesday

7:00 PM Mass

7:30 PM Evening Prayer

7:45 PM Reflection -

"Sumasampalataya ako kay Jesu-Kristo:

Nang may Ikatlong Araw Nabuhay na Mag-uli"

Four Gives

Sun Lent C
“Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” We are all sinners. We are all weak. And yet at one point or another we have thrown “stones” at each other.

We are all sinners. We are all weak. We are all forgiven by God. Why do we find it difficult to forgive? What does it require to forgive. To forgive is “four gives” – to give four times.

First, to forgive is to give up pride. Forgiveness calls to be humble, to accept that we are all sinners, to understand the faults and failure of others and not to look down on them. Not to look at ourselves as if we are so much better than others. If we appreciate people who are humble so also others.

Second, to forgive is to give up selfishness. Forgiveness requires getting beyond the ego and think of the other person. The world is not a word of I, me and myself. If we need to be understood by people around us so also others.

Third, to forgive is to give another chance. We all need a second chance – the chance to correct our mistakes, to prove that we are not all failures; the chance to grow and change for the better, to improve and redeem ourselves. We all need the chance to change. If we require a second chance, so also others.

Fourth, to forgive is to give Jesus. When we forgive we let the other person experience the forgiveness of God. We become instruments of God’s mercy to another person. We become instruments of God. And that brings peace to us and to the other. If forgiveness from those we have hurt brings peace to us, so also to others.

Why does humanity find forgiveness difficult? Because forgiveness entails not a single kind of giving. It requires giving four times over. To forgive is to give four times. Ang magpatawad ay pagbibigay ng maka-apat na beses. This Lenten season let us ask the Lord that we may learn how to forgive, that we may be enabled how to give four times.

Seeing Visions

[Homily delivered by Bishop Honesto F. Ongtioco on March 19, 2007, Solemnity of Joseph, Husband of Mary and Priestly Ordination of Fr. Gilbert Dumlao, Fr. Choy Garcia and Fr. Jojo Monis.]

My dear brother bishops, brother priests, religions men and women, Reverends Gilbert, William and Ronald, seminarians, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Good Morning!

Today is truly a day of thanksgiving. We thank the Lord for Saint Joseph, the Husband of Mary. Even though our knowledge of Saint Joseph is very limited his involvement in the life and mission of Jesus Christ has touched our hearts. His righteousness, his faith, his purity and silence continue to call all of us to share in the life and mission of Jesus. Today too, we thank the Lord for the gift of the priesthood; in front of us are three young men to be ordained as priests. Indeed no other offering can appropriate our joy but the offering of gratitude.

My dear people of God, allow me to address these reflection first to the ordinands. My dear Gido, Choy and Jojo, in the Gospel today Joseph has decided to divorce Mary quietly. But that night in his sleep he saw a vision; a vision so powerful that convinced him to change his mind. Joseph no longer divorced Mary and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him. Joseph realized the will of Yahweh through that vision. The vision convinced him of what must be done.

My beloved deacons, Gido, Choy and Jojo, in order to be a good and holy priest, like St. Joseph you need to see visions. Not those visions borne out of illusion, hallucination, apparition, or those presented to us in dreams. Not those kinds of vision. The vision that I want you to see is a vision of a priest according to the heart of the Good Shepherd.

First, in order to be a priest according to the heart of Jesus, you must see the vision of service. As the gospel of Mark puts it, you must be able to see yourself capable of denying yourself, taking up your cross and following Jesus, the High Priest [8:34b]. The Vatican II document that deals with the life and ministry of the priest, Presbyterorum Ordinis calls it Pastoral Charity, which should urge every priest “to dedicate their own will by obedience to the service of God and their fellow men.” [no. 15] My dear deacons, yes the priesthood will be good for your soul, but you are not ordained for yourself alone, you are ordained for the people of God, for the building up of the Church. You cannot be a good and holy priest if you do not see yourself capable of selfless love.

Sa kultura natin mga Pilipino, pag-pari ka, paglilingkuran ka ng mga tao, aalamin nila kung ano ang paborito mong kulay para pag-nagregalo sila alam nila kung anong kulay ang ibibigay sa iyo na tuwalya, t-shirt, polo, at sangkatutak na tela; sa handaan hindi ikaw ang lalapit sa pagkain, ang pagkain ang lalapit sa iyo; pagnakita nilang pinagpapawisan ka papaypayan ka nila. Mag-uunahan ang tao na maglingkod sa inyo. Pero huwag na huwag kayong makakalimot, bilang pari – Gido, Choy at Jojo, kayo dapat ang manguna sa paglilingkod.

Second, in order to be a priest according to the heart of Jesus, you must see the vision of holiness. Presbyterorum Ordinis no. 12 states, “Like all other Christians they have received in the sacrament of Baptism the symbol and gift of such a calling and such grace that even in human weakness they can and must seek for perfection, according to the exhortation of Christ: ‘Be you therefore perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect’ (Mt 5:48).” As priests you will administer holy things; the grace of God will be received by the faithful through you. You will be an instrument of the Holy. Do not let the holy things that you dispense pass through you without making you holy. Or else you will become mere machines, an automatic dispenser of grace.

Dahil kayo’y mga bago at batang pari, maraming trabaho ang ipagkakatiwala sa inyo. Pero tandaan ninyo kahit inaasahan kong tatanggapin ninyo anumang trabaho ang ipagkatiwala ko sa inyo, ang kagalakan ng Ama ay magaganap lamang kung ang inyong paglilingkod ay nagiging daan para sa inyong kabanalan. Ayoko namang masisipag ang aking mga pari pero “burned out” naman; marami nga kayong ginagawa pero wala naman kayong oras magdasal. Hindi ito ang ikaliligaya ng aking kalooban, sapagkat hindi ito ang kalooban ng Amang pumili sa inyo. Gido, Choy at Jojo, dalangin ko na kayo’y maging mabuti at banal na mga pari.

Third, in order to be a priest according to the heart of Jesus, you have to have a clear vision of the world. Although the gospel reminds us that we are not of this world [ ] nevertheless, it is to this world that we are sent. The Apostolic Exhortation of the Great Pope John Paul II, Pastores Dabo Vobis on the formation of priests in the circumstances of the present day, states that “God always calls his priests from specific human and ecclesial contexts, which inevitably influence them; and to these same contexts the priest is sent for the service of Christ's Gospel.” [no. 5] You have been set apart from the community for formation, learning and preparation. Now you are being sent back to the same community for the service of Christ’s gospel. Effective and relevant service can only happen if we know the world in which we are to exercise our priestly ministry. In your case, this is the world of the diocese of Cubao. How can we proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to the millions of families living in poverty without a decent roof above their heads? How can we be priests to the millions of young people who impatiently seek meaning to their existence and satisfaction to their desires? How do you shepherd a flock who desperately needs a true, honest, and selfless leader?

Karahasan. Kahirapan. Kalaswaan. Pandaraya. Kasinungalingan. Pangungurakot. Pagkakanya-kanya. Gido, Choy at Jojo, ito ang mundo kung saan kayo maglilingkod bilang pari. Isang mundong sadlak sa dilim, oo, subalit uhaw sa liwanag, uhaw sa katotohanan, sa kapayapaan, sa direksyon at kahulugan. Kilalanin ang mundong ito upang makapaglingkod ng husto.

Gido, Choy and Jojo, you are young. I look at you and I am overcome with hope for you are the future of the Church. You are the future of Cubao. Never give in to the selfish dictates of the ego that you may never loose the vision of selfless service. Never settle for the satisfaction that comes from achieving deadlines, producing results and accomplishing tasks assigned to you that you may not loose sight of the vision of holiness. Never close your eyes to the context and circumstance of the ever changing world that you may always have an accurate vision of the world. As the vision of Joseph inspired him not to let go of Mary and challenged him to do as the angel commanded, let these visions challenge you. Let these visions inspire you.

My dear families, relatives, friends and benefactors of these three deacons, I am sure that seeing them getting ordained today as priests is like seeing a vision. They cannot be here without your support. And they cannot remain faithful to their ministry without your encouragement. Be there for them with your prayers, appreciation, cooperation, understanding and love.

Finally, last night I had a dream. I had a vision. I saw myself carrying the cross of Jesus. But it did not feel heavy for at my back I saw the clergy, the religious and the lay faithful of Cubao carrying the cross of Jesus with me. And with the priests I saw the three of you, Gido, Choy and Jojo. The best part of the dream is this: we were all smiling while carrying the cross of Jesus. We were carrying the cross of Christ with joy.

Priesthood is not a loner’s ministry. Rather, priesthood is a ministry in relationship. Gido, Choy and Jojo, you do not carry the cross of Christ alone. I carry the cross with you. The clergy, the religious and the lay faithful carry the cross with you. We carry the cross of Christ together. And the most exciting part of carrying the cross is to discover that the cross which was formerly a sign of a shameful death has been transformed by the sacrificial love of Christ as a source of genuine joy for those who accept it. Amen.

The Father's Embrace

4th Sun. Lent C
“While he was still a long way off he father caught sight of him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.” [from the story of the Prodigal Son, Luke 15:1-3, 11:32]

When the younger son asked for his inheritance from his father, the son has regarde his father to be dead. For the son his father has become a nobody. The relationship did not matter. The father meant nothing. He is dead. But the father did not feel the same. When the son returned to his father, the wayward son was not treated as a slave, much less a nobody. He was considered dead. He was not turned away. The father ran towards the returning son and the father embraced him. For the father his son was never dead; he was never a nobody. He was still alive and he was his son. The father never stopped loving him.

Ganyan din po ang Diyos nating Ama. Makailang beses man natin siyang talikuran dahil nakuha na natin ang gusto natin sa kanya hindi siya tatalikod sa atin. Makailang beses mang di natin suklian ang pagkalinga niyang wagas, tuloy pa rin ang pagkalinga niya. Makailang beses mang mapako ang mga pangako nating mgbabalik-loob, di pa rin siya hihinto sa paghihintay. Kung tayo’y babalik, malayo pa, patakbo pa siyang sasalubong sa atin at yayakapin.

Ngayong panahon ng Kwaresma kapag-natagpuan na natin ang yakap ng Diyos Ama huwag na po sana tayong umalis pa.

The God of Second Chances

3rd Sun Lent C
“Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.”

Our God is a God of second chances. In fact, He even offers third, fourth, or fifth chances. Indeed, He never runs out of chances for his love for us is unconditional and forgiving.

We come to know of this clearly in the story of the Hebrew people. After leaving behind the slavery of Egypt the chosen people journeyed through the dessert for years under the leadership of Moses who was instructed by Yahweh. The people questioned the fidelity of Yahweh when they ran out of water, and God gave them water from the rock. The people questioned the power of Yahweh when they ran out of food in the desert, but God gave them manna from heaven. The people turned to other gods but Yahweh remained faithful to his covenant with them. Yahweh never ran out of chances for his beloved people.

But the gospel parable seemed to require one important thing in receiving a second chance from the Lord. There is a need for cultivation, for purification. The fig tree was fruitless for three years but it was given another year. But in order to be fruitful there is a need for cultivation. When we receive a new chance from the Lord, a new beginning in Christian life, there is a need for purification; purification that entails the acknowledgement of what is unnecessary, detrimental and harmful to Christian life, a purification that entails willingness to fill what is lacking, what is in want, and what is to be desired.

Sa bawat bagong pagkakataon na bigay sa atin ng Diyos kailangan ng paghahawan; paghahawan ng masasamang damong kaagaw sa daloy ng biyaya ng Diyos, ng mga tinik na pumipigil sa paglaki at paglago, sa pagkatuyong humaharang upang mamunga ng hitik. Kung walang paghahawang mangyayari balik lang sa dati; balik sa dating kawalan ng mabubuting bunga, sa dating pigil ang paglago.

Every second chance that the Lord gives us is an invitation to conversion. It is a call for honest self-assessment, for a strong resolve to see a progress from before and for an ever growing intimacy with Him.

Huwag ng patagalin at baka abutan ka ng anihan. Kung walang makitang bunga, baka putulin at ihagis sa siga.

WOODSTRUCK: Tatamaan ka!

On March 6, 2007, the World Youth Day cross was welcomed by the diocese of Cubao. Young people from the different suffragan dioceses of Manila gathered together in music, dance, sharing and liturgical celebration to rejoice in the visit of the cross.

The title of the event, WOODSTUCK, made me think. It was in obvious reference to Woodstock – a gathering of yuppies in the 1970’s that celebrates with a marathon of music and party. It is also associated with the popular talent search on TV, Starstruck, with a creative twist. I guess the “wood” refers to the cross and “struck” refers to what the cross can do to those who will accept it.

But who would be willing to be hit by a cross? Who in his or her right mind would accept to be “woodstruck”? We, humans naturally run away from the cross. We avoid hardship and pain as much as we can, but the event was an invitation not to run away from the cross but to let oneself be “struck” by it. What does the wood of the cross bring us?

The cross is where the Son of Man died. In Jesus, the cross which was an instrument of shameful death was transformed into an instrument of a surprising rebirth. When we run away from the cross, when we turn our backs from it, we are running away from a possibility of growth, of life, and maturity. I’m not saying that we should all seek the cross, no. But the road to genuine happiness and lasting joy is necessarily pass through the cross. We do not have to look for it, to burden ourselves of it. To follow the Lord is to take up the cross daily.

To allow ourselves be “woodstruck” or to accept the cross of Christ [i.e. tamaan ng krus ni Kristo] is to be transformed into hopeful and joyful citizens of the Kingdom passing through this world. No amount of suffering and pain can take this joy and hope away for the cross has already been transformed in the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Kapagsineryoso mo ang pagsunod kay Kristo na ipinako sa krus sigurado tatamaan ka! Tinamaan ka na ba?

Climbing Our Mt. Tabor

2nd Sun Lent C.
Naranasan nyo na bang lumakad ng hindi malinaw kung saan kayo pupunta? Naranasan nyo na bang habang bumabyahe may magtatanong kung saan pupunta at ang sagot “Kahit saan” o kaya “Bahala kayo” o kaya “Kung saan tayo abutin”. Nakakainis!

When the archbishop of Manila was installed in the Manila Cathedral, in his message Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales reiterated several times that it is treason for a shepherd not to have a vision. Vision empowers us to move. It directs our decisions. It motivates and inspires. It sustains in times of difficulties and challenges. It gives focus and common ground.

The Transfiguration of Jesus Christ is every believer’s vision. The glory of the Transfiguration prefigures the glory of the Resurrection. What happened to Jesus in Mt. Tabor and in the tomb at the outskirts of Jerusalem is the end that awaits every Christian. It is the vision that empowers us, motivates and inspires every heart, sustains hope and strength, gives focus and common ground for all those who follow the Lord.

Ang kaningningan ng kaluwalhatian ng Pagbabagong Anyo ng Panginoon ang tagumpay na naghihintay sa bawat isa sa ating nagsisikap tumulad kay Kristo at tumupad sa kalooban ng Ama.

Di ba mas madaling tiisin ang tagal ng biyahe kung alam mo kung saan ka pupunta? Mas katanggap-tangap ang inip kung alam mo kung saan ka patungo? Mas humahaba ang pasensya sa pangit na daan dahil alam mo kung gaano kaganda ang pupuntahan?

Yakapin natin ang kaluwalhatian ng Pagbabagong Anyo ni Jesus. Isaisip. Isapuso. Itanim sa kalooban. Kung malinaw sa atin na ang kaluwalhatiang ito ang naghihintay sa atin, walang dahilan upang bumigay sa kahinaan, sa tukso, at sa kasalanan; walang dahilan para iwasan ang pagbabalik-loob, pagbabago at pagpapakabanal.

If we keep close in our hearts the vision of the glory of the Transfiguration we have in our hands the eternal wellspring of strength and hope. We await our own Transfiguration. Let us not be frightened to climb our own Mt. Tabor. Amen.

Trust and Patience

“Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door shall be opened to you.”

These words of Jesus assure us that our God listens to our prayers. He is knowledgeable of our searching and that he awaits our knock on the door of his heart. Indeed, those who ask will receive. The gospel is definite about it. Those who seek will find for sure. Those who knocks will certainly discover that the door is open. This is one hundred percent sure. But, we are not told when; when will those who ask receive; when will those who seek find; when will those who knock get the door open for them. We are not told how many times should one ask before one receives. It does not say how long one should seek before one finds. There is nothing that says until when should one knock before the door is unlocked.

There is no doubt that God loves us unconditionally and that he will provide for us for He knows our needs and He knows what is best for us. This is the reason why we ask from Him; why we seek Him; why we knock at His door. He will provide. He will give. But we are asked to persevere for no one knows the time, the day, and the hour when His providence and grace will come – no one knows the moment when the good we are asking for will be given, when the illusive happiness we are looking shall be found, and when the tightly shut door will be finally open. Only with trustful patience can we continue to ask, to seek and to knock. Only with trust can one be truly patient.