1 Thessalonians 2:9-13 ><)))*> ><)))*> Matthew 23:27-32
O God our loving Father! Today we celebrate the feast of one of your greatest saints of all time, St. Augustine.
His life story itself is a gospel, a good news of your love and mercy, of your salvation in Christ Jesus!
It is never too late to love you, O Lord, for our hearts are restless until they rest on you!
Like the song of the psalmist today, “You have searched me and you know me, O Lord” that despite my many sins, my great pride, you patiently wait for me to go back to you like St. Augustine.
In him, we have found hope and and chances to be become better and holy.
Like St. Augustine, give us the gift of humility of accepting our humanity, our weaknesses and sinfulness to be converted into better persons.
Like St. Augustine, may we use our intelligence for your greater glory and not for our selfish ends and other evils.
Most of all, purify our hearts always that it may always seek you and follow you. Amen.
Funeral of St. Augustine by Bennozo Gozzoli at Florence. At the time of his death, St. Augustine was a towering figure in the Church and the entire Western world at that time with his hundreds of letters, treatises and books that shaped our thoughts and provided foundations for our many doctrines still very much in use these days.
1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 ><)))*> <*(((>< Matthew 23:23-26
How wonderful, O God, that on this feast of the patroness of mothers, St. Monica, the Apostle Paul identified himself as a mother caring the church he founded.
“Rather, we were gentle among you, as a nursing mother cares for her children. With such affection for you, we were determined to share with you not only the Gospel of God, but our very selves as well, so dearly beloved had you become to us.”
1 Thessalonians 2:7-8
Teach us to be like St. Paul in his passion and drive caring for those you have entrusted to us like “a nursing mother who cares for her children”.
But most especially, as we remember St. Monica who embodied true motherhood with her patience and perseverance and undying love for her wayward son St. Augustine, we pray also today for all mothers.
We pray, O Lord, for mothers in their old age, sick and fragile, afraid of the inevitable, feeling alone filled with so many doubts and uncertainties of what is coming, of what is next: give them the firm faith and enlightenment of mind and heart like St. Monica.
We pray for the departed mothers and may you grant them, O Lord, eternal rest and peace in your presence. May they reap the fruits of their hard work here on earth that have caused so much physical and emotional pains for them here on earth.
Photo by Jim Marpa, 2017.
We pray for the many suffering mothers, Lord: those sick with cancer and other diseases; for those who have to suffer and cry in silence due to lack of concern and understanding by their unfaithful husband or ungrateful children; for those mothers who have to leave home to earn decent living abroad, taking care of somebody else’s children while their own children are left home alone.
We pray, O Lord, for the widows who always feel alone and misunderstood by everyone especially by their grown up children, always trying to put up a front that everything is going well so as not to make others worry.
We pray also for mothers who take care of their sick children who suffer twice even thrice seeing their sons and daughters writhing in pain; bless those mothers who have lost their children for various reasons that shattered all their dreams and hopes for a wonderful future.
We pray, Lord, for mothers left behind by their own families and by the society, living on the streets or in some orphanages, unwanted, unloved. We pray also for mothers-in-law especially those “boxed” by their in-laws.
We pray for the young mothers especially the first-timers at a loss at how to care for their babies, for working mothers trying to juggle motherhood and career.
Do not forget also, Lord, the many mothers who have forgotten their children have their own lives to live too, who have wrongly thought they are always right, manipulating their children who eventually were pushed over the cliff and now lost. Help them and their mothers find their way back to you, O Lord, and to each others’ loving arms.
Bless also, O Lord, all the other mothers who are forced to work under unfavorable conditions due to poverty, for mothers languishing in jails especially the innocent ones, for mothers into some other forms of crusades and advocacies nobody cares.
Lastly, we pray for us all children and for the husbands too that we may keep in mind only you, O God, can love perfectly. A mother’s love is always imperfect but no matter how defective it may be, it is the best love she can give. Help us create a room for our mother’s imperfections filled with your divine love that would console them, soothe them, and make them feel they are loved and appreciated. Amen.
St. Monica with her son St. Augustine. She died at the age of 56, always depicted dressed like a nun with a black habit to symbolise her being a widow.
1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 8-10 ><)))*> Matthew 23:13-22
From Google.
We are now at the final stretch of the month of August, Lord, and everybody is thinking of September already, counting the days until Christmas.
How sad, O Lord, that we are so focused with the dates and we miss the event of your coming to us, of your birth. No wonder we also miss your great gift of calling us unto you, of making us your new chosen people.
St. Paul reminds us today of how you have loved us, God, of how we were chosen and called in Christ Jesus to become his body, the Church.
How sad that these days, churches and houses of worship have become more of places to meet for lovers and friends than for people to gather as a community of disciples waiting for the Lord’s coming again.
How sad that like the scribes and Pharisees of the time of Jesus, we have also become hypocrites living in the darkness of sin and self-centeredness, believing more in our selves than in you.
Lead us out anew, Lord, from the many darkness that blind us and prevent us from living a life of faith in you and love among our brothers and sisters. Amen.
Friday, Wk. XX, Yr. I, Memorial of St. Rose of Lima, 23 August 2019
Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 14-16, 22 ><}}}*> ><}}}*> Matthew 22:34-40
Photo by Dra. Mai B. Dela Pena, Israel, 2016.
Thank you very much O God for the gift of women!
Today we celebrate two beautiful women who showed us that the true essence of beauty is in sharing your love with others.
There is the Moabite woman named Ruth who stayed with her mother-in-law Naomi who went back to Israel upon the death of her husband and two sons.
What a beautiful story of great love of a young widow for her widowed mother-in-law co-journeying with her to uncertain future guided only by faith and love in God.
But Ruth said, “Do not ask me to abandon or forsake you! For wherever you go I will go, wherever you lodge I will lodge, your people shall be my people, and your God my God.”
Ruth 1:16
Also today we celebrate the memorial of South America’s first canonized saint, Rose of Lima, Peru.
Said to be so lovely and beautiful, St. Rose offered her life at a very young age to the Lord in prayers and works of penance with a burning desire to evangelize the Indians despite the risks of being killed.
The patroness against vanities, St. Rose of Lima died at a young age of 31, praying, “Lord, increase my sufferings, and with them increase your love in my heart.”
Ruth and St. Rose of Lima, two great women of faith who proved with their lives that true beauty lies indeed in the greatest commandment of all, love of God and love of others.
We pray today for all the women, especially the victims of human trafficking.
Likewise, we pray for those men insisting to be “women” that they may come to discover their true beauty is in accepting their gift of humanity as a male amid the many confusions and turbulence within them. Amen.
“Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven” mosaic on the apse of St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome.
Lord Jesus Christ, thank you very much in sharing with us, in giving us your Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. Thank you very much for being our King of Kings that we now have also a Blessed Queen.
Remind us always O Lord that her queenship is because of your Kingship!
We always forget that fact that have led us to almost worshipping her, even “crowning” her – episcopally or canonically?!
Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom there will be no end.”
Luke 1:30-33
Did the Father truly crowned Mary like our earthly queens?
Or, are you Jesus her crown that she has become your channel of grace?
Teach us to be like her always open to you, to always respond to your calls, and most of all, to act on your words.
Reign in our hearts and in our lives, Lord Jesus Christ so Mary your Mother may truly be our Queen of heaven and earth when you are our only crown of glory. Amen.
Installation of the Fifth Bishop of Malolos, 21 August 2019
Judges 9:6-15 ><)))*> ><)))*> ><)))*> Matthew 20:1-16
Main Altar, Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Malolos City. Photo by Lorenzo Atienza, June 2019.
On this joyous occasion of the installation of our fifth Bishop, the Most Rev. Dennis C. Villarojo, we praise and thank you O God for this wonderful gift of finally having a local Ordinary to lead us.
Thank you in hearing and granting our prayers for a new Bishop. And surely, you will be hearing and granting us all our prayers for him too!
But, lest we forget, I pray also to you, O God our Father, the prophetic request of a lay-woman you sent us during our clergy recollection last June: “Let us not corrupt our new bishop.”
It was the most shaking voice we have heard from you for a long time, Lord.
We were shocked, even jarred to our very core because it is so true.
It is a truth you have been telling us for so long not only in the Church but even in the society in general.
So often, we pin too much hopes and expectations, even demanding a lot from our leaders everywhere but we alway forget our important role of helping them fulfill their mission.
May we take into our hearts the parable of the trees by Gideon’s youngest son Jotham when your people were so eager of having their own king because the problem, O God, with corruption anywhere is not in the sinful ways being done by the corrupt but lies more on the corruptors who feel entitled that they must be given with special treatment by every leader they try to manipulate for their selfish ends.
Let us not be corruptors of any one like those in the gospel parable today of the first group of workers who looked so highly of themselves, expecting higher wages than the others and what was agreed upon, forgetting they are not the owner of the vineyard.
Bless our new Bishop and keep him strong in resisting the temptations and lure of fame and power and wealth in this so blessed vineyard of yours. Amen.
The Immaculate Conception, Patroness of our Diocese atop the Cathedral Bell Tower. Photo by Lorenzo Atienza, June 2019.
Judges 6:11-24 ><)))*> ><)))*> ><)))*> Matthew 19:23-30
Tam-Awan Village, Baguio City, February 2019.
The Lord answered Gideon, “Be calm, do not fear. You shall not die.” So Gideon built there an altar to the Lord and called it Yahweh-shalom.
Judges 6:23-24
In our beautiful story today on how you have called Gideon as a judge of your people, O Lord, you have also taught us a very important lesson about discipleship – our first task is to love you!
So many times in my life, Lord, I remember how I would always refuse to follow you because of the fact that I am not really afraid of the task ahead but more of my fear for myself: of how people would measure me, of how they would laugh at me, or how I might not be able to deliver results.
Like in the story of your call to Gideon, I often look at myself rather than see you as the Almighty God, calling me, trusting me, sending me.
How funny it seems that when you send us to a mission, O Lord, it is not because of our limitations but because of our excesses: of our too much pride, too much knowledge, too much comfort, and too much self hiding in false humility.
Just when we think we have given up so much for you, God, that’s when we find it difficult to give up the little things we enjoy like recognition, “likes”, applauds, or even simple pleasures like food and drinks.
Teach us to be like your servant St. Bernard of Clairvaux who despite his wealth and greatness chose to exhaust himself in praising you in his many works of charity and praises to you and the Blessed Mother (The Memorare) in the liturgy.
Like Gideon and St. Bernard, keep us calm, always trusting you, loving you in words and in deeds.
Judges 2:11-19 ><)))*> ><)))*> ><)))*> Matthew 19:16-22
Grotto at Baguio (Mirador Hill), February 2019.
Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, he would be with the judge and save them from the power of their enemies as long as the judge lived; it was thus the Lord took pity on their distressful cries of affliction under their oppressors. But when the judge died, they would relapse and do worse than their ancestors, following other gods in service and worship, relinquishing none of their evil practices or stubborn conduct.
Judges 2:11-19
Sometimes I wonder why, O God, you did not just fix our hearts on you so we would remain in you?
Like the experiences of your people during the time of judges in Israel, our lives have become like one big vicious circle too difficult to break but so easy to predict: we turn away from you, our lives go wayward, we repent, you forgive us, then we go back to you, we are blessed and then, after some period of peace and prosperity, we again turn away from you, our lives go wayward and the cycle continues.
What a foolish heart we have, O Lord.
But, you are so filled with love and mercy for us, believing in us always for the ability to change and remain in you despite our weaknesses.
Thank you for never completely abandoning us, for always having that gaze filled with love like Jesus looking onto that young man in the gospel who walked away sad because he could not completely commit himself to serving you and loving you with all his heart.
Keep us faithful to you, enlighten our minds and our hearts to trust only in you even if the journey is full of dangers and difficulties.
We pray in a special way for our brothers and sisters suffering with various forms of cancer. May the prayers of St. Ezequiel Moreno grant them healing. Amen.
Thank you very much, dear God, for this weekend rest.
And as we rest from work or studies, let us also pray for the gift of remembering.
Like in the first reading when Joshua asked the Israelites to always remember the many wondrous things you have done to them so they may remain faithful to you, make us remember too that there is no other God except you who personally relates with us, blessing us with everything that we need even without our asking.
You have created us to always remember but we are also “beings of forgetfulness” who always forget everything and everyone, especially you and those dearest to us. We are easily distracted with so many other things and people that we always forget those who are truly good to us.
When life becomes nice and easy for us, when we have everything we need, that is when we forget. And sadly, when we forget, when we do not remember, that is when we also break away, we go apart.
Because, to “remember” literally means to make a member or part again, “re” + “member”.
When we remember you, O God, we affirm your presence in us and among us.
When we remember our loved ones, whether away or gone forever, we make them a part again of our lives here and now, the present moment. The same thing is true with events in the past, whether good or bad.
Thank you so much O God for this gift of remembering!
Make us like the children in today’s gospel who came to you, wanting to be one with you, wanting to be your member and part too! Amen.
Do we really have a choice with you? Of course, you are not forcing us to choose you because you gave us freedom, your most wonderful gift expressing your love for us. You never impose yourself on us and, we are always free to choose you or not!
But, how can we not choose you, O God? You are the only good, the ultimate good. And you never fail to give us the best, nothing less.
Joshua addressed all the people: “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I gave you a land which you had not tilled and cities which you had not built, to dwell in; you have eaten of vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.”
Joshua 24:2, 13
Problem with us, Lord, is our failure to accept and own your gifts. We keep on looking for something else when you are giving us the very best. We always insist on what we want, on our choices we think to be good but not really good. But, because we are free, you allow us to disregard your gifts and choose something else – and still bless us!
And so we pray today that you teach us to both accept and own your gifts to us, Lord.
It is not enough that we accept gifts but we must also own them to be truly a blessing that can be shared and given to others.
Material and spiritual blessings, life lessons and life-blows, and all the other good gifts from you Lord are easy to accept but unless we own them too as ours, they get wasted.
Anything received but not owned becomes useless because it does not prosper nor grow nor mature and bear fruits. Be it our very selves, our country, our jobs, our family and friends. Everything, especially you, Lord, whom we always receive but never shared because we never truly have you in us. Let us own you, Lord! Amen.
