TRINITY SUNDAY, YEAR C

THE TRINITY FOR STRONG RELATIONSHIPS

(photo: St. Hildegard of Bingen’s illustration of her vision of the Holy Trinity)

These are some of the all-too familiar stories we hear around us:  a married couple split up after 20 years, a man feels unhappy in his family, a person finds out his friend’s deception, a woman discovers her lover’s manipulation, a worker falls away with his boss, a mother or father loses contact with his child.

Life is marked by relationships - personal, family, work, church, community - and yet so many relationships end in destruction.  While these started out with fervor and gusto, they end up in rancor and bitterness.

Today we celebrate the God of relationships.  As Christians our God is One but within a relationship of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  This puzzle of One God in Three Persons has meaning only in terms of relationship.  God is not an isolated God but a reaching-out God, both in Himself and outside Himself.  The first reading mentions something very intriguing and delicate when it describes God “playing on the surface of the earth” (Prov 8:31).  God is not confined to heaven. He descends to our earth and touches every one of us, enjoying the encounter!

Our God is all about relationship - strong and durable relationships.  We do not see in God the breakdown and division we find among us. What is the secret of this enduring, compact and happy unity? 

First, relationship in God is never selfish but is always generous.  The gospel (Jn 16:15) says the Father gives everything to the Son, who receives everything in turn.  Then the Son shares everything with us through the Holy Spirit.

Even our best relationships can fall into selfishness.  A satisfied couple do not want to have children.  A rich family is indifferent to the poor.  A club or gang selects its members.  When this happens, the relationships do not grow but becomes restricted. Relationships must be generous and open in order to blossom and spread.

Second, relationship in God is one of truth. Jesus says that the Holy Spirit contributes and disseminates only the truth (Jn 16:13).  The Father and the Son are true to each other and therefore true to us as well.

Many relationships today ignore truth.  Young people hide the truth from their parents and thus avoid being guided.  Friends keep secrets from each other when honesty should prevail.  In families and communities, we know others only superficially. Or we establish hurtful and forbidden contacts that harm us and those we love.

Are we part of broken relationships? Do we want to heal hurting relationships in our lives? Do we want to correct the mistakes we made in our own relationships? Then let us turn to the Trinity and ask for the grace of two things:  generosity and truth.  May the Trinity give us the grace of strong relationships in our families and communities. 

PENTECOST SUNDAY 2013

THE GOD WHO LISTENS AND LEADS

So many people listen to Papa Jack; old people, a lot of young people and even a number of priests, follow his radio program.  Papa Jack is one of the most famous DJs in our country.  Not only does he play great music; he entertains phone-in questions with down to earth, often hilarious but very practical solutions.

Today many people are confused and burdened with much emotional baggage. They look for someone who will tell them what to do, give them ready help and just be willing to listen to their woes.  Many of them turn to Papa Jack or any other variant of psychological help available.

After Jesus’ Resurrection, he told the disciples to wait for the great Divine Gift. Now, we celebrate this Gift of Jesus and of His Father, the Holy Spirit, who after Jesus’ ascension will accompany the disciples in their day-to-day earthly life. More than that, the Spirit actually dwells within our hearts, assuaging our fears and filling us with confidence that we are loved. “Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (Rom 8:14).

We may not see the Holy Spirit, nor hear Him, nor touch Him now.  But if we are receptive and sensitive, we will experience, know and feel His infinite love.  In an age of too many wars, discord and noise around us, and too much restlessness and upheavals within our hearts, the Holy Spirit is the God Who speaks to us and brings us true and soothing peace.

In the past days, I was swamped with so many concerns both personal and work-related. There were just so many issues that needed to be resolved or at least confronted. Like many of my parishioners, I too experienced anxiety and uncertainty. Realizing that the novena to the Holy Spirit has started, I turned to the Him in prayer.  As usual, He never disappoints. Even in the darkness I know that God is taking me by the hand, listening and leading me into light.

How often do we seek the Papa Jack who will listen to us and enlighten us with wise instructions.  Who or what is your Papa Jack today? Where do you turn to in order to drown your pains and sorrows? Television, radio, cell phone, computer, liquor, gambling, etc? While these can give relief, the respite is temporary and the problems will re-surface to plague us again and again.

Today, we receive from Jesus the Holy Spirit, our God-Consoler and God-Friend. With the Holy Spirit in our hearts, we are always in the presence of Jesus. “He will teach you all things and remind you of all that I told you” (Jn 14:26).  He does not merely distract us from our concerns or offer superficial cures to our pains. The Holy Spirit fills us with confidence that God listens to His children.  The Holy Spirit takes us by the hand and leads us to the right path.

If there is one voice we need to listen to each day, and especially as we go through tough times, it is this voice of the Gift given us on Pentecost, the voice of the Holy Spirit. Come, Holy Spirit, our Consoler and Friend!


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Holy Spirit Novena

Dearest Holy Spirit, confiding in Your deep, personal love for me, I am making this novena for the following request, if it be Your Holy Will to grant it: 
(mention your request).

Teach me, Divine Spirit, to know and seek my last end; grant me the holy fear of God; grant me true contrition and patience. 
Do not let me fall into sin. Give me an increase of faith, hope and charity, and bring forth in my soul all the virtues proper to my state in life.

Make me a faithful disciple of Jesus and an obedient child of the Church. Give me efficacious grace sufficient to keep the Commandments and to receive the Sacraments worthily. 
Give me the four Cardinal Virtues, Your Seven Gifts, Your Twelve Fruits. 
Raise me to perfection in the state of life to which You have called me and lead me through a happy death to everlasting life.
 I ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.

OUR LADY OF FATIMA

HAPPY FEAST DAY OF

OUR LADY OF FATIMA

A PRAYER FOR MOTHERS ON MOTHER’S DAY!

Prayers for Mothers

O Loving Lord,

You have created mothers in love and blessed them with children.

As they work tirelessly to support their families may they be showered with your blessings.

Give mothers strength to exercise compassion as they live each day under your care.

May those who are joined in your love, support mothers by their fervour of spirit and devotion to prayer.

Amen

We thank you, O Lord, for the gift of Motherhood.

May those blessed with children be granted the gifts of courage, perseverance and good health.

May they face each new day with faith and hope in your abiding love.

May all families find in the strength of your love

The priceless gift of peace

And so bear witness to your glory.

Amen

As Mary was the model of prayer, of love, and of obedience to the will of God, by your grace make mothers holy and rich with your gifts.

Bind families together in the bonds of peace and safety so that mothers will feel nurtured by love.

May all mothers enjoy good health and spiritual well being to enable them to care for their families.

(Source: Written by Bishop Kevin Manning, Parramatta Diocese).

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how we miss you today, Mommy!  

with Mommy at UST College of Commerce, Recognition Day

and on my ordination anniversary, Villa San Miguel

ASCENSION SUNDAY YEAR C

A STORY OF SUCCESS

Last week I met a young man who is in college and who has another dream aside from finishing his studies.  He wants to become a professional basketball player.  He has always admired those who were given the chance to prove themselves on the hard court.  His one desire is to be like his idols.

In today’s world, everybody is trekking the path that leads one to go up, to move higher, to follow an “upward mobility.” The usual dream of becoming rich, enjoying fame, obtaining honors and grabbing power are expressions of our desire to go up.  Even the pure desire to be close to God in a holy way of life is a valid and worthy ambition.

Our country and our Church need people today who look up and strain to touch what vision they see ahead. We need progress. We need to move up!

The gospel of today’s Solemn Feast of the Ascension supports this natural inclination to look up, to climb higher, to reach the top.  After Jesus’ devoted and committed earthly life, the only other way is to ascend to heaven, to reclaim the throne he has with the Father from all eternity. “As he blessed them, he parted from them and was taken up to heaven” (Luke 24).

The earth is not all there is, Jesus reminds us.  What we encounter down here, however satisfying and beautiful they are, surely are among the ephemeral and passing things of human experiences. The things that will not pass away belong to the realm where the Father is supreme.

But Jesus’ ascension is not a light achievement. He who ascended to the throne on high staked a lot of investment in his life on earth. Ascending in triumph and glory, Jesus had to trudge the path of hard work and sacrifice. He went through the pain of the cross.  He entered the darkness of the tomb. It was not an easy earthly life that prepared Jesus for the Resurrection and the Ascension.

And this we often forget.  We want to go up but we do not want to crawl our way to get there. How can you get rich if you don’t save what little you can?  How can you reach fame if you have no perseverance to show the world what you’ve got? How can you enjoy power if you do not exercise your potential for leadership? How can you reach your dreams if you do not focus on your given work or special task, like your studies?  How can you even be holy if you are lazy in responding to the demands of spiritual growth?

The Ascension is not an isolated event of glory. It was but a continuation and a natural consequence of Jesus’ profuse self-giving and self-offering. Yes it is Jesus’ success story because he worked hard to finally get it.

You too, have a success story waiting to happen.  Let the Ascension inspire you to go up.  Let it inspire you to start now, down here… Amen.

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its election time in the Philippines!  let us pray for clean and honest elections. let us pray for a wiser electorate.  let us pray for an end to political dynasties in our country.  Lord, have mercy on this beautiful country that loves to profess its faith in You but often lacks the courage and the will to change for the better.

SIXTH SUNDAY - EASTER C

PROVING LOVE

Kenny waved goodbye to his mother at the airport with promises of a bright future for his mother and his siblings.  But once working abroad, he spent all his money on a Japanese girlfriend he met there, and he went home penniless.

Connie was tearful as she read the letter of her husband Ambo who works in the Middle East. He wrote about sending their children to college. But the letters, the calls and the texts became infrequent until he was heard of no more, after eloping with a married woman.

Tony’s father, a tricycle driver, gave him all his savings to enroll in college in the big city.  While there, he went out with friends to bars, learned to gamble and failed all his subjects. Who of the three (Kenny, Ambo and Tony) really love family, children, or parents?  The answer is obviously, none!

This Easter, we journey in an adventure of love.  The Lord Jesus reminds us repeatedly about love. Today he says to us: “Whoever loves me keeps my word… Whoever does not love me does not keep my words…” What does “keeping the word” mean? It means being loyal and faithful.  It means proving your love by obedience; obeying the dictates of love even to the point of sacrifice.

This is the very substance of Jesus’ life.  Professing his love for the Father, all his actions proved that he was willing to follow his Father’s desires and plans. Jesus obeyed the impulse of love up to the cross.

The trouble with the concept of love today is that we have reduced love to an empty word, a mushy emotion, an insincere promise, an electronic message.  But this love has no content, no tangible and concrete proof. But the demand of love is that we adhere to what is good and what is right for ourselves and others, just as we see Jesus doing in his life.

Sure, it is difficult to obey.  It is hard to be faithful.  It is inconvenient to remain loyal to one’s promises. But when we do, Jesus gives us the help of the Holy Spirit and a peace that is incomparable to any we have ever known.  Love must be concrete.  Love must learn to sacrifice, to offer, to obey.

Children, do you obey your parents?  Couples do you remain faithful? Politicians, are you sincere? Friends, are we willing to live in truth and goodness? As Christians, what proof of love for God can we show the world?

It is not enough to say “I love you” to God or to our dear ones, if we cannot prove it in our actions, if we cannot “keep the word”. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to teach us how to sacrifice and obey because we love. And then we will enjoy his peace.

PASTORAL LETTER ON THE COMING ELECTIONS BY THE BISHOP OF PASIG

Pastoral Statement for the Diocese of Pasig

CHOOSE GOD!  VOTE GOOD!

It is election time once again.  In the past and even now, there have been pastoral letters and statements written by your Catholic Bishops either as a conference or as a shepherd of his diocese to guide the catholic populace on how to responsibly choose and vote those who will serve us in public office.  Our sacred right to vote demands that we elect for public service, both in the national or local levels, persons who choose God as their core principle in whatever they do and who vote for the common Good instead of their self-interest, all for the benefit of the Filipino people.

As your bishop, allow me to offer some simple guidelines in discerning your choice of public servants. 

1.     Choose G.O.D.  Choose candidates who are:

God fearing: nangangahulugan sila ay Pro-life, Pro-Family at Pro-Marriage.

Offering their time, talent and treasure for the needy: hindi sa makasariling interes, lalo na ang pagpapayaman sa puwesto, kundi para sa tunay na paglilingkod sa tinaguriang “the least, the last and the lost” sa ating lipunan, lalo na ang pag-aangat ng kalagayan ng mga mahihirap.

Duty-bound to protect the integrity of creation and be their guardians: laban sa illegal logging, irresponsible mining at anumang immoral na gawain na pang-aabuso at pangwawasak ng ating mga likas-yaman.

Isang paalala mula sa yaman ng aral ng pananampalataya:

“It must be noted also that a well-formed Christian conscience does not permit one to vote for a political program or an individual law which contradicts the fundamental contents of faith and morals.” (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Doctrinal Note on Some Questions Regarding the Participation of Catholics in Political Life, no. 4).  Ito’y nangangahulugan na anumang adhikain ng isang Katolikong kandidato ay hindi maaaring sumalungat sa kabuuan ng katuruang ng ating Simbahan.

2.     Vote G.O.O.D. Vote candidates who:

Govern with transparency and accountability: lalo na sa paggamit ng pondo ng bayan.

Oppose any opportunity of graft and corruption: tulad ng suhol, lagay at komisyon na nakasisira ng kanilang reputasyon.

Organize their campaigns with integrity and fairness: hindi sa tulong ng pambibili ng boto at paninira ng kalaban, kundi may malinaw at maaasahang plataporma tungo sa kabutihan ng mga tao.

Desire only what is best for our nation: hindi ang para sa sarili o sa kanyang pamilya lamang, at handang magpakumbabang isuko ang posisyon at kapangyarihan kapag lumitaw na ang tunay na pinili ng bayan at binigyan ng tiwalang maglingkod ng nakararami.

Para sa inyong pagninilay mula sa mga aral ng pananampalataya:

“Today’s democratic societies . . . call for new and fuller forms of participation in public life by Christian and non-Christian citizens alike. Indeed, all can contribute, by voting in elections for lawmakers and government officials, and in other ways as well, to the development of political solutions and legislative choices which, in their opinion, will benefit the common good.” (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Doctrinal Note on Some Questions Regarding the Participation of Catholics in Political Life, no. 1) Samakatuwid, ang pakikilahok at pagboto sa darating na eleksyon ay isang magandang pagkakataon upang makatulong tayo sa pambansang pagbabago at sa pagsulong ng kapakanan ng lahat ng mamamayang Pilipino.

Choose GOD and Vote GOOD. Nawa ang liwanag ng ating konsiyensya, na walang iba kundi ang Panginoong Hesukristo ang gumabay upang pumili at bumoto tayo ng mga kandidatong may karapatang maglingkod para lalong umangat ang bayang Pilipinas, at harinawa ay maging ilaw at pag-asa para sa ibang bansa sa buong daigdig.

Nawa si Maria, ang Immaculada Concepcion na nanalangin: “Ako ang lingkod ng Panginoon. Maganap nawa sa akin ayon sa iyong Salita…” (Lk 1:38) ang maging inspirasyon ng ating magiging mga lingkod bayan at ng bawat isa sa atin.

+Most Rev. Mylo Hubert C. Vergara, DD

Bishop of Pasig

Memorial of St. Joseph the Worker

1 May 2013