The Indissolubility of Marriage

Friday February 28, 2014
7th Week in Ordinary Time

 1st Reading: Jas 5: 9-12
  Gospel: Mk 10:1–12

Jesus went to the province of Judea, beyond the Jordan River. Once more crowds gathered around him and once more he taught them, as he always did. Some (Pharisees came and) put him to the test with this question, “Is it right for a husband to divorce his wife?” He replied, “What law did Moses give you?” They answered, “Moses allowed us to write a certificate of dismissal in order to divorce.”

Then Jesus said to them, “Moses wrote this law for you, because you are stubborn. But in the beginning of creation God made them male and female, and because of this, man has to leave father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one body. So they are no longer two but one body. Therefore let no one separate what God has joined.”
When they were indoors at home, the disciples again asked him about this and he told them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against his wife, and the woman who divorces her husband and marries another also commits adultery.” 

D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE

(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)

The question raised by the Pharisees brought to a collision Jesus’ uncompromising stand about marriage and the prevailing practice of divorce by the Jews. It was so far the most difficult question the Pharisees had asked in order to entrap Jesus since their prevailing practice of divorce found support in the Book of Deuteronomy written by Moses. 

In resolving the issue Jesus went back to Genesis where it is written that God created human beings male and female “and because of this, man has to leave father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one body” (see Genesis 1:27; 2:24). God’s intention that the two shall become only one body rules out divorce which Moses apparently allowed in Deuteronomy 24:1-4.

Deuteronomy is not about the legality of marriage but about the proper procedure that husbands intending to procure one must follow.  The steps include the presentation to the wife of a written notice of divorce before driving her away. The passage then is procedural, not a substantial affirmation of the legality or morality of divorce.

Jesus explained that Deuteronomy 24:1-4 was a concession by Moses to human weakness. What Moses conceded to, Jesus revoked in order to restore marriage back to the track of God’s holy will. It was then that Jesus abrogated the Old Testament procedure of contracting divorce (The Jerome Biblical Commentary). 

Marriage is for a lifetime and only death can separate married couples. Owing to the indissolubility of marriage those planning to contract one must come to the altar prepared. The preparation should be commensurate with the seriousness of this special contract entered into. To those who are prepared, God’s grace is never wanting.    – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: http://www.frdan.org.   

Prayer for the day: God our Father, grant us wisdom so that we may uphold your will that the marriage bond must be for life. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

 CHURCH BULLETIN:

SAINT OF THE DAY: ST. HILARY, Pope. He was born in Sardinia, Italy. He was a deacon and a trusted aid of Pope Leo the Great whom he later succeeded.   As Pope Hilary he rebuilt Roman churches and held local Councils in Rome. Through an encyclical letter to the Eastern Church he confirmed the contents of the General Councils of Nicaea, Ephesus and Chalcedon. He stressed that the Pope, not the Emperor, was the leader in spiritual matters.

 

 

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Leading Others to Sin

Thursday February 27, 2014
7th Week in Ordinary Time

1st Reading: Jas 5:1-6
  Gospel: Mk 9:41–50

If anyone gives you a drink of water because you belong to Christ and bear his name, truly, I say to you, he will not go without reward.
If anyone should cause one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble and sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a great millstone around his neck.
If your hand makes you fall into sin, cut it off! It is better for you to enter life without a hand than with two hands to go to hell, to the fire that never goes out. And if your foot makes you fall into sin, cut it off! It is better for you to enter life without a foot than with both feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye makes you fall into sin, tear it out! It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than, keeping both eyes, to be thrown into hell where the worms that eat them never die, and the fire never goes out. For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is a good thing; but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.” 

D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE

(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience) 

The harshness of Jesus’ proposals (which fortunately for us are not to be taken literally) emphasizes the degree of the culpability of those who lead others to evil and measures the seriousness that Jesus attaches to sin. St. Augustine wrote: “Cum dilectione hominum et odio vitiorum”, loosely translated as God loves the sinner but hates the sin (Letter 211). This may no longer be true when the sinner dedicates his life to the destruction of others, seeking out his victims “like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour”. In so doing he steps into the shoes of Satan and assumes the person of the devil.  

We may not be committing very serious sins as to deserve mutilation and we may not be the type that leads others to sin as to deserve being thrown into the sea. But if we are neither leading anyone to God what makes us more deserving of heaven when we are supposed to be our brothers’ keepers? (Genesis 4:8-10). Heaven is for those who go beyond the four corners of their churches and prayer rooms. Said another way, performance of ritual as key to salvation is a religious fiction; it is valid only when pleasing to God. Since it is God’s pleasure that we love one another (John 13:34-35), lack of concern for others renders the rituals we perform detestable. In such a situation fiction yields to reality and our spirituality must be declared fake.

When fake spirituality becomes too notorious and glaring as to lead others to sin, Jesus’ proposal is unequivocal:  “If anyone should cause one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble and sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a great millstone around his neck”. – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: http://www.frdan.org.  

 

Prayer for the day: God our Father, deepen our sense of sin so that as we strive to stay away from all sinful occasions we may not lead others to temptation. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

CHURCH BULLETIN:

SAINT OF THE DAY:  ST. LEANDER OF SEVILLE.   His brothers, Bishops Isidore and Fulgentius and his sister Florentiana are all saints.  Because of his dedication to spread Christianity that resulted in the conversion of the Visigoths and the Suevi, King Leovigild, who supported the Arian doctrines, exiled to Constantinople. There he became a close friend of the papal legate who was to become Pope Gregory the Great.  St. Leander presided over the third local Council of Toledo which decreed the consubstantiality of the Three Persons of the Trinity. He was the first to introduce the Nicene Creed at Mass in the West and he composed the Rule for nuns which influenced a great number. 

 

 

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Working together in God’s Vineyard

Wednesday February 26, 2014
7th Week in Ordinary Time
 

1st Reading: Jas 4:13-17

Gospel: Mk 9:38–40

John said to him, “Master, we saw someone who drove out demons by calling upon your name, and we tried to forbid him because he does not belong to our group.” Jesus answered, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in my name can soon after speak evil of me. For whoever is not against us is for us.

 

 D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE

(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience) 

The New Jerome Biblical Commentary finds a parallel to today’s Gospel story in an Old Testament account about two “prophets” named Eldad and Medad. When Joshua asked Moses to stop them from prophesying Moses replied: “Are you jealous on my account? If only the whole people of Yahweh were prophets…” (Num. 11:24-30).

We cannot take this against Joshua. There were so many false prophets then and even until the time of the Apostles.  In the Acts of the Apostles we read about some itinerant Jewish exorcists who tried to cast out demons. In one attempt when they said, “I command you by the Jesus whose spokesman is Paul” the evil spirit replied:  “Jesus I recognize, and I know who Paul is, but who are you?” (Acts 19:15). Then the man with the evil spirit attacked them and handled them so violently that these exorcists ran away naked and badly mauled (see Acts 19:11-20).  

Unlike these itinerant preachers, Eldad and Medad were legitimate prophets. Their names, in fact, were enrolled among the seventy elders. Unfortunately they stayed back in the camp when Yahweh came down in the Cloud and took some of the spirit that was in Moses to apportion them to the elders. This notwithstanding, the ‘spirit’ (Note: the Holy Spirit was not yet revealed in the Old Testament) also came down on them (see Numbers 11:25). This explains why Moses defended them.

In today’s Gospel Jesus echoes Moses’ permissive attitude towards legitimate preachers. This should serve as chastisement to pastors who are territorial in their approach. I know of a parish which charges One Thousand Pesos for a permit to celebrate Mass with a priest of the applicant’s choice. The exorbitant fee is allegedly meant to penalize applicant for getting another priest for their celebration instead of inviting their pastor to do it for them. But the preference for another priest is not unreasonable at all times. In special moments of rejoicing such as anniversaries corporations invite a priest known to most employees to celebrate Mass for them. If pastors make it difficult for other vineyard laborers in good standing to minister in their parishes the people come out as unnecessary casualties.  Dragging the people into the matter would be heaping undeserved burdens upon God’s flock. If Moses could rise from his grave he’d be telling these pastors: “Are you jealous on (their) account?”    – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., D.M., Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: http://www.frdan.org.  

Prayer for the day: God our Father, grant us the grace of unity so that we may work together for the good of souls. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

 CHURCH BULLETIN:

SAINT OF THE DAY: ST. VICTOR, was born in Troyes, France in the 6th century. He was ordained a religious but he chose to live a hermit’s life centered around prayer fasting, and care for the poor. From his early life St. Victor had lived a life of virtue with a special concern for the poor. This attracted many who joined him in the monastery.

 

 

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The Spirit of Detachment

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

7th Week in Ordinary Time

1st Reading: James 4:1-10

Gospel: Mk 9:30–37

    Jesus and his disciples made their way through Galilee; but Jesus did not want people to know where he was because he was teaching his disciples. And he told them, “The Son of Man will be delivered into human hands. They will kill him, but three days after he has been killed, he will rise.” The disciples, however, did not understand these words and they were afraid to ask him what he meant.

    They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house, Jesus asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they did not answer because they had been arguing about who was the greatest.

    Then he sat down, called the Twelve and said to them, “If someone wants to be first, let him be last of all and servant of all.” Then he took a little child, placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it he said to them, “Whoever welcomes a child such as this in my name, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, welcomes not me but the One who sent me.”

 

D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE

(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)

Today’s Gospel is still part of the series of readings introduced by Mark 8:22-26 (healing of a blind man at Bethsaida) spanning until Mark 10:52. The focus is on Jesus’ efforts to explain the value of sufferings in relation to his identity as the Calvary-bound Messiah. The healing of a blind man from Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26) read earlier was a fitting introduction to the series. Today’s Gospel reading shows us once more Jesus’ uphill climb in educating his disciples about the value of suffering.    

It wasn’t a case of “easier-said-than-done”. Jesus embraced what he taught by dying at Calvary notwithstanding his earlier request from the Father to take away the “cup of sufferings” from him. His disciples, however, were not interested. In fact, as Jesus was talking to them about how he would be handed over to the hands of the enemies they were busy discussing about who among them was the greatest. 

Lest like the apostles we too stand indifferent to the concerns of Jesus let us examine our values. It is hard to understand the standards of heaven when our hearts beat for the standards of earth. The pulse of the heart for earthly concerns can drown the softer groaning of the spirit. To understand the language of God we must make our spirits cry out louder for the things of heaven. This can happen only when one has the spirit of detachment.  

This Gospel challenge timely introduces us to the Season of Lent which opens next week with our observance of Ash Wednesday.  Let us take seriously the invitation of the Church to practice discipline of the body through fast and abstinence in order to give way to the groaning of the spirit. – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: http://www.frdan.org.   

PRAYER FOR THE DAY: God our Father, help us cultivate the spirit of detachment so the pulse of our hearts for worldly cares may not drown the groaning of the Spirit. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

 CHURCH BULLETIN: 

SAINT OF THE DAY: Today is the Feast of St. Tarasius, Bishop. He was a subject of the Byzantine Empire. He lived at the time when Constantinople was separated from the Holy See because of the war between the Emperors. St. Tarasius, then a bishop, became a consul, the highest honors in the Empire. Later he was the secretary to Emperor Constantine and his mother Irene. As patriarch of Constantinople, he was instrumental in resolving the differences between the emperors of Rome and Istanbul and the disputes concerning the veneration of sacred images. However, he earned the hostility of the emperor whose divorce from his lawful wife was not approved by him.

 

 

 

 

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Victory over Demonic Possession

Monday, February 24, 2014
7th Week in Ordinary Time

1st Reading:  Jas 3:13-18
 
 Gospel: Mk 9:14–29

When they came to the place where they had left the disciples, they saw many people around and some teachers of the Law arguing with them. When the people saw Jesus, they were astonished and ran to greet him.
He asked, “What are you arguing about with them?” A man answered him from the crowd, “Master, I brought my son to you for he has a dumb spirit. Whenever the spirit seizes him, it throws him down and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth and becomes stiff all over. I asked your disciples to drive the spirit out, but they could not.”
Jesus replied, “You faithless people. How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me.” And they brought the boy to him.
As soon as the spirit saw Jesus, it shook and convulsed the boy who fell on the ground and began rolling about, foaming at the mouth. Then Jesus asked the father, “How long has this been happening to him?” He replied, “From childhood. And it has often thrown him into the fire and into the water to destroy him. If you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.”
Jesus said to him, “Why do you say: ‘If you can?’ All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the boy cried out, “I do believe, but help the little faith I have.”
Jesus saw that the crowd was increasing rapidly, so he ordered the evil spirit, “Dumb and deaf spirit, I command you: Leave the boy and never enter him again.” The evil spirit shook and convulsed the boy and with a terrible shriek came out. The boy lay like a corpse and people said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him and the boy stood up.
After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive out the spirit?” And he answered, “Only prayer can drive out this kind, nothing else.”

 

D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE

(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience) 

The epoch of the devil ended when God inserted himself into human history. Imagine the harassment the people had to bear from the evil one before Christ came! The devil still made attempts even after the incarnation of Jesus. But in the cases brought to the attention of Jesus the devil had to let go. 

Today we have reasons to suspect that the time of the devil is back, not because God is out of control but because we have created the ambience of moral degradation. This environment is the perfect one that brings the devil’s age back. Not all is lost for us though. In today’s Gospel reading Jesus had identified prayer as the devil’s Achilles heel.

According to St. Ignatius de Loyola we must pray like everything depended on God and work like everything depended on us. A person who truly prays for deliverance avoids occasions of sin and works hard to dismantle sinful structures. – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com.  

 

Prayer for the day: God our Father, grant us the grace to deepen our spiritual life and so resist the devil solid in our faith and grounded in our practice of charity. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

  

 CHURCH BULLETIN:

SAINT OF THE DAY: ST. ETHELBERT was born a pagan, being a descendant of Hengist, the legendary ancestor of the Jutish House of Kent. His marriage to a Christian princess, Bertha and the arrival in England of St. Augustine of Canterbury were strong factors in the eventual conversion of King Ethelbert to Christianity. Besides his efforts to promote the welfare of his people, the king gave his full support to the cause of Christianity. He died in 616 after reigning for 56 years.

 

 

 

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LEX TALIONIS

Sunday, February 23, 2014
7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

1st Reading: Lev 19:1–2, 17–18
 Ps 103:1–2, 3–4, 8, 10, 12–13
2nd Reading: 1 Cor 3:16–23
 Gospel: Mt 5:38–48

Jesus said to his disciples, “You have heard that it was said: An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you this: do not oppose evil with evil; if someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn and offer the other. If someone sues you in court for your shirt, give your coat as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give when asked and do not turn your back on anyone who wants to borrow from you. “You have heard that it was said: Love your neighbor and do not do good to your enemy. But this I tell you: Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in Heaven. For he makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good, and he gives rain to both the just and the unjust. “If you love those who love you, what is special about that? Do not even tax collectors do as much? And if you are friendly only to your friends, what is so exceptional about that? Do not even the pagans do as much? For your part you shall be righteous and perfect in the way your heavenly Father is righteous and perfect.”

 

D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE 

(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)

Our clamor for justice is hardly without any hidden desire to savor sweet revenge. Welcome to the ancient world of “lex talionis”: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth!  This Latin word literally means law of retribution. The purpose of the law was actually noble since it was meant to contain one’s quest for revenge within the confines of justice. The law saw to it that one got no more than what he deserved from the offended party.

“Lex Talionis”  was the prevailing law of society when Jesus was born. Thus Leviticus 24:19-21 required that the injury done to a neighbor must be done to the person committing the injury.  “As the injury inflicted, so must be the injury suffered” (Lev. 24:20). “Life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.” (Deut. 19:21). To the surprise of the Jews Jesus set aside this equitable scheme and introduced his law of love. It was really out of the box and very difficult to justify.   Imagine the reaction of people when Jesus said, “…if someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn and offer the other” (verse 39). 

Jesus tried to rationalize his new commandment with this argument: “And if you are friendly only to your friends, what is so exceptional about that? Do not even the pagans do as much?” The bottom line is perfection, and that was what he wanted his followers to aim for. He even presented his heavenly Father as benchmark of that perfection. “Be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect”. This explains why Jesus asked followers to soar beyond the troposphere of justice to the exosphere of love. Moving fast on the wings of love they attain what science calls “escape velocity” enough to detach themselves from the gravity of self-centeredness, and sufficient enough to empower them to break out into the outer space of altruism in their journey towards perfection.  – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: http://www.frdan.org.  

 

Prayer for the day: God our Father, grant us the grace to live up to the demands of the law of love so that we may come close to the perfection required of us by Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

 

 CHURCH BULLETIN

SAINT OF THE DAY: ST. POLYCARP, was converted to Christianity by St. John the Evangelist who made him bishop of Smyrna. In the year 155 during the persecution under Marcus Aurelius, soldiers were sent to arrest him. He prayed with such devotion that several of them were converted.  The proconsul exhorted him to give up his faith, but he stood firm in his fidelity to Christ. He was pierced with a spear and burned to ashes at the stake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven

February 22, 2014, Saturday

7th Week in Ordinary Time
Feast of the Chair of Peter

1st Reading: 1 P 5:1–4

Gospel: Mt 16:13–19
Jesus came to Caesarea Philippi. He asked his disciples, “What do people say of the Son of Man? Who do they say I am?” They said, “For some of them you are John the Baptist, for others Elijah or Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” Jesus asked them, “But you, who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “It is well for you, Simon Barjona, for it is not flesh or blood that has revealed this to you but my Father in heaven.
“And now I say to you: You are Peter (or Rock) and on this rock I will build my Church; and never will the powers of death overcome it. “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and what you unbind on earth shall be unbound in heaven.”

 D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE

(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)

 Today’s Gospel reading is not the only instance in the Bible that uses the handing over of a key as symbol of empowerment. The Book of the Prophet Isaiah already mentions about the putting to someone’s shoulders of the key to the House of David. No one shall close what this person opens and no one opens what this person shall close (Isaiah 22:22).   The Book of Revelation also cites a message coming from the holy and faithful one “who has the key to David’s house so that when he opens nobody can close and when he closes nobody can open.” (Rev. 3:7).

 

In today’s Gospel reading Peter receives the key to the kingdom of heaven from no less than Jesus himself. This was in pursuance to Jesus’ plan to build his Church upon the foundation of Peter. “Church” in Hebrew is “Qahal” which is “Ekklesia” in Greek. It was used to refer to the community of the chosen people especially the remnants of the desert community such as the Essenes of Qumran. In today’s Gospel Jesus uses the term to refer to the community under the covenant to be sealed with his Blood. By using the term “Church” (verse 18) in conjunction with the term “kingdom of heaven” (verse 19), Jesus exposed his desire that the heavenly kingdom should begin here on earth as an organized society founded on Peter as head (see footnotes at the Jerusalem Bible).

Heaven will be bound by Peter in the exercise of his authority within the Church. Peter had died but he left his chair (symbol of his authority) to the popes governing the Church. Popes are human just as Peter was, and they are bound to err. But in the exercise of that authority they are infallible. We refer to this infallible office of teaching by whoever sits at the Chair of St. Peter as the Magisterium. The Lord provided for this to make sure that his people gets to heaven to form that eschatological community in the kingdom of God.  – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: www.frdan.org.

 

Prayer for the day: God our Father grant us the grace of fidelity so that we may never succumb to those who sow erroneous opinions in regard to our faith. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

CHURCH BULLETIN

FEAST OF THE DAY: Today’s Feast of the Chair of St. Peter commemorates the pontifical authority of Peter in Rome where he served as Bishop for 25 years. Paul IV instituted a feast of Peter’s Chair at Rome to be observed every 18^th of January with February 22 as the commemoration of the founding of the Church of Antioch where Peter had been bishop before coming to Rome. In 1961 the January 18 commemoration was eliminated. February 22 was retained to honor Peter as the Bishop of the Church of Rome. The Feast of St. Peter every June 29 honors him as the first Vicar of Christ, the ruler of the universal Church.   

 

 

 

 

 

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Preview to the Coming of the Kingdom

Friday, February 21, 2014
6th Week in Ordinary Time

1st Reading: Jas 2:14-24,26

 
 Gospel: Mk 8:34—9:1
Jesus called the people and his disciples and said, “If you want to follow me, deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me. For if you choose to save your life, you will lose it; and if you lose your life for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel, you will save it.
“What good is it to gain the whole world but destroy yourself? There is nothing you can give to recover your life. I tell you: If anyone is ashamed of me and of my words among this adulterous and sinful people, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the Glory of his Father with the holy angels.” And he went on to say, “Truly I tell you, there are some here who will not die before they see the kingdom of God coming with power.”

 

D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE

(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)

The last verse of today’s Gospel is often skipped by preachers not only because the preceding verses on self denial and carrying one’s cross are favorite discipleship topics but also because of the troublesome nature of this verse. Jesus said, “…there are some here who will not die before they see the kingdom of God coming with power.” We find this absurd since the disciples have all died and yet up to now we are still awaiting the coming of the kingdom.   What did Jesus really mean?

 

To understand this troublesome verse we must read it together with the succeeding verses which we will read another day. Mark 9:2-13 will talk about the transfiguration of Jesus at Mt. Tabor. On that mountain Jesus’ appearance was changed and even his clothes turned dazzlingly white. Then two great prophets, Moses and Elijah appeared and conversed with Jesus. To the Jews, the coming of the kingdom of God in glory was to be characterized by the reappearance of Moses and Elijah. At the majestic appearances of these two great prophets Peter was sure that the appointed day had come and that it was not just a passing thing. He even volunteered to construct three dwellings – one for Jesus, one for Moses and one for Elijah.

 

According to the Jerome Biblical Commentary the Transfiguration event at Mt. Tabor was a preview to the coming of God’s kingdom in glory and the three disciples, Peter, James and John, lived to see this event.  It is safe to assume this was the scenario Jesus had in mind when he said in today’s Gospel reading: “Truly I tell you, there are some here who will not die before they see the kingdom of God coming with power.” He was referring to the disciples who’d live to see at Mt. Tabor the preview of that coming.

 

We too can have a preview of the coming of the kingdom of God in glory, not at a high mountain like Mt. Tabor but down here as we stand firmly on the ground living in faith, hope and charity.  – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: http://www.frdan.org.  

Prayer for the day: God our Father as we await the establishment of your kingdom grant us the grace of faith hope and love so that we may live fruitful Christian lives. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 CHURCH BULLETIN

SAINT OF THE DAY: ST. PETER DAMIANI.  Born in Italy in 1007, he lost both parents at a young age. One of his brothers treated him like a slave, but the other took pity on him and sent him to school. He became a great professor. He led a life of penance, wearing a shirt of hair under his clothes and giving in alms most of his money. He entered the Benedictine monastery of Fonte Avellana, of which he became abbot. In 1057 he became Cardinal and Bishop of Ostia and Velletri. Later Pope Alexander II granted his request to return to the monastic life.

 

 

 

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The Suffering Servant of Yahweh

Thursday, February 20, 2014
6th Week in Ordinary Time 

1st Reading:  Jas 2:1-9
 
 Gospel: Mk 8:27–33

Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say I am?” And they told him, “Some say you are John the Baptist; others say you are Elijah or one of the prophets.”
Then Jesus asked them, “But you, who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” And he ordered them not to tell anyone about him. Jesus then began to teach them that the Son of Man had to suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the Law. He would be killed and after three days rise again. Jesus said all this quite openly, so that Peter took him aside and began to protest strongly. But Jesus turning around, and looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter saying, “Get behind me Satan! You are thinking, not as God does, but as people do.”

 

D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE

(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)

Jesus conducted an evaluation to size up his ministry. In regard to public opinion he obtained the following data:  “Some say you are John the Baptist; others say you are Elijah or one of the prophets.” He then surprised his disciples with the same question. In a bat of an eyelash Peter replied: “You are the Messiah.”  In Hebrew this word means “The Anointed One”. The answer amounted to recognition of Jesus as the liberator foretold by the prophets.  

While his disciples got it right that he was the anointed one, their understanding of the term was political. Pending clarification  Jesus told them not to tell others about who he was (verse 30). Then he began teaching them that he was a Suffering Messiah (verses 31-33).  The disciples refused to understand. How can a Messiah suffer in the hands of the colonizers from whose hands he was supposed to deliver God’s people? Peter, the guy that came out with the “correct” answer, vowed to defend him to death in the event that he should be made to suffer. Jesus refused Peter’s patronage and called him Satan, meaning, a stumbling block to the execution of God’s plan.

Jesus was not a political Messiah but the suffering servant of Yahweh. Scriptures describe him in this wise: “As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; by his knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify many as he will bear their iniquities” (Isaiah 53:11). 

Until the end the disciples failed to understand. In fact Peter drew his sword later at the Garden of Gethsemane to ward off the Roman soldiers who came to arrest Jesus. You see, not even his closest associates got Jesus right. Did Jesus fail in his ministry? Answer not on the basis of what happened to the Jews. Jesus is interested in your personal answer. Is he getting across in your lives? – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: www.frdan.org. 

Prayer for the day: God our Father, show us the value of the cross so that even as we seek solutions to our predicaments we may not miss the merits of redemptive sufferings. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.   

CHURCH BULLETIN

SAINT OF THE DAY: ELIZABETH OF MANTUA, Virgin. She was born in 1428 in Mantua, Italy to a wealthy and pious family. Her father taught her Latin while her mother taught her the art of meditation. With this background she was able to receive a thorough religious education. She and one of her sisters entered the Third Order of the Servites after their mother’s death. She died in 1468.

 

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THE HEALING OF A BLIND MAN

Wednesday, February 19, 2014
6th Week in Ordinary Time

 

 1st Reading:  Jas 1:19-27
 
  Gospel: Mk 8:22–26

When Jesus and his disciples came to Bethsaida, Jesus was asked to touch a blind man who was brought to him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had put spittle on his eyes and laid his hands upon him, he asked, “Can you see anything?” The man, who was beginning to see, replied, “I see people! They look like trees, but they move around.” Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again and the man could see perfectly. His sight was restored and he could see everything clearly. Then Jesus sent him home saying, “Do not return to the village.”

D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE

(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)

Every return of a sinner to the Lord is an insult which the devil does not take sitting down. Being no humble loser he fights tooth and nail to pull the convert back. Conversion therefore is a warfare which, considering the power of the enemy, must be fought with tenacity. For this purpose today’s Gospel gives us one useful hint: converts should no longer return to the same sinful path.   

Literally taken, Jesus’ instruction to the blind man in today’s Gospel reading “not to return to the village” (Mk. 8:26) had very practical implications.  Everyone in the village knew the man very well as a blind person. If he returned there as a healed man the community would search for Jesus out of curiosity – a scenario no serious spiritual leader would welcome. Figuratively Jesus’ instruction is even richer in meaning especially when understood as a prohibition from returning to one’s old ways.   

Some converts make a come-back to occasions of sin intending to vindicate the Lord. They court danger. When a convert traces the same evil path confident that he has the complete spiritual arsenal to fight temptations, he heads for destruction. One can never be that strong to fight evil inside the devil’s well equipped arena.  The devil takes every conversion as a big slap on his face and retaliates by putting all satanic resources to work in order to pull the sinner back.  

Conversion, to be complete, must not only involve returning to God but also turning away from sin.  This necessitates the employment of radical steps to preserve God’s grace, like running away from occasions of sin and restructuring one’s lifestyle through the cultivation of good habits.  The restructuring can be a painful process because it can involve abandoning old friends. “Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are” is still a very sound maxim.  

One who turns to God but clings to his old ways can be likened to a man who keeps arsonists off his house but plays with fire himself. Sooner he triggers a conflagration and produces his own hell at no cost to the devil!    – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: http://www.frdan.org.  

 

Prayer for the day: God our Father, protect us with your grace so that we may abandon evil ways and tread the path that leads to salvation. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 CHURCH BULLETIN

SAINT OF THE DAY: ST. CONRAD OF PIACENZA, Hermit. He was born in 1290 to a noble family of Piacenza, Italy. He married a nobleman’s daughter. Conrad was on a hunting trip when he accidentally set a bush on fire which spread and destroyed the entire grain field and a neighboring forest. Conrad fled to the city for fear of being apprehended. An innocent fellow was accused of what happened and he was tortured and condemned to die. But Condrad acknowledged his responsibility.  He and his wife had to sacrifice their property and wealth to restore the damaged property. This was the turning point of their life. He joined a group of Third Order Franciscan hermits while his wife entered the Poor Clares.

 

 

 

 

 

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