Sunday, July 8, 2012

Gospel Reflection


July 08, 2012
Sunday
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
by Rev. Fr. Chris Habal
Edsa Shrine

First Reading:               Ezekiel 2:2-5   
Psalm:                         Psalm 123:1-4   
Second Reading:          2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Gospel:                        Mark 6:1-6

1 He went away from there and came to his own country; and his disciples followed him. 2 And on the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue; and many who heard him were astonished, saying, "Where did this man get all this? What is the wisdom given to him? What mighty works are wrought by his hands! 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. 4 And Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house." 5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands upon a few sick people and healed them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.

HOMILY

Father Chris said that knowing Jesus is not just knowing His story, but knowing Him deeper by following His good example and having a close relationship with Him. Only then can we truly proclaim and share God’s word and presence to others.



Gospel Reflection



July 07, 2012
Saturday
Anticipated Sunday Mass (Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time)
by Rev. Fr. Stephen Mifsud (MSSP – Quezon City)
MSSP House / Mass for the poor

First Reading:               Ezekiel 2:2-5  
Psalm:                         Psalm 123:1-4  
Second Reading:           2 Corinthians 12:7-10  
Gospel:                        Mark 6:1-6

1 He went away from there and came to his own country; and his disciples followed him. 2 And on the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue; and many who heard him were astonished, saying, "Where did this man get all this? What is the wisdom given to him? What mighty works are wrought by his hands! 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. 4 And Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house." 5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands upon a few sick people and healed them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.


HOMILY

Most of us know the definition of an "expert": anyone who comes from more than fifty miles away or five hundred miles dressed in fine clothes.  We seem to have a problem with closeness, with the ordinary, with the everyday.  We percieve those around us as they have nothing to contribute to us.

Why?  Sometimes we say “Who does he think he is!”,  Sometimes we are jealous of the gifts God may have given to others and not to us? And so we reject their suggestions, their help and by rejecting them it is we who loose.

I have a personal experience of a 15 year old young man, Saviour, was attending our weekly prayer meeting and Sunday mass.  His parents at home were having hard time, they quarrelled frequently, had so much tension at work in their business.  Saviour used to invite his parents on Sunday for the mass but they never had time.  Once, they decided to come with him.  What happened ?? They did not say “who does he think he is?”  No ... although he was their son ... they listened and went to the mass and continued going.  They started going also going the prayer meetings on Mondays and are active members in the MSSP Lay Community.. and today they say... our son saved our lives... but the truth is not only their son saved their life and marriage but their openness, their humility to listen to someone less important than them.

 God does not speak only through experts and movie stars. God  is all around us, speaking to us through the most unlikely people.
  • God speaks through your children, sometimes through a disabled person or someone you have low regard to him/her. 
  • If you are still student, God speaks not only through the teachers but also through your classmates.   
Some days ago I was having a spiritual direction to one of the youths. And after I held the hands of this young person and prayed for him, he asked me whether he can pray for me... I didn’t say “who do you think you are to pray on a priest” but said “of course”... Believe me it was such a beautiful prayer coming from his heart that I could feel its coming from God... he is still young, still discovering his faith but God spoke through him.

The people we heard in the Gospel when Jesus spoke to them “They took offense at Him”. 
Why?
For them Jesus was a common man, son of a carpenter.  They couldn’t see beyond.  They couldn t believe that his words are powerful even if they saw some miracles they wouldn’t accept it.  Jesus was inviting them to go beyond what they knew about him and to enter into a relationship of faith.  To believe that God uses the weakness to show his strength.  As st. Paul says today: “Sapagkat kung kalian ako mahina, saka naman ako malakas.”
So let us be with our ears and hearts open to listen to everyone as everyone can be the voice of God to us. And not to reject the prophets that God sends us but be humble enough to listen and act on what God is telling us through them.