Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Gospel Reflection



September 11, 2013
Wednesday – Year of Faith – Ordinary Time
by Rev. Fr. Leo Nilo C. Mangussad, - Rector, Shrine of Mary Queen of Peace (Our Lady of Peace Quasi Parish/EDSA Shrine)
12:15PM Mass at the EDSA Shrine

Reading 1 Col 3:1-11

Brothers and sisters: If you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.

Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry. Because of these the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient. By these you too once conducted yourselves, when you lived in that way. But now you must put them all away: anger, fury, malice, slander, and obscene language out of your mouths.  Stop lying to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed, for knowledge, in the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all and in all.

Responsorial Psalm PS 145:2-3, 10-11, 12-13ab

R. (9) The Lord is compassionate toward all his works.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
his greatness is unsearchable.
R. The Lord is compassionate toward all his works.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. The Lord is compassionate toward all his works.
Making known to men your might
and the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
R. The Lord is compassionate toward all his works.

Gospel Lk 6:20-26

Raising his eyes toward his disciples Jesus said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,
for the Kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who are now hungry,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who are now weeping,
for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you,
and when they exclude and insult you,
and denounce your name as evil
on account of the Son of Man.

Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!
Behold, your reward will be great in heaven.
For their ancestors treated the prophets
in the same way.

But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
But woe to you who are filled now,
for you will be hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will grieve and weep.
Woe to you when all speak well of you,
for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”

HOMILY
Vigilance is very important in our lives. Vigilance defined is 'keeping watch' or 'paying careful and continuous attention on matters'.

In our daily lives, we exercise vigilance when we ride a bus or a jeep and watch who we are riding with, or where we are going. Whenever we cross the street, we watch the people we meet.

In following our Lord Jesus Christ, vigilance is also demanded of us. Just like the ten virgins who were vigilant in waiting for the groom, which one of them are ready? The five wise ones, or the unwise?

Vigilance is not only keeping watch, it is paying close attention. It is not simply snooping, but a means for orientation or understanding. It is not a means to get even, but of enlightenment. It is an active form of vigilance that is required of us - not reactive, but rather proactive.

As true children of God, we must be proactive in our lives. Just like in the First Reading, being proactive means being positive in our life. There should be no harsh words but only praises to the Lord. Just like in the Gospel. the Beatitudes teach us to be proactive in our understanding of our state of life. And we rely on the hands of God in it. This is active vigilance in our life.

It is good to be reflective, my brothers and sisters. When we are vigilant in our lives, are we being proactive, influenced by the hands of the Lord, or are we only reactive, while being influenced by the manipulative hands of mere men?