Matthew 3:13-17 - Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist (Gospel for Jan. 12, 2014)

Note that the baptismal rite was already there as part of Jewish tradition, long before the time of John the Baptist and Jesus.

In the Old Testament, cleansing rituals were required for, say, people who touched a corpse or leper before they can enter and sacrifice in the temple.  This ritual usually consists of washing with water.  The ritual was later expanded to also include welcoming those who wish to convert to Judaism by requiring them to undergo a ritual cleansing, (together with circumcision).

John the Baptist however carried out a different kind of baptism, that of the "baptism of repentance."*  His brand of baptism required not just performing the ritual, but behaving accordingly afterwards based on God's precepts.  Those who went to John to be baptized were expressing their intention to repent and reform.

This brings us to the way Matthew introduces Jesus: he is the humble servant of Yahweh.  Matthew tries to explain the awkward, if not incomprehensible, act of Jesus submitting to John's baptism.  The roles are reversed, and it is Jesus that is acting as a repentant sinner.   Yet, Jesus insists on it in order to "fulfill all righteousness" (Mt 3:15).  Biblical experts interpret this phrase to mean as willing "to do whatever is right because one is obedient to the will of God." **

The Spirit received by Jesus is the same Spirit who inspired the prophets of the Old Testament.  We know this because the verse "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased" is a lift from the Isaiah 42:1: "Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, upon whom I have put my spirit."***

This is the Jesus in Matthew's gospel: guided by the Spirit, He is humble and absolute in his obedience to God's will.

Other Trivia:

- It is in this passage that Jesus speaks for the first time in Matthew's Gospel.

- We often imagine this scene as happening before a crowd.  Note that Matthew does not mention any reference to a crowd.  Moreover, in Matthew 3:16, it was Jesus ALONE who "saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove"; not a crowd.  Matthew intended to say that the vision was a personal experience of Jesus and not revealed to the rest. 

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GOSPEL TRIVIA is a series of Gospel commentaries I'm starting in 2014. Trivia refer to details or information of usually very little value. This series, posted every Friday, highlights details of the Sunday gospels that are often missed but provide meaningful insight to a better understanding of the message of the gospel.

* For more on the history of baptism, see http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/asktheexpert/mar14.html

** Raymond E. Brown et al (eds), The New Jerome Biblical Commentary (New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1990), 637.

*** Nil Guillemette, SJ, A Kingdom for All (Makati: St. Paul's Publications), 137.

Matthew 2:1-12 - The Epiphany (Sunday Gospel Jan. 5, 2013)

The visit of the magi (the bible does not say whether there were two, or three or more) appears only in Matthew's gospel.  It is not mentioned in Luke's gospel, which has an elaborate account of Jesus' birth; the gospels of Mark and John do not have any account of the birth of Jesus.  Matthew, on the other hand, does not include any mention of the "shepherds," "angels" and "manger"; in Matthew, the magi visited Jesus in a "house."

This means that the visit of the magi has a special meaning in the message that Matthew wishes to proclaim in his gospel.

"The Greek term majos has various meanings: Persian priests, magicians, religious propagandists.  Here it could refer to Babylonian astrologers who may have had some contact with Jewish messianic traditions; nothing indicates that they were kings.  By the 3rd century, the magi were progressively imagined as kings.  Since they had three presents, they were seen to be 3 in number (5th century).  By the 8th century, popular devotion gave them names: Gaspar, Melchior and Balthazar."*

But whoever they are, and regardless of their number, the significant thing is that the magi were non-Jews, or pagans.  Here lies the message: it is the pagans who were searching for the Savior.  On the contrary, "all of Jerusalem" together with Herod were "greatly troubled."  This included the "chief priests" and "scribes" who were the educated and knew their bible.  

Matthew's message is a proclamation that God became human to redeem EVERYONE.  No exclusivity, no intolerance, but acceptance that all peoples are made in the image and likeness of God.  

Pope Francis mirrors the message in a recent homily: 

"The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! ‘Father, the atheists?’ Even the atheists. Everyone! And this Blood makes us children of God of the first class! We are created children in the likeness of God and the Blood of Christ has redeemed us all! And we all have a duty to do good. And this commandment for everyone to do good, I think, is a beautiful path towards peace. If we, each doing our own part, if we do good to others, if we meet there, doing good, and we go slowly, gently, little by little, we will make that culture of encounter: we need that so much. We must meet one another doing good. ‘But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: we will meet one another there.”**

"Epiphany" refers to a "moment of great revelation" as well as "the Christian feast when Jesus is manifested to Gentiles, as represented by the Magi."  This is a great revelation, indeed.

Other trivia:

- King Herod died around 4BC, and since he was the king when Jesus was born then, Jesus's birth is on or before 4BC.

- The star of Bethlehem is likely a literary creation of Matthew.  There is no known record of such a star.  It should also not be confused with the conjunction of Jupiter and staurn (which took place in 7 BC).***

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*Nil Guillemette, SJ, A Kingdom for All (Manila: St. Paul Publications, 1988), 120-121.

**http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/05/22/pope_at_mass:_culture_of_encounter_is_the_foundation_of_peace/en1-694445 
of the Vatican Radio website   

*** Guillemette, 122.

Gospel for July 13, 2008 - Matthew 13:1-23 Parable of the Sower

In this gospel, Jesus uses the Parable of the Sower to illustrate the outcome of seeds that fall on different types of soil. The picture drawn by Jesus in this parable represents two parts in contrast: one bears on the failure on the part of the seed when it falls on unsuitable ground and the other, on the success of the rest of the seed where the seed yields an abundant harvest after it falls on rich soil.

The parable is fundamentally optimistic in its conclusion. This is shown in Jesus’ use of extraordinary figures such as “a hundred, sixty or thirtyfold” to describe the produced fruit. According to historians, the average yield of the harvest is only 7.5. Palestinian soil could never have reached the degree of fertility that Jesus mentioned in this parable. And during those times in Palestine, much of the seed is wasted as they are scattered on unsuitable ground because the sowing often preceded the tilling of the soil. Yet while much of the seed fails to produce fruit, Jesus stresses that the seed that falls on good ground bears fruit in extraordinary large measure that outbalances the losses. In this parable, Jesus wanted to highlight triumph over failure.

In our lives, at one time or another, we experienced failure or disappointment in failed relationships, difficult people, career problems or unfulfilled dreams. The message of this gospel is that we should not lose hope or give in to discouragement. The seeds that God planted in our life will eventually yield a bountiful harvest that will overshadow the failures of our past. So long as we strive for what is aligned to God’s will and let Him take control, we must trust that He is aware of our needs and that He continues to shape us into the persons He wants us to be.

What difficulties are you faced with right now in your life? List them down and offer them up in prayer to the Lord. Submit to His will, allow Him to take control and trust in the bountiful harvest He has prepared for you.

Source: Nil Guillemette, SJ. Parables for Today, pp. 26-30.

Gospel for June 8, 2008 - Matthew 9:9-13 Jesus Eats with the Tax Collectors (By Mike Gan)

During the time of Jesus, very few were hated more than the tax collectors. This hate stems from two things: one, tax collectors often resorted to extortion in order to gain profit. Two, they were considered traitors to their people because they are collecting taxes for the enemy, the Romans.

In this Sunday’s gospel however, Jesus chose to call Matthew, a hated tax collector, to become His disciple. The significance of Jesus’ choice is made further evident when one considers that very few people mentioned in the gospels are specifically named by the gospel writers. Jesus’ choice of Matthew the tax collector leaves no room for doubt that Jesus wanted to raise a point.

But Jesus raised no less than a scandal in making that point. He later shared a meal with Matthew and his friends, who unsurprisingly were like Matthew himself: tax collectors. For the self-righteous Pharisees, this was intolerable and, in fact, scandalous because Jesus was considered a religious teacher.

In Jesus’ time and more so under Judaism, sharing a meal signifies a participation in the host’s “benediction” at the start of the meal; and so, it means an association before God. In the eyes of the self-righteous Pharisees, Jesus was associating himself before God with the enemies of God. Tax collectors are sinners in their eyes and all sinners are God’s enemies.

Sinners, especially the worst ones, are the preferred people who are called to be disciples. Of course, this is not to say that one must sin, to become a disciple. It is to say that self-righteousness has no place in Jesus’ disciple. When we begin to think that we are closer to God than the other person, then we become closer to the Pharisees.

Application Questions:

Among those we encounter in our everyday life, who do we consider as self-centered, difficult, or sinful? What is my attitude towards people them?

By Mike Gan (May 31, 2008)

Commentary for Sunday Gospel of June 1, 2008 - Matthew 7:21-27 The House Built on a Rock

This is the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount (Chapters 5-7). Matthew’s audience were Jews who became Christians, and yet calls some of them “evildoers.” “I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’

The literal translation of evildoers means “doers of lawlessness.” Remember that the whole law is summed up in two commandments: love God and love your neighbor.

Even if some Christians did good works, Jesus tells them they have not done the will of the Father. They prophesied, drove out demons and did mighty deeds. They did good works but they did not love. Their actions were not motivated by love.

Further into the passage, Matthew says “whoever hears this word of mine and puts it into practice is like the wise man who built his house on a rock.” “To do” occurs 11 times from verse 12-26 of this Chapter.

The message of this gospel passage are classic Matthew: firstly, action must follow words. Second, the action is based on love.

It is not enough to say that one believes in Jesus. A true disciple of God manifests Christ through actions. These actions must be done with a clear motivation to love and glorify God. When we do that, then we are building our houses on a rock.

We all do our Christian actions for others. Take a moment to check your motivations.

Sources: Nil Guillemette, SJ. A Kingdom for All, pp. 175-177. Nil Guillemette, SJ. Parables for Today pp 19-25.

Matthew 28:16-20 Ascension Sunday (by May Racaza)

As the Easter season draws to its close this coming Sunday, we celebrate the Solemnity of Jesus’ Ascension which coincides also with the SE14 Weekend. J In this Gospel reading, before Jesus was taken up into heaven, He appeared to the eleven disciples on whom He gave the Great Commission, wherein He conferred to them His power and authority as His very first Church to continue His mission of making disciples of all nations.

Matthew’s message for his intended audience (comprised of Jews) was to reassure and to exhort them to be unwavering in their faith. The Great Commission carried with it Jesus’ promise that “the risen Christ comes to his Church, to remain with it all days until the end of this age.” (from Kingdom for All: p. 256). Ascension marks the time when the disciples could no longer see Jesus physically, but this gospel passage reassures us that Jesus continues to be with the Church spiritually.

Just as Jesus commissioned His eleven disciples who “worshipped but doubted”, Jesus’ message was also meant for these Jews who comprised the early Church then and may have faced also a lot of fears, doubts and uncertainty themselves.

As we bring this message in the light of the Singles Apostolate, we see how it very much applies to our very young community, which was born 9 years ago. We are all called to the mission to “make disciples of all nations.” In the Catechism for Filipino Catholics, it says, “As Catholics we are privileged to receive the Lord’s charge of bearing witness to the Faith and to the Christian way of life as a service to our brothers and sisters, and as a fitting response to God.”

In spite of the many fears and doubts we may have about our young community, Jesus has promised us that He remains with us and will stay faithful until the end until we have finished the race and fought the good fight of faith.

This is the message of Ascension: The mission to make disciples of all nation is given to all – to those who may be strong in their faith, as well as those who doubt and waver. To the latter Jesus reassures us that though we no longer see him, his presence continues to be with us. This culminates in the sending of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday.

As we raise the flag of “Mission Possible” in our apostolate, dear Single, how can you contribute to the mission that Jesus has given us make disciples of all nations? You need not go to a faraway land; who are the people within your reach who you can convert to a disciple?

Gospel for April 27, 2008 - John 14:15-21, The Sending of the Holy Spirit

John’s audience were non-witnesses of Jesus’ life on earth. They were people in a community who have heard about Jesus’ life and ministry from secondary sources. We, the singles apostolate, are in the same situation as John’s audiences. We did not experience being with Jesus physically but He is spiritually present in our lives.

In this gospel, Jesus sent an Advocate to be with us as He goes back to the Father. In other versions of the gospel the term “Paraclete” was used. “In Greek the word “parakletos” comes from “para” = alongside of, and kaleo = to call, which refers to any “resource person” who is called at the side of an accused in order to help the accused in his defense. The word “Paraclete” has a lot of nuances such as counsellor, attorney, lawyer, helper, assistant, defender, auxiliary, spokesman, witness.”[1] The Holy Spirit who Jesus has sent can have many roles in our lives, depending on the situation when we need to call on the presence of Jesus. John also emphasised that there is no distinction between Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Jesus may no longer be present with us physically but He is still with us spiritually and very much present today even 2000 years later through the Holy Spirit.

The second learning is Jesus’ reminder that “keeping the commandment is also keeping His word” and that it cannot be taken separately. Keeping Jesus words or teachings means believing in them. However, it is not sufficient that we just believe in His teachings, there should be an action or an obedience manifested in our behaviour. If we say to ourselves, yes I believe and accept Jesus as my Lord and saviour, then I should show this through concrete actions of love for one another. In the same way, good works without faith is also insufficient for a Christian.

Discussion Question:

In using the word “paraclete,” John suggests that the Holy Spirit (or Jesus’ spiritual presence today) can work in many ways. How does the Holy Spirit work in your life?

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[1] Hungry No More, p. 191, v.16

Gospel for

There are two gospels in the Church calendar for Easter Sunday. The to be read in the morning is John 20:1-9, and the one in the evening is Luke 24:13-35. The two Gospels celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are told of two aspects about the Resurrection in both gospels.

The first is that the Resurrection of Jesus is a bodily Resurrection. In John 20:1-9, the author gives a very detailed account on how Jesus’ followers found the tomb empty where Jesus was buried.

In Luke 24:13-35, it explains that Jesus Resurrection is also a spiritual Resurrection. When two of His followers were talking with Jesus Himself on their way to Emmaus, they did not recognize Him; meaning that his Resurrected body is no longer the same as before His death. They only recognized Him when He was already breaking bread with them. How exactly is it different? No one knows.

Jesus died and seized to be with us physically but when He resurrected from the dead, He became alive but not in the same physical form. It is unlike the resuscitation of Lazarus who was brought back to life in his own body and later on died again. Jesus’ resurrection transformed Him in a way that even His disciples could not recognize Him. Resurrection is not just resuscitation of the body, but also a spiritual transformation.

The Resurrection reminds us that Jesus is alive and is with us even to this day. It is the cornerstone of our faith. But every time we proclaim the Resurrection to others, imagine that other person asking you, “How can you prove that?” The best proof we can give that person is by showing him or her that Jesus is alive. How? By living the way Jesus lived. Jesus is alive when we are just, humble, selfless or when we share with the poor just as Jesus did when He was physically with us. When we love and forgive others, then we show that Jesus is alive.

How is Jesus alive in your life? How can you show the people you work with that Jesus is alive?

Gospel for March 16, 2008 - Matthew 26:14 - 27:66 - Passion and Death of Jesus

Matthew narrates in the gospel the events that took place in Christ’s passion and death. One of the important events that happened was Jesus’ agony as he prayed in the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, James and John, the three disciples who were allowed to see his glory at the Transfiguration, in order to witness and share his suffering.

Peter, James and John were part of the glorious event of Jesus’ Transfiguration – they were fully transfixed on Jesus as he was transfigured and his full divine glory manifested. This is in stark contrast to their behavior in the garden of Gethsemane where they had trouble keeping awake to watch and pray with Jesus during the lowest point of his life. He pleaded for companionship and comfort from them as the hour of his passion approached. It was at this time that Jesus, full of sorrow and anguish, fell on the ground and prayed three times saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will (v.39).”

It was through the persistence in prayer that Jesus gained a clear knowledge of the Father’s will. He prayed for an escape from the situation, but he also knew that this was not possible. He then counts on God to complete His plan of salvation and in deep surrender accepts the cup of suffering he has to undergo for the sins of the world. Matthew shows Jesus as a model of prayer and obedience by submitting his will in obedience to the divine will. Thus, Jesus reversed the sin of man’s disobedience by obeying the Father in all things.

The passage helps us to reflect on our own prayer life as singles. We may experience difficulty when we pray since we are faced with a lot of distractions (e.g. when we are tired and sleepy, when we are occupied with work, when we have no time, etc.). When things are going well in our lives, sometimes we tend to forget to pray. It is when we encounter problems that we remember God. But when the problems become too great for us, such as death of a loved one, loss of a job, grave sickness, and the like, our tendency is to leave God by blaming Him and asking Him “Why me?” Jesus teaches us the importance of perseverance in prayer so that we do not become weak, fall into temptations, and abandon Him, but rather strengthen our spirits by always recognizing and obeying God’s will especially in times of difficulty.

§ In what ways can we strengthen our prayer life so that we continue to easily recognize and do God’s will especially during the low points in our lives?

§ How can we be a model of prayer and obedience for others?

Gospel for March 9, 2008 - John 11, 1-45 Jesus Raises Lazarus

(By Mike Gan, reviewed by TM)

The raising of Lazarus is the final sign in Jesus’ public ministry which leads to his condemnation and death. It is also the most powerful and important sign because it does not merely involve healing the sick and feeding the hungry, but raising someone from the dead, a power proper only to God.

In the Gospel, when the most powerful sign is about to be performed, Jesus behaves in a shocking manner. John prepares us by first saying that Jesus loved Lazarus and his sisters. Jesus loved them and yet, when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was for two more days. Why would Jesus do that?

John wanted to highlight that Jesus always acts in accordance with his Father's will, not the will of his family or his closest friends. He is concerned first and foremost with God's glory, with doing God's. His love does not feel like love at first, but it is. But as we shall later on see, it is for the best. His seeming delay will lead to a greater blessing.

Today we easily find ourselves in difficult and even painful situations. We cry out for help but there are times when God seemingly delays in answering our prayers.

What is my attitude when I feel that God delays in answering my prayers? How do I find faith and comfort in those trying times?

Sunday Gospel for March 2, 2008 - John 9:1-41 The Man Born Blind (By Estie and TM)

John is usually more difficult to interpret than the other gospels because he uses several symbolisms. It would be helpful to understand the following:

· This passage takes place during the Feast of the Tabernacles or the Feast of Booths (or Tents). During this feast, the Jews recall the time when they wandered in the dessert for 40 years and lived in tents. It is also known as the feast of lights because the temple was brightly illuminated at night. It is during this feast that Jesus declares “I am the light of the world.” (8:12).

· The waters of Siloam, was used in the water ceremony of the feast. The High Priest would draw water from Siloam and bring it back to the temple to be poured out. Jesus uses this water for the blind man to see the light.

The blind man is physically healed after the clay is washed away but his spiritual eyes take time to be opened. His level of conviction increases as he is opposed by neighbors, his own parents and the Pharisees. He starts by referring to Jesus as “the man called Jesus;” later “He is a prophet;” and eventually, he says “Lord, I do believe.”

On the contrary, the Pharisees, who were supposed to be the most knowledgeable about the law and about God chose NOT to believe. They regarded Jesus as a sinner because He healed on a Sabbath; rather than believe He was from God because the blind man can now see. Their pride and self-righteousness prevented them from seeing the truth.

The pride of thinking that we know everything can prevent us from seeing what is right and true. When others see things differently, our self assurance sometimes prevent us from stepping into the light because change can be painful. For example, there are many times when we say, “this is just the way things are done around here,” or “new ideas are good, but also risky,” or even “there are two ways to do things in the apostolate: our way and the wrong way.” The gospel teaches us that God speaks through every person, even those we may regard as totally blind and wrong.

Discussion:

What beliefs do you have about any area in your life (social relationships, community, career, spiritual) that other people see very differently? In what way might God be speaking to you through that person?

Source: Nil Guillemette, SJ. Hungry No More, pp. 116-127.

Sunday's Gospel for Feb. 24, 2008 - John 4:1-42 Jesus and the Samaritan Woman

In this Sunday’s gospel, Jesus initiated a conversation with a Samaritan woman who was drawing water from the well.

Historically, Jewish men did not speak to women in public, much less to women of Samaria since racial hatred and tension between Jews and Samaritans were common in those days (Jews were the “Chosen People” and Samaritans were considered as a “contaminated” or mixed race having intermarried with foreign invaders). It can also be observed from the gospel that she was not only an ordinary Samaritan but one with a disreputable lifestyle, having had five husbands in the past and not even being married to the man she was living with.

Despite the woman’s personal history, Jesus not only initiated a conversation with her but it seemed as though He even sought this woman out. Jews normally avoided contact with their Samaritan neighbors by traveling other, longer routes but it says in John 4:4 that Jesus “had to go through Samaria”. Jesus deliberately went to Samaria, breaking down barriers and boundaries, to meet this woman, to seek her out and offer her “living water”.

The gospel offers a challenge for us today to be like Jesus to the Samaritan woman – to reach out to people who are difficult to reach out to.

In our workplaces and in the apostolate, there are people who we have avoided because of their irregular lifestyles or just because they are “different,” “difficult,” “or do not conform to our values.”

Who are these people and how are you going to be like Jesus to them?

The Singles Apostolate’s GK Outreach Program allows us to reach out to those in need. When are you going to set aside time to visit and help them?

Sunday Gospel for February 10, 2008: Matthew 4:1-11 Temptation of Jesus

Matthew’s account of Jesus being tempted in the desert and overcoming these trials bring us back to the Old Testament where the people of Israel underwent the same tests in the desert and failed. Jesus quotes scripture (Deuteronomy 8:3 ; 6:16; 6:13) likening His temptation in the desert to that of Israel’s, but in this case not relying on His messianic power to deliver Him from temptation as He could have, but as man, remaining dependent on His father and fully faithful to His commands to deliver Him from evil.

It is also noteworthy that the Spirit that descended upon Jesus at his baptism in the Jordan River narrated in the previous chapter is the same Spirit here that deliberately led Him into the desert to be tempted by the devil. The Spirit did not spare God’s own son, from having to undergo testing himself.

We often feel “spirit-filled” after a prayer meeting, an SE weekend, or when a prayer intention has been answered in the way we have hoped for. We fail to realize that the same Spirit that is upon us during all those uplifting experiences is the same Spirit that brings us face to face with trials/temptations that put your faith into action – financial problems, death of a loved one, the trap of habitual sins. But Jesus in his humanity gives us hope and shows us how these trials can be overcome - with obedience and abandonment to the will and protection of the Father.

Reflection Question:

1. What has been my attitude towards the trials and temptations in my life as a renewed Catholic

2. What current situation/temptation am I experiencing that the Lord is asking me to abandon fully in order for His will to be done?

Sunday Gospel for Feb. 3, 2008: Matthew 5:1-12 The Beatitudes

The Sermon on the Mount is one of the highlights of Jesus’ ministry, the first part of which is referred to as the Beatitudes. The word “beatitude” is from the Latin word “beatus,” meaning “a state of utmost bliss,” of “supreme happiness,” of “true happiness.” The Beatitudes are often misinterpreted as “it is good to be poor.” Further study of the gospel shows otherwise.

The Beatitudes were declarations of blessings for the marginalized sector of society during Jesus’ time. Even during the Old Testament times, those who were considered poor enjoyed the special protection of kings and were favored by God. This “divine” favor was not attributed to their social status or inner disposition but because of God’s disposition towards them. Hence, Jesus’ ministry affirmed what the prophets said about the Messiah. This is the reason why Jesus came: to seek out and save the last, the lost and the least. “The Sovereign Lord has filled me with His Spirit. He has chosen me and sent me to bring good news to the poor, to heal the broken-hearted, to announce release to captives and freedom to those in prison.” (Isaiah 61:2)

Jesus incessantly preached about the Kingdom of God – that it is not a place but a condition where justice, equality, well-being, love and forgiveness prevails. Thus, Matthew’s message to his audience (mostly Jewish) during his time was for them to favor the poor and marginalized just as God found favor with them, because God made them co-heirs of His Kingdom as well.

The same message resonates in the Catholic Church today. The 2nd Plenary Council of the Philippines declared, "Following the way of our Lord, we opt to be a Church of the poor.” As Jesus’ followers, Filipino Catholics are enjoined to have a preferential love for the poor because of the abject poverty and misery that a great number of Filipinos find themselves in. The poor should be welcomed, made to feel at home and actively involved in our Church, if we are to follow the way of Christ. The late Pope John Paul II describes this option very succinctly and exhorts us to rise to the challenge: “This love of preference for the poor cannot but embrace the immense multitudes of the hungry, the needy, the homeless, those without medical care and, above all, those without hope of a better future. To ignore these realities would mean becoming like the ‘rich man’ who pretended not to know the beggar Lazarus lying at his gate.”

As a Catholic, what little things can you do to rise to the challenge to live out the preferential option for the poor? As a member of the Singles Apostolate, how can you improve your involvement in the Outreach ministry?

Sources: Guillemete, Nil, A Kingdom for All, p. 151

Catechism for Filipino Catholics

Gospel for January 27, 2008 - Matthew 4:12-23, The Beginning of Jesus Ministry

The Gospel presents the beginning of the ministry of Jesus. It started in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, and it is also in this location where Jesus called his first disciples.

As a background, all the four gospels mention that Jesus’ ministry started in Galilee, but it is ONLY Matthew that also mentions that Galilee is located within Zebulun and Naphtali. There must be a significance to this. Zebulun and Naphtali were two of the 12 sons of Jacob, and when the Jews entered Canaan, the land was parcelled among the sons, and Zebulun and Naphtali got the land where Galilee is located. The region of Zebulun and Naphtali were eventually overran by Assyrians and Greeks, and were therefore considered as “pagan” (or not purely Jewish) land because of the intermarriages between these foreigners and the Jews.

The Jews were known as the chosen people of God but it is ironic to know that they were also the ones to reject Jesus and His teachings. Matthew emphasizes that Jesus started His ministry in a land considered as “contaminated” or pagan. Matthew’s message is that Jesus gives priority to those who do not know God over those who are already close to God, as in the case of the Jews.

Today, we are reminded by this gospel to reach out to those who do not know God, those who are far away from Him and those who choose to be stubborn to let Him in their hearts. We are all called to evangelise like Christ. Like Jesus, we should start seeking for people outside of our apostolate, or those who are not yet familiar with Jesus.

Relate an experience when you had the chance to evangelise about God to those outside the apostolate who do not know Him or do not yet have a personal relationship with him. Was this a favourable or non-favourable experience? As you share this with the class, let this experience serve as a “push” for you to begin the ministry of evangelising to others.

Luke 4: 21-30 The Townmates Mentality

Observation:

The gospel passage happens right after Jesus’ entry in a synagogue in Nazareth, where he reads a passage from Isaiah. The question in our minds is why is there a sudden change in the mood and attitude of the Nazarenes towards Jesus. Verse 22 says, “they spoke highly of him.” But by verses 28-29, his town mates were “all filled with fury” and were about to hurl him down a hill. What happened in between?

Interpretation:

The keys to the answer to this question are in the following verses:

- Verse 22: “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” – In asking this question, the people meant that since Jesus is a fellow Nazarene (remember that this scene happens in Nazareth), then Jesus should favor those who are his townmates and perform the same miracles for them as he did in other towns.

- Verse 25 – 27: In these verses, Jesus cites the examples of two great prophets of Israel – Elijah and Elisha – who did not favor his fellow Israelites, regarded as God’s chosen people, but instead took the side of a widow in Sidon and Naaman the Syrian. Both Sidon and Syria are Gentile (or pagan) territories!

Jesus statements meant: not only they not deserve his miracles, but that their own great prophets preferred Gentiles over them. Hence, they were infuriated.

Luke disagreed with the Jewish mentality that God’s favor rests with the Jews simply because they were Jews. The Kingdom of God is no longer limited to the Jews but to those who practiced the gospel values of love and forgiveness, whether Jew or Gentile. Universality is a key message of Luke’s gospel. God does not favor anyone on the basis of race, position, or religion, but “men and women of good will.” (However, if there is a group that Jesus favored, according to the gospel of Luke, it is the poor.)

Generalization:

Mere membership in the Catholic Church (or Singles Apostolate, or in the Renewal movement) is not a badge which earns special favor from God. We cannot have the mentality that because we are “active” members in the Apostolate, then we deserve that most, if not all, of our prayers be answered. That would be the “townmates mentality” that Jesus referred to in the Gospel. He did not agree with it because it is like putting God in a bottle. Rather, membership in the Apostolate recognizes that this is ALREADY a favor given to us by God, and that membership poses a demand to share this personal experience of God by serving others.

Application:

- Share some examples when you catch yourself with the “townmates mentality.” For example, a promotion you were hoping to get did not materialize. Someone with a “townmates mentality” would say, “after all the service I’ve done, I can’t accept that God would not grant me this favor.” Rather, the proper stance to take would be: “I accept this event as God’s way of continually forming me; I know he has something better in store for me.”

- The theme of the forthcoming Singles Apostolate Leaders Conference is “Offering our Best Fruits.” How can we use our membership in the Apostolate to offer our best fruits to God?

The Rich Man, Mark 10:17-30 by Maryann Gan (SE-7)

OBSERVATION:

A rich man went up to Jesus, called him good teacher and asked the way that leads to eternal life. Because the rich man has observed the commandments all his life, Jesus said that there is only one thing lacking and that this is to sell everything that he owns, give to the poor and follow him. The rich man felt sad and left because he had many possessions.

INTERPRETATION:

In the Old Testament, wealth and material goods are considered a sign of God’s favor. The words of Jesus astonished the disciples because of their apparent contradiction of the Old Testament concept. Jesus teaches his disciples that wealth, power, and merit generate false security. Jesus rejects them utterly as a claim to enter the kingdom. In the Old Testament, everything had already been said about what a person should do to gain eternal life, by observing the commandments of justice and compassion. Now Jesus proposes to the rich man a new way and a new experience of liberty, through becoming his follower and imitator.

Jesus does not only speak of reward in the next life. He is telling his disciples that in this world, in the midst of persecution, those who sacrifice themselves for the Kingdom will find friendship, joy, and human fulfillment far greater than anything they could have hoped for.

GENERALIZATION:

The message of the gospel is NOT to give up wealth, but to give up attachments. A person can be rich in a lot of things and thus be attached to these things. He can be attached to money, reputation, health, intelligence, friendships, etc. To be attached means to love something or someone possessively, to love in which love of self plays a predominant role. Any kind of selfishness contradicts the spirit of Jesus, and is incompatible with the Kingdom of God. Jesus shows us how to experience the Kingdom of God in this world by freeing us from these attachments that distracts us from focusing on God.

APPLICATION:

What are your attachments in life? How are they hindering your spiritual growth? How are these affecting your relationship with God, with other people? Make a resolution to give up one attachment.

John 6:60-69 This Saying is Hard

By Maryann Gan (edited by TM):

Observation

The Gospel begins with the murmuring among Jesus’ disciples: “This saying is hard, who can accept it?” Whatever they were murmuring about was enough to provoke some disciples to leaving him. It must be noted that Jesus did not stop those who wanted to leave.

Interpretation

When the disciples say, “this saying is hard,” it does not mean that it is “difficult to understand,” but “difficult to accept.”[1] What was it that was difficult to accept which provoked some disciples to leave Jesus? It is Jesus’ claim of being “the living bread that came down from heaven” (John 6:41).

Jesus’ listeners could not accept the mystery that this “bread from heaven” will be humiliated on the cross. They did not want to be associated with shame and scandal. John therefore addresses the second teaching that is “difficult to accept” during the early Christian times. The first was the theme of last Sunday’s gospel: that Jesus is present in the eucharistic bread and wine. The second is that Jesus came down from heaven, which is to be interpreted as coming from the Father.

A true disciple believes and knows the glory of the risen Christ through eyes of faith. This is the significance of Peter’s words when he says “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We now believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” For John, the words “believe” and “know” are synonymous. To believe is to know, and to really know Jesus is to believe in him.

Generalization

Faith entails accepting even things that are “difficult to accept,” not just those that are convenient to accept. To be a Christian means to believe in Jesus: who he is, and what his entire life stands for: a life of love, forgiveness and complete obedience to the Father. For many, if not all of us, it may be seem “easy” to accept that Jesus is indeed the Son of the Father, and that he is truly present in the Eucharistic bread and wine we receive in the Mass. But being a Christian is more than belief in a doctrine, it is living a life like the life Jesus lived.


Application

There are those whose reasons for joining a church community are temporal. For examples, spiritual excitement during prayer meetings, fellowship which brings temporary relief from a personal problem, or even membership in a community which brings certain honor or social advantages. When prayer did not bring spiritual relief, when the spiritual "high" was gone, when fellowship did not satisfy one's social agenda, when social pressure against fellowship became so great, leaving became a viable and desired option.

But when one joins a community so that he/she can help and be helped by others to live like Jesus lived, then such members remain and are sustained by the community.


1. What are your reasons for joining the Singles Apostolate or a Renewal Community? What are the values of the Apostolate that is difficult for you to accept and make a part of your life?

[1] Nil Guillemette, SJ, Hungry No More, Manila: St. Paul’s Publications, 1989, 104.

John 6:51-58 Eat my flesh, drink my blood (Gospel for Aug. 20, 2006)

OBSERVATION:

If we were among the audience of Jesus in the gospel, we would wonder whether Jesus, in telling his disciples to “eat his flesh, and drink his blood,” is speaking symbolically or literally. Just observe the many times he repeats the references to his flesh to be eaten and blood to be drank:

- Verse 51 – The bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.
- Verse 53 – Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.
- Verse 54 – Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life
- Verse 55 – For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.
- Verse 56 – Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me
- Verse 57 – … the one who feeds on me will have life…

Having repeated himself so many times, Jesus insists that indeed what he is saying is to be taken literally.

INTERPRETATION:

Unlike the other three gospels, the gospel of John does not have a Eucharistic meal during the last supper. Instead, John presents the washing of the feet. The gospel for this Sunday is the equivalent of the Eucharistic meal in John’s gospel. John tells us that Jesus did not come simply to satisfy earthly hunger, but to provide life without any kind of hunger. For John, Jesus provides this by feeding his disciples with his Eucharistic flesh and blood.

In Hebrew language, the body/flesh and blood represents the entire person so that the meaning of eating Jesus’ body and blood is to have a personal communion and encounter with Jesus. When we receive Jesus who is present in the Eucharistic host, then we encounter him in a personal way. John says, “we remain or abide in Jesus, and Jesus remains or abide in us.” This is a unique expression found only in John. In a few simple words, John is able to express something unique in the whole of creation, namely, two beings (Jesus and us) achieve the closest possible union without either losing our distinct personality.[1] While remaining human, we become like Jesus, who remains divine.

GENERALIZATION:

During the early Christian communities, there was doubt on the presence of Jesus in the Eucharistic bread and wine. Jesus’ real presence in the bread and wine is not in the physical sense, since the bread and wine maintain their taste, look and other physical similarities. Jesus presence is in his glorified and resurrected body which continues to be with us, and especially in the form of the Eucharistic bread and wine. It takes faith to accept and recognize this, and some of Jesus’ own disciples did not have that faith, and therefore left him.

John’s audience included those who considered Jesus as divine, but that his human body was simply a disguise, then known as the Docetist heretics. Hence, John presents Jesus as insisting that his “flesh is true food and his blood as true drink.” Click here to find out what happens in consecration – how does the bread and wine change into the body and blood of Jesus?

APPLICATION:

Nutritionists say that “we become what we eat.” If we partake of Jesus in holy communion, then we should become who we eat, Jesus.

We recognize the blessed sacrament as the body of Christ. The phrase “body of Christ” was used by St. Paul to also refer to the Christian community. We, flesh and blood members of our church, ARE also the body of Christ. This is why we are in our renewal community, that others may see Christ in us, and would like to become part of us.

- How regular do we receive Holy Communion?
- What changes do we see in ourselves as a result of regular Communion?
- Assess your Class, or Team, or Apostolate. How would you rate it as a "body of Christ?" What can be done to make it more like the "body of Christ?"


[1] Nil Guillmette, SJ, Hungry No More, Manila: St. Paul’s Publications, 1989, 100.

The Return of the Disciples, Mark 6:30-34 (Written by Estie Santos, SE-10 and edited by TM)

OBSERVATION:

Jesus had just sent the disciples two by two. They drove out demons and healed the sick. They returned and told Jesus all that they had done. He then tells them to go to a “deserted place” to rest. From the verse “people were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat,” we get an idea of the breadth and scope of Jesus’ ministry.

They tried to get away by boat but the crowd “hastened there on foot” and arrived ahead of them. We see the eagerness of the people to hear and see Jesus. He saw the need of the people as they were like “sheep without a shepherd”. Instead of being annoyed that the crowd followed them, Jesus responded with compassion. He taught them “many things,” which in another version is translated as “proceeded to teach them at length”. This passage is then followed by the miracle of the multiplication of the bread.

INTERPRETATION:

This passage (Mark 6:30-34) is to be read as the second part of Mark 6:6-13 which is the sending out of the Twelve on a mission “two by two,” which is last Sunday’s gospel. It is interrupted by Mark 6:14-29, which is the account of the killing of John the Baptist by Herod.

We should therefore interpret this passage in relation to the mission of the disciples. “The disciples mission is to preach a change of mind, drive out demons, and cure the sick is an extension of Jesus’ own mission; and he gives them the power to accomplish this. The austere conditions (no food, money, luggage) would make it clear any results were not effected by human means.”[1]

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus commands the Twelve to rest and take a breather. But the rest is more than just physical rest because Jesus also asks them to be “by [them]selves,” and with Jesus, as well as away from the crowd. The kind of rest referred to is both physical and spiritual rest, prior to another flurry of activity in managing the huge crowd in the feeding of the five thousand.


The kind of rest that Jesus can provide is like that of the shepherd who cares for the flock.

The “sheep without a shepherd” is used by Moses in Numbers 27:17 when he asks God to give the Israelites a leader. God appoints Joshua. “Jesus” is the Greek variant of the name Joshua in Hebrew. Jesus IS the good shepherd and he has compassion for his sheep. (The original word used for compassion is “esplanchnisthe,” which refers to one’s guts, and is the strongest word to express a deep feeling of sympathy).

GENERALIZATION:

It is important to find the rhythm of activity and rest to sustain our growth and progress of Kingdom-building. Otherwise, burnout ensues. This rest is both physical and spiritual rest, the latter to be found in prayer and reflection of God’s promptings in our lives.

Vincent de Paul advises, "Be careful to preserve your health. It is a trick of the devil, which he employs to deceive good souls, to incite them to do more than they are able, in order that they may no longer be able to do anything."

APPLICATION:

Take a look and examine how you handle the various aspects of your life:

· How much time have you taken to rest, to be with your family, to go into deep prayer?
· Have you balanced your time with work in the office and work in the Apostolate?
· What aspect of your life is being put in the background that should be more in the forefront? Give a concrete step to have a more balanced life.

[1] Raymond E. Brown. An Introduction to the New Testament, New York: Doubleday, 1997. 135.

Mark 4:35-42 The Calming of the Storm (Gospel for June 25, 2006)

Observation

The gospel depicts the disciples’ reaction to Jesus, who was sleeping amidst a storm. They found him sound asleep and woke him up saying “Master, don’t you care if we sink?” This suggests that the disciples acknowledged that Jesus had the power to do something about the storm, but was not doing anything about it.

When Jesus woke up, he immediately ordered the wind and the sea “Quiet! Be still!” These are the same words that Jesus used to cast out demons in Mark 1:25. After calming the sea, Jesus said to them “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” Note that Jesus calmed the sea FIRST, and then rebuke his disciples. Wouldn’t it have been more logical to say this BEFORE performing the miracle?

Interpretation

We should note that the context of this passage is when the early Christians were being persecuted, especially by Nero. At that time, God may have appeared as absent (or sleeping) to the church which was tossed by the storms of persecution. It may have reminded the early Christians of the Babylonian exile when God appeared to have abandoned them.

In Jewish mentality, the sea always depicts danger, mystery and terror. When Jesus calmed the storm just as he does with the demons, it affirmed his divine power over the forces of evil. Mark makes no distinction between “healing miracles and nature miracles.”[1] The message must have reassured the early Christians that God has not abandoned them.

According to the biblical view of things, sound asleep is a sign that a person has entrusted his life totally to God. In the Gospel, the disciples misunderstood Jesus’ sleep. Rather than a sign of being insensitive, it teaches to rely on God. Jesus practiced what he preached in the Sermon on the Mount, “your Father knows all that you need”.

Jesus must have purposely rebuked the disciples AFTER the calming of the storm. The impact of words “do you not have faith?” become more impactful after the miracle.

Generalization

When we decide to be a follower of Jesus and take the road less travelled, we can be assured that persecutions and bad press will follow us. I recall what Bishop Ted Bacani said once: “when you decide to follow Christ, do not look for your cross; people will go out of their way to give you one.”

It takes faith to instinctively trust God to deliver us from any kind of tribulation. It is only in faith that we can experience peace and calm in even the fiercest storms of life.

Application

- What are the storms in your life right now?
- How can you apply the gospel message to your situation?

Co-authored by Maryann Gan (SE-10) and Manny Blas

[1] Nil Guillemette. A Kingdom for All (Makati: St. Paul Publication, 1988), 42.

John 15:9-17 Love one another as I have loved you. (Gospel for May 21, 2006)

Observation:

This gospel passage contains some of the most beautiful and perhaps sweetest verses that we have read that Jesus said.

Interpretation:

These verses are more than just beautiful and sweet words, but reflects what a personal relationship with Jesus entails.

- John 15:10 – “If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.”

Love of God is not just a “feel good” thing. It requires action, i.e. in keeping his commandments.

- John 15: 12 – “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

This is the second time that Jesus says this, but with a slight twist. The first time was during the last supper but at that time he referred to this as a “NEW” commandment. This time, Jesus refers to it as “MY” commandment. It is a personal commandment of Jesus himself. We must love one another “AS I LOVED YOU.” Jesus’ love is the new standard, which means a personal relationship based on sacrificial love and forgiveness; and not the legalistic approach of the Pharisees in obeying the laws of Moses

- John 15:13 – “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

Jesus’ standards includes sacrificing one’s life for others, perhaps not in terms of actual physical death, but love based on “dying” to one’s self.

- John 15:15 – “I no longer call you slaves. I have called you friends.”

Jesus love is also not just a decision or commitment, but has the character of intimacy, reciprocity, and heart to heart, which are elements of true friendship.

- John 15:11 – “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you.”

Joy was considered in the Old Testament as the characteristic of the time of salvation and everlasting peace. It is the ultimate reward of a relationship based on love and friendship.

Generalization:

Loving God is serious business. It entails a certain kind of “dying” to one’s self such as loving the unlovable, taking the initiative to repair a relationship even though it is not your fault, choosing the difficult right instead of the easy wrong.

Let us not even go to the heroic acts, but simple acts such as: serving when inconvenient, being on the lookout for the Single who appears lost in an Apostolate gathering, setting aside prayer time in addition to gimmick time, setting aside money for the needy in addition to money for gimmicks, expressing love and affirmation to parents and siblings, apologizing for little faults, and so on.

Doesn’t a part of ourselves “die” when we humble ourselves and do these things?

Application:

God loves us seriously.

How serious do you love God? What expressions of God’s love can you do that entails a “dying” to one’s self?