Matthew 16:21-27, Jesus Rebukes Peter (22nd Sunday, August 31, 2014)

Gospel:

Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay all according to his conduct.”

Gospel Trivia:

There are three occasions in Matthew's gospel when Jesus predicts his passion and death.  This Sunday's gospel passage is the first of them.  We should note the following:

- the passage follows a pattern: 

a) the prediction, 
b) the disciples do not understand the prediction (and objects to it), 
c) a teaching is said, and finally, 
d) the announcement of the resurrection.

- the word "must" is used: "Jesus began to show his disciples that he MUST go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly..."  It suggests that the passion is not accidental but is part and parcel of Jesus' mission.  The suffering is a necessary part of salvation and of discipleship.

The Greek word used for "must" is "dei" which connotes the will of God, and not just a fatal necessity.

- Jesus is not only aware, but ACCEPTS, that suffering and death are part of the plan.  It is not just his insight but something revealed in Scriptures.  

Contrast this with the objection of Peter and the use of "Satan" to refer to him.  Satan deceives, and prefers temporal life and pleasure to suffering and eternal life.

On your road to discipleship?  Then expect, no, accept that one will encounter pain and suffering along the way.

Reference:

- Nil Guillemette, SJ, A Kingdom for All (Makati: St. Paul's Publications), pp. 219-221.

Matthew 16:13-20, Peter is Appointed Leader of the Church (21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 24, 2014)

Gospel:

Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

Gospel Trivia:

This particular passage is considered as the "turning point" or "hinge" in Matthew's gospel.  It contains a declaration by the disciples of who Jesus is and, in turn, the appointment of one of the disciples as their leader.  Jesus is declared as the "Son of God".  Yet, in the chapters that follow, Jesus will talk more and more about his suffering, humiliation, and death.  Such a contrast: from being declared as the "Christ and Son of the God" to a Suffering Servant.  

How do we interpret the significance of the various personalities and "titles" attributed to Jesus?

- "Christ" - it is not Jesus' last name.  The "christ" is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word "messiah".  The messiah is the savior or liberator of the people, and is the person chosen or anointed by God to do this task.  The messiah is expected to be likely a "king" because he is the leader of the people, and kings are anointed with holy oil.  This king or messiah will rule the united tribes of Israel after liberating them from the rule of foreign oppressors which, during the time of Jesus, were the Romans.

- "Son of God" - can refer to the divinity of Jesus, but is also another term used by Hebrews to refer to a "messiah."  Biblical scholars believe that when used by Matthew, this title refers to either or both meanings.

- "John the Baptist," "Elijah," "Jeremiah" - some believed that Jesus is the reincarnation of these powerful personalities in Jewish history.  These references indicate that Jesus was at least regarded as a prophet -- one who speaks in behalf of God and communicates his message (and not necessarily one who foretells the future).

- "Son of Man" - Jesus used the title in a general sense, to refer to himself as a member of humankind.  Thus, the verse above would read, "Who do people say this 'member of the human race' is?"  (There are, however, varying views about this title and I discuss these in the section below.)

Based on this authority, Jesus appoints Peter as the head of the church by giving him the "keys", which is a symbol of authority.  The word "church" refers to an assembly or local group of believers which, at that time, refers to the band of disciples following Jesus.  This movement would grow rapidly from initially a Jewish community to what we now acknowledge as the Catholic Church.

Reflecting on this gospel, it is humbling to note that building God's Kingdom depended not on authority and power but on humility and service.

Other Trivia:

In this gospel, the title "Son of Man" is used by Jesus to refer to himself.  Among biblical scholars, it is one of the most widely debated and confusing title applied to Jesus.  This debate includes whether Jesus used the title himself, or is it a title that the evangelists applied to Jesus afterwards when they wrote the gospels.  Here are some their views:

a. Jesus used the title in a general sense, to refer to himself as a member of humankind.  Thus, the verse above would read, "Who do people say this 'member of the human race' is?"

b. The gospel writers used it to refer to Jesus' role at the "end times" similar to the vision of Daniel in Daniel 7:13, "As the visions during the night continued, I saw one like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven."

c. Jesus used the title himself in a "paradoxical way as the lowly and disreputable messenger of the powerful Kingdom of God."  If I were to paraphrase this, it is as if Jesus said, "You expect the Kingdom of God to come through the power and authority of a militant king; but here I am, a person who eat with the poor and lowly, who will teach you the real meaning of God's Kingdom."

References:

- Nil Guillemette, SJ, A Kingdom for All (Makati: St. Paul's Publications), pp. 213-216.

- Raymond E. Brown et al.  The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, pp. 1324-1325.

Matthew 15:21-28, Jesus and the Canaanite Woman (20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 17, 2014)

Gospel:

At that time, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.”

But Jesus did not say a word in answer to her. His disciples came and asked him, “Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.” He said in reply, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But the woman came and did Jesus homage, saying, “Lord, help me!” He said in reply, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.”

Then Jesus said to her in reply, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And the woman’s daughter was healed from that hour.

Gospel Trivia:

If the two previous Sunday gospels narrated the doubt and lack of faith of the disciples, Matthew now illustrates what strong faith is and what it can do.

The woman is a Canaanite, someone from a pagan nation and against whom Jews have fought battles in the past.  The effectiveness of persistent faith is thus dramatized in two ways:

- true and strong faith is shown by a pagan woman and compared to the weak faith shown by Jesus' disciples

- the request of the woman is granted from a distance -- her daughter "was healed from that hour."  This, together with the healing of the centurion's son (also in Matthew) and the "official's son" in John, are the only three examples of cures from a distance.

One last note on the use of the word "dogs" by Jesus as it may seem too harsh to refer to the woman.  The Greek word used is "kunarion" which translates to a "house dog" or "puppy"; and not the word "kuon" which refers to a scavenging canine, sometimes used to refer to a spiritual predator who feeds off others.  This is a harmless metaphor used by Matthew to refer to the usual household scene where food from the table falls on the ground and eaten by the house dog.  Nothing sinister is associated with the word as used by the evangelist.

It should not detract us from the message of the gospel: God knows no boundaries of race, sex, or religion; but looks at the faith in our hearts.


Reference:

- Nil Guillemette, SJ, A Kingdom for All (Makati: St. Paul's Publications), pp. 209-210.

- http://biblehub.com/greek/2965.htm for definitions of "kunarion" and "kuon."

Matthew 14:22-33 - Peter Flounders on Water (19th Sunday of Ordinary Time, August 10, 2014)

Gospel:

After he had fed the people, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening, he was there alone. Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.

During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified. “It is a ghost!” they said, and they cried out in fear. At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come!” Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how strong the wind was, he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 

Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter, and said to him, “You, man of little faith, why did you doubt?”

After they got into the boat, the wind died down. Those who were in the boat did Jesus homage, saying, “Truly, you are the Son of God.”

Gospel Trivia:

There is a common theme between this and last Sunday's gospel on the Feeding of the Five Thousand: the disciples are caught in a difficult situation and Jesus asks them to fend for themselves; the disciples doubt, and Jesus comes to the rescue.

The disciples are caught between their fear and their faith.

In this Sunday's gospel, however, Peter is singled out.  This is the first time Matthew does this his gospel.  He is set as the leader of the disciples, and yet he is not idealized -- he too, doubts.

There is a couple of "gospel trivia" to note in the passage, both of which Matthew uses to reflect divine power or intercession:

- "water" has parallels in the Old Testament: in the creation story ("a mighty wind swept over the waters") as well as in the liberation of the Jews when they crossed the Red Sea.  The power over water is a sign of divine presence.

- "It is I," Jesus says.  It is the phrase used proper only to divine apparitions; in the Old Testament, it is used only by God.

These two gospel passages -- The Feeding of the Five Thousand and Peter Walking on Water -- reflects a disciple's journey towards discipleship.

The road of discipleship is filled with trials and difficulties, and occasions when our faith are tested.  In many of such occasions, we will doubt and will fail.  But, do not be afraid, Jesus acknowledges our imperfect faith and will share with us his power.

It is not the disciple using the power of God, but the power of God using the disciple.


Reference:


- Nil Guillemette, SJ, A Kingdom for All (Makati: St. Paul's Publications), pp. 205-207.

Matthew 14:13-21 - Feeding the Multitude (18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 3, 2014)

Gospel:

When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick.

When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.” Jesus said to them, “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.” But they said to him, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.” Then he said, “Bring them here to me,” and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass.

Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied. When they picked up the fragments left over, they filled up twelve wicker baskets. Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children.

Gospel Trivia:


The miracle of the feeding of the five thousand is the only miracle that is in all four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  (This is not to be confused with the miracle of the FOUR thousand which appears only in Mark and Matthew).  Therefore, this must be a very special event for it to be captured by all four evangelists.

Many interpretations of this gospel convey that that the message refers to sharing one's food and resources with others, and that if we all did, then there is enough for everyone.  While each evangelist has his own specific message when including an event in his gospel, this interpretation is likely NOT the intended message of Matthew.

We should note the following in Matthew's version:

- the context of this miracle is during a day of healing the sick; and healing the sick is one of the ways Jesus uses in communicating the condition of the Kingdom of God.  (Note: in Mark, the context is a day of teaching, not healing).

- the phrase "when it was evening" is the same phrase used in designating the time of the last supper; interestingly, in Matthew's gospel, the "bread" is given a lot more emphasis than the "fish" in Jesus' thanksgiving prayer.

- the disciples play a key role in distributing the food: Jesus orders them to give food to the crowd and later on, Jesus gives the food to the disciples who in turn gives it to the crowd.

Matthew's message is the role of the disciples in building the Kingdom of God: the disciples are the extension of Jesus' power and ministry.  Also, for Matthew, the Eucharist is more than a ceremony or prayer, but it finds its true meaning when we extend Him who we receive in the Eucharist to others.

When we celebrate the Eucharist, we become like Jesus to those we encounter in the other six days of the week.

There are twelve baskets of leftovers, referring to the heavenly banquet, when our Kingdom building finds its fulfillment.   

Reference:


- Nil Guillemette, SJ, A Kingdom for All (Makati: St. Paul's Publications), pp. 201-203.

Matthew 13:44-52 - The Pearl of Great Price (17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 27, 2014)

Gospel:

Jesus said to his disciples: “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full, they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.

Do you understand all these things?” They answered, “Yes.” And he replied, “Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.”

Gospel Trivia:

The parable is one of the many parables in this section of Matthew’s gospel. It comes after the parables of the Sower, the Weeds and Wheat, and the Mustard seed, among others.  It talks about the Kingdom of God (or Heaven), a phrase that is mentioned more than 120 times in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke.  Being mentioned that many times, this subject must be a very important one in the preaching of Jesus.  In fact, it can be said that if Jesus had a Personal Mission Statement, it was to preach the Kingdom of God.

This parable is what we consider as a “twin parable.”  It presents the Kingdom of God as “like a treasure buried in a field” and “like the merchant searching for fine pearls.”  In interpreting a “twin parable,” our search should reveal a meaning that is common to both parables.

- First, we note that the comparison is first as a “treasure” and then as a “merchant.”  It would have been more logical for the second comparison to be with the “pearl,” isn’t it?  Our search for the common element then should be more of the situation presented in both parts rather than what is common to the “treasure” and the “pearl.”

- Secondly, let us also eliminate the other elements that we may initially think may be common but which, on a deeper analysis, are not?  For example, some would interpret that the parable as saying that one has to “search” for the Kingdom of God.  But this is doubtful since the finding of the treasure and the pearl are presented as being accidental and a fortunate turn of events.  (Note that the parable presents the finder of the treasure as a hired hand who ploughs the field and accidentally finds the treasure).

Others would say that it is the “joy” of finding the Kingdom that is the message of the Gospel.  This is also doubtful because “joy” is not at all mentioned in the part of the merchant.

Another interpretation is that one has to “give up everything” for the sake of the Kingdom.  This is also tenuous because the merchant has not really given up anything.  The merchant, in biblical times, is a wholesaler who buys and sells for a profit.  He has simply sold everything to buy the pearl, but eventually plans to sell it (obviously for a profit, instead of simply feasting on it with his eyes).

Finally, the interpretation cannot be the “value” of the Kingdom because the people in Jesus’ times already knew this and were simply awaiting it.

What then is common to both parts of the parable?  It is the behavior of both the finder in the field and the merchant.  They BOTH ACTED DECISIVELY: they GO, they SELL, and they BUY.  There is no more weighing of pros and cons, no more questioning of whether the benefit is worth the cost, or consideration that later may be a better time to commit to spread the Kingdom values.


The message is this: Kingdom of God is not a place, but a condition where God's rule prevails; and where love and forgiveness are the paramount bases of relationships.  This condition is so powerful and compelling that anyone who gets a taste of it cannot help but personally commit to it and spread this good news to others.  The response to the call to Kingdom building is immediate and total.

Want to know more about the Kingdom of God?  Click here for my post on this subject.

Reference:

- Nil Guillemette, SJ, Parables for Today (Makati: St. Paul's Publications, 1987), pp. 57-60.

Supplement: What is the Kingdom of God?

 The phrase "Kingdom of God" (or "Kingdom of Heaven") is mentioned more than 120 times in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke.  (In the Gospel of John it is referred to as "eternal life.")  

Being mentioned that many times, this subject must be a very important one in the preaching of Jesus.  In fact, it can be said that if Jesus were to write a Personal Mission Statement, it would be "to preach the Kingdom of God."

What is the Kingdom of God?  The Jews during Jesus’ times understood this in the literal sense, i.e. an era where such a benevolent and powerful king would reign that they would live a great life.  It would be the time when a Messiah would come, and Israel would be liberated from the oppression of the Romans.  It would be prosperous times, just like the time when David was king.  

Jesus, of course, was speaking of a “kingdom that is not of this world.”  For Jesus, the Kingdom of God is a condition (not a place) when God would reign in the lives and hearts of the people.  It is a condition when love, forgiveness, justice and peace become the prevailing values; and where the poor, sick, and marginalized are included in the mainstream and benefits of society.  

Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of God as “already here” but also as “not yet.”   The Israelites were of course puzzled because, for them, it cannot be here until the Messiah comes.  But Jesus meant that it is “already here” because the process of healing and transformation of the world has already started with his becoming one of us.  But it is “not yet” because the healing and transformation is not yet complete, and still on going.

Let me tell you a story that I came across about the Kingdom, as shared with me by a Maryknoll priest.  The priest invited four streetchildren to be interviewed in his class of seminarians.  For one hour, the seminarians asked the children about their lives: where they live, how they live, what do they eat, how they money, etc.  After the session, in thanksgiving, the priest gave each street child P 100, or P 400 totally.  He followed them to find out what they would do with the money.

He saw the kids go to a Dunkin Donut shop, buy P 400 worth of donuts, and then go back to the street where they hang out.  They laid all of the donuts on the street and invited all their friends to partake of the donuts.  

The priest told me later, "I think I just saw the essence of the Eucharist and got a glimpse of the Kingdom of God."  The kids who had so little gave whatever they had to others.  What a better place this world would be if the Kingdom of God prevailed.

Matthew 13:23-30 - Parable of the Wheat and Weeds (16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 20. 2014)

Gospel:

Jesus proposed another parable to the crowds, saying: “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.

When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well. The slaves of the householder came to him and said, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from?’ He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds, you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn.”

Gospel Trivia:

This is another familiar parable with an explanation provided by Matthew on verses 13:36-43.  The sower is Jesus, the field is the world, the good seed the children of the kingdom and the weeds are children of the evil one.

There is a curious thing about this parable however; which is, why did the slaves have to ask whether the weeds should be pulled out or not?

Weeds grow with wheat all the time.  The logical thing to do is for the sower to wait until harvest time and separate the two.  The roots of the weed and wheat are so intertwined that to pull one at an early stage will inevitably pull out the other.

So why did the slaves have to ask what to do?

There are two explanations:

- one is that the number of weeds is so many that the conventional wisdom of waiting until harvest may not apply

- the second explanation is the other message of the gospel, which is directed to those who wanted to form their own exclusive circles of righteous people and segregate themselves from the rest of the community.

The message is this:

The Kingdom of God is a mixed bag of saints and sinners, and it may be that there is a lot more of the latter.  Our role is not to detach but to mix with them so that our own behavior and examples will influence them and attract them to the Kingdom.  It takes patience, tolerance, forbearance and love to convert others, not through words, but through actions.

As St. Francis said: Use all means to preach the gospel, and only as a last resort use words. 

- Nil Guillemette, SJ, Parables for Today (Makati: St. Paul's Publications, 1987), pp. 26-30

Matthew 13:1-9 - The Parable of the Sower (15th Sunday of Ordinary Time, July 13, 2014).

Gospel:

1 On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore.

3 And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up.  5 Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, 6 and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots.  7 Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it.  8 But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.

9 Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

Gospel Trivia:

There is already an explanation of the meaning of this parable in the verses that follow the Gospel passage, specifically in verses Matthew 13:18-23.  This is also a very familiar parable, and one that has been expounded in many homilies and preachings.

I only add the following nuances that may help deepen our understanding:

- the parable presents a series of increasing failures: first the seed is destroyed, then the young blade, and finally the grown plant;

- yet, all these are inconsequential given the success at the end: a hundredfold, sixty, or thirty-fold.  (Incidentally, some biblical scholars highlight that the average yield of a seed in Palestinian soil is about 7 to 8, so Jesus is quoting extraordinary numbers).

- this parable is located in that part of the Matthew's gospel which follows the mounting opposition to the preachings of Jesus and his disciples, and reflects the challenges and failures faced by them

Thus, this is a highly optimistic gospel; that the Kingdom would face challenges but will nevertheless prevail.  Nothing can subvert the triumph of the will of God to redeem and love all of humankind.  The parable also reflects the notion that the triumph of the Kingdom of God can only be had through failures, difficulties and challenges.

Reference:


- Nil Guillemette, SJ, Parables for Today (Makati: St. Paul's Publications, 1987), pp. 26-30.

Matthew 11:25-30 - Come to Me, All Who Labor (14th Sunday of Ordinary Time, July 6, 2014)

Gospel:

At that time Jesus exclaimed: “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to little ones. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.

All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.

Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

Gospel Trivia:

We pray the "Our Father" so often that we do not realize the radical notion that Jesus introduced when He addressed God as "Father."  For Jesus, our relationship with God is a father-child relationship!

Heretofore, the Jews have known God to be "Lord," "King," "Judge," "the God of Abraham," the "Rock of Israel," "the Holy One."  But now, Jesus addresses God as "Father."  You can imagine how different is the relationship between king and subject compared to that of father and child.

No individual in the Old Testament and in the entire Jewish literature has addressed God as a father!

Not only that! The word used for "father" is a very familiar one.  The study of the original text of the gospel reveals that:

- when used in the verse "I give praise to you, Father," the Aramaic* word used is the formal way of addressing a father. (*Jesus language is Aramaic).

- but when used in the verse, "yes, Father, such has been your gracious will," the Aramaic word used is "abba."  "Abba" is translated to the less formal and familiar address of a father, roughly equivalent to "dad", "papa," or "tatay."

This explains the verse "my yoke is easy, and my burden light."  The Jews have been heavily burdened by the strict adherence to the laws of Moses.  In order to be holy, it is believed that one must study, understand and follow the law to the letter.  Most of the Jews were of course left out, because less than 5% of them could read.

Instead, Jesus offers the yoke of love and forgiveness.  The yoke is equally demanding, but this time it is not based on the academic understanding and literal interpretation of the law, but based on ones personal relationship with God and neighbor.

Reference:

- Nil Guillemette, SJ, A Kingdom for All (Makati: St. Paul's Publications), pp. 194-196.

Matthew 16:13-19 - Simon Renamed Peter (Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, June 29, 2014)

Gospel:

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Gospel Trivia:

This particular passage is considered as the "turning point" or "hinge" in Matthew's gospel.  It contains a declaration by the disciples of who Jesus is and, in turn, the appointment of one of the disciples as their leader.  Jesus is declared as the "Son of God".  Yet, in the chapters that follow, Jesus will talk more and more about his suffering, humiliation, and death.  Such a contrast: from being declared as the "Christ and Son of the God" to a Suffering Servant.  

How do we interpret the significance of the various personalities and "titles" attributed to Jesus?

- "Christ" - it is not Jesus' last name.  The "christ" is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word "messiah".  The messiah is the savior or liberator of the people, and is the person chosen or anointed by God to do this task.  The messiah is expected to be likely a "king" because he is the leader of the people, and kings are anointed with holy oil.  This king or messiah will rule the united tribes of Israel after liberating them from the rule of foreign oppressors which, during the time of Jesus, were the Romans.

- "Son of God" - can refer to the divinity of Jesus, but is also another term used by Hebrews to refer to a "messiah."  Biblical scholars believe that when used by Matthew, this title refers to either or both meanings.

- "John the Baptist," "Elijah," "Jeremiah" - some believed that Jesus is the reincarnation of these powerful personalities in Jewish history.  These references indicate that Jesus was at least regarded as a prophet -- one who speaks in behalf of God and communicates his message (and not necessarily one who foretells the future).

Based on this authority, Jesus appoints Peter as the head of the church by giving him the "keys", which is a symbol of authority.  The word "church" refers to an assembly or local group of believers which, at that time, refers to the band of disciples following Jesus.  This movement would grow rapidly from initially a Jewish community to what we now acknowledge as the Catholic Church.

Reflecting on this gospel, it is humbling to note that building God's Kingdom depended not on authority and power but on humility and service.

Other Trivia:

In this gospel, the title "Son of Man" is used by Jesus to refer to himself.  Among biblical scholars, it is one of the most widely debated and confusing title applied to Jesus.  This debate includes whether Jesus used the title himself, or is it a title that the evangelists applied to Jesus afterwards when they wrote the gospels.  Here are some their views:

a. Jesus used the title in a general sense, to refer to himself as a member of humankind.  Thus, the verse above would read, "Who do people say this 'member of the human race' is?"

b. The gospel writers used it to refer to Jesus' role at the "end times" similar to the vision of Daniel in Daniel 7:13, "As the visions during the night continued, I saw one like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven."

c. Jesus used the title himself in a "paradoxical way as the lowly and disreputable messenger of the powerful Kingdom of God."  If I were to paraphrase this, it is as if Jesus said, "You expect the Kingdom of God to come through the power and authority of a militant king; but here I am, a person who eat with the poor and lowly, who will teach you the real meaning of God's Kingdom."

References:

- Nil Guillemette, SJ, A Kingdom for All (Makati: St. Paul's Publications), pp. 213-216.

- Raymond E. Brown et al.  The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, pp. 1324-1325.

Solemnity of Corpus Christi - Supplementary Commentary: What Happens During Consecration?

(c) AnonMoos at Wikipedia Commons

What happens during consecration?

Our Lord Jesus Christ is really present in the Eucharistic celebration in many ways: in the assembly, in the person of the priest celebrant, in the reading of the Word, and most especially under the Eucharistic species of bread and wine.

But what does it mean when we say that the bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of Christ? We know that the bread and wine still looks, tastes, and smells like bread and wine. Do the bread and wine merely symbolize the body and blood of Christ (as non Catholic Christians believe), and that we should imagine that these are now Christ’s body and blood? The answer is no; the bread and wine do become the body and blood of Christ. If so, then does it mean that we are like cannibals that eat flesh and blood?

I hope this article will help you understand what happens during consecration, and be able to explain it to others.

The different ways that things change

First, let’s open our minds to the different ways that things change. We know that water can change from solid (ice) to liquid to gas. But it is still H2O. In other words, the outside form changes, but the invisible components of hydrogen and oxygen remain the same.

Another kind of change is when the outside form remains the same, but the inside (or invisible) changes. In philosophical terms, this is referred to as trans-substantiation, which is the term that our Church uses to explain the change that happens in consecration. In philosophical terms, the outside form is referred to as the “accidents” and the internal elements as “essence” or “substance.” In this way of explaining, the accidents (externals) of bread and wine do not change but the essence of its reality is no longer just bread and wine, but the body and blood of Christ.

What do we mean by the “body and blood of Christ”?

The “body and blood” of Christ is our way of saying the total person of Christ. Thus, we do not refer to the bread being “just the body” and the wine as “just the blood” of Christ. Both species, that is the bread and wine, contain the whole personal presence of our Lord.

However, the “body and blood” of Christ present in the bread and wine is NOT the physical body of Christ, but his glorified and Resurrected body. This points us to yet another kind of change.

The third kind is that of total transformation, where everything (both the inside and outside) changes. This is how we look at what happened to Jesus in his Resurrection.

What happened in the Resurrection?

An understanding of the Resurrection will help us understand what happens during consecration.

We regard the Resurrection of Jesus as not just resuscitation (as in the case of Lazarus, who eventually died), but that of transformation (Jesus lives forever). Resurrection refers not just to a physically risen Jesus, but to a spiritually Risen Jesus.

Our Risen Lord was no longer bound by time and space. He could walk through walls. In the account of the “doubting Thomas” in John 20:19-29, the evangelist emphasizes by saying twice that “the doors were locked,” and yet Jesus suddenly appeared to them.

In the story of the two men on the way to Emmaus in Luke 24:1-53, we learn other aspects about our Risen Lord. We know that the tomb was empty and so his body rose and changed (24:12). His body changed because when Jesus appeared to the two men on the road to Emmaus, he was not readily recognizable (24:32), and yet he could be seen and touched, and he ate bread and fish. We also know that he was recognized when he started to talk about the Scriptures and when they broke bread (24:35), and that this encounter with him brought about much excitement and joy (24:33 and 41).

I’m afraid that is as much as we can know about Jesus Resurrected presence. (The disciples did not have a video camera then, so they could not be any more helpful). But one thing we do know, Jesus was not just resuscitated; he was transformed to a glorious presence.

The close analogy I can think of is that of a caterpillar that is transformed to a butterfly. It changes to something totally new.

The Resurrection and Consecration

During the consecration, we believe that the bread and wine changes into the “body and blood” of Christ, but NOT his physical body/blood but to his glorified, resurrected, and spiritually risen body/blood. (Again, think of body/blood as “total person”)

This is the same glorified, resurrected, and spiritually risen Jesus that is present “whenever we pray and there are two or three gathered in his name.” But we regard his presence in a very special way in the blessed Sacrament.

The different ways one or something can be present

Finally, I’d like you to be aware of how one or something can be present. There is the physical kind of presence, just as a computer is proximately near me as I type this article. Someone can also be next to me and be just physically present but his or her mind is somewhere else.

There is also the personal kind of presence where a person is present to another through sharing of knowledge, affection and love. It is this kind of presence that we refer to when we say that Jesus is present in the bread and wine.

The Church wants us to avoid two extremes in explaining the presence of Jesus in the eucharist:

- a crude, materialistic understanding of the change of bread and wine into Christ’s earthly “flesh and blood” which would make communicants equivalent to cannibals, and

- the opposite extreme of a merely symbolic interpretation of the change, which would reject the real eating and drinking of the Lord.

Implications in our daily life

We believe that Jesus (in his glorified, Resurrected and spiritual presence) is everywhere. Jesus is present when “two or three are gathered in his name,” when we perform works of mercy, when we preach the Word of God, and most effectively, when we celebrate the Eucharist.

We become intimately united with him when we receive him in communion. Christ is in us. We know we will share in this glorified, Resurrected and spiritual presence one day.

But we need not wait until that day. We live the way we live because Jesus himself is already in us.

In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you.  Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” (John 14:19-21)


Sources:
- Catechism for Filipino Catholics (CFC)
- Catechism of the Catholic Church
- Patambang, Myra A., Salibay, Esteban T., Jr., and Valera, Felinore Angelica H. Sacraments, Marriage And Family Life. Manila: Navotas Press, 2001.

John 6:51-58 - Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Jesus (June 22, 2014)

Gospel:

Jesus said to the Jewish crowds: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.

Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.

Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

Gospel Trivia:

You might have the same question asked by the Jews: "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"  Firstly, it should be recalled that the gospels were written several decades after the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.  Specifically, John's gospel was written sometime between 90-110 AD.  Jesus was long gone (in the physical sense).  

However, he continues to be present among the disciples NOT physically, but spiritually through His Eucharistic presence when Christians gathered together in "prayers and breaking of bread" (which is how the Mass was referred to at that time).  This passage then is one occasion of emphasizing that the presence of Jesus is real in the bread and wine.  

(Click here if you want to read more about what happens during consecration and the presence of Jesus in the consecrated bread and wine).

Secondly, the phrase "flesh and blood" is a Hebrew idiom for the whole person, conveying that the union between Jesus (who is present in the bread and wine) and his disciples (who "drinks and eats" them) is not just a sacramental union but also a personal union.

In this particular passage, however, the main message is not so much the real presence of Jesus in the bread and wine.

The key message is his IMMANENT presence among his disciples.

The key verse in this gospel is John 6:56: Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood REMAINS -- or "ABIDES" -- in me and I in him.  The verb "abides" is one of John's favorite words and used it 40 times in his gospel (compared to three in Matthew, two in Mark and seven in Luke).

It suggests that two beings achieve the closest possible union without either person losing his personality.  John emphasizes that Jesus is IN his disciples and the disciples are IN Jesus.  Thus, the phrase "eating and drinking" captures this point vividly -- WE BECOME WHO WE "EAT".

Sources:

- Nil Guillemette, SJ, Hungry No More (Manila: St. Paul's Publications, 1989), pp. 90-101.

- James McPolin, SJ, John (Manila: Daughters of St. Paul), pp. 106-107.

John 3:16-18 - Jesus and Nicodemus (Trinity Sunday, June 15, 2014)

The concept of the Trinity is complicated enough,
which may be further complicated by a visual.

This aims to explain this "central mystery of the Christian faith," a mystery not too many Catholics understand, much less able to explain to others.  

But before you start reading, I suggest you get a cup of coffee and a comfortable chair because this is not an easy read, but may be worthwhile in trying to understand what "three persons in one God" means.

Can you explain the Holy Trinity to others?

The mystery of the Holy Trinity “is the most fundamental and essential teaching in the hierarchy of the truths of faith” (CCC 234).  How would you explain this mystery to a Muslim, for example?  

When asked by our fellow Christians, our response is usually “it means there are three persons in one God.”  When probed what exactly that means, we are likely to say “I can’t really explain that, that’s why it’s a mystery.”

There are religions who recognize their God as creator of all things and source of all life.  But these religions depict their God as “one-person.”  Unlike this “one person” concept of God, the God revealed to us (by God himself) is a God who is Trinitarian, i.e. “three persons in one God.”  

Our God is a communicating God.  God wants to make Himself known to us.  God does not want to be mysterious and unknown.  On the contrary, God knows that when we truly know him, we will fall in love with him.  Thus, the whole Bible is about how God continually communicates himself to us.

So how does God reveal himself?

Answer: God first revealed himself as Yahweh.

Very early in the bible, there was a point when God communicated to men and women the name by which he wanted to be known: Yahweh.  It means “I am who am.”  In Tagalog, it could translate to “A, basta.  Ako si ako.”  It means  that God is simply being, being in its fullness, or unlimited being.

Biblical scholars who study the nuances of language believe that the more accurate translation of Yahweh is “I am who will show myself to be by the actions, which I will do on your behalf.”  This translation suggests two things:

- God wants to be known progressively, not in a one time kind revelation.  This means that the God of the Old Testament must be known also through what is revealed by God in the New Testament.

- Secondly, the translation suggests that God will be known by the actions that he will do for his people.


What do we know about who God is and the nature of God based on the actions that God has done?

- God liberates the Jews from slavery.  The Jews could not help but marvel at what Yahweh has done.  Imagine, they were previously a bunch of slaves oppressed by the Pharaoh king of Egypt; and they became a people with their own king and land!

- However, the Israelites frequently disobeyed and turned away from Yahweh many times in their history as a nation.  They would worship other gods, commit acts of injustice to their own people especially the poor, widow and orphans, and disobey the laws given to Moses.  But despite all these, Yahweh never gave up on them.

Through these actions, Yahweh became known not just as a powerful God, but a God “abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.”  His justice is tempered with mercy.  It is not a vindictive kind of justice, but a saving kind of justice.  

The people would backslide, yet Yahweh never gives up on the sinner.  “For a brief moment I have abandoned you, but with great tenderness I will gather my people.  For a moment, in an outburst of anger, I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I have had mercy on you, says Yahweh, our Redeemer.” (Isaiah 54:7-8)

The disobedience continued; but Yahweh’s persistent love also prevailed. Then, one day Yahweh did the most unexpected and undreamed of action of all time.  Yahweh no longer spoke through signs, but through a Son, Jesus of Nazareth.

“God has spoken in the past to our ancestors through the prophets, in many different ways, although never completely; but in our times he has spoken definitively to us through his Son.”  (Hebrews 1:1-2)

What did the words and actions of Jesus reveal about who God is?

In his ministry, Jesus speaks of Yahweh in a very unusual way. He calls Yahweh: “Father.”  This is a radical idea since this invokes an intimate relationship with God, something akin to the relationship of father and child, and not king and subjects as the Jews were used to.  In fact, Jesus says that we should use the word “abba,” which is the way a little child endearingly calls its father.  Throughout his life, Jesus speaks and acts in a way which suggests a personal and intimate relationship with God as Father.

Jesus also reveals the Spirit of God which came down upon him during baptism.  He promises the Spirit to his disciples at the Last Supper, saying that the Father will send him, and that he (Jesus) himself will send him (John 14:16-17, 25; 15:26; 16:7-14).    But the Spirit is given only after Jesus has been glorified (John 7:39).  Then Jesus gives the Spirit on the day of the Resurrection to the disciples, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22).  And in Pentecost, there is the outpouring of the Spirit to Mary and the disciples gathered in the upper room.

Through the words and actions of Jesus, the name of God has changed.  It is no longer “Yahweh,” (the God who will reveal who he is through the actions he will do for his people).  After God becomes man in the person of Jesus, and the sending of the Holy Spirit in Pentecost, God’s name is now: “Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”

So what is the Holy Trinity?

Through his actions and words, we now know that God has a Son, who was with him in the beginning, and who was God like him.  It is this Son who became flesh and lived among us.  God does not only have a Son, but also a Spirit.  This Spirit is the one who pours out the love of God into our hearts (Romans 5:5).  


Can you tell us more about the Holy Spirit?  I don’t have a mental picture of the Holy Spirit, unlike the Father and the Son.

This Spirit is not the Father nor the Son but is sent by them both not as another spirit like an angel, but as their common Spirit, and thus God like them.  

The Spirit is first of all, a spirit and is a person.  He does not have a material body, and yet he is someone.  He is someone who performs spiritual functions, acts of the intellect, for example.  Christ said that the Spirit would lead the disciples to all the truth (John 16:12), that the Spirit would also bear witness regarding him (John 15:26), and would speak for the disciples when they faced the tribunals (Matthew 10:19-20).  

The Holy Spirit is Love in Person.  It is because he is Love in person that the Holy Spirit can pour forth into our hearts the love of God when he is given as gift to us. (Romans 5:5)

(My own mental picture of the Holy Spirit is a “spiritual presence” who is with me wherever I go).

So God changed his name from Yahweh to the Holy Trinity?

Yes, the name of God is now Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  It is in that name we are baptized.  We enter into the life of one God-Community of Persons.

In other words, the one God really exists as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  From all eternity God is a Trinity of Persons, but this truth was revealed only through the sending of Jesus Christ and of the Holy Spirit.  So in God, there is one What and three Who’s. 


What is the implication of the Holy Trinity in my life?

The fact that now we are told by God through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, that God is a communion of Persons bonded together by love, means that we human begins are called to live in a communion of love with each other.

Reference:


The two main sources used in this article are the Catechism of the Catholic Church (or CCC) and the book of Bishop Teodoro Bacani entitled From Yahweh to the Trinity (Manila: Gift of God Publications, undated).  In many parts of my article, I quoted complete sentences verbatim from Bishop Ted’s book without citing them in footnotes.  I am hoping that this citation will suffice in acknowledging his ideas).

Gospel:

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might no perish but might have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might e saved through him.  Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

John 20:19-23 Pentecost (Pentecost Sunday, June 8, 2014)

Gospel:

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

Gospel Trivia:

This gospel account for Pentecost Sunday does not jive with what we recall as the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples.  It was supposed to have happened fifty days after the Resurrection when the disciples were gathered in the upper room. The latter account is actually this Sunday's SECOND reading (Acts 2:1-11).

Yet, in today's Gospel, Jesus breathes on the disciples and says, "Receive the Holy Spirit" and this took place on the night of Easter Sunday.

Is there a conflict in the recording of the events?  Or are these two events: one is the sending of the Holy Spirit right after the Resurrection (according to John's gospel), and another time when the disciples were in the upper room (according to the Acts of the Apostles, written by Luke)?

Biblical scholars interpret these as the same event, but reflect two different theological perspectives of the two authors.  (Recall that in last Sunday's gospel, we pointed that Matthew's account of the Ascension does NOT mention anything about Jesus ascending to heaven; and that is because of the different intended message of Matthew's gospel).

What, then, is John's intended message in his gospel account of the sending of the Holy Spirit?  There are three:

- The coming of the Holy Spirit marks a new creation.  Jesus BREATHES on the disciples as he says, "Receive the Holy Spirit."  The word used for "breathes" is reminiscent of the creation of humankind in Genesis: "The Lord God formed man out of the clay of the ground and BLEW into his nostrils the BREATH of life, and so man became a living being." (Genesis 2:7).  Soon, Jesus will disappear physically; but his presence remains with the disciples through the Spirit that will guide them in their mission of proclaiming a new way of life and relationship with God.

- The Holy Spirit brings peace.  "Peace be with you" is the traditional Jewish greeting.  In this account, Jesus says this greeting twice; thus, the close association between the Spirit and the peace that it brings.

- The sending of the Holy Spirit coincides with the sending of the disciples.  "As the Father has sent me, so I send you," Jesus says.  The disciples' mission is a continuation of Jesus' mission and, and they will be accompanied by Jesus' continuing presence in the Spirit.  It will bring them sustenance and peace despite the travails and trials they will face.

Reference:

*Nil Guillemette, SJ, Hungry No More (Manila: St. Paul's Publications, 1989), pp. 255-259.