Wednesday, December 22, 2010

8th Day of Simbang Gabi – The Birth of John (Lk 1:57-66)

Light of Hope

Introduction

- The incident of 33 Chilean miners trapped around 2000 ft down the ground level – for 68 days – was rescued. The CNN web site came with a headline “Faith, Hope and Prayer sustained the Chilean Miners”.

- There is a saying – “Hope is not hope unless it is put or tested in a seemingly hopeless situation”.

- Christmas is a feast of Hope.

Body

- The Hope in the life of Israelites

o Abraham was an old man with a no child with his wife – but he had hope in the promise of God “I will make you the father of many”.

o Under the slavery of Egyptian Pharos, the Israelites had hope that God would come and rescue them one day.

o Under Exiles Israelites had the same hope that God would come and rescue them. Therefore they repented over their unfaithfulness and turned back to God’s mercy.

- Hope in a situation when there is nothing to hope, the situation seems to be impossible.

- Christmas is a celebration of Hope.

o Impossibility of getting a child for a virgin.

o Impossibility of God of the universe becoming a small child.

o Impossibility of getting a baby for Elizabeth who was old and barren.

- There is no word “impossible” in the dictionary of God.

- To get out of our problem and difficulties may seem to be impossible for us, but for God everything is possible.

Conclusion

- Who enjoys the fruits of the true hope?

o Simple and humble

§ Anawim Yahweh – Mamma Mary – Most powerful women of the world yet simple and humble – “let thy will be done”

§ Those who do not depend on money and worldly powers

o Persons with strong faith

§ Faith in the promise of Loving God

§ “The Holy Spirit is with us” and “we are the temples of Holy Spirit”

o Those who obey the commandments and instructions of God.

§ Zachariah obeyed God, gave the name “John” to the child and he could speak.

§ Mary when said “yes” to God’s Will, became the mother of God.

Through simplicity, faith and obedience let us try to be the people of light.

Monday, December 20, 2010

6th Day of Simbang Gabi – Mary Visits Elizabeth

Passing the Light

Introduction

- Conversation between a priest and the catechism students (for students December is a month of shopping and gift giving. For them it is a month when the Santa Claus comes with gifts from icy mountains in a cart by the rain dears. They forgot the coming of Jesus from God the Father, through Virgin Mary)

- Christmas is a season to pass the light of tradition to next generation.

Content

- Why the Santa Claus is getting more importance than Child Jesus? It is an output of the consumerist culture. The shopping malls want Santa Claus to be in front of their malls because child Jesus who is simple and humble, born in a poor situation is not the right person to promote their business. It can even badly affect the sales. Instead, the image of Santa Claus who is in good dress, fat enough and with full of gifts would improve their sales. There is nothing wrong in shopping during Christmas and exchanging the gifts. But the import element of Christmas is the coming of Jesus who is simple and humble and was born in a manger as a son of poor family.

- The present situation should be critically analyzed to see the motivations behind the Christmas celebrations.

- We, the grownups are the one who has to show the right spirit of tradition to the next generation.

- In the OT community, they had a table fellowship at every major feast where the eldest of the family explained the tradition and the saving power of God to the younger generation. That is how they passed their tradition.

- We have many rich traditions in relation to Christmas like Simbang Gabi, Aguinaldo Mass, Mesa De Gallo, Noche Buena, etc. These are the good traditions passed to us by our forefathers in order to give to the next generation.

- How to pass these good traditions to next generation.

1. Living the good traditions

2. Being faithful to the essence of tradition

3. Passing it to the next generation by motivating them to follow it.

Conclusion

- Bring our children to the Light of God is our duty.

- Mary shared the Light that was given to her to Elizabeth and John. It removed their darkness and filled them with Holy Spirit.

- Let us pass the light that is entrusted to us by our forefathers.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

4th Day of Simbang Gabi – Joseph, the Guardian of the Redeemer

The light of Solidarity

Introduction

- The tragic love story which I witnessed the last year. After one year the girl reflected over the situation and said, “my mother was with me always. Whenever I cried she would embrace me in silence and that gave me consolation and support”.

- The billboard of eternal plans with a photo of a child embracing her father.

- We need somebody to give us consolation and support.

- The one who is always with us who removes our darkness with the divine light is Christ.

Content

- The life of Joseph was in darkness when she heard the news of the pregnancy of Mary. He slept…. but that was not a real sleep. How can he sleep in that difficult situation. He was in solitude of hart in search of an answer. Then he understood the embracing hands of God. He got the answer from the heart of God, “receive Mary” and “name the child Jesus”.

- While embracing we come closer to a person’s heart. Then we listen to what his heart speaks.

- Joseph listened to the heart of God during his time of silence.

- Our God is a God who has chosen to be with us.

o When the Israel was in trouble under Egyptians they felt the solidarity of God with them.

o During the exiles whenever they came back to God and embraced Him, they felt the solidarity of God, by His saving hand.

o God has chosen you and me today.

- While we embrace God we will hear the words of His hart in silence “I am with you”

- That attitude one should have to embrace God and listen to His heart.

o Faith – He is my loving Father.

o Hope – He will solve all my problems and confusions.

o Love – He loves me and His heart beats for me

Conclusion

- God’s solidarity consists in the fact that he enters with us into our sadness and loneliness, misery and agony, problems and troubles, confusions and questions.

- This is the basis of Christian Hope.

- Let us embrace God and listen to His heart with faith, hope and love.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

2nd day of Simbang Gabi – Genealogy (Mt 1:1-17)

The Light of Forgiveness

Introduction

- Children are prone to get the sickness of the parents that are hereditary in nature.

- Story of a girl who advised to be a janitor since his father and mother were janitors. But she desired to be an engineer. Her strong will changed her destiny. Her testimony – In my engineering classes when I was told to introduce myself, I never said about my parents because of shame, to say that they are janitors.

- In the genealogy of Jesus we hear of great people, kings, ordinary men and women, children from illegal relationships and even the names of prostitutes. But Jesus had his own vision and aim of life that was never affected by his ancestry.

Content

- The children usually show an ambition to follow their parents. Eg,. The child of a doctor may look forward to be a doctor in the future.

- Sometimes we feel shy about our forefathers.

- What should be the right attitude that Gospel shows to us? – The past is never the basis of what and who we are today.

- Three attitude towards the past

1. Liberate ourselves from the past

o Past has an effect in our lives.

o People may see us according to our through the lens of history as Jesus was looked as the son of the carpenter.

o Past should not bind us

o We are capable to create our own history.

2. We have the ability to determine our life.

o What we decide today will be tomorrow’s history, the history of next generation.

o Eg: the decision of a child. “I am from a broken family. But I will not allow my family to be a broken family and the children to suffer from that brokenness”.

3. Therefore accept and forgive the past

o Unforgiven wounds create revenge and other disorders in one’s character

o Accept the reality of the past since we are helpless to change it

Conclusion

- In this preparation season for Christmas, Christ give us the grace to correct our attitude regarding our past.

- When we receive the light of the Christ, we are able to forgive and overcome the past.

- The model is Christ himself, a sinless human, though was born from a sinful generation.

- He was the maker of his own destiny by obeying the will of the Father.

- Be positive and be in the Light.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Third Sunday of Advent – Are you the one? (Mt 11:2-11)

Third Sunday of Advent – Are you the one? (Mt 11:2-11)

Introduction

- Today is Gaudete Sunday, the Sunday of gladness and rejoicing because of Christmas is near.

- Today our reflection point is the question of John the Baptist “Are you the one who is to come?”

- The background of that question is, their expectation was not a simple man, but a super power king.

- The story of two friends went to see mother Theresa. They were expecting a big figure as we see in the television, but saw a humble and simple person.

Content

- What is our expectation about Jesus?

o Is it a Ruler? Yes, he is a ruler but a servant king.

§ He taught us, “those who want to be your leader must the servant of all”

§ He gave us example by washing the feet of the disciples.

o Is it a destroyer of our enemies? Yes, he destroys our enemies. But it is not by weapons but by love and forgiveness.

§ It is a method to eliminate the enemies forever.

§ The best model would be Jesus’ prayer on the Cross.

o Is it a Miracle worker? Yes, But he never worked miracle to come down from the cross and prayed “Thy will be done”.

§ He was accepting the will of Father always in his life.

o Is it a Healer? Yes, he is the true healer who took up his cross and never abandoned it.

§ He taught us “Those who would like to follow me must take up his cross and follow”.

o Is it a Provider of all the things? Yes, but a simple who did not have anything to say as his own.

§ He taught us “your heavenly father knows what is best for you”.

Conclusion

- It is the time to think of our expectation on Jesus Christ.

- He is the King, Miracle worker, Healer and Provider. At the same he was a simple servant of God who always obeyed his Father.

- Christ comes to our lives in simple way. Let us recognize him as St. John the Baptist.

- What is the sign of the coming of Christ?

o Blind see – Clear vision

o Lame walk – Inner strength to stand for the truth.

o Leper cleansed – Cleaning from our sins.

o Dead raise – New life and enthusiasm.

o Good news to poor – a mentality to share with the poor.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

Introduction

- Today as we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, we honor Mary in a very special way.

- We reflect on her faith, hope and love in God.

- Mary was conceived without a ‘macula’ or stain of sin.

- The Immaculate Conception was solemnly defined as a dogma by Pope Pius IX in his constitution Ineffabilis Deus on 8 December 1854. ‘that the Blessed Virgin Mary, at the first instant of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace of the Omnipotent God, in virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of humankind, was preserved immaculate from all stain of original sin…’

- This is about the very person of Mary- that she at the moment when her soul was created and infused in her body it was preserved from a macula or stain of original sin.

Content

  • - Can we live without any sin? Some would say it is impossible. It is true. We are human beings and we are weak and fragile in our nature.

  • - When we feel we are week we look for strength from some other source. Which source can give me strength to overcome the temptations of sin? The answer is this feast of Immaculate Conception.

  • - For God everything is possible. For those who walk with God, everything is possible. Eg: Peter walking on the water.

  • - In our weakness depend on God’s strength.

  • - The example at the wedding of Cana is a best example of human limitation and the manifestation of God’s power.

  • - The advice of Mary was “Do whatever He tells you” (Jn 2:5).

Conclusion

  • - We all need the help of God. We go to mamma Mary for her intercessions. She will intercede for us.

  • - We also should be the obedient children of Mary, by doing what He says.

  • - Jesus never says impossible things, but tells us to do the ordinary things with little more love, hope, charity.

  • - To a husband – love your wife and children little more, to a wife – love your husband and children and take care of them little more.

  • - Let us be more faithful to God by obeying what He tells us.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Second Sunday of Advent – Preaching of John the Baptist (Mt 3:1-12)

Second Sunday of Advent – Prepare for the Coming of Jesus

Introduction

- A conversation between a pastor and a child regarding the preparation for Christmas. The pastor: son, what are you doing in special to prepare to receive Jesus? The boy: I have cleaned my room and my house in preparation to Christmas. I have decorated my house with stars and other beautiful things. I have made a small crib in my house. Pastor: Is that all? I see all these things in the shopping malls. They clean, they decorate, and they also made crib. What else you do? The boy: nothing more. Pastor: All these things are good. It must be done to your life as a preparation of Christmas.

- Today’s gospel speaks of how to prepare for the Christmas through the preaching of John the Baptist.

Body

- Two things that John the Baptist emphasis are;

1. Repent and

o It consists of 3 Rs

§ Read – Read the word of God. It has so many things to say to us. In this season of advent read little more the Word of God.

§ Reflect – when we read the Word, we come to the deeper meanings of the Word in relation to our lives

§ Respond – Through the Word, Jesus will reveal to us his plans about us and the darkness to be removed from our lives. Therefore respond to the call of God for action.

2. Produce good fruit

o We are known by the fruits of us – such as our words and deeds.

o The good fruit of repentance is reconciliation. It is a call to reconcile with our brothers and sisters.

o Christmas is a feast of “bridge”, the bridge that God established that human can reach to God. That bridge is Jesus.

o It is the time to look to the bridges that we build among ourselves. It is the time to repair any rupture or crack on our bridge of relationships.

- The best example of repentance would be Zacchaeus, the tax collector.

Conclusion

- Let us do the process of repentance through the three Rs.

- Let us repair our bridges as a fruit of our repentance.