St. Peter Chanel

2nd Friday of Easter

Acts 5:34-42; Jn 3:31-36

April 28, 2006

Corpus Christi College

The word “martyr” in early Christianity referred originally to the Apostles. The Apostles were the first models of fearless confession of their faith in Christ under persecution.

The first reading today from the Acts of the Apostles, gives us a glimpse of the suffering of the apostles as they continue to give witness of the risen Lord. “They went rejoicing that they had had the honour of suffering humiliation for the sake of the name of Jesus.”

The word “martyr” later on extended its meaning to those who shed blood, embraced suffering and death as consequence of their testimony to their faith in Jesus, Son of God and risen Saviour.

St. Peter Chanel, whom his martyrdom we remember today, was one among those who began and carried on the missionary work in the islands of Oceania. He was martyred on the island of Futuna in 1841. According to the Office of Readings today, the death of St. Peter Chanel has planted Christian faith to the people of Futuna, and even shared the fruits of his martyrdom to the other islands of Oceania.

The death St. Peter Chanel reminds the classic words of Tertullian: “the blood of the martyr is the seed of the Church; the more we are mown down, the more in number we grow.”

In his Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Oceania, Pope John Paul praised St. Peter Chanel and all others who were martyred in Oceania, he said, “they are not the only greatest glory of the Church’s past in Oceania but also its surest source of hope for the future…May their memory never be forgotten! May they never cease to intercede for the peoples for whom they shed their blood.”

Whenever, we celebrate the feast of the martyrs into liturgical celebration, we recall not only the martyr’s heroic deeds and their marvelous contribution to the Church but above all, we recognise Christ as the first martyr, who shed his blood of our salvation. As we remember today, St. Peter Chanel’s martyrdom or his ‘birthday’ in heaven, we glorify Christ who gave him strength to face his death for the sake of the people of Futuna.

St. Peter Chanel tells us that he could stand any kind of physical torture and painful death, not by his own power and endurance, but by the strength he received from Christ. For St. Peter Chanel and all Christian martyrs, Jesus Christ alone is source of their hope for the future. As in the Psalm today says: “The Lord is the stronghold of my life: before whom shall I shrink?”

The story of the multiplication of the bread in the Gospel, demonstrates that Jesus has gifts and resources to meet the full range of human needs. He supplies the daily bread that people need to sustain life. The feeding of the crowd thus confirms that Jesus is the source of our strength, he is the source of life and indeed: he is the surest hope for the future.

So as we prepare ourselves for our future ministry in proclaiming the holiness and truth of the Word of God, let us put our complete confidence in the Risen Christ, who is our hope and our life.

And like the saints and martyrs, let us pray that the witness of our faith will shine forth in our daily lives – so like St. Peter Chanel, we may as well become surest hope for the future of the Church.
- John Joel 4:00 AM

***

Happy feast day to all my friends in St. Peter Chanel Parish, Deer Park!:)

Lost and Found

May kaibigan ako na laging nawawalan ng cellphone. Ako isang beses pa lang nawalan ng cellphone (Nokia 30210). Iniisip ko, siguro nahulog ko 'yun ko sa pampublikong sasakayan o kung saan. Hanggang ngayon umaasa pa akong magkikita kaming muli. Apat taon na ang lumipas...

Kamakailan lang, nagkahiwalay kaming sandali ng cellphone ko (Motorolla E...blabla). Akala ko magiging ala-ala na lang siya tulad ng una. Pero salamat na lang at pwedeng lagyan ng picture ang screen nito. At buti na lang picture ko ang wall paper nito kaya madali itong naibalik sa akin.

Kaya lang, kailangan ko pang ipaliwanag sa nagsoli sa akin na "Crystal Voice of Asia" ang kasama ko sa larawan.

close na kami ni Sheryn!:)

World Record

Nakakatuwa sa unang pagkakataon kahapon lang ako walang natanggap na maski na isang text message sa aking local cellphone at Smart roaming. Dahil dito para akong nag-retreat.

*****

Kahit na madalas kasama ko lagi ang aking mga kaibigan ay mas gusto ko minsan ang mapag-isa at maglaan ng oras na mag-muni. Sa pagkakataong ito mas naalala ko ang pinakamahalaga at pangmatagalan at di lilipas na bagay--ang relasyon ko sa Diyos.

Sermon Ko

5th Friday of Lent

Jeremiah 20:10-13; John 10:31-42 April 7, 2006

We have heard several times this week from the Gospel of John different situations when Jesus finds himself in conflict with the hostile Jews of his time.

In the Gospel last Monday, Jesus defended an adulterous woman from being stoned to death at the hands of the Jews. Last Tuesday, Jesus declared to the Pharisees that he is the Son Man whom will be lifted up by them. In the Gospel last Wednesday, Jesus told openly to the Jewish people that he can liberate them from their slavery to sin. Yesterday, we heard about Jesus inflicting serious insult to the Jews as he proclaims himself greater than Abraham.

Today, once again, John tells us another encounter of Jesus with Jews that would increase their fury and indignation against him. This time Jesus explicitly tells them his equality with the Father, declaring himself as the Son of God. The Jews were seriously insulted so they reach rocks to stone him. In this situation, Jesus finds himself defenseless, ironically similar to the adulterous woman whom he saved from stoning.

The claim of Jesus as the Son of God, in today’s Gospel, challenges the very cornerstone of the Jewish faith. The Jews couldn’t just tolerate listening to his testimonies. How can this man be the “Son of God?” How, this man, an ordinary human being like them, a fellow Jew, can be “working with the Father” the God of Israel?

The Jewish leaders couldn’t stand any longer his blasphemies. They want to get rid of him. But Jesus never gives up, he wants them to believe what he says is the truth. So he reminds them of his good works. But, like him the Jews would never give up either. For them his blasphemies deserve stoning. They tried to arrest to Jesus, but he managed to escape them.

Jesus’ failure to win over his enemies mirrors the first reading.

The reading from Jeremiah is disheartening, discouraging, and yet it is worded not just with anguish but with conviction and power. Bishop Coleridge mentioned in his talk last Wednesday that a false prophet never suffers. Jeremiah endured too much suffering from enemies and even from his friends. Jeremiah being a true a prophet knows the faithfulness of his God, who is “like a mighty champion.” Like Jesus, Jeremiah believes that in the end, his persecutors will stumble themselves and will not triumph over him.

The psalm response, “In my distress I called upon the Lord and he heard my voice,” is the prayer of those who resist evil, who refuse to be overcome by own weaknesses or by enemies’ threats. Psalm 18 describes God: our rock, our fortress, our deliverer, our refuge, our strength. It must have been the prayer of Jesus himself, when he finally succumbs to the threats of his enemies and allows his own destruction at their hands.

As we reflect upon the Gospel readings this week, they tend to put the Jewish people of Jesus’ time in a bad light. How could they be so stubborn not to believe Jesus’ powerful testimonies? How could they not accept the fullness of God’s revelation in Jesus?

It’s a pity, isn’t it, how they fail to recognise Jesus, as the Messiah, the Son of God.

But, then we must be careful not to condemn the Jews of Jesus’ time. We are not really in a position to think ourselves superior to the enemies of Jesus or more holy than they were.

We have long been privileged to know Jesus and the Father in the power of the Spirit. Our seminary formation, our prayer life and formal study, allow us more access to know Jesus as the Son of God.

So, as we continue our vocational journey together in this place, may we open our hearts in generosity to the Spirit of God, so he may form Jesus, the Son of God, in our lives.

Short Intro to d X

Station of the Cross

Corpus Christi College

March 31, 2006

Anyone who has a true devotion to the passion of the Lord must so contemplate Jesus

on the cross with the eyes of his heart that Jesus’ flesh is his own.

(Pope St. Leo the Great)

Once again, we gather in this chapel to participate in a service of the Stations of the Cross. The devotion to the Stations of Cross dates back as far as the 4th century, when early pilgrims to the Holy Land used to commemorate during Holy Week the Crucifixion and Death of Christ. The pilgrims would pray and meditate at the actual spots where, as best they knew, Jesus Passion took place. By doing so, they re-traced the footsteps of Our Lord Jesus Christ and brought into their lives the meaning of his suffering and death on the cross.

Although we are not in the actual place of Christ’s crucifixion, we invite our Lord to dwell among us and help us meditate on his sorrows as we listen to the scripture readings and prayers, and as we gaze upon the images of the Stations of Cross in our chapel.

This morning, we are challenged by Deacon Thinh in his homily. He challenged each of us to enter deeply into the mystery of Christ’s passion and death that made our salvation possible.

May this holy exercise, increase our desire to accept the challenge of the Gospel today. And may every grace be ours, as we walk the Way of the Cross with Our Lord Jesus Christ.

***Update lang***

Medyo comedy (oo comedy nga) ang pag-lead ko sa Station of the Cross kanina. Nawala ako sa konsentrasyon ilang beses palang di tugma ang binabasa ko sa station. Buti may naglakas loob na lapitan ako (at sabihan akong adik!). Mula 5th station binasa ko 8th station, tapos balik ko uli sa 6th, may nilampasan pa daw ako. Kaya pala biglang naghihina si Jesus. Sorry po Lord! Next Friday sa Cathedral naman ako maglelead kasama ang Archbishop. Concentrate..contrate..concentration..consetrate...