Our Advocate of Love

Sixth Sunday of Easter A (Filipino Mass)
Acts 8:5-8, 14-17; Psalm: 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20
1 Peter 3:15-18; John 14:15-21
April 27, 2008

Holy Spirit: Our Advocate of Love

Story
One time there was a Pinoy attorney who went on vacation in a small farming town during the long-weekend. While walking through the streets and enjoying the beautiful countryside scenery, he noticed that a car was involved in an accident. As expected, a large crowd gathered (mga usisero).

“A propect client” the attorney said to himself. The Pinoy attorney was excited and eager to get to the injured, but he couldn't get near the car. Being a rather clever person, he started shouting loudly, "Let me through! Let me through! I am the son of the victim. Let me through. "

The crowd made way for him. Lying in front of the car was a donkey.

Advocate of the Apostles
In today’s Gospel the Lord promises his disciples that he will send them an Advocate to be with them always. Jesus is referring to the Holy Spirit, the Second Person of the Trinity, as an Advocate, it means counselor, protector. The Holy Spirit is like an attorney (but a much clever one compared to the lawyer from the story) who will pleads for our case, to stand by us and defend us in time of need (without fee!)

In Greek, Holy Spirit is translated as “parakletos” which means a lawyer or a witness who will testify in your behalf. It also refers to a person who gives comfort, counsel or strength that we always of need. [I’m not sure if the word “parak” in Tagalog comes from “parakletos”? Parak is pulis tagapaglitas. Of course not! :) ]

Jesus promised the coming of the Holy Spirit as he prepares his disciples for the day when He will no longer be with them physically. It is through the Holy Spirit, their advocate, that they come to have a deeper or mature understanding of the teaching of Jesus, his mission, his miracles, and the purpose of his Birth, Death and Resurrection.

Our Advocate Too!
Inasmuch as the Holy Spirit is the apostle’s Advocate, the Holy Spirit is also our Advocate! It is through the Holy Spirit that we can feel Jesus’ loving presence in the Church, in the sacraments, in our community, his loving presence in each and one of us even we can not see him physically (Look the person next to you. Can you feel the presence of Jesus to the person next to you? If not, pray more for the Holy Spirit.). The Holy Spirit comes to us for the first time in the sacrament of baptism. The Holy Spirit’s in us is perfected and strengthened on the day of our confirmation, when the Bishop said to us, “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.” This is why confirmation is called the sacrament of our maturity in faith.

Commandment to Love
Before our Lord promised his disciples that He will send the Advocate, he first spoke one of his final words, his final reminder was (o huling habilin) – If you love me, you will keep my commandments. We need to ponder his words deeply in our hearts. And we know that his commandments are: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and strength. Love one another as I have loved you.

Let us ask ourselves… What makes us sure that we really love Jesus and our neighbour? What makes us sure that we obey his commandment of love?

To Jesus real love is something difficult and it must be expressed not as sentiment or emotion but as real obedience to God. The word ‘obedience’ means ‘to listen carefully’. The more obedient we are to Christ's commandments, the more we are listening to the Holy Spirit’s call in our lives

Checking Spiritual condition
I read in a book 3 practical questions we should ask ourselves to check our spiritual condition if we really love God both in words and deeds:

First question: Are you yapping?
Yapping means “to bark, to yelp, to talking noisily”. We yap when we always criticize people, when we always find fault to others. A yapping person discourages, hurts and destroys people rather than seek to be helpful.

Second question: Are you yawning?
Some people go to church as if sleeping, they hear nothing, see nothing, and do nothing. (I must admit I was guilty of this when I was young). St Paul says, “we must be alive unto God – revive our hope, increase our love, and work our faith” (Rom 13:11-12).

Third question: Are you yearning?
Are you yearning or seeking for material pleasures, excessive wealth (40Million jackpot?) rather than yearning to fill your spiritual emptiness that Christ alone can satisfy? When we consecrate ourselves to love God, we only yearn for a more effective, meaningful and holy life, and for the Holy Spirit to fill us with divine love.

Conclusion
If your answer is to these questions is three big yes that means we need to be more open to the Holy Spirit, our Advocate. We all have our personal faults, imperfections, wrong decisions, sinfulness, lust, etc., that prevent to obey faithful God’s commandment of love, but the Holy Spirit will help us grow towards maturity and wholeness.

St Paul says in his First Letter to the Corinthians that the Holy Spirit is already in us as, he writes, “Didn’t you realise that you were God’s temple and that the Spirit of God was living among you? Each of us are sacred, we are temple of God.”

We just need to allow ourselves to the influence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will help us see the truth and beauty of ourselves. Like the good Advocate the Holy Spirit will enable us to become stronger, will aid us and guide when we face difficult and painful situation, and will help to love truly.

I invite you to bow your heads and pray with me:

Come Holy Spirit, renew me with your gifts.
My life will be more joyful and fulfilling with you action in me.
Heal my brokenness, pour down your wisdom.
Instill your peace within me, inspire my every need.

Amen.

Do not be afraid

5th Sunday of Easter
Do not be afraid

Jesus Is the Way
"Where are you going in life, or what are you living for?" is the most important question to ask ourselves, one another, the Church, our people. Even, we, Christians at times feel lost. Yet we shouldn't, for we have Jesus who shows us the way, who is our way, to God, to ourselves, to people. Jesus is not only our way but he is our companion on the road.

Modern Martyrs
I received an email today about the persecution of Christians around the world. In our modern world it’s hard to imagine how our many fellow Christians suffer a lot, beaten and tortured simply for their faith in Jesus Christ.

In Sudan, a Christian boy, Damare, has his knees and feet nailed to a board and he is left to die just for attending a church service. When rescued he says he forgives the man who did this because Jesus was also nailed and forgave him.

In Vietnam, a Christian pastor is sentenced to two years in prison. When he is offered an early release, he declines stating that he has a group of new Believers in the prison – they thirst for the Word of God.

A Colombian missionary is kidnapped and told she only has two hours to live. She tells her captors that if she only has two hours to live, she wants to spend it telling them about Jesus.

The Way to God, to People, to Ourselves
Although life had been uneasy for them, they clearly know where they are going. They know their destination; they know the beautiful end of their journey; because of their faith.

We learn from their stories of faith practical help and encouragement to welcome Jesus in our hearts.

Isn’t it sad even if we have everything in life, we sometimes feel totally "lost"; when we do not know where we stand in life, when we all looks confusing and senseless.

Today Jesus speaks to us, who says not only "I will show you the way, but: "I AM THE WAY." Go with me, follow me, I will lead you to your goal in life. I will bring you safely to the Father and to your loved ones, yes even to your own true self. Live as I have lived, for I am the way and the truth and the life.

Jesus is the way to God, that he is the truth of God and in him is God’s own life. Let us loving embrace, treasure and live out the beauty of our faith.

Teary

will make you teary

Watch

Wanted: Good Shepherd

Good Shepherd Sunday A
April 12-13, 2008

“..the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and lead them out..”

The Good Shepherd image in the New Testament:
In Palestine the word "shepherd" was a synonym for selfless love, sincerity, commitment and sacrificial service. Hence Jesus selects it as the most fitting term to denote his life and mission.

Jesus is our Good Shepherd and we are his flock, however Jesus is also calling us to be good shepherds to one another – most especially to those people who are entrusted to our care.

In that sense, priests, parents, teachers, doctors, nurses, government officials and the politicians are all shepherds. The teacher who really loves the children in her charge, the nurse who carefully tends to the sick, the friend who listens attentively to another's problems, the nona or nono who looks after grandchildren during holidays -–all these remind us of the abiding presence of the Good Shepherd among us.

The parents become good shepherds when they provide the means for their children to grow both physically and spiritually. Parents are good shepherds when they become the role models for their children, encouraging them in their prayer and sacramental life.

This Sunday, we join Catholics around the world praying for the increase of shepherds whose task is unique from those I mentioned earlier. We pray for shepherds who will the spiritual needs of God’s people. Thus we pray for the increase of priests in the church.

Nick (guest seminarian from Corpus Christi) later on will speak briefly about the mystery of the priesthood and his personal response to our Lord's calling.

Lost two shepherd
We are saddened about the death Archbishop Frank Little. He was our shepherd for 22 years as Archbishop of Melbourne. We thank the Lord for all his worked in the church.

Yesterday a friend priest of mine, Fr Robert del Rosario, was buried in the Philippines. He was the priest who asking for books early this year for the new school he was building. Last March he celebrated 1st year anniversary. Though his ministry was short, we thank his example of saying “yes” to our Lord to follow him.

Pray for new shepherds
We join our prayer today in this Mass that the voice of Jesus, the Good Shepherd will be heard by many young men and adults today called them to be shepherds of souls.

May I also ask you to pray for us priests, young and old that we may constantly be faithful to this beautiful ministry entrusted to us by our Lord in the loving service of his flock – his Church.

Paalam Fr Robert del Rosario

Don Robert,

Musta na?

Pasensya na di ako nakapunta sa Misa Pasasalamat sa iyo kanina. Pero nakapunta naman kahapon dyan sa Balanga ang Ama't Ina ko. Nakausap daw nila ang Tatay at Tita mo. Gustong gusto ko talagang pumunta sa iyo kanina para magpaalam. Sayang si Bishop Soc pa naman ang nag-misa. Pinagpala ka at isang banal na obispo ang nagmisa sa iyo. Di ba binanggit ko sa iyo dati hinahangaan ko si Bishop Soc at lagi kong nagagamit ko ang mga libro niya sa homily ko dito.


Sayang ipapakilala mo sana ako sa kanya ng personal pag-uwi ko: if narito ka uli sa Pilipinas, just tell me and maybe we can arrange schedule for a visit to Bishop Soc. he is very much cordial and warm to receive you. (Jan 15 2008 3:08pm) Di bale, makikila ko din si Bishop Soc sa ibang pagkakataon.

Natutuwa ako at nakarating ang mga libro na ipinadala ko sa iyo. Salamat sa walang hanggang pasasalamat sa email mo sa akin kahit nakapasimpleng bagay lang ang naicontribute ko school na itinatayo mo dyan:

thank you po ng marami and pls extend my sincerest gratitude din sa mga friends mo na nagbigay ng book for our school! rest assured of my prayers for you and for them!!! thanks po uli (March 26/2008 1:23 pm)

Pasensya na Don Robert itinawag ko sayo kasi lang nuong mga nakaraang araw binalikan ko ang mga ala-ala mo nuong nasa ICMS pa tayo. Sa seminaryo Don Robert ang tawag ko sa iyo, bihira kitang tawaging kuya kahit senior ka sa akin ng ilang taon.

Naalala ko tuloy sa seminaryo lahat na lang napapansin natin at ginagawang katatawanan, kaya masaya tayo kahit na nasa "loob". Kahit sino may kanya-kanyang tukso. Tulad mo – Don Robert, Jaworski, at higit sa lahat ang di mo matanggap na kalbo. Maaga kasing umangat ang hairline mo e. Tampol ka lagi ng biro dahil lagi kang cool (minsan/madalas din ay pikon). Natatandaan ko nung first year college ata ako nun pagkatapos ng community night prayer natin e bigla kang nagsalita ka sa lecturn. Sabi mo sa community bawas-bawasan na natin ang biruan. Tulad ng inaasahan nagpalakpakan at nagsigawan pa kaming lahat! Sigurado akong walang pari nung oras na iyon.

Isa pa, tuwing ikaw ang tutugtog sa Misa kabisado na namin ang recessional song - ang walang kamatayang “Tell the World of His Love” (kahit apat na taon nang lumipas ang World Youth Day!).

Ngayon ko lang din naalala lagi kang nakatuck-in at laging puti ang tshirt mo. Style.

Tsk tsk. Matagal nang lumipas buhay natin sa seminaryo. Lahat ng iyon lilingunin na lang sabay tawa. Mga pari na tayo ngayon...

Hindi ko na hahabaan pa ang sulat na ito. Hindi mo naman ito matatangap e. Saka di naman ganito ang style ng mga sagot ko sa mga email mo sakin. Inaaliw ko lang ang sarili ko dahil hindi ako naka-attend sa Misa Pasasalamat at libing mo.


Hindi ko maitype ang salitang “libing” para kasing di bagay kasi parang buhay ka pa.

Nagdadasal nga pala ako ng night prayer nang magtext sa akin si Patrick nung Lunes. Sabi nya “Fr. Robert del Rosario passed away. Pls. Pray 4 his repose.” Hindi ko ito agad pinansin tinuloy ko lang ang dasal ko. Siguro mali ang balita. Siguro ibang pari iyon. Siguro hindi ikaw iyon. Matagal bago tumimo ang katotohan. Pero nang tinawagan ko si Patrick sabi nya ikaw nga.

Nakakalungkot pala ang mamatayan ng isang kapatid na pari. Lalo na iyong halos kasabayan mo lang maordenahan. Gusto kong i-quote dito ang isang parte ng sulat mo sa akin dati. Pabiro iyon pero may lalim.

musta na ang aking kapatid na pari? well, today i am celebrating the 1st day of the 11th month of my priesthood hehhehee...everything has been a blessing to me despite my shortcomings and sinfulness...well, pinag-UUBRA lang naman tayo talaga ng Diyos for his purposes and plans. but im trying to be an OBRA of his hands, a beautiful masterpiece of his. let's contunue praying for each other for us to be always docile to him.(Jan /10/2008 12:18 pm)

Ako din araw-araw pinag-uubra lang. Isa ka ng OBRA ngayon kapatid! Kahanga-hanga namatay kang isang pari. Congratulations!

Hanggang dito na lang Don Robert, alam ko daig mo pa ang totoong Don diyan dahil nakamit mo na ang tunay na kayamanan.

May you rest in peace with our Good Shepherd.

Pray for us Fr. Robert!

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Read the report of his death

Our Meeting Place

3rd Sunday of Easter A
Acts 2:14, 22-33;
Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11 1 Peter 1:17-21;
Luke 24:13-35 April 5-6, 2008

Road of Emmaus

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Our Scripture readings this Sunday have one common, an encouraging theme: “No matter what happens in our lives, our Risen Lord is always with us.” We must not feel we are abandoned or alone, Jesus is always with us. We encounter Jesus day by day but because we are preoccupied or busy, oftentimes we don’t recognise him most especially to unexpected persons or events.

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The risen Lord with the most beautiful smile

A young boy was walking home through the park after attending a Sunday school class. Somehow, he couldn’t stop thinking about the lesson for that day about Jesus’ teaching on the Last Judgment. What impressed him most was what the teacher said, "When you give something to another person, you’re really giving it to Jesus and you will find the risen Jesus in every one you meet." As he continued through the park, he noticed an old woman sitting on a bench. She looked lonely and hungry. So he sat down next to her, took a chocolate bar he had saved and offered some to her. She accepted it with a beautiful smile and he watched her smiles as she chewed the chocolate.

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Then they sat together in silence, just smiling at each other. Finally, the boy got up to leave. As he began to walk away, he turned, ran back to the bench, and gave the woman a big hug. When he arrived home, his mother saw a big smile on his face and asked, "What made you so happy today?" He said, "I shared my chocolate bar with God." Before his mother could ask more questions, he added, "You know, she has the most beautiful smile in the world." Meanwhile, the old woman returned to her little apartment where she lived with her sister. "You’re all smiles," said her sister. "What made you so happy today?" She replied, "I was sitting in the park, eating a chocolate bar with Jesus. And, you know, he looks a lot younger than I expected."

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The message of the story is simple – Jesus is with us and he always desires to stay with us. He wants to join us in our travels of life.

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He is with us; Jesus desires to walk always on our journey…

It’s the same message of the Gospel story today. The road to Emmaus story illustrates that Jesus is with us even when we do not recognize him. It tells us how our Lord always desires to walk with us on our journey.

Jesus is present in the Word of the Scripture
Jesus remains with us in two ways: in the Eucharist and in his word. He is present in both: in the Eucharist under the form of food, in the Word under the form of light and.

The Scripture is the Word of God. When God speaks a word he always means it. His message is always sincere, reliable and true. When Jesus says, “Do not be afraid; or do not worry” he means it. Jesus wants to assure us his protection. When Jesus says “I am with you always” he fulfills that promise. Jesus is our companion both in ups and downs of our life.

For instance, in today’s post-Easter story, we heard how the two disciples of Jesus, Cleopas and his companions, were discouraged and devastated, as they set out on the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They were met by a stranger going along the same road. Because they were so preoccupied with their own disappointment and sorrow at the death of Jesus they didn’t recognise that it was Jesus himself, who was walking with them!

Jesus is present in the Eucharist
Secondly Jesus is very present with us in the Eucharist. In the Gospel, the disciples recognize him at the breaking of the bread, then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us…”

Jesus is with us in every celebration of Mass, the celebration of the breaking of the bread. Jesus says it lovingly, “Whoever eats my body and drinks my blood shall live with me eternally.” It a pity that sometimes don’t realize what is happening during Holy Communion.
The Eucharist is soul food, the bread of life for eternity. It feeds us and fills our spiritual needs. It is a pity that sometimes we take going to Mass on Sunday for granted.

Conclusion
The Eucharist is our meeting place with our Lord, it can be our Road to Emmaus. Let us pray in this Mass that our eyes and heart will recognise Jesus’ presence in our midst. May all of us be nourished with His life-giving Word and with the Bread of Life. Amen.

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story from Fr Tony

I Doubt...

Second Sunday of Easter A

March 29-30, 2008
Scripture: John 20:19-31 “

Help my unbelief Lord”

Doubt
All of us have our moments of doubt and uncertainty - should we quit our job and try a new one? Do I really love my girlfriend? Should we marry? Should we break from an unfulfilling relationship? What I’d like to do in university? Do I really want to become a priest? Should I trade in my old car on a newer model? Buy a new house in a more expensive suburb? Will I ever be a good mother to my children? What about church’s moral teachings or government policies?

You doubt. I doubt. Why not? We all have the right to doubt.

There are a number of reasons for our doubting, uncertainty and indecision in life - in some instances it is simply lack of will power or confidence. More often we doubt things because of of ignorance and lack of information. When we doubt we demand for proof. We always want to be 100 percent really sure of things in life. We know the saying "to see is to believe!" To say in other way, "to believe is to see".

Thomas the Twin This exactly what happened to Thomas after the Lord Risen from the dead. His mind and heart are full of doubt whether to believe that Jesus really rose from the dead. Thomas laid down his requirements for believing in the resurrection. His doubts that the Lord has truly risen echo through history. His doubts echo as well our unbelief and lack of faith.

Thomas sincerely believes that Jesus, who he followed wherever he went, was now dead and gone. He was sincere about his doubt. He was sincere in demanding proof that the Jesus is alive. Suddenly his fellow apostles reversed his unbelief as they proclaim, "We have seen the Lord! Jesus is alive! The doors were all locked and suddenly he stood there among us! He talked to us!" Thomas’ heart could not accept it. Too much was at stake. So he dramatically cried out loud, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."

This is exactly in character for Thomas. The tough words are really a protection for a heart that would break in half if given another false hope. “The only way I would believe such nonsense is if you give me very practical proof.”

Jesus gave it. Fingers in nail marks, hand into side.

In spite of his cynicism, Thomas had always belonged to Jesus. When he got the practical proof he needed, he sank to the ground.

And then, doubting apostle proclaimed the greatest profession of faith: “My Lord and my God.”

It becomes the foundation of our Christian faith. Our faith is based on the divinity of Jesus as proved by his miracles, especially by the supreme miracle of his resurrection from the dead. Thomas’ profession of faith is the strongest evidence we have of the resurrection of Jesus. It was such a faith that culminated in Thomas’ self surrender to Jesus, his heroic missionary expedition to India in A.D. 52 and his fearless preaching and powerful testimony by life, which led him to his martyrdom in A.D. 72.

We are like Thomas, we doubt things...are doubt is strong at times of trials and sadness. When like is tough we doubt the presence of our loving God. We accept our being human but like Thomas let us use our doubt, our skeptism to help us grow in faith.

The good thing about Thomas was that he was honest. He was sincere and courageous enough to say, “I really do not understand…I really cannot understand that the Lord died and rose from the dead.”

Thomas became a saint because of his sincerity and courage. He did not understand at the start, but once he understood, once it was clear in his mind and heart, he went all the way – even unto death – in following our Lord.

More often it is our genuine doubts about our faith or the doctrines of our religion that encourage us to study more and thus grow in our faith. This will naturally lead us to a personal encounter with Jesus through prayer, study of the Word of God, and frequenting of the sacraments. If have doubt in your faith remember the words of our Lord, “ask and you shall receive.”

However, we must never forget that our faith is not our own doing, but a gift from God. Hence we need to increase our faith every day by prayer, by sharing our faith with our children, our families and our neighbors, so that we may join St. Thomas in his Easter proclamation: “My Lord and my God”.

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Readings: Fr tony's homily & Bishop Soc

Katawa

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Based on a true story...

Barker ng bus: ah Cubao, Cubao, Cubao, Cubao,
Cubao,Cubao, Cubao,Cubao, Cubao, Cubao,
Cubao,Cubao,Cubao,Cubao,Cubao,Cubao,!!!!
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Pasahero ng Bus: Boss Cubao?
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In Europe were the Pieta created by Michaelangelo is displayed:

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Italian: "Magnifico!"
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English: "Brilliant!"
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Aussie: "Superb mate!"
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American: "Wow! Amazing!"
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Filipino: "Picture! picture! dali pangfriendster!"

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text messages received today from cune and ruthie