Sunday Gospel Reflections

HOMILY: Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Luke 10:1-12,17-20

3 July 2022

Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez, AA

As a teacher, I know from experience that not all of our students will have the same receptivity to what we, teachers are trying to teach them. Some would take heed what are instilled in them while others wouldn’t. May sadyang matigas ang ulo. Meron namang sobrang distracted ng dahil sa gadgets, sa friends, sa crushes. Meron din naman talagang mga walang pakialam. These form part of the heartaches of teachers. As we know, teachers don’t earn much nevertheless, they have to deal with loads of paper and online work on top of preparing a good and meaningful lesson plan. Minsan nakakadismaya kapag naiisip ng ating mga guro kung may halaga ba ang pagsasakripisyo? May halaga pa bang maging guro kung wala namang natututo sa itinuturo? There are however points in a teacher’s career where they encounter special students, inspiring young minds who actually work hard to learn and aspire for a better future. These are students who fuel the teachers’ passion to teach, to give their all, to give their best. Yes, these learners make their teachers’ effort worth it as the latter simply would love to see their students become successful, true, confident and  consistently making sound decisions in life. 

This reality presented by Jesus in this Sunday’s gospel speaks of the life and challenges of discipleship — much work for too few labourers, and many difficulties and rejection to face. Jesus talks about rejection as He sends forth the disciples in their mission. Not everyone will welcome the message of the Good News. More so, not everyone will appreciate the demands of discipleship. Discipleship, after all, bears the mark of the cross, so there is the inevitability of suffering. Throughout history, all prophets have always had to contend with rejection and resistance from the people to whom they have been sent to proclaim the truth. Even the experience of Jesus, Himself, was no different. We recall that the gospels tell us that Jesus, though mainly disliked by the religious leaders (the Scribes and Pharisees in particular), He also experienced a hostile reception back in Nazareth among His own kin. (Luke 4:22-30)

We can imagine how hurtful that must have been — to be doubted and rejected by the people you grew up around. Yet, Jesus remained unfazed and He did not mope around and allow himself to be immobilised by depression. Jesus simply accepted them as they were and quietly moved on. Jesus’ passion for His mission was never dependent on whether people believed Him or not. Hence, when He saw that they were so hard-hearted and they would not change their minds, He concentrated His efforts elsewhere where He could possibly make an impact on people. His mission was to proclaim the Kingdom of God. He was not sent by the Father to prove Himself, His credibility nor His identity but rather it was to sow the seeds of the Kingdom in the hearts of humanity. In Jesus’ Parable of the Sower, we recall that not all seeds grew and prospered. Some fell on rocky soil, some fell on weeds, some fell on the dry path. (Luke 8:6-8) Since Jesus said the seeds were the word of God, we know He expected that even if He proclaimed the Kingdom far and wide, not everyone would believe, not everyone would allow God’s word to take root in their hearts.  To me it seems that Jesus did not care to be successful 100% of the time, because He could not control how people reacted to what He had to say. What was of more importance was that He stayed faithful to His mission. We can draw inspiration from the strength and courage of Jesus as we labour to faithfully proclaim His message of life eternal to our brothers and sisters. Similarly, Jesus advises His followers that should they encounter such rejections, they were to shake the dust of that town from their feet. Those who were open to the message were blessed, but those who refused determined their own fate.

What does this mean for us as Christians? As followers of Christ, we have to expect similar rejections and frustrations. There are mothers who are heartbroken when their babies, whom they painstakingly reared in the Catholic faith no longer go to church when they reach adulthood, worse, they convert to other faiths! Yet these mothers do not simply throw in the towel. They pray ceaselessly for their children.  Aren’t we frustrated to know that some of our most corrupt government officials were products of Catholic schools? Minsan pa nga, nag-aaral na rin doon ang mga anak at apo nitong mga corrupt na pulitiko.  Bukas pa naman ang mga eskwelahan na yan. Minsan pa nga, nag-aaral na rin dun ang mga anak at apo nitong mga corrupt na pulitiko. Dapat na bang isara? Siyempre hindi dahil may mga maaayos namang graduates o alumni ang mga paaralang ito. Sa ating mga nagsusumikap gumawa ng mabuti… eh tuloy-tuloy ba ang effort? Wala bang backsliding? My friend said, it seemed like when she took the path of goodness, more trials and temptations came her way. Pero, naging mas matinik na siya sa pagkilala sa mga ito dahil conscious na siya. Dati, “Bahala na si Batman!”. Anything goes. Ngayon, mas alam na niya kung anong mga bagay ang ikagigiliw ng Diyos sa kanya. 

The rejection and resistance that we have to contend with in witnessing to our faith is not just external but also internal. We will always have our own resistance to the Christian mission because our human nature draws us to what is worldly while our spirit draws us to things of heaven.  Nonetheless, we should not be discouraged nor deterred from living out the Gospel, witnessing to it, and giving meaning to it knowing that we are doing God’s work. Despite the disciples facing difficulties and sometimes being rejected, they had faith that in time their labours will bear fruit, for it is God’s power that works through them. Both the First Reading (Isaiah 66:10-14) and the Psalm response (Psalm 66) give us a glimpse of what can happen when the message of the Good News is taken seriously. “The city is renewed; the world is rejuvenated; the prosperity of God is enjoyed by all; those who suffer are comforted; the kindness of God fills the whole world.” The fruit of the disciples’ labours may not always be apparent in our present reality but we have a foretaste of this when we experience peace, healing, and prosperity in our midst.

Today, we followers of Christ are sent out in the same way to spread the Good News. We, too are called to remember that even though God’s word is not always welcomed or accepted, the experience of Kingdom prevails. The work of the Lord continues through us. And like Jesus, we are only expected to be faithful to the mission. The rest, we leave in the powerful hands of God.

HOMILY: Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Luke 9:51-62

26 June 2022

Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez, AA

Just this week, a member of San Roque’s SOCOM Ministry, passed the Board Exam for Architects. He may have taken the exam last weekend, but he had been preparing for it since last year. He was set to take it in January but the Examiners decided to divide the group into 2 batches. He was included in the 2nd batch scheduled in June, he did not stop preparing for the test. By the grace of God and his hard work, we now have a new architect in our parish! 

His story tells us that when we have a clear goal in mind, no obstacles, no challenges nor conflicts can deter us from successfully achieving it. That is being resolute. He and other recent board passers  in the parish embody the resoluteness of Jesus in today’s gospel passage. This Sunday’s gospel reading from Luke introduces Jesus’ purposeful journey to Jerusalem, which will result in His Passion, Death and Resurrection. Luke suggests that Jesus sensed His destiny but He was not discouraged. The evangelist writes: “When the days for His being taken up were fulfilled, He resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem and He sent messengers ahead of him” (Luke 9:51). Resolute. This means acting out with purpose. (Pagkilos na merong adhikain.) The word also means determined in character, action or ideas. Sa Pilipino, maituturing na may determinasyon at hindi natitinag ang taong resolute. 

Alam ni Hesus kung ano ang naghihintay sa kanya sa Herusalem. Alam niya ang mga paghihirap na pagdadaanan Nya pati ang Kanyang kamatayan. Pero hindi Siya nagpatinag. Sa halip ay buo ang kanyang loob na harapin ang mga ito. Even if He encounters obstacles on the way to Jerusalem, He is not deterred. Jesus experiences the hostility of the Samaritans as He passes through Samaritan territory. Luke writes, “On the way they entered a Samaritan village to prepare for his reception there, but they would not welcome him because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem.” (Luke 9:52-53) That the Samaritans reject Him is only a foretaste of the much greater rejection that the leaders in Jerusalem will perpetrate in the months to come. Through it all, Jesus remained steadfast and trusting in the Father in fulfilling His mission. He didn’t waste any time on those like the Samaritan villagers who are closed to His presence. He didn’t even sugarcoat the demands of discipleship to those who wanted to follow Him. He was focused on His mission of bringing about salvation for God’s people.  

As Christians, we are also called to have the same determination if we choose to follow the Lord. We will surely face opposition and conflict in our desire to be faithful to Him. Setbacks should not dampen our spirits but rather strengthen our conviction and increase our courage in pursuit of our goal. We are  asked to have the same steadfastness and singlemindedness with the will of God the Father. In the gospel, there are people who express their desire to follow Jesus but Jesus seems to discourage them as if to say… “Are you sure? There is much uncertainty about my lifestyle. I dont know where my next meal will come from or where I will be sleeping for the night.” Jesus is being truthful about the urgency of His mission. He is constantly on the move. He wants to reach as many people as He can, given His short time on earth. We,  however,  love to dwell in our comfort zones and sometimes can not be bothered to go out of our way for others or for the church — tinatamad na. Mas pipiliin pang maglaro ng games, manood ng Netflix, magpakababad sa kuwartong naka aircon…. So many little creature comforts that focus on ourselves and keep us cocooned in our little world. In the gospel, one person says he will bury his father, the other needs to say goodbye to his family but Jesus does not seem to believe they will return to follow Him. Malamang, di naman isang araw na palugit lang yun. Baka isang linggo, na hahaba pa sa dami ng aasikasuhin. By then, Jesus would’ve moved on.  Jesus doesnt say these are bad things to do. However, we must not make excuses to keep us from following Him. Kung gusto, may paraan, kung ayaw, may dahilan. Hindi ba?  Jesus asks us to dare to leave our comfort zones to follow Him as He goes to places where He is not welcome, to places unfamiliar to Him, places difficult to access, places where He has no friends — because those are the places where He is needed the most. If we must be the Lord’s hands and feet, we too must go where people are in need of God’s love and mercy. Tayo ang magdadala kay Kristo sa kanila. 

Let us not oversimplify this choice, either. The work is not easy and it is not attractive to many. Throughout history, we are given the example of many Christians who are persecuted all over the world because of their faith conviction. Ang mga martir ng simbahan umabot sa pagbubuwis ng kanilang buhay sa ngalan ng kanilang pananampalataya!  Humugot sila ng inspirasyon at lakas sa halimbawa ni Hesus. We are mistaken if we believe that persecution is just a thing of the past. It is very REAL for us today. It is a growing danger. Think of those who recently died in the bombing of St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Nigeria on Pentecost Sunday. So many catholic children were martyred that day! There was a report on religious freedom in the world released last year by the Aid to the Church in Need, saying two thirds of the world’s population live in countries where religious freedom is not respected. Sadly, these numbers are on the rise. Of these people persecuted for their faith, 75% are Christians. This indicates that up until now, Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the world. They estimate that about 646 million Christians live in countries where religious freedom is not respected. Again, this clearly shows that the life of a disciple of Jesus is not easy. Mga Saksi. The English word, “martyr” is from the Greek word (martus) meaning a “witness”. We are all called to be witnesses. Katulad ni Hesus, ang mga martir para sa pananampalataya ay hindi nagpapatinag sa mga nagpapahirap sa kanila bagkus nagiging matatag pa ang kanilang paninindigan na ipagtanggol ang kanilang pananampalataya. We are assured that their efforts do not go unnoticed by the Church, not just on earth — the Church Militant,  but by our members in Heaven who have succeeded — the Church Triumphant, and even those who have yet to be purified — the Church Suffering. Hindi kasi tayo nag-iisa, sama-sama tayo sa Simbahan ni Kristong ating Hari. 

Brothers and sisters, may we have the courage to be true to our Christian faith no matter what and regardless of what we will have to face and endure.  May we be assured as we remain faithful to our faith that we are never alone on our journey as Jesus’ followers. Let us resolutely live out our faith with compelling conviction and endeavour to share the love of Christ with others.

HOMILY: Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ 

Luke 9-11-17

19 June 2022

Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez, AA

Do you remember what it feels like to be hungry? I’m sure all of us have felt it at one time or another. When I was a student, it was typical for my classmates and I to miss meals when cramming for tests. My teachers would caution us “hindi gagana ang utak pag walang laman ang tyan.”  Some of us got really cranky when hungry. I understand theres a term for that these days —- “hangry”. (Angry when you are hungry…) May ganyan ba sa inyo?  Parents, generally do not have that luxury. For whatever reason: kulang ang pagkain or walang pambili ng pagkain, they will forego food as long as their children get to eat. Isusubo na lang, ibibigay pa sa anak. What a sacrifice, right? 

This Sunday we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, traditionally called in Latin as the feast of Corpus Christi (The Body of Christ). You may be wondering why our gospel today is on the feeding of the multitude with five loaves and two fish instead of a passage on the Last Supper where Jesus institutes the Eucharist. We shall get to that. For now, I invite you to listen and remember 3 “S”es.  The Body of Christ as a Sacrifice, as Sustenance and as a Symbol of Love. 

SACRIFICE. We know that at the last supper Jesus leaves His followers with a special gift. He institutes the Eucharist as a memorial of His offering up of His Body and Blood to save us from the consequence of sin. From that moment until today, every time we celebrate the Liturgy of the Eucharist and receive communion, our faith tells us we are receiving not just bread and wine but the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. At every mass, we re-live the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross when we listen to the words of consecration… “This is my body which will be given up for you” and “This is the chalice of my blood…. which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins…”. Through the mystery of transubstantiation, the bread and wine are transformed into no less than our Lord, Jesus Himself. Not Jesus in His glory, but Jesus, who was beaten, bruised, crucified and sacrificed for us. Sometimes, we forget that and line up for communion, ready to receive just a host. When we line up for communion be prepared to receive our Saviour, who gave up His life for us, who took on the punishment for our sins. When possible, go to confession and receive Jesus in the state of grace. If it is not possible, simply make a perfect act of contrition and be sorry for your sins. I also still subscribe to the practice of fasting from food and drink one hour before receiving communion. It reminds me that “man does not live on bread alone…” (Luke 4:4) Stand up straight, approach with a grateful heart and receive the Lord with reverence and love.  

SUSTENANCE.  Our gospel talks about how Jesus provided food for a multitude with a few loaves and fish. He provided bodily sustenance for His followers who were getting hungry for the day. Through His sacred Body and Blood — the lasting gift of Himself made available to us, Jesus continues to sustain us to be true to what we all have become through Him — God’s beloved children. We acknowledge and honour the wonderful gift of the Eucharist as spiritual nourishment and its implication in our life as followers of Jesus.  Through the Eucharist, we are also Jesus nourished to become a source of nourishment for others. “Give them some food yourselves.” (Luke 9:13) Through these words, Jesus wants His disciples to realise that His mission of shepherding over God’s people continues through them. Like Jesus, they are to look after the needs of others not only spiritually but physically as well. It is not enough to simply feel sorry for them. We are to endeavour to provide for the needs of those less fortunate among our brothers and sisters. St. Theresa of Calcutta once said: “I used to pray that God would feed the hungry, or do this or that, but now I pray that he will guide me to do whatever I’m supposed to do, what I can do.” Like the disciples, we might also find ourselves asking how we can possibly help feed these people. “Five loaves and two fish are all we have…” (Luke 9:16) The disciples felt they have too little to share. What they have is obviously not enough for so many people. Through the Feeding of the Multitude with five loaves and two fish, Jesus wanted to rectify this defeatist mentality of considering what is “meagre” as “nothing”. 

SYMBOL OF LOVE. Let us be conscious that Jesus’ sacrifice that gives us a continuous source of spiritual sustenance are proof of God’s love for us. God allowed His only Son to become flesh, to live as one of us, to subject Himself to the difficulties of human life, to suffer and die a painful death so that He may draw us once more close to Him. By the sin of Adam and Eve, heaven was lost to humankind but through Jesus, the door to eternal life was opened again for us. What compels the Almighty to do this for His lowly creatures who consistently disappoint Him?  LOVE. Jesus reveals to us, that if we accept Him as our brother, we become adopted sons and daughters of God. We can dare to call Him “Father” in the same way Jesus does as His only Son. Today is Father’s Day. Happy Father’s Day sa lahat ng mga tatay at father figures. We can not expect all fathers to be perfect because it is a tough job. It is said that fatherhood is not simply having children but it is about raising children, right? Hindi ka ama dahil nagkaanak ka. Ama ka kung ikaw ay nagpaka-tatay. If you are a father, remember that you are the first example of fatherhood whom your children will witness and live with. The concept of God as Father is likely based on these children’s experiences and understanding of what a fatherly role, responsibility, presence… and love is. Kaya sa mga tatay nawa’y pagsumikapan ninyong maging mabuti at mapagmahal na ama upang makilala ng inyong mga anak ang kabutihan at pag-ibig ng Diyos Ama. 

SACRIFICE, SUSTENANCE AND SYMBOL OF LOVE. These are the things we need to remember about the Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Huwag ipagwalang bahala ang sakripisyo ni Hesus. He paid a high price for our salvation. He paid with His life. Let us not take for granted the gift of the Eucharist. Let us receive Jesus in communion as often as we can. He meets us at every mass. It is our hope that we become what we eat. Allow the Lord to sustain us, strengthen us, and transform us through His Body and Blood. Lastly, remember the greatness of God’s love. A love that has transformed the cross — a symbol of shame and punishment to a symbol of salvation and love. To all fathers out there, you have been blessed by God with children. Care for them and raise them with the model of God’s love. By your actions, witness to the goodness and mercy of God. 

On this feast of Corpus Christi, we are called to witness to the generous love of God, in the very gift of Christ Himself broken and shared in the Eucharist. Nourished by Jesus through the Eucharist, we are challenged to become more and more a source of  nourishment for others. We are impelled to live the Christ-life by going out in service to the needs of others so Christ can continually be vibrantly present and active among His people in our world.

HOMILY: Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

John 16:12-15

12 June 2022

Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez, AA

Did you know that in 2019, an organization released the results of a study on the learning capacity of students from around the world? The Philippines ranked the lowest in reading comprehension and second lowest in science and mathematics among 79 countries.  That was in 2019. With the pandemic forcing students to do online learning in the 3 years following, do you think the capacity of our students for learning has improved or deteriorated even more? 

Of course, there are many factors at play but inevitably, one reason for these dismal findings is the lack of interest in learning especially about topics that are not “fun”, or that which we think can’t help us earn more money. Even when we were students ourselves, we must have wondered why we need to learn Calculus, Biology, Chemistry, or Shakespeare if we want to be lawyers or businessmen or priests one day? Doesn’t this also translate to the equally unpopular topic of religion? If we go to a Catholic school, the subject is at least part of the curriculum and students must learn the faith (even if begrudgingly for some), but it is not the case in the public school system. If there are no catechists helping out, where do our young people learn the important aspects of our faith?  Do we even care to ask questions? Can we teach our faith to our children and grandchildren? 

We don’t have to be Bible scholars or trained to be Catholic apologists but at least we need to understand our faith because we cannot say we love what we do not know and we cannot teach/share what we do not understand.  Paano mo masasabing masarap para sa iyo ang pagkain kung di mo alam ang lasa o ang hitsura?  Paano mo masasabing tunay mong mahal ang gusto mong maging girlfriend or boyfriend kung di pa kayo nagkakakilanlan? Isn’t it true that when we love someone, we want to spend as much time with them and truly get to know them? And isn’t it true that the more we know them, we are able to proudly introduce them to others? For example:  Mabait, maganda, matalino, magaling magdamit, masarap magluto, etc. Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity. How is it that we claim to believe in one God and yet we say we have a Triune God? Three in one, just like coffee? How is it that three persons in one God do not equate to three Gods? How do you explain to a child that 1 + 1 + 1= 1? One of the most important dogmas of our church remains a mystery. Yes, we may not understand everything about the Trinity now but that simply means there is still much for us to learn. 

Learning can come when we have a genuine interest in something or someone, as in our earlier example of the person in love. Learning can also come when we are overcome with doubt such as when people doubt the existence of God. May Diyos nga ba talaga? Paano siya naging Santatlo? Sometimes, doubt is a good starting point of knowledge because it can prod us to discover the truths of our faith.  Someone said that “some of the world’s most devout believers have something in common: from time to time, they were plagued by doubt.”  This brings to mind what the character of Father Brendan Flynn in the movie Doubt based on the multi-awarded stage play, Doubt: A Parable. Father Flynn said: “Doubt can be a bond as powerful and sustaining as certainty.” Dahil nagdududa ka, nagakakaroon ka ng mga katanungan, napapaisip ka at nauudyok na maghanap ng kasagutan. 

The development of our church doctrines, although divinely inspired, are the product of a long process of human thought and learning. The Church has always encouraged critical thought in dealing with our faith beliefs. The tenets of our faith found in the CREED for example are products of thorough and tedious debates and discussions of many church thinkers throughout church history. Others challenged Catholic beliefs and our forefathers were forced to gather, pray, and learn together what they were able to pass on to us. So, when people tell us that we Catholics are not encouraged to think for ourselves in terms of the tenets of our faith,  this we know is not true. We survived 2000 years because of the process of questioning and learning that we may understand better what we pass on to the next generations.

Finally, we have to acknowledge that God plays a huge role in what we know about Him. God revealed His power and might as Father and Creator through the prophets and great leaders in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, Jesus became man to further reveal God as merciful and loving to all of humanity. After Jesus’ Ascension, until this very day, the Holy Spirit continues to instruct us and helps us understand our faith and the will of God the Father. The dogma of the Holy Trinity is not a product of pure human reasoning but rather the result of reason’s collaboration with divine revelation. We can never come to know the God who is one in three, without God first revealing this to us. In the gospel passage, Jesus makes clear to His disciples: “I have much more to tell you but you cannot bear it now.” (John 16:12) And the Lord continues by assuring them that the Holy Spirit will lead them (and us) progressively to a deepening grasp of the truths that He Himself reveals in time. As it turns out, our maturity in the faith as well as growth in discipleship require the use of our intellect. The Church, through the power of the Holy Spirit endeavours to help us understand why we believe what we believe and do what we do so we can better understand, appreciate and live out the teachings of Jesus with meaning and purpose. The Holy Spirit continuously opens us more and more to the mysteries of our faith. 

We may not know or grasp everything about our Triune God but we know that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit for all times has continuously reached out to us in love and has desired to be known by His people as a loving God. The Trinity of God is definitely a mystery and we will continuously struggle in some attempts to understand it, but it is vital to TRY, if we are to adequately teach our faith to the youth and help them to understand it. The blessing of today’s solemnity is that Jesus in the gospel passage reminds us that He will always be with us through the Holy Spirit who continues to lead us to the Truth.

HOMILY: Solemnity of Pentecost

John 20: 19-23

5 June 2022

Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez, AA

We have a beautiful church with many beautiful images. Some of them are still up on the choir loft.  Look around!  We see Jesus, Mama Mary, St. Joseph, San Roque, angels, etc. However, do you see representations of the Holy Spirit around? Sadly, even in other churches, there are usually very few. For many of us, the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity is undoubtedly the least understood member of the Triune God. Not only that, how many of us honestly invoke the Holy Spirit as much as we do the Father and the Son when we pray?

We sometimes refer to the Holy Spirit as the Holy Ghost. Spirits and Ghosts are what we do not see. I guess that is why there is no adequate likeness for the Holy Spirit, except the variety of symbols representing the Holy Spirit that we can gather from the Bible. Let me point out three of the more familiar scriptural symbols of the Holy Spirit. One of the most common symbols of the Holy Spirit is the “DOVE”. In the story of the Great Flood, it was a dove that signalled the end of their voyage. (Gen 8:8-12). It is an image of HOPE which we also associate with the Holy Spirit. We are told that when Jesus was baptized, the heavens were opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in the form of a dove. To me this gives rise to an image of PEACE. The peace of knowing that the salvation has finally come to humanity. (Mt 3:16; Mk 1:10; Lk 3:22; Jn 1:32). 

Then, we have the “TONGUES OF FIRE OR A FLAME” as the other representation of the Holy Spirit we find in Luke’s Pentecost account. The passage recounts that when “tongues as of fire came to rest over the head of each of the disciples, they were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:3-4). Fire is an age-old symbol for God. We recall Moses speaking to God out of the bush which was on fire. (Exodus 3:2). In their wanderings in the desert, the Israelites were accompanied during the night by a pillar of fire. John the Baptist tells the crowds that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Luke 3:16). Jesus Himself said, “I have come to set the earth on fire” (Lk 12:49). Fire is a symbol of purification, just as gold is purified in fire. The Holy Spirit purifies us of anything that is unworthy in God’s eyes. It is a also a symbol of power. Fire is passion. Fire has the capacity to create and destroy. We see this in the disciples who are empowered to preach the gospel, do miracles in Jesus’ name, rebuke the evildoers and cast out demons.  Fire is also a source of light. It illuminates the darkness. The Holy Spirit is also a guide for us — helping us to discern God’s will for us. 

Lastly, one of the key symbols used to describe the presence of the Holy Spirit is “Wind” or “Breath”. We begin with the creation story. The wind represents the Holy Spirit’s share in the creation of the world (Gen 1:2). In today’s Gospel, the bestowal of the Holy Spirit is portrayed with Jesus’ breathing on His disciples and telling them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:22) This is reminiscent of the creation of human beings in the Genesis story. (Gen 2:7) In doing so, Jesus gives them new life making of them a new creation. Let us note that one of the Hebrew words for “breath” (rûah) is translated as “spirit”. Hence, the spirit of God is also the breath of God. I have also read that in Greek, the word for “spirit” and “wind” is the same (pneuma). 

Breath is actually my favourite symbol for the Holy Spirit because it is something that exists constantly within us. Every so often we need an experience of the Holy Spirit to remind us of His presence. We may not see doves or fire frequently but we always breathe! A few months ago, there was a TikTok video made by an American girl about how every human breath — every inhale and exhale is essentially speaking the name of God, calling to Him. As you slowly draw breath through your mouth, you are actually making the sound YH and as you slowly exhale through your mouth, you make the sound WH. You can try it now. Both sounds put together is the Old Testament name of God — Yahweh. I like this imagery because it reminds me that it is God who breathes life in me. It is God who sustains me. And when times get difficult, the default mode of my body is still to call on the Lord as I breathe!  It also keeps me aware that my life is aided and guided by Him and ultimately lived for Him. It is by my life on earth, that I can glorify my Creator. I like to think that is why Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit on His disciples at Pentecost, instead of simply laying His hands on them or holding them over their heads. 

Today, we celebrate Pentecost — the day the Lord bestowed the Holy Spirit on His disciples and essentially all of humankind who chooses to receive the Holy Spirit. We are told that the Old Testament was the time of God the Father’s manifestation to humanity, and the New Testament is the revelation of Jesus, God the Son, to the humankind. After the Ascension, it is deemed the time of the Holy Spirit. For the past 2000 years all up unto this very day, God still roams the earth through the Holy Spirit. We may not see Him and sometimes we miss His presence and intervention in our lives but it does not mean He is not there to guide us, to give us peace, to restore us, and to strengthen us. If He does all that for us when we are not mindful of Him, imagine what He can do for us if we invoke Him? How do we recognize that the Holy Spirit is working in us and through us? We know by the fruits borne of our thoughts, words and actions. In his letter to the Galatians, St. Paul lists the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal 5:22-23) Make it a habit to reflect at the end of the day, and see if your day’s existence has borne these fruits for yourself and others. You will be more sensitive to how the Holy Spirit enriches your life and you will find reason to be grateful. 

During His lifetime, Jesus’ presence was a comfort as well as a security for His followers.  Being with them physically had helped tremendously in dealing with their confusion and doubt as they try to learn the ways of the Lord. In the Farewell Discourse of Jesus in John’s gospel, He told His disciples that it was better for them that He should go back to the Father in heaven so that the Holy Spirit would come to them. (John 16:7) Through the Holy Spirit Jesus could very well be present — guiding, strengthening and loving His followers — even more intimately than being with them physically. We live in the Age of the Holy Spirit. We are blessed because Jesus can now be more intimately present to us through the Holy Spirit. This is indeed a gift but at the same time a tremendous challenge. As we mature as Christians, we are invited to discern at all times God’s presence within ourselves so that we can be directed by His saving power.

HOMILY: Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

Luke 24:46-53

29 May 2022 

Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez, AA

My friend has two beautiful daughters. One of them is leaving in August to study abroad for a year or two. It is a happy yet sad occasion for their family because they treasure their daughters and are very protective of them.  Her daughter has barely left the country and they are already planning how often they can visit each other within the school year. Parting from loved ones is really one of the most difficult things. In death, there is a perception of a permanent separation that makes it all the more painful. However, when the separation is temporary — be it a few months, or even a few years, it becomes more bearable because we know we have a chance to see our loved one again. 

Today, we remember the Lord’s Ascension into heaven. It must have been a very painful experience for the disciples. They thought they had lost Him for good at the crucifixion, then imagine their shock and joy at His return to them during the Easter period!  Throughout the next 40 days before the Ascension, Jesus may not have been consistently in their presence, but we are told He appears to them and is able to spend much time with them, instructing them. How happy his followers must have been to be able to be with Him again. Then here comes His Ascension where He must leave them again to return to Heaven. (Aalis na naman siya. Magkakahiwalay na naman sila. Hindi na naman sila magkikita ng matagal-tagal.) How their hearts must have broken all over again. How fearful they must have been because their leader would be leaving them! (Paano na sila?)

Recently, it has been my privilege to celebrate the many accomplishments of another very challenging school year with some school communities, particularly St. Pedro Poveda College where I serve as school chaplain.  It was a time to celebrate all of the hard work both teachers and students alike have put into making sure that learning was facilitated. Of course, the students were sad to be going their separate ways and be parting from their friends of many years, but they are happy that their hard work in school is paying off and they look forward to making new friends and having new experiences in the next level of education. Highlighting the offering of all these graces at the baccalaureate mass and the graduation ceremony helps everyone to remember what has been achieved and what they ought to be grateful for. The “graduation ceremony” is also referred to as ‘commencement exercises’ which I actually prefer, because the term, in itself, implies a ‘new phase’ or ‘a beginning’ or ‘a period of transition.’ It is not seen as ‘the end of a phase’ or a ‘departure from a certain level at school’.  It rather entails a start of new pursuits for future opportunities. (Papunta pa lang tayo sa exciting part!)

For the disciples, the Ascension marks their entering into a new phase without Jesus. Just as in any parting of friends and loved ones, the final hugs and kisses, and the final words to each other are the most important and the most memorable. In Luke’s account, in the Acts of the Apostles, the very last words of Jesus to His disciples are “you will be my witnesses… to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) He makes it clear that He wants all His disciples to carry on the work He had begun. As Jesus leaves, He gives all His followers a very important mission — to be, in His physical absence, a loving and redemptive presence in the world. This mission is something we inherit from the disciples because we choose to follow in their footsteps as followers of Jesus Christ.  We too must be witnesses for our contemporaries in the world. 

Another important element between the parting of friends and loved ones is the parting gift. Jesus does not leave His friends empty handed. He tells them they have to go back to Jerusalem. That is where they will receive His parting gift.  There, they would have to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit who would strengthen them as they commence their participation in Jesus’ saving mission. That is what we celebrate at Pentecost. The power of his Holy Spirit poured onto us through our baptism, completed in our confirmation, compels us to be His “witnesses” in this world.  (It is to be noted that the Greek word Luke uses here is “martures”.) In other words, we are called to be His “martyrs” – giving witness in the world by being persons of faith and also action, even at the cost of our own life. The task is not easy so we rely on the gifts of the spirit to empower us for the mission. 

As Jesus disappears from their sight, the disciples continue to gaze upwards into the sky. All that transpire is still an overwhelming experience that must have stirred up so many mixed emotions. They are fearful, sad, yet joyful and hopeful. It is then those two men wearing white clothes stand beside them and say: “Men of Galilee, what are you doing looking at the sky? This same Jesus who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”  (Acts 1:11) That is the assurance they need to realise that the separation, though it will be lengthy is not going to be permanent.  There will be a reunion. To go a step further, we can presume that this is also a foretelling of the reunion of Jesus with the world in His second coming. (Mula sa langit, bababa siyang muli at tatapak uli sa lupa ng kamundohan.) Either way, Jesus is reunited with humanity that He loves so much that He became one of us, and sacrificed His life for us that we may have a chance to be with Him for all eternity.  (Hindi ba’t napakagandang manatili sa presensiya ng nagmamahal sa iyo ng lubos at ng walang kundisyon? Sana asahan natin at asamin natin yun — ang hindi na mawalay magpakailanman sa Diyos.)

On this day of the Ascension of our Lord, we are being introduced to a time of transition in our discipleship to a life of mission. As in any transition we experience in life, times of transition are often difficult.  But Jesus assures us to soldier on because the Holy Spirit, will guide us to fulfil our mission in life. As disciples of Jesus, we cannot simply keep looking for Him in the sky. Rather, our mission is to be Jesus in this world. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit, the Comforter (cum-forte, with strength) to move powerfully in us every day of our lives as we strive to be authentic witnesses of our Christian faith!

HOMILY: Sixth Sunday of Easter

John 14:23-29

22 May 2022

Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez, AA 

“Masa” ka ba?  Tipong masandal lang, tulog agad? I have a friend who falls asleep so easily, waiting for hours is no bother to him. He finds a comfortable spot, leans his back and he is out like a light. Hindi siya namamahay pag may out of town at hindi siya nakakatulog sa sarili niyang kama. He has missed his stop a few times when riding the bus because he has happily transported himself to dreamland. Someone once asked him, “Bro, di ka ba natatakot pagnakakatulog ka na mag-isa ka lang tapos public place? Baka manakawan ka habang tulog ka! His answer surprised us. Sabi niya, “Malaki ang tiwala ko sa Panginoon na hindi Niya ako pababayaan. Hindi ako natatakot kahit ano ang mangyari, panatag akong nariyan lamang ang Diyos sa aking tabi. 

In the gospel passage from John, Jesus who is preparing to leave encourages His disciples by saying: “Do not let your hearts be troubled [nor] afraid.” He promises them that He will continue to be present in their midst. He does not leave them empty-handed though. He leaves them a farewell gift: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.”  

Shalom, the gift of peace! The biblical concept of peace is derived from the Hebrew concept of peace, which is “shalom”. The Hebrew concept of “shalom” goes beyond the common understanding of peace, which is the cessation of hostilities. Rather, “shalom” is understood to mean “wholeness, completeness, soundness, health, safety and prosperity, carrying with it the implication of permanence.” The peace Christ offers is not the absence of strife or contention in fact the one who promises it is the One who Himself had to face humiliation and crucifixion. This peace is the fruit of the Holy Spirit (The Advocate) dwelling within us who guides, accompanies and empowers us to rise above all of life’s adversities. And because we have received the Holy Spirit, it is possible for us not to be “troubled nor afraid.”  

Maraming natatakot sa kahihinatnan ng Pilipinas. Sa ngayon andiyan ang panganib ng bagong variants ng COVID, monkeypox, pagtaas ng presyo ng pagkain at gasolina, etc… Siyempre sa kakatapos na eleksyon, nag-aalala ang mga tao kung ang mga nanalo ay tutupad sa kanilang pangako at gagampanan nila ng husto ang kanilang tungkulin.  Sa buong kamunduhan, madami na ang apektado ng giyera sa Russia at Ukraine. Pero pinaaalalahananan tayo ni Hesus na habang tayo ay nananatili si Kanya, wala tayong dapat ikabahala. 

As I mentioned earlier, this same peace is the farewell gift of Jesus to His disciples just before they would experience the painful reality of His passion and death. This gift of peace is not a simple well-wish. This peace is a blessing that includes all the benefits of the risen life that all His followers will receive in Him. This gift of peace is Jesus’ promise of His “presence.” Note that this  same Jewish greeting and farewell is also how Jesus greets His disciples each time he appears to them after the Resurrection. Jesus offers His disciples an inner sense of security borne out of a conviction that God is with them and in them. This gift of peace is something which not even the threat of death can take away from them. The truth is that many of these witnesses were martyred, subjected to terrible suffering and a brutal death for the faith. It is an assurance from Jesus that He is simply there; He is present in the stresses and strains of daily life. Such is the power of the Lord’s resurrection. The peace Jesus bestows is a peace He has won by overcoming sin and death. It is proof that Jesus is greater than evil at work in the world. It is a peace in which we can rest even while in the throes of life’s struggles. 

Our future is unknown, and that may be unsettling, but we are assured by Jesus’ abiding presence among us through the Holy Spirit. If we open ourselves and allow ourselves to truly experience God’s presence, then our hearts can be nourished by the gift of peace – His peace – that only Jesus can offer. Brothers and sisters, let us walk in the peace of Christ. Let this gift of peace be with us always! Let the peace of Christ encourage us… strengthen and empower us to persevere through all of life’s uncertainties.

HOMILY: Fifth Sunday of Easter

John 13:31-35

15 May 2022

Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez, AA

There was a little boy who desperately wanted to own a puppy. When their neighbour’s dog gave birth, the boy’s parents allowed him to select a puppy as his birthday present. The little boy was so thrilled when he saw the litter of six baby Shih Tzus playing in their pen. He observed them for a while and picked up each and every one, inspecting them closely. He finally picked up the runt of the litter, smiled and confidently declared that it was the one he wanted. His parents encouraged him to select another from among the chubbier and more energetic puppies but he would not be dissuaded. When they asked why he wanted the smallest and weakest one, he hugged the puppy closer to his heart and said it was the one who needed his love and care the most.

Today’s gospel reading from John is a short one. The scene happened during Passover after Jesus had washed the feet of His disciples and had had His Last Supper with them. The passage clearly emphasises the singular message of Jesus to His disciples before they must be separated. It says that as He declares He will be with them only a little while longer, He gives them a “new commandment”. “As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” (John 13:34) For someone who knew His death is approaching, this last lesson was a vital one for His disciples and crucial to impart. Ang huling habilin ng isang taong mamamatay ay kadalasan ang pinakaimportanteng bagay na nais niyang maibahagi sa kanyang iiwanang mahal sa buhay.

If we look back on Jesus’ life, everything He said and did, boils down to LOVE. Does it not baffle you why Jesus refers to this as a “NEW” commandment? Remember that in Jesus’ time, the Jews lived by the 10 commandments given by God to Moses and they all generally began with “Thou shalt” and “Thou shalt not”. They were a list of objective rules that the Israelites had to comply with to please the Lord as part of their covenantal relationship with Him. When Jesus came along, He summarised the 10 commandments of God into two simple, and very relatable commandments — Love of God and Love of neighbour. In today’s gospel, He introduces an aspect of loving that renders it a “New” commandment — “… as I have loved you”. That phrase changes everything altogether!

As Christians, our task of loving is more difficult. It is more demanding because it is patterned after the way Jesus loves each one of us; and how the Father loves each one of us through Jesus. We are asked to love perfectly as God loves and in Jesus, we find a model of how it is to love as God does. Jesus teaches a very radical kind of love.  He asks us to love those whom society rejects as outcasts. He asks us to be loving enough to forgive sinners. One of the more difficult ones is to love EVEN our enemies. Ultimately, we have to love even if it means we have to make sacrifices. It may even mean giving up of the self; a laying down of one’s life! We recall what Jesus says in John’s gospel: “[There is] no greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13) This is what Jesus did when He took up the cross and took on the punishment for our sins so that we may have the chance to be united to God the Father. Thus, when we love we must be willing to put the good of the people we love before our own wants; before our own needs. To emphasise this self-giving aspect involved in loving, St. Augustine famously said, “Love has hands to help others. It has feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of others.”

This means we have to be all-embracing, open and inclusive in our loving. “Love one another!” (John 13:34) Jesus did not say: “Love your fellow Jews or your fellow Christians only!” As followers of Christ, we have always understood this call as an invitation to reach out and to be less discriminating about the people we help or the people who benefit from our understanding and forgiveness. We are asked to give love to others even to those whom we think are seemingly undeserving of it — to those who are different from us, with different values, ideologies, habits, cultures and preferences. We are to extend ourselves. We are to selflessly offer our hearts especially to those who need love the most. God loves us despite our sinfulness and propensity to keep falling into sin. John 3:16 says, “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life.”  We hardly deserve the sacrifice God makes for us because after all, we are just His creatures. Yet, that is how much God has loved us in Jesus. That is how we are expected to love.  It is, as the gospel says, how people will know we belong to Jesus and that we are His followers. 

I remember a mother telling me about one of her children who was perceived as a total disappointment by her husband. Apparently, the husband wanted his only son to be a businessman like himself. The son however, had set his heart on a completely different career. This angered his father who began to treat him unkindly. In the father’s old age, he got sick and needed special care and attention. To the mother’s amazement, it was the son who took on the responsibility of selflessly taking care of his father. She shared how she was very much moved and impressed by her son’s behaviour. There was not an ounce of bitterness, rancour, and resentment on the part of the rejected son. After all the hurt he had suffered from his dad’s ill-treatment, she never expected her son to afford his father such gentle care. This is a self-giving and forgiving love. This is How Jesus loves. This is how God loves. We live in such an imperfect world in need of God’s perfect love.  If we look around, we will find many opportunities for us to love others as Jesus loves each one of us. 

Our loving should take after the way Jesus loves us; and how the Father loves us in Jesus. Let us learn thereby to love as Jesus loves for it is through it that we can be recognised as His disciples.

HOMILY: Good Shepherd Sunday

John 10:27-30

8 May 2022

Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez, AA

One of the last musicals I saw before returning to the Philippines in the late 2019 was Hamilton. I made sure to watch it in its West End production with Rachel Anne Go playing Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton. During the intermission, I overheard two British ladies seated in front of me praise Rachelle Ann Go for her excellent performance in the show. One of them said, she sings very well because she is a Filipina. Filipinos generally sing very well.” Her friend jokingly asked her: “What do these people eat?” I was tempted to respond… “Rice!” I was flattered to hear them attribute the gift of musicality to our nationality. There is always a place for music or singing in the Filipino way of life. It is so much a part of our culture that we do not only enjoy singing contests and karaoke, but we do it rather well.  Our ears are trained to listen sensitively to the right melody so we do not sing off key.

This Good Shepherd Sunday, we are told that Jesus is the shepherd and His sheep are those who hear His voice, recognise it and follow it. Since we are not really very familiar with sheep in our culture, except that they consider them to be absolutely adorable creatures, I did some research. To think of these woolly animals as being always obedient to the shepherd, would be a mistake! I read that sheep can be silly, hard-headed creatures, always doing what they want and often heading off in the wrong direction, getting themselves into trouble. They do, however, recognise the voice of the one who cares for them. It is important for the sheep to be familiar with the voice of their master. So, the shepherd has to always be on the alert. He cannot simply sit on a rock amusing himself or taking a nap in the shade of a tree. If one gets lost, the shepherd climbs mountains and hills looking for it, calling out its name. And whether the lost sheep has fallen into a pit or is trapped in a bush of thorns, it will bleat as soon as it hears the voice of its master so the shepherd can go and rescue it. Thus, every sheep in the flock needs to be familiar with the voice of its master so each one can call on the Good Shepherd for help when even a single one of them is in danger with wolves, thieves, and all forms of danger. 

In like manner, Jesus as a “Good Shepherd” is kept well occupied by our failings, our stubbornness, our poor choices but like any capable shepherd, He recognises and can identify every last member of His flock and call them by name! He knows each and every one of us — our unique characteristics that make us beautiful, our tendencies for good and evil, our usual failings and favourite sins… and He is there for us each time we fall or lose our way.  He calls to each of us, reminding us in our day-to-day life to be close to Him. If we call out to Him in prayer, we can be assured that He is always listening and He responds to us in the best time possible. 

Now, learning by heart the voice of Jesus takes time. We have to always listen attentively because there are many voices and noises out there that demand our attention. It is only through a sincere and heartfelt listening — it is only through a meaningful repetition, a meaningful exposure that we become accustomed to our Shepherd’s voice. This is the only voice that we must listen to, heed and follow faithfully and wholeheartedly. This familiarity with the voice of the master is a result of the shepherd and the sheep constantly being together and becoming acquainted with each other.  We have to nurture our relationship with Jesus so we become sensitive to the sound of His voice speaking to us.

Sadly, we lose our way because we can no longer tell if we are still hearing the voice of Jesus or if we have allowed other voices to lead us farther from Him — these are the voices that tempt us to think only of ourselves, to take what is not ours, to harm other human beings, to be greedy, to enrich ourselves at the expense of others and the environment, to be inconsiderate and play deaf to the misery of those around us. We allow ourselves to be deceived by these lies because the voices that call out to us are sweet and enticing and we do not like to follow the voice of Jesus that tells us to follow Him on the straight and narrow path, to love our enemies, and especially to pick up our cross and follow Him. When the going gets tough, we would rather go away. When the road gets rough, we want to give up and take the easy way out. That is how we find ourselves in trouble. That is when we realise we have wandered so far from Jesus. The funny thing is, this is also the time we tend to blame Him and accuse Him of abandoning us. Then we say our prayers and we call out to Him in anger and frustration…. yet He listens and responds because He loves us. Sometimes, we still do not hear Him calling us back to the fold. So, He uses the voices of those we listen to the most — inspirational speakers and authors, popular influencers, counsellors, priests, nuns, teachers, friends, and family…. most especially our mothers….

Today is Mother’s Day and I will not let the chance pass to greet all you moms here at mass and those of you watching the livestream. Moms are a blessing. They are the reason you and I are here on this earth. I have had the fortune of having two moms. My birth Nanay and my adoptive Mama. Despite the irregularity of my family situation, I can say that I felt loved by both of them when they were both living. One lovingly raised me and taught me life skills and values that led me to be the person I am now. And the other gave life to me and gave me the chance to forgive her and love her back unconditionally.  My relationship with either of them was far from perfect but I often recognise the voice of Jesus in their voices when they greet me with warmth, when they converse with me about life, and when they would give me encouragement and advice when I am burdened with problems. I hope that you have also felt the love of your moms, or at least mother figures who have looked out for you and comforted you and who guide you on the right path. May our mothers, grandmothers and mother figures have a heart like that of Mama Mary who is the best model of motherhood. We can always count on Mama Mary to lead us to her Son, the Good Shepherd, and help us to hear His voice amidst the noise in our life. 

On this Good Shepherd Sunday, we are all invited to choose to become closer to Jesus that we may recognise His voice and hear Him calling us out of darkness into light, moving us out of the pit into the heights and beckoning us to greener pastures where He awaits us with open arms. And as we prepare to choose our next leaders, may we listen to the voice of Jesus and be guided to choose leaders after His own heart who will offer their lives in service of our brothers and sisters in need. May we always have the courage and humility to eagerly respond to His call.

HOMILY: Third Sunday of Easter

John 21:1-19

1 May 2022 

Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez, AA

By now you know how much of a K-Drama fan I am. It should not surprise you that I will begin this homily with a beautiful quote from the K-Drama, Twenty-Five Twenty-One: “Don’t ever forget how you earned a new opportunity. Whenever you’re having a hard time, remind yourself how difficult it was to start.” – Fencing Coach Yang. It got me thinking and I realized, it’s true. Opportunities arise because we desire to better ourselves and our life, and so opt to do something differently or to take risks in order for that change to happen. Often times, it takes a long time and much sacrifice and we need to be strong and persevering. Am I right? 

In John’s Gospel, we hear how the disciples reverted back to their old life of fishing even though Jesus had already appeared to them a few times while they were in hiding, fearing for themselves. Apparently, those visits from the risen Christ were not enough to fully convince them that they were to continue the mission in their Master’s absence. They probably still felt confused, afraid and abandoned because Jesus was no longer physically with them all the time to lead them, guide them, console them and enlighten them. We read about Peter and the other disciples fishing again. But strangely enough, although they are expert fishermen, they caught absolutely nothing! In their frustration they took the advice of a stranger and were shocked to have filled their nets with 153 large fish. It was only then that they recognize the Lord. Peter jumps into the water and the rest follow in the boat to eagerly meet the Lord. 

Let us first recognize that the symbolism in the gospel is very rich. Scholars say that 153 fish was symbolic of the 153 species of fish in the world so in a sense their catch was representative of ALL fish. Remember that Jesus had called them out of being fishermen to be FISHERS of MEN, so this catch was a message that if they stick to the Lord’s plan, their mission will take them to all peoples and they will be able to convert people from every race and nationality. Secondly, Jesus cooks fish and bread — the same food He multiplied for the hungry 5000.  This is meant to help His disciples recognize Him and confirm His identity. Lastly, we keep an eye on Peter. He does not recognize Jesus until the beloved disciple mentions this. Only then does he react. He jumps in the water lightly clad and wades ashore to meet Jesus who is cooking on a charcoal fire. Peter is lightly clad to represent his feeling of shame and nakedness before the Lord who knew that Peter would deny Him 3 times even before it happened. The charcoal fire must have also been a painful memory of the charcoal fire in the courtyard where Peter stood to warm himself when He denied that He was among Jesus’ disciples. And yet we know in the story that Peter had nothing to fear.  After Jesus asks Peter three times: “Do you love me?” (John 21:15), all is forgiven and Jesus even entrusts Him with the leadership and care for His flock. This encounter emphasizes how lovingly the Lord pursued his frightened disciples to call them back to the mission. He was giving them back the opportunity. He was giving them another chance. 

We are very much like the disciples ourselves when we are easily discouraged by all the challenges of life.  When things don’t go as planned, we think, God is not listening to our prayers or God does not care about us or God does not love us and sometimes we convince ourselves that God is cruel to us. We forget all the times God had helped us and has been good to us. We stop counting our blessings and count all our frustrations and failings instead. So, we stop praying. We stop trying to live honestly, resort to unethical shortcuts, we lie, we cheat, we steal and become inconsiderate of others. We even delight in having duped others or put one over them (naisahan ang kapwa) to our advantage. How very quickly do we find ourselves returning to our former life and its patterns when we experience even just the slightest failure in our tracks. How very quickly we let go of our faith in Jesus. How quickly we allow the fire of enthusiasm to be extinguished. I know this because I hear this a lot in confession. And sometimes, I am also tempted to lose heart when things don’t go the way I prayed they would. 

It is not only in spiritual aspects that this rings true. Even in our day-to-day life, we observe this. These days we all speak of the elections. I notice how the older generation is more cynical. Many have let go of their dreams for capable leaders with integrity and an administration that is decent and effective. They are so frustrated by the failure of past leaders to keep their campaign promises of eradicating corruption, of leading the nation to progress, of addressing poverty, joblessness and hunger, of raising salaries and of providing better healthcare and education. (May iba pang nagsasabi, sinungaling ang lahat ng pulitikong nangangako ng pagbabago. Pare-pareho lang silang nagiging corrupt pagnahalal na sila. They no longer believe it when candidates claim they will do better. Parang sinukuan na nila ang gobyerno ng Pilipinas. Wala na silang natatanaw na pag-asa. Bumabalik sila sa pagkiling at pag-endorso ng mga trapo, yung sikat at yung namimigay ng pera. Nakakalungkot. Dapat nga bumoto ang mga mas nakatatanda para sa kapakanan ng kabataan at kinabukasan ng Pilipinas. Ano ba ang gusto nating ipamanang bansa sa ating mga anak at apo? Bilang magulang masisikmura ba nating  maghandog sa ating mga mahal na anak at apo ng isang bansang binasura at napariwara ng kanyang mga lider?)  This election is our chance to choose better.  We should not forget the errors of the past but let us also not lose hope for the future of the Philippines. (Abot-kamay natin ang pagkakataong ito para sa pagbabago, wag na sana nating pakawalan.  Wag na tayong bumalik sa dati na nagdulot lang sa atin ng kasiraan at limpak-limpak na pagkakautang.) We have come a long way. We have fought hard and sacrificed much to savour the freedoms we have. I am not just talking of the past 60 years, but of all those in the history of our country who dreamed of a better home for future generations. Let us not waste it. 

Let us take inspiration from the First Reading that shows us the changes that occurred in the disciples, especially Peter when He took the opportunity to continue serving the Lord. In the passage from the Acts of the Apostles, we see that Peter did not waste the chance Jesus had given him.  The fearful Peter who denied Jesus three times was gone, replaced by a Peter who proclaimed the truth of the resurrection and spoke boldly of the new life to be found in Jesus’ name. It was the experience of the Risen Jesus that inspired Peter to speak with boldness and to defy the strict orders of the Sanhedrin to stop teaching in Jesus’ name. “We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:9) The disciples even rejoiced that they were able to “suffer dishonour for the sake of the name.” (Acts 5:41) Like them, we too have been filled with the Spirit of Jesus not to be discouraged by our failures, our shortcomings, our sinfulness. The Spirit compels us to continue trying, to staying the course of discipleship.  In this spirit, I want to appeal to the youth.  Your vote will play a huge role in deciding the next set of Philippine leaders on May 9. Your vote comprises more than half of the 65.7 million voters in the country. As our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal famously said: “The youth are the hope of our motherland.” (Ang mag kabataan ang siyang pagasa ng ating Inang Bayan.”. Huwag kayong magpaimpluwensiya sa mga taong tila nawalan na ng pag-asa para sa ikabubuti natin.) Do not lose hope and your idealism. It is too early for you to be cynical and indifferent.  Pray for guidance. Let the Lord lead you to legitimate leaders. Cast your vote wisely. This is your mission for the nation today. 

We often need renewal so we do not lose our sense of mission and our ability to recognise the Lord in our everyday plans and endeavours.  Remember how we were first called.  Pray that we be re-newed, re-vived, and re-animated in our faith by the triumphant Jesus who is stronger, more powerful than all that threaten to destroy us. Like Peter, we are invited to wade through the water and swim towards the One who fills our empty nets and grants us second chances.