Sunday Gospel Reflections

HOMILY: Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

John 6:1-15

25 July 2021 

Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez, AA

Just when I thought things were finally getting better, we are again beset with so much fear and anxiety over the news of the highly transmissible Delta variant possibly triggering another surge of COVID cases in the country. As much as possible we want to do everything in our power to avoid this. We have suffered long enough! We even feel helpless and overwhelmed when simply thinking of ways to survive this health crisis. Parang wala ng katapusan! My friend sighed: “It is a mad cycle.” 

In the Gospel passage, we learn how it is to shepherd God’s people from what Jesus teaches His disciples. The story of the feeding of the crowd of five thousand with five loaves and two fish teaches us more than feeding those who are less fortunate among us, both in the physical and in the spiritual. It teaches us that giving is more a consequence of a generous spirit than giving of our excess. It also urges us to believe in the providence of God, our Father. 

Often like the disciples, we find ourselves overwhelmed by perceived problems. Phillip says: “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little.” (John 6:7) How indeed can they provide for such a multitude from their limited funds? Andrew says: “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what good are they for so many?” (John 6:9) What a blessing it was to actually have food available but the gift was immediately diminished because five loaves and two fish were deemed a meagre supply amounting to nothing much. It is not enough; it is too little to share with thousands of others. Jesus’ disciples said: “Because we have so little, we have nothing for so many people.” This tendency for equating “meagre” with “nothing” is a mindset Jesus changed in his disciples. Through the miraculous feeding of the multitude with the five loaves and two fish, Jesus challenged their defeatist mentality, showing them how a little can actually go a long way with the love and mercy of God. 

Isn’t this a common attitude among us Filipinos as well? We catch ourselves saying this from time to time: “I have nothing to give because I am a nobody.”  Time and again, I have heard the less fortunate in society excuse themselves from contributing to the good of society saying: “We are poor. We are not educated. We are just illegal settlers. We do not have a voice. ”  Even in the parish setting, when there are fundraisers, I hear some parishioners say: “We don’t need to give. The wealthier among us can raise the funds themselves. It will not hurt them to donate a large sum.”  The focus is erroneously on what one does not have or will find too difficult to acquire than on what one does have.  This is what we call the “poverty mentality.”  It is an attitude that presumes one has nothing worthwhile to give or share because what they have does not compare to those who have more.  

Our status in life does not determine how much we are able to contribute. It should not limit our capacity to do good for others. I saw an article online about a Filipino boy who was granted a full scholarship to Amherst College in Massachusetts, USA. Gelbert Cresencio is the son of a farmer/tricycle driver and a humble store keeper in the province of Bohol. Witnessing Alzheimer’s destroy his grandfather, he dreamed of becoming a neuroscientist or a neurosurgeon to develop a device to detect the onset of the disease in its early stages so the patient can already receive treatment. He knew his parents could not afford to fund his education so he took on a job after graduating High School but he endeavoured to apply for a scholarship at Amherst. Out of 5,000 applicants worldwide, he was among 118 students selected for a full scholarship with free board and lodging amounting to over P4 Million pesos! Once he achieves his dream, he is committed to return to the Philippines to serve his countrymen. He did not let his financial deficiency stop him from trying to make something of himself so he can be of greater benefit to more people in the future. He is making a very generous gift of himself to the world. 

Inability is not the same as unwillingness.  At the heart of generosity is a confidence in the providence of God our loving Father. It is knowing that we are children of a God of abundance and that we are all stewards of His bounty. Granted, some are stewards of more material wealth than others, but we are all blessed with our own gifts in other aspects and of that we can always share. Your wallet may be empty but you may have the physical strength to help others do manual tasks they find difficult, or you may have the intellectual capacity to think up solutions to problems, or the gift to speak inspiring words and give encouragement. 

Today’s gospel calls us to witness to the love of God for His people by sharing our “loaves” and “fish” to feed those in need. When the 5 loaves and 2 fish are blessed and shared, we all know what happened next… the collected leftovers filled twelve wicker baskets. This miracle happened when the value of the meagre was acknowledged, and when the little was shared. The scant became plenty—more than enough for everybody!  The little that we have when shared in love will go a long way in assuring our less fortunate brothers and sisters of God’s providence and His constant presence throughout their struggles. After all, it is through each other that we also experience God’s goodness and mercy.  One of my favourite saints is St. Pedro Poveda whose feast we will celebrate this Wednesday. He once said, “One does not need to be rich in order to give, one only needs to be good; when one is good he/she will always find something to give.” 

We must never belittle our ability to give. In our own little ways we can contribute to society, help the needy and alleviate someone’s suffering.  To stave off another COVID surge, some people are advocating a voluntary ECQ and strictly observing the necessary health protocols, even if we are officially under GCQ with heightened restrictions. Our personal sacrifices to restrict our movements and increase our self- awareness not only contributes to our safety but also to that of the majority.  That is in itself a small gift we give to our society. I was struck by a recent article in the news. It featured Dionisio Lingaling, Jr. who was simply watching over a COVID patient in the ICU of a hospital in Ilocos Norte. Seeing the plight of doctors and nurses in the COVID ICU, he offered his services to the hospital team so they did not have to undergo the tedious process of donning and doffing PPEs to do tasks outside the unit. He said he volunteered to fill up oxygen tanks for them and run other small errands because he wanted to minimise their exposure and saw that they were already fatigued. A small act of kindness meant so much to the team because he gave them a little respite and valued their sacrifice.

At the start of the homily, we mentioned the “mad cycle” of suffering. The cycle is always broken when people make an effort to alleviate others’ pain, difficulty, and misfortune. The miracle of multiplication continues to happen when we offer of our humble selves to others, no matter how poor, little or least we are. Elisha was able to feed one hundred people with a handful of barley loaves and Jesus was able to feed five thousand with five barley loaves and two fish. We are never without something to give because we are blessed by a generous and loving God who calls us His heirs.  We are all stewards of His abundance. With our commitment to Jesus’ mission of feeding our hungry brothers and sisters— addressing those in need — we, too, can transform the ‘food of the poor’ into the ‘food for all’.

HOMILY: Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Mark 6:30-34

18 July 2021 

Fr. Ricky Canet Montanez, AA

After reading through the comments of netizens on the results of a local singing contest, my friend tweeted… “Sana ganyan din tayo kabusisi mamili ng ihahalal nating pinuno. Ang daming marunong ha?” They say most Filipinos are hard to please and are very critical of performing artists. In one of her interviews, I remember our very own internationally-acclaimed broadway star, Lea Salonga saying (as excellent an artist as she is) that it is always more demanding to perform for the “home crowd” because Filipinos have very high expectations of performers. Just visit our social media pages. Kung mamintas at manlait ang ilan sa pinaka-maliit na pagkakamali – wagas – abot langit! Sobra tayong perfectionist. Ang taas ng standards! Kung sana ganun din kataas ang standards natin sa pagpili ng ating public servants. I wish we were as meticulous when choosing our leaders. (Parang di kasi tayo ganun ka-critical magbusisi sa ating mga pulitiko.) 

Today’s readings contrast between good and bad shepherding. In the First Reading, the prophet Jeremiah talks about leaders who do not have their people’s best interest at heart. They do not care for the people’s needs. Jeremiah even says that not only have they neglected the people of God but they have also misled them. Speaking through the prophet, the Lord addresses these self-serving leaders as such… “You have scattered my sheep and driven them away. You have not cared for them.” (Jeremiah 23:1) So God speaks of sending a leader for God’s people, “the great shepherd of the sheep” who will pasture His people after His own heart. We know this good shepherd to be none other than Jesus Christ. 

In his Letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul highlights the union that has been accomplished in Christ. In Christ, those who were once “far off” from the faith have now been brought together as one people in their faith in Him. (Ephesians 2:13) In talking about “breaking down the wall of enmity” (Ephesians 2:14) St. Paul seems to refer to the divisions between the Jewish Christians and the Gentile Christians that have all been reconciled in Christ. In doing so, St. Paul presents Christ as a model for leaders to promote unity rather than division among the people.   

We also have the beautiful Twenty-Third Psalm. The psalm offers a couple of images of repose and of restful waters and the refreshment that the Good Shepherd brings to those who take their refuge in the Lord. The Gospel shows Jesus as a leader who takes good care of His apostles. He makes sure that they all get rest, be re-energized and fit for the work ahead.  Jesus Himself doesn’t get to have his share of rest as the crowd has been eagerly trying to follow Him and His disciples wherever they went. Though exhausted, when Jesus sees these people “like sheep without a shepherd,” He would unreservedly attend to their needs and “… teach them many things.” (Mark 6:34)

As in the time of Jeremiah, many of us who are in leadership roles have so much to answer for. Many of us need to relearn, understand and recognise how best to exemplify authority for service. By the life He led, Jesus showed the disciples how authority is first and foremost, bestowed for the purpose of service. This is a continuing lesson for us all. When this is forgotten, power and privileges that come with authority are abused and the common good is forgotten. This happens when leaders (civic or church) forget they are supposed to be public servants, servant leaders. 

Our readings encourage us to be carefully discerning in choosing well our leaders in the next elections. Dependable shepherds walk with us in the dark valleys of our lives. They do not leave us alone to fend for ourselves. They will never say or act in a manner that suggests, “Bahala na kayo sa mga sarili ninyo”. They are willing to sacrifice their own convenience for the sake of their flock. They even go as far as risking their own safety for the sake of their constituents. “I am the Good Shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11) They, too, have the capacity to promote unity rather than division among the people. Good leaders rally people to work together for the common good. 

Our national election is sooner than we think. I think 75 days left to register for all our new voters and the like. Magpa-rehistro tayo! We should take responsibility for the future of our country. This time, we really have to be able to choose well our national leaders. We have to be perceptive and wise in matters that will affect all of us and future generations. We are reminded through our readings to be cautious of made-up truths spread on social media and to be wary of those behind them. Don’t be deceived by appearances, grandstanding and false witnessing. Nakasalalay ang ating kinabukasan sa sino man ang ating pipiliing mga mamumuno sa atin sa susunod na 6 na taon. 

As we take refuge in and assurance from Jesus, we are privileged to experience our Good Shepherd’s care for us. Thus, we, too are invited to be good shepherds to one another. We do this according to the example of Jesus who has shown compassion for each of His sheep, seeking them out when they stray and loving them unconditionally. May we always look to the Good Shepherd for inspiration in choosing our shepherds and in shepherding others. With Him as our guide we will never go astray.

Homily: Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

11 July 2021

Mark 6:7-13 

Fr. Ricky C. Montanez, AA

It has been a month since I moved here to San Roque and my experience has been fulfilling thus far. I strongly believe God has been affirming my new mission as evidenced by the outpouring of His grace since I arrived.  Just a week after my arrival we have managed to improve the live-streaming of our masses with the help of parishioners of Christ the King who donated most of our new equipment. With so many generous people helping San Roque Parish plus the cooperation of our own parishioners, ramdam na ramdam ko na hindi ako nag-iisa sa misyong ito. I am more inspired to continue giving my best and my all for the mission.

The work of God is never a solitary affair.  This is very apparent from the first line of this Sunday’s gospel passage from Mark. “Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits.” (Mark 6:7) They are not sent alone but in pairs (“two by two”). They have the gift of one another to support and sustain each other in the given task of proclaiming the Good News. My recent experiences leading up to my becoming administrator of this parish is a testament to this. In more ways than one, so many people have joined me to enrich the faith and worship experiences of San Roque Parish. This is a shared mission. 

Hindi ba karamihan sa atin kailangan ng katuwang, ng kasama lalo na kung meron malaking hamon na kinakaharap? Siyempre mas okay kung meron kang ka-holding hands, kabalikat, kabatak sa gitna ng misyon. Huhugot kayo ng lakas sa isa’t isa. Aalalayan niyo ang isa’t isa.

Many times a mission can be overwhelming especially when we feel we are not trained for it or equipped with the necessary skills for it. To this fear of not measuring up, St. Paul counters saying God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing and has provided us with all “wisdom and insight” into the mystery of His will. (Ephesians 1:8) We all have been gifted tremendously with the potential for success. We simply need to trust that God is with us and that He will supply everything we need. “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in their midst…” (Matthew 18:20) 

As with Amos, God blesses us with all that is needed to fulfill His will for us and to be of service to others. So we need not worry that we may not have what it takes to complete God’s purpose. Jesus assures us that He will provide all that is needed to overcome our inadequacies and failings. I am personally consoled when I am reminded that the disciples, themselves, were ordinary men bestowed with the wisdom to grasp the truth of the Gospel.  They shared the Good News with accompanying signs and wonders that they clearly could not have mustered only with their own capabilities. God provides! 

As the apostles were warned, working for the Lord will entail many difficulties. They will be shunned and rejected at times. I know that when I accepted my mission in San Roque, I will surely experience my share of rejection but I am undaunted. As the French say: C’est la vie. That’s life! More importantly, God has been very good at assuring me that He is with me in my new mission. Just after Bishop Ness talked to me about the assignment in San Roque some time in May, I was asked by one of the Christ the King parish staff if I could do a blessing of a statue. Guess whose statue it was I had to bless? San Roque! Then in early June, when I took a few days to rest before assuming my post here, I was surprised to discover that the parish church across from where I stayed was under the patronage of San Roque!  The support I have been receiving from many friends, here and abroad, even before I reported for this assignment, has truly been overwhelming. As I read today’s gospel, I am reminded to be grateful for the friendship, companionship, and the material and prayerful support showered upon me in my ministry throughout this time. 

Kung ano mang agam-agam ang naramdaman ko nang ibigay sa akin ang assignment na ito, yan ay kaagad napawi dahil sa naramdaman ko ang suporta ng marami na alam kong sinugo ng Dios. Kayo ang naging instrumento ng Diyos para tumatag ang loob ko at lubos akong magtiwala. Araw araw, ramdam na ramdam ko na kasama ko kayo sa misyon na ito. We are in this together. And I am never alone. 

All of you present here and those listening to the livestream, even those who will watch the recording later — all of you also have a share in Jesus’ mission. By virtue of your baptism, you are all continuously sent in the unique circumstances of your existence —whether wealthy or struggling, homemaker or working professional, employee or entrepreneur,  a doctor, a teacher, an artist, student, etc. — to evangelise to people you encounter, to invite them to know Jesus, to love Him, and to follow Him. Di ba nga ang tema ng ating selebrasyon ng 500 Years of Christianity ay Gifted to Give? Yan ay pagkilala na lahat tayo ay merong pwedeng i-ambag sa misyon. Lahat tayo ay may biyayang pwedeng i-share. At lahat tayo ay bibigyan ng angkop na biyaya para sa ating pangangailangan. Dapat lang tayong magtiwala na hindi tayo kailan man pababayaan ng Diyos. Just as God has blessed me for my work here, you can be assured that you will also be equipped with everything and everyone you need for a fruitful mission! You will never be alone. Count on Jesus’ word and rely on His promises.

Homily: Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Mark 6:1-6

4 July 2021

Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez, AA

“We see things not as they are, but as we are.” I shall say it again…“We see things not as they are, but as we are.” That’s by British writer Henry Major Tomlinson.  I agree with him! You see, if we are honest with ourselves, our understanding of the world is influenced by our prejudices, our intolerances, our biases. Sometimes that keeps us from seeing the truth for what it is. 

The people in today’s gospel passage are portrayed as such. They think they know Him  well enough because He grew up in their town. They are unable to believe that Jesus could be anything more than the carpenter’s son they know Him to be, much less, the Messiah.  “Isn’t this [man] the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary… his brothers James, Joses, Simon and Judas? [and] aren’t all his sisters with us?” (Mark 6:3) In the first reading, the people to whom Ezekiel is sent by God are no different. Ezekiel is warned that he is being sent to a rebellious people. “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have revolted against me to this very day. Hard of face and obstinate of heart are they whom I am sending you.”  (Ezekiel 2:3-4)

It is unfortunate to note that many modern-day prophets in our midst continue to be criticised, maligned, and misjudged by others. In some countries like the Philippines, beauty queens or athletes who win prestigious competitions abroad, receive a hero’s welcome in their hometown. There are parades and motorcades and many people lining the streets to catch a glimpse of them and wave at them. They are overjoyed for the honor that this instant celebrity brings to their town.  It is however, different for prophets who, by nature, articulate and give voice to the inconvenient truth that people do not want to acknowledge. They throw a light on our blindspots and show us where we are failing in order to help us recognise ways and means by which we can improve ourselves and escape from difficult or less ideal situations. I have a few examples for you. First, back in the 1940s medical professionals first proved that cigarette smoking was causing lung cancer. However, since the Tobacco Industry was big business worldwide and even doctors had taken up the habit, the world was in denial for decades. It was only in 2011 that stern warnings and graphic pictures were printed on cigarette packaging. Despite that, statistics show that 8 Million people die annually from tobacco smoking related disease. In the Philippines alone, 110,000 Filipinos die yearly from smoking-related diseases. (That’s more than the number of those felled by this COVID pandemic.) Despite these figures, many young people still take up the habit. Another example is Mother Teresa who was a prophet of sorts, whose actions spoke louder tham her words.  Her life work shone a spotlight on the plight of the poor and the suffering in India, drawing support and compassion for from a world that had become indifferent. When she was starting out, she suffered criticism and the local church and government authorities in Calcutta were not eager to support her. At the time of her death, the Missionaries of Charity was operating 610 missions in 123 countries. 

We too, have prophetic missions among the circles we move in and oftentimes, we are immediately criticized and ostracized by friends, family and colleagues. They can not separate the value of the message from the person of the messenger. We are known to them a certain way, imperfections and all. Divine awakenings and a call to prophesy do not automatically come with a seal of approval or expert accreditation. It can be difficult for others to accept warnings and counsel from someone they deem inexperienced, too young, too idealistic,  ignorant, OA (over-acting) or flawed.   Nevertheless, we should not shrink back and hold our tongue, especially when God is obviously sending us to people out of His love for them. In the Second Reading, Paul is painfully aware of his inadequacies but he perseveres quoting God’s assurance to him “My grace is sufficient for you, for power 

is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

If we find ourselves called to prophecy, we have to expect that our efforts will not yield immediate fruits. I read somewhere that “If we are prejudiced against a person, that person can do nothing right in our eyes. If we are prejudiced in favour of a person, that person can do nothing wrong in our eyes.”  Jesus was not able to perform any mighty deed in His native place because of their bias towards Him. His “kababayans” could not see past His human origins (probably thinking he was that quiet child of Mary, one of the local kids who played in the streets, the local carpenter who took after his father, Joseph’s, trade).  Expect that those you minister to will continue in denial and refusal to acknowledge their mistakes and they will not recognise you as the prophet in their midst. Oftentimes, we are not called to stand on street corners and yell at the top of our lungs. Perhaps, all that is asked of us is to speak up against an injustice, offer a gentle reminder to be conscientious and compassionate to one’s self or others, or render a clear reprimand for bad behavior. Sometimes, all we are asked to do is plant the seed of realization in someone’s heart and allow God to grow it in His time. 

Brothers and sisters, let us pray for courage when He calls us to be a prophet to His people. May He give us the grace to acknowledge prophetic truths and be sensitive to God speaking to us in the people around us. Moreover, let us help one another  welcome God’s messengers of truth in our realities and to respond to the gift of divine revelation with humility.

Homily: Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

27 June 2021

Mark 5:21-43 

Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez, AA

Throughout the past year, I have witnessed numerous outreach projects spearheaded by parishes, barangays, LGUs, private entities, and individuals. So many people wanted to help soothe the wounds of a world suffering from the scourge of the pandemic. Many were motivated by genuine concern for society while sadly, others used it as an opportunity to further their personal agenda. They prioritise the posting of their photos on social media or highlighting their names on banners and containers of dole outs. 

On this Sunday’s gospel from Mark, we see how Jesus responds to those in need around Him. We find two miracle narratives that highlight Jesus’ extraordinary capacity to empathise with the plight of others. First, Jesus shows compassion to the haemorrhaging woman who received healing by merely touching his clothes. Second, is an account of the raising of Jairus’ daughter who was believed to have died. In both stories we observe consistencies in Jesus’ response — He is sensitive to their suffering, He is gentle in His dealings, He communicates compassion through touch, and He acts with no regard for His personal inconvenience. 

In the first story, Jesus is practically mobbed by people who are pushing against Him, touching Him. But that one touch of His cloak from the sick woman was something He was acutely aware of. He felt her suffering and desperation for healing. He was in a rush to heal Jairus’ daughter but He still stopped to address the woman.  He gently tells her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”  In the second story, on His way to Jairus’ house Jesus is told that the girl had died and that He should not bother to come. However, He is so sensitive to the pain of Jairus that He takes pity on Him and proceeds to see the little girl.  Despite, the taunting and ridicule from the crowd that had no faith in Him, He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum”, which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” (Mark 5:41) To everyone’s shock, she wakes up and is healed!  Jesus goes a step further, by asking them to give her something to eat. This, to me, also reflects that He was very aware that the child needed to replenish the strength she had lost because perhaps while sick she had not been eating at all. Nothing escapes the sensitivity of Jesus. He is most sensitive to the needs of people!  

Reaching out to help others was so much a part of who Jesus was that even during his great suffering and darkest hour he still instinctively reached out to others. Even in His own suffering, Jesus was still sensitive to the needs of others around Him. We recall how Jesus healed, comforted, forgave, and instilled hope in others not only during His public ministry but also during His passion. In spite of his own life being on the line on the cross, He still managed to give life to others! This is what the passage from the Book of Wisdom reminds us of God: “He fashioned all things that they might have being.” (Wisdom 1:14)

These days when there is still much difficulty going about in public and because of physical distancing, people think it’s not easy to feel the pulse of a neighbour in need.  It is already a challenge to be fully present with one another even just in our conversations. Nevertheless, I urge you to see with the eyes of your hearts because then you will find the many opportunities to be of service to others. Our cook in London once told me how appreciative she was of Filipino nurses who took care of her during her hip replacement surgery. She related how kind and sympathetic they had been to her by taking time to talk to her and treat her as a “person”. They made her feel as though she was the only patient they had by painstakingly attending to her every need very meticulously. They always spoke kindly to her and most importantly, addressed her by her first name — Brigid. In that experience she came to know first-hand the gentleness and compassion of Jesus through the Filipino nurses.  In my former parish, one of the lectors, a senior citizen was heartbroken that she could not attend mass at church and fulfill her ministry as a lector. However, while stuck in her condo unit, she was able to continue her Cenacle group via zoom and augment the spiritual needs of her friends. She also started cooking meals for the security guards and receptionists who could not go home to their families. Malaking bagay na libre ang pagkain nila kasi kulang ang budget at wala namang malapit na mapagbibilhan ng pagkain. You don’t have to look far to find people who are in need. A small gesture of kindness and compassion goes a long way. 

For Jesus, it was never about Himself… when people needed Him, sila ang bida for Him… He paid them attention. He gave them importance.  He affirmed them and consoled them as if no one else mattered. Minsan tutulong na lang tayo, andami pang satsat. Magsesermon pa o may kasamang guilt trip lalo na sa mga taong paulit-ulit na humihingi ng tulong.  Sino ba ang tunay na kawawa? Ang nagpapakumbabang humihingi ng tulong o ang naglilimos ng tulong?  Pinapamukha lang natin na tayo ang bida na inaagrabyado nila. Mas importante ang schedule natin, ang convenience natin, ang oras natin… All according to our terms. Si Hesus, hindi pabida.  In fact, walang break time, lunch time, siesta para sa kanya basta may nangangailangan sa kanya. Sila lagi ang mauuna. He does not complain that they have delayed His schedule. He does not scold them for being so needy and impatient. 

Jesus’ empathy allows Him to put Himself in their shoes, to understand their despair and their pain. That is enough to make Him drop everything and turn a merciful gaze upon them because His heart was bursting for love of them.  As the saying goes, “the lover only has eyes for the beloved.” This is similar to what St. Augustine prays in The Confessions: “O good and all-powerful God, who cares for each of us as though each were the only one, and for all alike with the same tenderness you show to each.” (The Confessions, Book III. 11, 19)

Let us all be mindful that regardless of who we are, where we are and what situation we are in, we can in our humble ways, reach out and help others. No quarantine can and should stop us from being kind and generous to those who are in need. St. Paul urges the Corinthians to imitate Jesus that “though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9) Through the Spirit we all have been gifted with the grace to be sensitive to the needs of others, to be instruments of God’s healing touch for our sick brothers and sisters. May we always strive to be healers for one another reaching out and making ourselves available for others.

Homily: Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Mark 4:35-41

20 June 2021

Fr. Ricky C. Montanez, AA

I haven’t been getting much sleep lately. I always find myself waking up at 3 AM for no reason and have trouble falling back asleep. I’m told perhaps I haven’t gotten used to my new environment yet. Another friend joked…  It’s because I’m getting old. (Pag maaga nagigising alam na. Palatandaan na daw yan!) I read online that when one ages, sleep patterns change. You need less hours of sleep at night and more short naps throughout the day. Another suggested I may be developing a sleep disorder like sleep apnea but I have no one to corroborate this. (Because I sleep alone.) It really is tough when we are deprived of sleep. We need it to properly rest our minds and our bodies. 

In today’s gospel passage from Mark, Jesus sleeps! The story tells us of an incident wherein Jesus and His disciples are out in the boat during a violent storm that is likely tossing the vessel about and crashing waves against it. This causes the disciples to panic in fear for their lives.  Strangely enough Jesus is peacefully asleep at the stern. His disciples call out to Him “Teacher, do you not care, that we are perishing”.  Why indeed was Jesus asleep? If we go back to the start of Chapter 8, we see that Jesus had a long day of healing. He healed the man with leprosy, the centurion’s servant, Peter’s mother-in-law, all the sick, and he even expelled demons from the possessed.  At day’s end He is exhausted as He boards the boat with His disciples and so He falls asleep. It is evident in Jesus’ response to His disciples’ desperation: “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” (Matthew 8:26) Jesus questions the faith of His disciples, their trust in God, and in effect, their trust in Him who is the Son of God. 

Sometimes, we can be no different from the disciples. When things go wrong with our plans, or when we are overstressed with problems, we wonder in exasperation if God has been sleeping on the job.  I have a friend who approached me for counselling once. Her father had just died after a lingering illness and she was feeling lost.  She had prayed for his recovery and she sacrificed her career and her social life to care for him. After his death she confessed she felt that she had been cheated out of life. She felt she made the right choice by gambling what she had built up for herself in the hope of prolonging her dad’s life but she ended up losing everything anyway. For a long time she refused to pray. She went to Sunday masses angry with God and often ended up crying tears of hurt and frustration. My friend described her dad as a doting father who personally looked after his daughters and raised them well. And that was why it was difficult to have him die. I believe it reminds us that kids shouldn’t take their fathers for granted and make them feel loved and appreciated. As it is Father’s Day, we greet all our fathers. Similarly, there are those who have lost loved ones, livelihood and rare opportunities because of the pandemic and were tempted to ask God if He truly cared about humanity. They feel they have suffered enough and are close to giving up.  Such are the storms, which in biblical terms, represent the forces of evil deemed at work in creation. When the waves and the wind are threatening, how do you respond? 

Jesus managed to sleep through the chaos. Does he simply take after His earthly Father, St. Joseph? Perhaps… but more importantly I’d say He sleeps soundly because He has confidence in His Heavenly Father. In a very literal manner, Jesus shows us what it means to trust that God is our Father. It is to live with the assurance that a Father does everything to protect his children. And even if he allows his children to undergo painful experiences, it is meant to strengthen them and to better equip them to deal with more difficult life challenges.  He never abandons them, nor does He remain a spectator. He is there to encourage, guide, and console.  Jesus knew this in his heart.  His steadfast faith in His Father became his soft pillow. He sleeps because there is an overwhelming sense of peace and calm within Him because His Father will never fail Him. 

Another element of the story I find important is that Jesus gave in to the request of his disciples to take action. The fact that He is able to command the natural elements is an exercise of His divine power. The Bible has accounts where God the Father triumphs over chaotic waters such as the parting of the red sea and the drowning of Pharaoh’s army. We are reminded again and again of God’s power to protect us… to take care of us, to secure us from all storms of our life. Some of the Psalms make references to this belief: “The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever.” (Psalm 29:10) “The Lord stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of the waves, and the tumult of the peoples.” (Psalm 65:7) In Psalm 89, it says: “You [O God] rule the swelling of the sea; when its waves rise, You still them.” (Psalm 89:9).  By calming the stormy seas, Jesus manifests His power and total control over the hostility of nature the power of God is over and above all forces of evil in the world. Isn’t this enough assurance for us?  

Brothers and sisters, today’s Gospel illustrates the value of rest and how all of us followers of Jesus ought to confront the storms in our life.  We must keep our gaze fixed on Jesus, no matter how strong the wind blows and how strong it lashes from different directions.  We must walk toward Jesus, hold tight to Him.  We must cling and be resilient on our grip as we anchor on the power of the Lord … on the power of His Word. We have to remain steadfast, unwavering, undisturbed of the swirling powers around us.  

Pope Francis urged all the faithful in his Urbi et Orbi message “Let us invite Jesus into the boats of our lives. Let us hand over our fears to Him so that he can conquer them. Like the disciples, we will experience that with Him on board there will be no shipwreck.” May the Lord increase our little faith so that in all the storms of life we shall conquer everything. With Him at our side, we echo St. Paul’s words in Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

Here are some ways you can help San Roque Parish, Fr. Ricky’s new assignment:

*Bank Transfer or Deposit:

Robinson Bank: RCBC San Roque Parish

Account number: 115230002492

*Please make checks payable to: RCBC San Roque Parish

Homily: Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Mark 4:26-34

13 June 2021

Fr. Ricky C. Montanez, AA 

In the past 14 months many awful things have happened to us or to people we know, and humanity, in general, making us wonder if all of it really is “part of God’s plan”.  As a priest, I have never had to conduct this many virtual blessings before cremation than in the recent months. I find myself at a loss for sufficient words of consolation for the bereaved.  A friend of mine contracted the virus and died so unexpectedly. He was a healthy 39-year-old, gone too soon. A few months ago, I was shocked to hear that a college classmate of mine had passed away. She had cancer but my classmates and I believed her treatment would succeed in extending her life. So many people are hurting from her loss. I cannot blame them for asking, “Where is God in all this? Has He been sleeping?” 

Our readings this Sunday give us two (2) learnings about God’s complicated relationship with His people. FIRST is that God has a master plan for all His people. In the passage from Ezekiel, God’s people were held in captivity in Babylon and they likely struggled to believe in God’s promise of deliverance. Imagine waking up every morning as a captive in a foreign land hoping and praying that would be the day God fulfills His promise of deliverance only for the sun to set with no change in the situation.  It was in their desperation that the prophet Ezekiel was sent to speak to them of God’s promised restoration for His people. Ezekiel uses the metaphor of the tender shoot from which their salvation shall come forth. God Himself will cultivate this chosen sprout until it reaches full growth. “It shall put forth branches and bear fruit, and become a majestic cedar.” (Ezekiel 17:23) Note that the method is not an immediate one but a slow process of growth. According to Google, a Lebanon cedar grows 15 inches a year and reaches 100 feet in maturity. That means, it takes roughly 80 years for a shoot to grow into its maximum height as a gigantic tree that can live up to 600 years!  This passage mirrors Isaiah’s prophecy of the coming of a Messiah who shall descend from the house of David, the son of Jesse. “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.” (Isaiah 11:1) Do you know how long it took for Isaiah’s prophecy to be fulfilled?  About 700 years — from the time of Isaiah till Jesus was born!  In both stories, the metaphors end with a promise of a bountiful, prosperous future as suggested by the “fruitfulness” of the tree. It does however entail a lengthy passage of time that is indeterminate. This leads us to the SECOND learning — we need to be patient because everything happens in God’s time, not ours.  He is not a slave who does our bidding when we demand it. In the Second Reading, St. Paul advises the Corinthians to take courage and be steadfast in the midst of their struggles in life. As Christians they are to “walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7) Life for them was not easy and Paul was not privy to God’s plan of deliverance for them. He could only advise them to develop eyes of faith to perceive the hand of God helping them through all of life’s adversities.  

Each of us has had to bear burdens during this pandemic —- to be afflicted with COVID, to lose loved ones, to lose a job, to suffer hunger, to struggle with sanity, etc. Some of our troubles are so challenging that it is difficult for us to imagine how we can overcome them. We are overwhelmed by the crushing fact that things are undeservedly failing around us and things are not working well in our lives.  I was not exempt from this experience.  For those of you who may not know, I am a religious priest seeking a broader experience of diocesan life. As an Assumptionist, I have had lengthy assignments in the US, South America, and most recently the United Kingdom. It was particularly difficult for me to be abroad when my mother became so sickly and I could not frequent her bedside to attend to her medical needs and comfort her. I felt that becoming a diocesan priest in the Philippines would allow me to be more available to her.  Unexpectedly, Mama died a few days after the lockdown of 2020. I was not even able to preside over her funeral mass nor witness the inurnment a year later. She was the reason I needed to stay and now she is gone. My heart was broken and I wondered what lay ahead for my priesthood. Despite my personal ordeal, I trusted God, serving Him and his people faithfully at Christ the King Parish throughout the height of the pandemic. Within days of Mama’s 1st Death Anniversary, I received word that I had been accepted in the diocese under conditional status as priest-on-loan. It has been a long wait but I believe the shoot has finally sprouted for me. The well of hope within me is now overflowing and I pray that my journey with the diocese will become a tree bearing much fruit. 

Finally, I’d like to share with you the story of a young girl with the stage name Nightbirde, who, just this week, secured the golden buzzer from judge Simon Cowell assuring her of a spot in the finals of America’s Got Talent. In her hauntingly beautiful voice, she sang an original composition about her journey with cancer. By age 30 she had 3 bouts with cancer. When she was first diagnosed, she had to stop working and her husband had also left her saying he did not love her anymore. In her blog, she talks about the difficulties of her treatments, her struggles with faith, her arguments with God, and her eventual surrender to His will. She won the first 2 battles with her disease. This time she has cancer in her liver, spine and lungs and was told she had a 2% chance of survival. Her experience taught her to trust God and to be always grateful for the people in her life and for the time she has to live. With a conviction that 2% is “not nothing”, she joined the talent competition to fulfill her dreams of becoming a singer. She wowed the judges with her talent, her cheerful disposition and her optimism. She said “[one] can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore until [one] decides to be happy”. Her Christian faith reminds her that no matter how bleak the days, God’s last word is not one of suffering but of wholeness and restoration. 

I have no definite answers as to how this pandemic and all the suffering it wrought fit into God’s plan. Only God knows that. I do know that God is always good and it is but logical that He desires only goodness for His beloved people. The consoling and transforming interventions of God (the reign of God) in our lives is often mysterious and imperceptible to us just as a scattering of the tiniest seeds and the sprouting of a small shoot. Our personal experiences of deliverance and renewal assure us that by God’s grace and in God’s time, the seeds will grow into the largest of plants with large shady branches, and the shoot can grow into a majestic tree.   For the moment, let us learn to live each day, with faith — filled with the hope and grace to live our life as fully as it comes.

If you want to help San Roque Parish, Bagumbayan, Quezon City, please get in touch with Fr. Ricky. Thanks.

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

Mark 14:12-16, 22-26

6 June 2021

Fr. Ricky Canet Montanez, AA 

I miss seeing our churches overflowing with people. Of course, the global health crisis has rendered us helpless in rectifying the situation, so we make do with what we can by God’s grace. Still, my heart sinks when I see only a handful of people at mass, knowing how vital the Eucharist is to the faith life of the church. Since public masses resumed, several parishioners have told me that they were moved to tears after receiving their first communion in months. (I have observed this myself over the past year.) I believe that these moments of epiphany are testimonies to the True Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Today we shall reflect on Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and then we shall talk about the relevance of this mystery in our life. 

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).  We acknowledge and honor the wonderful gift of the Eucharist and its implication in our life as our spiritual nourishment. In the past Sundays, we have been contemplating on God’s desire to remain present to all of us even after Jesus’ Ascension. At the Feast of Pentecost, we reflected on the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit in the lives of all believers. Last Sunday, we celebrated the reality of the Trinity and God’s role in our relationships as we foster communion among us. And now, we are made to appreciate the enduring presence of Christ in the Eucharist as the sign of the Covenant (a new covenant) in the blood of Jesus shed for us. Through the lasting gift of Himself made available to us — His sacred body and blood — Jesus continues to sustain, nourish and strengthen us to be true to what we all have become through Him — God’s beloved children. Through the Eucharist, Jesus remains present to us even after His death to be the life-giving presence that we count on throughout our life here on earth. 

As we participate in Holy Communion, we experience that unique sacramental presence of Christ received as nourishment in the form of bread and wine, as spiritual food in our journey through life. It only seems logical that we ought to receive communion with deep respect.  Yet how many times in our life have we taken this gift for granted? What is going through your mind when you are in line waiting for your turn? What do you do when you go back to your seat? Do you speak to Jesus as though you were alone in a room with Him and He had your full attention? Because that’s essentially it. Recall moments when you were overwhelmed by another person’s expression of love for you. Essentially, in Holy Communion, God is pouring out His love and mercy on you. In the person of Jesus, He intimately unites His Divine Self with your mortal being, filling you with the grace to be worthy of your divine inheritance. 

For this reason, saints and mystics are often enraptured when receiving communion and are always disposed with such humble reverence. A young man who died in 2006 at the age of 15 was so convinced of the True Presence of Jesus in the Sacred Species that he devoted his time and his talent to creating a website called Miracoli Eucaristici that presented a collection of testimonies of Eucharistic Miracles —accounts of hosts manifesting into pieces of living human flesh. It was clear to Blessed Carlo Acutis that he needed to share this important aspect of the Catholic faith with those who like him, were fully immersed in our digital age. To believe in the True Presence we essentially hope in our own transformation.  He once said: “The more Eucharist we receive, the more we will become like Jesus, so that on earth we will have a foretaste of heaven.” 

St Augustine once said “If we receive the Eucharist worthily, we become what we receive.” Even nutritionists today, tell us we are what we eat. In a way, it is true because what we put in our tummies is absorbed by our system and manifests in our bodies. In receiving communion, we receive Jesus and we have this opportunity to become more like Jesus. He is food for our souls that we may have strength to make the right choices. When our many concerns overwhelm us, some go to mass to draw strength from Jesus, His Word and the very gift of Himself broken and shared in the Eucharist.  Moreover, as we are 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. It is in appreciation of this great gift that we pattern our lives on Jesus and His giving over of his body and blood for us all. 

Radio Veritas recently conducted a survey asking Filipino Catholics if they believe that the Holy Eucharist is indeed  “the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ” and not just a representation. Majority of those surveyed confirmed their belief in the core of the Catholic Christian faith — the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. This is indeed a highlight in our celebration of the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines! What does this mean to us at a time when  many of us are not privileged to receive the Eucharist sacramentally.  For now, many must content themselves with watching a mass from their homes. And I praise God that His Church remains alive in that sense but there looms the danger of finding this situation to be the more convenient and preferred mode of worship. The Church has been very clear that livestream and online masses are allowed to provide occasions for spiritual growth and to unite the faithful in prayer at this time when we cannot physically gather, but it is not meant to replace being present at Mass. We may be temporarily dispensed from Sunday obligation but joining a mass online still does not give us the opportunity to physically consume the Body and Blood of Christ.  Spiritual communion is just a temporary provision. In Filipino… “pantawid gutom lang siya”.  Kaya dapat nating asamin na makabalik at makadalo tayo sa banal na Eukaristiya sapagkat yan ang bilin at pamana sa atin ni Hesus. 

“Take and eat… This is My body.” (Mark 14:22) “Take and drink… This is My blood.” (Mark 14:24) Jesus is very direct.  He does not mince words. He is present. The Feast of Corpus Christi prompts us to look forward to the day we can be physically present at mass and to never extinguish our desire to be nourished by Jesus in Holy Communion. Ating ipagdasal na balang araw, sana sa lalong madaling panahon, magkita-kita tayong muli sa misa.

*Here are some of the ways you can help San Roque Parish, Fr. Ricky’s new parish assignment. 

Thru Bank Deposit:

Robinsons Bank: RCBC San Roque Parish

Account Number: 115230002492

For Checks: 

Please make checks payable to: 

RCBC San Roque Parish

HOMILY: Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity 

Matthew 28:16-20

30 May 2021

Fr. Ricky Canet Montanez, AA 

In the 90’s there was a very popular sitcom on 6 young people struggling in New York to build their careers and find love together as a tight group of FRIENDS. The show ran for 10 seasons, catapulting the actors to superstardom. To date, reruns continue to be played in numerous countries in different languages and the show has allegedly been watched 100 billion times!  Just recently, together with over a million people, I watched the much-awaited FRIENDS REUNION, 17 years after the final episode aired. The continuing friendship among the original cast was genuinely evident and the show maintains its entertainment value and relevance even among the kids of its original 90s fans. 

I’m a fan myself and I do have some favourite episodes of the 236 that were made. The show was successful because the issues were so relatable and fans identified with at least one character. We all loved the depiction of friendship and viewers felt that Ross, Rachel, Phoebe, Joey, Monica and Chandler were like actual friends they let into their homes every week. I know of fans who have watched all 10 seasons several times over, having purchased the VHS and DVD box sets when Netflix was not yet a thing. It is great to relive the laughter and the good feelings generated by watching this ensemble group of FRIENDS. 

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. We believe in One God who reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — three persons of the Holy Trinity. The very notion is difficult to perceive, explain and especially understand without faith. No one has truly seen the Father, even the great people of the Old Testament blessed to have come into His presence and spoken to Him. The Bible has no accounts confirming God as a fatherly old man with long white hair and a white beard. Just last week we celebrated Pentecost — the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles. However, all biblical accounts only describe a strong wind and tongues of fire… no human form. It is by mankind’s experience of Jesus and His teachings about the Father and the Holy Spirit that we come across the trinitarian nature of God. Yet, until now, despite centuries of study, no one has come close to unlocking the mystery. Our understanding of the Triune God is limited to how “Father”, “Son” and “Holy Spirit” emerge in scripture in relation to one another. We understand God the Father as Creator whose existence and every action is love; who sends His Son, Jesus, His beloved, on a mission of redemption. In turn, it is Jesus who sends the Holy spirit, the bond of love proceeding both from the Father and the Son, to His followers to guide and strengthen them once He returns to heaven in the Ascension. 

However, I personally feel that our understanding of the Trinity is grounded on our experience of God and our need for Him. In the passage from the Book of Deuteronomy, we are told how God has been especially gracious in His dealings with His Chosen People — caring enough for them, providing their needs, which in this case was freedom from Egyptian slavery, an identity as a people, and a land to call their own. Of course, there are accounts of God reprimanding and punishing His people for their obstinacy and hard-heartedness as a father disciplines his children, but these are balanced out by accounts of how God desired that all His children prosper and enjoy the fullness of life He offers. As Moses enjoins the people: “You must keep His statutes and commandments… that you and your children after you may prosper, and that you may have a long life…” (Deuteronomy 4:40) This God goes even further. He has poured into the hearts of all believers His Spirit that moves us to relate to Him as our Abba (our Daddy, our Itay). In His Son Jesus, we are not treated like slaves but rather as brothers and sisters, adopted children of the Father, who are destined to a heavenly inheritance. St. Paul says: “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ…”(Romans 8:16) All throughout Scriptures, we encounter a God whose very nature is goodness and is moved by that loving nature to share His goodness with all of us His children. 

As I am on the cusp of moving out of Christ the King Parish, the reality of my departure has finally dawned on me this week.  I am in a flurry of emotions. I am thankful for the confidence our Bishop has placed in me and I am eager to begin my new assignment.  At the same time, I feel a great sadness in parting with people I have come to know as friends. CTK has been a wonderful and happy home for me for many years.  It has been a joy getting to know many of you on a personal level. I have learned that when one enters into a sincere relationship with God’s people, one inevitably reaps happiness. I always tell myself that as a priest, this is what I have signed myself up for, for the rest of my life. I do not own my life. The life of priests is one given to God and in the service of God’s people. Hence, though difficult we are to be always prepared to go where God needs us to minister to His people. My experience of God moves me to trust Him and follow His lead always. 

I have been asking a few friends — priests and lay people alike for their advice regarding my new assignment. The best advice I received from them is to strive to get to know your flock, to establish a relationship with them and to allow yourself to be known by them. Once you have taken care of this most basic thing in ministering to others, all the other concerns will eventually fall into place. I find this to be a very wise piece of advice. I remember that as a teacher, the first thing I did was to remember the names of my students. It may not always be easy. But once you have started to associate the name and the person of the student, there is a better kind of relationship that is established between a student and the teacher. I found it easier to mentor them, to guide them and to help them. 

We are known by how we relate with each other. This is how we become relevant to one another. This is also humanity’s mutual connection with God. God is a relational God — one who seeks us, rather than imposes on us.  He seeks to know each and everyone of us intimately…. Psalm 139 says “Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit and when I stand; You understand my thoughts from far away. You scrutinise my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, Lord, You know it all.” (Psalm 139:1-4) Similarly, we get to know God through our associations and by being sensitive to His presence in the people and the world around us. Those blessed with wonderful parents, will best come to understand God as Father. Those who have had impactful experiences of loving siblings and close friends and inspiring teachers will best come to relate to the person of Jesus who has presented Himself as teacher, friend and brother. Those who have had profound experiences with the gifts of the Spirit, will come to recognise God as Holy Spirit. We are all called and drawn in different ways, to the same God — the One God. We nurture this relationship by reading the Bible, receiving the sacraments, and opening our hearts in prayer. To endeavour to fully grasp the immense nature of the Trinity is futile because of the limits of human understanding. However, when we endeavour to enter into a personal relationship with Him, allow Him to work in us and through us, our limited knowledge of Him becomes meaningful, often life-changing. 

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 desires to be known by His people as a loving God. In turn, as messengers of God in the world, we are commissioned to witness by our lives to the goodness of our Triune God. We draw strength from Jesus’ words: “I am with you always, until the end of the age.” This is my last mass in CTK and my final homily as your resident guest priest. I am always overwhelmed by your love and support and I cannot thank you, enough. The CTK parish community has made a mark in my life and I am the better for it. Thank you for being my FRIENDS!

Homily: Solemnity of Pentecost 

23 May 2021

John 20:19-23

Fr. Ricky Canet Montanez, AA 

Our shared life experience in the past year has profoundly altered the life perspective of many people. We all cope with a wide range of issues brought about by the COVID pandemic in a variety of ways.  I know of someone who literally never leaves his room and is hooked up 24/7 to all his gadgets devouring every bit of COVID 19-related information available online. Unfortunately, since not all of the data he finds are accurate and reliable he becomes needlessly paranoid and anxious. He spends his time indoors and in front of the computer screen, passing his time imagining the scariest possible scenarios arising from the pandemic. His is a life paralysed by fear.  He is very much alive but he has entombed himself already, cutting himself off from the people in his life that continues the struggle to live as a community — helping, supporting, and consoling one another. On the other hand, I know of a simple homemaker who leads a quiet life who is now at the forefront of an impressive initiative that serves home-cooked meals to the urban poor sector in Metro Manila.  She was so moved by the suffering of the less fortunate in her community and inspired by the OPLAN COVID initiative of CTK Parish that she mobilised her friends and employed their skills in cooking, organising, logistics, and fund raising to support her initiative to prepare meals for the hungry in the city.  She surprised everyone who knew her because she always opted to be a follower and shied away from the spotlight or leadership positions yet here she is, the general of a small army carrying out God’s work.  

While many have invested time in being more productive and more prayerful to help them cope, others have become so paralysed by their fears that they have become idle and so fearful to do anything, confining themselves in their own comfortable bubbles in the belief that they are saving their life. Yet there are those who allow themselves to be moved by the Holy Spirit to a life of service doing wonderful deeds for the people of God even in such uncertain and dangerous times as this. Efforts like this are essentially “buwis buhay” because these individuals risk their personal comfort and even their own safety so that others can simply survive. Many of these silent workers whose names or efforts never make the news or go viral on social media credit their unexpected success to the graciousness of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. They did not know they had it in them to accomplish big things in the face of many obstacles and social restrictions. The Holy Spirit inspires and also empowers! 

On this Solemnity of Pentecost, we are given two versions of the coming of the Holy Spirit in today’s readings.  Luke in the First Reading from the Acts of the Apostles cites how amazing things happened on the first Pentecost: “tongues as of fire” rested on the disciples (Acts 2:3), they spoke in “different tongues” (Acts 2:4), and they proclaimed “the mighty acts of God” (Acts 2:11). It was an astounding moment for all present!  In the gospel account by John, Pentecost is manifested as a new creation breathed into the disciples by the risen Christ. It is a very calm and peaceful scene where, by His own breath, Jesus bestows on His followers the Holy Spirit.  Although the two accounts differ in terms of how the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, both readings tell us of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit on these terror-stricken followers of the crucified Messiah.  “Breath” in the gospel account is an important element because as we recall in the creation story, it is God’s breath that creates and gives life. He breathes over the waters; He also breathes life into the clay of the ground which he had formed into the first human being. Similarly, Jesus breathes on His disciples saying: “Receive the Holy Spirit.”  (John 20:22) In doing so, Jesus gives them new life making of them a new creation.  What follows in the account written by St. Luke, is a witnessing of how the Spirit has empowered the disciples into bold heralds of the mighty acts of God. The Spirit transformed them as they began preaching fearlessly. It was through the power of the Holy Spirit that these once fearful men have fulfilled Jesus’ mandate of going out into the whole world to proclaim the Good News. They were able to do so only through the Holy Spirit’s power. This is what St. Paul asserts in the Second Reading: “No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:3)

Furthermore, we are reminded that the gift of the Holy Spirit has also been given to us all – the baptised (the confirmed) … Through the Spirit’s presence we are, in St. Paul’s words, “a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17) and “temples of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:19). We all have been charged with the same divine energy to share in the saving mission of Jesus to the world. We, too are empowered by this same creative Spirit to imbue the world with the presence of God through our words and actions. 

Here at Christ the King Parish, I am very proud of our sacristans (John, Jay, Noel and Eugene) who are now very skilled at live-streaming our daily masses. At the start of the lockdown, when we had to make personnel adjustments to make ends meet, we found that we needed people to help CTK bring the mass to its parishioners at home. Our sacristans were called upon to train how to use the equipment and the live-streaming platforms. John, who is up in the choir loft now, never imagined he would be doing this work especially since he was not adept at computers to begin with. Learning new skills was a truly empowering experience for them. Now they will also be helping San Roque Parish by training the parish’s future live-streaming team.  Recently also, I have come to subscribe to the YouTube channel of Fr. Casey Cole called “Breaking In The Habit”. He is a young American Franciscan Friar who has had his own YouTube channel for the past 5 years. He started out as a blogger but he felt he was called to do VLOGGING to evangelise to the online community after an initial attempt got encouraging feedback and good reviews. There were a lot of hits and misses in the beginning and he constantly questioned his calling to work with social media. He says he felt stupid talking to a camera in public especially since he was a one-man team of videographer, host and editor. To his surprise, despite all his misgivings, he was led to trainings, he met people who mentored him, and his community sponsored the expense of all the equipment he needed. Today he has 212,000 subscribers and a small team that helps produce weekly content for his channel.  This was not something he imagined he would be doing when he chose to become a priest or friar.  He is personally amazed how the Holy Spirit has empowered him and allowed his little project to soar to greater heights. 

As you all know by now, I have been appointed by Bishop Ness as Parish Administrator of San Roque Parish in Bagumbayan (not very far from here). I take this new mission with joy but at the same time a tinge of trepidation. Although I worked in our parish in London, this will be the first time that I find myself in the forefront of parish life. What gives me courage is the fact that deep in my heart I know that when God calls, He also equips the one He calls.  I cannot say that I am the perfect person for the job because in all humility, I know there is much for me to learn about parish administration, but I am convinced that the Holy Spirit will empower me to accomplish the task I have been called to do for the greater glory of God. Last Sunday, I said my first mass in San Roque and after the mass I was formally introduced to the members of the Parish Pastoral Council. The people are very welcoming of their new pastor and assured me that we are in this together. “Father, makipagtulungan po kami sa inyo sa lahat ng aming makakaya!”  And for that I am very grateful and hopeful that my experience there will be a fulfilling one. 

On this day, let us thank the Father for our “soul’s most welcome guest” – the Holy Spirit! May we be open to the promptings of the Spirit in our lives just as the home maker who feeds the poor of Metro Manila, our CTK sacristans, and Fr. Casey Cole. Just as I am taking courage in accomplishing my new mission in life, I encourage you to do the same as well.  Life in quarantine can still be an adventure if we allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit. May the Lord continuously send us His Spirit to renew the face of the earth.