MGA PAGBASANG PANG-ARAW-ARAW (Pebrero 20, 2020)

HUWEBES NG IKA-6 NA LINGGO SA KARANIWANG PANAHON (TAON II, Berde)

UNANG PAGBASA (Santiago 2, 1-9)

Pagbasa mula sa sulat ni Apostol Santiago

Mga kapatid, bilang mga sumasampalataya sa ting Panginoong Hesukristo, ang dakilang Panginoon, huwag kayong magtatangi ng tao. Halimbawa: pumasok sa inyong kapulungan ang isang lalaking nakasingsing ng ginto at nakadamit nang magara, at isa namang dukha na panay sulsi ang damit. Kung asikasuhin ninyong mabuti yaong magara ang damit at sabihin sa kanya, “Dito kayo maupo,” at sabihin naman sa dukha, “Tumayo ka na lang diyan,” o kaya’y “Sa sahig ka na lang maupo,” nagtatangi na kayo at humahatol nang mali.

Tingnan ninyo, mga kapatid kong minamahal! Hinirang ng Diyos ang mga dukha sa sanlibutan upang maging mayaman sa pananampalataya at maging kasama sa kahariang ipinangako niya sa mga umiibig sa kanya. Ngunit hinahamak naman ninyo ang dukha! Hindi ba’t ang mayayaman ang sumisiil sa inyo? Hindi ba sila and kumakaladkad sa inyo sa hukuman? Hindi ba’t sila rin ang dumudusta sa marangal na pangalang ibinigay sa inyo ng Diyos?

Mabuti ang inyong ginagawa kung tinutupad ninyo ang kautusang ibinigay ng Diyos, na nasasaad sa Kasulatan, “Ibigin mo ang iyong kapwa gawa ng iyong sarili.” Ngunit kung hindi pare-pareho and tingin ninyo sa tao, kayo’y nagkakasala, at ayon sa Kasulatan, dapat kayong parusahan.

– Ang Salita ng Diyos.

SALMONG TUGUNAN (Salmo 33, 2-3. 4-5. 6-7)

Tugon: Dukhang sa D’yos tumatawag ay kanyang inililigtas.

Panginoo’y aking laging pupurihin;
sa pasasalamat di ako titigil.
Aking pupurihin kanyang mga gawa,
kayong naaapi, makinig, matuwa!

Tugon: Dukhang sa D’yos tumatawag ay kanyang inililigtas.

Ang pagkadakila niya ay ihayag
at ang ngalan niya’y purihin ng lahat!
Ang aking dalangi’y dininig ng Diyos,
nawala sa akin ang lahat kong takot.

Tugon: Dukhang sa D’yos tumatawag ay kanyang inililigtas.

Nagalak ang aping umasa sa kanya,
pagkat di nabigo ang pag-asa nila.
Tumatawag sa Diyos ang walang pag-asa,
Sila’y iniligtas sa hirap at dusa.

Tugon: Dukhang sa D’yos tumatawag ay kanyang inililigtas.

ALELUYA (Juan 6, 63k. 68k)

Aleluya! Aleluya!
Espiritung bumubuhay
ang Salita mo, Maykapal,
buhay mo ang tinataglay.
Aleluya! Aleluya!

MABUTING BALITA (Marcos 8, 27-33)

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon ayon kay San Marcos

Noong panahong iyon, si Hesus, kasama ang kanyang mga alagad, ay nagtungo sa mga nayon ng Cesarea, sakop ni Filipo. Samantalang sila’y naglalakbay, tinanong niya ang kanyang mga alagad, “Sino raw ako ayon sa mga tao?” Sumagot sila, “Ang sabi ng ilan ay si Juan Bautista kayo; sabi naman ng iba, si Elias kayo; at may nagsasabi pang isa kayo sa mga propeta.” “Kayo naman – ano ang sabi ninyo? Sino ako?” tanong niya. “Kayo ang Kristo,” tugon ni Pedro. “Huwag ninyong sasabihin kaninuman kung sino ako,” mahigpit na utos niya sa kanila.

Mula noon, ipinaalam na ni Hesus sa kanyang mga alagad na ang Anak ng Tao’y dapat magbata ng maraming hirap. Siya’y itatakwil ng matatanda ng bayan, ng mga punong saserdote at ng mga eskriba at ipapapatay. Ngunit sa ikatlong araw, muli siyang mabubuhay. Maliwanag na sinabi niya ito sa kanila. Kaya’t niyaya siya ni Pedro sa isang tabi at sinimulang pagsabihan. Ngunit humarap si Hesus sa kanyang mga alagad at pinagwikaan si Pedro: “Lumayo ka, Satanas! Ang iniisip mo’y hindi sa Diyos kundi sa tao.”

– Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.

Pagninilay: Ang Unang Pagbasa ay nagpapaalala sa atin kung paano nating tinatrato ang ating mga kapwa, lalung-lalo na ang mga mahihirap. Kung tayo’y may matatag na pananampalataya sa Diyos, ito’y dapat maging paraan na gawing kaakibat ang pagiging mabuti sa ibang tao. Hindi dapat natin sila tinatanggihan o kaya sinasaktan, bagkus dapat natin sila tanggapin nang buong kakabang-loob. Ang ganyang pagtanggap sa lahat ng tao ay isang tanda ng pagtanggap natin sa Panginoon ng ating buhay. Ang Ebanghelyo ngayon ay isang pagkakatagpo ng mga Apostol kay Hesus. Tinanong sila ni Kristo kung sino siya sa tao, at maraming kilalang pangalan ang lumabas katulad nina San Juan Bautista, Elias, Jeremias, o isa sa mga propeta. At nang mismong sila’y tanungin niya, si Simon Pedro ay nagpahayag na si Hesus ay ang Kristo, ang Anak ng Diyos. Dahil sa tamang sagot ni Pedro, pinagsabihin sila ni Hesus na huwag sabihin kanino man kung sino siya. Ang akala ni Simon Pedro na ang pagka-Mesiyas ni Hesus ay ayon sa pananaw ng mga Hudyo na ito’y magiging tapagtanggol ng mga Israelita mula sa pananakop ng mga Romano. Kaya nang unang ipinaalam ng Panginoon na siya’y mamatay at muling mabubuhay, biglang tumanggi si Pedro, at ito’y pinaglayuan ni Hesus na “Satanas”. Hindi po ibig sabihin na demonyo ang Apostol na ito, kundi ito’y pagmamalabis na iniisip niya ay mula sa pananaw ng tao, at hindi ayon sa karunungan ng Diyos. Pero makikita natin sa pagpapahayag ng pananalig ni San Pedro na si Hesus ang Mesiyas, ito’y paanayaya sa atin na dapat kilalanin din natin ang Diyos sa ating sariling buhay. At kung patuloy natin kinikilala siya, gawin po natin ang kanyang niloob hindi lang para sa atin, kundi para na rin sa mabuting kapakanan ng ibang tao. Nawa’y isabuhay natin ang ating pananampalataya sa Panginoon sa patuloy na paggawa ng kabutihan at katuwiran sa lahat ng tao.

DAILY MASS READINGS (February 20, 2020)

THURSDAY OF THE 6TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR II, Green)

Reading 1 (JAMES 2:1-9)

A reading from the Letter of St. James

My brothers and sisters, show no partiality
as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.
For if a man with gold rings and fine clothes  
comes into your assembly,
and a poor person with shabby clothes also comes in,  
and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes
and say, “Sit here, please,”
while you say to the poor one, “Stand there,” or “Sit at my feet,”
have you not made distinctions among yourselves
and become judges with evil designs?

Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters.
Did not God choose those who are poor in the world
to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom
that he promised to those who love him?
But you dishonored the poor.
Are not the rich oppressing you?
And do they themselves not haul you off to court?
Is it not they who blaspheme the noble name that was invoked over you?
However, if you fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture,
You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well.
But if you show partiality, you commit sin,
and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

– The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm (PSALM 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7)

R.    (7a) The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R.    The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R.    The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R.    The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

Alleluia (JOHN 6:63C, 68C)

R.    Alleluia, alleluia.
Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;
you have the words of everlasting life.
R.    Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (MARK 8:27-33)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark

Jesus and his disciples set out
for the villages of Caesarea Philippi.
Along the way he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that I am?”
They said in reply,
“John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others one of the prophets.”
And he asked them,
“But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said to him in reply,
“You are the Christ.”
Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.

He began to teach them
that the Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed, and rise after three days.
He spoke this openly.
Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples,
rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

– The Gospel of the Lord.

Reflection: The First Reading reminds us of how we are to treat one another, especially those who are considered to be “poor”. We know that we have a strong faith in the Lord, which is why we have so many devotions and prayers to him. Now what the Apostle James wants us to do is to make those practices and traditions, that compose the Single Deposit, reflective in our lives. They should lead us in caring and showing our concern for other people. They should not be means of exploiting nor belittling others. By accepting our neighbors, we also accept the Lord in our lives. The Gospel Reading gives us a close personal encounter of Christ with his Apostles in Caesarea, Philippi. He asks them of the opinion of people about him, to which they reply different names like St. John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the ancient prophets. Then he straightens himself up to ask them of their opinion about him. But more than a mere opinion, Simon Peter makes a profession of faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, then he and the rest of the Apostles were told not to tell anyone about the Lord. Peter has known from his heart that Jesus is the Messiah, but he only viewed this in the perspective of the Jewish oracles. The Apostles thought that he is the liberator of the Israelites from the Roman occupation. So when Christ first has predicted his passion, Peter sternly objects. Then Jesus calls him “Satan” not because he is demonic, but it is a hyperbole to signify the limited capacity of Simon Peter’s thinking, unlike that of God’s wisdom. But moreover what we can learn here is like St. Peter, we too believe that Jesus Christ is our Lord, Savior, and Friend. We believe that God is a loving and merciful Father. Moreover, we should always allow the divine will to happen in our life. It will not only benefit us, but even other people, by the way we interact with them and do kind and just deeds towards them. 

DAILY MASS READINGS (February 19, 2020)

WEDNESDAY OF THE 6TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR II, Green)

Reading 1 (JAMES 1:19-27)

A reading from the Letter of St. James

Know this, my dear brothers and sisters:
everyone should be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger
for anger does not accomplish
the righteousness of God.
Therefore, put away all filth and evil excess
and humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you
and is able to save your souls.

Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer,
he is like a man who looks at his own face in a mirror.
He sees himself, then goes off and promptly forgets
what he looked like.
But the one who peers into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres,
and is not a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts;
such a one shall be blessed in what he does.

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue
but deceives his heart, his religion is vain.
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this:
to care for orphans and widows in their affliction
and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

– The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm (PSALM 15:2-3A, 3BC-4AB, 5)

R.    (1b)  Who shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord?
He who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
R.    Who shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord?
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
By whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R.    Who shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord?
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R.    Who shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord?

Alleluia (EPHESIANS 1:17-18)

R.    Alleluia, alleluia.
May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten the eyes of our hearts,
that we may know what is the hope
that belongs to his call.
R.    Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (MARK 8:22-26)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark

When Jesus and his disciples arrived at Bethsaida,
people brought to him a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.
He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village.
Putting spittle on his eyes he laid his hands on the man and asked,
“Do you see anything?”
Looking up the man replied, “I see people looking like trees and walking.”
Then he laid hands on the man’s eyes a second time and he saw clearly;
his sight was restored and he could see everything distinctly.
Then he sent him home and said, “Do not even go into the village.”

– The Gospel of the Lord.

Reflection: St. James in the Less in the First Reading reminds us of being active participants of God’s word. This entails that the words of Scripture that we read and listen to especially at Mass should be applied into its appropriate action. This means that we are all called to be doers of his word, that we may bring the knowledge and love of him to other people. This is how the Apostle describes faith to be. And he mentions the importance of religion, which some Christians claim that it cannot give salvation, but rather the acceptance of faith in Jesus Christ. However, the word “religion” is related to “relationship” as a popular etymology connotes. And going back to the passage, St. James says that the religion God desires is the one who cares for the orphans, feeds the hungry, and shows other acts of love and compassion towards all people. Jesus in the Gospel Reading heals a blind man. This blind man is seeing figures, which virtually portray the actual realities. So when Jesus spits on mud and puts it in his eyes, he opens his eyes to the reality, and at once he can see. We see here how Christ is a merciful Lord who is able to understand our weaknesses in life. He also invites us to picture reality just like the physically blind man, that we may remove the spiritual and emotional blindness that hinder us from recognizing the divine presence among us.

MGA PAGBASANG PANG-ARAW-ARAW (Pebrero 18, 2020)

MARTES NG IKA-6 NA LINGGO SA KARANIWANG PANAHON (TAON II, Berde)

UNANG PAGBASA (Santiago 1, 12-18)

Pagbasa mula sa sulat ni Apostol Santiago

Mapalad ang taong nananatiling tapat, sa kabila ng mga pagsubok; sapagkat matapos siyang subukin, tatanggap siya ng putong. Ito’y ang buhay na ipinangako ng Panginoon sa mga umiibig sa kanya. Huwag sabihin ninuman kapag siya’y dumaranas ng pagsubok, na tinutukso siya ng Diyos. Sapagkat ang Diyos ay hindi matutukso ng masama at hindi naman niya tinutukso ang sinuman. Natutukso ang tao kapag siya’y naakit at napatangay sa sariling pita. Kapag ang pita ay tumubo at nag-ugat, nagbubunga ito ng pagkakasala. Kapag lumala ang kasalanan, ito’y nagbubunga ng kamatayan.

Huwag kayong padaya, mga kapatid kong minamahal. Bawat kaloob na mabuti at ganap ay buhat sa langit, mula sa Ama na lumikha ng mga tanglaw sa langit. Hindi niya tayo iniiwan o binabayaan man sa dilim. Niloob niyang tayo’y maging anak niya sa pamamagitan ng salita ng katotohanan, upang matangi tayo at maging higit sa lahat ng kanyang mga nilalang.

– Ang Salita ng Diyos.

SALMONG TUGUNAN (Salmo 93, 12-13a. 14-15. 18-19)

Tugon: Mapalad ang tumatanggap ng aral ng Poong tapat.

Mapalad ang mga taong tumatanggap ng pangaral,
silang sa ’yo’y tumatanggap ng turo sa kautusan.
Pagkat sila’y magdaranas ng saglit na ginhawa,
hanggang yaong masasama’y mahulog sa hukay nila.

Tugon: Mapalad ang tumatanggap ng aral ng Poong tapat.

Ang lingkod ng Panginoo’y hindi niya iiwanan,
yaong mga hirang niya’y hindi niya tatalikdan;
mababalik sa matuwid ang ganap na katarungan,
diwang ito ang susundin ng tapat ang pamumuhay.

Tugon: Mapalad ang tumatanggap ng aral ng Poong tapat.

Kapag aking nagunitang, “Ang paa ko’y dumudulas,”
dahilan sa pag-ibig mo, O Diyos, ako’y tumatatag.
Kung ako ay ginugulo ng maraming suliranin,
ang wagas na pag-ibig mo ang sa aki’y umaaliw.

Tugon: Mapalad ang tumatanggap ng aral ng Poong tapat.

ALELUYA (Juan 14, 23)

Aleluya! Aleluya!
Ang sa aki’y nagmamahal
tutupad sa aking aral.
Ama’t ako’y mananahan.
Aleluya! Aleluya!

MABUTING BALITA (Marcos 8, 14-21)

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon ayon kay San Marcos

Noong panahong iyon, nalimutan ng mga alagad na magdala ng tinapay, at iisa lang ang kanilang tinapay sa bangka. “Kaiingat kayo! Ilagan ninyo ang lebadura ng mga Pariseo at ang lebadura ni Herodes,” babala ni Hesus sa kanila. Nag-usap-usap ang mga alagad, “Wala kasi tayong dalang tinapay kaya niya sinabi iyon.” Alam ito ni Hesus, kaya’t sila’y tinanong niya, “Bakit ninyo pinag-uusapan na kayo’y walang dalang tinapay? Hindi pa ba kayo nakakabatid o nakauunawa? Hindi pa ba ito abot ng inyong isip? Wala ba kayong mata? Wala ba kayong tainga? Nakalimutan na ba ninyo nang paghati-hatiin ko ang limang tinapay para sa limanlibo? Ilang bakol ang napuno ninyo sa mga lumabis na tinapay?” “Labindalawa po,” tugon nila. ‘At nang paghati-hatiin ko ang pitong tinapay para sa apatnalibo, ilang bakol na malalaki ang napuno ninyo?” tanong niya. “Pitong bakol po,” tugon nila. “At hindi pa rin ninyo nauunawaan?” wika niya.

– Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.

Pagninilay: Ang Unang Pagbasa ay nagpapaalala sa atin ang pagtanggap sa salita ng Panginoon. Ito’y tanda na tayo’y mananatili sa kanya kahit humarap pa tayo sa napakadaming pagsubok na naransan at mararanasan pa lang. Hinihikayat tayo ni Santiago na patulo’y tayo’y maging tapat sa Diyos anupamang mangyari sa ating buhay. Ang Ebanghelyo ay isang babala ni Hesus tungkol sa lebandura ng mga Pariseo at eskriba. Ito ay dahil napansin ni Hesus na nakapokus ang mga alagad sa pagkawalan ng panustos ng tinapay. Hindi ito naunawaan agad ng mga alagad, kaya ipinaalala sa kanila ni Hesus ang dalawang himala ng pagpaparami sa tinapay na nagpakain ng 5000 tao sa Tabgha at 4000 tao sa may rehiyon ng Tiro at Sidon. Makikita dito ang paalala na ang Diyos na gumawa ng mga mabuting bagay. Ang lebandura ni Hesus ay siya mismo bilang Tinapay ng Buhay. Tuwing ipinagdiriwang natin ang Eukaristiya, tinatanggap natin siya upang siya’y manahan sa ating puso’t isipan. At ito rin ay hamon sa atin na maging lebandura ng kabutihan at katuwiran para sa ibang tao, na palusugin natin ang hindi lang pisikal, kundi pati emosyonal at espirituwal na katauhan ng bawat isa.

DAILY MASS READINGS (February 18, 2020)

TUESDAY OF THE 6TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR II, Green)

Reading 1 (JAMES 1:12-18)

A reading from the Letter of St. James

Blessed is he who perseveres in temptation,
for when he has been proven he will receive the crown of life
that he promised to those who love him.
No one experiencing temptation should say,
“I am being tempted by God”;
for God is not subject to temptation to evil,
and he himself tempts no one.
Rather, each person is tempted when lured and enticed by his desire.
Then desire conceives and brings forth sin,
and when sin reaches maturity it gives birth to death.

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers and sisters:
all good giving and every perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of lights,
with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change.
He willed to give us birth by the word of truth
that we may be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

– The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm (PSALM 94:12-13A, 14-15, 18-19)

R.    (12a) Blessed the man you instruct, O Lord.
Blessed the man whom you instruct, O LORD,
whom by your law you teach,
Giving him rest from evil days.
R.    Blessed the man you instruct, O Lord.
For the LORD will not cast off his people,
nor abandon his inheritance;
But judgment shall again be with justice,
and all the upright of heart shall follow it.
R.    Blessed the man you instruct, O Lord.
When I say, “My foot is slipping,”
your mercy, O LORD, sustains me;
When cares abound within me,
your comfort gladdens my soul.
R.    Blessed the man you instruct, O Lord.

Alleluia (JOHN 14:23)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord;
and my Father will love him
and we will come to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (MARK 8:14-21)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark

The disciples had forgotten to bring bread,
and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.
Jesus enjoined them, “Watch out,
guard against the leaven of the Pharisees
and the leaven of Herod.”
They concluded among themselves that
it was because they had no bread.
When he became aware of this he said to them,
“Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread?
Do you not yet understand or comprehend?
Are your hearts hardened?
Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear?
And do you not remember,
when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand,
how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?”
They answered him, “Twelve.”
“When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand,
how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?”
They answered him, “Seven.”
He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

– The Gospel of the Lord.

Reflection: A leaven or yeast is an ingredient used in making the bread rise or inflate, and so it becomes thicker. In the Gospel (Mark 8:14-17), Jesus warned the disciples on the leavens of the Pharisees and Herod because in these there is pride, hatred, jealousy, hypocrisy, and hardened hearts. The disciples thought that it is because they didn’t have enough bread since they only have one loaf. But what Jesus is pointing out is the bread at the two accounts of the Multiplication of the Loaves, his very self, the Bread of Life that gives spiritual nourishment, and the bread that became his own body at the Last Supper. At the Resurrection, he will rise and feed all his believers with his very self to give a new life. Every time we celebrate the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, we are being fed by the food and the word of eternal life, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This was made present in all the Catholic churches in the world from the beginning until now, which was graced by the Holy Spirit. As we journey down this road, let us not feed ourselves with the food of evil but with the food of eternal life, the Bread of Life and Resurrection, Jesus Christ.

DAILY MASS READINGS (February 17, 2020)

MONDAY OF THE 6TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR II, Green)

Reading 1 (JAMES 1:1-11)

A reading from the beginning of the Letter of St. James

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
to the twelve tribes in the dispersion, greetings.

Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters,
when you encounter various trials,
for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
And let perseverance be perfect,
so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
But if any of you lacks wisdom,
he should ask God who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly,
and he will be given it.
But he should ask in faith, not doubting,
for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea
that is driven and tossed about by the wind.
For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord,
since he is a man of two minds, unstable in all his ways.

The brother in lowly circumstances  
should take pride in high standing,
and the rich one in his lowliness,  
for he will pass away “like the flower of the field.”
For the sun comes up with its scorching heat and dries up the grass,
its flower droops, and the beauty of its appearance vanishes.
So will the rich person fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

– The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm (PSALM 119:67, 68, 71, 72, 75, 76)

R.    (77a)  Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.
Before I was afflicted I went astray,
but now I hold to your promise.
R.    Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.
You are good and bountiful;
teach me your statutes.
R.    Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.
It is good for me that I have been afflicted,
that I may learn your statutes.
R.    Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.
The law of your mouth is to me more precious
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
R.    Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.
I know, O LORD, that your ordinances are just,
and in your faithfulness you have afflicted me.
R.    Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.
Let your kindness comfort me
according to your promise to your servants.
R.    Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.

Alleluia (JOHN 14:6)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord;
no one comes to the Father except through me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (MARK 8:11-13)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark

The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus,
seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him.
He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said,
“Why does this generation seek a sign?
Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.”
Then he left them, got into the boat again,
and went off to the other shore.

– The Gospel of the Lord.

Reflection: For the Jews, they believed that the Messiah, the Anointed One of God, will come from the line of King David and a line of powerful kings. They expected him to be a powerful and political leader, who will liberate them from the Roman occupation. They expected a new Moses to come, which is in the form of Elijah. When our Lord Jesus Christ came down to earth, he did not come to proclaim his messiahship, rather he proclaimed the message of love to all. He healed many people and showed them mercy and compassion. The Jews didn’t accept him because they knew he was the son of a local carpenter from Galilee (Saint Joseph), and believed that those kind of professions don’t qualify for their Messiah. In the Gospel (Mark 8:11-13), we hear how the Pharisees asked our Lord Jesus Christ a sign, so that they may believe that he was sent from God. Jesus knew that they were testing him because they were watching closely his actions everyday, especially in the Temple area. He compares them in an evil generation seeking for a sign. Saint Mark does not state any sign, but both Saints Matthew and Luke state that the sign is the Prophet Jonah. Jesus knew from the start that his enemies are plotting to kill him, which is why he is able to combat their attempts. He knew at that time that his glory had not yet come. This was also the will of God, until the time came when the greatest act of love was performed. Christ teaches us to recognize the signs of God’s love for the whole human race. In the First Reading (James 1:1-11), Saint James the Less reminds us to be wise before the Lord. Wisdom enables us the capacity to discern his will in our thoughts, words, and actions. Also we should have faith and hope in trusting his plan, not doubting it whenever we experience trials in life. As we journey down this road, let us open our eyes, minds, and hearts to the signs God gives us, and let us share them with others.

MGA PAGBASANG PANG-ARAW-ARAW (Pebrero 16, 2020)

IKA-6 NA LINGGO SA KARANIWANG PANAHON (TAON A, Berde)

UNANG PAGBASA (Sirak 15, 16-21)

Pagbasa mula sa aklat ni Sirak

Kung gusto mo, masusunod mo ang utos ng Panginoon,
Ikaw ang magpapasiya kung magiging tapat ka sa kanya o hindi.
Naglagay siya sa harapan mo ng tubig at ng apoy,
kunin mo ang iyong maibigan.
Makapipili ka ng alinman sa dalawa: buhay o kamatayan,
ang iyong mapili ang siya mong tutunguhan.
Dakila ang Karunungan at kapangyarihan ng Panginoon
nakikita niya ang lahat ng bagay.
Nalalaman niya ang lahat ng ginagawa ng bawat tao,
at kinakalinga niya ang mga may takot sa kanya.
Kailanma’y wala siya inutusang magkasama,
O pinahintulutang magkasala.

– Ang Salita ng Diyos.

SALMONG TUGUNAN (Salmo 118, 1-2. 4-5. 17-18. 33-34)

Tugon: Mapalad ang sumusunod sa utos ng Poong Diyos.

Mapalad ang mga taong malinis ang pamumuhay,
ayon sa utos ng Poon ang gawain araw-araw.
Mapalad ang sumusunod sa kanyang kautusan,
buong puso ang pagsunod sa utos na ibinigay.

Tugon: Mapalad ang sumusunod sa utos ng Poong Diyos.

Ibinigay mo sa amin iyang iyong mga utos,
upang aming talimahin at sundin nang buong lugod,
gayon ako umaasa, umaasang magiging tapat,
susundin ang iyong utos, susundin ng buong ingat.

Tugon: Mapalad ang sumusunod sa utos ng Poong Diyos.

Itong iyong abang lingkod, O Diyos, sana’y pagpalain,
upang ako ay mabuhay at ang utos mo ang sundin.
Buksan mo ang paningin ko pagkat nananabik masdan,
yaong buting idudulot sa akin ng iyong aral.

Tugon: Mapalad ang sumusunod sa utos ng Poong Diyos.

Ituro mo, Panginoon, layunin ng kautusan,
at iyon ang susundin ko habang ako’y nabubuhay.
Ituro mo ang batas mo’t sisikapin kong masunod,
buong pusong iingata’t susundin nang buong lugod.

Tugon: Mapalad ang sumusunod sa utos ng Poong Diyos.

IKALAWANG PAGBASA (1 Corinto 2, 6-10)

Pagbasa mula sa unang sulat ni Apostol San Pablo sa mga taga-Corinto

Mga kapatid:

Sa mga may sapat na gulang sa pamumuhay espiritwal, karunungan ang ipinangangaral namin, subalit hindi karunungan ng sanlibutang ito o ng mga tagapamahala sa ngayon na nakatakdang malipol. Ang tinutukoy ko ay ang panukala ng Diyos, na nalihim sa tao; itinalaga niya ito para sa ating ikadarakila, bago likhain ang sanlibutan. Isa man sa mga tagapamahala sa kapanahunang ito’y walang nakaunawa sa panukalang iyon. Sapagkat kung naunawaan nila iyon, hindi sana nila ipinako sa krus ang dakilang Panginoon. Ganito ang sinasabi ng Kasulatan,
“Hindi pa nakikita ng mata, ni naririnig ng tainga,
hindi pa rin sumasagi sa isip ng tao,
ang inihanda ng Diyos sa mga umiibig sa kanya.”

Subalit ito’y inihayag ng Diyos sa atin sa pamamagitan ng Espiritu. Nasasaliksik ng Espiritu ang lahat ng bagay, maging ang pinakamalalim na panukala ng Diyos.

– Ang Salita ng Diyos.

ALELUYA (Mateo 11, 25)

Aleluya! Aleluya!
Papuri sa Diyos Ama
pagkat ipinahayag n’ya
Hari s’ya ng mga aba!
Aleluya! Aleluya!

MABUTING BALITA (Mateo 5, 17-37)

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon ayon kay San Mateo

Noong panahong iyon, sinabi ni Hesus sa kanyang mga alagad: “Huwag ninyong akalaing naparito ako upang pawalang-bisa ang Kautusan at ang aral ng mga propeta. Naparito ako, hindi upang pawalang-bisa kundi para ipaliwanag at ganapin ang mga iyon. Tandaan ninyo ito: magwawakas ang langit at ang lupa, ngunit ang kaliit-liitang bahagi ng Kautusan ay di mawawalan ng bisa hangga’t hindi nagaganap ang lahat. Kaya’t sinumang magpawalang-halaga kahit sa kaliit-liitang bahagi nito, at magturo nang gayon sa mga tao, ay ibibilang na pinakamababa sa kaharian ng Diyos. Ngunit ang gumaganap ng Kautusan at nagtuturo na tuparin iyon ay ibibilang na dakila sa kaharian ng Diyos.

Sinasabi ko sa inyo: kung ang pagsunod ninyo sa kalooban ng Diyos ay tulad lamang ng pagsunod ng mga eskriba at mga Pariseo, hindi kayo makapapasok sa kaharian ng Diyos.

“Narinig ninyo na noong una’y inutos sa mga tao, ‘Huwag kang papatay; ang sinumang makamatay ay mananagot sa hukuman.’ Ngunit ngayo’y sinasabi ko sa inyo: ang mapoot sa kanyang kapatid ay mananagot sa hukuman; ang humamak sa kanyang kapatid ay mananagot sa Sanedrin, at sinumang magsabi sa kanyang kapatid ‘ulol ka!’ ay mapapasaapoy ng impiyero. Kaya’t kung naghahandog ka sa Diyos, at maalaala mo na may sama ng loob sa iyo ang kapatid mo, iwan mo muna ang iyong handog sa harap ng dambana at makipagkasundo ka sa kanya. Saka ka magbalik at maghandog sa Diyos.

“Kung may magsakdal laban sa iyo sa hukuman, makipag-ayos ka sa kanya habang may panahon, bago ka niya iharap sa hukom. At kung hindi’y ibibigay ka niya sa hukom, na magbibigay naman sa iyo ng tanod, at ikaw ay mabibilanggo. Sinasabi ko sa iyo: hindi ka makalalabas doon hangga’t hindi mo nababayaran ang kahuli-hulihang kusing.”

“Narinig ninyo na noong una’y iniutos sa mga tao, ‘Huwag kang makikiapid.’ Ngunit ngayo’y sinasabi ko sa inyo: ang sinumang tumingin nang may mahalay na pagnanasa sa isang babae, sa isip niya’y nakiapid na siya sa babaing iyon. Kung ang mata mo ang siyang nagiging sanhi ng iyong pagkakasala, dukutin mo at itapon! Sapagkat mabuti pang mawalan ka ng isang bahagi ng katawan kaysa buo ang iyong katawang itapon sa impiyerno. Kung ang iyong kamay ang siyang nagiging sanhi ng iyong pagkakasala, putulin mo at itapon! Mabuti pang mawalan ka ng isang bahagi ng katawan kaysa buo ang iyong katawang itapon sa impiyerno.

“Sinabi rin naman, ‘Kapag pinahiwalay ng lalaki ang kanyang asawa, ito’y dapat niyang bigyan ng kasulatan ng paghihiwalay.’ Ngunit ngayo’y sinasabi ko sa inyo: kapag pinahiwalay ng isang lalaki ang kanyang asawa nang hindi naman ito nangangalunya, at ito’y nag-asawang muli, ang lalaking iyo’y nagkasala – itinulak niya ang kanyang asawa sa pangangalunya. At sinumang mag-asawa sa babaing hiniwalayan ay nangangalunya.”

“Narinig pa ninyo na noong una’y iniutos sa mga tao, ‘Huwag kang sisita sa iyong pinanumpaang pangaka bagkus ay tupdin mo ang iyong sinumpaan sa Panginoon.’ Ngunit ngayo’y sinasabi ko sa inyo: huwag na kayong sumumpa kung nangangako kayo. Huwag ninyong sabihing, ‘Saksi ko ang langit,’ sapagkat ito’y trono ng Diyos; o kaya’y ‘Saksi ko ang lupa,’ sapagkat ito’y tuntungan ng kanyang mga paa. Huwag din ninyong sabihing, ‘Saksi ko ang Jerusalem,’ sapagkat ito’y lungsod ng dakilang Hari. Ni huwag mong sabihing, ‘Mamatay man ako,’ sapagkat ni isang buhok sa iyong ulo’y hindi mo mapapuputi o mapaiitim. Sabihin mo na lang na ‘Oo’ kung oo at ‘Hindi’ kung hindi; sapagkat buhat na sa masama ang anumang sumpang idaragdag dito.”

– Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.

O kaya: (Mateo 5, 20-22A, 27-28, 33-34A, 37)

Noong panahong iyon, sinabi ni Hesus sa mga alagad, “Sinasabi ko sa inyo: kung ang pagsunod ninyo sa kalooban ng Diyos ay tulad lamang ng pagsunod ng mga eskriba at mga Pariseo, hindi kayo makapapasok sa kaharian ng Diyos.

“Narinig ninyo na noong una’y inutos sa mga tao, ‘Huwag kang papatay; ang sinumang makamatay ay mananagot sa hukuman.’ Ngunit ngayo’y sinasabi ko sa inyo: ang mapoot sa kanyang kapatid ay mananagot sa hukuman.

“Narinig ninyo na noong una’y iniutos sa mga tao, ‘Huwag kang makikiapid.’ Ngunit ngayo’y sinasabi ko sa inyo: ang sinumang tumingin nang may mahalay na pagnanasa sa isang babae, sa isip niya’y nakiapid na siya sa babaing iyon.

“Narinig pa ninyo na noong una’y iniutos sa mga tao, ‘Huwag kang sisita sa iyong pinanumpaang pangaka bagkus ay tupdin mo ang iyong sinumpaan sa Panginoon.’ Ngunit ngayo’y sinasabi ko sa inyo: huwag na kayong sumumpa kung nangangako kayo. Sabihin mo na lang na ‘Oo’ kung oo at ‘Hindi’ kung hindi; sapagkat buhat na sa masama ang anumang sumpang idaragdag dito.”

– Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.

Pagninilay:

DAILY MASS READINGS (February 16, 2020)

6TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (CYCLE A, Green)

Reading 1 (SIRACH 15:15-20)

If you choose you can keep the commandments, they will save you;
if you trust in God, you too shall live;
he has set before you fire and water
to whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand.
Before man are life and death, good and evil,
whichever he chooses shall be given him.
Immense is the wisdom of the Lord;
he is mighty in power, and all-seeing.
The eyes of God are on those who fear him;
he understands man’s every deed.
No one does he command to act unjustly,
to none does he give license to sin.

– The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm (PSALM 119:1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34)

R. (1b) Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Blessed are they whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD.
Blessed are they who observe his decrees,
who seek him with all their heart.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
You have commanded that your precepts
be diligently kept.
Oh, that I might be firm in the ways
of keeping your statutes!
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Be good to your servant, that I may live
and keep your words.
Open my eyes, that I may consider
the wonders of your law.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Instruct me, O LORD, in the way of your statutes,
that I may exactly observe them.
Give me discernment, that I may observe your law
and keep it with all my heart.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!

Reading 2 (1 CORINTHIANS 2:6-10)

A reading from the 1st Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians

Brothers and sisters:
We speak a wisdom to those who are mature,
not a wisdom of this age,
nor of the rulers of this age who are passing away.
Rather, we speak God’s wisdom, mysterious, hidden,
which God predetermined before the ages for our glory,
and which none of the rulers of this age knew;
for, if they had known it,
they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
But as it is written:
What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard,
and what has not entered the human heart,
what God has prepared for those who love him,
this God has revealed to us through the Spirit.

For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God.

– The word of the Lord.

Alleluia (MATTHEW 11:25)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (MATTHEW 5:17-37 OR 5:20-22A, 27-28, 33-34A, 37)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses
that of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you,
whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment;
and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’
will be answerable to the Sanhedrin;
and whoever says, ‘You fool,’
will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.

“You have heard that it was said,
You shall not commit adultery.
But I say to you,
everyone who looks at a woman with lust
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
If your right eye causes you to sin,
tear it out and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.
And if your right hand causes you to sin,
cut it off and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.

“It was also said,
Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.
But I say to you,
whoever divorces his wife –  unless the marriage is unlawful –
causes her to commit adultery,
and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
Do not take a false oath,
but make good to the Lord all that you vow.
But I say to you, do not swear at all;
not by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
nor by the earth, for it is his footstool;
nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
Do not swear by your head,
for you cannot make a single hair white or black.
Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’
Anything more is from the evil one.”

or

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses
that of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you,
whoever is angry with brother
will be liable to judgment.

“You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.
But I say to you,
everyone who looks at a woman with lust
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
Do not take a false oath,
but make good to the Lord all that you vow.
But I say to you, do not swear at all.
Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’
Anything more is from the evil one.”

– The Gospel of the Lord.

Reflection: The Gospel today has two options. The first option is the long and general one on Jesus’ teaching about the Law, while the second option is the short and specific one about that teaching. Whichever passage the Priest uses, the contents of the message of reflection are still present. For the Jews, the Torah is an important in their daily living, so they are to observe it devoutly and strictly so as not to disobey God’s commands. Originally God has given the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai, but throughout the years, Jewish priests and leaders have added interpretations to the Law that made 613 rules. In the fullness of time when our Lord Jesus Christ to earth, he began his ministry of preaching with a large crowd gathered, which in Saint Matthew’s account is called the Sermon on the Mount. After preaching about the Beatitudes and the Salt and Light, he now preaches to them about the Law, but he clarifies that he has not come to abolish the Mosaic Law, rather he has come to fulfil it.
CCC 1972 teaches us that the New Law is called the laws of love, grace, and freedom. The law that we Christians follow now serves as strength of grace to act through faith and the Sacraments, means for us to love outside of fear, and a wider understanding to act freely outside the old practices of the Jews through charity and good works. Jesus gives three interpretations of the 5th Commandment (murder), 6th Commandment (adultery), and the 2nd commandment (promises and vows). These are ways for the Christian communities and other religious and secular communities to live harmoniously and justly among one another through observance of God’s law, avoidance of not only physical but also spiritual offenses against it, and manifestation of love, grace, and freedom. In Acts 15, the Pharisees demanded the Apostles that Gentile converts should be circumcised according to the Law just like the Jewish converts. But Saints Peter, James the Less, Paul, and Barnabas clarified that the Gentiles do not need to be circumcised in order to be part of the Church, but rather through baptism and profession of their faith in Jesus Christ.
The world today is composed of civil and ecclesiastical laws. Governments and other ideologies of countries set in a Constitution of laws for their citizens to follow in order for citizens and tourists to have a civilised and secure way of living. The Church has a set of laws for the people to observe in terms of the doctrines of the faith, which are composed of the Canon Law. Different conciliar documents are formed for specific interpretations of a particular doctrine, and one of them is the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) for the Celebration of the Holy Eucharist. But there is also what we call the “Natural Law”. CCC 1954-1960 teaches us that the Natural Law is sharing in the goodness and wisdom of God the Creator and discerning what is good and evil. It is not called ‘natural’ because it pertains to nature, but it is called such because it refers to the reasoning and conscience of man to know and apply what is right according to God’s will. It also enables us to acknowledge and correct which laws are burdensome to some members of a society. This is what Jesus reminds us in the Gospel, that our conscience and observance should surpass over the authorities of the scribes and Pharisees, for their religious observances are just made to please God and win praise of the public, yet they don’t even observe their 613 interpretations of the Torah. The Eternal Law is not just only about observances, T/traditions, and rules, but it is also about the morality of the conscience and the sincerity of heart. We have to decide what is right and pleasing to God not only by the rules and laws of the world, as guided by the Natural Law. As Christians, our relationship with one another and other religions should be manifested with respect, justice, and unity. And we should also promote God’s law of love, grace, and freedom in our everyday lives.

DAILY MASS READINGS (February 15, 2020)

SATURDAY OF THE 5TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR II, Green)

Reading 1 (1 KINGS 12:26-32; 13:33-34)

A reading from the 1st Book of Kings

Jeroboam thought to himself:
“The kingdom will return to David’s house.
If now this people go up to offer sacrifices
in the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem,
the hearts of this people will return to their master,
Rehoboam, king of Judah,
and they will kill me.”
After taking counsel, the king made two calves of gold
and said to the people:
“You have been going up to Jerusalem long enough.
Here is your God, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.”
And he put one in Bethel, the other in Dan.
This led to sin, because the people frequented those calves
in Bethel and in Dan.
He also built temples on the high places
and made priests from among the people who were not Levites.
Jeroboam established a feast in the eighth month
on the fifteenth day of the month
to duplicate in Bethel the pilgrimage feast of Judah,
with sacrifices to the calves he had made;
and he stationed in Bethel priests of the high places he had built.

Jeroboam did not give up his evil ways after this,
but again made priests for the high places
from among the common people.
Whoever desired it was consecrated
and became a priest of the high places.
This was a sin on the part of the house of Jeroboam
for which it was to be cut off and destroyed from the earth.

– The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm (PSALM 106:6-7AB, 19-20, 21-22)

R.    (4a) Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
We have sinned, we and our fathers;
we have committed crimes; we have done wrong.
Our fathers in Egypt
considered not your wonders.
R.    Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
They made a calf in Horeb
and adored a molten image;
They exchanged their glory
for the image of a grass-eating bullock.
R.    Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
They forgot the God who had saved them,
who had done great deeds in Egypt,
Wondrous deeds in the land of Ham,
terrible things at the Red Sea.
R.    Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

Alleluia (Mt 4:4B)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (MARK 8:1-10)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark

In those days when there again was a great crowd without anything to eat,
Jesus summoned the disciples and said,
“My heart is moved with pity for the crowd,
because they have been with me now for three days
and have nothing to eat.
If I send them away hungry to their homes,
they will collapse on the way,
and some of them have come a great distance.”
His disciples answered him, “Where can anyone get enough bread
to satisfy them here in this deserted place?”
Still he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?”
They replied, “Seven.”
He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground.
Then, taking the seven loaves he gave thanks, broke them,
and gave them to his disciples to distribute,
and they distributed them to the crowd.
They also had a few fish.
He said the blessing over them
and ordered them distributed also.
They ate and were satisfied.
They picked up the fragments left over–seven baskets.
There were about four thousand people.

He dismissed the crowd and got into the boat with his disciples
and came to the region of Dalmanutha.

– The Gospel of the Lord.

Reflection: Most of have must have heard of the Feeding of the Five Thousand for this is the first account of the Multiplication of the Loaves. In the second account of the Multiplication of the Loaves which is our Gospel today, Jesus feeds four thousand people. He has been with them in the desert for three days and there wasn’t any food to eat. He felt sorry for them and asked his disciples to find food. They only found seven loaves and Jesus took them and giving thanks to God, he said the blessing, broke the loaves and gave it to the disciples and distributed it to the people. This is believed as the origin of the Ministry of the Extraordniary Ministers for Holy Communion (EMHC), or known as Lay Ministers. The disciples picked seven basket with fragments left over. The number ‘seven (7)’ may refer to the Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church and the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is also the number of times Jacob asked for forgiveness to Esau after tricking him. But moreover, seven is a perfect number. It is a symbol of the human body because a body as eyes, ears, nose tongue, skin, hands, feet, and even the inner organs. A body is both perfect in the outside and in the inside. It must be perfectly made by God and it should not fall into any sin. The Gospel account is a paradox of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist wherein we feed on Jesus, the Bread of Life. Just like after three days, the crowds were fed with the loaves, Christ will rise again three days after his death on the cross, and he will feed his believers, the Christian community, with himself, the Bread of Life and Resurrection, and he will be our spiritual nourishment. This feeding would not have happened if the disciples didn’t share the seven loaves, and how can we partake the Eucharist if we don’t share our blessings? As we journey down this road, let us come to the Bread of Life by sharing our gifts with others.

DAILY MASS READINGS (February 14, 2020)

MEMORIAL OF STS. CYRIL, MONK, AND METHODIUS, BISHOP (YEAR II, White)

Reading 1 (1 KINGS 11:29-32; 12:19)

A reading from the 1st Book of Kings

Jeroboam left Jerusalem,
and the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite met him on the road.
The two were alone in the area,
and the prophet was wearing a new cloak.
Ahijah took off his new cloak,
tore it into twelve pieces, and said to Jeroboam:

“Take ten pieces for yourself;
the LORD, the God of Israel, says:
‘I will tear away the kingdom from Solomon’s grasp
and will give you ten of the tribes.
One tribe shall remain to him for the sake of David my servant,
and of Jerusalem,
the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.’”

Israel went into rebellion against David’s house to this day.

– The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm (PSALM 81:10-11AB, 12-13, 14-15)

R.    (11a and 9a)  I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.
“There shall be no strange god among you
nor shall you worship any alien god.
I, the LORD, am your God
who led you forth from the land of Egypt.”
R.    I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.
“My people heard not my voice,
and Israel obeyed me not;
So I gave them up to the hardness of their hearts;
they walked according to their own counsels.”
R.    I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.
“If only my people would hear me,
and Israel walk in my ways,
Quickly would I humble their enemies;
against their foes I would turn my hand.”
R.    I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.

Alleluia (ACTS 16:14B)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Open our hearts, O Lord,
to listen to the words of your Son.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (MARK 7:31-37)

Jesus left the district of Tyre
and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee,
into the district of the Decapolis.
And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment
and begged him to lay his hand on him.
He took him off by himself away from the crowd.
He put his finger into the man’s ears
and, spitting, touched his tongue;
then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him,
“Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”)
And immediately the man’s ears were opened,
his speech impediment was removed,
and he spoke plainly.
He ordered them not to tell anyone.
But the more he ordered them not to,
the more they proclaimed it.
They were exceedingly astonished and they said,
“He has done all things well.
He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

– The Gospel of the Lord.

Reflection: In the First Reading (1 Kings 11:29-32; 12:19), Israel becomes divided due to the effect of Solomon’s sinfulness which we heard yesterday. Jeroboam becomes open to the idea of rebelling against the Davidic line. The formly united nation done by David is now separated into 12 kingdoms, mainly 2 which is Israel on the North and Judah on the South. But we can see here how the heir would descend in the southern part, so that people will be reconciled to Yahweh. Even if those of the northern part intermarry with Assyrian folks, the message of salvation will also be given to them. Our Lord God sent his Only Begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to save us and all humanity from sin by his sacrificial act of love. In the Gospel (Mark 7:31-37), we see how Jesus healed a mute and deaf man at Decapolis, meaning Ten Cities. He said to him, “Ephphatha! Be opened” (Mark 7:34)! The openness the man received is openness to the grace of God, openness to the gift of life, and openness to the communication of goodness. Jesus may have used an impure substance to cure the man and might have broke the so-called claim of Jews on salvation to themselves only, but he showed that God’s salvation is open to all peoples, as what the Old Testament prophets and psalms depict to us. We are called to be opened to this message by living up the good values as Christians. The coming Season of Lent is the time to be sincere, simple, humble, and loving towards others. It is a time for renewal and penance. If we truly say that we are open to God with all our heart, then we must do acts of righteousness to others. As we journey down this road, let us manifest the value of openness by being open to God’s grace and living its values in our everyday lives.