Showing posts with label saints. Show all posts
Showing posts with label saints. Show all posts

29 June 2025

Siisay si Jesus para Saimo?

 


Giya sa Prayer-Meeting nin mga Saradit na Komunidad nin Pagtubod (SAKOP) para sa semana kan Junio 29–Julio 5, 2025. Basahon an Evangelio gikan sa Mateo 16,13-19 (Solemnidad ni San Pedro asín Pablo, Mga Apostoles).

Cada Junio 29 sinecelebrar ta an Solemnidad ni San Pedro, an Prinsipe kan mga Apostoles, asín ni San Pablo, an Apostol sa mga Gentil. Kan taón 2023, sa sermon ni Papa Francisco sa fiestang iní, sinabi niyá na an enot asín pinakamahalagáng hapót sa paghorop-horop sa búhay kainíng duwáng apostoles iyó an hapót man ni Jesús sa Evangelio: “Siísay Akó sa paghonà nindo?”

Siísay si Jesús para satô?

An simbag ni San Pedro sa Mateo 16,16: “Iká an Mesías, an Akì kan Diós na búhay.” Iní an pinakatamang simbag, bunga kan saiyang maigot na pagigin katood sa ministerio ni Jesús—na nagsabi na iní pasabóng mismo kan Saiyang Amâ sa langit.

Sa istorya kan conversión ni San Pablo, na makúkuá sa Gibo kan mga Apostoles (capitolos 9, 22, asín 26), siyá an naghapót, “Siísay ka, Kagurangnan?” Asín sinimbag, “Akó si Jesús na pinapasakitan mo.”  Nagpamidbid si Jesús halè sa langit ki San Pablo bilang Diós na nakikisumarò sa pagsakit kan Saiyang mga disipulos.

Siísay si Jesús sa satóng búhay? Siring ki San Pedro asín San Pablo, an satóng pagkamidbidid Saiya minapahayag kan estado kan satóng relasyon Saiya, asín kan Saiyang pangapodan sa satô.

Para saén kitá ináapód ni Jesús?

Sa istorya kan pag-apód sa enot na mga disipulos, sa Mateo 4,19, nagsabi si Jesús sa magtugang na si San Pedro asín San Andres: “Sumunód kamó Sakô, asín gigibohon Ko kamóng mga parasirà nin mga tawo.”

Si San Pablo sinugò man ni Jesús sa Gibo 22,21: “Lakáw, ta isusubol taká sa mga Gentil.” An pangapodan saiya iyó an pagbalangibog kan Marhay na Baretà sa mga Gentil kaidto, asín sa katawohan sa pag-agi kan mga panahón. Susog sa tradisyon, nagpadará siyá nin 13 surat sa Simbahan sa manlaén-laen na lugár asín sa nagkapirang kapwa disipulos, bâgo pa man naisurat an mga Evangelio, asín an mga iní minidbid kan Simbahan na maninigong magin parte kan Bâgong Tipan.

Kayâ ináapód sindang Apostoles ta parehong sinugò ni Jesús, ta an tataramon na Griegong “apostolos”, an kahulugán “tawong sinugò.” Sa hurí, pareho man na nagtaóng pinakahalangkaw na pagsaksi kan dinusay ninda an saindang búhay, si San Pedro sa pagpakò man sa cruz, asín si San Pablo sa paagi nin espada.

Kitá man, náhapót ta na si Jesús kun para saén Niyá kitá inaapód? Kun bubuksan ta an satóng pusò asín isip sa Saiya, dadarhon Niyá kitá sa particulár na misyon na magtátaóng kahulugán asín katuyuhán sa satóng búhay, asín sa pinakamabungang versión kan satóng sadiri.

Pâno kitá masimbag sa pangapodan ni Jesús?

Sindang duwá bakô mga perpektong tawo. Maski nganì naomaw ni Jesús si San Pedro sa saiyang tamang simbag, alagad sa Mateo 16,23, nadagitan man nin: “Rumayô ka sakô, Satanás!” Romdomon ta man an makatolóng beses na pagnegár niyá ki Jesús bâgo magturaok an manók. Alagad sa gabós na iní, sa saiyang paglakáw sa dalan ni Cristo, danay siyáng inaantabayan kan gracia nin Diós.

Si San Pablo, maski inapód asín nagbâgo halè sa pagigin paratugis nin mga Cristiano pasiring sa pagigin apostol ni Cristo, nag-agi man nin kadakul na pasakit asín kadipisilan sa pagmisyon. Naisurat niyá na tinâwan siyá nin “tunók sa lamán, sugò ni Satanás” sa pagpatios saiya na hinagad niyá na haleon saiya. An simbag saiya kan Kagurangnan sa 2 Corinto 12,9: “An Sakóng gracia tamà na para saimo; huli ta an Sakóng kapangyarihan oróg na makusóg kun iká maluya.”  

Kayâ pâno kitá maninigong magsunód sa pangapodan ni Jesús? Sa cooperación ta sa gracia nin Diós na minatalingkas satô sa kasâlan, minahipnò sa satóng mga kakulangán, asín minapakusóg sa satóng kaluyahan.

GIYA SA PAGHIRÁS SA SADÍT NA KOMUNIDAD O PAMILYA | Siísay si Jesús para saimo? Siísay Siyá sa búhay mo?

PASUNÓD-SUNÓD KAN WEEKLY SAKOP/FAMILY PRAYER-MEETING | Kumustahan/Pamiridbidan • Disposition to Prayer / Silence • Gathering Song • Opening Prayer • Gospel Reading • Reflection • Sharing • Scripture Response • Prayers of the People • Closing Prayer • (Spontaneous and Our Father) • Closing Song

 


31 October 2012

Mga Pagirumdom sa laog kan Campo Santo sa pagcelebrar kan Todos los Santos asin Dia de los Muertos (Nobyembre 1-2)


 
An fiesta kan Todos los Santos sa Nobyembre 1 pagcelebrar niato kan gabos na santos sa langit - su mga nasa opisyal na listahan o canon kan Simbahan na minidbid bilang mga banal, kaiba man idtong mga dai nasa canon o dai gayo midbid kan kadaklan alagad nasa langit na kaibahan an Kagurangnan. An fiesta kan Dia de los Muertos o Todos los Muertos sa Nobyembre 2 aldaw nin paggirumdom asin pagpamibi para sa gabos na mga gadan, orog na an satong mga mahal sa buhay na naenot na satuya. An sunodan na duwang aldaw na ini popular na pigcecelebrar kan mga Katoliko Kristiyano sa paagi kan pagbisita sa saindang mga gadan sa mga campo santos.

An campo santo o cementerio sagradong lugar. Kaya sa satong pagbisita, manteneron ta tabi an pagkasagrado kaini. May nagkapirang mga bagay na dai dapat paggibohon sa laog kan campo santo:

  1. Bawal an pagdara nin mga inumon na nakakabuyong asin mga bagay na nakakagadan siring kan badil o matarom. 
  2. Bawal an pagsugal, pakipag-inuman, asin an makusog na pagpatugtog nin radyo.
  3. Bawal an pagtapok asin pagwalat nin basura sa laog kan campo santo.
  4. Bawal man an epal sa laog o palibot kan campo santo. Boot sabihon, dai tabi maglaag nin mga streamers o posters na amay asin bako sa lugar na nangangampanya. Kun may mga kandidato na naggibo nin siring, isabay an gibo nindang iyan sa saindong paghurop-hurop kun maninigo sindang botohan pag-abot kan eleksyon.
An pagpamibi para sa mga gadan, sarong magayon na gaweng Kristiyano. An pagpa-responso sa simbahan iyo an paghagad kan pamibi kan bilog na komunidad nin nagtutubod sa pangenot kan saindong mga padi sa parokya para sa saindong mga namomoton na gadan. Nin huli sa kadakul na nagpapa-responso sa mga aldaw na ini, an saindong parokya pwede ser magset-up nin mga lamesa o tents sa mga campo santo kun saen pwede magdolok an mga boot mapa-responso. An saindong atang o offering mapasiring sa pagpadagos kan misyon kan satong Simbahan.

Kan mga nakaaging taon may mga naaraman kitang mga nag-aprobitsar kan magayon na tradisyon asin kafiestahan niato para sa saindang sadiring interes. Kaya tanganing dai magin biktima nin mga paralansi asin mga maraot na elemento, mag-ingat tabi kita sa mga minasunod:

1. Mga naglilibot sa mga harong-harong na naghahanap nin mapa-responso, kung minsan may sobre pa na may pangaran kan parokya. Dai po magtubod sa mga ini, lalo na kun dai nindo midbid o dai kamong nadangog na igwa nin siring na anunsyo sa simbahan o nasiguro sa paagi nin pag-apod sa opisina kan parokya. Sa satong pagkaaram, dai man nin parokya sa satong diyosesis na naggigibo kaini.

2. Mga naglilibot sa laog kan campo santo na nag-oofrecir na ipangadie asin bendisyonan (minsan may agua bendita pa) an saindong mga gadan, dangan mahagad nin donasyon o love offering. An pag-ako nin mga responso asin love offering gigibohon sana sa mga lamesa o tents kan parokya na mahihiling sa prominenteng lugar sa campo santo, asin binabantayan nin mga opisyal na volunteers o staff kan parokya. Kun gibo ini kan dati nang mga parapanganam sa may luwasan kan simbahan, girumdomon na pareho man sana an pamibi ninda sa kun kamo na sana an magpangadie para sa saindong mga namomotan na gadan. Asin an offering sainda mapasiring sa sainda man sana, bako para sa misyon o mga programa pastoral kan saindong parokya.

3. Mga maraot na elemento siring kan mga mandurukot asin snatchers na minagibo kan saindang krimen sa mga matawo asin surusuan na lugar.
Pakireport tabi tulos sa saindong padi, o mga midbid nindong aktibo sa parokya, kun may nahiling kamong naka-sutana na naglilibot sa laog kan campo santo asin naghahagad nin donasyon katukal nin pamibi asin bendisyon. Dai tabi iyan gigibohon nin tunay na padi o seminarista - sinda pwedeng mahiling nindo na maglibot sa campo santo asin magwirik nin agua bendita sa gabos, alagad dai mapondo sa manaro-sarong lulobngan para maghagad nin donasyon sa mga nakabantay. Kun makusog an saindong suspetsa na may nag-iimpostor na padi, maghagad nin tabang sa mga pulis na nakabantay sa campo santo, dangan ireport an sitwasyon sa saindong parokya.

Sarong matoninong asin makahulugan na selebrasyon kan Todos los Santos asin Todos los Muertos satuya gabos.

03 July 2012

Faithful Thomas

Homily for the Feast of St. Thomas, Apostle
July 3
 

Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle. It is rather unfortunate that historical consciousness has distilled his memory to a moment of doubt. Whence came the expression "doubting Thomas". Yet he is without a doubt a man of faith, whose witnessing has subsequently inspired and strengthened the faith of millions throughout history.

The prominent accounts of St. Thomas in the Gospel of John always seem to lead to the most enduring and powerful affirmations who Jesus Christ is.

In Jn 11,16, responding to Jesus' decision to attend to His friend Lazarus who was ill and later found to have died a few days already, in spite of great risk to His safety, Thomas would say: "Let us also go, that we may die with Him." His willingness to follow Jesus even unto death led to their witnessing of Jesus' manifestation of His power over death by raising Lazarus from the dead, and of His self-revelation: "I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies shall live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die" (Jn 11,25-26).

In Jn 14,5, Thomas' wish for a clearer teaching from Jesus led him to ask: “Lord, we do not know where you are going, how can we know the way?” To which Jesus promptly replied: "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me" (Jn 14,6).

In Jn 20, in the account of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances, Thomas' famous line earned him his infamous distinction: “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe” (20,25) But it was also used by Jesus to teach the world the great truth about Himself through the very confession of Thomas: "My Lord and my God!" (20,28).

St. Thomas becomes for us a companion in our journey of faith, a journey that always seem to have moments of doubt and fear. The faith and trust in Jesus that he manifests, especially when things are unclear and uncertain, is not unlike the faith and trust that the Psalmist and Job manifest even as they cry unto the Lord; in the end they would affirm the goodness and faithfulness of God, not based on some vague hope for a future that would eventually get better but on eyes and hearts that have actually seen and felt God's undeniable providence and love.

St. Thomas, strengthen our faith and open our eyes to the reality of God's love so that like you, we too may become faithful and passionate bearers of the Good News who is Christ Himself and the salvation He won for us. Amen.

05 November 2009

Feast of Living Life Fully


HOMILY
Solemnity of All Saints (1 November 2009)

Readings: Rv 7:2-4, 9-14; Ps 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6; 1 Jn 3:1-3; Mt 5:1-12a


We have just celebrated Halloween. The term, originally spelled Hallowe’en, is shortened from All Hallows' Even – “e'en” is a shortening of “even”, which is a shortening of “evening”. At the eve of All Saints Day, people celebrate and mock at death and the forces of darkness. Though it has now become a secular affair, Halloween still retains its Christian roots when it sends the message that death does not have the last word, nor is it the end of existence. The Feast of All Saints is essentially a celebration of life – life that is lived to the full.

On the mount, Jesus teaches us the Beatitudes, His way of living life to the full.

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit. Their freedom from inordinate desire for worldly gains makes them open to God’s grace and ready for God’s Kingdom.

2. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will find consolation in the kindness of strangers, the warmth of family and friends, the goodness of their fellowmen, the embrace of God.

3. Blessed are the meek, the gentle and kind, those who reach out to others, those who care. The good that they do will come back to them many times over. Christ Himself guarantees in Luke 6,38: “Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

4. Blessed are they who fight for justice, who stand on the side of the poor, weak and the voiceless. Their sacrifice will not be in vain.

5. Blessed are the merciful, the compassionate, the forgiving. They have shown to their neighbor the face of God, and made themselves instruments of God’s love. This is God’s promise to them: (James 5,19-20) “My brothers, if anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring him back, he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”

6. Blessed are the clean of heart, free of cynicism and ill will. They see as God sees, love as God loves. They are indeed blessed. That is why St. Therese of Lisieux was able to say: “Tout est grace”: “Everything is grace”. In another writing, she says: “I wish to pass my Heaven in doing good on earth”.

7. Blessed are the peacemakers, they follow the straight and narrow way. They pursue justice without resorting to violence. They uphold the truth with fierce compassion to the lost and confused. They are exemplars of the faith, salt of the earth, light of the world. They live the words of Mt 5,16: “Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”

8. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness. Since they share in Christ’s suffering, they will therefore share in His glory. St. Paul exhorts in Rom 8,31-32: “What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him?”

In these Beatitudes, Jesus turns upside-down what the world means by blessed and fortunate. They give hope and strengthen the resolve of those who suffer as a result of their faith in Christ. St. Paul says in Rom 8,18: “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us.”

The fact that after more than 2000 years, the world has yet to fully embrace the Beatitudes means that the Kingdom of God is still at hand, present but still not yet in its fullness. Perhaps, inasmuch as many fail to embrace the Beatitudes, many also fail to grasp the meaning of being saint. In 1 John 3,1, in the Second Reading, it is written: “The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”

The novelist George Orwell once wrote: “Many people genuinely do not want to be saints, and it is probable that some who achieve or aspire to sainthood have never felt much temptation to be human beings.” Another writer, Pamela Hansford Johnson, infamously quoted: “Sainthood is acceptable only in saints.”

How wrong they are. Sainthood is not some inaccessible state of being reserved only for the spiritual elite. To state the obvious, saints are ordinary mortals like you and me, subject to the same conditions and temptations of the flesh. How do they differ from us? They choose to live their lives to the full.

The diversity of ways by which they lived the Beatitudes adds all the more to the richness of the Church and splendor of Christian life.

(Here I am borrowing liberally from Fr. Robert Barron*.)

Among the saints, we have St. Thomas Aquinas, one of the brightest minds that ever lived; we also have St. John Mary Vianney, who barely passed Latin in the seminary.

Among the saints, we have St. Vincent de Paul who ministered in the city; we also have St. Anthony who found sanctity in the desert.

We have St. Bernard of Clairvaux, a mystic, who practiced penance and mortification in a monastery; we also have St. Hildegard of Bingen, also a mystic, who was not shy about singing, dancing and throwing flowers in praise of God.

We have St. Augustine of Hippo who spent much of his youth in pursuit of worldly joys; we also have St. Dominic Savio, renowned in holiness though he only reached the age of 14.

We have St. Peter, a simple fisherman; and St. Edith Stein, an intellectual working alongside Edmund Husserl and Martin Heidegger, great philosophers of modern times.

We have St. Joan of Arc, who led armies; and St. Francis of Assissi, a man of peace.

We have the irascible St. Jerome (he was known to have not a few quarrels, even with some of his contemporary saints); and the almost too sweet St. Therese de Lisieux.

We have St. Catherine of Siena, who stood up to popes; and Pope St. Celestine V, who abdicated the papacy to go back to monastic solitude.

We have St. Bruno, grave and serious; and St. Philip Neri, who made a spirituality out of laughter.

Brothers and sisters, consider the saints, consider too those you know who lived their life in heroic ways. They serve as guides to remind us that living life to the full doesn’t necessarily mean living the “good life”, free of worries and fears.

Consider a saint, or several saints, and make his/her/them your patron. There is at least a saint for each of one of us. Let their example teach you that living life to the full means that God is with us, which means that we have all we need not just to face the world and its difficulties, but to transform the world as together we build God’s Kingdom here on earth.

Consider your calling to be a saint, and live your life to the full.


*http://www.wordonfire.org/WOF-Radio/Sermons/2009/Sermon-460-The-Communion-of-Saints-Solemnity.aspx