Monday of the 13th Week in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Mateo 8:18-22. Unsa may makababag nato sa pagsunod kang Cristo? Normal sa tawo ang maniguro. Maniguro ta nga makakaon og tarong, makatulog og maayo, makatrabaho nga adunay sweldo, ug nga makaginansya sa negosyo. Pero, ang pagsunod kang Cristo dili maghatag og sama niini nga kasigurohan. Sa pagpangalagad sa isigkatawo, wala kitay madawat nga sweldo. Sa pagbasa ug pagsangyaw sa Maayong Balita, madisturbo kita ug dili mahiluna. Sa pagsulti sa kamatuoran, aduna kitay daghang maligsan. Sa pag-ampo, walay garantiya nga ihatag sa Ginoo ang atong gipangayo. Sa atong pagsunod kang Cristo, kini lang ang sigurado: Espirituhanong kalamboan karon ug kinabuhing walay katapusan human ning kalibotana.

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

The story is told about a man who asked a stranger what time it was. The stranger put down his two heavy suitcases, looked at his watch and said, “It is now 5:09 p.m., the temperature outside is 73 degrees, and it is going to rain tonight.” Surprised, the man said, “Wow, your watch tells you all that? I’m impressed. I’d like to buy it. Here is 2000 pesos?” The stranger gently refused the offer. “I’m sorry but I have no intention to sell it for 2000 pesos.” But the man insisted and offered 5,000 pesos. Finally, the stranger agreed. So happy with his new watch, the man wore it on his wrist and quickly turned to leave. The stranger had to stop him though and handed him the two heavy suitcases saying, “Hey, don’t forget the batteries.”

(The story is told by Jerry M. Orbos)

Today’s gospel provides a good reminder of the cost of discipleship. Like the man in the story who became too focused on the wrist watch and forgot the heavy batteries that came along with it, we can also become too engrossed with the splendor of Christianity and forget the high demands of true discipleship.

What is the real cost of discipleship? What comes along in seriously following the Lord? In the gospel, Jesus uses strong words in order to stir up our imagination, to disturb us and to make us calculate the cost of committing ourselves to him.

“Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” Jesus is straightforward in telling this to would-be followers: discipleship has no economic and social security. The disciple should not expect a comfortable life; he must be ready to undergo a lot of renunciation like that of his Master; he must be ready to take up the cross and accept humiliations; he must not expect to be rewarded with good financial and social status.

“Let the dead bury their dead; as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Certainly, Jesus does not mean to say that his follower has to abandon his responsibilities to his family.  Burying one’s kin is a pious, religious duty. However, the Lord wishes to stress that following him requires radical reordering of priorities. When the invitation to follow comes, nothing is more important than setting one’s heart to the kingdom of God. The disciple, therefore, must put Jesus on top of his priorities. He cannot allow anyone or any circumstance to stand in the way of fulfilling what the Lord asks of him.

“No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.” Discipleship requires undivided attention and full dedication for the kingdom. The disciple must make a steadfast commitment to his mission in the Church. Once he declares his intention to follow Jesus, he must set his heart to this new way of living and acting, ready to face whatever challenges that may come on the way.

Knowing the cost of discipleship, who among us would have the courage to follow the Lord? Ideally, all baptized Christians, not only priests and religious, must try to live the radical discipleship demanded by Jesus.

Are we brave enough to take the challenge? Are we willing to sacrifice our own personal convenience and interest in order to serve the Lord in the poor, the sick, the lonely and the brokenhearted? When there is conflict of interests, are we resolved to put God first in our lives and to place others, including the needs of our families, subordinate to the kingdom of God? Are we truly committed to keep the faith and live the values of the kingdom in the midst of trials and difficulties?

If discipleship is costly, is it worth it? The experience of many people would tell us that it is worth it.

I happened to know a number of Filipino married couples who became members of the Couples for Christ movement. Before they were able to join this Christian community, their friends discouraged them from doing so because, as their friends said, life would be boring and they would lose many of their free weekends. Indeed, when my Filipino friends got into this group, often they spent their weekends at meetings, seminars, and works of family evangelization. But life was never boring. They told me that they have so much fun and their life now has more meaning than before.

Is the cost of discipleship worth it? The Word of God also assures us that it really is worth it: “No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor. 2:9). 

Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul (Year C)

Mateo 16:13-19. Nawad-an kana ba og paglaum sa usa ka tawo nga makasasala? Dili gayod angayan. Ang duha ka santos nga atong gipasidunggan karon pareho nga kanhiay'ng makasasala. Si Pedro ang nagbudhi sa Ginoo; samtang si Pablo ang naglutos sa unang mga sumusunod ni Cristo. Apan ang Dios nilihok aron pagluwas kanilang duha. Human sa Pagkabanhaw, gihatagan ni Cristo si Pedro og kahigayonan nga makabawi sa iyang sayop. Gani, gihatag kang Pedro ang mga yawi sa Gingharian sa Langit, simbolo sa pagkapangulo sa Simbahan ni Cristo. Sa iyang bahin, si Pablo, bisan dili apil sa 12, gihimong apostoles sa mga Hentil. Ingon niini ang mahitabo sa makasasala nga modawat sa iyang pagkamasalaypon ug motubag sa hagit sa Ginoo alang sa bag-ong kinabuhi.

Friday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Mateo 8:1-4. Unsa man ang pinakalisod nga kahimtang sa tawo? Si Blessed Teresa nga taga Calcutta maoy nag-ingon: “Ang pinakagrabe nga sakit karon dili mao ang TB, dili pud sanla, kondili ang pagka-sinalikway, pagka-pinasagdan ug pagka-wala-higugmaa. Atong matambalan ang lawasnong sakit pinaagi’g medisina, pero ang pagka-masulob-on, pagka-desperado ug pagka-walay-paglaum matambalan lamang sa gugma. Daghang mga tawo ang gutom sa pan; apan daghan usab kaayo ang gutom sa pagtagad ug paghigugma.” Kining mga pulong ni Beata Teresa magdasig unta kanato sa pagsunod sa panig-ingnan ni Cristo nga nitugot sa usa ka sanlahon (sinalikway sa katilingban) sa pagduol ug pagpakig-estorya kaniya. Siya andam nga mohikam ug motagad sa tawo nga masakiton ug masulob-on.

Thursday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Mateo 7:21-29. Unsa may mas maayo, ang tawo nga maampoon o ang tawo nga buotan? Nindot unta kon kining duha ka kalidad mag-uban gayod diha sa usa ka tawo. Ang problema kay adunay mga tawo nga makamaong mag-ampo apan dili moral ang pamuyo. Kining klaseha sa mga tawo angay maminaw sa gisulti ni Cristo diha sa ebanghelyo: “Dili ang tanan nga magtawag kanako’g 'Ginoo, Ginoo,' makasulod sa Gingharian sa Langit, kondili kadto lamang nagtuman sa kabubut-on sa akong Amahan.” Sa ato pa diay, ang pagtoo ug pag-ampo mahimo lamang nga bililhon kon kini ubanan og sulondong kinabuhi. Dakong sayop ang pag-ingon, “Sagdi lang ang daotan kong binuhatan tungod kay sa pag-ampo ako man kining gibayaran.”