Saturday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Mateo 13:24-30. Unsa nga puwersa ang maghari diha sa atong kinabuhi – katarong ba o kadaotan? Usa ka titser ang nagpasabot sa mga batang estudyante kalabot niini. Matod pa niya: “Sa kasingkasing sa matag tawo adunay duha ka lobo nga kanunay’ng gabugno. Ang usa ka lobo yawan-on ug daotan – kini ang tigpasiugda og kasamok, kalaog, panag-away, pagdinumtanay, kasina, ug pagdinaotay. Ang laing lobo maayo ug matarong – kini maoy tigdasig og kalinaw, pagsinabtanay, pagpinasayloay, pagtinahoray, paghinatagay ug pagtinabangay.” Unya, usa sa mga estudyante ang nangutana: “Titser, kinsa man kaha sa duha ka lobo ang magmadaogon diha sa akong kasingkasing?” Ug ang titser nitubag: “Kadtong lobo nga kanunay nimong gipakaon.”

Friday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Mateo 13:18-23. Unsa man kita kamaayo nga maminaw sa Pulong sa Dios? Adunay mga tawo nga palusoton lang sa pikas dalunggan ang madungog nga mensahe gikan sa Ginoo. Ang uban makamaong maminaw sa Pulong sa Dios, apan dili mamalandong niini sa ilang kasingkasing. Naa puy uban nga maminaw ug mamalandong sa Pulong sa Dios, apan wala man sab magtinguha sa pagpuyo niini sa ilang kinabuhi. Dili unta kita mahisama niining mga tawhana. Matag adlaw maningkamot gayod kita nga mobasa o maminaw sa Pulong sa Dios, mamalandong ug magsaksi niini diha sa atong kinabuhi. Kon mahimo nato kini, sigurado gayod nga mamunga kita’g mga maayong buhat nga makalipay sa Ginoo ug sa atong isigkatawo.

Feast of Saint James the Apostle (Year C)

Mateo 20:20-28. Isip ginikanan, unsa may imong ambisyon para sa imong anak? Natural lamang sa usa ka ginikanan nga mangandoy sa kaayohan sa iyang anak. Diha sa ebanghelyo, ang inahan ni Juan ug ni Santiago mihangyo kang Jesus nga ang iyang mga anak palingkoron sa wala ug tuong dapit sa trono. Ang iyang gipangayo walay lain kondili gahom ug dungog para sa iyang mga anak. Apan wala kini makapahimuot ni Jesus. Gipahimangnoan niya ang mga tinun-an: “Ang usa nga buot mahimong dako, kinahanglan nga mag-alagad sa tanan.” Mas ikalipay diay sa Ginoo nga ang atong mga anak mahimong mahigugmaong tawo, dili lang gamhanan o ilado. Tinguhaon nato nga sila mahimong mapaubsanon ug maalagaron sa isigkaingon.

Wednesday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Mateo 13:1-9. Kinsa man ang tawo nga makahimo’g daghang maayong buhat? Sa Sambingay sa Tigpugas atong masabtan nga ang liso, nga mao ang Pulong sa Dios, mabuhi, motubo, ug mamunga’g daghan kon kini mahagbong sa maayong yuta. Unsa o kinsa man kining maayong yuta? Ang maayong yuta mao ang tawo nga adunay maayong kasingkasing ug hunahuna para sa Pulong sa Dios. Andam ug mahinangpon siya kanunay nga modawat sa Pulong sa Ginoo. Matag adlaw, mangita siya’g kahigayonan nga mohunong sa iyang mga buluhaton aron maghilom, magbasa sa Pulong sa Dios, mag-ampo ug mamalandong niini. Ang Pulong sa Dios adunay talagsaong gahom, ug ang tawo nga modawat niini sa matag adlaw mamunga gayod og daghang maayong buhat.

Monday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Mateo 12:38-42. Kinahanglan ba nga adunay milagro nga mahitabo aron kita magbag-o sa atong kinabuhi? Kon adunay makita o mabati nga milagro, daghan ang mokalit lang og kabuotan, makamao na nga mag-ampo, moangkon na og sala, mawala ang ngil-ad nga batasan, ug mahimong manggihatagon. Apan ingon ba niini ang gusto sa Dios? Sa ebanghelyo, wala patughi ni Jesus ang pagpangayo sa mga tawo og milagro. Nasayod siya nga dili kini ang timaan sa tinuod nga pagtoo ug gugma. Mas makahuloganon kon higugmaon nato ang Dios dili tungod sa milagro kondili tungod kay Siya man ang atong Amahan. Mas bililhon usab nga magbinuotan kita dili tungod sa milagro kondili tungod kay kini man ang makaayo sa tawo. 

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Gen 18:1-10; Col 1:24-28; Lk 10:38-42

The readings provide us important lessons concerning the virtue of hospitality.

In the first reading, Abraham welcomes three mysterious guests into his tent and offers them the usual desert amenities of shelter, water and food. Some authors would say that the three men are angels of God; others would suggest that the three are a manifestation of the Triune God. Abraham may not be fully aware of the identity of his guests, but we see in him a perfect representative of a culture that so highly values hospitality to strangers. Because of the difficulty and hazard of desert travels, ancient Jews would feel deeply obligated to provide for the needs of travelers. The Book of Hebrews says that hospitality can lead to divine encounters: “Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels” (13:2). Abraham’s hospitality is demonstrated by the fact that he personally serves the guests. He prepares the cream, the milk and the calf, even though he has so many servants. In return to his generosity, Abraham is informed about the coming birth of his long-awaited son.

Abraham should inspire us to be hospitable to people, especially to those who are heavily burdened by difficulties and hardships of life. In the Parable of the Last Judgment, the Lord reminds us that every little thing that we do for a needy person, we are doing it to him (Mt 25:31-46). Therefore, we cannot be short of opportunities to serve the Lord because around us there are just so many people who are in need of assistance. Of course, we cannot possibly help every destitute person. The Lord reminds us that the poor will always be with us (Mt 26:11). And yet, if every one of us desires to help a poor person each day, imagine what a difference that would make in the world.

Martha and Mary, together with their brother Lazarus, were beloved friends of Jesus. They lived in a small village called Bethany where Jesus loved to drop by and relax whenever he was traveling near Jerusalem. In today’s gospel account, the Lord passes in Bethany and the sisters Martha and Mary once again invite him to their home. This time, however, Martha gets so busy because she wants to prepare a nice meal for the Lord. Meanwhile, Mary, the younger sister, is so excited to see Jesus that all she wants to do is sit and talk with the Lord. The next thing we hear is Martha’s complaint against the seeming laziness of her sister: “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” Here, we suppose that Martha is not truly angry at the situation or is not really making a violent protest. One cannot initiate a fight in the family or make a strong comment about a sibling in the presence of a special guest. Jesus’ response to Martha somehow indicates that the atmosphere in the house is quite light. The way he repeats her name, “Martha, Martha,” suggests that he is smiling at someone whose little failings are not new to him. Nonetheless, the Lord proceeds to deliver an important lesson: The presence and attention of a friend or a loved one is more valuable than any material provision.

The story in Bethany should inspire us to check the quality of our hospitality to others. Genuine hospitality is a virtue that moves us to consider the real needs of people and to respond to them appropriately. Often we find it easier to serve people by providing them with material things than by giving them our time and presence. But we know for a fact that the greater need of people is not for money or things but for love and attention. As Mother Teresa of Calcutta used to remind us: “Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the greatest poverty.”

There was once a man who was trying to read the evening newspaper after he had come home from a rough day at the office. As he attempted to read the paper, he was constantly being interrupted by his children. One child came and asked for money for an ice cream cone, and his father gently reached into his pocket and gave him the necessary coin. Another child arrived in tears. Her leg was hurt and she wanted her daddy to kiss the hurt away. An older son came with an algebra problem, and they eventually arrived at the right answer. Finally, the last and youngest of them all burst into the room looking for good old dad. The father said cynically, “What do you want?” the little youngster said, “Oh, Daddy, I don’t want anything. I just want to sit in your lap.” (The story is from Stories for All Seasons by Gerard Fuller, OMI)