LIFE FROM DEATH: SALVATION IS THE FRUIT OF JESUS' DRAMATIC DEATH

"BUT IT WAS FOR THIS PURPOSE THAT I CAME
TO THIS HOUR. FATHER, GLORIFY YOUR NAME!"

Some Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.

Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.

I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!”

Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.” The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder; but others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come for my sake but for yours. Now is the time of judgment on this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” He said this indicating the kind of death he would die.

We are just one week away from the beginning of the Holy Week and today’s Second Reading and Gospel passage already introduces us to the basic truth that our salvation is the fruit of the dramatic death of Jesus Christ. It was through His sacrificial death that the life-giving New Covenant was sealed.

Life from death is also the challenge addressed to each of us. If we want the life of grace to grow within us, we must be prepared to die to our pride and any other form of negative passions. It is only when we die to our lower selves that we can start living unto the Lord. Then we are active partners in the New Covenant who are called to share in the fruits of salvation.


Euchalette, 29 March 2009
WORD AND LIFE PUBLICATIONS
MCPO Box 1820, Makati City, Philippines

GOD'S GREAT LOVE FOR US IN JESUS CHRIST

"FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT
HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON,
SO THAT EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM
MIGHT NOT PERISH
BUT MIGHT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE."

Jesus said to Nicodemus: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.” For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

Whoever believes in Him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

As we proceed in our Lenten pilgrimage and approach the dramatic days of the Holy Week, on this last Sunday of March, we are invited to focus on the essence of it all: God’s merciful love for all human beings.

His love for us is eternal. It is patient and wise, kind and strong, resourceful and constant. It is best exemplified in Jesus Christ, the God-Man who willingly laid down His life that every human being might have life, life to the full.

This divine life is ours whenever we open our hearts to Him in faith and let Him fill us up with the light of His presence and grace. Let us humbly return to our Father who in His compassion and great love for us, certainly assured of His warm reception as we implore with faith, hope and love God’s mercy on all mankind.

Euchalette, 22 March 2009
WORD AND LIFE PUBLICATIONS
MCPO Box 1820, Makati City, Philippines

GOD'S MOST HOLY TEMPLE: JESUS CHRIST

"DESTROY THIS TEMPLE AND
IN THREE DAYS, I WILL RAISE IT UP."

Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves He said, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

At this the Jews answered and said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?”

But Jesus was speaking about the temple of His body. Therefore, when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this, and they came to believe the Scripture and the word Jesus had spoken.

While He was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, many began to believe in His name when they saw the signs He was doing. But Jesus would not trust Himself to them because he knew them all, and did not need anyone to testify about human nature. He himself understood it well.

On the Third Sunday of Lent, today's Gospel Passage reminds us that Jesus Christ is God's Most Holy Temple. It also reminds us of the sacredness not only of all places of worship but also of every human being, especially those who have been baptized. We are God's temple because He has imprinted in us His most sacred image of creation, and has consecrated us for His service at our Baptism.

We desecrate ourselves whenever we commit sin. And we desecrate others when we fail to respect their dignity or led them to commit sin. When this happens, Jesus becomes even more indignant than when he chased the traders from the Temple of Jerusalem.

As God's baptized children, let us renew our commitment to keep all of God's temples holy in every way and at all times.


Euchalette, 15 March 2009
WORD AND LIFE PUBLICATIONS
MCPO Box 1820, Makati City 1258, Philippines

TRANSFIGURATION: CHALLENGE TO BRING OUT THE BEST IN US

"THIS IS MY BELOVED SON. LISTEN TO HIM."

Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain, apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus.

Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He hardly knew what to say for they were so terrified.

Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them. From the cloud came a voice, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them.

As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what “rising from the dead” meant.

In this Second Sunday of Lent we are invited to reflect on the message of Jesus’ transfiguration and apply it to our lives. This event in the life of the Lord is an encouragement to bring out the best that is in us – to let our light shine! This will become a reality if we live our lives according to the teaching and example of Jesus.

We are also challenged to remain steadfast in our faith even in the midst of difficult trials. For it is only in the endurance of trials that our own transfiguration is completed. The process of purification brought about by loving perseverance transforms us to the perfect image in conformity with the Divine Will of our Creator. The God who gave His only Son for us will surely protect us from all evil and give us all the help we need.


Euchalette, 8 March 2009
WORD AND LIFE PUBLICATIONS
MCPO Box 1820, Makati City 1258, Philippines

AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO FASTING

Traditional Lenten fasts have a usual tendency to be oriented toward things like giving up food or entertainment. But there are many other creative ways we can welcome Jesus' Healing Touch this Lent.

1. Fast from anger and hatred. Give your family an extra dose of love each day.

2. Fast from judging others. Before making any judgments, recall how Jesus overlooks our faults.

3. Fast from discouragement. Hold on to Jesus' promise that He has a perfect plan for your life (Jeremiah 29:11).

4. Fast from complaining. When you find yourself about to complain, close your eyes and recall some of the little moments of joy Jesus has given you.

5. Fast from resentment or bitterness. Work on forgiving those who may have hurt you.

6. Fast from spending too much money. Try to reduce your spending by ten percent and give these savings to the poor.

GREETINGS ON ASH WEDNESDAY
Just A Reflection . . .

We miss somebody.
We feel there's a vacuum deep within our hearts.
We feel we need a relationship.

We are longing for something . . .
To love and to be loved?
To care and to be taken cared of . . .
To befriend and be a friend.

That means there is a space in our hearts.
This day is a beautiful day to accept God's offer.

To allow Him to enter into our hearts.
To fill in the vacuum and emptiness,
To satisfy our longingness.
To offer our love and allow Him to be our lover,
To care for us and to be our friend.

Let us just offer our hearts.
Let us pray for one another.
May God be praised at all times!

PILLARS OF LENT

PRAYER, FASTING, ALMSGIVING are the pillars of LENT. They are integrated parts of a whole-disciplines that pull our spirit and body together.

PRAYER is good for our souls, FASTING for our bodies and ALMSGIVING for the good of our neighbor.

PRAYER is not meant as a detachment from the world but is an integration of the Gospel message with our daily human experience. Prayer is not only vocal prayers, reading the prayers or devotional prayers. It means putting our prayers into practice.

For example read the Gospel for the day and decide what it calls you to do in relation with your neighbor, your household, your family, your workplace, and your community. It is good practice specially for Lent to spend quality time reading the Scriptures. Contemplating and reflecting on the Word of God nourishes our soul and strengthens our spirit.

FASTING OR SELF DENIAL is completed beyond the self in its reinvestment of service and ministry to others. It does not just mean giving up some kind of food or your favorite dessert or drinks or smoking during Lent.

It means going out of your way, giving up some of your time/effort/or money or going out of your comfort zone to help someone in need like visiting a friend or relative who is elderly, sick, lonely, or having difficulties. Rather than just giving up something, it must be accompanied by a positive and resolute action on one's part.

ALMSGIVING is not just a monetary paying off of our guilty conscience but a challenge to love our neighbor with unselfish concern. It means practicing the corporal works of mercy such as:

1. Feeding the hungry

2. Clothing the naked,
3. Giving drink to the thirsty,
4. Welcoming the stranger.
5. Visiting the prisoners or the sick,
6. Sheltering the homeless,
7. Burying the dead,
8. Kind acts in selfless service to others.

MARCH 2009 SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES

NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE SACRED HEART
MARCH 2009 SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES

Mar 4 Wed
Lenten Recollection by Rev. Fr. Juanito Arroco, Jr. after 6PM Mass.

Mar 6 Fri FIRST FRIDAY DEVOTIONS
Novena to the Sacred Heart in all Masses.
Veneration of the Relic of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque.
7:30 PM Additional Mass, followed by Vigil and 

Stations of the Cross

Mar 7 Sat
5:00 AM Dawn Procession (San Antonio Route)
8AM-12AM MAGPAS Meeting at Paco Catholic School
Youth Gathering after the 6:30PM Mass

Mar 11 Wed
Lenten Recollection by Rev. Fr. Juanito Arroco, Jr. after 6PM Mass

Mar 13 Fri
Stations of the Cross inside Church after the 6PM Mass

Mar 14 Sat
9:00-11:00 AM Free legal Consultation and
SSS/City Civil Registration Assistance Desks
6:30 PM Youth Mass
7:00 PM Street Stations of the Cross at Barangay Sta. Cruz
and 7:30 PM at Barangay San Antonio

Mar 16-18 Mon-Wed
Triduum Masses for St. Joseph

Mar 18 Wed
Lenten Recollection by Rev. Fr. Juanito Arroco, Jr. after 6PM Mass

Mar 19 Thu
The Solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary

Mar 20 Fri
Monthly Parish MAGPAS Recollection after the 6PM Mass
followed by Stations of the Cross inside the Church

Mar 21 Sat
Youth Gathering/Turnover of Youth Officers after 6PM Mass
7:00 PM Street Stations of the Cross at Barangay Sta. Cruz
and 7:30 PM at Barangay San Antonio

Mar 25 Wed Annunciation of the Lord
Lenten Recollection by Rev. Fr. Juanito Arroco, Jr. after 6PM Mass

Mar 27 Fri
Stations of the Cross inside the Church after 6:00 PM Mass

Mar 28 Sat
7:00 PM Street Stations of the Cross at Barangay Sta. Cruz and
7:30 PM at Barangay San Antonio

Mar 29 Sun Pondo Ng Pinoy Sunday

All Fridays of LENT
Stations of the Cross inside the Church after 6:00 PM Mass.
Except on 1st Friday, Additional Mass at 7:30 PM followed by
Vigil and Stations of the Cross in Church.

All Saturdays of LENT
Street Stations of the Cross at 7:00 PM
and 7:30 PM at San Antonio Village

IMPORTANCE OF CHRIST'S MISSION AND THE GOSPEL

"THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND.
REPENT AND BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL."

The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert, and He remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to Him. After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”

Today, the First Sunday of Lent, we focus our attention on Jesus Christ who, immediately after His baptism, is led by the Holy Spirit into the desert. There He spends forty days and forty nights, fasting, reflecting, praying and battling the devil victoriously.

Then He begins His mission, inviting all to conversion. His invitation to take the Gospel seriously and change for the better is addressed also to each one of us. The fruitfulness of this Lenten season depends to a great extent on our response to His invitation.

Today we also celebrate the 23rd National Migrants’ Sunday. The theme of this year’s observance is “The Sacrifice of the Filipino Migrants Mirror the Journey of St. Paul.” As our fellow Filipinos migrate to other countries, they may suffer hardship, isolation, loneliness, or abuse.

But like St. Paul, they also bring with them the richness of our Catholic faith and traditions. And this is a great opportunity for them to bring the light of Christ to all the people they will meet.

As the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI opened the year of St. Paul in 2008, he said that the apostle’s courageous witness to the faith should serve as a model for contemporary Christians. His words apply fittingly to migrant Filipinos who are scattered in over 190 countries around the world working to support the needs of their families back home and hoping for better times.

The fate of the Filipino migrants gives them the chance to become the ambassadors of Christ, just as the Holy Father had stressed in his message during the World Day of Migrants and Refugees held last January 18, 2009. Just as St. Paul moved around the various cities along the Mediterranean, Filipino migrants are journeying all over the world. Whenever and wherever they find themselves, they are constantly challenged to give witness to their faith in Jesus Christ.

St. Paul, the missionary to the Gentiles, remained faithful to his calling as ambassador of Christ despite the many rejections and difficulties. He had to work in order to support himself and the mission. Prior to his conversion, he had great influence and authority. But in his missions to other lands, he experienced the common treatment given to an ordinary foreigner.

Similarly, Filipinos who are professionals in our country find it difficult to adjust when they have to work overseas taking lowly jobs. We see these struggles in the humbling experiences of teachers who willingly work as household workers or of doctors who have become nurses.

As an itinerant, Paul experienced the difficulty of understanding the culture of the places where he preached the message of Jesus. Similarly, migrant Filipinos find themselves inevitably exposed to strange languages and cultures or countries where religious expression is not freely permitted.

As St. Paul was well-versed in certain languages like Latin and Greek, Filipinos are proficient in the English language. Knowing the English language puts Filipinos in an advantageous position as migrants; but language, unfortunately, is just not enough when one is going through the experience of isolation and loneliness or when one’s basic rights are violated and one’s dignity is lost.

Filipino migrants have to endure a lot of sacrifices to secure the future of their children. They want to work in the Philippines, but the jobs are not enough in the country nor are the salaries sufficient to pay for their basic needs. Persistently, they would embrace jobs overseas out of desperation. After almost forty years of the government’s policy to deploy Filipino workers overseas, the country has still failed to come up with a meaningful alternative means of sustainable livelihood for its people.

For the Church, however, it is very important that as we look at migration as a possibility for the migrants to improve their lives, we should be careful that it is not to the extent of their being exploited or abused. We encourage our migrant Filipinos to become missionaries to other countries by witnessing to their faith.

Many of our migrant workers look at the Church as a place of refuge in times of extreme anxiety. They pin their hopes on Filipino chaplains and pastoral workers whenever they experience exploitation, especially from their employers and labor agents – a reality evidently observed in Asia.

The Pauline letters indicate Paul’s desire to maintain his ties with fellow Christians, especially during his time of incarceration, if only to demonstrate his love for Christ and to witness to his mission. Many Filipino migrants detained overseas may find themselves in the same circumstance as St. Paul.

In fact, those migrants who are not allowed to enjoy a day off would find their situation analogous to the disciple’s detention. Their only access to the outside world is through text using mobile phones, or if they are lucky, through letters. Worse, some of them are sexually abused by their employers while some who could not cope with unbearable difficulties have lost their mind.

Just like Paul who preached the Gospel of Christ and was imprisoned, some Filipino migrants have been detained for their faith. This holds true for a number of migrant Filipinos who were not aware of the laws in certain countries where the public expression of Christianity is forbidden.

But the generosity of the Filipino migrants still shines through whenever they raise funds and give to their kababayans struck by natural calamities such as typhoons or earthquakes. This could be likened to St. Paul’s appeal for collection to aid the poor Christians in Jerusalem (see his Second Letter to the Corinthians).

Amidst the sacrifices of the Filipino migrants, we see the similar values of St. Paul who has shown us how to be a missionary to the Gentiles. Filipino migrants have sacrificed for their families, even to the extent of allowing themselves to be taken advantage of by others, all the time trusting only in God that some day things will be better for them and salvation will be theirs.

Often, they rely on God who will vindicate them from the abuses that they have suffered. The Cross of Christ is their reminder that their sacrifices will bear fruit, just like the sacrifices of St. Paul, who had remained faithful to the Lord. Indeed, the sacrifices of the Filipino migrants mirror the journey of St. Paul.

Fr. Edwin D. Corros, CS
Executive Secretary
CBCP Episcopal Mission for the Pastoral Care
of Migrant Workers and Itinerant People


Euchalette, 1 March 2009
WORD AND LIFE PUBLICATIONS
MCPO Box 1820, Makati City 1258, Philippines