ALL SOULS DAY

 The Church is perceived in three stages: the pilgrim Church here on earth, the suffering Church in the purgatory; and the glorified Church in heaven. This is the feast of the glorified Church.

1. How does the Bible understand death? The Holy Bible uses the following metaphors to bring forth the meaning of death: (f) ‘Sleep’ (cf. Jn 11:11-14. Mk 5:39). Describing Lazarus’s death, Jesus says, ‘Lazarus is sleeping.’ Death is understood as a long, deep sleep.

What do we do on All Souls Day?

Saint Augustine, in his Confessions, recording about his mother’s (Saint Monica’s) death, writes: “We thought that my mother would have desired to be buried near her husband. But she told us, ‘You bury me wherever you want to! My Lord is able to resurrect me from anywhere. But forget me not at the altar.’”

Monica’s words tell us three things: (a) At our death, our body does not matter to us anymore. The body dies, but the soul lives. (b) We must remember and pray for the dead; and (c) We will rise one day. The Lord will resurrect our body and soul.

The Sacred Tradition of the Church invites us to remember and pray for the dead. In the first reading, the author of Wisdom of Solomon says, “The souls of the righteous are in the hands of God.” The souls that are in our hands when we are alive will go to God when we die. They go to the safest place. Jesus says in the gospel reading, “All will come to me.” All will go to Jesus on the Last Day and all will obtain eternal life. The second reading invites us to be united with Jesus in his death so that we may be united with him in life eternal.

3. The memorial gives us three life lessons:

(a) Memento mori! Carpe diem!

Life is short. Life that is lived with our last step in mind is lived well. As the candle melts, our lives melt, and as the smoke of the incense disappears, we too disappear. But as long as we are alive, we give light, and we give fragrance. These brothers and sisters, whom we recall today, gave light, life, and sweetness to our lives. Remember death (memento mori)! and seize the day, every day (carpe diem)!

(b) Life before death!

Often times, we are preoccupied with life after death. But it is our life before death that defines our life after. Let us fix our minds and hearts here on earth and live our lives well, with gratitude and care.

(c) We are not alone – at death!

Death frightens us because we have to face it alone. But we are not alone in death. As we remember our near and dear ones, we will be remembered and prayed for. Death is a thin fence between our loved ones and us.

‘All will come to me!’ These are the words of Jesus and of the tomb! But we are not afraid. For there is life beyond the tomb. The empty tomb of Jesus is the answer to the tombs that we visit today. At this tomb, we will see the one who sees us (cf. Gen 16).

“Grant them eternal rest, O Lord! May the perpetual light shine upon them!

May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen.”

BURIAL MASS

 When someone in your family dies and leaves you alone, you feel very sad. Rather we should be happy when we bury or cremate and join them with our ancestors. Because they are not somewhere in a state of emptiness or darkness. But they are in another life together with your holy men and women who were ancestors and praying and interceding for you so that you may also reach that place one day. 

The idea of a decent burial was important in most ancient cultures, especially the Jewish culture. This idea came strongly after their worst experience during the exile in Egypt and Babylonia. It is because many of their ancestors were left unburied and vulnerable to animals and birds of prey, and the Israelites considered it shameful. It was the time  the people of Israel started to have burial practices. Some of their usual customs are here... 

1. Quick burial: Burials were usually completed quickly after death, even in the same hours of the deceased’s passing because of hygiene purposes. The cremation was believed to be a pagan practice, the Jews did not cremate their dead. There was also a superstition that the soul could feel what was done to the body. So, Mosaic law dictated that Jews bury their dead, not burn the dead bodies, as such burning was reserved for punishment or judgment. 

2. Preparing the Body: After death, the body was laid out, either on the ground or over sand and salt. The eyes and mouth were securely closed and the body was washed. The hair and nails were trimmed, and then the deceased was anointed with oils and ointment. Finally, the body was dressed. Sometimes the body was wrapped in linen with spices enclosed. 

3. Archaeological discoveries say that human remains like bones were discovered beneath the floors of mud-brick houses. People were buried inside their homes. Ancestral tomb: It was especially desirable to be buried in one’s native land and, if possible, with one’s ancestors. 

Ancestral tomb: In Biblical times, they used to have ancestral tombs that were kept only for a particular family or clan. For example, at the time of his wife’s death, Abraham purchased the cave of Machpelah at Hebron to be her burial site. When Abraham died, he was buried in the same tomb. Later, Isaac, Abraham’s son, was also buried there, and Jacob, Isaac’s son, was laid to rest there. 

The idea of burying together as a family tells the value of unity and prayer of ancestors. "Where two or three gathered in my name there I am". Jesus prayed in John 17:21, "They may all be one as I and Father are one". It was not easy for Jesus to make them one, because of their different personalities and intentions of vocation. But Jesus went to the extent of giving His life to make us one. The real devil is in the form of a division maker. Sometimes the patron of the house gives his life to make them one.

Wake Mass: There are classifications of death, often based on legal, medical, and cultural perspectives. Here are some of the main types:

1. Immediate Death: Resulting from natural causes such as age or disease. Accidental Death: Occurring due to an unforeseen event, like a car accident or a fall. Undetermined, 

2. Casual/slow Death: Resulting from a person intentionally causing their own death.

These classifications help in determining the cause, manner, and circumstances of death, which are important for legal, medical, and social reasons.

Several saints are known for having endured prolonged suffering and slow deaths, often due to persecution or torture. Here are a few notable examples:

1. Saint Lawrence: A deacon in Rome who was martyred in 258 AD. He was reportedly roasted alive on a gridiron over a slow fire. According to tradition, he maintained his faith and even made a remark to his executioners, asking them to turn him over as he was "done" on one side.

2. Saint Sebastian: A Roman soldier who was martyred for his faith around 288 AD. He was initially tied to a tree and shot with arrows, but he survived this ordeal and was later clubbed to death.

3. Saint Agnes: A young Christian martyr who died in Rome around 304 AD. She was tortured and executed at the age of 12 or 13, enduring multiple forms of suffering over a period before her death.

These saints are venerated for their unwavering faith and courage in the face of prolonged and agonizing suffering. Their stories have been passed down through the centuries as examples of extreme devotion and endurance.

Happy/serene death:  In Christian tradition, a "happy death" is often considered a peaceful and holy death, ideally in a state of grace and in the presence of loved ones. Several saints are renowned for experiencing such a death. Here are a few:

1. Saint Joseph: He is considered the patron saint of a happy death because he is believed to have died peacefully in the arms of Jesus and Mary. His death is seen as an ideal model of a holy death.

2. Saint Francis of Assisi: Known for his profound spirituality and closeness to God, he died in 1226 surrounded by his followers, singing hymns of praise to God. His death was peaceful and joyful, filled with a sense of divine presence.

3. Saint Thérèse of Lisieux: Also known as the "Little Flower," she died in 1897 at the age of 24 after a long illness. Despite her suffering, she remained joyful and at peace, expressing her deep love for Jesus until the end.

4. Saint John Vianney: The Curé of Ars, who died in 1859, was known for his piety and dedication to the sacraments. He died peacefully after a long life of pastoral work, confident in God's mercy.

These saints are often invoked in prayers for a happy death, and their lives and deaths serve as examples of how to live and die in faith and trust in God.

Our Lady of Assumption

 First Reading: John, the Evangelist, is writing about the seven signs (he gets visions on Badmu island) which will happen at the end of the world. Today’s first reading is only the first sign. John had a vision of the following picture; that is a woman clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown with twelve stars. You would think it refers to the mother Mary, but actually, it refers to Israel according to the scripture references (even though John knew well about Mary). 

Do you remember Joseph’s dream in Genesis chapter 37? "Joseph had a dream in which the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to him.” This dream is a metaphor in which Jacob was the Sun, Racheal was the moon, 12 children/tribes are the 12 stars and all are bowing to him who is representing Israel, Sion or Jerusalem. All the other stars and the sun and the moon gathered around him and bowed down. This was a prophecy of what was to happen when they would come to Egypt and find him in power. So the other stars were his brothers, and the sun and the moon were his father and mother, through him the salvation was going to come home, as later through Mary. 

Mother Mary has not come to the world by accident, she is not a creature that just decided to be born in history in the time of Jesus Christ. She governs history and she is present throughout the world. Every aspect of priestly/religious formation can be referred to as Mary as the human being who is better than anyone who has corresponded to the vocation of God. She has become the servant and disciple of the Word until conceiving in her heart and in her flesh, the Word made Man in order to give him to humanity. With her example and through her intercession, the Blessed Virgin continues watching over the development of vocations and the priestly life of the Church. To her, the Mother of the Eternal High Priest, we want to entrust our priestly vocation, with which we are given the unmerited gift of being Alter Christus.

Second Reading: Corinth was a rich area full of merchants. Paul stayed there for more or less 18 months and preached. Paul wrote the letter regarding the major issues and problems in that church especially that of the resurrection. Why? The OT did not have a good understanding of the resurrection. According to Judaism, the dead people live either in hell or in Sheol. The concept of resurrection is different after Jesus and the proclamation of the NT. The Corinth people knew the philosophy of Plato very well. According to Plato, the body is mortal and the soul is immortal. Only by destroying this body can we receive life. I want this world and my body for my life and activity on this earth. Only with the help of this body and world can I reach salvation. Mary is an example for all of us. Assumption Day commemorates the belief that when Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, died, her body was "assumed" into Heaven to be reunited with her soul, instead of going through the natural process of physical decay upon death. Our constitution is asking for healthy and robust people for the mission of the Church. This formation is the foundation of all the priestly religious formation. The human formation, being the foundation of all priestly formation, promotes the integral growth of the person and allows the integration of all its dimensions. 

God’s salvation plan includes Mary’s special role as the mother of the Church. Mary attends to the growth of His mystical body (the Church), just as she attended to the growth of Jesus' physical body.

St. Joseph, the Worker's day

 President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos is leading the celebration of the 121st Labor Day and launched major job fair activities to provide local and overseas job opportunities to Filipino workers.

People are going to protest for wage increases, decent work, and rights to freely unionize as they take to the streets of the capital Manila on May 1. They will gather more than 10,000 workers and march from near the presidential palace in Manila on Labor Day. 

Every year the unemployment rate is increasing… 

1. Work is a vocation of Man: Man is called to work from the beginning. Work is one of the characteristics that distinguish man from the rest of creatures,

Genesis 2:15 – “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” After the human beings committed sin, God cursed them, “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground”

Through WORK man must earn his daily bread by his work.  

And work means any activity by man, whether manual or intellectual, whatever its nature or circumstances; 

Work is a vocation, a part of the plan of God. When we work, we are collaborating/participate in the creator’s work. Work as a sharing in the creating activity of God. (தொநூ 1:27, 2:5, 2:15, எபே 2:10) God is creating out of nothing. We create out of something. 

Work involves the whole person; When we work, our body, mind/heart and spirit should be involved. Work cannot be reduced only to manual work. Thomas Aquinas spent his long work only in the library, while Francis of Assisi never spent his life in the library. 

Spirituality of work: work will help people to come closer to God. 

There is a right to rest. In the first place, this involves a regular weekly rest comprising at least Sunday, and also a longer period of rest, namely the holiday or vacation taken once a year or possibly in several shorter periods during the year. Do not be a work alcoholic, take proper rest, God rested on sabbath day, Especially in the modern age, the spirituality of work should show the maturity called for by the tensions and restlessness of mind and heart.

Saints Peter and Paul

 Acts 12:1-11. 2 Tim 4:6-8, 17-18. Mt 16:13-19.

Today we solemnize Saints Peter and Paul, the pillars of the Roman Catholic Church. Jesus chose Peter saying to him, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Mt 16:18), and he chose Paul setting him apart as “a chosen instrument to carry his name before the Gentiles and kings and children of Israel” (cf. Ac 9:15).

What do these saints have in common?

(a) Experience of the Risen Christ

Peter denies Jesus. Paul persecutes Jesus’ body which is the Church. Both experience the Risen Christ. Their lives are transformed totally afterward. Paul later writes, “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection” (Phil 3:10).

(b) Complementarity

Peter and Paul are contrasted. They hailed from different professional backgrounds, families, social status, educational qualifications, and had different characteristic elements. At times they rubbed shoulders with each other in mission (cf. Gal 2:11-14). However, they join hands in holding the gospel of Christ. They complement each other at this point.

(c) Writings

They live amidst us through what they have written. They addressed their writings to their own communities of believers, exhorting them, encouraging them, and guiding them. The writings have reached us, who are distant from them in space and time. 

Ecclesiastes tells, ‘It is not the beginning, but the end that matters’ (cf. 7:8). Both, Peter and Paul, had humble beginnings. But, they had glorious endings. At the end of his life, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.’ Paul said, ‘It is I that live, but Christ that lives in me.’

The life lessons we draw from them are the following:

(a) They accepted their past.

Peter denied Jesus. Paul persecuted Jesus. These were their past. However, they did not yield to guilt, or self-pity. They accepted their past and transcended from it 

(b) They changed their life-path

As soon as they had God-experience they changed their paths. They did not return to their old selves or lives. They had unfailing courage and endurance.

(c) They bore witness to faith in Jesus

Till the end, their life was a living witness to Jesus. They sacrificed their lives for confessing Jesus as the Son of God.

Saints Peter and Paul become strong pillars. It is not what we are that matters, but it is what we become that matters.

Our becoming is possible when the divine hand touches us.

All Saints Day

 (Nov 1) maligayang araw po, ng mga banal sayinyo lahat, ang ating bacasyon, 

In most parts of the world, they celebrate Halloween on October 31 is the time for scary stories, fancy costumes, and all things dark and spooky.

Sa araw na ito, binibigyang parangal natin ang lahat ng mga Banal na nakaakyat sa langit at nakikibahagi na sa kaluwalhatian ng Panginoon.

On this day, we honor all the Saints who have ascended into heaven and are already sharing in the glory of the Lord.

“A saint is somebody that the light shines through.” Gustokong magkwento, I want to tell a story. Here is a children’s story. 

A father was taking his girl child in a Catedral of Rome, looking at the beautiful pictures of saints on the glass windows of the Church, Ang batang babae baby asked her father, “sino sila?” The father told, “ang mga banal sila” some saints are red, green color. 

After many years the baby went to School, the Teacher asked the students, Do you know who is a saint?  who are the saints? The particular girl answered, “A saint is somebody that the light shines through.” 

Yes, the light of God shines through the lives of the saints. It is not your light that is shining; it is the light of God shining through your lives.

wala silang orihinal na ilaw. Nasa kanila ang liwanag ng Diyos. Katulad natin, nakaranas din sila ng iba’t-ibang uri ng pisikal o emosyonal na paghihirap at pagpapakasakit, mga panglalait, pagyurak sa kanilang katauhan, mga tukso, kahinaan, at kasalanan. Like us, they have experienced various forms of physical or emotional suffering and suffering, insults, humiliation, temptations, weaknesses, and sins.

ang mga santo ay mga tao. Saints are human beings. Augustin, Francis of Assisi were sinners before God chose them. "There is no saint without a past, nor sinner without a future", "It is important to answer the invitation with a humble and sincere heart. The Church is not a community of the perfect, but rather of journeying disciples who follow the Lord because they recognise themselves as sinners and in need of His forgiveness. Christian life is therefore a school of humility that opens us up to grace".

Ngunit hindi sila nagpadaig dito. Bagkus, buong puso nilang pinasan ang mga ito hanggang sa makamit nila ang tagumpay. Hindi sila nawalan ng pag-asa, bagkus nagsikap silang magpakabuti dahil naniniwala silang mayroong pagpapala at gantimpala sa kabila ng lahat ng ito sa piling ni Hesus. 

But they did not overcome it. Rather, they carried them wholeheartedly until they achieved victory. They did not despair, but they tried to improve because they believed there was blessing and reward despite all this in the presence of Jesus.

Ano nga ba ang sikreto ng tagumpay ng yaong mga banal? Ito’y walang iba kundi ang kanilang paninindigan na pasanin ang kanilang mga krus. Ang krus ang kanilang sandigan upang mapagtanto nila ang kabuluhan at kahalagahan ng buhay dito sa mundo. 

What is the secret of the victory of those saints? It is none other than their determination to bear their crosses. The cross is their foundation so that they can realize the meaning and importance of life here on earth.

Sa Ebanghelyo, ilang ulit maririnig ang salitang “Mapapalad.” Who is really blessed? Mapapalad ang mga banal dahil ipinahayag at pinasan nila ang krus ni Hesus. 

Sa kabila ng mga napipintong pag-uusig, paninirang-puri, panganib, o maging kamatayan, tinahak pa rin nila ang landas ng krus sapagkat naniniwala sila na ito lamang ang 

Sila’y nagpakumbaba, naging maunawain at maawain. Sinunod nila si Hesus hindi lamang sa paniniwalang mapapasakanila ang kaluwalhatian bagkus dahil katulad nila si Hesus: nagtitiwala sa Ama, mapagkumbaba, aawain, dalisay ang puso, mapagpayapa, at hangad ang kalooban ng Diyos para sa lahat. Mapalad ang banal dahil nasa kanila si Hesus.

They became humble, understanding and compassionate. They followed Jesus not only in the belief that glory would be theirs but because they were like Jesus: trusting in the Father, humble, merciful, pure in heart, peaceable, and seeking the will of God for all. 

Homily 2:

Sainthood as the fruit of grace

“Sainthood or holiness is our continuous response to God’s grace; it is a gift from us to the giver who grants us grace.”

Today we celebrate all the saints. The Church is perceived in three stages: the pilgrim Church here on earth, the suffering Church in the purgatory; and the glorified Church in heaven. This is the feast of the glorified Church. These saints have obtained holiness by responding to God’s grace. All these saints may not make it to the canon, but they have made it to heaven. The Church accompanies you throughout your life as being; not only on this earth but in all the worlds. 

The first reading from the Book of Revelation brings before us John’s vision of the glorified Church. John sees two groups of people in his vision: (a) those who are sealed; and (b) those in white robes. To be sealed means to be set apart or to be owned/ called for a high purpose. John sees 144 thousand people. The number is symbolic, i.e., the multiplication of 12 by 12. The number shows the fully formed nation of Israel (cf. Rev 7:5-8). The second group of people in white robes washed their clothes in the blood of the Lamb, i.e., they sacrificed their lives for God. A white robe signifies sanctity and victory. They make it to the presence of God through their courageous acts of witnessing.

The gospel reading, from the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew, contains the Beatitudes. Jesus teaches eight ways of attaining blessedness. The first four beatitudes connect the disciples to God, while the second four make a bond among the disciples. First, ‘poverty in spirit’ means realizing our dependence on God; second, ‘mourning’ ‘means’ the state of undergoing difficulty or transformation; third, ‘the meek’ – the disposition to accept God’s works in our lives (cf. Ps 37:11); fourth, ‘hunger and thirst for righteousness’ – having the right relationship with God; fifth, ‘the merciful’ – to go beyond justice; sixth, ‘purity of heart’ – integrity and truth; seventh, ‘peace-making’ – seeking reconciliation and healing; and eighth, ‘persecuted for righteousness’ sake’ – being faithful till the end.

The passage ends with two imperatives: ‘rejoice and be glad’. Pope Francis titles his exhortation on holiness with these two words: ‘gaudete’, ‘exsultate’.

In the first reading, the people who receive respond to God’s grace through their witnessing lives. In the second reading, holiness is set as a goal to be achieved. The gospel reading places before us the paths of blessedness and commands us to rejoice and be glad. The Psalmist exalts, “These are the people who seek your face!” (cf. Ps 24).

What are the challenges that the day poses to us?

1. Sanctity is a call of the Church; You are all called, sealed (1st reading), and set apart through the call of baptism, religious life and ministry. 

(a) Sainthood is an invitation to all: ‘If he and she, why can’t I?’, asked Saint Ignatius of Loyola. The saints did not fall from heaven; they walked ahead of us and reached there. As Saint John Mary Vianney says, “The saints did not begin well, but they all ended well.” Today, whatever our life stage or calling, let us strive for holiness or sanctity. Let us not alienate the saints or treat them as dispensers of favours, but let us imitate them in their virtues. Sainthood is conscious living.

(b) A little more! Something extra! Magis, Aim higher:

The journey to sainthood entails walking the extra mile, smiling an extra smile, and taking some extra care! Saints don’t stop saying, ‘This is enough!’ They go a bit further, even when it hurts. Saint Sebastian was extra courageous; Saint Anthony of Padua was extra patient; Saint Francis of Assisi gave up a little more; and Mother Teresa cared extra. The saints do a little more—in prayer, spirituality, sacrifice, love of God, denial, and love of neighbour. The journey begins with baby steps.

(c) What we become makes us more valuable!

Iron is of little value, but when it becomes the tungsten leaf that we use in electric bulbs, it goes up in value. The process entails a lot of pain. Anything that is valuable must undergo transformation. Sainthood involves transformation.

“Sainthood or holiness is our continuous response to God’s grace; it is a gift from us to the giver who grants us grace.”

Nativity of John the Baptist

 The Catholic Church celebrates the birthdays of only three persons as solemnities; Jesus Christ, Mother Mary and John the Baptist. 

Today's Gospel narrates the birth of John the Baptist 

Zechariah was a priest in the times of the Old Testament. Some authors (Protoevangelium James and Joseph Flavio) affirm that he might have been the High Priest because he was entering into the holiest place of the temple and offered incense both morning and evening.  Others say that he was a priest given some extra in-charges. Anyway, we come to know that he was from a tribe of honorable priests. He was a priest, close to the sacred duties, but still, he did not believe in God's message (given by the Angel Gabriel) that he would beget a child in his old age. 

Zechariah and Mary both received the message from the same angel, and both responded in the same way (more or less), but God reacted differently. God gave me a tough time for Zechariah. Why? 

Zechariah and Mary have different hearts and different faith. The heart of a high priest and the heart of a poor Jewish virgin is so different and nothing is hidden in front of God's eye. 

God teaches the people with vocation towards him. God prepares them through the process of muteness. God puts Zechariah in silence so that he can listen only to his Word and observe the miracles God makes in front of his eyes.

After that, Zechariah praises only God in the Song of Benedictus.