3rd Sunday of Easter April 23, 2023

“Go and Proclaim: JESUS is the Fulfilment of the Holy Scriptures”

First Reading: Acts 2:29-36

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 116:2-4,5-7,8-10,15-16

Second Reading: 1 Peter 1:13-21

Gospel Reading: Luke 24:13-35

GO AND PROCLAIM: JESUS IS THE FULFILMENT OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES

(A RECAPITULATION BASED ON THE HOMILY OF +FR. ROMIE JUN PENALOSA)

Jesus, when He rose up from the dead appeared to the three Mary’s in the Bible; the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the wife of Cleopas. All of these women were close to Him, yet they were unable to recognize Him right away. It is the same with us, often Jesus is already talking to us but we don’t hear Him nor recognize His voice.

Do we recognize God in our life?  What prevents us in recognizing Him? Often, we don’t recognize Him because we are bent on running away from Him.

In the gospel today, Cleopas with another disciple was told to meet Jesus in Galilee. But he went to Emmaus, the other way. Yet Jesus in His glorified body, went with them and even ministered to them until they reached their destination. And throughout their travel, they didn’t recognize Him. It was only when they invited Him to eat with them that they recognize Him when He broke the bread. See, God will always walk with us, even when we are walking in the wrong direction. But God will never intervene unless we invite Him. It warms our heart when God talks to us but often we don’t listen because we can’t recognize Him. And it is so sad to think that sometimes, we can’t recognize someone close to us because we’ve been too busy running with life.

So how can we recognize God in our life? By having an intimate relationship with Him. Immersing ourselves in the Eucharist, coming together in the table, eating the bread together and building intimacy – is the essence of the Eucharist. We can pray to God, read the Bible and go to church but still we cannot recognize Him. Knowledge of God is not enough. We should exert effort to establish an intimate relationship with Him. We need to stay connected with God.

Recap by:

MERCY DE LA CRUZ-ESPIRITU

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2nd Sunday of Easter – April 16, 2023

Theme: “Go and Proclaim: Have Faith in the Risen LORD”

First Reading: Acts 2:22-28

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 16

Second Reading: 1 Peter 1:3-9

Gospel Reading: John 20:19-31

“Easter is not just a season of rejoicing, or of being happy. Easter is about having a renewed perspective in life.”

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is not just a happy event in our life. It is not just about evoking happy feelings; it is a renewing, a transformation of life, and living every day in that transformed life. A new perspective in life will really bring change. You begin to see yourself as victorious knowing that Jesus is in you. You no longer see yourself as defeated, but one who conquers the odds of life. You will realize and understand that there is nothing bad or evil that comes from God. He never hurts us, he doesn’t give sufferings, nor punish us for our sins and makes us miserable. He never and will never do that. But God can turn those bad things into good things. This is what Easter teaches us – that life is not always about fun but about having a new perspective about life and living a renewed spirit.

Key points about resurrection that Father Jun emphasizes:

1. Reconciliation. To have a new perspective in life, we need to reconcile first to God. We need to acknowledge and confirm to ourselves that Jesus is  Saviour and Lord of our life. A man who never reconciles with God will never have peace.
2. Value of community. Community enhances our faith in God. Being part of a community is a way of strengthening our relationship with God. Where the people gather in the name of Jesus is a community. This is how church started. A community of believers who loves Jesus and gathers together doesn’t demand a sign to believe, just faith.

The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ entails  that we have a mission; we have a purpose. As He declared “Peace be with you: as my Father has sent me, so I sent you” (John 20:21). He tells us that He wanted us to take part of that great purpose that God has established long ago before the world was created. When we learn to focus on Christ, and listen to Him, and do the things He teaches us, we begin to change our perspective in life, for He will renew our spirit and change the way we see life. We learn and begin to walk in the power that God has given to us.

The reason why Jesus rose from the dead is so that He might bring us to where He is, to live with Him as a community, a community of Christians. Though living as a family can be very difficult, very confronting, and entailing so much responsibility, Jesus wants us to see a different perspective of community – a community that enhances faith, teaches us to be patient, enhances our ability to forgive. There is a tangible force of grace once a family is gathered together. It is much greater than any mistakes we can commit. That is why Judas, though Jesus knew He would betray Him, still partook in the dinner. Jesus still considered him as family.

Community has a way of strengthening our faith; it has the ability to remove our minds from ourselves and focuses on Jesus. As a church, Father Jun encourages us to go home with a new perspective, and live a renewed life, full of hope in God.

Recap by:

MERCY DE LA CRUZ-ESPIRITU

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Easter Sunday – April 9, 2023

Epistle Reading: Romans 6: 3-11

Psalm Reading: Psalm 118

Gospel Reading: John 20: 1-9

In today’s Easter Sunday Mass Homily at Saint Michael Kalibo, Fr. Jun reminds us that time and time again, God will always come to the aid of His people. As we celebrate Easter, let us realize that Jesus, our Lord, went down to the very depths of our humanity. He did not see equality with God as something to cling to, instead He took the form of a servant and even died on the cross for mankind.

Because sin broke humanity, Jesus took upon Himself our humanity. He partook of our humanity and now we can partake of His divinity. The death He died on the cross is a picture of our brokenness. Our death became His death. And in rising to life again, He destroyed death forever.

Now, Jesus’ death and resurrection gives us leverage in life. Sin and death no longer controls your life because Jesus already paid the price. The nails cannot hold the hands of Jesus on the cross, it will be ready to help you. The nails on the feet of Jesus cannot stop Him from coming to you. The tomb could not hold Jesus in death forever.

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5th Sunday in Lent March 26, 2023

Theme: Go and Proclaim: “Jesus, the only Resurrection and the Life”

First Reading: Ezekiel 37:1-14

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 130: 1-2,3-4,5-6,7-8

Second Reading: Romans 8:8-11

Gospel Reading: John 11:18-2

In today’s Sunday Mass Homily at Saint Michael Kalibo, Fr. Jun reminds us that God always answers our prayers. However sometimes, we want to know everything, like how God would answer our prayers. But God is teaching us to listen to Him and have faith first. God will do everything, but before God will do something in our lives, He will talk to us through His Word. The Word of God goes first before the miracles happen. He can do beyond what we ask. He will do miracles and it is our responsibility to believe. In the Gospel, Jesus spoke or prophesied to Lazarus before he came to back to life, just as how God spoke to Ezekiel before the dry bones came into flesh. It reminds us that everyone is listening- from the angels in heaven up to the dead bodies, so we also must listen to God.

Lent is the season for us to listen to God and be silent, taking away the things that hinder us from hearing Him. God is about to do something great to us, a greater glory that will happen in our lives. We must continue to affirm it, that the problem that we have right now will be gone tomorrow. No matter how great the problem is, God will do something great.

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4th Sunday in Lent

March 19, 2023

Theme: Go and proclaim: “In His light, we received true sight”

First Reading: 1 Samuel 16:1-7

Responsorial Psalm 23:1-2, 3-4,5-6

Second Reading: Ephesians 5:1-10

Gospel Reading: John 9:1-11

Do you know that God has a plan in your life?

Do you know God’s plan and purpose for your life?

Two significant questions that often strike us and make us confused when we try to find the answers. We then tend to worry, get scared, stressed and anxious of the many things in our life. But in reality, we are just spiritually blind. We do not see life the way God sees it. We can see because of the light that comes in to our eyes. And we often judge by what we see physically. But not God. He always sees our heart. A heart is something no one can see, yet it is what God is always looking at.

In the time of Jesus, when a man is born blind it is considered a curse. But the Gospel reading today teaches us more about spiritual blindness. We are all born spiritually blind; blind to see the purposes of God in our lives. To be spiritually blind means not being able to see and understand the things of God. As humans, we judge by what we see; but with God, He sees the heart. As God’s children, we are supposed to see the things that God can see; see His plans and purposes in our lives. But sometimes, we cannot because we refuse to let the light of Christ come in to our spiritual eyes and to our heart.

Spiritual blindness is not about sight, but rather vision. Sight is for our eyes; vision is for our soul. Vision is the ability to see things according to how God sees it. And we all have this ability. But unless we let Christ’s light come in to us, we will remain blind. So how can we free ourselves from this kind of blindness? Let us just focus our eyes and minds on Jesus. Scripture tells us that it was Jesus who came to the blind man. It was His will to heal him. Remember, it is always God’s will and desire for us to see, to be healed and restored.

Saint Paul encourages us to walk as Children in the Light. We were once in darkness, but through Christ, we now have light. Let us walk then with vision, seeing things as God wants us to see. Let us open that spiritual vision in us and focus on the truth that God loves us. And when we do, we start to remove the plank that is in our own eyes and begin to see the goodness of the people around us, making our life better, happier, and joyfully enjoying the beauty and grandeur of the earth.

Recap by:

MERCY DE LA CRUZ-ESPIRITU

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3rd Sunday in Lent
March 12, 2023
Theme: Go and proclaim: “Jesus as the Living Water and Everlasting Life”
First Reading: Exodus 17:1-7
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 95:1-3,4-6,8-9,11
Second Reading: Romans 5:1-8
Gospel Reading: John 4:5-14
Homily by Fr. Romie-Jun Peñalosa

The season of Lent talks about God’s love. God loves us in spite of our sins and failures in life. Lent is a preparation for Christ’s resurrection. It’s on His resurrection that we also rise up with Christ.

In the Gospel, Jesus is talking to the Samaritan woman. During those times, Jews and Samaritans hated each other. Jews who talked to Samaritan people were considered unclean and therefore, unable to enter the temple. But Jesus broke the cultural barriers, showing that His love for us knows no bounds.

There are three principles that was shown in the Gospel. First, God’s love for us is so great that God will always pursue us. God is relentless. Therefore, if there are barriers that hinder us from coming to God, He will cross it for us. And this is what He did when he broke the cultural barriers between Him – a Jew, and the woman, a Samaritan. God will never give up on us. He is interested in everything that we say because He listens to us.

Second, God loves you so much that He will change us. Don’t try to hide yourself from God because God knows you very well. Let’s be honest whenever we talk to Him. His love transforms lives. We will worship God in Jesus. The place does not matter, for through Jesus, we can now worship Him in spirit and in truth.

Lastly, God’s love compels us to go on a mission. God pursued and changed us and now, it’s time to change the lives of others by sharing His good news. Don’t just be comfortable inside your church. Go out and preach His word. Bring Jesus to the people who can’t come to church so that Jesus will love and pursue them also.

A living encounter with Jesus changes our lives here on earth. Let Christ come into our lives so that He will then transform everything that surrounds us. Open you heart to Jesus because God will change you first before He will change your life.

Homily Recap by Riana Chelle Montero

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2nd Sunday in Lent
March 5, 2023
Theme: Go and proclaim: Believing in Jesus is having everlasting life
First Reading: Genesis 12:1-8
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33:6-8, 10-12,13-16,20-22
Second Reading: Romans 4:1-5
Gospel Reading: John 3:1-17
Homily by Fr. Romie-Jun Peñalosa

“Our days on earth are numbered.” Scriptures itself tells us that our life here has an end. Without realizing this truth, oftentimes we live our life recklessly. We do not take it seriously until such time we will meet the “dead-end”.

In his homily today, Father Jun emphasizes the weight of living life seriously. Realizing that our life is short and numbered, we should value the time and the ways that we live it. Wisdom teaches us to be careful with our life, for death is inevitable for everyone. It is not something to be afraid but anticipated. For when it comes, it is done, and we need to come home to our Father.

Like Nicodemus, we might also ask, “How then we can we have everlasting life?” Jesus replied, we need to be “born again”. And to be born again is to have eternal life. As Jesus told Nicodemus, “Unless, you are born again, you cannot enter the Kingdom of God”, gives us the idea that we should be focus on the things of God; on the works of Jesus. For us who were baptized with water and Spirit, we should not be complacent, for the moment we have received these sacraments, we have to take life seriously. To be born again means a renewed life everyday proclaiming the goodness of God and Jesus as the source of eternal life. To be born again is a choice, a decision one should take seriously for Jesus himself attested that eternal life exist.

The season of Lent allows us to reflect more and understand deeper the love of God to humanity (John 3:16). It is not a season to delve on our sins, on our failures, on our weaknesses. Lent is a time of reflection, of meditating and securing in our mind the reality that God loves us so much, giving us Jesus, His only son, just to save us and the world. We might keep on sinning, on making mistakes but the realization that He loves us despite our iniquities gives us hope. Hope that nothing is permanent, that we can change because of His amazing love.

So, how we should respond to this love? By trusting God. Faith is love, therefore let us not confide this truth within us but profess it with our lives, every day.

Finally, Father Jun challenge us to spend the Lenten weeks in contemplating the love of God; urging us to withdraw from things that makes us too busy, to temporarily distance from people so that we can listen more to God and be focused on what He is saying to us.

Recap by:
MERCY DE LA CRUZ-ESPIRITU

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First Sunday in Lent
February 26, 2023
Theme: Go and proclaim: “Every Word that proceeds from the Mouth of GOD.”
First Reading: Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 32:1-2,5, 7, 11
Second Reading: Romans 5:12-17
Gospel Reading: Matthew 4:1-11
Homily by Fr. Romie-Jun Peñalosa

Lent is a solemn season, but it is not a sad season. We begin to understand ourselves as we pray and fast.

In the Gospel, Fr. Jun reminds us of the three things that we must observe during this season as we devote our time to the Lord in prayer and fasting. First, we must know God’s will for us. Most of the time, our thoughts are so crowded with so many things. It fills our hearts and we end up meditating on these things rather than focus on God. We need to find time to be still and be quiet before the Lord because we need to hear God’s will for us. This is important because God will not bless anything that is outside of His will. We must find our true self in the life of Christ. We must focus on allowing God to reveal our weaknesses so that we will rely on Jesus more rather than ourselves. Examine our lives and pattern it to what God says. Rise up and enjoy the newness of life. But before we do that, we must make space for God.

Secondly, we must do God’s will in His way. When we do it on our own way, we will not succeed. Lastly, we must do it in God’s time. Everything has its perfect timing. Spend time with God. Make space for God so that we would know His way and will and do it in His perfect timing.

Homily Recap by Riana Chelle Montero

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“From dust you came and to dust you shall return”
First Reading: Joel 2:1-2; 12-17
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 51
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:20 – 6:2
Gospel Reading: Matthew 6:1-6; 16-21
Homily by Fr. Romie-June Peñalosa

During Ash Wednesday’s Homily, Fr. Jun reminded us of the importance of the imposition of ashes. Ashes remind us of our mortality – that we do not have time to waste. It also keeps us humble before God. Ashes were also used for repentance. Daniel put ashes in his head when he fasted. Finally ashes were also used for intercession, like the time Esther put ashes on her head and she prayed for her people.

From today’s gospel, we are also reminded of three disciplines. First is the discipline of giving. God teaches us to give so that we will not keep our focus on ourselves but on other people. The second discipline is praying. Fr. Jun reminded us that the best form of prayer is listening. Finally the third discipline is fasting. It disciplines the heart and shows that we are willing to sacrifice for the Lord.

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6th Sunday after Epiphany
February 12, 2023
Theme: “Go and proclaim: The Judgement and Reconciliation of Christ”
First Reading: Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119:1-3,4-6,16-18
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:6-10
Gospel Reading: Matthew 5:21-26
Homily by Fr. Romie-June Peñalosa

Our gospel reading today reminds us that we are sinners. Yes, we are forgiven and cleansed by God through Christ; but let us not forget that as human beings, we are prone to sin. Oftentimes, we neglect the sin of anger. True, we get angry at our kids who disobey us, or at our friends and family members who offended us; but understand that anger or hatred that stays longer in our heart leads us to sin. And even Christians are not exempted in this.

The bible teaches us that to sin against God is a curse. But there is a greater sin than this; that is when a man causes someone else to sin. In our anger, sometimes we say words that really hurt our loved ones. And these words causes them to hate us and do things that could harm both you and them. We then become the reason why that person committed sin. Jesus reminds us today in the gospel to reconcile with our brothers and that before bringing our gifts and offerings to Him, we should first reconcile with anyone we have offended. After all, God is not after our gifts; He is after our forgiving and loving hearts.

Father Jun reminded us also that to forgive is our responsibility. When our brothers offends us, it is our responsibility to forgive him.

But what if we are the ones who offend others? Our responsibility now is to apologize. When we apologize, it must be sincere. And here, he teaches us the five (5) languages of apology:

1. Say “I am sorry.” Because you realize the bad thing you did. You are not happy with what you have done.
2. Say “It is my fault.” Take responsibility for your mistakes against the person. Admit your fault and acknowledge your mistake.
3. Say “I will not do it again.” Repentance should be evident. The expression of willingness to change must be seen and commitment not to repeat the same thing is promised.
4. Ask “What can I do?” You have to make a amends. Be willing to make a way to repay or rectify the mistake.
5. Say “Please forgive me.”

True reconciliation is possible only when we learn to forgive others and when we learn to apologize for our own offense as well.

Recap by:
MERCY DE LA CRUZ-ESPIRITU

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