Everyone is invited to attend a special Multi-lingual Mass with the new Archbishop of Los Angeles, Most Reverend Jose Gomez at Blessed Sacrament Church in Hollywood, CA on
Sunday, September 19, 2010 at 12:00 P.M.

All leaders and coordinators of ministries of our parish, Immaculate
Heart of Mary Church, are required to represent our community to this
event. Our regional bishop, Edward Clark, wants all parishes of
Deanery 14 (our deanery) to send parish representatives to this Mass.
Parish organizations and ministries should arrange with their members
how to come to this Special Mass with the new Archbishop.

So how does a person deal with this tough milieu? One needs to have a thick skin, an inner strength, a stoic and overconfident self, and a clear vision of one’s goals. One needs to be content and peaceful with one’s accomplishments and identity.

View Text Reflections: To Live Humbly with God…

A song dedicated by Fr. Arnold Abelardo “sa mga nawawalan ng pag-asa sa buhay, sa mga taong malapit ng mag give up sa mga pagsubok na kanilang kinahaharap”.

“Rather, when you are invited, go and take the lowest place…For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14: 10-11). These words of Jesus are tough to swallow. They can go down to the deepest part of one’s heart. They can shake one’s spirit, darken one’s soul, and envelope one’s mind with anxiety and fear. For who wants to remain being down when one’s peers or friends are going up on the ladder of human prestige? Who wants to be sorry for one’s self when one’s associates are getting promoted, honored, and exalted? Who wants to respond to people’s interrogations such us: Why is he is being made a supervisor and you’re not? Aren’t you more qualified than him? Why is she is being recognized by those in authority when you’ve done more for the company? In this society that exaggerates self-image, self-esteem, ego-strength, self-regard, and position, it’s difficult to handle this pressure from people.

So how does a person deal with this tough milieu?  One needs to have a thick skin, an inner strength, a stoic and overconfident self, and a clear vision of one’s goals. One needs to be content and peaceful with one’s accomplishments and identity.

The Scripture provides us with a way to deal with a narcissistic and pompous world. Only through the grace of humility can we conquer this megalomania. The Book of Sirach says: “My child, conduct your affairs with humility and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts. Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God.”  In regards to our inability to handle the glories of other people, the Book of Sirach asks us to be wise by listening deeply with the outer and inner ears. The wise person searches and allows mystery to be a friend rather than humiliating enemy which must be defeated and ignored.

It takes a great deal of courage to follow and practice the wisdom of the Scriptures. We need to die to our selves; we need to be men and women of prayer. Indeed, ultimately, it is the grace of prayer that will help us conquer our pride and egoistic obsessions. Through prayer we submit ourselves to the will of God; we stop following our desires to live only by the plan of God in our lives; we practice the famous proverb,“Man proposes, God disposes.”

It’s amazing to think that the Scripture is replete with reversals. “What is too sublime for you, seek not, into things beyond your strength search not.” (Sirach 3:18)  “But many who are first will be last and many who are last will be first.” (Matthew 19:30) “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.” (John 12:15)  These reverse sayings have connection with the words of St. Paul in his Letter to the Hebrews which we read last Sunday, “All discipline seems to be a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.” (Hebrew 12:11-13) Truly, it’s enough to understand and accept humbly the will of God in our lives because in the end, this will bring us joy.

At times we don’t want an easy life. For example, we don’t want to undergo the pain of long lines, of rigorous and regular exercise, or of homework and examinations. If it’s all possible, we’d rather take short-cuts, the easy-way out. Yeah, if there can only be instant route to successful, efficient, and healthy life, all things would be perfect! Who wants to suffer anyway? Who wants to labor in pain?

But life presents itself to us as a struggle. All have to undergo hardships; all have to experience trials and challenges. In today’s Gospel our Lord Jesus told his disciples that despite any hardship they must “strive to enter through the narrow gate.” What Jesus meant here was that he wanted his disciples to put forward a great deal of energy like an athlete in a competition as they follow his Way.  He wanted them to commit themselves wholeheartedly to their calling; to struggle for the prize, in all their ups and downs.

In the Letter to the Hebrews, Paul gave his fellow missionaries the same advice. He told them not to disdain the discipline of the Lord or lose heart when reproved by him, “for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines.” Then he consoles them that “all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later, it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.”

In Hebrew, the word “discipline” (paideia) does not mean punishment but instruction, or training for life. Perhaps, this is the attitude that we need to have as we strive to lead good Christian lives. We’re all in training and we all continue to receive instructions from God. In this way, we are never hard on ourselves. None of us would ever have life devoid of any sorrow and pain. We walk humbly with God, attuned to his will, and always relying on his divine assistance.

Some of difficult struggles we have as Christians are the abilities to be united as a family or a community, to be open to others, to be non-judgmental, to be generous with our resources, and to act with justice and honesty. Promoting unity in an organization is never easy. We can all attest to this fact. High egos come out; competition and self-preservation and self-aggrandizement occur whenever we try to start a movement or an association. Relating to a person of another culture and language is not easy too. It takes a great deal of effort to reach out, to understand, and to affirm those who are not from our clan or race. Giving more of our wealth or other resources to charity or to church is a struggle too. We’d think more of our personal needs or the needs of our families before we can share a significant part of resources with others. Indeed, it takes a lot of discipline or practice to meet these challenges. But again, as Paul said, we should never lose heart. We must continue following this road-less-traveled. As Jesus reminded his disciples, we must strive “to enter the narrow gate”, to put forward a great deal of energy and enthusiasm.  In the end, our perseverance will bear fruits.

So what do we do with the hardships of life? Let’s face them with courage and with faith in God who knows what is best for us. Amen!

Each of us has his or her moment of weakness. It doesn’t matter whether one is the president of the most powerful nation, the archbishop of the biggest diocese in the country, or just an ordinary person. Anyone can get easily angry, impatient, or discouraged. Some people may see someone as strong-willed and self-confident human being, but that person knows better—he or she would see himself or herself differently. That individual is not as courageous or positive as other people think he or she is.  One critical comment from a fellow worker can destroy him or her; one delay of an airline flight can trigger anger in this person.

Despite our human foibles there is one person who does not give up on us; who believes in our capacities to change or to be better. It’s our Creator God. This, for me, is the Good News of the Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Blessed Mother.  Mary’s assumption into heaven—body and soul—gives us a message of hope and affirmation of the human race. God’s exultation of Mary is his exultation of humanity. It’s the remembrance of God’s original intention of creating man and woman in his image and likeness.

The Scripture scholars tell us that Mary’s Magnificat was not just her own. It’s the magnificat, the gratitude to God of the entire People of Israel, indeed the generations of all ages,  in his continual involvement in human affairs and in the fulfillment of his promise of salvation. Mary’s Magnificat reverberates in those of us at the present times that see the goodness and love of God despite our sinfulness or shortcomings. God will never give up on us. God always believes in our human potentials for greatness.

Truly, when we look at the human race, we find see clearly how it has been gifted by God in all ages and generations. We have generations of people who built cities and cathedrals; who discovered sciences and technologies; who developed various forms of transportation and tried to find life to other parts of the universe. We have geniuses and saints who not only mastered arts and sciences but also the life of sanctity. We have people in our modern age who have overcome personal battles of addictions, losses, and grief. We have individuals who never lost the ideals of equality, compassion, and generosity; people who continue to work towards the end of poverty and corruption, racism, exclusion, and other forms of discrimination. We have people who are passionate about their faith, their role in the society, and their willingness to make a difference in the world. In all the animal kingdom, we human beings are the most gifted species. .The problem is that arrogance, pride, greed, and selfishness have overcome many of us and have darkened our genuine intentions. This reminds us of the original fault of Adam and Eve, that is, their selfishness and pride to be like God.  Mary’s Magnificat overturns Adam and Eve’s sinfulness for it recognizes that all that we are and all that we have come from God. Mary’s Magnificat is a humble recognition of God’s reign in our lives, not a proud negation of God’s sovereignty over us.

On this Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary we do not just recognize God’s exultation of our human capacities but also our submission to God’s reign—with him live, die, and rise again to new life; with him we will always overcome the power of death and will live in the promise of hope for the entire human race and universe!

What would these spiritual treasures be? The Gospel does not tell us quite well but gives us a hint. It says that when the master of the house comes back and finds his servants vigilant, “he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.”

View Text Reflections: Money Bags …

I’ve wondered about the “money bags” that Jesus was referring in the Gospel this Sunday when he was giving instructions to his disciples. “Money bags” do not seem to match with “inexhaustible treasures in heaven” that he was also pointing out. Just last Sunday we heard Jesus teaching his disciples that life is more than the accumulation of wealth but the ability to share this wealth with others. Now he wanted his disciples to make sure to have money bags that could be not be robbed or destroyed.

One cannot take Jesus’ words literally. Again, as a teacher he was expressing words that pointed to another meaning. What Jesus was focusing here was not the money bags but the spiritual treasures that had to be guarded and kept by his disciples in some sort of “money bags” that could not be worn out, robbed or destroyed. They must always have these spiritual treasures for the master of the house might come like a thief of the night. They must always be vigilant, prepared, and accountable to their master.

What would these spiritual treasures be? The Gospel does not tell us quite well but gives us a hint. It says that when the master of the house comes back and finds his servants vigilant, “he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.” These words remind us of the washing of the feet of the Disciples during Last Supper when Jesus told the disciples to wash each other others feet as he had done to them. Here then are some of the spiritual treasures that Jesus talks about: service, love, compassion, kindness, mutual respect and the like. Here are the treasures that one needs to keep in one’s heart, indeed, in one’s “money bag”.  When Jesus sent his disciples to proclaim the Good News to his disciples to villages and towns, he asked them to bring a money bag full of these spiritual treasures. With these treasures, their mission will never fail.

The Gospel then speaks about acquiring, nurturing, and sharing these spiritual treasures in one’s life. This is what a good stewardship is all about. Again, the meaning of life does not consist of acquiring or amassing material wealth; rather, it consist in developing the virtues of love, generosity, kindness, service, compassion and care for others. Material wealth does not last; but the virtues of love and kindness will always remain in the hearts of people and most especially in the heart of God.

I remember the funeral Mass of a long-time parishioner. The church was packed with people—his relatives, friends, fellow parishioners, co-workers, and neighbors. Everyone spoke highly of this humble man. He didn’t die rich with material wealth; he died rich with friends and all the Christian virtues that they spoke about him.

Money bags? Let’s not fill them with dollar, pesos, and checks. . Rather, let’s fill them with love, forgiveness, understanding, compassion and other kinds of “richness” that matter to God!

The church or the parish is a place of diverse people. Having known this, it’s a place to put charity and love to test. In fact, it should be a model of a place where true love, care and warmth exist. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Sometimes, it is scandalous for people to see it as a place of self-glory, jealousy, bitterness, rudeness, ugly competitions, suspicion, exclusiveness, and discrimination.

View Text Reflections: A Prophet’s Reward …

We’ve heard the biblical saying, “He who receives a prophet receives a prophet’s reward.” This saying connects well with the Scriptures this Sunday. In the First Reading, Abraham welcomed three strangers in his household with sumptuous food and drink, which his wife Sarah prepared. In return, these three divine guests prophesied to them the birth of the couple’s first-born son (Isaac). In the Gospel, Martha and Mary welcomed the usual visit of Jesus, who had become almost a member of the family: Martha with food from the kitchen and Mary with her undivided attention to Jesus. Jesus reciprocated their hospitality by revealing to them the secret of better portion of life: intimacy with God.

We cannot underestimate the power of warmth, care, generosity, and hospitality especially to those who have dedicated their lives in serving God. When I was a young boy, my mother would always welcome priests in our home for breakfast after Mass. My mother would have never thought that the reward for her hospitality to these men of the cloth would be a priest among her children. Parishioners who have been generous to their church, who support their priests indeed receive a prophet’s reward. They usually receive more blessings from God, be it a better job, good health, or loyal friends, not to mention the spiritual treasures that await them. Those who give due respect and love to their priests will more likely receive the same respect and esteem from others.

It is the same with any other people. The warm reception and care that we show to others will reap a hundred fold. This is not to say that we always expect something in return for the hospitality that we give to others. This is the mere truth about life: love begets love; kindness begets kindness; respect begets respect.

This is even truer when we receive people who are strangers, who may be different from us, who may not share our culture or speak our language. As they say, it’s easier to love our own kind but not those who are different from us.

The church or the parish is a place of diverse people. Having known this, it’s a place to put charity and love to test. In fact, it should be a model of a place where true love, care and warmth exist. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Sometimes, it is scandalous for people to see it as a place of self-glory, jealousy, bitterness, rudeness, ugly competitions, suspicion, exclusiveness, and discrimination.

It’s easy to forget to practice these home-grown values of warmth and hospitality, particularly when we become preoccupied with our own needs. As a parish family where openness and honesty are also valued, we should not feel embarrassed to remind one another when we forget to receive another person in love, respect, and kindness. It’s just the proper thing to do!