Memorial of St. Teresa of Avila, virgin

and doctor of the Church

“Woe to you, Pharisees! You love the seat of honor in synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.” – Luke 11:43

       Before you react, protesting the title above, think about it a little bit.

       If we study the ministry of Jesus Christ on earth, we will discover the irony that distinguished His attitude and His life.

       If Jesus were to publish a slogan that would describe His life and ministry, it would be: IT’S NOT ABOUT JESUS. He came not be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28). Jesus is the ultimate Giver. He certainly didn’t make anything about Himself, unlike the Pharisees in today’s Gospel, who did a lot only for their benefit.

       If it wasn’t about Jesus, then it’s defintely not about you or me, or anyone else. Jesus had the right to make it all about Himself, but He chose to lay it aside in exchange for what really mattered — the glory of His Father.

       Friend, sometimes we’re guilty of making things about us or doing something with the wrong intentions. Let this be a reminder for us to check our hearts, and make sure our lives don’t point to ourselves, but to God. Mike Viñas (mikemichaelfcv@yahoo.com)

Reflection: “Who, though He was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself taking the form of a slave coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, He humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:6-8)

St. Teresa of Avila, virgin, pray for us.

We face choices every day that allow us to demonstrate whether we are men and women of the Spirit or of the flesh. What is it that motivates you? Is it the pleasures of the world or the hope of eternal life? Paul makes it clear that our choices will have consequences. It is wise that we choose well, guided by the values and promises of the life of faith rather than by those of the world.

18 Brothers and sisters: If you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, 21 occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.

R: Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.

1 Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked nor walks in the way of sinners, nor sits in the company of the insolent, 2 but delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on his law day and night. (R) 3 He is like a tree planted near running water, that yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade. Whatever he does, prospers. (R) 4 Not so the wicked, not so; they are like chaff which the wind drives away. 6 For the Lord watches over the way of the just, but the way of the wicked vanishes. (R)

The Pharisees are more interested in what they can get from what they do rather than doing the right thing. They have become a sort of religious mercenary group who are interested only in furthering their own interests, even at the expense of the poor. Jesus will not stand for such hypocrisy and disregard for the welfare of others. Each of us will have to give an account of how we have lived on Judgment Day.

My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.

42 The Lord said: “Woe to you Pharisees! You pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb, but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God. These you should have done, without overlooking the others. 43 Woe to you Pharisees! You love the seat of honor in synagogues and greetings in marketplaces. 44 Woe to you! You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk.” 45 Then one of the scholars of the law said to him in reply, “Teacher, by saying this you are insulting us too.” 46 And he said, “Woe also to you scholars of the law! You impose on people burdens hard to carry, but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.”

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Sirach 11-15

ON THE PRINCIPLE OF FAITH

I had a very sad but blessed Christmas two years ago. Two days before Christmas, I was called to do the anointing of a former religious, also a former protégé in the seminary, who was dying of a mysterious disease that made his brain swell, his stomach bleed and made him lose his ability to talk and to control his movements. After one week in a coma, he came to, just as soon as I laid hands on him and gave him the anointing. He was trying to tell me so many things. No words came out of him except what I perceived to be the word F-A-T-H-E-R! And after smiling to us all, he went right back to “sleep” and died about 12 hours later.

       He was the only source of livelihood for his family back in Eastern Samar, for whom he had a lot of plans and dreams. He had sent a sister to school and primed a brother’s little business, and started building his parents’ house, from a decrepit nipa house to one of sturdier materials. He had long wanted to help his youngest brother, who was progressively getting blind. All this, he did, in a short span of about eight years. He planned to put up a bakery to enable his siblings to help themselves.

       But all that was not meant to be. When I attended his funeral in Samar, I saw the simple faith and the admirable sense of Christian resignation of his family. They knew for certain they had lost a valuable lifeline, not just a beloved son and brother. Their earthly hopes were dashed when their son or brother just fell in a heap — stressed out and overworked, but fulfilled to have been their support. I was edified by their faith.

       Other people I know can boast of so many things: college degrees, well-paying jobs, intelligence, friends in high places, and so much more. But I saw in my spiritual son, Renan, and his simple family the capacity for so much more.

       “What occasion is there for boasting?” It is based not on “works” but “rather on the principle of faith.” Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

REFLECTION QUESTION: When things get rough or don’t go your way, do you hold on to your faith, trusting that God knows best and He is in control of everything?

Lord, always remind me that my faith in You is the most important lifeline that I can ever have in my life.