Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, as God has forgiven you in Christ. – Ephesians 4:32

       “Do not let your anger steal away your joy.” This was one great piece of advice from our senior Feast builder, Arun Gogna, when I confided about the betrayal of trust I experienced with a close kin. I was fuming mad when I discovered what the person did. I was deeply hurt because I recall giving only so much love, support and my full trust. That moment, forgiveness was not an option.

       For two months I was hurting, yet praying at the same time for the grace to forgive. I offered the pain to God. I wanted to be free from it.

       Then it came. At dawn of September 8, Mama Mary gave me a gift on her birthday — peace. As I was praying, I searched for the pain in my heart — it was no longer there. The only thing left was inner peace.

         Feeling your emotion is the first step to healing. Let it out. Be angry, yes — just don’t dwell on it long.      Praying for healing is second. Forgiveness doesn’t come easy. Pray for God’s mercy and grace to forgive. Always seek Mama Mary’s loving intercession. Mary Jo Ann Catapusan Fauni (joann_fauni@yahoo.com.ph)

Reflection: Is there any unforgiveness in your heart that still yearns for healing?

Lord Jesus, please take away all the pain of unforgiveness in our hearts. Grant us the grace to forgive those who have hurt us deeply.

St. Anthony Mary Claret, bishop, pray for us.

Paul advises us to keep away from temptation and sin, especially false doctrines. Wrong advice parading as a wise one can influence people. Just as our parents told us not to play with matches or fire when we were children, we need to see sin as the “fire” of our moral years. Let us stay as far away as we possibly can from it.

32 Brothers and sisters: Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. 5:1 Be imitators of God, as beloved children, 2 and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma. 3 Immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is fitting among holy ones, 4 no obscenity or silly or suggestive talk, which is out of place, but instead, thanksgiving. 5 Be sure of this, that no immoral or impure or greedy person, that is, an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient. 7 So do not be associated with them. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.

R: Behave like God as his very dear children.

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)

GOSPEL

Jesus is angry at the Pharisees who claim that it is wrong to heal on the Sabbath. The Pharisees completely missed the true purpose of the Law — to remind us to make time for the things of God on a regular basis. It is easy to allow the Law to be our master. The Law should serve the people and not the other way around.

Your word, O Lord, is truth; consecrate us in the truth.

10 Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath. 11 And a woman was there who, for eighteen years, had been crippled by a spirit. She was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said, “Woman, you are set free of your infirmity.” 13 He laid his hands on her, and she at once stood up straight and glorified God. 14 But the leader of the synagogue, indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath, said to the crowd in reply, “There are six days when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day.” 15 The Lord said to him in reply, “Hypocrites! Does not each one of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger and lead it out for watering? 16 This daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now, ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day from this bondage?” 17 When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated; and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.

think: The Law should serve the people and not the other way around.

Thank You Lord for: __________________

THE POWER TO MAKE LIFE BEARABLE

Can one call this a life? A woman had been crippled by a spirit for 18 years, resulting to a body always bent over. Her condition must have been so appalling that death could serve as an option to end all her sufferings. Looking at the woman, Jesus did not want her to suffer even more. He resolved to immediately release her from her bondage despite the day being a Sabbath, a day for the Lord.

       The problem was, instead of rejoicing at her healing, the people zeroed in on the fact that it was done on the wrong day. Gratitude was not in their minds. Misguided self-righteousness turned the grace-filled experience into a scandal.

        When the morality of an act is in question, we must take into account its object, intention and circumstance. All three must concur for an act to be considered morally correct. When one of these is found wanting, the act in question is considered immoral.

       In the case of healing the crippled woman on a Sabbath, it could be considered wrong at first glance. However, one who understands compassion would approve of what Jesus did, because to do otherwise would prolong the agony of the woman. Preservation of life is always of paramount importance, and a life is no life at all in the absence of quality — in this case, the complete use of limbs.

       St. Anthony Mary Claret, bishop, is an advocate of living a quality life in Christ. An eloquent preacher and fluent in the Catalan language, people from distant places would come and listen to his preaching. After a lengthy time in the pulpit, he would set aside a generous amount of time in the confessional.

       Let us be kind to others, learn to forgive, and let go of things that no longer serve their purpose. Regardless of our status in life, we have the power to make life bearable and worth living. Fr. Sonny Cotiamco

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Is there someone around you who needs some of your time and attention? Why not make him or her your priority today?

You are always there for me, Lord. May I learn to follow Your example — to be always available and approachable to people in need. Help me to make life bearable for suffering people. Amen.