FOR SURE

“Surely it is not I, Lord?” – Matthew 26:22

       Today is my sixth wedding anniversary. (Background music… He, he, he.)

        When I decided to pursue my wife, Dinah, I was sure about her. I had hurt a few girls in the past by backing out on my word, but this time, I knew it was forever.

     I guess that’s how the disciples must have felt, too. They had journeyed with Jesus for three years, listened to His teachings, spent all that time with Him and were in His “inner circle.” How could they betray Him? Never. And yet, they all did, somehow. Still, they bounced back and continued to follow Jesus, despite their faults and failures.

       I’m not a perfect husband. I’ve failed my wife many times. But despite and in spite of all that has happened, I have not changed my mind about her. And thank God, she hasn’t changed her mind about me, either.

       I believe God asks us not to be perfect, but that we be committed. We may fail Him, but in the end, we just need to choose Him over and over again. Thankfully, He never gives up on us either. George Tolentino Gabriel (george.svp@gmail.com)

May I strive to be faithful to You, my faithful God.

St. Casilda, pray for us.

The phrase “set my face like flint” means determination in the face of trials and difficulty. Let us pray that we will have this attitude in doing the mission of the Church. Preaching the Gospel is a difficult task as there are many obstacles, including laws of some countries, that prohibit it. We must commit to preaching and living the Gospel in our own way.

4 The Lord God has given me a well-trained tongue, that I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear; 5 and I have not rebelled, have not turned back. 6 I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting. 7 The Lord God is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame.

R: My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

7 [8] All who see me scoff at me; they mock me with parted lips, they wag their heads. 8 [9] “He relied on the Lord; let him deliver him, let him rescue him, if he loves him.” (R) 16 [17] Indeed, many dogs surround me, a pack of evildoers closes in upon me; they have pierced my hands and my feet; 17 [18] I can count all my bones. (R) 18 [19] They divide my garments among them, and for my vesture they cast lots. 19 [20] But you, O Lord, be not far from me; O my help, hasten to aid me. (R) 22 [23] I will proclaim your name to my brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will praise you: 23 [24] “You who fear the Lord, praise him; all you descendants of Jacob, give glory to him; revere him, all you descendants of Israel!” (R)

Jesus is God. He did not have to become human, but He lived like one of us in obedience to the Father’s will for Him to be our Savior. He is without sin, and death on the cross has no power over Him. Yet Jesus died for our sake. His humility is unrivalled. No one can match the humility He showed by dying so that we might live.

6 Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. 7 Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, 8 he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Let us reflect on the depth of the love of Christ for us by dying on the cross. Have you ever considered dying for a cause or for someone else? Do you understand the sacrifice that Christ made so that we could be saved from sin?

Christ became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name.

11 Jesus stood before the governor, Pontius Pilate, who questioned him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You say so.” 12 And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he made no answer. 13 Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?” 14 But he did not answer him one word, so that the governor was greatly amazed. 15 Now on the occasion of the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the crowd one prisoner whom they wished. 16 And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 So when they had assembled, Pilate said to them, “Which one do you want me to release to you, Barabbas, or Jesus called Christ?” 18 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had handed him over. 19 While he was still seated on the bench, his wife sent him a message, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man. I suffered much in a dream today because of him.” 20 The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus. 21 The governor said to them in reply, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They answered, “Barabbas!” 22 Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” 23 But he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” They only shouted the louder, “Let him be crucified!” 24 When Pilate saw that he was not succeeding at all, but that a riot was breaking out instead, he took water and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. Look to it yourselves.” 25 And the whole people said in reply, “His blood be upon us and upon our children.” 26 Then he released Barabbas to them, but after he had Jesusscourged, he handed him over to be crucified. 27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus inside the praetorium and gathered the whole cohort around him. 28 They stripped off his clothes and threw a scarlet military cloak about him. 29 Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head, and a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 They spat upon him and took the reed and kept striking him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him off to crucify him. 32 As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon; this man they pressed into service to carry his cross. 33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha — which means Place of the Skull — 34 they gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall. But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink. 35 After they had crucified him, they divided his garments by casting lots; 36 then they sat down and kept watch over him there. 37 And they placed over his head the written charge against him: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. 38 Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and the other on his left. 39 Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, if you are the Son of God, and come down from the cross!” 41 Likewise the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him and said, 42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself. So he is the king of Israel! Let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he wants him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” 44 The revolutionaries who were crucified with him also kept abusing him in the same way. 45 From noon onward, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 46 And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 47 Some of the bystanders who heard it said, “This one is calling for Elijah.” 48 Immediately one of them ran to get a sponge; he soaked it in wine, and putting it on a reed, gave it to him to drink. 49 But the rest said, “Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him.” 50 But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, and gave up his spirit. 51 And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, rocks were split, 52 tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. 53 And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many. 54 The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesus feared greatly when they saw the earthquake and all that was happening, and they3said, “Truly, this was the Son of God!”

think: When you look at the cross of Jesus, what comes to your mind? How does it make you feel?

Read the Bible in one year Exodus 31-33

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST

thank You, Lord, for: ______________________________________________________

A WORD TO THE WEARY

The triumphant entry of the Lord into the city of Jerusalem was a real event. If giant media moguls already had their wares and equipment then, it would have been equivalent to a rock-star welcome fit for a king who was coming to take possession of his city.

        A king, indeed, Jesus was. Those who welcomed Him royally did right. They welcomed the one whom they honestly believed was “coming in the name of the Lord.” They were confident, too, to express what no self-respecting learned Jew would dare utter: “This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee.” “What good can come from Nazareth?”

         Last year, towards the run-up to the national elections, we were faced with a difficult choice. Weary as most of us were of oligarchic politics, most of us were willing to try something novel, and look for someone new, preferably someone who was devoid of the baggages of traditional elitist politics.

       But we are weary of more than just politics. We are tired of not just social structures that continue to enslave. We are weary of what is ultimately behind structures and sinful collusion between those who nominally hold power, and those who have the resources to seat them in high places.

     But like in all, particularly Philippine-style politics, the conditions can abruptly change. The warm welcome of hosannas coming from an enthusiastic crowd can change drastically into cruel shouts of persecution from another less enthusiastic crowd with different expectations.

       Sin — and all its ramifications and guises — can once more envelop and enfold a weary world. It happened then in Jerusalem. It happened elsewhere in history so many times. It happens also to us all, who, despite our good intentions, can at times raise up our arms in surrender to the sweeping and creeping power of evil.

       Isaiah was a prophet who did not flinch. “The Lord God,” he claimed, “has given me a well-trained tongue… to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them.”

       Isaiah knew his mission. And he fulfilled it. Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

---------- REFLECTION QUESTION ----------

What do you personally do with your well-trained tongue?

Lord, You give us the Holy Spirit to direct and guide in this life. May I be sensitive to His

prompting in all that I say and do. Amen.