She devoted her life to support others in the ministry. She would always offer to cook meals for gatherings or meetings. After The Feast, she would often hand the preacher a food container and whisper, “I cooked this for you. It’s your favorite.” She was a pillar of support for Anawim, our ministry for the abandoned elderly. She gave tithes and love offerings regularly and generously. That was Tita Marissa Chikiamco, our “Nangnang,” or “Chiki” to some. God bless her beautiful soul.

In ministry, most of the credit often goes to the ones on stage or on screen—the preachers, singers, and musicians—those in the spotlight. What many don’t realize is that there wouldn’t even be a stage, screen, live stream, or video to play without people like Nangnang who gave selflessly and silently played their role in the background.

Not all of us are called to serve in the spotlight, but like the women in today’s Gospel, you can still support the ministry in a vital way. Giving regular tithes and love offerings is a good start. George Gabriel (georgetgabriel@gmail.com)

reflect

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Lord, You have given me so much. I offer my time, talent, and treasure to bless others.

Saints Cornelius, pope, and Cyprian, bishop, martyrs, pray for us.

The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the heart of the Gospel. If He did not live again, then sin would have had final victory over the power of love and goodness. But this is not the case. Jesus is risen! This is the Easter cry of the Church. Death could not hold Jesus captive. The Father has raised Him from the dead. Behold the Good News of our salvation!

¹² Brothers and sisters: If Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³ If there is no resurrection of the dead, then neither has Christ been raised. ¹⁴ And if Christ has not been raised, then empty too is our preaching; empty, too, your faith. ¹⁵ Then we are also false witnesses to God, because we testified against God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if in fact the dead are not raised. ¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised, ¹⁷ and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins. ¹⁸ Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. ¹⁹ If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all. 20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 17:1, 6-7, 8, 15

R: Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

¹ Hear, O Lord, a just suit; attend to my outcry; hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit. (R) ⁶ I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my word. ⁷ Show your wondrous mercies, O savior of those who flee from their foes to refuge at your right hand. (R) 8 Hide me in the shadow of your wings, ¹⁵ but I in justice shall behold your face; on waking, I shall be content in your presence. (R)

Gospel | Luke 8:1-3

It is easy to see why so many people wanted to follow Jesus. If I had been healed of some sort of illness, I would want to follow Him as well. What about you? The generosity of the women in today’s Gospel is something we should emulate. Let us generously open our hearts to others and imitate the saving act of Jesus on the cross.

Gospel Acclamation

Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.

¹ Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God. Accompanying him were the Twelve ² and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, ³ Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources.

Read the Bible in one year! Read JEREMIAH 35 - 38 today.

In Genesis 2:18 we read, “Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.’” The man referred to is Adam. The “helper” is Eve. When we hear the word helper today, we think of someone inferior, lower in rank. That is not the biblical understanding of helper.

The Hebrew word for helper is ezer, which means savior, redeemer. Ezer does indeed mean helper, but in the sense of “God is my helper.” God is Israel’s helper because He is the one who has the power, the providence, and the good will.

Woman is man’s ezer because she will save man from the absurdity of isolation, meaninglessness, and solitude. Together, man and woman will mirror the image and dignity of God in the world. Woman will not work under man but with man. Women during Jesus’ time were second-class citizens. Together with children, by themselves, they have no legal personality. To be considered a legal person, they have to be associated with a male person by marriage. Thus, to be widowed would revert a woman back to her second-class status in society.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus goes through towns and villages accompanied by the Apostles and some women—Mary of Magdala, Joanna, Susanna, and many others. They were disciples of Jesus, His partners in ministry. In doing so, He was making a statement against the prevailing male chauvinistic culture of His time.

We have gone a long way since Jesus’ time but we still have miles to go. Prostitution, pornography, trafficking of women, contraception, and abortion still rear their ugly heads. Some even have the possibility of being legalized. In all of this, women tragically continue to be the victims, willingly or unwillingly.

Women empowerment is a legitimate concern that should be pursued. But today, slogans like “women power” and “pro-choice” have taken on a distorted slant that only promotes the same oppressive spirit, only in a different and more sophisticated form. If men used to be superior, now it will be the women on top. The cycle of competition, isolation, and loneliness continues. Fr. Joel O. Jason

reflection question

In what ways do you condone, consciously or unconsciously, the oppression of women?

O Blessed Mother, true pride of our race and model of true and genuine feminism, pray for us to God for the gift of true respect and appreciation of the gift of femininity. Amen.

Today, I pray for: ______________________________________________