When Papa was a teenager, he was expected to care for their 14-hectare farm on his own because his father had to drive their jeepney to earn for their family. But there was a problem with the barn. Their previous tenants said that they couldn’t stay long there because of odd and scary sounds they’d hear every night.

Papa’s first night in the barn proved that the stories were true. Angry grunts of seemingly fighting carabaos disturbed his sleep. The barn also shook as the animals belted each other by the horns. But when Papa stepped out to quiet them, he found nothing but one sleeping carabao tethered to a tree.

Being alone and young, Papa felt he had no one to turn to for help but God. He wasn’t a spiritual person, but he only had his faith to hold on to at the time. He then decided to learn to pray the Rosary and made it a nightly habit. Since then, not only did he stop hearing the scary sounds, but he also felt the mustard seed of faith growing within him. Elaine Marie Factor (elainemariefactor@gmail.com)

Reflect:

“Faith is to believe what we do not see, and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe.” (Saint Augustine)

Lord Jesus, thank You for giving us the gift of faith and the grace to believe that nothing is impossible with You. Amen.

St. Martin of Tours, bishop, pray for us.

There is both a need to have the structures of leadership in the Church and in our communities and to remain open to the leadings of the Holy Spirit. This tension is a difficult one to maintain well. Quite often, the balance shifts too far to one side, usually towards the structural side. Thus we probably need to give a little more time and effort in maintaining openness and obedience to the Spirit individually and as a community.

¹ Paul, a slave of God and Apostle of Jesus Christ for the sake of the faith of God’s chosen ones and the recognition of religious truth, ² in the hope of eternal life that God, who does not lie, promised before time began, ³ who indeed at the proper time revealed his word in the proclamation with which I was entrusted by the command of God our savior, ⁴ to Titus, my true child in our common faith: grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior. ⁵ For this reason I left you in Crete so that you might set right what remains to be done and appoint presbyters in every town, as I directed you, ⁶ on condition that a man be blameless, married only once, with believing children who are not accused of licentiousness or rebellious. ⁷ For a bishop as God’s steward must be blameless, not arrogant, not irritable, not a drunkard, not aggressive, not greedy for sordid gain, ⁸ but hospitable, a lover of goodness, temperate, just, holy, and self-controlled, ⁹ holding fast to the true message as taught so that he will be able both to exhort with sound doctrine and to refute opponents.

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

R: Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

¹ The Lord’s are the earth and its fullness; the world and those who dwell in it. ² For he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. (R) ³ Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord? Or who may stand in his holy place? ⁴ He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain. (R) ⁵ He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, a reward from God his savior. ⁶ Such is the race that seeks for him, that seeks the face of the God of Jacob. (R)

Gospel | Luke 17:1-6

Jesus' words should make us think hard about what we do in our lives. What witness to the values of God's Kingdom does my life provide? Jesus reminds us that it is a mistake to do things that may lead others astray. Let us look at the way we live and ensure that our witness is a good one.

Gospel Acclamation

Shine like lights in the world, as you hold on to the word of life.

¹ Jesus said to his disciples, “Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the one through whom they occur. ² It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. ³ Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. ⁴ And if he wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’ you should forgive him.” ⁵ And the Apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” ⁶ The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”

Reflect:

"The smallest seed of faith is better than the largest fruit of happiness." (Henry David Thoreau)

Read the Bible in one year! Read ZECHARIAH 9 - 11 today.

Jesus stressed on our responsibility to not cause others to sin and, instead, to be constant agents of reconciliation. He cautioned those who lead others to sin because they deserve the worst punishment. It was short of saying that, being the cause, they were as guilty, if not more guilty, as the actual sinner. He admonished His disciples to rebuke those who cause sin and to forgive them if they repent. Hatred for sin involves concern for those who made it happen.

Sins are offenses against God, a rejection of His love and a disobedience to His commands. We ought to hate sin and exert all efforts not to commit them. Temptations will always be there. Satan is busy luring us away from God and making us love Him less. We do not have to run away from temptations. If they are too strong, we may elude them for a while. But, in the end, it is best to face and hurdle them, not alone, but with the grace of God. Faith in God makes us strong against temptations. In fact, for the disciple, temptations are seen as opportunities to express our faith. Saying no to sin is saying yes to God. 

To forgive is difficult. Nobody says it is easy. Offended, hurt, and pained, how can it be easy to forgive? But we must and we should, because Jesus tells us so. He Himself did it for us. No matter how great and numerous our sins are, He forgives. Jesus believes in repentance and second chances. We are capable of realizing our sins and promising never to do them again. Hopefully, the love and forgiveness of God will be enough for us to love and forgive others too. How happy and relieved are we when we receive God’s forgiveness. The least we can do is to share it to others.

Peace—that is, reconciliation—is so important to God that He gave His Only Begotten Son to become one like us to suffer and die. We are worth it. We sinned against God, yet it was He who made a way to reconcile with us. No wonder, Jesus preached conversion and reconciliation throughout His life and ministry. As His disciples, therefore, we ought to be peacemakers. We can begin by forgiving those who sin against us. Fr. Benny Tuazon

Reflection Question:

Have you caused others to sin? How did you feel after? What did you do?

For always giving me second chances, thank You, Lord. May I likewise give the same to those who have offended me. Amen.

Today, I pray for: _______________________________