We always think we have more time. 

How often have we said, “I’ll serve next time”? Or “I’ll visit my parents next week?” Or “I’ll work now and spend time with my kids when I’ve achieved my goals?” But what if there’s no next time?

Just a week ago, a young co-servant from our community went home to the Lord. There was no warning. She had even served at our Feast session the week before. We were all shocked and heartbroken since she had a young family and appeared healthy.

Our only consolation is knowing that she had been a good and faithful servant of the Lord. I believe she is now singing with the angels. But that doesn’t lessen the pain. 

This is a reminder that while we believe we are in control of our lives, we never truly know when we will be called home or when Jesus will come again. We need to be ready so that when He comes, He can say, “My good and faithful servant, welcome home.”

Ped Faytaren (pedrito.faytaren@gmail.com) 

Reflect

“Death to the Christian is the funeral of all his sorrows and evils, and the resurrection of all his joys.” (James H. Aughey)

Lord, teach me to number my days that I may gain wisdom of heart. Amen.

 St. Pedro Calungsod, pray for us.

First Reading | Romans 5:12, 15, 17-19, 20-21 (or Sirach 51:1-8)

Saint Paul tries to relate the nature of sin to our experiences with it. I do not think he was trying to proclaim a doctrine of original sin. Saint Augustine, however, comes from a long battle with sin, as his book titled Confessions tells us. He tries to understand how sin seems to have a hold on us even before we are capable of individual sin. I believe in the doctrine of original sin. I also believe that the grace of God is more powerful than all sins put together. Let us focus on God’s grace as we follow Jesus.

¹² Brothers and sisters: Through one man sin entered the world, and through sin, death, and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned. ¹⁵ If by that one person’s transgression the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ overflow for the many. ¹⁷ For if, by the transgression of one, death came to reign through that one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of justification come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ In conclusion, just as through one transgression condemnation came upon all, so through one righteous act acquittal and life came to all. ¹⁹ For just as through the disobedience of one man the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of one the many will be made righteous. ²⁰ Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more, ²¹ so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through justification for eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 40:7-8, 8-9, 10, 17 (or Psalm 31:3-4, 6, 8, 16, 17)

R: Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

⁷ Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Burnt offerings or sin-offerings you sought not; ⁸ then said I, “Behold I come.” (R) “In the written scroll it is prescribed for me, ⁹ to do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!” (R) ¹⁰ I announced your justice in the vast assembly; I did not restrain my lips, as you, O Lord, know. (R) ¹⁷ May all who seek you exult and be glad in you, and may those who love your salvation say ever, “The Lord be glorified.” (R)

Gospel | Luke 12:35-38 (or Matthew 10:17-22)

Let us prepare for the Day of Judgment, not with fear and trembling, but with hope and trust in our call to eternal life. In the past, the focus of Church teachings has been on sin and its consequences. The Gospel, however, teaches us to focus on the God’s love and His victory over sin and death. Both of these points of view are true, but the latter celebrates our liberation as sons and daughters of God through Jesus Christ.

Gospel Acclamation 

Be vigilant at all times and pray that you may have strength to stand before the Son of Man.

³⁵ Jesus said to his disciples: “Gird your loins and light your lamps ³⁶ and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. ³⁷ Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. ³⁸ And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants.”

Reflect:

What do you look forward to in eternal life with the Father? 

How are you preparing for this?

Read the Bible in one year! Read ZECHARIAH 5 - 8 today.

On Your Mark!

As kids who knew little English, we used to memorize English songs by heart (or the sounds as we heard them). Somewhere in the south, though, even adults who knew no English but who were manning the race tracks were heard to mutter at a competition: “Onamar . . .  Sagitsit . . . Go!” At first, no one could make out what the guy was saying, but the runners understood him perfectly. I realized that what he was saying was simply this: “On your mark, get set, go!”

We need to understand the Lord well. He talks about watchfulness and service. He speaks about the belt being tightly cinched and lamps fully lit. It means being awake so as to be ready when the time comes. In track and field context, we would say, “On your mark!”

Being on one’s mark is hard to do nowadays. We are distracted by so many things. We live in an overstimulated world. We are at the mercy of the real-time notifications from our gadgets that ring and vibrate at any given time. We can hardly keep up with the info flood and the steady slew of videos, vlogs, and tantalizing TikTok tales about other people’s lives and social adventures.

Originally, having one’s “loins girt” is with reference to the Passover meal, which had to be eaten with haste, and with feet unhampered by long, flowing robes, and thus, being ready for action. That is what, in contemporary times, I would refer to as being on your mark and ready to pounce on the tracks. And what should all this lead to? The Lord tells us that all this readiness and watchfulness is geared up for service.

Take note, though, of the reward—blessedness! Now, that’s worth being on one’s mark for! Are you ready? 

Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

reflection question

Are you ready when the Lord tells you, “On your mark, get set, go!”?

Amidst all the noise and distractions in the world today, Lord, let me always be ready if and when You call me home to You. Amen.

Today, I pray for: _______________________________________