The Feast Fisher Mall Malabon (formerly The Feast Caloocan) has been my spiritual family for quite a while now. When we were starting, everything was small. There were few attendees, few volunteers, and few donations. We almost packed up before we reached our first year.

We knew that for our faith community to grow, the number of servants must increase. Sadly, the biblical saying is true, “Many are called but few are chosen.” A lot would express interest, but only a handful would answer the call of duty. Initially, I would get frustrated. But in one of my prayers, I felt Jesus saying, “Just serve. I’ll take care of what The Feast deserves.” 

The volunteers worked hard, served hard, and most importantly, prayed hard. Today, The Feast Fisher Mall Malabon is on its 10th year. The servants have grown not only in numbers but in love for God and for one another. There is much to be done, but by God’s grace, so much has been done.  

Sometimes, slow growth is strong growth. After all, strong growth equals strong roots. 

Laarni Uy (laarni.u@svrtv.com)

reflect

While you are waiting, do what the waiters do. Serve.

Father, thank You for making me Your disciple. In return, help me to make disciples who disciple. Amen.

Saints Valerius and Rufinus, pray for us.

First Reading | Exodus 19:2-6

Through the Sacrament of Baptism, we are baptized into the common priesthood of Christ. As Christians, we are called to be ministers of the Gospel and mediators between God and humanity. Ordained priests take this ministry to a deeper level, fully embodying Christ’s priesthood as the mediator between mankind and God, with its fullest expression in the office of the bishop. Each role is essential for the full life of the Church. Let us pray that we remain faithful to our unique calling.

² In those days, the Israelites came to the desert of Sinai and pitched camp. ³ Moses went up the mountain to God. Then the Lord called to him and said, “Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob; ⁴ tell the Israelites: You have seen for yourselves how I treated the Egyptians and how I bore you up on eagle wings and brought you here to myself. ⁵ Therefore, if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my special possession, dearer to me than all other people, though all the earth is mine. ⁶ You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.”

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 100:1-2, 3, 5

R: We are his people: the sheep of his flock.

¹ Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands; ² serve the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful song. (R) ³ Know that the Lord is God; he made us, his we are; his people, the flock he tends. (R) ⁵ The Lord is good: his kindness endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. (R)

Second Reading | Romans 5:6-11

Paul reflects on the gratuitous nature of Jesus’ love for us—a love that is pure gift, given despite our unworthiness. We are all sinners, but God, in His mercy, chooses to love and forgive us. Do we extend that same grace to one another? 

Gospel | Matthew 9:36–10:8

Matthew presents the call of the Apostles as preparation for being sent into the harvest. It took them about three years of working side by side with Jesus to be ready. If we wish to share in this same mission, we must undergo the necessary formation of mind and character. We must first be shaped by the Word of God and His ways before we can be sent out to guide others.

Gospel Acclamation

The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel.

³⁶ At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; ³⁸ so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” ^10:1 Then he summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness. ² The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; ³ Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas, and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; ⁴ Simon from Cana, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him. ⁵ Jesus sent out these twelve after instructing them thus, “Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. ⁶ Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷ As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ ⁸ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”

Read the Bible in one year! Read 2 KING 4 - 6 today.

Matthew is clear when it comes to reporting on what led the Lord to do what He did. First, He asked His disciples to pray to the Lord that He might send more laborers to His harvest. Second, He summoned His disciples and sent them to work for the total healing of the sick. Third, He told the disciples the core message they were to impart: “The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

But what moved Him to do so? Back now to Matthew’s text: “At the sight of the crowds, His heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.”

I feel relieved thinking of what moved Jesus. Although I cannot claim to be Christ-like, I, too, could be moved with pity. A few days before I sat down to write this reflection, I did the usual rounds of sick visitation once every week. The visit to seven sick elderlies in a nursing facility was uneventful. Only five out of seven could hear and follow the rites, but it was clear that they were looking forward to it. The one that made me teary-eyed was the sight of a comatose man who, at 45, suffered a massive heart attack. The wife was devastated. The two young daughters were distraught.

I am moved with pity every time I see the sheer number of urban poor who live in subhuman conditions, right next to posh buildings and decent houses of homeowners. I am moved, too, with anger at the sight of the systemic political dysfunctionality and massive corruption in the country that I love.

I am moved. But then what? Discipleship is not about being moved, but about going and doing, proving through one’s works that the Kingdom is truly at hand.

Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB 

reflection questions

What moves you to pity? What do you do when such instances occur?

May I not stop at being moved, Lord. May I take courage and do something to extend Your love and compassion to others. Amen.

Today, I pray for: __________________________