BEST PREACHING EVER TALK 3: SALTSHAKERS AND LAMPSTANDS
INSIDE:
Blessing Blog Last Week’s Talk and Homily Message from Bro. Bo Sanchez
TODAY’S READINGS
First Reading: Isaiah 50:4-7 Psalms: Psalms 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24 Second Reading: Philippians 2:6-11 Gospel: Matthew 26:14--27:66
True Generosity Hi there. I’d like to share an exchange of messages recently with a co-pilgrim in our Viber thread. It started with a request that says, For those who live near the St Claire or Monasterio De Santa Clara (Katipunan) churchgoers, devotees: “You may wish to drop off at the gate of Santa Clara, cooked food, grocery items or other essentials for the 35 nuns and 3 priests residing there who are themselves locked down, left without any means of providing for themselves. Even the offering of eggs has stopped. Because of their vow of seclusion and vow of poverty the Poor Claires don’t communicate. After reading this, I started messaging my friends to do their share and donate. Many responded and some even went out of their way to bring food stocks by themselves. But before the day ended, I received another message saying it was fake news! So how did I react to those who found out that it was fake news? Here was my response... I just want to be objective about the whole thing. Whenever we ask for prayers, especially for good weather on special occasions, where do we go? And whom do we ask to intercede? Is it really an issue? In times like this, fake news or not, we have the chance to reach out to those who have helped and prayed for us in one way or another. It’s payback time too. If they have the supplies, well and good. But I’m sure there are a lot of people who ask help from them as well. And it’s a blessing on our end to somehow be a part of their mission. Whether real or fake, I still believe in giving, sharing, and being generous at all cost because this is the epitome of who Jesus is. And that is the Good News!
04.05.2020 9:00AM FB Live Talk Palm Sunday
Be Blessed, Adrian Panganiban
Kitang Kita Sa Iyo “Parang may iba sa iyo?” “Wow, blooming ka!” “You look happier now.” Have you ever experienced getting one of those comments? I guess people notice the changes in us without even telling them about it. Sometimes they see how we are happier or better than before. Kaya naman naniniwala ako na kung napapansin nila ang mga bagay na yan sa atin, siguradong pati na ang pagsunod natin kay Hesus. 1 John 4:12 says, “No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.” I’m sure that as we all follow Jesus, people around us notice. They can sense it in the way we talk to them, the way we listen to them, and the way we treat them. Today, we will learn about that further -- how to be more effective in sharing His love. Have a blessed Feast today. In Christ, John Ben Rodriguez
Blessing Blog Faith Over Fear
Jon Prado, Music Ministry
that could probably happen. Sometimes I’d wake up in the morning and any COVID-like symptom, such as feeling tired or coughing, gave me paranoia thinking that I might have contracted the virus! I even imagined myself being brought to the hospital and being tested positive for the virus. Worse, I was already thinking that I would die battling the disease! A few days back, I was in the supermarket and I lined up for five hours to pay for the groceries. All those hours I was worrying how I exposed myself to the deadly virus for that long. I bought two large bottles of alcohol and literally sprayed it all over my body when I got into my car. Call me paranoid.
I must admit that as the head of the family, the COVID-19 virus pandemic somewhat triggered my anxiety attacks thinking that the pressure was on me. There were days when felt restless and afraid on the worst
To add to these anxieties, I worried for some of my friends at the frontlines: health workers attending to people already identified as PUIs. I’d easily get affected whenever I’d hear news about death of friend’s relatives, not necessarily due to the virus. It was unfortunate that we can’t comfort and visit them due to social distancing and selfquarantine.
Bible Verse: “I am the light of the world.” (John 8:12 NLT) I’ve learned to trust God and surrender everything to Him, trusting that this worldwide crisis will end soon. I pray that people will continue to stand together and support each other. I feel so blessed seeing how people are doing their best to help, either physically delivering PPEs to our medical personnels, sending relief goods to families in need, or virtually raising funds for the different initiatives.
May God always keep us and renew our strength as we fight this battle.
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” ~ Isaiah 41:10
By God’s grace, I was able to stop these negative feelings when I started praying regularly. It brought me a certain calm.
Did You Know?
Palaspas By: Mon Bumatay
The Last Sunday of Lent is the blessing of the palms. We commemorate the solemn entry of Christ in Jerusalem, riding a donkey as a sign of peace instead of a horse as if in war, and that marks the start of the Holy Week. The tradition originated in Northern Italy around the 8th century and soon accepted by Rome and incorporated in the Lenten liturgy. Contrary to superstition, palaspas neither have the power to drive away aswangs or manananggal (as there are no such entity) nor stop calamities like earthquake. Palm branches are symbols of faith and prayer. The people of Israel yearned for freedom from their problems and from the laws and taxes imposed by the Roman Empire. Upon Jesus’ arrival, people cut branches, raised it, waved it, then strewed it on the road for Jesus to walk on. They sang, “Hosanna in the Highest…,” for they believe that He is the fulfillment of the prophecy (see Matthew 21:1-11) What problems or burdens do you want to be free from? What are you willing to cut, raise and offer to honor our God?
Last Week’s Homily “This is the challenge presented to us: In what way will we listen to God’s invitation to us? Is God really our Life, or are we pretending to have Him as our Life only to return to our old ways?” - Fr. Paul Marquez, SSP Fr. Marquez talked about the different aspects of Jesus -- the light-bringer and the Light himself, the water of life, and the resurrection and the life. “This death will not end here,” the priest said as he imagined the Lord’s thoughts when He received the news of Lazarus’ death, “but this will lead to the glory of God.”
FBA AM Session live session By Rev. Fr. Paul Marquez, SSP The Gospel Reading According to John 11:40-45
This lockdown may be the opportunity that we need to take on God’s challenge to us. We have to listen with our hearts as Jesus says, “Come out!” We are Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead often trapped in our thinking that our relation with God is just between ourselves and Him. Rather, let this relationship spill over and show itself in the way we act towards others.
Prayer for Spiritual Communion My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
Jesus did not raise Lazarus up just for him to return to his old ways; He wanted to give Lazarus a brand new life. Just like Lazarus, after the lockdown ends and we get out of our homes, let us embrace our newfound freedom. And we can when we step out of the tombs of our hearts and accept His call.
Last Week’s Talk
TALK 2: The Anawim No matter what happens
No matter what happens, will you still trust God? No matter what happens, will you keep your faith in Him? No matter what happens, will you still have your peace in Him? Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Jesus was talking to the Jews as His audience. However, he wasn’t just talking to the people present at that time but to a crowd six hundred years prior. They were the Anawim, which means “the poor of the Lord.” In Isaiah, the Anawim were the Jewish Exiles in the year 539 BC. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Jesus will turn our mourning into dancing. Even if what we hold on to is lost or destroyed, much like the Exiles returning to the ruined Temple, He will restore them. While we do not know when or how, we trust Him. “One day, the perfect plan of God will happen to you,” Bro. JB reassured us. “God is good.” It’s more important to simply realize that He is there. “You are blessed because the Blesser is with you. And if you have God, you have everything,” he adds. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Meekness leads to gentleness. And this leads to greatness. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. No matter what happens, there is hope in Jesus. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Mercy is not just a concept, but an action. God encourages us to empathize and put ourselves into the place of the people who are suffering and do something to help. Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God. It reminds us that our lives resemble diamonds. Sometimes we have to go through immense pressure to shine and experience a breakthrough. “Our life here on Earth is never going to be a bed of roses, especially when you follow Jesus,” Bro. Adrian shared. “But nonetheless, God will put us in different situations to check how we respond. Are we going to complain? Or are we going to embrace the situation and look beyond?” Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. The seventh Beatitude reminds us that the one, true, and right path is when we hold on to, follow, and choose Jesus over everything. Let us all be peacemakers. “In our lives, let us not think of the things that will divide us, but of the things that unites us,” Bro. Adrian said. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. We all face rejections and hardships. And we can identify two types of people who follow God: the person who only follows Jesus if they receive answered prayers or blessings; and the person who will always choose to follow the Lord no matter what happens. The latter defines the attitude of the Anawim. “This is the powerful truth: Jesus Himself is the embodiment of the Beatitudes,” Bro. Adrian proclaimed. “Jesus was the best example of an Anawim.” Those who embrace and accept all things prove their love for Jesus. We are encouraged to remain strong and steadfast in our faith and our hope. No matter what happens, we will follow Jesus. God will always make a way.
What Is The Effect Of God’s Love On You?
All great cooks will tell you that the purpose of salt is not to make food salty. They will tell you that they add salt to their food to bring out its flavor. You shouldn’t taste the salt, but the original flavor of the food. I believe that’s what God’s Love does. When you receive God’s Love into your life, do you want people to say, “Oh, he’s super religious now,” or do you want people to say, “Wow, I can’t put a finger on it, but he’s now become a better version of himself”? Because when you receive God’s Love, you don’t stop being you. You allow the original you— the one made in God’s image—to come out. Receive God’s miracle at the Feast today! May your dreams come true, Bo Sanchez Feast Founder
ENHANCE YOUR FEAST EXPERIENCE
Revised Oration Imperata
PRAY OVER, SHEPHERDING AND HEALING (POSH)
(to be prayed at 12 noon and 8 in the evening)
God our Father, we come to You in our need to ask Your protection against the COVID 19 that has disturbed and even claimed lives. We pray that You guide the people tasked to find cures for this disease and to stem its transmission. Protect the medical experts that they may minister to the sick with competence and compassion. We pray for those afflicted. May they be restored to health soon. Protect those who care for them. Grant eternal rest to those who have died. Give us the grace in this trying time to work for the good of all and to help those in need. We implore You to stop the spread of this virus and to save us from our fears. Grant all these through our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever. Amen. (Sub Tuum Praesidium) We fly to you protection, O Holy Mother of God. Do not despise our petition in our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen. Our Lady, Health of the sick, pray for us. Saint Raphael, the Archangel, pray for us. Saint Rock, pray for us. Saint Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us. Saint Pedro Calungsod, pray for us.
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