God's Word and Daily Life

By Father Bernard Holzer, aa

 Independence day is more than a holiday, a day of rest!

It’s a day of memory, of reflection and of commitment!

It’s a time to go back to our roots, our values as people and as nation.

 I would like to suggest to read this day the encyclical of Pope Francis about Fraternity: “Fratelli tutti” (2020).

Let’s meditate these words of Pope Francis:

 “Fraternity is born not only of a climate of respect for individual liberties, or even of a certain administratively guaranteed equality. Fraternity necessarily calls for something greater, which in turn enhances freedom and equality. What happens when fraternity is not consciously cultivated, when there is a lack of political will to promote it through education in fraternity, through dialogue and through the recognition of the values of reciprocity and mutual enrichment?” (103)

 “Individualism does not make us more free, more equal, more fraternal. The mere sum of individual interests is not capable of generating a better world for the whole human family. Nor can it save us from the many ills that are now increasingly globalized. Radical individualism is a virus that is extremely difficult to eliminate, for it is clever. It makes us believe that everything consists in giving free rein to our own ambitions, as if by pursuing ever greater ambitions and creating safety nets we would somehow be serving the common good.” (105)

Lets also pray the “Prayer to the Creator”:

Lord, Father of our human family,

you created all human beings equal in dignity:

pour forth into our hearts a fraternal spirit

and inspire in us a dream of renewed encounter,

dialogue, justice and peace.

Move us to create healthier societies

and a more dignified world,

a world without hunger, poverty, violence and war.

May our hearts be open

to all the peoples and nations of the earth.

May we recognize the goodness and beauty

that you have sown in each of us,

and thus forge bonds of unity, common projects,

and shared dreams. Amen.

By Fr. Bernard Holzer, aa

 In the Philippines, the faithful like to participate in the Eucharist.

 As soon as they pass through a place where Mass is being celebrated, they stop, participate in it and receive communion. Is it not said that the Filipinos form a Eucharistic people?

 But are we fully so?

 This question came to my mind while listening to Pope Francis' Angelus at Corpus Christi Sunday:

 “Let us understand, then, that celebrating the Eucharist and eating this Bread, as we do especially on Sundays, is not an act of worship detached from life or a mere moment of personal consolation; we must always remember that Jesus took the bread, broke it and gave it to them and, therefore, communion with Him makes us capable of also becoming bread broken for others, capable of sharing what we are and what we have. Saint Leo the Great said: ‘Our participation in the body and blood of Christ tends to make us become what we eat’ (Sermon XII on the Passion, 7).

 This, brothers and sisters, is what we are called to: to become what we eat, to become “Eucharistic”, that is, people who no longer live for themselves (cf. Rm 14:7), no, in the logic of possession, of consumption, no, people who know how to make their own life a gift for others, yes. In this way, thanks to the Eucharist, we become prophets and builders of a new world: when we overcome selfishness and open ourselves up to love, when we cultivate bonds of fraternity, when we participate in the sufferings of our brothers and sisters and share bread and resources with those in need, when we make all our talents available, then we are breaking the bread of our life like Jesus.”

 May we meditate and live joyfully this teaching during this week

By Jen Avisado

On June 2, we will celebrate Corpus Christi Sunday or the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.

The Body and the Blood of Christ is central to our Christian faith. They are a profound contemplation on the mystery and the gift of the Eucharist. The Eucharist, also known as Holy Communion, is more than a ritual; it is an encounter with the living Christ, who offers Himself wholly to His followers.

In the Eucharist, the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ through the mystery of transubstantiation. This transformation is not merely symbolic but a real presence. Jesus' words at the Last Supper, "This is my body... This is my blood," invite believers to a deeper understanding of His sacrifice and the intimate union He desires with them.

How often do we receive Jesus in the Eucharist? Pope Francis once reminded us – priests and lay faithful - that the Eucharist is not a prize for the righteous but a sacrament to those who yearn and seek God. May we seek and yearn Jesus by attending the Mass and receiving his Most Holy Body and Blood.

By Jenelyn Avisado

On May 23, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Eternal High Priest.

 Our faith teaches us that Jesus, the Eternal High Priest, belongs to the order of Melchizedek. As mediator between God and man, Jesus offered his life for man’s redemption from sin and death. On this feast, we are reminded of Christ’s salvific role through his sacrifice on the cross.

 Jesus’ priesthood signifies a perfect mediation between God and humanity. In ancient Israel, high priests served as intermediaries, offering sacrifices for the people's sins. These sacrifices, however, were imperfect and needed repetition. In contrast, Christ, by offering Himself as a once-and-for-all sacrifice, achieved what the Levitical priesthood could not—complete atonement and reconciliation with God. Jesus’ role as eternal high priest redefines the nature of our access to God. His role in salvation, His ongoing intercession, the accessibility of God's presence, and His divine nature are the products of this role.

 How do we see Christ as the Eternal High Priest? Are we drawn to the Sacrament of the Mass to receive Him?

 
On Sunday, together with the whole Church, we celebrate the feast of the Pentecost,
the sending of the Holy Spirit to all of us and to all peoples.
Let us spend these last days before the feast calling on the Holy Spirit. As we pray this
Pentecost Sunday Sequence, let us meditate on the power of the Spirit in our lives.
 
Let us pray the Sequence (Veni, Sancte Spiritus) that may be found on Pentecost
Sunday in “Living with Christ” pages 142-143. Let us pray:

By Father Bernard Holzer, aa

 In all the churches, chapels and communities in the Philippines, we pray for rain. (See the prayer below)

 But prayer is not enough! We must resolutely commit ourselves to saving our environment and our planet, as Pope Francis invited us to do in two important letters to people of good will: "Laudato Si" (2015) and "Laudate Deum" (2023).

 Let's reread these letters and, together with others, try to find the simple gestures that can change the world!

“All of us can cooperate as instruments of God for the care of creation, each according to his or her own culture, experience, involvements and talents.” – Laudato Si 14.

Oratio Imperata Ad Petendam Pluvia

By Reginald Falcotelo

On May 1, the entire country celebrates Labor Day. But May 1 is not only Labor Day, it is also the feast of Saint Joseph, the worker. St. Joseph is a special saint in the Catholic Church. All saints have only one feast day per year. St. Joseph has two. If you still remember, one is on March 19, Feast of Saint Joseph, as Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The other is May 1, Feast of Saint Joseph, the worker. This is why he is known to be the patron saint of workers.

Labor Day is more than just a day off work or the unofficial end of summer. It's a significant occasion to reflect on the contributions of workers across various industries and to acknowledge the ongoing struggles for fair labor practices and workers' rights.

On Labor Day, we are reminded of the immense sacrifices and efforts made by countless individuals throughout history to improve working conditions, secure better wages, and establish fundamental rights for workers. Labor Day serves as a reminder of the power of collective action and the importance of standing together in the face of adversity. It's a time to honor the achievements of labor activists, union leaders, and everyday workers who have fought tirelessly for social and economic justice.

Let us pray to Saint Joseph and offer the abuses in the labor sector. Saint Joseph, protect our workers, now and forever. Amen.

By Reginald Falcotelo

Christ is the vine, we are his branches. This Sunday’s gospel gives us a view of our relationship with God. Jesus is not only the vine, he is the true vine- our source of life and peace. Our spiritual vitality, growth, and productivity are dependent on our union with him.

However, despite knowing that He is the true vine, how many times have we cut him lose? How many times have we failed to become intimate with him so that we become dependent on him?

Jesus declares that those who abide in him will bear much fruit, highlighting the transformative power of a life surrendered to Christ. This fruitfulness encompasses both personal character growth, as well as the outward expression of that growth in acts of love, service, and witness to others. He, therefore, gives us the clue that if we want to bear fruit, we must remain in him.

Let us, therefore, remain in him by suffering with him, by being patient with him. Amen.

By Fr. Bernard Holzer, aa

Last Sunday, in his message after the Regina Coeli, Pope Francis was challenging us: 

“Every day we are bombarded with a thousand messages. Many of them are superficial and useless, others reveal an indiscreet curiosity or, worse still, arise from gossip and malice. They are news that have no purpose; on the contrary, they do harm. But there is also good news, positive and constructive, and we all know how good it is for us to hear good things, and how much better we are when this happens. And it is also good to share the realities that, for better or worse, have touched our lives, so as to help others.

 And yet there is something we often struggle to talk about. What do we struggle to talk about? The most beautiful thing we have to tell: our encounter with Jesus. Every one of us has encountered the Lord and we struggle to speak about it. 

Let us try, then, to remember, now, a powerful moment of our life of faith, a decisive encounter with Jesus. Everyone has had it, each one of us has had an encounter with the Lord. Let us take a moment’s silence and think: when did I find the Lord? When has the Lord been close to me? Let us think in silence. And this encounter with the Lord, did I share it to give glory to the Lord? And also, have I listened to others, when they have told me about this encounter with Jesus?”

 Let's take this moment of silence. Let us ask the grace of sharing good news.