4TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B

YOU’VE GOT THE POWER!

Ang akong nahibal-an nga mga gamhanan diha sa mga salida sa telebisyon; silang Superman, Wonderwoman, Darna, Lastik Man, Captain Barbel ug daghan pang uban. Kini nga mga karaan nga mga salida sa telebisyon nakadani ug daghan kaayong mga viewers tungod sa naangkon nilang tagsatgasa ka powers. Atong mahibal-an nga ang tanan nga gitagaan ug powers sa mga salida kadto lamang mga maayo ug buotan nga tawo. Sa katapusan sa maong pasundayag o salida nagmadaugon ang mga good and powerful.

Today, we celebrate the 4^th Sunday in Ordinary Time and our gospel speaks about the powerful words of Jesus Christ or it shows how powerful the Lord is. He speaks with authority and expel demon in the midst of the people. The action of Jesus shows that he is the Lord, the all powerful God. His words are encouraging, motivating and powerful.

My dear friends, as adopted sons and daughters of God, we also share the power of God. In baptism, we received the power as Christian believers. All baptized Christian are powerful. Knowing good or evil is power.  Helping other friends solving their own problem is power. You can even expel demons if you have such faith and this is power. Your words are powerful, especially if your words will be accompanied with your actions.

My dear friends, we've got the power and we will use these powers to help those who are in need. Use your power to help those people who are suffering from problems. Use your power to encourage those who have lost hope. Use your power for those who felt that they are alone and it seems that nobody cares for them. Use your power to light the ways of those who are in darkness.

In contrary, do not use your power to discourage other people to live. Do not use your power to destroy trust and distort the truth. Do not use your power to please your selves or your personal interests. Do not use your power to create demon inside you. 

Kon ang salida sa mga powerful heroes sa mga sinehan had encouraged many viewers then, let your power be an instruments to live a good life. Be careful with your powers since you are powerful. Use it wisely!

 Remember you've got the power!

3RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B

YOU ARE CALLED BY GOD

When I was still a child, I have no ambition to become a priest. It was not in my dream to be a man of God. In my elementary years, I just enter the church twice; one when I was baptized and the other one when I took a mango fruit from my neighbor without asking permission. The owner went after us, and we decided to hide ourselves at the church since during that time there was a Flores de mayo. 

When I went to high school, I joined a gangster in our school and become a braggart. The call of God came only in my late 20’s. During that time, I was already a member of the Diocesan youth apostolate in the diocese of Malaybalay, when a priest recruited me to be part of the shepherd of the church. But, you know, I hesitated to joined, since, during that time I also have a girlfriend with me. My dream is to have a family with many children but God calls me in this kind of life.  Now, I become a priest and  a good man in the community and I am not ashamed of it.

The gospel today remembers the call of some of the disciples first to Simon Peter and his brother Andrew and without hesitation they followed him. Then, to James and John and immediately left their nets and followed him.  I am always amazed at their response to the call of God; they left everything even their parents, properties and works just to follow the Lord Jesus.  There is absolutely NO hesitation on the part of the fishermen when they hear the call, “The immediacy of the response is remarkable. 

My dear friends, we are all called by God. Understanding the call is not only refers to those who are called to a religious life or consecrated life but to all. We know that to have a family of your own is also a call. Those who are marriage are also called to serve the family. This is the reason why you have been working very hard to support your family

Being single is also a call. We call it: single blessedness. This call is for those people who wanted to serve the flock of God in their own way of life.

Since every one of us are called by God. We must take seriously the responsibility given to us by our God. For those who have a family of their own, please take good care of your family. For those who are single be responsive also to the need of the people around you. For those who live religious life or consecrated life, be serious with your vocation.

Today, we also challenged the young to reflect and meditate your own vocation in the future. Reflect of what you want to be in the future. If you hear the call of God don’t hesitate to answer Him.

We are all called bad and good alike. We are all called.

BAPTISM OF THE LORD JESUS YEAR B

BE PROUD TO BE A CATHOLIC

Last October 2014, I attended the National Conference for Youth Ministers (NCYM) at Kalibo, Aklan. During the break, I saw printed t-shirts for sale that captures my attention. The print says: “I am proud to be a Catholic”. Without hesitation, I immediate bought two of them. “I am proud to be a catholic” these words are amazing. I am catholic since birth and I am happy of my religion.

Today, we celebrate the feast of the baptism of the Lord. In today’s celebration, we end the Christmas season and begin the 1^st Sunday in Ordinary Time. Our gospel today presents the baptism of the Lord Jesus by John the Baptist at the Jordan River. Jesus in his baptism was being honored by the Father in heaven by the working of the Holy Spirit and hearing his voice.

As baptized catholic, are we also honored by the gift we have received in baptism?  Are we proud to be a catholic by virtue of what we are now?  What it means, when saying, “being proud”? Are you acting as catholic in words and in actions?

My dear friends,  there are many catholic today who doesn’t even make the sign of the cross when they ate at the public places, like for example in a restaurant. Di ba mag-ampo man daan ang catholic before taking their meal?  Are you doing this or not? If you are doing it then, that is what I mean by the words, “I am proud to be a catholic”.

Jesus, in his baptism receives the Holy Spirit and in our baptism we also received the Holy Spirit. If the baptism of Christ is the beginning of his mission, in our baptism also, we begin the mission given to us by the Lord. In baptism we receive the kingly mission, prophetic mission, priestly mission of Christ. All we have to do is to show it to the whole world that we are really a baptized catholic Christians.

Today, we are challenged to do the mission of Christ entrusted to us by the church. This may mean to learn from our own faith so that we will not be tempted to embrace another one. Work for our faith so that other people may see us as real catholic Christians.

Do the kingly mission by helping other people; do the prophetic mission by preaching and witnessing the truth and do the priestly mission by being prayerful.

Don’t be afraid and don’t be ashamed of what you have received from God. Show it! Learned from it! And believe in it! Be proud to be a catholic!

But the questions always remains, are you proud to be a catholic?

Solemnity of the Epiphany

STAR NG BUHAY KO

Dinhi sa kalibutan daghan na kaayo ang mga tawo nga ginganlan ug mga star: naa tay gitawag ug “star of all season”- si ate V man ciguro na! anaa pod tay ginganlan ug “mega star” si ate shawe; super star nga si nang Nora; aduna pod ngalan nga mga “child star”, wala lang ko kaila’; bisan gani mga “bold star” daghan pod kaayo.  Daghan na kaayo ang mga star sa kalibutan. Mao na nga kon masubrahan ra pod imong kahambog, unya masumbagan dayon ka makakita pod ka star. Weheheheheh!

Greetings!

Mga igsoon karong adlawa atong gisaulog ang kapistahan sa epipanya. Sa atong ebanghelyo karon atong nahibal-an, ang tulo ka mga haring mago nga nangita sa lugar nga natawhan sa atong Ginoong Hesukristo.  Atong nasayran nga ang naggiya kanila usa ka bitoon, “star”. Tungod sa paggiya sa bitoon nakaplagan nila ang batang Hesus didto sa pasungan. Misimba sila sa Ginoo ug naghalad ug mga gasa.

Ang mga stars dinhi sa kalibutan, nahimong stars tungod sa ilang kasikat, popularity or because of their talent, beauty. Apan, sa atong pamalandong karon, atong tan-awon ug ipakita kon unsa ang mabuhat sa stars. Kasagara sa stars nagproduce ug kahayag, kahayag nga maoy hinungdan sa ilang pagshine. Pero atong hinumduman nga kining tanan gihimo sa atong Ginoo, though some scientists does not agree about it. However, we Christians believe that everything is created by God.  Kita nagatuo nga ang atong Ginoo mao ang tinuod nga kahayag nga magbanwag sa atong dalan. Nagpakatawo siya sa kalibutan ug nahimong manluluwas sa tanan ilabi na niadtong anaa sa kangitngit. Tungod niini makaingon kita nga ang Dios mao ang tinuod nga source of light.

Niining atong pagsaulog sa epipanya, atong hinumduman nga pwede usab kitang mamahimong stars pinaagi sa pagpadan-ag sa atong kaugalingong kahayag ngadto sa uban. Apan, hinumduman nato nga dili kita ang source sa kahayag kon dili si Kristo lamang. Pwede ikaw nga mamahimong kahayag pinaagi sa pagpaminaw sa mga problema sa uban, pag-uban niadtong anaa sa kaguol ug pagpaambit sa atong mga maayong kasinatian ngadto sa uban.

Daghan kaayong mga tawo karon nga anaa sa kangitngit busa kinahanglan lamang nga ato usab silang tabangan pinaagi sa pagpadan-ag sa atong kahayag nga nakuha gikan sa Dios. Kon  kini imong mahimo ikaw ay magiging stars ng buhay ng isang tao.

Busa, ayaw na paglangan, become a star ng buhay ng ibang tao.  Share your light that you have received from the Lord. Not a “star of all season”, not a “mega star” or a “super star” but star ng buhay ko, ng buhay ng tao.