The Word God Spells

Matthew 8: 18-22
Am 2: 6-10, 13-16 / Ps 50: 16 -23

“Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.”
(Matthew 8:22)

True Christians need not ever doubt,
By the Spirit we’ve been inspired;
This is what faith is all about,
Nothing less will we be required.

When Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to cross to the other side. A scribe approached and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest His head.” Another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” But Jesus answered to him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.”

Reflection

One of the teachers of the law, after witnessing all the miraculous healings that Jesus had performed, and the amazing lessons that He taught, could hardly contain his composure, and blurted out that he would go with Jesus anywhere He went. But our Lord knew that the scribe’s commitment was merely skin-deep, and driven only by his emotion of the moment, so Jesus reminded him that if he wanted to go with Him, he would have to leave the comforts of home. Another man, who had already decided to be His disciple, asked to be excused for a while to bury his father, but instead of letting him go, Jesus said, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.”

At first it may strike us as strange that our Lord would reject one who was eager to follow Him, and yet force another to come with Him and abandon his duty to bury his father first. But upon reflection, we realize that in the case of the first ‘wannabe’ follower, not everyone is called or qualified to serve in God’s special ministry or vocation. And in the case of the second, Jesus is saying that nothing is more important than serving in the kingdom of God. Let those who are without spiritual life be the ones to bury the dead, who can no longer be saved; but those who have life in the Spirit have a greater duty to the living. In effect, Jesus is saying, “The harvest is rich, but the laborers are few. There is no time to waste; all hands on deck!” In the Gospel passage of St. Luke, Jesus even said, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God” (Lk.9:62).

The conditions for following Jesus leave no room for concessions. As our Lord showed in His own passion and death, we must be focused and resolute in pursuing the ultimate goal of our life, whatever conditions may prevail against it. St. Peter said, “Do not be surprised that a trial by fire is occurring among you. . . But rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that when His glory is revealed you may also rejoice exultantly” (1Pet.4:12-13). St. Paul likewise said, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). These two saints suffered the same fate of the early Christians in Rome during the reign of Nero.

Today the Church commemorates the Feast of the First Martyrs of Rome. These were the men and women who willingly suffered martyrdom and death at the hands of the Roman Emperor Nero (AD 64) than deny their faith as followers of Jesus Christ. The pyromaniac emperor burned the city of Rome and blamed the early Christians for the holocaust, thus encouraging their mass executions all over Rome. As history has shown, their martyrdom became the strong foundation in the process of evangelization of the entire Roman empire to the Catholic faith. By giving up their lives, they deserved to enter the kingdom of God.

Dear God, we commemorate today Sts. Peter and Paul and all the first martyrs in Rome, who died for the sake of our faith. In their honor we give You praise and glory. Amen.

Matthew 8: 5-17
Lam 2: 2. 10-14. 18-19 / Ps 74: 1-7, 20-21

Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.
(Matthew 8:8)

By submitting to Christ’s dominion
We shall win a place of honor;
Just as Christ praised the Centurion
Whose faith and love were his armor.

As Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion approached Him, and appealed to Him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” And He said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion answered him, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, `Go,’ and he goes, and to another, `Come,’ and he comes, and to my slave, `Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.” And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment. Jesus entered Peter’s house, and saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever; He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and served him. That evening they brought to him many who were possessed by demons; and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, “He took our infirmities and bore our diseases.” (Matthew 8: 5-17)

Reflection

After He had healed a leper, a Roman Centurion next came up to Jesus to appeal for the healing of his slave. While the leper was treated with contempt by the Jewish community, the Centurion was accorded their highest honor and respect, because “he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us” (according to the version of Luke, 7:5). The leper was a Jew, and the Centurion was a heathen. But Jesus never made any distinction on whoever came to Him for help. And just as He was willing to touch the leper who was considered “unclean”, He was just as ready to be “defiled” by entering the house of a pagan. What put both men in the same good graces with our Lord was their strong faith in His healing power.

Jesus was immediately won over by the Roman centurion, not by his power and authority, but by his humility and his compassion for his servant. His approach was one of surrender, begging for the life of his slave. But more than these, Jesus was impressed by the soldier’s strong faith. “Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.”

It is a rare quality in a man who wields political or military power to humble himself before anyone under his authority or jurisdiction. The centurion was a Roman officer in charge of a hundred soldiers. Centurions were known to be fierce soldiers, and were thus respected and feared by the people Rome had subjugated. But this Centurion who sought the help of Jesus was different, because his life was ruled by love, love for the Jewish nation, and love for his slave. Love defined the strength of his character, matched only by his great faith in Jesus.

The example of the Centurion in today’s Gospel teaches us that to win the hearts of others, we must first conquer what is within. The world is not the battlefield; it is our mind and heart. And the prize at stake is our soul. The virtues of compassion, humility, respect and faith will serve us well if we first submit ourselves to God’s authority and His discipline.

Help us, Father God to develop humility in our strength, compassion for our enemies, and faith in times of trouble, so that like the Centurion in today’s Gospel, we also may win the praise of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Matthew 8: 1-4
2 Kgs 25: 1-12 / Ps 137: 1-6

Jesus stretched out His hand, touched him and said “I do will it! Be made clean!” His leprosy was cleansed at once.
(Matthew 8:3)

He showed us the love that made us clean
His great compassion that set us free;
Be healed from the leprosy of sin
Just go to Jesus on bended knee.

When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed Him. And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” (Matthew 8:1-4)

Reflection

Before our Lord ‘cleansed’ the leper of his social disease, He had been teaching His followers about the various kinds of uncleanness of the spirit, like anger, adultery, divorce, swearing (making false oaths), retaliating against one’s enemies, love of money, and being judgmental of others. He also taught them the virtues needed to be cleansed of these defilements, like loving one’s enemies, almsgiving, prayer, fasting, and dependence on God’s providence. The crowds were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as One having authority. (Mt.7:28-29) And to prove the authenticity of His teachings, He showed them His power to restore to health many considered an incurable disease — the scourge of the living dead — leprosy.

What set apart the leper from the other sick people who sought Jesus’ healing was exactly that — the disease set him apart from community. Unlike the lame, the blind, the paralyzed and other patients, he was ostracized from society, banned from ever associating with other people, except lepers like himself. When Jesus told the leper after he was cured to “go show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses prescribed,” this was to begin his process of re-integration into society. Those who were healed of other ailments did not need to go to the priest for any such rituals.

It is also important to note that other sick people who came to Jesus asked Him to heal them of their various ailments, but only the leper asked to be made clean. This scourge must have been regarded as the ultimate punishment for man’s depravity. It presents to us the most accurate symbol of man’s condition when he falls into the state of mortal sin, which sets himself apart from God’s community. We have had brothers and sisters who ostracize themselves from our Brotherhood by no longer attending our breakfast fellowships and prayer meetings. Their convenient excuse is of being too busy, but perhaps some may have fallen into the modern “leprosy” of gambling, adultery, or other vices. It is our duty to reach out to them and remind them of Christ’s desire for them to be made clean once more, and be restored to His fold. We have His legacy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation to be cleansed of all our sins. Like the leper in today’s Gospel passage, we must first realize that we need to be cleansed in order to be restored to the community of God’s children. Then we have to go to Him and ask Him (through the priest) to “touch” our heart with His healing power in the sacrament of Penance. Finally, we have to believe that we have been healed, thanking God for His divine mercy, and resolving to be transformed by His grace.

Like the leper in today’s Gospel, Lord, we bow down to You, and ask You to cleanse us of all our sins, take away all impurities from our hearts to be worthy of You. Amen.

Matthew 7: 21-29
2 Kgs 24: 8-17 / Ps 79: 1-5, 8, 9

Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
(Matthew 7:21)

Nothing to fear in evil’s wake,
The Word of God our firm foundation;
No rains or flood, or winds can break
Our faith in His loving protection.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them is like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rains fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house; but it did not collapse, because it had been built solidly on rock. But everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rains came down, the floods rose, and the winds blew and buffeted the house, and it collapsed and was completely ruined.” When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. (Matthew 7: 21-29)

Reflection

Don’t we often hear some Christians say, “All you have to do is accept that Jesus is the Lord of your life, and you will be saved”? Well, today’s Gospel passage should set the record straight that merely professing one’s faith is not enough to enter the kingdom of heaven. Then there are those who say “Faith without works is useless” (James 2:20). But even if our “works” are as miraculous as making prophecies or exorcising evil spirits, they are of no value to our faith if not done according to the will of the Father. Nothing we do in this life has any merit or substance unless we do it out of obedience to the commandments of God.

Obedience is the rock and foundation of our faith. When the floods of trials and sufferings come (as they inevitably do in everyone’s life), their onslaught will be in vain, as our fidelity in God’s Word will keep us steadfast and strong. When all our dreams and aspirations seem to fail, obedience is our lifeline of hope. It keeps us from being overwhelmed by despair, as we cling to God’s promise that He will “deliver whoever knows My Name; who call upon Me I will answer, and be with them in times of distress” (Psa. 91:14-15). Obedience is also the fire that purifies our heart, and is the true measure of our love for God. Whatever the pains or difficulties His laws and decrees may entail, we obey, simply because we love Him.

It is not what we accomplish for our Church or for our religion that brings us to the fellowship of Christ. He has already redeemed us long before our conversion. Salvation is a grace freely given by God to His obedient servants. Only by our obedience were we qualified to merit this grace. In fact, it is by God’s grace that we have been transformed; and all our good deeds are simply the fruits of what we have already received. They are outpourings of our gratitude to God for having led us into this new life in Christ.

Friends, our Lord is telling us that we cannot take our salvation for granted. Obedience is the key, and the directions are laid out in Holy Scriptures. Unless we read the Bible, and follow Jesus Christ’s instructions in the Gospel, we may just be building our house on sand.

Lord Jesus, like the Jews in Your time, we are always amazed at the wisdom of Your teachings. Help us Lord to read Your mind, so that Your words we can fully understand; make us see that in all things, Your Will alone is our command. Amen.

Matthew 7: 15-20
2 Kgs 22: 8-13; 23: 1-3 / Ps 119: 33-34, 36-37, 40

Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath they are ravenous wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them.
(Matthew 7:15-16)

They claim this world as God’s kingdom,
False prophets lead us from the truth;
Pray to the Lord for the wisdom
To recognize them by their fruit.

“Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath they are ravenous wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruits you will recognize them.” (Matthew 7: 15-20)

Reflection

In yesterday’s reflection on the Gospel reading of Luke, we read about St. John the Baptist, our model of the true prophet of God. And our reflection on the Gospel of the day before that was about judging (Mt. 7: 1-5). How strange that today’s Gospel reading confronts us with the question of how to judge whether a prophet is true or false.

Jesus warns us about the danger of falling prey to charlatans whose devious schemes can bring disaster to our souls (not to mention our pockets). The tens of thousands of “Christian” denominations that have proliferated all over the world bear witness to the accuracy of our Lord’s prophecy. The principle of the separation of church and state has given rise to thousands of ‘profiteers’ who have seen that they can raise a bundle of tax-free money, with a little charisma and a good memory for verses in the Bible. Millions of nominal Christians who are disillusioned in the practice of their faith, and other faith-seekers are simply ripe pickings for these ‘prophet-profiteers’. Instead of repentance, they preach the Old Testament practice of tithing and love offerings for the salvation of souls.

Jesus, however, tells us that we can recognize these false prophets by their fruit (or lack of it). Of course our Lord tells us not to be judgmental, but cautions us to be more discerning in choosing the leaders that we can trust. The “fruit” that we can recognize are the good examples that they have shown — in shepherding and in stewardship. Are they leading others to Christ, or to themselves alone? How well are they managing the resources that have been entrusted to them? I had the misfortune of encountering one such false prophet when our family ventured into the business of copra trading many years ago. A municipal mayor and pastor of a coastal area in Davao del Sur so impressed me with his grasp of Holy Scriptures that I thought we had found the perfect business partner we could trust to handle our buying operations in that region. Our family paid heavily for my naiveté. If only I had bothered to investigate how many people were attending his small church for service, I would have realized what a big fake of a pastor he was. He was just as false in our business dealings, so we had no recourse but to abandon the business in the region under his control.

We have been warned repeatedly about false prophets. Writers in both the Old and the New Testament have written about many false prophets on this earth. They will be around deceiving millions until the Second Coming of Christ. As members of the Communion of Saints, let us pray for the intercession of our prophets and saints in heaven that God our Father will protect us from the evil influence of false prophets in our midst.

Dear God, send us true prophets to counter the false; true leaders to show us the right ways in following Your will. May Your judgment fall swiftly on the anti-christs who are leading so many away from Your kingdom. Amen.

Luke 1: 57-66, 80
Is 49: 1-6 / Ps 139: 1-3, 13-15 / Acts 13: 22-26

“What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.
(Luke 1:66)

To proclaim the Savior Jesus
Was the purpose of his existence;
Like St. John let us give witness
In our words and works of His presence.

When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they would have named him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said, “Not so; he shall be called John.” And they said to her, “None of your kindred is called by this name.” And they made signs to his father, asking him what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet, and wrote, “His name is John.” And all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea; and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him. And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness till the day of his manifestation to Israel. (Luke 1: 57-66, 80)

Reflection

The feast day of all the saints and martyrs of the Church are usually commemorated on the date of their death. Only St. John the Baptist was given the special honor (along with our Lord Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary) of having his feast day celebrated on his nativity. We are told in the Gospel narrative of St. Luke that John the Baptist was born six months before the birth of our Lord. That is why the Church celebrates his feast day on June 24, exactly six months before the birth of Jesus, which we celebrate on December 25.

Why was John the Baptist given this special honor? Well, first of all, we can see from the Gospel of Luke how the nativity narrative of John the Baptist was given such prominence in the first two chapters, where his annunciation and birth alternate with those of his cousin, the Savior Jesus. We also see remarkable similarities in the birth of the Baptist and the Messiah. Both of their births were announced by the Archangel Gabriel, their names proclaimed as coming from God Himself. And both of their nativities were manifestations of God’s miraculous power: Jesus Christ born of a virgin, and St. John of parents no longer humanly capable of childbirth due to old age. But these details of his birth are only meant to highlight the fact that John the Baptist was the greatest prophet and precursor of our Lord Jesus Christ. His life plays an important role in God’s plan of salvation; he is the “bridge” between the Old and the New Testament, being the last prophet of the Old and the first prophet of the New to “prepare the way of the Messiah,” by genuine repentance.

St. John the Baptist remains one of the most influential saints in the liturgical history of the Church. He is remembered every time a child becomes a Christian through the sacrament of Baptism. His famous words, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand,” constantly remind us of our need for purification, to wash ourselves clean, and be worthy to receive our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.

Let us make St. John the Baptist the model of our life by pointing others toward Jesus Christ, Who is the only Way to salvation. It would be a great privilege, even if like him we would be a “lone voice crying out in the wilderness.” St. John was never ashamed of his haggard appearance, clothed in camel hair, poorer than a desert rat. He was revered as a prophet of God in his time, and we revere him today as the greatest of saints in heaven.

We thank You, Father God, for the life and example of St. John the Baptist. We pray for his intercession, that our lives may be purified, to be worthy to enter Your kingdom. Amen.