Newness in Christ's Message

The Newness in Christ’s Message…

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on (your) right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow. (Matthew 5: 38-42)

·      No resistance to one who is evil…

·      Turning the other cheek…

·      Handing over your cloak, as well…

·      Going the extra mile…

·      Not turning of one’s back from the needy…

Are these the values we live by…?

Bapa Jun Mercado, OMI

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Short Reflection for the 27^th Sunday in the Ordinary Time (B)

Readings: Genesis 2: 18-24; Hebrew 2: 9-11; Mark 10: 2-16

Selected Passage: "But Jesus told them, "Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment." (Mark 10: 5)

Meditation:  We, too, are often afflicted with a certain hardness of heart. We make all kinds of excuses or we point fingers to others to be at fault.  Yet, the real wrong is in us!  Find this “hardness” in our heart and allow God to melt it .  Only then can GRACE flow into us. 

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26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Short Reflection for the 26^th Sunday in the Ordinary Time (B)

Readings: Numbers 11: 25-29; James 5: 1-6; Mark 9: 38-43, 45, 47-48

Gospel passage: "No one who performs mighty deeds in my name  who can act, at the same time, speak ill of me…  and anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward." (Mark 9: 39 & 41)

 Meditation:  Belongingness does NOT solely measure by registration or words… Deeds would tell whether we belong to Christ or not.  And the act of sharing whatever we have with people in need is closest to God’s heart.  Tradition has it that almsgiving is “prayer in action”…

www.badaliiya.blogspot.com

DHIKR SIMPLE METHOD...

Dhikr is an Arabic word for remembrance. In the “tariqa” (the way) movement, dhikr developed into a form of prayer… It is a prayer of the heart… following three simple steps:

1. Write in one’s heart a certain passage of the Holy Writ…

2. Make the same passage ever present in one’s lips.  

3. Then wait for God’s disclosure on the meaning of the passage…that interprets one’s life NOW…! 

It takes a week of remembering (dhikr)…or even more days to relish the beauty of this method…

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Short Reflection for the 25th Sunday in the Ordinary Time (B)

Readings: Wisdom 2: 12. 17-19; James 3: 16 – 4: 3; Mark 9: 30-37

Gospel Passage: "If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all." (Mark 9: 35b)

 Meditation:  Aren’t we like the disciples who often argue who is the greatest among ourselves?  Yet, the call we receive is to become servant of all. Yes, the greatest in the fellowship of Jesus is NOT the one in purple and being served. It is he who serves and the last that shall be the first in the Kingdom. Beware of the yeast of the Pharisee!

www.badaliyya.blogspot.com

The Imperatives of Dialogue and Good Inter-religious Relations

The advances in Science and Technology and the leveling of frontiers and boundaries have all contributed to a greater awareness of the pluralism of faiths, culture and peoples not only in the world but also in our own community.

Yes, we live amid many and diverse faiths, cultures and peoples.  Though many and different, we need not be hostile nor indifferent to each other.  In fact, these diversities invite us to make a shift in our paradigm from hostility to partnership; from indifference to involvement; and from being closed to being opened to one another. This relational paradigm teaches us that notwithstanding our differences and diversities we all live on this earth, in fact, on this piece of land.  The bottom line is the affirmation that we are together in the journey through life.  For better or worse, we are neighbors and we hope and believe that as neighbors, we can be partners in building not only of a better world but more so of a friendlier community where you and I, and our children live as brothers and sisters. The first step is to take our pluralism seriously.  We need to seriously experience our ties. Second is to be open to learn not only from each other but more so to live with each other in tolerance.   Yes, it is our willingness to accept, to trust and to live together.
 Third, is our commitment to guarantee the rights and dignity of every person regardless of faith, gender, culture and color within our society/community. 
In inter-religious relations there is one WORD that can describe our efforts and endeavors – TRUST! Trust is NOT a universal element in human relations.  It has to be slowly, patiently and sometimes painfully built through time.
 
 
For emphasis, I take a portion of St.  JP II’ s address at Casablanca Morocco on 18 August 1985.
 
 
                        “People do not accept their differences.
 
                         They do not know each other sufficiently.
 
                         They reject those who have not the same civilization.
 
                         They refuse to help each other.
 
                         They are unable to free themselves from egoism and from self-conceit.
 
                         But God created all equal in dignity,
 
                         Though different with regard to gifts and talents,
 
                         Mankind is a whole where each one has his/her part to play.
 
                         The worth of the various peoples and of the diverse cultures must be
                        
                                    recognized.
 
                         The world is as it were a living organism.
 
                         Each one has something to receive from the others and has something                                           

                         to give to them.”
 
 

             The basis of this commitment is our belief that all peoples even though they belong to different religions, nations, etc. all form ONE human family, created by the ONE and same God, living in the same world/community, and destined for a common end.

Bapa Jun Mercado, OMI

September 8th: Our Blessed Mother's Birthday

Of the many Titles accorded our Blessed Mother, there are three that I like BEST...
1. Mary, the Comforter of the Afflicted;
2. Mary, Refuge of Sinners; and
3. Mary, Seat of Wisdom.

On her birthday, we honour the Mother of God and our Mother...
Comforter of the afflicted and Refuge of Sinners, PRAY for us!