BLACK SUNDAY IN JOLO CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL

BLACK SUNDAY FOR JOLO CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

Evildoers bombed the Jolo Catholic Cathedral on January 27, 2019, During the Sunday Mass at about 8 am.  Two bombs exploded causing 27 fatalities both soldiers and ordinary Sunday Church goers including the Parish Pastoral Council President and his wife and wounding about 70 regular Churchgoers and soldiers. 

All people of goodwill and leaders of both Christian and Muslim communities condemned the attack against the minority Christian Community at the Sunday worship in the Cathedral of Jolo. 

It appears that the attack was well planned and executed that inflict massive casualties and instill fears and insecurities among the minority Christians in the Vicariate of Jolo that covers the two island provinces of Sulu and Tawi Tawi.

This is NOT the first attack in the Cathedral of Jolo, but the previous ones were grenade attacks and IED planted outside the Cathedral.  This is the first time that the bombing is a direct attack against Christians on a Sunday Mass. Seven (7) Soldiers, guarding the Cathedral, are among the casualties. 

The Vicariate of Jolo is not unfamiliar to the wanton killings of Christians – Lay and Clergy in the two provinces of Sulu and Tawi Tawi.  The FEW ISIS-like groups now see the presence of Christians, once treasured by the peace-loving Muslims in bygone times, as an affront to their desired “Islamic State” for the 2 Provinces. 

However, though their numbers are few, they wreck havoc on the minority Christian community that now fear for their lives and livelihood.  They are “defenseless” against the violence of these few ISIS-like Groups that go by different tags – “Adjang-adjang”, ASG. The more known groups are the Abu Sayyaf Groups or ASG.

In these times, we remember the MARTYRDOM of the Pastors of the Vicariate of Jolo who were slain simply because they ministered to the communities – Muslims and Christians alike. The first was the Bishop of Jolo, Mons. Benjamin de Jesus, OMI, who was murdered in front of the Jolo Cathedral on February 4, 1997. The second was Fr. Benjamin Inocencio murdered at the back of the Jolo Cathedral on December 28, 2000. And the third is Fr. Jesus Reynaldo Roda, OMI who was brutally murdered in his Mission place in Tabawan, South Ubian, Tawi Tawi on January. 15, 2008.

Now we have the slain and the wounded on January 27^th – Black Sunday.  They, too, now belong to the MARTYRS of the Vicariate.

Amid fears and insecurities of the Christians and their pastors, we join them in prayers and express our solidarity with them.

Fr. Eliseo “Jun” Mercado, OMI

Badaliyya – Philippines: January 28, 20

Prayer for Jolo

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Short Reflection for the 4^th Sunday of the Ordinary Time (C)

Readings: Jeremiah 1: 4-5. 17-19; 1 Corinthians 12: 31 – 13: 13; Luke 4: 21 - 30

Selected Passage:  He said to them, "Surely you will quote me this proverb, 'Physician, cure yourself,' and say, 'Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.'"  And he said, "Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. (Luke 4: 23-24)

Reflection:  Jesus’ origin was well known to his kinfolks and neighbors.  To them, he was simply the carpenter’s son. They wanted to see and touch what Jesus did elsewhere, yet they do NOT believe.  The key is  to ‘BELIEVE’. Do I accept Jesus, as my Lord and Savior? www.badaliyya.blogspot.com

DHIKR PRAYER 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…

Black Sunday at the Jolo Cathedral

BLACK SUNDAY FOR JOLO CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

Evildoers bombed the Jolo Catholic Cathedral on January 27, 2019, During the Sunday Mass at about 8 am.  Two bombs exploded causing 27 fatalities both soldiers and ordinary Sunday Church goers including the Parish Pastoral Council President and his wife and wounding about 70 regular Churchgoers and soldiers. 

All people of goodwill and leaders of both Christian and Muslim communities condemned the attack against the minority Christian Community at the Sunday worship in the Cathedral of Jolo. 

It appears that the attack was well planned and executed that inflict massive casualties and instill fears and insecurities among the minority Christians in the Vicariate of Jolo that covers the two island provinces of Sulu and Tawi Tawi.

This is NOT the first attack in the Cathedral of Jolo, but the previous ones were grenade attacks and IED planted outside the Cathedral.  This is the first time that the bombing is a direct attack against Christians on a Sunday Mass. Seven (7) Soldiers, guarding the Cathedral, are among the casualties. 

The Vicariate of Jolo is not unfamiliar to the wanton killings of Christians – Lay and Clergy in the two provinces of Sulu and Tawi Tawi.  The FEW ISIS-like groups now see the presence of Christians, once treasured by the peace-loving Muslims in bygone times, as an affront to their desired “Islamic State” for the 2 Provinces. 

However, though their numbers are few, they wreck havoc on the minority Christian community that now fear for their lives and livelihood.  They are “defenseless” against the violence of these few ISIS-like Groups that go by different tags. The more known groups are the Abu Sayyaf Groups or ASG.

In these times, we remember the MARTYRDOM of the Pastors of the Vicariate who were slain simply because they ministered to the communities – Muslims and Christians alike. The first was the Bishop of Jolo, Mons. Benjamin de Jesus, OMI, who was murdered in front of the Jolo Cathedral on February 4, 1997. The second was Fr. Benjamin Inocencio murdered at the back of the Jolo Cathedral on December 28, 2000. And the third is Fr. Jesus Reynaldo Roda, OMI who was brutally murdered in his Mission place in Tabawan, South Ubian, Tawi Tawi on January. 15, 2008.

Amid fears and insecurities of the Christians and their pastors, we join them in prayers and express our solidarity with them.

Fr. Eliseo “Jun” Mercado, OMI

Badaliyya – Philippines

January 28, 2019

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Short Reflection for the 3^rd Sunday of the Ordinary Time (C)

Readings: Nehemiah 8: 2-5. 5-6. 8-10; 1 Corinthians 12: 12-30; Luke 1: 1-4. 4: 18-21

Selected Passage:   "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me   to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives   and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord." (Luke 4: 18-19)

Reflection:  Jesus took this passage from Isaiah as the platform to define his ministry.  It remains a valid platform for our ministry today: Good Tidings to the poor; liberty to captives; new sight to the blind; freedom to the oppressed; and jubilee year for his people. Yesterday, today and tomorrow, these remain the marks and signs that the reign of God is, indeed, close at hand! www.badaliyya.blogspot.com

For my ordination to the priesthood in 1974, I took the passage above to become the keynote of my ministry.  I have always prayed that I, too, can say with Jesus before the people that what they have seen, touched and heard in my words and deeds become the fulfillments of God’s promise.

DHIKR PRAYER 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…

Lay Ministry in the Church

Lay Ministry in the Church

The Laity needs to retrieve their roles and ministries in the Christian Community. Through the centuries, the Church has been “CLERICALIZED” to the point that ministries in the Church have been appropriated by CLERICS.

In the same way, spirituality and celebrations of the Sacraments, particularly the Breaking of the Bread (Eucahrist) have also been “clericalized”. Clerical culture has been the dominant presence in practically all celebrations in the Church that has reduced the Laity into simple spectators, silent participants and objects.

Since Vatican Council II, there has been a new wind that is sweeping the Church. It gives birth to a new elan to “RETRIEVE” the roles and places of the LAITY in the Church both in worship and in ministries.

1. The place and roles of lay ministers in the Church are best described by the word Diakonia/Service. It recognizes at once the attitude and culture inherent in the ministry, that is, self abasement and “waiting” at table/meals. Service is the basis of discipleship (Lk. 22: 27, Jn. 12:25 ff.)

• The servant waits in his master’s table (Lk. 17:8).

• The master serves Jesus (Jn. 12:2).

• Let the greatest among you become the least and the leader as one who serves (Lk. 22:26, Mk. 9: 33-35, Mt. 10: 42-45.

2. The root and goal of service is love: AGAPE. The washing of the feet is the paradigm not only for the clerics but for all disciples. (Jn: 1-17)

3. The diakonia is rooted in Charisma of the Holy Spirit. Charisma leads to service. Diakonia presupposes the call of God. There are variety of gifts and services in the Church (1 Peter 4: 10). The ministers are called and appointed by the Church (Eph. 4: 11).

• Call/Vocation

• Variety of Call and Gifts

• Preaching and Reconciling Ministry

4. We continue to reflect on the various and different ministries in the Church and they shape new roles for the lay disciples. We need to hear the word EPHPHATA – be open to discover the call and gifts of the Holy Spirit in the Church today.

Fr. Eliseo “Jun” Mercado, OMI

Badaliyya – Philippines

January 23, 2019-

Courage and Have NO Fear...

The Imperative to READ the Signs of Times

Jesus Christ taught us to discover the will of God, the innovative action of the Spirit, the direction in which we should move and act, the presence of God and God’s designs for us by reading the signs of the times.

More than ever we need to sharpen our awareness and our sensitivity, as well as our sense of responsibility. We need to be like actors and sentinels in this unfolding story, feeling ourselves implicated in its interpretation, asking ourselves serious questions. Do not be afraid to look at the opportunities and face the challenges, the fears and the hurts.

We, notwithstanding our weaknesses and sins, need to continue to walk with hope, freeing from within us the creative power of the Holy Spirit and of our faith in our union with the Risen Lord.

We are called to stand as witnesses to Jesus as the Way, the Truth and the Way, no matter the cost! Christianity is NEVER a popularity contest or a numbers game!  Just as the people of Israel – the chosen people of God - became the YEAST of the World, so are we in the New Covenant made through the BLOOD of Christ.

Quoting St. Paul in his letter to the Romans:

“What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who is against us?  He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, will he not give us all things in him?  Who shall bring charges against God’s elect?  It is God who justifies; who is to condemn?  It is Christ Jesus who died, yes, who was raised from the dead, who is seated at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 8: 31 – 39)

Let us, in these difficult times when we feel the tempest and the strong wind against us, HEAR, once again, the re-assuring words of Jesus: “Fear NOT, It is I…”

Fr. Eliseo “Jun” Mercado, OMI

Badaliyya – Philippines

January 20, 2019