Ascension of Our Lord Year B

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/052012-ascension-of-the-lord.cfm

Reading 1 Acts 1:1-11

In the first book, Theophilus,
I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught
until the day he was taken up,
after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit
to the apostles whom he had chosen.
He presented himself alive to them
by many proofs after he had suffered,
appearing to them during forty days
and speaking about the kingdom of God.
While meeting with them,
he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem,
but to wait for "the promise of the Father
about which you have heard me speak;
for John baptized with water,
but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

When they had gathered together they asked him,
"Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
He answered them, "It is not for you to know the times or seasons
that the Father has established by his own authority.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,
throughout Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth."
When he had said this, as they were looking on,
he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.
While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going,
suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them.
They said, "Men of Galilee,
why are you standing there looking at the sky?
This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven
will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven."

Responsorial Psalm Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9

R. (6) God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
All you peoples, clap your hands,
shout to God with cries of gladness,
For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,
is the great king over all the earth.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy;
the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.
Sing praise to God, sing praise;
sing praise to our king, sing praise.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
For king of all the earth is God;
sing hymns of praise.
God reigns over the nations,
God sits upon his holy throne.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2 Eph 1:17-23

Brothers and sisters:
May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation
resulting in knowledge of him.
May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened,
that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call,
what are the riches of glory
in his inheritance among the holy ones,
and what is the surpassing greatness of his power
for us who believe,
in accord with the exercise of his great might,
which he worked in Christ,
raising him from the dead
and seating him at his right hand in the heavens,
far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion,
and every name that is named
not only in this age but also in the one to come.
And he put all things beneath his feet
and gave him as head over all things to the church,
which is his body,
the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

Or Eph 4:1-13

Brothers and sisters,
I, a prisoner for the Lord,
urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received,
with all humility and gentleness, with patience,
bearing with one another through love,
striving to preserve the unity of the spirit
through the bond of peace:
one body and one Spirit,
as you were also called to the one hope of your call;
one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
one God and Father of all,
who is over all and through all and in all.

But grace was given to each of us
according to the measure of Christ's gift.
Therefore, it says:
He ascended on high and took prisoners captive;
he gave gifts to men.
What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended
into the lower regions of the earth?
The one who descended is also the one who ascended
far above all the heavens,
that he might fill all things.

And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets,
others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers,
to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry,
for building up the body of Christ,
until we all attain to the unity of faith
and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature to manhood,
to the extent of the full stature of Christ.

Or Eph 4:1-7, 11-13

Brothers and sisters,
I, a prisoner for the Lord,
urge you to live in a manner worthy of the calling
you have received,
with all humility and gentleness, with patience,
bearing with one another through love,
striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit
through the bond of peace:
one body and one Spirit,
as you were also called to the one hope of your calling;
one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
one God and Father of all,
who is over all and through all and in all.

But grace was given to each of us
according to the measure of Christ's gift.

And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets,
others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers,
to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry,
for building up the body of Christ,
until we all attain to the unity of faith
and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature to manhood,
to the extent of the full stature of Christ.

Gospel Mk 16:15-20

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Go into the whole world
and proclaim the gospel to every creature.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved;
whoever does not believe will be condemned.
These signs will accompany those who believe:
in my name they will drive out demons,
they will speak new languages.
They will pick up serpents with their hands,
and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.
They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them,
was taken up into heaven
and took his seat at the right hand of God.
But they went forth and preached everywhere,
while the Lord worked with them
and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

http://dhspriory.org/thomas/CAMark.htm#16

14. Afterward He appeared unto the eleven as they [p. 343] sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen Him after He was risen.

15. And He said unto them, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.”

16. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believed not shall be damned.”

17. “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;”

18. “They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”

Gloss: Mark, when about to finish his Gospel, relates the last appearance of our Lord to His disciples after His Resurrection, saying, “For the last time He appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat.”

Greg.: We should observe that Luke says in the Acts, “As He was eating with them [convescens] He commanded that they should not depart from Jerusalem,” [Acts 1:4] and shortly afterwards, “while they beheld He was taken up.” [Acts 1:9] For He ate, and then ascended, that by the act of eating, the truth of the flesh might be declared.

Wherefore it is also here said that “He appeared to them for the last time as they sat at meat.”

Pseudo-Jerome: But He appeared when all the eleven were together, that all might be witnesses, and relate to all men what they had seen and heard in common.

It goes on: “And upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them who had seen Him after His Resurrection.”

Augustine: But how was this done “the last time?” The last occasion on which the Apostles saw the Lord upon earth happened forty days after the Resurrection; but would He then have upbraided them for not believing those who had seen Him risen, when they themselves had so often seen Him after His Resurrection? It remains therefore that we should understand that Mark wished to say it in few words, and said “for the last time,” because it was the last time that He shewed Himself that day, as night was coming on, when the [p. 344] disciples returned from the country into Jerusalem, and found, as Luke says, [Luke 24:33] the eleven and those who were with them, speaking together concerning the Resurrection of our Lord.

But there were some there who did not believe; when these then were sitting at meat, (as Mark says,) and were still speaking, (as Luke relates,) “The Lord stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you;” [Luke 24:36] as Luke and John [John 20:19] say. The rebuke therefore which Mark here mentions must have been amongst those words, which Luke and John say, that the Lord at that time spoke to the disciples. But another question is raised, how Mark says that He appeared when the eleven sat at meat, if the time was the first part of the night on the Lord’s day, when John plainly says that Thomas was not with them, who, we believe, had gone out, before the Lord came in to them, after those two had returned from the village, and spoken with the eleven, as we find in Luke’s Gospel. But Luke in his relation leaves room for supposing that Thomas went out first, while they spoke these things, and that the Lord entered afterwards; Mark however from his saying, “for the last time He appeared to the eleven as they sat at meat,” forces us to believe that he was there, unless indeed, though one of them was absent, he chose to call them, the eleven, because the company of the Apostles was then called by this number, before Matthias was chosen into the place of Judas.

Or if this be a harsh way of understanding it, let us understand that it means that after many appearances, He shewed Himself for the last time, that is, on the fortieth day, to the Apostles, as they sat at meat, and that since He was about to ascend from them, He rather wished on that day to reprove them for not having believed those who had seen Him risen before seeing Him themselves, because after His ascension even the Gentiles on their preaching were to believe a Gospel, which they had not seen.

And so the same Mark immediately after that rebuke says, “And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.” And lower down, “He that believeth not shall be condemned.” Since then they were to preach this, were not they themselves to be first rebuked, because before they saw the Lord they had not believed those to whom He had first appeared? [p. 345]

Greg.: Another reason also why our Lord rebuked His disciples, when He left them as to His bodily presence, was, that the words which He spoke on leaving them might remain more deeply impressed upon the hearts of His hearers.

Pseudo-Jerome: But He rebukes their want of faith, that faith might take its place; He rebukes the hardness of their stony heart, that the fleshy heart, full of love, might take its place.

Greg.: After rebuking the hardness of their hearts, let us hear the words of advice which He speaks. For it goes on: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.” Every man must be understood by “every creature;” for man partakes something of every creatures; he has existence as have stones, life as trees, feeling as animals, understanding as have Angels. For the Gospel is preached to every creature, because He is taught by it, for whose sake all are created, whom all things are in some way like, and from whom therefore they are not alien.

By the name of every creature also every nation of the Gentiles may be meant. For it had been said before, “Go not into the way of the Gentiles.” [Matt 10:5] But now it is said, “Preach the Gospel to every creature,” so that the preaching of the Apostles which was thrust aside by Judaea, might be an assistance to us, since Judaea had haughtily rejected it, thus witnessing to her own damnation.

Theophylact: Or else; to every creature, that is, whether believing or unbelieving.

It goes on: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” For it is not enough to believe, for he who believeth and is not baptized, but is a catechumen, has not yet attained to perfect salvation.

Greg.: But perhaps some one may say in himself, I have already believed, I shall be saved. He says what is true, if he keeps his faith by works; for that is a true faith, which does not contradict by its deeds what it says in words.

There follows: “But he that believeth not shall be damned.”

Bede: What shall we say here about infants, who by reason of their age cannot yet believe; for as to older persons there is no question. In the Church then of our Saviour, children believe by others, as also they drew from others the sins which are remitted to them in baptism.

It goes on: “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; [p. 346] they shall take up serpents.”

Theophlyact: That is, they shall scatter before them serpents, whether intellectual or sensible, as it is said, Ye shall tread upon serpents and scorpions, [Luke 10:19] which is understood spiritually. But it may also mean sensible serpents, as when Paul received no hurt from the viper.

There follows: “And if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them.” We read of many such cases in history, for many persons have drank poison unhurt, by guarding themselves with the sign of Christ.

It goes on: “They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”

Greg.: Are we then without faith because we cannot do these signs? Nay, but these things were necessary in the beginning of the Church, for the faith of believers was to be nourished by miracles, that it might increase. Thus we also, when we plant groves, strong in the earth; but when once they have firmly fixed their roots, we leave off irrigating them.

These signs and miracles have other things which we ought to consider more minutely. For Holy Church does every day in spirit what then the Apostles did in body; for when her Priests by the grace of exorcism lay their hands on believers, and forbid the evil spirits to dwell in their minds, what do they, but cast out devils?

And the faithful who have left earthly words, and whose tongues sound forth the Holy Mysteries, speak a new language; they who by their good warnings take away evil from the hearts of others, take up serpents; and when they are hearing words of pestilent persuasion, without being at all drawn aside to evil doing, they drink a deadly thing, but it will never hurt them; whenever they see their neighbours growing weak in good works, and by their good example strengthen their life, they lay their hands on the sick, that they may recover.

And all these miracles are greater in proportion as they are spiritual, and by them souls and not bodies are raised.

19. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

20. And they went forth, and preached every where, [p. 347] the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.

Amen.

Pseudo-Jerome: The Lord Jesus, who had descended from heaven to give liberty to our weak nature, Himself also ascended above the heavens; wherefore it is said, “So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, He was received up into heaven.”

Augustine: By which words He seems to shew clearly enough that the foregoing discourse was the last that He spake to them upon earth, though it does not appear to bind us down altogether to this opinion. For He does not say, After He had thus spoken unto them, wherefore it admits of being understood not as if that was the last discourse, but that the words which are here used, “After the Lord had spoken unto them, He was received into heaven,” might belong to all His other discourses. But since the arguments which we have used above make us rather suppose that this was the last time, therefore we ought to believe that after these words, together with those which are recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, our Lord ascended into heaven.

Greg.: We have seen in the Old Testament that Elias was taken up into heaven. But the ethereal heaven is one thing, the aerial is another. The aerial heaven is nearer the earth, Elias then was raised into the aerial heaven, that he might be carried off suddenly into some secret region of the earth, there to live in great calmness of body and spirit, until he returns at the end of the world, to pay the debt of death. We may also observe that Elias mounted up in a chariot, that by this they might understand that a mere man requires help from without. But our Redeemer, as we read, was not carried up by a chariot, not by angels, because He who had made all things was borne over all by His own power.

We must also consider what Mark subjoins, “And sat at the right hand of God,” since Stephen says, “I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” Now sitting is the attitude of a judge, standing of one fighting or helping. Therefore Stephen, when toiling in the contest, saw Him standing, whom he had for his helper; but Mark describes [p. 348] Him as sitting after His assumption into heaven, because after the glory of His assumption, He will in the end be seen as a judge.

Augustine, de Symbolic, 7: Let us not therefore understand this sitting as though He were placed there in human limbs, as if the Father sat on the left, the Son on the right, but by the right hand itself we understand the power which He as man received from God, that He should come to judge, who first had come to be judged. For by sitting we express habitation, as we say of a person, he sat himself down in that country for many years; in this way then believe that Christ dwells at the right hand of God the Father. For He is blessed and dwells in blessedness, which is called the right hand of the Father; for all is right hand there, since there is no misery.

It goes on: “And they went forth and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs and wonders.”

Bede: Observe that in proportion as Mark began his history later, so he makes it reach in writing to more distant times, for he began from the commencement of the preaching of the Gospel by John, and he reaches in his narrative those times in which the Apostles sowed the same word of the Gospel throughout the world.

Greg.: But what should we consider in these words, if it be not that obedience follows the precept and signs follow the obedience? For the Lord had commanded them, “Go into all the world preaching the Gospel,” and, Ye shall be witnesses even unto the ends of the earth.

Augustine, Epist., CXCIX [199], 12: But how was this preaching fulfilled by the Apostles, [Acts 1:8] since there are many nations in which it has just begun, and others in which it has not yet begun to be fulfilled? Truly then this precept was not so laid upon the Apostles by our Lord, as though they alone to whom He then spoke were to fulfil so great a charge; in the same way as He says, “Behold, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world,” apparently to them alone; but who does not understand that the promise is made to the Catholic Church, which though some are dying, others are born, shall be here unto the end of the world?

Theophylact: But we must also know from this that words are confirmed by deeds as then, in the Apostles, works confirmed their words, for signs followed. Grant then, O [p. 349] Christ, that the good words which we speak may be confirmed by works and deeds, so that at the last, Thou working with us in word and in deed, we may be perfect, for Thine as is fitting is the glory both of word and deed.

Amen.

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Personal Reflections:

            Our Lord Jesus Christ was born, lived among us, died on the Cross, was buried and was born again for you and me, for us and for our sins.  We who once were slaves to sin are now freed.  We who once were slaves to death are now given life eternal.  We who once were banished into the darkness are now bathed in light.  Today we remember the Ascension of Our Lord, His going back to the Father.

            While Mother Mary was assumed (note the passive voice) Our Lord Jesus, being Man and God, ascended into heaven (note the active voice).  He is not just a man but a God as well, capable of rising from the dead and now going back to the Father.  His tomb is empty.  His remains are with the Father in heaven.  Jesus, who ascended, ascended with his Body and Soul.  He took good care of His body: eating and drinking as necessity calls; resting and sleeping as nature calls.  It is not only our souls which will be saved but our bodies as well.  These bodies we have are not accidentally there but really essential parts of our being: with our bodies we are damned; with our bodies we are saved.  We take care of our bodies not only because we want to look good and feel good.  That is only vanity.  We take care of our bodies because these are what we use on this earth for our salvation and these are what we will have in heaven for our enjoyment of our rewards.  With our bodies we are capable of serving others, of performing spiritual and corporal works of mercy, of serving the Lord.  Good bodies make good instruments for service.  That is why we take care of our bodies.  We do not desecrate them.  We do not kill ourselves.  We do not deform nor mutilate ourselves.  We do not sell our bodies.  We do not take our bodies lightly.  We do not throw them away.

            Jesus may have left us but He did not really leave us for now He is now even more with us than before.  He instituted the Holy Church, sign, sacrament of His presence on earth.  He assigned the Apostles and their successors to Him know to all men in all places and in all times.  Wonder of wonders, He instituted the Most Holy Eucharist as sacrament, real presence of Himself in the form of the bread and wine turning into His Body and Blood.

            The Church He left on earth is now tasked to make Him known to all men of every generation.  We are the Church and this task is ours: our privilege, nay, our obligation.  Our faith in Jesus is our treasure and such is our joy in this treasure that we cannot hold it only for our own but we are compelled to share it with others.

            

Sixth Sunday of Easter Year B

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Gibo 10:25-48 25Kan malaog na sa harong si Pedro, sinabat siya ni Cornelio, saka duminapa ini sa pamitisan ni pedro sa pagsamba saiya.  26Alagad pinatindog siya ni Pedro dangan sinabihan, « Tumindog ka ; tawo man ako arog saimo.”  27Padagos na nagtaram si Pedro ki Cornelio kan palaog na sinda sa harong; duman naabotan niya an dakol na tawo.  28Nagsabi siya sainda, “Aram nindong dai tugot sa sarong Judio na magdalaw o makiiba sa pagano.  Alagadipinahayag sako nin Dios na dai ko ibilang na maati o bakong maninigong pakiibahan an siisay man.  29Kaya kan pasugoan nindo ako, dai ako nagsayumang magdigdi.  Boot kong maaraman kun tadaw ta ipinakua nindo ako.”  ¶30Nagsabi si Cornelio, “Tolo pa sang aldaw an nakalihis, mga arog kaining oras, namimibi ako sa laog kan sakong harong kan bigla sanang ngatindog sa atubangan ko an sarong lalaking nakagubing nin makintab, 31na nagsabi, ‘Cornelio!  Dinagog nin Dios an saimong pamibi; ikinaogma niya an mga paglimos mo.  32Ipakua mo sa Jope an sarong tawo na an ngaran Simon Pedro.  Nakikisakat siya ki Simon na parabalad nin anit, na an harong nasa tampi kan dagat.’  33Kaya pinasugoan taka.  Salamat ta nagdigdi ka.  Ngunyan uya kami gabos sa atubang nin Dios sa pagdangog kan gabos naipinaboot saimo nin Dios na isabi samo.”  ¶34Nagtaram si Pedro, “Ngunyan ko napatunayan na mayong pinapalaen an Dios, 35kundi inaako niya an may pagkatakot saiya asin naggigibo nin matanos maski taga saen siyang nasyon.  36Aram nindo an mensahe na ipinadara niya sa mga Israelita, na ipinapahayag an Marahay na Bareta nin katoninongan sa paagi ni Jesu-Cristo, na Kagurangnan nin gabos na tawo.  37Arma man nindo kun paano itinao nin Dios ki Jesus na taga Nazret an Espiritu Santo asin an kapangyarihan.  Naglibot siya sag abos na lugar, naggigibo nin marahay saka nagbobolong kan gabos na nasa irarom kan kapangyarihan kan Diablo, huli ta an Dios yaon saiya.  39Mga saksi kami kan gabos na ginibo niya sa bilog na Judea asin sa Jerusalem.  Ginadan ninda siya kan ipako siya sa krus.  40Alagad sa ikatolong aldaw binuhay siya liwat nin Dios.  Ipinahiling siya, 41bako sa gabos na tawo, kundi samo sana na pinili nin Dios na magin saksi.  Nagkakan saka nag-inom kami sa kaibahan niya pakatapos na mabuhay liwat.  42Pinagbotan niya kami na maghulit kan ebanghelyo sa mga tawo asin magpatotoo na siya an ginibo nin Dio s na magin hukom kan mga buhay asin kan mga gada.  43An gabos na propeta napatototo dapit ki Jesus, na an siisay man na minatubod saiya papatawadon kan mga kasalan huli sa ngaran niya.”  ¶44Mantang nagtataram pa si Pedro, an Espiritu Santo naghilig sa gabos na naghihinanyog kan saiyang mensahe.  45An mga Judiong paratubod na nag-iba ki Pedro hale sa Jope nagngalas, huli ta an balaog nin Espiritu Santo itinao man nin Dios sa mga pagano.  46Nadangog nindang nagtataram an mga ini nin manlaen-laen na lengwahe dangan nag-oomaw kan kadakulaan nin Dios.  Nagtaram si Pedro, 47”Kun an mga tawong ini nag-ako kan Espiritu Santo arog sato, may makakaolang pa dawn a mabunyaga sinda sa tubig?”  48Kaya pinagbotan niya sinda na magpabunyag sa ngaran ni Jesu-Cristo.  Dangan nakiolay sinda ki Pedro na mag-ontok ngona sa kaibahan ninda nin nagkapirang aldaw pa.  Salmo 98:1-4 Mag-awit nin bagong awit sa Kagurangnan, huli ta guminibo siya nin mga ngangalasan !  Sa sadiri niyang kapangyarihan asin banal na kosog nakamtan niya an kapangganahan.  2Ipinahayag nin Kagurangnan an saiyang kapangganahan ; ipinahiling niya sa mga nasyon an saiyang kapangyarihan sa pagligtas.  3Naromdoman niya an danay niyang pagkamoot asin pagkamaimbod sa harong ni Israel.  Nahiling kan gabos na poro kan daga an kapangganahan kan satuyang Dios.  4Gabos na daga maogmang magkurahaw sa Kagurangnan; omawon siya sa mga awit asin sa mga kurahaw nin kaogmahan!  1 Juan 4:7-10 7Mga tugang, magkaminorootan kita, huli ta an pagkamoot hale sa Dios.  An siisay man na namomoot, aki nin Dios asin nakakamidbid sa Dios,  8An tawong dai namomoot, dai nakakamidbid sa Dios, huli ta an Dios pagkamoot.  9Ipinahiling sato nin Dios an saiyang pagkamoot kan sugoon niya sa kinaban an bugtong niyang Aki, tanganing sa paagi niya magkaigwa kita nin buhay.  10An pagkamoot arog kaini: bakong kita an namoot sa Dios, kundi siya an namoot sato dangan sinugo niya an saiyang Aki tanganing sa paagi niya mapatawad an satong mga kasalan.  Juan 15:9-17 9Namomotan ko kamo siring kan pagkamoot sako kan Ama ko; magdanay kamo sa pagkamoot ko.  10Kun kinukuyog nindo an sakong mga togon, magdadanay kamo sa pagkamoot ko, siring na kinukuyog ko an mga togon kan sakong Ama asin nagdadanay ako sa saiyang pagkamoot.  ¶11”Sinasabi ko saindo an mga bagay na ini tanganing mapasaindo an kagomahan ko asin magsupay an saindong kaogmahan.  12An togon ko iyo ini: magkaminootan kamo arog kan pagkamoot ko saindo.  13Mayo nin pagkamoot na mas dakula pa ki sa pagkamoot nin sarong tawo na minadusay kan saiyang buhay para sa mga katood niya.  14Mga katood ko kamo kun gibohon nindo an mga ipinagboboot ko saindo.  15Dai ko na kamo aapodon na mga sorogoon, huli ta an sorogoon dai nakakaaram kan ginigibo kan saiyang kagurangnan.  Aapodon ko kamong mga katoood, huli ta sinabi ko saindo an gabos kong nadangog sa sakong Ama.  16Bako kamo an nagpili sako; ako an nagpili asin nagsugo saindo na maglakaw saka na mamunga kamo, patin magdanay an bunga nindong iyan.  Huli kaini, itatao saindo kan Ama an anoman na hagadon nindo saiya sa ngaran ko.  17Kaya an togon ko saindo iyo ini: magkaminorootan kamo.

Mga paghorop-horop:

14Mga katood ko kamo kun gibohon nindo an mga ipinagboboot ko saindo.  17Kaya an togon ko saindo iyo ini: magkaminorootan kamo.  Kilala an Pilipinas bilang isad sa duwa lang na mga naciones catolicas digdi sa Asia, kaiba an Timor Est, dating parte kan Indonesia.  An mga Pilipino mga Catolico.  Mga Cristiano na nagsusunod kay Cristo.  Pero kun dadangogon ta an sinasabi ni Cristo niyan na Domingo, ika-anom na Domingo kan Pagkabuhay-liwat bagan lain ta matatawag an sadiri ta na mga Cristianos.  Bagan mabagsak kita sa exam kan pagiging mga tagasunod ni Cristo.  Sabi ni Jesu Cristo : 14Mga katood ko kamo kun gibohon nindo an mga ipinagboboot ko saindo.  17Kaya an togon ko saindo iyo ini: magkaminorootan kamo.  Pero mag-kita ka sa satuyang mga tv stations, magdangog sa mga radio stations, magbasa sa mga diarios : ano an yaon dyan ?  Lain man pagkamoot kundi pagkaongis sa kapwa.  Magluwas kita sa satong mga harong asin mangalagkalag kita sa satong ciudad, sa banwa, sa barangay : ano an mahihiling dyan ? Lain mga magmaranghod na nagtinarabangtabangan kundi mga magkairiwal, mga lain nag-iiristoryahan, mga lain ngani nagkikiritaan sa mata.  Maski dyan na sana kita sa satong harong : pira sa sato ngunyan didi an may problema sa harong ta bako man nagmiminorootan, kundi yaon an pagkaongis.  Lain ta man ginagabos pero di ta manenegaran na dakulun an arog kaini na situacion.  Mga Pilipino kita, mga Cristiano Catolico nagsusunod ki Cristo asin sinasabi Niya satuya ngunyan na Domingo : 14Mga katood ko kamo kun gibohon nindo an mga ipinagboboot ko saindo.  17Kaya an togon ko saindo iyo ini: magkaminorootan kamo.  An revolución kan pagkamoot bako magpopoon sa taas: sa presidente asin mga senadores asin congresistas – magpopoon yan sa satuya.  Ako ang simula.  Tayo ang simula.  Hale sa baba pasiring sa itaas, ibahon ta an sistema kan sociedad ngunyan.  Kontrahon ta an uso, magsiway kita sa nakasanayan, dagusuun ta an agos – lain pagkaongis kun di pagkamoot.

12An togon ko iyo ini: magkaminootan kamo arog kan pagkamoot ko saindo.  Makaka-alo, makakaraw-ay, makakasupog an mga nahihiling ta sa tv nacional ngunyan sana na mga nakaagi na aldaw.  Sarong gurang na journalist asin mga artista, lalaki asin babayi, na nagbobogbogan.  Di na kita mag-intra sa kun sin-o an tama nan may sala.  Pero tunay na makakadismaya sinda kun arog sinda kaiyan.  Para bagan nagsasabi kita sa buong mundo kay sa Naia terminal pa man din: Welcome to the Philippines Catholic country in Asia!  Below that: beware of pickpockets: below that: look at our public figures, punching and shouting at each other.  Dagdagan ta pa: ngunyan balita na nagdedemandahan pa sinda sa corte.  Nakakahiya!  Saen dyan an pagiging Pilipino ta, an pagiging Cristiano Catolico ta?  Saen dyan an paciencia, an pagsinarabotan, an pag-intiendi, an pagpatawad, an paglimot, an pagkamoot?  Zero, nada, wara dyan!  Mga public figures pa naman sinda mga ejemplo satuya gustuhun ta man o hindi ta nahihiling asin nadadangog ta sinda.  Sinda mga ejemplo sa sociedad gustuhun man ninda o hindi ta yaon sinda sa public attention bilang mga public figures.  Puede kita magsabi : pero father madali saimo sabihun yan kay wara ka man sa situacion.  Wara ka man sa heat of the moment.  Tama, madali sabihun ta di man talaga kita dyan emotionally involved.  Pero ano ngunyan, di na kita maisip, mapadara na lang kita sa emoción, sa situacion, sa heat of the moment.  Well kun arog kita kaiyan bako lang na nalimot na kita na mga Pilipino kita, o na mga Cristiano kita.  Kun arog kaiyan, nalimutan ta na na tawo kita.  An mga hayop arog kaiyan, di nag-iisip, banat lang kan banat.  Ang aso at ang pusa ganyan, pero tayo tao, hindi tayo ganyan.  12An togon ko iyo ini: magkaminootan kamo arog kan pagkamoot ko saindo.  Lugod ining mga nangyayari ngunyan tukdoan kita kan lección na lain dapat arog sana: sa satuyang mga kabatitan na nakakita kaiyan mga magurang tabi man talagang parental guidance ano po, paki-explicar na lain arog sana an pagiging tawo.  Kita mga Pilipino, we are better than that, ta kita man mga Cristiano Catolico, tagasunod ni Cristo, kay Cristo na namoot sa satuya hanggang sa itao Niya an Buhay Niya para sa sato.

Ngunyan na Domingo, ika-anom na Domingo kan Pagkabuhay-liwat ni Jesu-Cristo Kagurangnan niato iyo man an celebracion kan Aldaw nin mga Ina.  En modo especial ginigiromdom kan mundo an mga kababayihan na mga ina, en una maniera o una otra.  Satuyang ipamibi sinday ngunyan sa Santa Misa.  Satuya sinda ngunyan pahalagahan sa pagbisita sainda sain man sinda ngunyan.  Pagregalo siguro maski ano pa man.  Kun dai man yaon an pagtext o pagtawag sainda na maaraman ninda na orog niato sindang namomotan.  Sabi baga sa ika-apat na tugod kan Kagurangnan, pagtawan mo nin honra an saimong mga magurang, ama asin ina.  Si Jesus mismo dakulaon na honra an itinao sa siyang Mahal na Ina, ina man niato, ta kan ini namatay, hawak asin kalag dinara Niya sa langit para makaiba Niya sagkod pa man.  Sa mga ina, salamatunon po saindo.  Sa mga aki, galangon, pahalagan asin atamanun ta an satuyang mga ina.

Fifth Sunday of Easter Year B

Fifth Sunday of Easter Year B

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/050612.cfm

Reading 1 Acts 9:26-31

When Saul arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples,

but they were all afraid of him,

not believing that he was a disciple.

Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles,

and he reported to them how he had seen the Lord,

and that he had spoken to him,

and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.

He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem,

and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord.

He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists,

but they tried to kill him.

And when the brothers learned of this,

they took him down to Caesarea

and sent him on his way to Tarsus.

The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace.

It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord,

and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit it grew in numbers.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32

R. (26a) I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.

or:

R. Alleluia.

I will fulfill my vows before those who fear the LORD.

The lowly shall eat their fill;

they who seek the LORD shall praise him:

"May your hearts live forever!"

R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.

or:

R. Alleluia.

All the ends of the earth

shall remember and turn to the LORD;

all the families of the nations

shall bow down before him.

R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.

or:

R. Alleluia.

To him alone shall bow down

all who sleep in the earth;

before him shall bend

all who go down into the dust.

R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.

or:

R. Alleluia.

And to him my soul shall live;

my descendants shall serve him.

Let the coming generation be told of the LORD

that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born

the justice he has shown.

R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Reading 2 1 Jn 3:18-24

Children, let us love not in word or speech

but in deed and truth.

Now this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth

and reassure our hearts before him

in whatever our hearts condemn,

for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.

Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us,

we have confidence in God

and receive from him whatever we ask,

because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

And his commandment is this:

we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,

and love one another just as he commanded us.

Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them,

and the way we know that he remains in us

is from the Spirit he gave us.

Gospel Jn 15:1-8

Jesus said to his disciples:

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.

He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit,

and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.

You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.

Remain in me, as I remain in you.

Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own

unless it remains on the vine,

so neither can you unless you remain in me.

I am the vine, you are the branches.

Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,

because without me you can do nothing.

Anyone who does not remain in me

will be thrown out like a branch and wither;

people will gather them and throw them into a fire

and they will be burned.

If you remain in me and my words remain in you,

ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.

By this is my Father glorified,

that you bear much fruit and become my disciples."

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

http://dhspriory.org/thomas/CAMark.htm#15

1. And straightway in the morning the Chief Priests held a consultation with the elders and Scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate.

2. And Pilate asked Him, “Art thou the King of the Jews?” And He answering said unto him, “Thou sayest it.”

3. And the Chief Priests accused Him of many things: but he answered nothing.

4. And Pilate asked Him again, saying, “Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee.”

5. But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled.

Bede, in Marc., 4, 44: The Jews had a custom of delivering him whom they had condemned to death, bound to the judge. Wherefore after the condemnation of Christ, the Evangelist adds: “And straightway in the morning the Chief Priests held a consultation with the elders and Scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate.” But it must be observed, that they did not then first bind Him, but they bound Him on first taking Him in the garden by night, as John declares.

Theophylact: They then gave Jesus up to the Romans, but were themselves given up by God into the hands of the Romans, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled, which say, “Recompense them after the work of their hands.” [Ps 28:5]

It goes on: “And Pilate asked Him, Art thou the King of the Jews?”

Bede: By [p. 310] Pilate’s asking Him about no other accusation, except whether He was King of the Jews, they are convicted of impiety, for they could not even find a false accusation against our Saviour.

It goes on: “And He answering said unto him, Thou sayest.”

He answers in this way so as both to speak the truth, and yet not be open to cavil.

Theophylact: For His answer is doubtful, since it may mean, Thou sayest, but I say not so.

Bede: And observe that He does somewhere answer Pilate, who condemned Him unwillingly, but does not choose to answer the priests and great men, and judges them unworthy of a reply.

It goes on: “And the Chief Priests accused Him of many things.”

Augustine, de. Con. Evan., iii, 8: Luke has also laid open the false charges which they brought against Him; for he thus relates it: “And they began to accuse Him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.” [Luke 23:2]

There follows: “And Pilate asked Him, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee.”

Bede: He indeed who condemns Jesus is a heathen, but he refers it to the people of the Jews as the cause.

There follows: “But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled.”

He was unwilling to give an answer, lest He should clear Himself of the charge, and be acquitted by the judge, and so the gain resulting from the Cross should be done away.

Theophlyact: But Pilate wondered, because, though He was a teacher of the law, and eloquent, and able by His answer to destroy their accusations, He did not answer any thing, but rather bore their accusations courageously.

6. Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired.

7. And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection.

8. And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them.

9. But Pilate answered them, saying, “Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?” [p. 311]

10. For he knew that the Chief Priests had delivered Him for envy.

11. But the Chief Priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them.

12. And Pilate answered and said again unto them, “What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews?”

13. And they cried out again, “Crucify him!”

14. Then Pilate said unto them, “Why, what evil hath he done?” And they cried out the more exceedingly, “Crucify him!”

15. And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged Him, to be crucified.

Bede: Pilate furnished many opportunities for releasing Jesus, in the first place contrasting a robber with the Just One.

Wherefore it is said: “Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired.”

Gloss: Which indeed he was accustomed to do, to obtain favour with the people, and above all, on the feast day, when the people of the whole province of the Jews flocked to Jerusalem. And that the wickedness of the Jews might appear the greater, the enormity of the sin of the robber, whom they preferred to Christ, is next described.

Wherefore there follows: “And there was one Barabbas, who lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection.”

In which words their wickedness is shewn both from the heinousness of his signal crime, in that he had committed murder, and from the way in which he did it, because he had in doing it raised a sedition and disturbed the city, and also because his crime was notorious, for he was bound with seditious persons.

It goes on: “And the multitude,” when it had come up, “began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them.”

Augustine: No one can feel it a difficulty that Matthew is silent as to their asking some one to be released unto them, which Mark here mentions; for it is a thing of no consequence that one should mention a [p. 312] thing which another leaves out.

There follows: “But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? For he knew that the Chief Priests had delivered Him for envy.”

Some one may ask, which were the words of which Pilate made use, those which are related by Matthew, or those which Mark relates; for there seems to be a difference between, “Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?” as Matthew has it; and, “Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?” as is here said. But since they gave to kings the name of Christs, he who said this man or that must have asked whether they wished the King of the Jews to be released unto them, that is, Christ. It makes no difference to the sense that Mark has said nothing of Barabbas, wishing only to mention what belonged to the Lord, since by their answer he sufficiently shewed whom they wished to have released to them.

For there follows: “But the Chief Priests moved the people that he should rather release unto them Barabbas.”

Bede: This demand which the Jews made with such toil to themselves still sticks to them. Because, when the choice was given to them, they chose a robber instead of Christ, a murderer instead of the Saviour, they deservedly lost their salvation and their life, and they subjected themselves to such a degree to robbery and sedition, that they lost their country and their kingdom which they preferred to Christ, and never regained their liberty, body or soul.

Then Pilate gives another opportunity of releasing the Saviour, when there follows, “And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I should do unto the King of the Jews?”

Augustine: It now is clear enough that Mark means by “King of the Jews” what Matthew means by the word, “Christ”; for no kings but those of the Jews were called Christs. For in this place according to Matthew it is said, “What then shall I do with Jesus which is called Christ?” [Matt 27:22]

There follows: “And they cried out again, “Crucify him!”

Theophylact: Now see the wickedness of the Jews, and the moderation of Pilate, though he too was worthy of condemnation for not resisting the people. For they cried out, “Crucify”; he faintly tries to save Jesus from their determined sentence, and again puts a question to them.

Wherefore there follows: “Then Pilate said unto them, “Why, [p. 313] what evil hath he done?” For he wished in this way to find an opportunity for releasing Christ, who was innocent.

Bede: But the Jews giving loose to their madness do not answer the question of the judge. Wherefore it goes on, “And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him!,” that those words of the Prophet Jeremiah might be fulfilled, “Mine heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest, it crieth out against me.” [Jer 12:8]

There follows: “And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged Him, to be crucified.”

Theophylact: He wished indeed to satisfy the people, that is, to do their will, not what was agreeable to justice and to God.

Pseudo-Jerome: Here are two goats; one is the scape goat, that is, one loosed and sent out into the wilderness of hell with the sin of the people; the other is slain, as a lamb, for the sins of those who are forgiven. The Lord’s portion is always slain; the devil’s part, (for he is the master of those men, which is the meaning of Barabbas,) when freed, is cast headlong into hell.

Bede: We must understand that Jesus was scourged by no other than Pilate himself. For John writes: “Pilate took Jesus, and scourged Him,” [John 19:1] which we must suppose that he did, that the Jews might be satisfied with Him pains and insults, and cease from thirsting for His blood.

Reflection:

            If last week Jesus referred to Himself as the Good Shepherd and to us as His sheep, today Fifth Sunday of Easter He refers to Himself as the vine and to us as His branches.  Four things we can straight away point it out here for today’s reflection.

            First, we are one with Jesus as He is one with the Father and with us.  The vine is the branches, the branches are the vine.  Jesus is in us and we are in Christ.  We are baptized and are reborn as sons in the Son.  We are confirmed through the power of the Holy Spirit and are conformed more with the Son as sons of the Father.  We eat His body and drink His blood.  He comes to us, He comes in us.  We are one with our Lord, and so as He was we strive to be so that as He is we wish to be.

            Second, the life of the branches depends entirely on the vine.  The minerals, nutrients and water pass from the vine through the branches.  Jesus is our life: He is the Life, so He tells us Himself.  We depend on Him for He gives us Life, life eternal.  The closer we are to Him the fuller our life is.  We read of Him in the Bible, we listen about Him on the radio, we read of Him on the internet, we listen about Him during homilies.  We strive to know Him more.  We are indeed Christians, followers of Christ.

            Third, the branches which are connected to the vine bear fruit; bear much fruit.  Because of the graces we receive from the Lord we are productive in our lives.  We strive to be good and to follow the Lord but it is clear to us that on our own we can hardly do anything good.  Left to our own devices we fail in our endeavors.  We cannot boast of anything in this world which we can rightly call exclusively our own.

            And fourth, the branches away from the vine wither; the branches separated from the vine wither and die.  Since Jesus gives us life and thanks to Him we bear much fruit, away from him death we have and separated from him we are barren.  We cling to Him and we hold on to Him as a child would to the father and mother and we dare not let go for without Jesus we are withered branches, fit for the fires.