All readings today focus on Jesus as the Light. At the beginning of the Ordinary Season the readings would like to guide us through the identity of Jesus whom we have to follow for He goes ahead of us as the light and we gather around Him for He is the light in the midst of darkness. There are forms of darkness in life like sin, death, illness, impatience, anger, lack of faith, loss of hope, pain, suffering, meaninglessness, inability to love, pride, etc. But how can we find the light of Christ. Let us look into the readings today.

1. Promise of God- In the first reading, the Prophet Isaiah illustrates the situation of Zebulun and Napthali which were provinces of northern Israel. They were invaded by Tiglath-Pileser III of the Assyrian army in 732BC. All the people suffered the loss of lives, livelihood, loss of their homes and most especially they were thrown into exile in Assyria which is located in northern Iraq today. The situation became hopeless and the Assyrian King had turned the northern part of Israel into a Neo-Assyrian territory. This is what Isaiah called the “district of the Gentiles.” The promise of the God becomes now the “light” of the Israelites when God promises their liberation from slavery and exile. God said: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.” God begins to speak to His people. His Word becomes their light in midst of darkness of hopelessness.

2. Christ- after 700 years of the prophecy of Isaiah, Jesus appears in Galilee where He becomes the light. He becomes the hope of Israel and the world. The darkness referred by Isaiah was gloom of war, irreligion, paganism, sin, foreign occupation, and loss. Galilee became the symbol of loss and meaninglessness. And now Jesus appears to begin His public ministry in Galilee. He is now the “great light” which the Prophet Isaiah refers to in the first reading because Jesus begins his saving ministry in Galilee calling His first 4 disciples Peter and Andrew, James and John and they will be “fishers of men.” There will be a spiritual development and newness of life that will begin in Galilee.

3. Newness- Jesus has to illustrate His mission and His plan for mankind in a very tangible way. Yet, the tangibility of Jesus’ mission entails profound implications to give room for reflection and discovery. There are four new things Jesus introduced in the Gospel today: first, it was Jesus who called His first disciples. No one followed Him when he announced the coming of the Kingdom. In those times in Israel, it was customary that disciples choose their rabbis as they pursue rabbinic studies. But no one chose Jesus, so Jesus now chooses His disciples instead. Second, Peter and Andrew were first chosen. Andrew was older than Peter but Peter became the leader of the twelve. Jesus broke the customary cultural primacy of the elder. Third, Jesus changed the name Simon to Peter which indicated a new mission and a new belongingness. When he was still fishing at the lake, he was named Simon but as when Jesus intended him to be a fisher of man, his name was changed into Simon. Fourth, the group “fishers of men” would be the Church in the Gospel of Matthew. The term “fishers of man” would include the entire Church.

4. Church- The Church has to be the bearer of the light. As the Church is identified with Christ, it has to be the light for all peoples since through the Church we find the sacraments and at the heart of all the sacraments is the Holy Eucharist. John Paul II said: “The Eucharist is both a mystery of faith and a “mystery of light.” Whenever the Church celebrates the Eucharist, the faithful can in some way relive the experience of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus: “their eyes were opened and they recognized him” (Lk 24:31). (Ecclesia de Eucharistia 6)

Today’s readings focus on the identity of the disciples as illustrated in the Beatitudes. Jesus desires that everybody should be blessed as one desire to be a disciple. The Beatitudes are at the “heart” of Jesus’ teaching. They take up the promises made to the chosen people since Abraham. (ccc 1716) “The Beatitudes depict the countenance of Jesus Christ and portray his charity.” (ccc 1717) There are traces of how a follower of Christ is blessed and the readings illustrate this. Jesus would like to make his disciples know Him more because no one can be able to love Him unless he or she knows the person. Jesus never said: “I am Jesus Christ” but rather, He wants us to take our part and make efforts to know Him in order to be blessed.

1. New Moses- Jesus is illustrated as the New Moses in the Gospel today. Matthew would like to bring us back to the Exodus event. The mention of the “mountain” traces ourselves back to Moses who climbed up the mountain and there he witnessed God revealing Himself. It is no longer a physical mountain that Matthew is referring but a theological mountain. Thus, there are continuity and fidelity on the part of God. Jesus shows that He is the same God who spoke in the Old Testament and in the New Testament and now through the readings.

2. New Exodus- The Exodus in the Old Testament was all about the journey of the Israelites from Egypt to the Promise Land. The word “Exodus” is derived from “ex” which means “from” and “hodos” which means “journey.” A new “Moses” entails a new “exodus.” Jesus now makes a new community of disciples on a new journey towards the Kingdom of Heaven and so much different from Egypt to the Promised Land. The Kingdom of God is now the New Promised “Land” although the Kingdom of God is not a place nor is it a space but Jesus Christ Himself. Everyone makes a new exodus to Christ from these worldly affairs.

3. New Discipleship- The Beatitudes reflect the plan of Christ towards a new community of disciples. If the Decalogue or the Ten Commandments were done for the establishment of a new people of God, the Beatitudes are there for the formation of a new community for the Kingdom. In the First Reading, the Prophet Zephaniah calls those who faithfully follow the Lord, calls and searches for the Lord. They are the “remnant” of Israel. In the same way, the Beatitudes forms the new “remnant” of Israel.

4. New Law- Jesus identifies Himself through the Beatitudes a new Lawgiver. He is the same God who gave the Law to Moses and the People. As the Gospel of Matthew is divided into 5 parts namely: the Infancy Narratives, the Sermon on the Mount, the Parables, the Community, and the Paschal Mystery, so also Matthew patterned his Gospel with the 5 Books of the Torah. This indicates that Jesus provides a new law that is now based on the revelation of Christ on the Mount. It is a new law for the discipleship which makes a follower of Christ a witness of God’s grace as St. Paul says in the Second Reading: “God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God.”

There is a Latin proverb that says: “Nil utilius sole et sale” which means “there is nothing more useful than the sun and salt.” In Ancient Rome, the sun and salt became the regarded source of life, health, and even agriculture. Salt was used also as a disinfectant element to prevent contamination. The Gospel today provides the important mission of the disciples of Jesus in the world. They have to be the salt of the earth and light of the world. To be salt needs a deeper understanding through its historical value before the coming of money as a medium of exchange. The purposes of salt and light as important elements for human existence will constitute the reflection for this Sunday.

1. Salary- The word “salt” comes from the Latin word “sal” which is the root word “salarium” or “salary.” Jesus desired that His disciples be the salt of the earth which means: they should be reconciling and forgiving because salt heals wounds; they should be preserving the traditions and teachings of the Catholic Church because salt is known to be a good preservative; they should be a purifying and sanctifying community like salt which is used for disinfecting and cleansing; they should be of good taste towards others since salt is a great seasoning.

2. Knowledge- the disciples of Jesus were expected to be knowledgeable about the things around them. As the light reveals everything that the light strikes, the disciples are expected to know about what is revealed to them by the light. Jesus is the light who reveals the way to the Father. The darkness of the crucifixion became also the source of light of the Father’s revelation. The Crucifixion is not just a scandal of humanity but it became the light for humanity. St. Paul said: “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” Knowledge leads towards worshipping Christ.

3. Good deeds- Good deeds are forms of light that shines before God and before man. In the first reading, the Prophet Isaiah enumerates the forms of light: 1) share the bread with the hungry, 2) shelter the oppressed and the homeless; 3) clothe the naked. When man does these good deeds before God, He promised that: 1) his light will shine like the dawn, 2) healing of wounds, 3) the glory of the Lord shall protect him, 4) God will answer his prayer, 5) God will come to his rescue.

This Sunday’s readings speak of the holiness God desires for his people. The readings enumerate the 7 words of God that directly point to the holiness he desired for his people.

1. to recall how God rescued his people- The Lord commanded Moses to tell the Israelites to remember how he “you up on eagle wings.” This speaks of how God carried them though in a hefty weight from slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land. They have to recall how God protected them like an eagle with its wings. It is expected that once they recall how God rescued and protected them, they will be faithful to God and not to subscribe to other gods.

2. to think of how God fought for them- God commanded Moses to tell the Israelites to remember how He had fought against the Egyptians on their behalf that they may be free from their enemies. The Israelites should be able to see how God favored them that they could feel that they are the chosen ones: “You have seen for yourselves how I treated the Egyptians.” Holiness is achieved when one begins to see how God works for them.

3. to keep God’s promises- God told Moses regarding the value of keeping His commandments. If they keep God’s promises they will be his possession and that would mean they will be provided for, they will be protected, and they will be guided. God said: “if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my special possession, dearer to me than all other people.” Holiness is achievable when one keeps the promises of God because God’s promises will always work for the good of the person.

4. to be a priestly nation- God told Moses that they shall be a priestly nation which means a people constantly believing in one God, celebrating the feasts, offering the sacrifices, and loving the people in order for them to be a holy nation. “You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.” Holiness of life is manifested in the worship and relationship they make with each other.

5. to value the death of Christ- the death of Christ was for the expiation of sins. His death was for both Jews and Gentiles. St. Paul says that “Christ, while we were still helpless, yet died at the appointed time for the ungodly.” The death of Christ was an act of love which God could give sinners and through the death of Christ every sinner is justified by His blood. He said: “God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. How much more then, since we are now justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath.” Holiness is achieved through Jesus’ death on the Cross.

6. to pray for more laborers of the vineyard- Jesus desires that there will be shepherds who would work for the flock of the Lord. The Lord does not want to leave his people untended. So, Jesus told his disciples: “pray to the harvest master to send out laborers for his harvest.” Even in the Old Testament times, God intended to guide and guard his people. He said: “I will give you shepherds after my own heart” (Jer. 3:15). In these words, from the prophet Jeremiah, God promises his people that he will never leave them without shepherds to gather them together and guide them: “I will set shepherds over them [my sheep] who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed (Jer. 23.4) (Pastores Dabo Vobis 1). Holiness is channeled through the shepherds God chooses for his people.

7. to go for the lost sheep of Israel- Jesus commanded His disciples to go to the lost sheep of Israel. Just as in the first reading God told Moses that “I bore you up on eagle wings, and brought you here to myself” now Jesus is making this command to bring the lost sheep back to God. He said: “Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.” Holiness is seen when we bring people back to God. We have received the faith, now it is time for us to give that faith.

The phrase: “do not be afraid” is the most repeated phrase in the whole bible. It is said that it is repeated 365 times to signal that we should not be afraid since God is always present in every moment our life.

The fascinating readings of this Sunday will inspire us to face life’s difficulties, be convinced that God will always accompany us, and be blessed by God’s mercy. The Gospel today provides the tone of the liturgy. Jesus tells his disciples “do not be afraid” three times. The first phrase: Jesus said: “Do not be afraid of anyone.” “Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known.” He assures his disciples that God knows every secret and every move we have in life. God is omniscient.  The second phrase: “And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.” Jesus told his disciples not to be afraid because the spirit is greater than the body. The divine is greater than the human side. The third phrase: “So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.” Jesus assures his disciples about the Father who values all his children. He wanted to tell his disciples that God as Father takes care of them. The readings radiate that assuring words of Jesus. Who are those who should not be afraid:

1. Poor. God does not leave the poor untended. The person who is most afraid is the one who is most vulnerable, and the most vulnerable is the poor. At the bottom of the first reading today, the Prophet Jeremiah says: “Sing to the LORD, praise the LORD, for he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!”

2. Servants. The Prophet Jeremiah complained to the Lord about those who persecute him as he serves him. Jeremiah said: “I hear the whisperings of many: 'Terror on every side! Denounce! let us denounce him!' All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine.” The Lord does not abandon those who work and serve him. It is also the prophet Jeremiah who boldly said: “But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph. In their failure they will be put to utter shame, to lasting, unforgettable confusion.”

3. Sinner. In the second reading today, St. Paul explains the value of Christ’s death on the Cross. His death was a form of ransom for the punishment that supposed to be taken by every sinner. But God loves the sinner and allowed His Son to die on the Cross for the salvation of the sinner. He said: “Through one man sin entered the world, and through sin, death, and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned… But the gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ overflow for the many.”

4. Persecuted. As Jesus underwent the same ordeal of those who are persecuted, he will not leave the persecuted alone. In the Gospel, Jesus assures those who are persecuted not to be afraid: “those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted.”

The readings today focus on hospitality. The word “hospitality” comes from the Latin word “hospes” which means “guest.” God desires that he be our guest in all that we do and in all that we are. When God is no longer our guest, this is where we are lost. This is what Jesus referred to when he instructed his disciples at the beginning of Chapter 10: “do not enter any pagan territory but rather go for the lost sheep of Israel.” The lost sheep of Israel are those who had not placed God as part of their undertakings. When will be those moments Jesus that reminds us to make God part of our life.

1. Hopeless moments- the story of the Prophet Elisha in the first reading illustrates one of the hopeless moments of a person’s life which is to feel that God does not anymore favor you. A couple had no child, and the Prophet promised one for them. In Israel, when a couple could not bear a child, it was a painful moment. Culturally among the Jews, the couple had to live outside the village or at the outskirts of the city. They were considered as cursed by God. This is the reason Jesus gave them assurance when He said: “For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!” (Lk 23:29) But in the first reading today, we find the couple showing hospitality but allowing the Prophet Elisha to stay at the house often. They built a room with a table, a bed, a chair and a lamp for him to lodge as the prophet goes to minister to the people at Shunem. The frequent coming of Prophet Elisha as guest became a source of joy. The prophet promised: “This time next year you will be fondling a baby son.” When we frequent ourselves as guest for the Lord, the Lord will bless us. We shall experience his love, his mystery, his miracles especially in hopeless moments.

2. Family Affairs- God desires that he be part of our family life. When forgetting about God in our family affairs, we would be considered lost in the eyes of God. Jesus said: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” A collective person to remember God, worship Him and to celebrate Him is what Jesus desired. Jesus demonstrated this in the mystery of the Incarnation that God enters into a human family to bless. He desired that he be our guest. Are we hospitable enough to bring Christ in our midst. He said: “wherever two or three agree to gather together in my name, there I am in the midst of them.” (Mt. 18: 20) Let us make Jesus as our guest so that we will not be considered the “lost” sheep of Israel.

3. Pains and Sufferings- Jesus said: “whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.” Jesus desires that in our struggles, pains, persecutions, and sufferings, we do not forget him. We make Him part of our daily sacrifices by prayer and thoughts. It would not be correct and just if we ran away from Him instead or be regretful at Him. We have to unite ourselves to Christ. Jesus desires that we ought not to bring Him as a guest in our painful life moments because it is only through and in Him that we could find the salvific meaning of suffering in our life. A person who does not remember the Lord in times of trial and challenge is considered the “lost” sheep of Israel.

4. Victories and Joys- Jesus desires that we remember the Lord in our moments of joy and victories. It is very human to forget the Lord after we have received what we were asking for. What about the gratitude, the sharing, the generosity and prayer we have to render to God? When a heart is ever grateful to God, it would be easy to be grateful and attentive to others. Pope Francis says: “it is the gratitude which flows from a heart attentive to others. When evangelizers rise from prayer, their hearts are more open; freed of self-absorption, they are desirous of doing good and sharing their lives with others.” (EG 282) In our pleasant moment, in our joys, in our victories, in our gifts and in our triumphs we should not forget the Lord, otherwise we will be considered the “lost” sheep of Israel. Let us always bring Christ as our guest in our joys.

The three readings today speak of the yoke of existence. Buddhism teaches that there are 4 noble truths: there is suffering, there is a source of suffering, there is a remedy for suffering, and the eight-fold path for one has to take in order to rid oneself from suffering. If Buddhism addresses human suffering, the readings also today help us to rid ourselves one of the painful experiences of human existence and it is the yoke of life. The readings illustrate ways to gain knowledge and be inspired to work for the alleviation of suffering. There are 4 advices demonstrated in the readings today.

First, serve the Lord in the midst of external yokes. There are sufferings that we experience that are made by others. In the first reading today, the prophet Zechariah prophesied during the Babylonian exile that a servant and a savior will come who will be riding on an ass as he enters Jerusalem. This is a foreshadowing of the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. During this time, the southern part of Israel was subdued by the Babylonians during the time of King Nebuchadnezzar and the people of Jerusalem were in exile. This was the time of the Prophet Ezekiel, Haggai, and the two Isaiahs. God allowed them to be in exile because they forgot about the Temple, the covenant at Sinai, the poor and the needy especially the orphans and the widows, and the words of the Prophets. So, the Lord allowed the Babylonians to attack and subdue Jerusalem and now they carry the yoke of slavery once more. Yet the Prophet Zechariah prophesize that a Savior will come to rescue us from any form of external yoke. The first reading calls us to serve the Lord as a way to help us be strong and be firm in our external forms of suffering

Second, have the right choice. Human life consists of choices. In the second reading today, St. Paul presents to us two forms of yoke. The first one is the yoke of the flesh. What we carry in our bodies is a yoke. The challenges of health, the temptation to greed, lust, materialism, decay, disease, sickness, illness, deterioration, and death. The problems that confront us in our bodies or the flesh is a yoke that is inevitable in us. Yet, there is the yoke of the spirit. To fulfill God’s will to forgive, to heal, to love our enemies, to pray, to worship, to go to mass, to be kind to others, to go the extra mile for unpleasant people and to carry our cross daily are forms of the yoke of the spirit. St. Paul advises us to choose the yoke of the spirit because it leads us to life. As the yoke is inevitable both of the flesh and the spirit, we should choose the yoke of the spirit because the flesh leads to death while the spirit is life in Christ. He said we are not debtors of the flesh but of the spirit. “Brothers and sisters: You are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.”

Third, the mysteries of the Kingdom are revealed to little ones. We were told in the Gospel that Jesus spoke to his disciples about the secrets of the Kingdom. The Kingdom of God is endowed to those who listen to God’s word, those who desire to change their life, those who desire to follow Him, and those who prioritize to fulfill the will of God. There is a yoke that we carry and they become heavier because we listen to ourselves than listening to God. We were told in the Gospel today: “At that time Jesus exclaimed: ‘I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to little ones.’” Jesus makes his disciples realize that the Father did not reveal the Kingdom of heaven to the Pharisees and the Scribes who were considered as “wise and learned” of his time but to those who humbly desire to learn from Christ. Let us not allow the yoke of individualism and indifference overtake us and we carry a heavy load.

Fourth, the remedy for the yoke of life is a Person. Jesus presents himself as the remedy to the yoke. Matthew knew that the yoke of the people were the daily undertakings they had. The taxes, the livelihood, the relationships, colonial oppressions and the like were heavy for them. Instead of resorting to the Law of Moses and the Words of the Prophets, Jesus now is the fulfillment of what the Law and Prophets spoke. A personal relationship, a personal encounter and a personal experience with Jesus dispels the weight of the yoke we carry each day. Jesus said these three imperative words: “come to me,” “take up my yoke upon you” and “learn from me.” Jesus becomes the summit, the goal, and the summary of our Christian life. In Israel, there were two ox that pull the plow, Jesus advises that he takes the other one as we carry the yoke. Life becomes lighter with Him.

The readings today focus on the value and power of the Word of God. They illustrate that there is a God who speaks, who is dialogue with creation, and who takes the initiative to be related with all men and women. Through the Word we come to know the inner life of God and the destination of humankind. Today’s readings would like to invite us to 4 realizations that would lead to God’s blessings and mercy.

First, the Word of God is effective. In the Book of Genesis 1:3 we were told that God said: “Let there be light” and “there was light.” This was the first word that came from the mouth of God. From this phrase, affirmed that we have a God who speaks; and his word is effective. In the first reading today, the Prophet confirms the identity of God when he said: “Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth.” Benedict XVI commented saying: “Here we see fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah about the effectiveness of the Lord’s word: as the rain and snow come down from heaven to water and to make the earth fruitful, so too the word of God “shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (cf. Is 55:10f.) (Verbum Domini 90).

Second, the Word of God is rewarding. St. Paul’s letter to the Romans in the Second Reading today, illustrates how St. Paul had suffered for the proclamation of the Word. But he realizes that all his sufferings for the Word was in view of that anticipates in the end of his life. “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us.” The Word costs St. Paul to surrender his life for Christ and to work hard for the salvation of every human being through the proclamation of the Word.

Third, the Word of God points to a Person.  We have to realize that Jesus was speaking to his disciples through parables. The parable of the Sower focuses on the identity of Jesus. He is the Sower and as the Sower, he is identified as the Kingdom of God. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church number 2816, it reads: “that the Kingdom of God means Christ himself, whom we daily desire to come, and whose coming we wish to be manifested quickly to us.” This is the reason why every priest bows down before the Word of God before he reads it. He has also to pray silently with these words: “Lord, bless my heart and my lips that I may worthily proclaim Your Gospel.” The Word is Christ Himself and the Prophet Isaiah mentioned this in the first reading: “my word shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it.” The Word will become flesh and shall do His Will.

Fourth, the Word of God has cosmic dimension. The Word of God is not a concept or just mainly words but they are God’s Word that has something to do with creation. God’s Word is related to the world God created. The Word of God was illustrated by Jesus through the parable of the sower, then the seeds sown, and the harvests of thirtyfold, sixtyfold, or ninetyfold. Meanwhile, the Prophet Isaiah also used the image of rain and the desert in order for us to understand that the Word of God has to be yearned like a parched land and desert field thirsting for water. God used images and elements of the earth in order to bring the mystery of the Kingdom more comprehensible. Benedict XVI said: “Scripture tells us that everything that exists does not exist by chance but is willed by God and part of his plan, at whose center is the invitation to partake, in Christ, in the divine life. Creation is born of the Logos and indelibly bears the mark of the creative Reason which orders and directs it.” (Verbum Domini 8). At the Last Supper most especially, Jesus took elements of the earth that made Himself: bread and wine. Thus, the whole three readings today lead us to realize that every time we hear about the Word of God, it speaks of God Himself. Jesus is the Word made flesh and we have to possess Christ that we may blessed with everything. St. Bonaventure said: “If we learn everything without Christ, we learn nothing; but if we learn nothing but possess Christ, we learn everything.”

We now conclude the Chapter on the Parables by St. Matthew. We had reflected on this chapter for the past three Sundays and we were focused on the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is Jesus Himself. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that the Kingdom of God “lies ahead of us.” It further says: “may even be . . . that the Kingdom of God means Christ himself, whom we daily desire to come, and whose coming we wish to be manifested quickly to us. For as he is our resurrection, since in him we rise, so he can also be understood as the Kingdom of God, for in him we shall reign.” The three readings today zero in the mystery of the Kingdom of God. Thus, they value on the experience of the mystery of the Kingdom of God as our source of blessing, healing, and joy. But how can we realize the Kingdom of God being part of our undertaking. Let us review the readings today.

First, God takes the initiative to meet us. It is God who takes the initiative to be with us and endow us with every grace we need. It is God who speaks to us in our hearts, in our minds, and in our entire being. The mystery of the incarnation which was preceded by the spoken word by the prophets in the Old Testament is a concrete proof of God’s humbling Himself and took the initiative to be with the human race. Pope Benedict XVI said: “This “condescension” of God is accomplished surpassingly in the incarnation of the Word. The eternal Word, expressed in creation and communicated in salvation history, in Christ became a man, “born of woman” (Gal 4:4). Here the word finds expression not primarily in discourse, concepts or rules. Here we are set before the very person of Jesus.” (Verbum Domini no. 11). In the first reading today, we witnessed God approaching King Solomon and asked him: “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.” This initiative of God took in the form of an encounter with a person. King Solomon encountered God in the most profound way. God took the initiative eliciting King Solomon’s response. Benedict XVI continued to say: “The constant renewal of this encounter and this awareness fills the hearts of believers with amazement at God’s initiative, which human beings, with our own reason and imagination, could never have dreamt of.” (Verbum Domini 11).

Second, man has the capacity to transcend. Our capacity to transcend leads us to the mystery of God. As human beings, we are not only purely corporeal beings; we do not live just mere physical bodies but we live in the spirit. We have souls that prompt us to seek God; the search for the values of the Kingdom and to participate in life of God. King Solomon responded to God’s invitation by saying: “Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.” This illustrates that King Solomon did not ask for something material but he desired “wisdom” and “understanding” which are symbolic of “conscience.” Conscience belongs to the realm of the spirit. God was indeed pleased and said to him: “Because you have asked for this— not for a long life for yourself, nor for riches, nor for the life of your enemies, but for understanding so that you may know what is right—I do as you requested. I give you a heart so wise and understanding that there has never been anyone like you up to now, and after you there will come no one to equal you.”

Third, the primacy of love. Love makes us be immersed in the mystery of God. God loves us first and the mystery of the Kingdom has made part of our existence. God is love and everyone who believes in God, lives in the mystery of God. In fact, Benedict XVI said: “Since God has first loved us (cf. 1 Jn 4:10), love is now no longer a mere “command”; it is the response to the gift of love with which God draws near to us.” (Deus Caritas Est 1) In the Gospel today, we found St. Matthew confessing himself as converted scribe. He was not only a tax collector but also a scribe. He wrote: “Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.” The forgiveness of God did not make St. Matthew a disciple of Jesus but it also made him participate in the mystery of God by being a scribe and a Gospel writer. St. Paul confirms this in the second reading today. He said: “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” The mystery of God’s goodness is directly experienced by the gift of love.

Fourth, the pearl of Great Price. In the parables today, we are considered as God’s pearl of great price. God is illustrated as a merchant who is in search of fine pearls and when he finds one, goes and sells everything he has and buys it. When God found man, he spends everything He has and gives everything to obtain us for himself. Jesus gave everything: his life. He died on the Cross as He stripped everything of himself just to obtain us for himself. This constant search and redeeming act of acquiring us is illustrated in our celebration of the sacrifice of the Mass. Benedict XVI said: “Jesus gave this act of oblation an enduring presence through his institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper. He anticipated his death and resurrection by giving his disciples, in the bread and wine, his very self, his body and blood as the new manna (cf. Jn 6:31-33).” (Deus Caritas Est 13). The mystery of the Cross is the mystery of our salvation. Through the Cross, we now experience the mystery of God.

The fascinating readings this Sunday help us to know how to find God in daily life and in moments of difficulties. God will always find ways for him to be felt and recognized by Him. Even in the most difficult times of our life, the Lord will use those times as opportunities to display the power of His presence. Benedict XVI said: “The Son of God suffered, died, but rose again, and precisely because of this those wounds become the sign of our redemption, of forgiveness and reconciliation with the Father; however, they also become a test for the faith of the disciples and our faith: every time that the Lord speaks about his passion and death, they do not understand, they reject it, they oppose it.” Let us reflect on the readings today and be inspired by them as our hearts long for the presence of God.

First, God is present in the “tiny whispering voice.” In the first reading today, the Prophet Elijah hid in the cave after he knew that 450 priests of Baal were challenging him. As a prophet of the Lord, he searched for his presence in the wind but God was not there, then he sought for Him in the earthquake but God was neither there, then he sought for God in the fire but God was not even there. But then came the “tiny whispering voice” and when he heard that sound, he stood at the entrance of the cave for he knew it was the Lord speaking. Thus, the first reading reminds us of the power of the “Word” and it is in it that we find and experience the power of God and His presence.

Second, God is encountered in our conscience. Conscience is the inner sanctuary where every man and woman meet God in a very profound and meaningful way. He comes in the silence of the inner voice that comes from within. Gaudium et Spes 16 explains that through conscience man submits to Divine will and it is “always summoning him to love good and avoid evil, the voice of conscience when necessary speaks to his heart: do this, shun that. For man has in his heart a law written by God; to obey it is the very dignity of man; according to it he will be judged. Conscience is the most secret core and sanctuary of a man. There he is alone with God, Whose voice echoes in his depths.” St. Paul in the second reading today explains this to the Romans that because of conscience, he adheres and speaks the truth. He said: “Brothers and sisters: I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie; my conscience joins with the Holy Spirit in bearing me witness that I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart.”

Third, God is present in the Church. The value of the boat in the Gospel of St. Matthew directs us to the importance of the Church. For St. Matthew, the Church is likened to a boat which rows in the midst of calm and turbulent seas. Jesus cannot leave His Church, He said in Matthew 28:20 “I will be with you until the consummation of the age.” Thus, Jesus had to demonstrate this importance to Peter. When Peter began to disembark from the boat, he began to sink. He became the sinking Peter. To be away from the Church is to lose the presence and power of God. Jesus caught Peter by the hand and both of them were now in the boat with Jesus and right away the wind died down. Jesus cannot leave the Church untended and with Him all trials are addressed. Another remarkable thing is how Peter reacted when he saw Jesus walking on the water; he exclaimed that it was a ghost. This is symbolic of weakness. The Church of Jesus is not perfect; there are illusions, pride, and doubt. But Jesus did not any further but joined them and we were told that they pay homage to Him and confessed: “truly, You are the Son of God.” Jesus is present in the Church and we worship Him.

Fourth, God is present in our second life. Many had attributed their second life with the grace and mercy of God. Those who say so are those who are cancer survivors, accident rescued patients, those who have new life after near death, those who experienced clinical death, and those who went through covid-19 tragedy. After they experienced them, they begin to serve God and dedicate their lives more for God. Peter experienced that: first, when he alighted from the boat and began sinking, he was rescued by Christ. It was a second life. We know that it was tremendous because we should think that as a fisherman, he supposed to know how to swim. But why did Jesus rescue him. It was to demonstrate that there is in our life the event of a second life or second chance. Second, when Peter called on Jesus and said: “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you.” Jesus said: “come.” Remember this command is preceded by the doubt he had on Jesus when he suspected him to be a ghost. The first call to come was when Jesus called him to “come and follow him.” And now the second call was during the midst of his doubt. Jesus gives him another chance. Third, the Lord said to Peter. “It is I. Do not be afraid.” This symbolizes the renewed call to faith. God is known to be the “I am.” And now Jesus repeats this saying “It is I.” Jesus reveals and reminds Peter that Jesus is the “I am.” It is indeed a second call to faith. It was a second chance. We remember that the Devil cannot give us a second chance. So, let us be joyful and grateful for the Lord has given us second chances. St. Teresa of Avila once said: “There are more tears in answered prayers than those of unanswered prayers.”

The readings of this Sunday would like to focus on the identity of Jesus as the universal Lord and Savior. We know that Jesus died for all whether Jew or Gentile, young or old, educated or ignorant, rich or poor, sinner or saint. The inclusive attitude of Jesus becomes our model of inspiration and encouragement. There are elements showed in the readings today that point to the importance the universality of Christ. To be inclusive and universal will make us receive more His grace and blessing.

First, the geographical aspect. We were told in the Gospel that Jesus went to the territories of Tyre and Sidon which were pagan places. This prophetic movement of Jesus speaks of Jesus’ gift of salvation that is to be offered not only to the Jews but also to the Gentiles. Jesus is not only the promised Messiah for the Jews for all peoples. The geographical demonstration of Jesus by entering into pagan territories anticipates His true identity.

Second, the call of “Lord.” Three times the Canaanite woman called on Jesus and she addressed Him as “Lord.” Among the Jews, it was usual that they call on God as “Adonai” which means “Lord.” The astounding call of the woman on Jesus as Lord illustrates that Jesus will prophetically be recognized by the Gentiles. She even called on Jesus as “Lord” three times. The number “3” is significant to the Jews. It is a number that is reserved to God. With that Jesus exclaimed: “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” Faith now changes the entire event. Pope Francis said: “Faith is born of an encounter with the living God who calls us and reveals his love, a love which precedes us and upon which we can lean for security and for building our lives.” (Lumen Fidei 4).

Third, the gift of mercy. Our life and salvation depend on God’s mercy. The mercy of God is universal. In the first reading today, the Prophet Isaiah reminded the Jews and the Gentiles that if they just would seek the Lord and follow Him, they will be considered as part of God’s people. There are five things mentioned here that if they (Gentiles and Jews): 1) join themselves to the LORD, ministering to him; 2) loving the name of the LORD; 3) becoming his servants; 4) all who keep the sabbath free from profanation; 5) and hold to my covenant. Then God will show His mercy: 1) God will bring them to His holy mountain; 2) make joyful in my house of prayer; 3) their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be acceptable on my altar. For the Lord declares that His house will be a house of prayer for all peoples.

Fourth, the love of the woman towards her daughter. Jesus healed the woman’s daughter who was possessed by a demon because He was touched how she loved her daughter. To show her love towards her daughter was manifested through her persistent call on Jesus to help her. Three times she called on Jesus even to the last word she could utter just to convince Jesus who was considered not only as “Lord” but as a Jew. Her words were: “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” We witness here that she accepts that Gentiles are subordinate to the Jews and she would rather accept such humiliation that Gentiles are dependent on their “masters” just for her daughter to be healed. The love she has for her daughter brought her courage to approach Jesus. The power of love is demonstrated here. Benedict XVI said: “Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction” (Deus Caritas Est 1). The words of St. Ignatius of Antioch fit this theme when he said: “I just don’t want to be called Christian, I want to be a Christian.”

This Sunday’s readings focus on the authority and the community Jesus establish as a new way of being a new people of God. We acknowledge the importance of the context in which prompted Jesus to bring a new community for Israel. In last Sunday’s Gospel, we witnessed Jesus entering a Gentile territory which was at those times a prohibited to Jews since they would be treated unclean; it was the territory of Tyre and Sidon where He was met by a Canaanite woman who had a daughter who was possessed by a demon and Jesus healed her. Today, we heard of Jesus entering another Gentile territory named Caesarea Philippi. One of the reasons that Jesus retreated to these Gentile territories was because of the Pharisees who were his adversaries in Jerusalem. So, today’s readings would allow us to understand who the Pharisees were during His time. There were 7 kinds of Pharisee yet not all of them were bad, some were good Pharisees. To understand them would be the key towards today’s readings.

The first kind of Pharisee were the shoulder Pharisees. They appear to be carrying and displaying heavy burdens on their shoulders for people to see that they are doing good deeds in their religious life. They put ashes on their heads as an act of humility and they show to people their humility by their sad and contrite faces.

The second kind of Pharisee were the wait-a-little Pharisees. These were the Pharisees who are not prompt in doing required things yet they impose on people to be prompt and to be doing things right away. Yet if noticed by the people by not being prompt in doing something, they take excuses and have tons of reasons for not doing so.

The third kind of Pharisee were the bruised or bleeding Pharisees. There were the Pharisees who show their injuries because of being faithful to the Torah. They appear to have been so hard working for others to see they were. An example to this is when they meet women of their time. They appear to be far from lust and temptation so they shifted their gazes or even closed their eyes when women were around and understandably bumped into posts, walls, and trees and they received bruises. Their piety was measured through the number of bruises they had.

The fourth kind of Pharisee were the humpback Pharisees. In order for these Pharisees to display humility and piety, they walked with bended backs to appear that they are the most holy and pious people on the planet. They would walk with shuffled feet instead of a normal way of walking. As a result, they ended themselves with stumbles and tumbles.

The fifth kind of Pharisee were the always counting Pharisees. They were the most meticulous ones who would put a record of their good deeds and wait for their rewards. After such calculation, they believed that God owed them a lot of rewards.

The sixth kind of Pharisee were the fearful Pharisees. These were the ones who threaten people that not doing God’s will through the following the Torah will inherit death and curse. They are also the Pharisees who appear to people that they were so much afraid of hell for others to see and imitate them.

The seventh kind of Pharisee were the God-fearing Pharisees. These were the Pharisees who elicit good way of life. They were motivated by the genuine love of God and they exhibit a spiritual desire to please Him in all things and do His will. Some good Pharisees whom we knew were Nicodemus, Gamaliel, Joseph of Arimathea, and later St. Paul who turned to be good.

Looking at these Pharisees, especially the 6 groups who were considered as malicious or self-centered were the causes of Jesus to build a new community which is called the church. Let us look closely on the messages of today’s Gospel. There 5 truths revealed to us by Jesus.

First, Jesus establishes a new community of faith. By bringing His disciples away from a Jewish territory indicated that Jesus was intending to build a new community far different from the community of the Pharisees. It will be called “church.” By prophesying that He will be building the “church” marks the end of the tradition of the Pharisees. The Pharisees were supposed to be interpreters and caretakers of the Law of Moses but they interpreted the scriptures in favor of their selfish and self-centered motives.

Second, Jesus shows mercy to the people. By establishing a new community of faith, Jesus wanted all the followers of the Pharisees to be part of the Church so that God will show His mercy to them. Jesus understood that the community which the Pharisees led were like sheep without a good shepherd to guide them. The church was established according to the mercy and compassion Jesus had for them.

Third, Jesus displays His true identity. By establishing the Church, Jesus now shows His true identity as God. The pattern we shall use here is the first reading which reminded us that Shebna was stripped off his power as king and God replaced him with King Eliakim to rule Israel. This indicated that God abrogates and establishes a new kingdom. In the same way, ending the community of the Pharisees, Jesus establishes a new community of faith which displays now His identity as God. In the past, the Pharisees based the Torah as the source of the legitimacy of their community, but Jesus now reveals the source of this new community of faith and it is Himself personally. 

Fourth, Jesus reveals that faith is from God. After the answer of Peter and his disciples regarding the identity of Jesus when He asked them the two questions: who do people say that the Son of Man is? And you, who do you say that the Son of Man is? Jesus immediately said to Peter: “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.” Jesus revealed one of the truths: faith is a theological virtue. It is a virtue that comes from God and not from “flesh and blood.”

Fifth, Jesus gives the nature of the church. Besides the church as a new community of God established by Jesus, the Church will have authority on earth. It will be hierarchical in nature. Jesus promised 3 things: 1) the gates of the nether world shall not prevail against it. The gates of death and hell cannot surpass the grace of the church. 2) the church will be the key toward the Kingdom of Heaven. In the Church, there will be the celebration of the sacraments as the key towards the Kingdom of Heaven. 3) the church will have authority of binding and losing. Whatever the church declares bound on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatever it declares loose on earth shall be loose in heaven.