PROYOUTH 1

When I was still a teenager my mother used to scold me: "Saan ka na naman pupunta? Sa Don Bosco na naman?  Magsisimba ka na naman… yung tungkulin mo dito sa bahay napapabayaan mo!" When my mother starts yelling these words then i also start grumbling… bubulong-bulong sa likuran at magdadabog… yun lang kasi ang puwede kong gawin para makabawi!  Sounds familiar? hehehe…  But looking back at those incidents now, I am reduced to silence and reflection.  Totoo nga naman… paano ko masasabing "Mahal ko ang Diyos" kung yung simpleng paggalang sa magulang, pagsunod, pagtupad ng tungkulin… pagmamahal ay hindi ko magawa!  Sometimes i find myself hypocritical when I pray in the Church, professing my loyalty and love to God then at home disobeying my parents, fighting with my brothers, selfish and full of pride when i relate with my friends, etc… etc.  Our love of God is not a rival of our love for our fellow human beings.  God is truly loved when human beings are also loved. When Christ summarized the commandments of God in the word "Love", i think he is saying…"Love then do what you want!"  Yes, do what we want but there is a condition… we need to love first.  We need to love God with all our heart, our soul and our mind and we must love our neighbors as ourselves! Walang pagkakamali sa isang taong tunay na nagmamahal!

"Is it lawful to pay the e-vat or not?"  a parishioner once asked me.  To say "yes" would make me anti-poor.  To say "no" would make me a goverment destabilizer.  Same precarious situation our Lord was put into when he was asked whether is it right to pay tax to Caesar (the Roman Emperor).  Jesus responded wisely, "Then give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s."  Jesus is not a politician hence his answer was a disappontment to his enemies.  Rather his answer is a reminder for us that God must be obeyed before anybody else. God’s claim is greater than the claim of the state.  God must be unrivalled in our minds, hearts and actions.  What is due to God?  Our worship, our love, our faithfulness in obeying his commandments and consistency in doing his will.  Ibinibigay ba natin ito sa Diyos o maramot tayo sa Kanya?  Isipin mo na lang ang oras na ibinibigay mo para sa iyong sarili: pamamasyal, pagpapasarap sa sarili, pagpapakasasa sa mga materyal na bagay.  Ilang oras ba ang inilalaan mo para sa Diyos?

Ang hirap tanggihan kapag may nag-imbita sa ‘yo sa kainan! Lalo pa ako… "I love to eat!"  I love "sea foods" ( what I see I eat!) hehehe… That is why i find it hard to relate in this Sunday’s Gospel.  Hindi ko lubos maintindihan kung bakit nakuha nilang tanggihan and paanyaya ng hari sa isang kainan!  Kung ako lang sana yung tinatong… hehehe.  But this is a parable, and we know that parables of the Lord carries with them a thousand and one meaning.  The "wedding banquet" always refer to God’s Kingdom,  the first invited guests are the people of the old covenant who refused God’s invitation, the new guests are the "new People of God", saints and sinners who are invited to dwell in his Kingdom. Although the parable is directed to the Jews, it could also be aptly applied to us.  We "the new People of God" are expected by God to do our part.  To be invited in the wedding banquet is not only an honor but also a responsibility!  It demands from us consistency and faithfulness in living out our baptismal promises.  It means confirming our "Yes" in daily carrying out our duties. Yes I will be more obedient to my parents, yes i will be more zealous in my studies, yes i will be more regular in my Sunday Mass, etc…etc… Will you accept His invitation or not?

"Wala kang utang na loob!"  Aray!!! Nasabihan ka na ba ng ganitong mga salita?Masakit! Subukan mo itong sabihin sa kaibigan mo… Para syang sinampal sa magkabilang pisngi! hehehe… Pero ito ang makikita nating tema sa mga pagbasa ngayong linggo: Ang kawalan ng utang na loob ng mga tao sa kabila ng kabutihang loob ng Diyos.  Napakabuti ng Diyos sa atin.  Araw-araw ay hindi siya nakakalimot magbigay sa atin ng biyaya!  Siksik… liglig… nag-uumapaw!  Ngunit kung minsan para tayong ubasan na ayaw magbigay ng bunga (1st Reading).  Para rin tayong mga manggagawa sa ubasan na sinamantala ang kabutihan ng may-ari at naging makasarili (Gospel)!  Mabait ang ating Diyos pero wag nating abusuhin ang Kanyang kabaitan. Wag nating subukan kung hanggang saan ang Kanyang pasensya.  Nais ng Diyos na ibigay natin sa Kanya ang nararapat na sa Kanya! Magpakatotoo ka!!! Hindi sapagkat palasimba ka eh good point ka na sa kanya! Nagbunga ba ang pagsisimba mo ngayon?  Naging mas mapagmahal ka ba pag-uwi, naging mas maalalahanin ka ba? Mas masipag? Mas matulungin? Mas mapagpatawad…etc.. Kung hindi, may mali sa pagkaKristiyano mo… wag ka na lang magsimba! Wala ka namang bunga! Gets?