Archdiocesan Shrine and Parish of St. Jude Thaddeus, Naga City | v.4, n11 | issn 2599-5030 | 24 t0 30 March 2019
giya sa prayer meeting
NATIVE AND ENDEMIC THIRST
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n Bohol, one can find the Bilar manmade forest which stretches out for two kilometers. It is a long stretch of thick mahogany trees and the shady area at the outset offers a serene feeling of green or ecological heaven. However, one later one experiences a chilling experience. The manmade forest is surprisingly to silent—in fact dead silent! The forest was planted as part of a reforestation project started more than 50 years ago, to replace trees lost from widespread kaingin (slash-and-burn farming) in Bohol. They planted mahogany trees in the whole area. Later experts discovered that mahogany forests are harmful, rather than helpful, to the country’s environment. Mahogany, not being a native species to Philippine soil, is basically an alien, and thus, native organisms (even Tarsiers) do not recognize those trees and do not thrive in such forests. There are no birds. It’s so pretty but it’s a silent and dead forest. No wonder Bilar Forest was so quiet. he judge or condemn her. He did not take The Samaritan woman in the Gospel this advantage of her situation by engaging in Sunday was dead spiritually. The lady had gossip mongering. Rather Jesus showed her suffered tremendous thirst in an attempt to love and be loved. She confessed to having five the native and innate human gesture of compassion. He spoke to her in such a way husbands and at least one additional the she would discover a thirst she had man. From the outside, like the ignored up to this point in life. manmade forest, she seemed full of SUNDAY vigor and life. Yet little by little, REFLECTION She drank of salty water that could not quench her thirst. Jesus scorched by her own desires, she gave her the living water, which is Himself. ends up tortured by thirst for real We are all made for Jesus. For this, only Jesus love, alone by the well of Sychar. could quench the deepest thirst in life. A real Like the Samaritan woman, many of us loving friendship with Jesus could satisfy our ignore our deepest thirst until Jesus comes thirst for true life. “The water I shall give will and awakens our true desire. Many of us become in [whoever drinks] a spring of water would try the Bilar approach, seeking solution and happiness in foreign quick fixes welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14). Jesus continues to meet us under the only to find out we have been enslaved by midday sun, when he unmasks the false thirst the same aliens. How often we result to grumbling like the tired and thirsty Israelites that moves us every day, and comes to the well of our hearts. He reveals to us His own in the first reading. The approach of Jesus to the woman catches our attention and invites thirst—the thirst for our salvation. He thirsts us to look into our work of evangelization in for our love much like how the native and endemic Philippine trees thirst for our love. the church. He does not reprimand the woman by citing her immorality. Neither did 4 fr. francis a. tordilla
lukas 15:1-3,11-32 Domingo 3, Kwaresma, Taon C
“M
apuli ako sa sakong ama.” An nguhod na aki nagbuot na magsuway sa ama, saka sinamwang an kahirasan nyang yaman sa pagkakasala. Nakatabang an saiyang makuring pagtios tanganing LECTIO maagimadmadan na DIVINA bumalik sa saiyang ama, dawa trataron syang saro sa mga suruguon. Siring kaini kababa si saiyang dignidad. Alagad, dawa dakulang kasusupgan, ginibo nya ini. Ano an kasupog-supog kong ginibong pagtumang sa magurang o sa Dyos?
“Naherak nin marhay an saiyang ama kaya, nagdalagan ining nagsabat saiya, kinugos sya saka hinadukan.” Bakong tsamba na nahiling kan ama an pagbalik na gayo kan aki. Sa halawig na panahon, inaabangan na kan ama an pagbalik kan aki. Aram an kaherak-herak na kamugtakan kan aki, saiya ining sinabat asin kinugos, dangan pinabaduan kan marhay na gubing, sa estado nin sarong tunay na aki, bakong siring sa mga katabang. Dangan nagpapyesta. Siring kaini an Ama sa langit sa mga nagpapakumbaba sa pag-ako kan saindang pagkakasala. Kasurain si sakuyang pinakamagayon na pagkumpisal?
“Naanggot an matuang aki asin habong lumaog sa harong.” Si nguhod na naglayas sa harong ngunyan yaon na sa laog. Si matuang aki na dating nasa laog, nguyan yaon na sa luwas asin iyo na lugod an habong lumaog. Patas an hiling kan ama sa duwa nyang aki. Pareho nya ining linuwas sa harong tanganing padaguson. Si nguhod nagbasol asin naglaog. Si matua dai LECTIO/next page