archdiocesan shrine and parish of st. jude thaddeus, naga city | v.4, n.36 | issn 2599-5030 | 13 to 19 october 2019
A river called gratitude
W
hy does Christ value gratitude so much? Is he vain? Is his self-esteem so weak that he gets depressed if we don't praise and thank him? No. He values gratitude because gratitude is valuable—it's valuable for us, for the health of our souls. The one leper who came back to thank Jesus is praised for this gratitude. We can almost hear the sadness in Christ's heart at the lack of gratitude in the other nine who were healed. In the first place, gratitude keeps us God loves us, thinks about us, cares about grounded in the truth, which is key for us, is interested in us. our relationship with God. To be The virtue of gratitude helps us ungrateful to God is not only unjust, but experience interior joy that comes from it's also living an illusion. The simple fact knowing we are loved by God, without is that everything we have is a gift limits or conditions. It is such an from God: creation, life, talents, important virtue, that God put it at the opportunities, hope in heaven, very center of Christian SUNDAY the grace that helps us persevere REFLECTION worship: the Eucharist. in doing what is right—these This is why we don't just to are all God's gifts. We don't stay home and say some prayers, or to go to create ourselves! In the second place, the mountains and enjoy the view. Those gratitude is the perfect antidote to sin. are good things to do. But what happens in Sin turns us in on ourselves, like an this community, on this altar, goes much, ingrown toenail; gratitude opens us up to much deeper. God provides a way for us to God and neighbor. It directly contradicts offer him a perfect thanksgiving, an infinite self-centeredness, self-indulgence, and act of gratitude: through the Eucharist. By self-absorption. It builds bridges, unites uniting our minds and hearts—even our communities, and softens hearts. It bodies, through Holy Communion—to counteracts depression, releases anxiety. Christ's own self-offering in the Eucharist, Gratitude is like the river that feeds a our human thanksgiving becomes divine. huge reservoir of water. If we dam up that And so, we are able to say thank you to God river, the reservoir will continue to be as we ought to, as we want to, and as God useful for a while. But little by little it will truly deserves. dry up. If we neglect the virtue of That's what we have come together to gratitude, that's what happens to our do today. And we can only do it here, in souls. They dry up, because they aren't the Liturgy, at Mass. being irrigated by the knowledge that we Today, and every Sunday, let's be like are loved. The virtue of gratitude keeps us the grateful Samaritan: let's do it with all in tune with this most important of facts: our hearts. 7 fr. francis a. tordilla
Para sa Domingo 29c, Ord. Panahon “Danay na magpamibi tanganing dai mawaran nin buót.” babasahon i: exo 17:8-13 Ginana kan mga Israelita an gyera laban ki Amaleq na daing pagkatakot sa Dyos. An gawi nin pagsakat kan mga kamot ni Moises sa tabang ni Aaron asin Jur pwedeng MGA BANHI man-iribaiba ang KAN TATARAMON kahulugan. An baston ni Moises tanda kan kapangyarihan nin mahal na Dyos. Alagad ano man an kahulugan kan mga tanda na ini, ipinapahiling kan babasahon na an Dyos danay na kaiba nyato sinda. babasahon 2: 2tim 3:14--4:2 Sinasadol ni Pablo si Timoteo na magin pusog sa saiyang pagtubod. An duwang burabod na paggigikanan kan saiyang kusog iyo an Banal na Kasuratan asin si Jesus. Sa Kasuratan makukua an kadakol na mga taong nagin dayupot sa kabutan nin mahal na Dyos. Si Jesus iyo an nagtao nin bagong kahulugan sa pagbasa kan mga nasusurat, urog na sa buhay ni Pablo. Tinios nya bako sana an mga kadipisilan sa buhay kundi pati an pagkabilanggo sa ngaran ni Kristo. Si Pablo patotoo nin pusog na pagtubod. ebanghelyo: lk 18:1-8 An duwang karakter sa parabola minarepresentar nin duwang magkaibang atitud sa pagpamibi. Inot an huwes na daing pagkatakot sa Dyos asin respeto sa kapwa. Sya naghiro bako sa ngaran nin hustisya kundi tangani lang mag-untok na an balong babae. Siring man, an balong babae sarong ehemplo nin dakulang kadayuputan sa pagpamibi. Sa saiyang daing untok na paghagad nin hustisya nakamtan nya an saiyang hinahagad. Naglaláom an Dyos na igwa kita kan siring na pagtubod. Banhi / third page