St.Junipero Serrra, Priest 

 

＊＊＊1st Reading＊＊＊

Genesis 18: 16-33

The men went away and turned towards Sodom. Abraham walked with them to set them on their way. And Yahweh said, “Can I conceal from Abraham what I am about to do? Abraham, in fact, is going to become a great and powerful nation and through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed, for I have chosen him to command his sons and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that Yahweh may bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”

Then Yahweh said, “How great is the cry for justice against Sodom and Gomorrah! And how grievous is their sin! I am going down to see if they have done all that they are charged with in the outcry that has reached me. If it is not so, I will know.”

The men with him turned away and went towards Sodom, but Yahweh remained standing before Abraham. Abraham went forward and said,” Will you really let the just perish with the wicked? Perhaps there are fifty good people in the town. Are you really going to let them perish? Would you not spare the place for the sake of these fifty righteous people? It would not be at all like you to do such a thing and you can’t let the good perish with the wicked, nor treat the good and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the judge of all the earth be just?” Yahweh said, “If I find fifty good people in Sodom, I will spare the shole place for their sake.”

Abraham spoke up again, “I know that I am very bold to speak like this to my Lord, I who am only dust and ashes! But perhaps the number of the good is five less than fifty. Will you destroy the town because of five?” Yahweh replied,” I will not destroy the town if I find forty-five good people there.” Again Abraham said to him, “Perhaps there will be only forty.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” Abraham went on, saying , “May my Lord not be angry, but let me speak. Maybe only thirty good people will be found in the town.” Yahweh answered, “ I will not destroy it if I find thirty there.” Abraham said, “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to my Lord, what if only twenty can be found? “ He said, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy the place.”

But Abraham insisted, “May my Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found? And Yahweh answered, “For the sake of ten good people, I will not destroy Sodom.” When Yahweh had finished speaking with Abraham, he left and Abraham went home.

 

SOLEMNITY OF STS. PETER AND PAUL, APOSTLES 

Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary

 

＊＊＊1st Reading＊＊＊

Acts 12: 1-11*

About that time King Herod, decided to persecute some members of the Church. He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword, and when he saw how it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also.(……) Herod had him seized and thrown into prison (…..) but while Peter was kept in prison, the whole Church prayed earnestly for him.(…..)

suddenly, an angel of the Lord stood there and a light shone in the prison cell.  The angel tapped Peter on the side and woke him saying,     “Get up quickly!” At once the chains fell from Peter’s wrists.(……) Then Peter recovered his senses and said, “Now I know that the Lord has sent his angel, and has rescued me from Herod’s clutches, and from all that the Jews had in store for me.”(…..)

 

＊＊＊2nd Reading ＊＊＊

2Tim 4:6-8,17-18

As for me I am already poured out as a libation, and the moment of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have dept the faith. Now there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, with which the Lord, the just judge, will reward me, on that day, and not only me, but all those who have longed for his glorious coming.

But the Lord was at my side, giving me strength, to proclaim the word fully, and let all the pagans hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will save me from all evil, bringing me to his heavenly kingdom. Glory to him for ever and ever. Amen!  

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

  Mt 16:13–19

After that,Jesus came to Caesarea Philippi.He asked his disciples,“Who do people say the Son of Man is? ”They said,“For some of them, you are John the Baptist; for others Elijah, or Jeremiah,or one of the prophets.”

 Jesus asked them,“But you, who do you say I am?” Peter answered,“You are the Messiah,the Son of the living God.”Jesus replied, “It is well for you, Simon Barjona, for it is not flesh or blood that has revealed this to you,  but my Father in heaven.

And now I say to you: You are Peter;and on this Rock I will build my Church;  and never will the powers of death overcome it.

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you unbind on earth shall be unbound in heaven.”

 

Reflection gospel：

“WHO DO PEOPLE SAY THE SON OF MAN IS?”

Peter and Paul are the two great pillars of the Church.

Peter was the leader of the 12 apostles. He refused to be silenced by the authorities and thus was imprisoned. Peter was bold to give witness to Christ because he journeyed with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. He rightly identified him when asked. He spoke on behalf of the group.

Paul was not one of the 12, but he is considered an apostle. He was also called by God through revelation. Like Peter, Paul felt he was poured out as a libation. He is waiting for his execution for speaking out for Christ. He too could not be silenced by authorities.

For Christians, it is very important to be anchored in Christ. We cannot follow Christ when we have not been with him in prayer and we are disconnected with his Church. Our discipleship entails mission. Here like the two apostles, we suffer for Christ. We are not spared of rejection and death when we boldly open our mouth and proclaim that “Christ is the Son of the Living God” and he is the way to salvation.

Do you lean on Jesus like the two pillars of the Church?

＊＊＊1st Reading＊＊＊

1K 19:16b, 19-21

You shall also anoint Jehu, son of Nimshi, as king over Israel; and Elisha, son of Shaphat, from Abel Meholah, you shall anoint as prophet in your place.

So Elijah left.  He found Elisha, son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen; he was following the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak over him. Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah and said,“Let me say goodbye to my father and mother; then I will follow you.”   

Elijah said to him, “Return if you want, don’t worry about what I did.” However, Elisha turned back, took the yoke of oxen and slew them. He roasted their meat on the pieces of the yoke and gave it to his people who ate of it. After this, he followed Elijah and began ministering to him.

 

＊＊＊2nd Reading ＊＊＊

 Gal 5:1, 13-18

 Christ freed us to make us really free.  So remain firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.

You, brothers and sisters, were called to enjoy freedom; I am not speaking of that freedom which gives free rein to the desires of the flesh,     but of that which makes you slaves of one another through love.For the whole Law is summed up in this sentence: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. But if you bite and tear each other to pieces,     be careful lest you all perish.

Therefore I say to you: walk according to the Spirit and  do not give way to the desires of the flesh!  For the desires of the flesh war against the spirit, and the desires of the spirit are opposed to the flesh. Both are in conflict with each other,      so that you cannot do everything you would like. But when you are led by the Spirit you are not under the Law.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

 Lk 9:51-62

 As the time drew near when Jesus would be taken up to heaven, he made up his mind to go to Jerusalem. He sent ahead of him some messengers, who entered a Samaritan village to prepare a lodging for him. But the people would not receive him, because he was on his way to Jerusalem. Seeing this, James and John, his disciples, said,“Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to reduce them to ashes?”Jesus turned and rebuked them,and they went on to another village. As they went on their way, a man said to him,“I will follow you wherever you go.

”Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests;   but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”To another Jesus said, “Follow me!”But he answered, “Let me go back now, for first I want to bury my father.”And Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their dead;  as for you, leave them, and proclaim the kingdom of God.”Another said to him, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say goodbye to my family.”And Jesus said to him, “Whoever has put his hand to the plow, and looks back,     is not fit for the kingdom of God.”

 

Reflection gospel：

READ: It is not enough to promise to follow Christ. One must know and be ready for the consequences. Christ does not promise comfort to his followers, just as he does not find comfort in his ministry. Elisha takes the challenge to succeed the prophetic ministry of Elijah. We cannot follow our master if we have no freedom.

REFLECT: Think about yourself as a follower of Christ. What kind of follower are you? Are you trying to grasp Christ’s frame of mind? If you think everything is alright with you, there are no hassles when you practice your religion, think again. Something might be wrong. You must experience discomfort if you follow Christ.

PRAY: Lord, help me to follow you. purify my motivation in trying to share in your ministry. Help me to become a true follower of yours. Set me free from all that prevent me from giving myself totally to you.

ACT: Study the gospels to know the complete picture of a true disciple. Listen also to the spiritual leaders who have been recognized as following Christ closely. Seek those who pray deeply and who respect the teachings of the Church and her ordained ministers.　

 

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     　

Hosea 14:2-10

Return to your God,