September 13, 2026 – Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary TimeLectionary: 130 – Gospel Reflection

September 13, 2026 – Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary TimeLectionary: 130 – Gospel Reflection

by | Sep 13, 2026 | Gospel Reflections, Uncategorized

First Reading: Sirach 27:30—28:7

 

Wrath and anger are hateful things,

yet the sinner hugs them tight.

The vengeful will suffer the LORD’s vengeance,

for he remembers their sins in detail.

Forgive your neighbor’s injustice;

then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven.

Could anyone nourish anger against another

and expect healing from the LORD?

Could anyone refuse mercy to another like himself,

can he seek pardon for his own sins?

If one who is but flesh cherishes wrath,

who will forgive his sins?

Remember your last days, set enmity aside;

remember death and decay, and cease from sin!

Think of the commandments, hate not your neighbor;

remember the Most High’s covenant, and overlook faults.

 

 

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12

 

R. (8) The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.

 

Bless the LORD, O my soul;

and all my being, bless his holy name.

Bless the LORD, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits.

R. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.

 

He pardons all your iniquities,

heals all your ills.

He redeems your life from destruction,

crowns you with kindness and compassion.

R. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.

 

He will not always chide,

nor does he keep his wrath forever.

Not according to our sins does he deal with us,

nor does he requite us according to our crimes.

R. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.

 

For as the heavens are high above the earth,

so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.

As far as the east is from the west,

so far has he put our transgressions from us.

R. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.

 

 

Second Reading: Romans 14:7-9

 

Brothers and sisters:

None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself.

For if we live, we live for the Lord,

and if we die, we die for the Lord;

so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.

For this is why Christ died and came to life,

that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

 

 

 

 

Alleluia: John 13:34

 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

I give you a new commandment, says the Lord;

love one another as I have loved you.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

 

Gospel: Matthew 18:21-35

 

Peter approached Jesus and asked him,

“Lord, if my brother sins against me,

how often must I forgive?

As many as seven times?”

Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.

That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king

who decided to settle accounts with his servants.

When he began the accounting,

a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount.

Since he had no way of paying it back,

his master ordered him to be sold,

along with his wife, his children, and all his property,

in payment of the debt.

At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said,

‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’

Moved with compassion the master of that servant

let him go and forgave him the loan.

When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants

who owed him a much smaller amount.

He seized him and started to choke him, demanding,

‘Pay back what you owe.’

Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him,

‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’

But he refused.

Instead, he had the fellow servant put in prison

until he paid back the debt.

Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened,

they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master

and reported the whole affair.

His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant!

I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to.

Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant,

as I had pity on you?’

Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers

until he should pay back the whole debt.

So will my heavenly Father do to you,

unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.”

 

 

Reflection: Forgiveness

 

Last Sunday, the major theme was looking out for one’s brethren, which obviously included patience and forgiveness for infractions to preserve brotherhood. Today, that theme is continued, which shouldn’t be any surprise for us Christians because we truly are our brother’s keeper. God continues to bless the world with thousands of newly born babies each day because God has not given up on us and has been clear about His plan to become Father to sons and daughters for the Kingdom. Since this is our Father’s plan, it would be best if we all just get with the program of loving one another as commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ.    

 

Remember that aside from giving us His life, the very reason Jesus died on the Cross was to forgive the sins of the world, and He did it because of His undying and unconditional love for mankind. Today’s Gospel is a story of a master who, after much begging for mercy from his servant, forgave the latter’s debt to him. Subsequently, the master found out that this servant didn’t pay-it-forward because he did not forgive the debt of another servant who owed him. The forgiven servant even became violent to his fellow servant-debtor. This infuriated the master and called the servant whom he previously forgave to account for everything that he owed the master. Our Christian faith declares this in the Lord’s Prayer to: “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sinned against us” – because we truly have been unconditionally forgiven by our Father and will always be forgiven if we are truly sorry for our sins.  

 

Let this be our guiding principle in life because our world today can “use” all the forgiveness it can muster for the enormous hurt that needs healing now—as in, immediately. Let the world realize that it is only by the peace and forgiveness of Christ that our brokenness can be healed, and not by some pill, advice from motivation gurus who sell themselves and their products or “couch sessions” from professionals. Let all the Christian faithful of the world proclaim that Jesus gave us His peace, not the peace that the world brings or gives. It is that peace that nobody else can give but Christ and it is the peace that calms, forgives, heals and assures—an assurance that everything is under the Lord’s power.    

 

To realize during our lifetime that we have been forgiven and that we will always be forgiven if we remorsefully seek God’s forgiveness, should be the most humbling thing and should move us to be merciful and generous to others because our God is a merciful Father who is generous, slow to anger and rich in compassion.

 

 

Gospel: The Parable of the Forgiving Master

 

Saint Peter threw this question at Jesus: “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive?” To which our Lord replied: “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. In other words, we should not impose limits to our forgiveness and generosity because we too have been forgiven by God and Father for our countless transgressions against Him and to others. Our Lord’s answer simply echoes what has already been laid down in the First Reading: “Forgive your neighbor’s injustice; then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven” (Sir 28:2).

 

Why the number “7”? Remember that the number “7” has so much significance in the Jewish and Christian faiths, primary of which is the Creation story in Genesis when God creates the universe in 6 days and on the 7th day, God rests. The seventh (7th) day was meant for man to come back to God in worship and communion, and is therefore considered the day-of-rest, and “7” is deemed number of perfection. Our Lord’s expression of forgiveness amounting to seventy-seven times mention the number seven twice and is meant to evoke perfect forgiveness in imitation of our Lord and Father who forgives mankind without limit and without any conditionality. Therefore, to forgive “seventy-seven times” means to forgive without limit and without any condition attached. 

 

Also, to swear an oath when entering into covenants, which invokes the mighty name of God and sacrifice of kosher animals, is called “sheva” or to seven yourself. The lives of the sacrificed animals were intended as replacements for the lives of the parties who are expected to give their very lives for the perpetuation of the covenant, and if one or both of them fail, may they suffer the same death as the sacrificed animals.   

 

In Christianity, the 7th day from Monday, which is Sunday, is indeed the Lord’s Day. When Jesus rose from death, Christians have started to believe that the day of the Resurrection, the day after the Jewish Sabbath, became the new Sabbath because at the resurrection, the whole world was created anew. Remember that all these are necessary to realize God’s salvation plan for mankind. Man has been forgiven out of the generosity, mercy, and the undying and unlimited love God has for man, and the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday gave mankind a new beginning, a fresh start. 

 

Forgiveness is at the core of Christian life. Allow us to restate that: Forgiveness must be a way of life for those who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ. Our Lord’s words ought to be clear to those who do not sow forgiveness – they will be handed to torturers until there is pay back for the whole debt: “So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.”  

 

Yes, there is truth to the saying that “to forgive is divine” because we need the Holy Spirit to forgive those who wronged us. Without God, we simply won’t have the guidance and the courage to forgive others. But there is also a practical use in forgiving people – it becomes easy on our hearts because we unburden ourselves of the hate and anger for those who wronged us. Forgiveness also begets forgiveness and cancels debts, and because of this phenomenon, it creates an environment of peace, calm and tranquility. Because God’s forgiveness is limitless for people who truly repent, we ought to forgive our brethren without limit and let God do the judging whether there is true repentance on the part of the forgiven. There’s a saying: “Vengeance is not ours, it’s God”, and only God can forgive sins. For those who have no repentance in their hearts because they don’t believe in God’s forgiveness, the path to damnation becomes more pronounced and direct.     

 

 

Characters in Play: The Master & The Forgiven Servant 

 

Let’s start with the principle that Jesus likened the Kingdom of Heaven to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. 

 

This serves as a warning, a motivation and a proof of the Second Coming or when Jesus comes again to judge the living and the dead, when time gives way to eternity. It is a warning because Jesus, the King, will account us for our actions and inactions—if we fed the hungry, clothed the naked among others—or have we been merciful to others because we too have been shown mercy at the Resurrection of the Lord and during our lifetime. In other words, have we been obedient to the Word of the Lord? It is also a motivation because we who believe in Jesus are assured that our faithfulness to Him, and by abiding with Him until the end, shall be rewarded with everlasting life in heaven. Lastly, it is proof of the existence of heaven and everlasting life with God, and proof that whatever we do and say matters—that, because of our sinful and broken state, we can’t arrogate upon ourselves, with certainty and sureness of reaching heaven if we merely believe in the Jesus and proclaim in our hearts that He is Lord without actually living out our faith because sola fide or the belief that ‘once saved, always saved’, is un-Biblical and has no basis in the Christian faith. Our faith can only be made alive if we share it with others through our actions.      

 

Notice that the master is a very exacting person. He wants payment for the money owed by his debtors, and particularly, one servant mentioned in the story. The master, knowing that the servant had no means to pay the debt, wanted him and his family sold into slavery (they were acceptable practices during those times). The narrative says that the debt was substantial and it had to be satisfied or else, innocent people like family members may be made to satisfy the debt by servitude. 

 

However, the master condones the debt only after much begging from the servant. Clearly, the master wrote off the debt out of pity or generosity. He knew that the servant had no means to pay-off the debt and he wouldn’t have any use for additional slaves or money to be generated from the sale of slaves.

 

On the other hand, the servant who was forgiven his debt by his master turns around and demands payment from another servant who was indebted to him. At face value, there is nothing wrong in collecting a debt. But this is about forgiveness and paying it forward, not about collecting money. It is about passing on mercy and kindness to others because we all have been shown mercy and kindness by God.

 

Mankind has been forgiven his sins: past, present and future. It is God who forgave us first for the purpose of healing us and making us whole again for our heavenly destination. Our sins break us up, including our humanity and conscience, and the only thing that can make us whole again is the forgiveness of the Father, the peace of Christ and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. But for this to work, mankind must learn how to forgive each other’s sins. Conversely, each and every one of us must always be careful not to wrong our brethren because we are a holy nation, a righteous race, just how our Father intended it to be.

 

In sum, for healing to spread, forgiveness must be passed on like a basketball; everybody has to touch the ball because we are a team. And like any other team, everybody has to get into the forgiveness game by sowing and pushing reconciliation between or among adversaries because according to our Lord’s command: “love one another”, He loved us first and we too ought to love others like Christ.     

 

 

Points of Emphasis: 

 

Accounting: Jesus likened the Kingdom of Heaven to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. Simply put, the Kingdom of Heaven has a King (it won’t be a kingdom if there weren’t a king and subjects of his domain), and the king will account his subjects for the actions or inactions they made during their lifetime. Jesus is the King and we are His subjects. As subjects, we shall be accounted not only for the things we did or did not do, but also for gifts bestowed upon us—on whether or not we used them wisely or squandered them uselessly.

 

Forgiveness: Notice what the master did to the servant he had forgiven when he found out that the latter didn’t forgive his debtor—the master, in anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.

 

Man can only forgive like Christ if he has Jesus in his heart and only if the basis is the love of Christ. God, who loves us first, forgave us through the salvation of Jesus even if we don’t deserve it: “God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). To forgive even if the wrongdoer does not deserve to be forgiven has to be the standard of forgiveness; it is how it must be. Man must love and forgive even is it hurts. This is how the world is healed—to love and forgive like Christ. 

 

 

The Woman Caught in Adultery (John 8)

 

Lastly, we invite you to recall the woman caught in adultery in St. John, Chapter 8. There was a woman, who probably was either a prostitute or simply a concubine of several married men, who was caught in adultery. The punishment for such act was death by stoning. Though there is no mention about the disparity and unfair treatment of the case since there is no mention of the “equally erring” man who the woman was caught with, the story is ripe for the topic of forgiveness and highlights the mercy and genius of our Lord Jesus. Please remember that the crime of adultery can only be committed by the sexual intercourse consummated by two persons, and one or both parties have existing impediments for legal union like marriage.

 

Side Note: Our Lord Jesus was very clear about His position regarding adultery. He said: “…everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matt 5: 28). Our Lord Jesus is clear that merely looking at a woman lustfully is already guilty of adultery in his heart. This must be a warning to the male population all over the world. Good and evil are always in a constant battle for our hearts and minds. Therefore, we should be constantly mindful of our intentions and motives because these drive man into action or inaction, and these in turn are adjudged to be good or evil.  

 

The story tells us that people brought the woman before Jesus to asking if the stoning should proceed according to the Laws of Moses. Some people also did this to trap Jesus. If our Lord did not conform to the Laws of Moses, He would have been declared a traitor to the Jews and a false prophet. If, however, He did agree to the stoning, he’d be reported to the Roman authorities for ordering or agreeing to the execution of the woman, an act which should be only carried out by Roman authorities.

 

Jesus does not speak and bends down to write on the sand or on the ground. Scriptures do not mention what He wrote on the ground. Pressed for an answer by the crowd, our Lord stood up and said: “He who has not sinned, cast the first stone.”

 

And the story goes on saying that one by one the people left, starting with the elders. When the crowd left Jesus and the woman alone, our Lord asks the woman: “Where are your accusers?” “Has no one condemned you?” The woman said in reply: “No one Lord.” Our Lord said to her: “Neither do I. Go but sin no more.”

 

In today’s world of social media, when bashing seems to be fashionable because it allows people to simply vent their frustrations on others or simply play the role of the know-it-all, we can learn a lot from this story by looking at ourselves first and not be too quick to draw the gun because of the damage it brings. Jesus has forgiven us first. Let us then forgive those who wronged us because this is the only way that the hurt of world can be resolved. 

 

We have been forgiven. Therefore, we must also forgive and sin no more.

 

 

A blessed Sunday to everyone.

– Gospel reflection by Kuya Rommel Cecilio of SLRP Bible Apostolate Ministry

 

June 21, 2026 – Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary TimeLectionary: 94 – Gospel Reflection

June 21, 2026 – Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary TimeLectionary: 94 – Gospel Reflection

by | Jun 28, 2026 | Gospel Reflections, Uncategorized

First Reading: Jeremiah 20:10-13

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.

‘Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail,

and take our vengeance on him.’

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.

O LORD of hosts, you who test the just,

who probe mind and heart,

let me witness the vengeance you take on them,

for to you I have entrusted my cause.

Sing to the LORD,

praise the LORD,

for he has rescued the life of the poor

from the power of the wicked!”

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 69:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35

R. (14c) Lord, in your great love, answer me.

For your sake I bear insult,

and shame covers my face.

I have become an outcast to my brothers,

a stranger to my mother’s children,

Because zeal for your house consumes me,

and the insults of those who blaspheme you fall upon me.

R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.

I pray to you, O LORD,

for the time of your favor, O God!

In your great kindness answer me

with your constant help.

Answer me, O LORD, for bounteous is your kindness;

in your great mercy turn toward me.

R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.

“See, you lowly ones, and be glad;

you who seek God, may your hearts revive!

For the LORD hears the poor,

and his own who are in bonds he spurns not.

Let the heavens and the earth praise him,

the seas and whatever moves in them!”

R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.

Second Reading: Romans 5:12-15

Brothers and sisters:

Through one man sin entered the world,

and through sin, death,

and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned—

for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world,

though sin is not accounted when there is no law.

But death reigned from Adam to Moses,

even over those who did not sin

after the pattern of the trespass of Adam,

who is the type of the one who was to come.

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.

Alleluia: John 15:26b, 27a

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The Spirit of truth will testify to me, says the Lord;

and you also will testify.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel: Matthew 10:26-33

Jesus said to the Twelve:

“Fear no one.

Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed,

nor secret that will not be known.

What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light;

what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.

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.

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.

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.

But whoever denies me before others,

I will deny before my heavenly Father.”

Reflection

Problems are all part of life. Obviously, this is not something unbeknownst to people who have reached puberty or adolescence and beyond. Except for the exceptionally blessed, no one is spared from them, not even the holiest characters in the Bible were not spared from problems nor were the mighty saints of the New Testament able to escape them, starting with St. John the Baptist. Pragmatism teaches that the sooner we discover the root of the problem and the quicker we accept and confront it, may afford us the best situation to look for solutions.

On the other hand, fear is often felt because of “the unknown”. What is unknown to us is usually a cause of worry and fear. We always like to control things in our life not because we are control freaks but we prefer surety of outcomes or results. Achieving our goals as a result of careful planning and preparation provides us with the feeling of success knowing that our efforts were not wasted.   

Rules, standards or parameters are enacted and enforced in society precisely to create order and prevent excesses. In fact, when excesses occur in society, or when people are abused or placed in positions of disadvantage due to the overreach of others, which are usually to benefit only a select few, stricter rules are laid down immediately so that the excesses are contained forthwith.

What are we trying to say? Even before the fall in the Garden, God was already a law giver when He laid down a proscription for man to follow—that they may eat from any tree except of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This prohibition that God gave, which Adam and Eve disobeyed, in itself speaks volumes and invites man to practice and conduct themselves with restraint, self-control and temperance, not for God’s sake but for mankind sake. In life, we simply can’t do anything (specially the bad deeds) that our hearts desire without suffering consequences for ourselves and for others. We were meant to be accountable for our actions or inactions because we ought to think about others too and not only ourselves. Imagine an earthly life of absolute boundlessness, when people escape responsibility because there are no rules to enforce. Conversely, imagine a world filled with people who think about others a lot. What a world that would be.       

However, we shouldn’t cower in fear of what society imposes or regards as norms or standards for living life. Not everything you hear especially in social media is what it seems and worth trusting. We always have to go back to basic standards of humanity like truth, justice, equality and freedom. In fact, we are even called to fight for these standards because they have been proven to benefit mankind in the atmosphere of defending liberties and freedoms. Truth, justice, equality and freedom are principles which are subsumed into Christianity because it believes and teaches that man should be free and not be afraid, and recognized as equal by another in freedom and truth.   

First Reading

The first part of the reading pictures the Prophet Jeremiah somewhat expressing fear of persecution from the enemies of God’s Word or those who can’t accept God’s commandments because to obey God requires abandoning illicit pleasures. In other words, a life of debauchery and hedonism will always run counter with Christian principles which preach things like temperance, discipline and charity. Christianity is about giving one’s life for the beloved.

Like many prophets, Jeremiah (whose mighty name translates to “the Lord exalts”) was tasked to preach a message of repentance and hope to the people of Judah, the Southern Kingdom. Other prophets might have brought God’s justice upon Israel’s enemies but no matter how you look at it, all prophets were destined by God to do one basic thing: to gather the lost sheep of Israel and bring them back into covenant relations with God. Jesus was the final prophet in the list. 

God kept on sending prophets to Israel because they kept on sinning. The biggest sin of them all was the sin of idolatry, which was unthinkable due to Israel’s close and personal encounter with the God of the universe. After having been constituted as a nation and after having been rescued from Egyptian bondage for over 400 years, and after having been propelled to international status under King Solomon, with strong diplomatic relations with other kingdoms, they still kept on courting false gods—which was an abomination and truly unexpected for a nation who was handpicked by God to be His nation, to the exclusion of others.

Sending of prophets is one of those underrated things about God’s mercy and love for Israel. Imagine if God didn’t ordain a select group of men and women to speak on behalf of the Lord? He sent prophets because He simply wants us to go back to him by hearing His message from those He sends. Being with God here and in the next life is what life is all about. Man refuses to get closer to God because we keep on pursuing lesser things in life—things which only feel good and temporarily satisfying for our material needs but are really lesser in value in terms of living the holy life and salvation.   

Our world is and will always be filled with temptations which make us veer away from truth and charity. However, like the Israelites and Jews of old, we can always push temptations aside by listening to God’s word and praying. Life on earth is a test of our resolve because the forces of evil are constantly seeking the ruin of our souls. We will all be tested and we will all be judged on whether or not we trusted God until the end. Listen to Jeremiah’s prayer in the First Reading: “O LORD of hosts, you who test the just, who probe mind and heart…” (Jeremiah 20:12). 

If God put His prophets and saints to the test when fulfilling their missions, who are we to be spared from testing? Being born into the earth and living one’s life is the mission. The key is to ask God what our mission is for the sake of the Kingdom and our salvation.   

The standards for life have been set before us but God is not forcing anyone to side with Him, not even the prophets and saints. Our free will allows us to choose what we want to stand on and God won’t force us to any side. However, those who choose evil or those who reject God will find out in the end that they made the wrong choice and what awaits them is everlasting suffering. 

When the Bible says that God avenges the death of those who obeyed him at the hands of evil men, we shouldn’t use human standards and imagery in finding out how they were avenged because God is divine and does not act like humans do. But God does avenge the death of those who obey His will with the assurance that they would be rewarded with everlasting life in God’s company – and this is all that matters.  

Even a prophet like Jeremiah prayed for the fall of Israel’s enemies when he petitioned God in this way: “…let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause” (Jeremiah 20:12). Unfortunately, God’s punishment was for Judah and was already set in motion. Jeremiah even witnessed the fall of Jerusalem into the hands of the Babylonians. Because of this invasion, Jeremiah hid the Ark of the Covenant in a cave, never again to be seen by human eyes until the arrival of Blessed Virgin Mary, when St. Gabriel the Archangel announced that she would become the “Theotokos”, the God bearer. The Blessed Mother is the new Ark of the Covenant.  

The lesson: Away from God, there is death; in God and with God, there is life. Let us find comfort in today’s verse in the First Reading: “Sing to the LORD, praise the LORD, for he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!”

Second Reading

In today’s Second Reading, St. Paul reminds us about the Father sending us the final and definitive prophet, in the person of His only begotten Son Jesus, who is the Word of God. The Father did not spare His only begotten Son from the mission of saving mankind. There will be no other prophet or messenger who will come after our Lord Jesus. Let us not be deceived about those who claim that they were sent by the Father and are here to draw people into their flock, preaching things which are not according to the Catholic faith. 

Let’s not forget that Christ is also the one who was sent to undo the sin of Adam. If Adam sinned by eating from a forbidden tree, Jesus conquers sin by dying on the Tree of Life—the Cross. This is the reason why St Paul mentions: “Through one man sin entered the world, and through sin, death, and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned—for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world, though sin is not accounted when there is no law.”

Our faith is clear in saying that all have sinned because each and every person born in this planet inherits Adam and Eve’s sin of disobedience via the ‘original sin.’ It is because of this sin that the Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us. Without original sin, Jesus would not have come to undo what Adam failed to do. 

In fact, Jeremiah’s petition and expectation to avenge the souls of those persecuted for God was realized by the coming of Jesus our Lord. God fulfilled His promise of saving mankind from the clutches of death out of love, goodness and mercy. In gratitude, we ought to live our lives spreading love, goodness and mercy towards others.

By giving us Jesus Christ, God gave us everything we ever needed and necessary in life – in this life and in the next. No sin is unforgivable if repentance is from the heart.

Gospel

The Gospel today starts out with a bit of a warning saying that God knows, sees and hears everything. Therefore, we shall all be accounted for whatever we do and say on this earth. Those who obey and hold on to God’s Word until the end will be rewarded, while those who do not shall be judged and punished. 

And there is this: “…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” (Matt 10:28). If this does not scream accounting and judgment for the things we do and say after we die, then God’s justice has been misunderstood. 

There is evil in this world and it is disguised in very attractive wrappings and ribbons. But Jesus, being the Word of God, cuts through all these outer coverings to expose evil for what it really is. In one short phrase, our Lord’s New Commandment is the all-out offensive to counter any evil: “Love one another.” 

It truly becomes a choice between two sides and two sides only – good and evil – when our Lord said: “Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.”

To deny Jesus before others means that we have freely, consciously and even unabashedly done evil and we even justify it to be right and good instead of calling it evil. When this happens, the Father will also deny those who denied His Son. To be denied by God is the end for those who deny Jesus.

Let’s us pray that God never permits us to be away from him now and at any point in our lives. All praise and all thanksgiving to God for being our Father.

A blessed Sunday to everyone and Happy Father’s Day to all fathers.   

– Gospel reflection by Kuya Rommel Cecilio of SLRP Bible Apostolate Ministry

June 14, 2026Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary TimeLectionary: 91 – Gospel Reflection

June 14, 2026
Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary TimeLectionary: 91
– Gospel Reflection

by | Jun 13, 2026 | Gospel Reflections

Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 91

First Reading: Exodus 19:2-6a

In those days, the Israelites came to the desert of Sinai and pitched camp.

While Israel was encamped here in front of the mountain,

Moses went up the mountain to God.

Then the LORD called to him and said,

“Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob;

tell the Israelites:

You have seen for yourselves how I treated the Egyptians

and how I bore you up on eagle wings

and brought you here to myself. 

Therefore, if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant,

you shall be my special possession,

dearer to me than all other people,

though all the earth is mine.

You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.”

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 100:1-2, 3, 5

R. (3c) We are his people: the sheep of his flock.

Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;

    serve the LORD with gladness;

    come before him with joyful song.

R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.

Know that the LORD is God;

    he made us, his we are;

    his people, the flock he tends.

R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.

The LORD is good:

    his kindness endures forever,

    and his faithfulness to all generations.

R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.

Second Reading: Romans 5:6-11

Brothers and sisters:

Christ, while we were still helpless, 

yet died at the appointed time for the ungodly.

Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person,

though perhaps for a good person

one might even find courage to die.

But 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.

Indeed, if, while we were enemies,

we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son,

how much more, once reconciled,

will we be saved by his life.

Not only that,

but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Alleluia: Mark 1:15

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The kingdom of God is at hand.

Repent and believe in the Gospel. 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel: Matthew 9:36—10:8

At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them 

because they were troubled and abandoned,

like sheep without a shepherd.

Then he said to his disciples,

“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;

so ask the master of the harvest

to send out laborers for his harvest.”

Then he summoned his twelve disciples

and gave them authority over unclean spirits

to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness.

The names of the twelve apostles are these:

first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew;

James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John;

Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;

James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus;

Simon from Cana, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.

Jesus sent out these twelve after instructing them thus,

“Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town.

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.”

Reflection

We’re back to the season called Ordinary Time. However, there is nothing ordinary about salvation or anything which culminates in a soul getting closer to God by following His will. Such an issue does not follow seasons and is not bound by any time or period. Any day is a good day to start seeking God in one’s life. And when one becomes “right” with God or when one gets “closer” to God’s heart, the seasons in our faith’s liturgical calendar become rich with meaning and begin to offer clear historical perspective and theological depth. To be closer to God should be a lifetime mission for anyone who declares his love for God and is willing to dedicate his life to the mission of spreading the Gospel to the ends of the earth. One cannot do the latter without the former and vice-verse. Remember, to spread the Gospel to the ends of the world may be as mundane being a good member of the family or as significant as being God’s messenger like a bishop or Moses in the First Reading.

To be closer to God presumes that we value our salvation because in the end, that is all that matters. We are all called to work on our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12), not because Christ’s salvation is incomplete or sold at a price, thereby opening the opportunity for man to buy his way to heaven. We need to heed Saint Paul’s advice of working for our salvation with fear and trembling because the enemy is strong and cunning in his ways of snatching souls away from God. It is in this context that we need to be with God always, making sure that we never leave his side by falling away from grace. 

For most Catholic Christians, we are called to simply offer our daily life to God by doing the ordinary routine extraordinarily and with holy purpose so that doubters and unbelievers can see that Jesus is truly alive in us.

First Reading

In our First Reading, God gives a message to Moses to be heralded to the House of Jacob a.k.a. House of Israel: “…if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my special possession, dearer to me than all other people, though all the earth is mine. You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.”

To be a people “close” to God’s heart, such a nation should listen to His voice (“hearken to my voice”) and obey Him (“keep my covenant”). These acts of listening and obeying God should not be your average daily item BUT must be the highlight that governs one’s very core of existence. The Word of God must be our principle concern in life but because we must do God’s will first and foremost. Nothing else should please us than to be pleasing to God. 

In the Old Testament, God’s voice has always been revealed directly or relayed through the prophets and holy persons who have been ordained to serve God and his people. These people acted like ambassadors for God and some of them had to go through tremendous suffering for God’s plan to be fulfilled. Some of them were not even from the House of Jacob. It is both a privilege and a responsibility to be a messenger from God. In the same way, being God’s chosen people is both a privilege and a responsibility. Keeping the Covenant with God is, in itself, a great responsibility because God’s will is to bring everyone into covenant relations with Him. God’s relationship with man has always been and will always be through forging covenants.

The verse quoted also emphasizes that it is listening that qualifies as a very important element in our relationship with God. In fact, listening is a great sustainer and fertilizer to any relationship either with God or with others. Our God is all-knowing. Therefore, it stands to reason that we must always take time to be still and ask the Lord to speak to our hearts. In our world of loud and ambient noise, from opinions and comments, we need to go off-the-grid and connect with God, and the more frequently we do this, the better it will be for us. Remember, God wills only our good because of His unconditional and limitless love for us. The more we do things using our own capabilities and the more we take God out from our decision making, the more we get into trouble. 

We must also remember that listening to God’s voice should be our inspiration to keep our Covenant obligations and be faithful to it. Keeping our Covenant relations with God is the “obeying” part of the equation. In other words, we listen to God and we obey what He tells us. This should be our daily agenda in life and everything should flow from this practice of listening and obeying Him who is Lord of all. For most people, they wouldn’t hear an audible sound of a voice coming from an unseen man. For most of us, we have already heard God’s voice in our hearts because it simply demands a very basic thing in life—that we love one another!   

Gospel

Today’s Gospel is about the call of the workers who labor in God’s vineyard. This is also the “obeying” part mentioned in the First Reading. As you well know, the whole world is God’s vineyard and the mission is to spread God’s Word to others, especially to those who have not yet heard or seen to glory of the Lord, so that they too may hear and be saved. The Gospel is also about praying to the God, who is the Master of the Harvest, for Him to send more workers to the vineyard.

It is true that the phrase “laborers working in the Lord’s vineyard” refers to priests. However, it is also refers to the laity and all baptized Christians who take to heart the command contained in the Great Commissioning in Matthew 28: “…make disciples of the all nations.” The “harvest” refers to all those who have not heard about Christ or those who have given up their discipleship.

What is at stake here is ‘the harvest’ or more importantly, ‘to secure and keep the harvest safe’. It is true that God is Almighty and He can secure the harvest on His own. But that would defeat the very purpose of Christianity as a faith community and family of the chosen people of God. 

Remember, the Church built by Jesus is the New Israel and we are it. Therefore, what was said in the First Reading applies to us, and that is ‘to hearken to God’s voice’ and keep the new and everlasting Covenant sealed with the blood of the Lamb. We are the new priestly Kingdom of God, and we are duty-bound to gather others and bring them closer to our Lord. Our constitution as a priestly clan was confirmed by St. Peter when he said: “…you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were no people but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10). 

As a priestly clan, we are called to mediate between our fellowman and God, and this is the reason why Jesus left behind His priests or those ordained to the sacerdotal life because Christianity is indeed about shepherding others closer to God. This is also the reason why our Lord Jesus calls us to pray to the Master of the Harvest for Him to send more workers to the vineyard. The harvest is abundant but the harvesters are few; there is so much work but there are only a few workers who can be tasked. Jesus’ solution is: “…ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”

The Easter Season may be over but we are still basking in the perpetual glory of Easter because Christ already defeated death. This is the Gospel worth preaching even if it takes one to climb the highest mountain and sail the seven seas. The pathway to life is already set and cleared for all mankind. What remains to do is to listening and to obey God Word, Jesus the Christ. It is imperative that we abide by Him and in Him who is the Vine. Our aim is for us to be the branches of the Vine and never be pruned away by the Master of the Harvest, left to dry and burned. Attached to Christ, we have life and we flourish. Detached from Christ, we wither away and die.

Second Reading

Today’s Second Reading is one of St. Paul’s masterpieces in explaining how Jesus paid for every sin committed before and after His death on the Cross, and how Adam and Eve’s fall from the Garden becomes an important reckoning point.

Man’s disobedience in the Garden not only made him sin against God and discovered what evil was, he also lost his preter-natural gifts of innocence and immortality. As a consequence, man became spiritually broken and vulnerable to committing sin, which even became a predilection for some. In other words, man’s brokenness puts him at odds with God. Some, by virtue to their continuing sin, are always at odds with God and this is NOT why God created man.

It is in this context that God rolls out his plan to save mankind and it is rooted in His unconditional love—that God decided to love man, a mere creature and elevate him to the status of child. This is no ordinary love. It is the kind which is described in Greek as “agape”, as differentiated from “phileo” (affectionate love), “storge” (familial, natural love) and “eros” (romantic, passionate love). It is divine love and the good news is that man possesses this capability of loving like God because we were created by Him who is love personified. It is a “whatever-it-takes” kind of love.      

The plan is for God to send us His only begotten Son: “Christ, while we were still helpless, yet died at the appointed time for the ungodly” (Rom 5:6). Jesus took on human flesh precisely to bridge the divine and the temporal orders in His person, so that He can give His life away, as expiation, to appease God and for man’s salvation. Man has been made right and justified by Christ and His death. God knew that man’s knowledge of evil and sin, a consequence from disobedience and fall from the Garden, would weaken his resolve towards good and would make him helpless against the forces of evil. Sin truly makes ungodly people out of some.   

Jesus, being God, knew that some will reject the Father and the Son and become unworthy of salvation and divine adoption. But He still offered His life to take away the sins of the world because it was the will of the Father that all be saved by believing in the Son (see John 6:40 & 1 Tim 2:4). Saint Paul declares how difficult it was for the Son of Man to die for mankind: “Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Rom 5:7-8). This only proves how much God loves man.  

“How much more then, since we are now justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath. Indeed, if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life” (Rom 5:9-10). God did everything just to reconcile us to Himself, even to the point of dying on the Cross for both the righteous and the sinners. Every single person, past-present-future, was and is justified because of Jesus. In other words, God has opened to us every single access there is available for us to reach heaven IF ONLY WE BELIEVE IN GOD AND IN JESUS WHOM HE SENT (see John 17:3). Believing in Christ means abiding in Him until the end of our earthly existence because after our earthly lives, we no longer need to believe, we only have to see God face-to-face and appreciate the glory of the Trinity.

A blessed Sunday to everyone.

– Gospel reflection by Kuya Rommel Cecilio of SLRP Bible Apostolate Ministry

May 17, 2026 – The Ascension of the Lord – Gospel Reflection

May 17, 2026 – The Ascension of the Lord – Gospel Reflection

by | May 18, 2026 | Gospel Reflections

The Ascension of the Lord
Ascension

Lectionary: 58 

First Reading: Acts 1:1-11

 In the first book, Theophilus,
I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught
until the day he was taken up,
after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit
to the apostles whom he had chosen.
He presented himself alive to them
by many proofs after he had suffered,
appearing to them during forty days
and speaking about the kingdom of God.
While meeting with the them,
he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem,
but to wait for “the promise of the Father
about which you have heard me speak;
for John baptized with water,
but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

When they had gathered together they asked him,
“Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons
that the Father has established by his own authority.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,
throughout Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth.”
When he had said this, as they were looking on,
he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.
While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going,
suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them.
They said, “Men of Galilee,
why are you standing there looking at the sky?
This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven
will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”

 

 

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9

 R. (6) God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

All you peoples, clap your hands,
shout to God with cries of gladness,
For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,
is the great king over all the earth.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy;
the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.
Sing praise to God, sing praise;
sing praise to our king, sing praise.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

For king of all the earth is God;
sing hymns of praise.
God reigns over the nations,
God sits upon his holy throne.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

 

Second Reading: Ephesians 1:17-23

Brothers and sisters:
May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation
resulting in knowledge of him.
May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened,
that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call,
what are the riches of glory
in his inheritance among the holy ones,
and what is the surpassing greatness of his power
for us who believe,
in accord with the exercise of his great might,
which he worked in Christ,
raising him from the dead
and seating him at his right hand in the heavens,
far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion,
and every name that is named
not only in this age but also in the one to come.
And he put all things beneath his feet
and gave him as head over all things to the church,
which is his body,
the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

 

 

Alleluia: Matthew 28:19a, 20b

 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Go and teach all nations, says the Lord;
I am with you always, until the end of the world.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

 

Gospel: Matthew 28:16-20

 

The eleven disciples went to Galilee,
to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.
When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.
Then Jesus approached and said to them,
“All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

 

 

Reflection 

First Reading

“In the first book, Theophilus…”, the first book being referred to is the Gospel according to St. Luke, which he wrote before Acts of the Apostles. The name ‘Theophilus’ basically means “love of God” or “loved by God.” The origin of the name is Greek and this indicates that Theophilus might be an educated man with high standing in society and a convert to the faith.

Incidentally, St. Luke presents what he wrote to someone whose name means “loved by God” because he wants him to delve deep into the narration of events about Jesus who was sent by God from heaven, in the hope that his faith may flourish and love God more. 

I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught
until the day he was taken up,
after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit
to the apostles whom he had chosen.
He presented himself alive to them
by many proofs after he had suffered,
appearing to them during forty days
and speaking about the kingdom of God.
While meeting with the them,
he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem,
but to wait for “the promise of the Father
about which you have heard me speak;
for John baptized with water,
but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

 

“Do not depart from Jerusalem…in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:4-5).

 

The Descent of the Holy Spirit not only follows the 50-day tradition of the Jewish Shavuot or Festival of Weeks, it also established the Christian Pentecost of celebrating the arrival of the Holy Spirit 50 days after the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus. Hence, the title ‘Shavuot’ or the giving of the law on top of Mount Sinai, 50 days after the Passover and Exodus. It is plotted as such: 7 days, 7 weeks; 7 x 7 is 49 which is rounded off to 50 days after Easter or in the case of the Jewish Shavuot, it is 50 days after Passover and Exodus.

In a world filled with loud and subtle noises, with misdirection and slants, we often times are pulled away from reflecting deeper into the mysteries of our faith, central among them would be the significance and impact of Holy Week, which includes the Last Supper, and our Lord’s death on Good Friday and resurrection on Easter Sunday. If we fall short in considering these events, we won’t be able to grasp what our Lord’s Ascension into heaven and Pentecost meant and did for mankind and the world. The graces that have been poured out for mankind by virtue of these events are unquantifiable, unfathomable and most of all—life changing.

At the Last Supper, our Lord already announced the arrival the co-Counselor when He said: “…I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you forever” (John 14:16).

 

Necessity of Ascension

 

Jesus’ Ascension into heaven is His homecoming to where He rightfully lives and where He always was from eternity. He is now seated at right hand of God’s power where He was before time and creation. He is now crowned King of kings and Lord of lords, and the Kingdom of God is populated by those who have been elevated as sons and daughters when they entered the Church and have been abiding by Jesus until the end, including all those countless people, Hebrew, Israelite, Jew or gentile, whom God had justified in the past.

 

At the place of the Ascension, Saint Matthew records this very curious detail in his gospel: “The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted” (Matt 28:16-17).

 

What does this mean, that the disciples “saw him (Jesus), they worshiped, but they doubted.” What was the doubt all about? We would not know exactly what Saint Matthew was referring to but this is a good episode for teaching about trusting God.

 

At the Last Supper, Jesus already hinted about leaving them for a short while but also made the promise that He will come back and live with them forever. He said: “I will not leave you desolate; I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more, but you will see me; because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in my Father and you in me, and I in you.” (John 14: 18-20).

 

From an apostle’s point of view or any person for that matter, Jesus is the greatest in the world. Therefore, it would really be hard to accept that Jesus is leaving and won’t be seen by them anymore. Jesus was not some person whom they knew or befriended. He significantly impacted their lives forever because He is God in the flesh. Nothing could be better. However, despite our Lord’s promises, they still had doubts probably because their Master was going away and they were about to face a future filled with uncertainties. Remember, these doubts and uncertainties will be erased with the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost because Jesus said at the Ascension: “…you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

 

Ascension had to happen first so that Pentecost can follow. A simplistic way of looking at the Lord’s Ascension would be: Jesus ascends so that He and the Father can send the power of God—the Holy Spirit. Why is the Holy Spirit the power of God? It is because He is the love between the Father and Son, and because God is love, everything that God wills and does is out of unselfish and unconditional love, which includes the existence of every human being on the face of the earth.

 

What we profess in the Nicene Creed is true: “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Give of Life. Who proceeds from the Father and the Son. Who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.”

 

Also, Jesus’ ascension will allow him to prepare a place in heaven for His Apostles and those listed in the Book of Life (the elect): “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be” (John 14: 2-3).

 

There are other reasons why our Lord’s Ascension was inevitable but as parting thoughts, allow us to share these points:

 

First, Jesus’ declaration must come true when He told St. Thomas the Apostle: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Our faith works best if we have faith (no pun intended here) because “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). At the Last Supper, our Lord gave us the Eucharist, which works best if Jesus is unseen with the reminder that He is truly present in the Blessed Sacrament.

 

Second, the entire Book of Revelation, particularly Chapter 21, verses 1 to 4, when the Groom (a.k.a. Lamb of God, Lord of lords) presents His Bride to the Father in heaven, which signifies God’s oneness with man by making man His tabernacle, have to be fulfilled:

 

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.”

 

Lastly, when Jesus was no longer visible to the Apostles, two Angels appear in their midst saying: “This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”

 

Jesus’ ascension started the “divine timer” that leads to the Second Coming of the Lord. Also, the Ascension leads us to the Coming of the Holy Spirit because it is Pentecost that gives us the power to journey through life until the Second Coming of Jesus at the end of time. 

 

 

Additional Notes About the Doubt of the Disciples

 

For three years, the disciples lived, slept and ate with the Lord of the Universe. Yet, some of them still had doubts. Imagine that!

 

As to why St. Matthew was able to record this fact can come either from two possibilities: [1] He was one of those who doubted, or [2] they, the Apostles, had a caucus after the Resurrection but before the writing of the Gospel and some confessed about their guilt for not believing that Jesus is Lord and Messiah.      

 

If this select and privileged group of servants of the Lord had their doubts during moments where there were clear divine revelations to them, how much easier it is for us to fall into temptation and sins of this world, a world which is working overtime to take God out of the equation of human existence? Trusting God totally is the key to everlasting life.

 

Mind you, the Great Commissioning comes directly from Jesus who said: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt 28:19-20). Go…make disciples…baptize…teach them to obey.

 

If St. Matthew’s Gospel begins with the genealogy of Jesus, proving that Jesus is indeed the promised Messiah from Heaven, it ends by telling us that He is indeed the Savior who is with us and will be with us until the end of time. Jesus is Immanuel: “God with us.” Even if Jesus is no longer visible with our naked eyes, He is still very much with us if we only believe.

 

 

A blessed Ascension Sunday to everyone.

– Gospel reflection by Kuya Rommel Cecilio of SLRP Bible Apostolate Ministry

May 3, 2026– Fourth Sunday of Easter Lectionary: 52 – Gospel Reflection

May 3, 2026– Fourth Sunday of Easter Lectionary: 52 – Gospel Reflection

by | May 3, 2026 | Gospel Reflections

May 3, 2026

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Lectionary: 52

First Reading: Acts 6:1-7

 

As the number of disciples continued to grow,
the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews
because their widows
were being neglected in the daily distribution.
So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said,
“It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table.
Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men,
filled with the Spirit and wisdom,
whom we shall appoint to this task,
whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer
and to the ministry of the word.”
The proposal was acceptable to the whole community,
so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit,
also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas,
and Nicholas of Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
They presented these men to the apostles
who prayed and laid hands on them.
The word of God continued to spread,
and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly;
even a large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith.

 

 

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19

 R. (22) Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Exult, you just, in the LORD;
praise from the upright is fitting.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

 

Second Reading: 1 Pt 2:4-9

 

Beloved:
Come to him, a living stone, rejected by human beings
but chosen and precious in the sight of God,
and, like living stones,
let yourselves be built into a spiritual house
to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
For it says in Scripture:
Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion,
a cornerstone, chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in it shall not be put to shame.
Therefore, its value is for you who have faith, but for those without faith:
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone, and
A stone that will make people stumble,
and a rock that will make them fall.
They stumble by disobeying the word, as is their destiny.

You are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, a people of his own,
so that you may announce the praises” of him
who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

 

 

Alleluia: John 14:6

 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

I am the way, the truth and the life, says the Lord;
no one comes to the Father, except through me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

 

Gospel: John 14:1-12

 

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me.
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.
If there were not,
would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back again and take you to myself,
so that where I am you also may be.
Where I am going you know the way.”
Thomas said to him,
“Master, we do not know where you are going;
how can we know the way?”
Jesus said to him, I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.
If you know me, then you will also know my Father.
From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said to him,
“Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time
and you still do not know me, Philip?
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?
The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.
The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.
Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,
or else, believe because of the works themselves.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,
and will do greater ones than these,
because I am going to the Father.”

 

 

Reflection

 

The Gospel today is almost the middle part of the Last Supper Discourse found in St. John’s Gospel which starts in Chapter 13 and culminates in Chapter 17 with the Prayer of the High Priest of heaven and earth to the Father.

 

It is worth considering that the words of Jesus in the said discourse practically make up our Lord’s “last will and testament” because He knew what was going to happen to him on Good Friday. Since Jesus is true man and true God, human nature will dictate that what he said thereat would be some of the richest teaching our Lord would ever reveal and they would form doctrine of the Church and faith.

 

Jesus’ mission was to save mankind from everlasting death because such is the will of God. The solution was to obey the New Commandment: “love one another” (John 13:34). We have to love like Jesus by believing and knowing Him who was sent by the Father who loved the world so much that He sent Him (His only begotten Son), and whoever believes in Him will not perish but will have eternal life (see John 3:16).

 

 

Our Trinitarian Faith

 

“The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.  Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves” (John 14:10-11).

 

Saint John’s Gospel Prologue starts with these words: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made (John 1: 1-3).

 

Saint John declares that Jesus is the Word of God and without him was not anything made that was made (John 1:3). In other words, nothing in the universe came to be without the Father willing it and without speaking it through his Word. What the Father wills, he realizes through his spoken Word. What the Father utters, he speaks through his Word, and it comes to be or into being by the animation of the Holy Spirit.

 

God’s Word is not some audible sound or arrangement of letters, and it is not some alphabet or piece of paper with letters written on it. God’s Word is a person. The Word of God is the Son because He is God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God; begotten not made and consubstantial with the Father. Through him all things were made (from the Nicene Creed).

 

The oneness of the Father and Son is so real and true that the powerful and unending transmission of life and love between them requires a third person to convey their unity to each other in the person of the Holy Spirit.

 

Therefore, when Jesus says that “the Father who dwells in me is doing his works”, he is just revealing a fact which has existed since creation. This is the reason why we have always believed that no person in the Godhead is older than the other because they have “existed” in unity since the beginning (noting that God has no beginning and end; time is merely a unit of measure for reference purposes when we compare it to what is eternal).

 

Jesus was incarnate and became man because of the will of the Father to save mankind from everlasting death, and Jesus always seeks the will of the Father and obeys it because he makes God’s will a reality in His person in the temporal realm. It was (and still is) the will of the God the Father that all men be saved and the only solution was the incarnation of the promised salvation in the person of Jesus not in servitude but out of the unconditional, unlimited and unfathomable love and mercy of God. Jesus loves the Father in total trust and obedience, and is one with the Father’s will to save mankind from everlasting death by defeating death on the Cross.     

 

 

What did Jesus mean by ‘the Father who dwells in me is doing his works’?

 

What are these ‘works of the Father’? The answer is Divine Fatherhood rooted in Divine Love. Among all the attributes of God, the greatest is fatherhood because he was Father even before time. God our Father has been Father to the only begotten Son before everything came to be. Therefore, everything that Jesus did and said or does and says is rooted in the work of God as Father of us all.

 

Yes, God is Creator. However, God is creator insofar as creation is concerned. When time gives way to eternity at the end of the age, God ceases to be the divine creator but he will never ceased to be Father of the Son and to all of the elect in heaven. He was Father even before man came to be. And, He will be Father to us all in heaven, with all the Angels and Saints, forever and ever.

 

Yes, God is Mercy. However, when all of the elect have been saved and entered into Heaven, God will cease to be our merciful God because there will be nothing more to forgive in heaven.

 

Yes, God is the Divine Judge. However, His final and definitive judgment will come at the second coming of our Lord Jesus when He renders judgment upon the living and the dead. After this, there will be nothing to judge because the salvation plan will see its completion and fulfillment at that time.

 

God our Father loves us all unconditionally and without limit. It goes without saying that as our Father, He wants only what’s best for us and what is best is to be in His presence forever. It is when we sin that we choose our separate way instead of God’s way and it is sin that separates us from God. “But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). This means that even when we disobey God, even in our unfaithfulness which deserves death as punishment, He still rolled out His salvation through the death of Jesus on the Cross on Good Friday.

 

Jesus did His work of salvation because the Father wanted all mankind to be saved. The planned salvation had to be set in motion by the Word of God because it was conceived even before time started. And this is the reason why God’s salvation couldn’t be replicated or copied by anybody because the person who was aggrieved is God. It takes a perfect sacrifice to appease God for the sins of the world. The person who was mocked by man’s disobedience and sin is no less than God himself. Therefore, only God, in the person of Christ, could save mankind because anything less would be unjust, imperfect and unworthy of God’s appeasement. The perfect sacrifice is the one capable of taking away the sins of the world and that has to involve a priest who mediates between God and man, and He has to be true God and true man. There is only one who fits the bill—our Lord Jesus.

 

This is the reason why the work of saving His children is a continuous process until the last child listed in the book of the elect enters heaven. The entire work of salvation has been executed and completed by Jesus by the will of the Father and we are merely waiting for the return of Christ at the end of time when He judges the living and the dead. Those who obeyed will receive their reward in heaven and those who disobeyed will be thrown into the fiery furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (see Matthew 13:42).      

 

This is the kind of God that we have – a just, loving and merciful Father who only wants the best for His children. He cannot be compared to any father on earth because He is our perfect Father and His fatherhood is the best there is. God loves each and every one of us more than we can love ourselves and He knows us more than we can know ourselves.

 

God, we thank you for being our Father and thank you for making us your children. Father, we thank you for being our God forever.

 

 

Second Reading

 

“…let yourselves be built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5)

 

Last week was Good Shepherd Sunday and Jesus calls all mankind to enter His sheep pen because it was His prayer to the Father at the Last Supper that all be one, led by Him who is the one Shepherd of His one flock. The flock being referred to is none other than the Church He built, of which He serves as the cornerstone, foundation and mystical head. Please remember that the concept of our Lord being the Good Shepherd necessarily includes the topic of the Church, its management and leadership. All bishops have crosiers, also known as a pastoral staff, and it symbolizes the governing office of a bishop as an overseer and head shepherd of a diocese—the smallest geo-episcopal division.

 

Today, Saint Peter, our first Pope, fulfills our Lord’s mandate of making disciples of all nations by reminding all of us to come into the Church and allow ourselves to be built into a spiritual house of which Jesus is the builder, the foundation cornerstone, the Eternal High Priest and unblemished sacrificial Lamb of God. These elements of priest, sacrifice and church inevitably point to one thing: the worship of the one true God. 

 

Though the church may refer to the edifice or place of Christian worship, it more importantly refers to the congregation of faithful Christians all over the world who were baptized into the one faith and one flock of Jesus. Throughout the ages, generations and generations of people have come into the Church to profess their belief in our Trinitarian God. Some have already died and some of them have already inherited their everlasting reward of communion with the Trinity in heaven. So long as babies are being born every day, we can safely say that God has not lost hope in humanity and the world because every life born into this world is given a chance at everlasting life through the salvation of Jesus on the Cross.

 

All those who come into the Church are obliged to help build up, increase the numbers of those who come in and spread the faith to the ends of the earth in fulfillment of the mission order of Christ before He ascended to Father. To assure this, the Church will always have the presence of the Life and animator in the person of the Holy Spirit as the guaranty of God’s faithful adherence to the New and Everlasting Covenant by simply being our God and Father because the Church is His Kingdom and family.

 

The call for us to always abide in Jesus (John 15:4) cannot be more pronounced and truer than our incorporation into His body which baptism, as a sacrament, actually does and bestows. It elevates us into the status of heir and child of God’s kingdom. Saint Peter said: “…baptism, saves you now” (1 Peter 3:21) and echoed by St. Paul when he said: “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually” (1 Corinthians 12:27). These are not just statement of facts or more importantly doctrine for our belief. These are realities that maybe unseen by the naked eye but are no less powerful because of the grace that baptism and our incorporation into the Body of Christ bestow. Baptism is so real and true that every Christian baptized in our trinitarian faith is indelibly marked as a child of God forever, even if that child rejects God and the faith. 

 

A blessed Fifth Sunday of Easter to everyone.

– Gospel reflection by Kuya Rommel Cecilio of SLRP Bible Apostolate Ministry