by Fr. Julius C. Lupot

READINGS:     Ezekiel 2: 2-5   /   Psalm 123: 1-2. 2. 3-4   /   2 Corinthians 12: 7-10   /     MARK 6: 1-6

HIS WORD… A PROPHET IS NOT WITHOUT HONOR EXCEPT IN HIS NATIVE PLACE AND AMONG HIS OWN KIN AND IN HIS OWN HOUSE.

my words… In our Filipino culture, school alumni homecomings, batch gatherings, clan and family reunions are always exciting and looked forward to by members. Why? Because we are meeting old friends, associates, classmates, relatives, and even brothers and sisters who have been out and away from homes and families for a quite a time and returned with transformed or transfigured faces and appearances already. What can bring more excitements to the gatherings are the exchanges of new and recent ideas in business, travels, politics, faith, and family lives; and more importantly the recollections and sharing of past memories highlighting the humorous and joyful ones and toning down the sad and lonely ones. And in the process of sharing and confiding, members are developing a sense of trust and confidence, and thereby establishing some more new connections favorable in businesses, politics, and whatever endeavors in life establishing common goals and objectives.

But not with the case of JESUS OF NAZARETH! In His homecoming to His own native place for possible reunions with relatives or kinfolks, and old friends; instead of excitements, mistrusts and some forms of envy developed in the minds and hearts of His townspeople. Mistrust because they were over-familiar with Jesus as their “kababayan”, “Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” (Mk 6:3). Envy because they were bypassed of their learnings and wisdom, “Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given to him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands?” (Mk 6:2). Those were classic expressions of mistrust and envy wrought in the hearts and minds of His own people. Sad indeed!

Brothers and Sisters, had Jesus come to the Philippines, it would have been a GRAND WELCOME, as what we have shown with the comings of the three Popes to our country; Pope Paul VI, St. John Paul II (twice), and Pope Francis. Why a grand welcome? It is because we have the FAITH and TRUST in God. It has been embedded in our culture; it has been part in our Filipino religiosity. But the more important welcome than the external welcome that Jesus expects from us is our grand welcome for Him into our hearts, and into the heart of every Filipino-believer! For we believe that Jesus is the Son of God who is the source of all wisdom, the source of all knowledge, and the source of all love. That makes us different from the Jewish people even until now. For us Filipinos, we have come to believe that Jesus is our Lord and Savior!

In the MASS, let us continue welcoming Jesus warmly into our lives by receiving Him worthily in Holy Communion.  He is indeed alive in us. He wanted to be with us always that is why He wanted us to eat Him… to receive Him with love. May our celebration of every Mass be truly a warm welcome for Jesus for Him to govern us in our Christian living…

LORD JESUS CHRIST, BE WITH US FOREVER…