BLACK SUNDAY IN JOLO CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL

BLACK SUNDAY FOR JOLO CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

Evildoers bombed the Jolo Catholic Cathedral on January 27, 2019, During the Sunday Mass at about 8 am.  Two bombs exploded causing 27 fatalities both soldiers and ordinary Sunday Church goers including the Parish Pastoral Council President and his wife and wounding about 70 regular Churchgoers and soldiers. 

All people of goodwill and leaders of both Christian and Muslim communities condemned the attack against the minority Christian Community at the Sunday worship in the Cathedral of Jolo. 

It appears that the attack was well planned and executed that inflict massive casualties and instill fears and insecurities among the minority Christians in the Vicariate of Jolo that covers the two island provinces of Sulu and Tawi Tawi.

This is NOT the first attack in the Cathedral of Jolo, but the previous ones were grenade attacks and IED planted outside the Cathedral.  This is the first time that the bombing is a direct attack against Christians on a Sunday Mass. Seven (7) Soldiers, guarding the Cathedral, are among the casualties. 

The Vicariate of Jolo is not unfamiliar to the wanton killings of Christians – Lay and Clergy in the two provinces of Sulu and Tawi Tawi.  The FEW ISIS-like groups now see the presence of Christians, once treasured by the peace-loving Muslims in bygone times, as an affront to their desired “Islamic State” for the 2 Provinces. 

However, though their numbers are few, they wreck havoc on the minority Christian community that now fear for their lives and livelihood.  They are “defenseless” against the violence of these few ISIS-like Groups that go by different tags – “Adjang-adjang”, ASG. The more known groups are the Abu Sayyaf Groups or ASG.

In these times, we remember the MARTYRDOM of the Pastors of the Vicariate of Jolo who were slain simply because they ministered to the communities – Muslims and Christians alike. The first was the Bishop of Jolo, Mons. Benjamin de Jesus, OMI, who was murdered in front of the Jolo Cathedral on February 4, 1997. The second was Fr. Benjamin Inocencio murdered at the back of the Jolo Cathedral on December 28, 2000. And the third is Fr. Jesus Reynaldo Roda, OMI who was brutally murdered in his Mission place in Tabawan, South Ubian, Tawi Tawi on January. 15, 2008.

Now we have the slain and the wounded on January 27^th – Black Sunday.  They, too, now belong to the MARTYRS of the Vicariate.

Amid fears and insecurities of the Christians and their pastors, we join them in prayers and express our solidarity with them.

Fr. Eliseo “Jun” Mercado, OMI

Badaliyya – Philippines: January 28, 20

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Short Reflection for the 4^th Sunday of the Ordinary Time (C)

Readings: Jeremiah 1: 4-5. 17-19; 1 Corinthians 12: 31 – 13: 13; Luke 4: 21 - 30

Selected Passage:  He said to them, "Surely you will quote me this proverb, 'Physician, cure yourself,' and say, 'Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.'"  And he said, "Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. (Luke 4: 23-24)

Reflection:  Jesus’ origin was well known to his kinfolks and neighbors.  To them, he was simply the carpenter’s son. They wanted to see and touch what Jesus did elsewhere, yet they do NOT believe.  The key is  to ‘BELIEVE’. Do I accept Jesus, as my Lord and Savior? www.badaliyya.blogspot.com

DHIKR PRAYER SIMPLE METHOD...

Dhikr is an Arabic word for remembrance. In the “tariqa” (the way) movement, Dhikr developed into a form of prayer… It is a prayer of the heart… following three simple steps:

1.Write in one’s heart a certain passage of the Holy Writ…

2.Make the same passage ever present in one’s lips. 

3.Then wait for God’s disclosure on the meaning of the passage…that interprets one’s life NOW…!

It takes a week of remembering (dhikr)…or even more days to relish the beauty of this method…

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Short Reflection for the 3^rd Sunday of the Ordinary Time (C)

Readings: Nehemiah 8: 2-5. 5-6. 8-10; 1 Corinthians 12: 12-30; Luke 1: 1-4. 4: 18-21

Selected Passage:   "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me   to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives   and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord." (Luke 4: 18-19)

Reflection:  Jesus took this passage from Isaiah as the platform to define his ministry.  It remains a valid platform for our ministry today: Good Tidings to the poor; liberty to captives; new sight to the blind; freedom to the oppressed; and jubilee year for his people. Yesterday, today and tomorrow, these remain the marks and signs that the reign of God is, indeed, close at hand! www.badaliyya.blogspot.com

For my ordination to the priesthood in 1974, I took the passage above to become the keynote of my ministry.  I have always prayed that I, too, can say with Jesus before the people that what they have seen, touched and heard in my words and deeds become the fulfillments of God’s promise.

DHIKR PRAYER SIMPLE METHOD...

Dhikr is an Arabic word for remembrance. In the “tariqa” (the way) movement, Dhikr developed into a form of prayer… It is a prayer of the heart… following three simple steps:

1.Write in one’s heart a certain passage of the Holy Writ…

2.Make the same passage ever present in one’s lips. 

3.Then wait for God’s disclosure on the meaning of the passage…that interprets one’s life NOW…!

It takes a week of remembering (dhikr)…or even more days to relish the beauty of this method…

Ly Ministry in the Church

Lay Ministry in the Church

The Laity needs to retrieve their roles and ministries in the Christian Community. Through the centuries, the Church has been “CLERICALIZED” to the point that ministries in the Church have been appropriated by CLERICS.

In the same way, spirituality and celebrations of the Sacraments, particularly the Breaking of the Bread (Eucahrist) have also been “clericalized”. Clerical culture has been the dominant presence in practically all celebrations in the Church that has reduced the Laity into simple spectators, silent participants and objects.

Since Vatican Council II, there has been a new wind that is sweeping the Church. It gives birth to a new elan to “RETRIEVE” the roles and places of the LAITY in the Church both in worship and in ministries.

1. The place and roles of lay ministers in the Church are best described by the word Diakonia/Service. It recognizes at once the attitude and culture inherent in the ministry, that is, self abasement and “waiting” at table/meals. Service is the basis of discipleship (Lk. 22: 27, Jn. 12:25 ff.)

• The servant waits in his master’s table (Lk. 17:8).

• The master serves Jesus (Jn. 12:2).

• Let the greatest among you become the least and the leader as one who serves (Lk. 22:26, Mk. 9: 33-35, Mt. 10: 42-45.

2. The root and goal of service is love: AGAPE. The washing of the feet is the paradigm not only for the clerics but for all disciples. (Jn: 1-17)

3. The diakonia is rooted in Charisma of the Holy Spirit. Charisma leads to service. Diakonia presupposes the call of God. There are variety of gifts and services in the Church (1 Peter 4: 10). The ministers are called and appointed by the Church (Eph. 4: 11).

• Call/Vocation

• Variety of Call and Gifts

• Preaching and Reconciling Ministry

4. We continue to reflect on the various and different ministries in the Church and they shape new roles for the lay disciples. We need to hear the word EPHPHATA – be open to discover the call and gifts of the Holy Spirit in the Church today.

Fr. Eliseo “Jun” Mercado, OMI

Badaliyya – Philippines

January 23, 2019-

The Baptism of the Lord

Short Reflection for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (C)

Readings: Isaiah 40: 1 – 5, 9 – 11;Titus 2: 1-14, 3: 4-7; Luke 3: 15-16. 21-22

Selected Passage:  John answered them all, saying, "I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." (Luke 3: 16-17)

Meditation: In our lives, we always try to discover the meaning of being baptized by the Holy Spirit and fire.  The key is LISTENING to the Holy Spirit and then to ACT and become living witnesses to Jesus, the Lord!   With the Holy Spirit in us, we are able to discern in our lives the wheat from the chaff; the right from the wrong; and the good from the bad.

Visit: www.badaliyya.blogspot.com

DHIKR SIMPLE METHOD...

Dhikr is an Arabic word for remembrance. In the “tariqa” (the way) movement, dhikr developed into a form of prayer… It is a prayer of the heart… following three simple steps:

1.    Write in one’s heart a certain passage of the Holy Writ…

2.   Make the same passage ever present in one’s lips. 

3.   Then wait for God’s disclosure on the meaning of the passage…that interprets one’s life NOW…!

It takes a week of remembering (dhikr)…or even more days to relish the beauty of this method…

The Epiphany of the Lord

Short Reflection for the Feast of the Epiphany (C)

Readings: Isaiah 60: 1-6; Ephesians 3: 2-3a, 5-6; Matthew 2: 1-12

Selected Passage:   “When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, * behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star * at its rising and have come to do him homage." When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.” (Matthew 2: 1-2)

Meditation:  The manifestation of the Saviour evoked two responses. The first was the Magi’s – the search for the Lord and do him homage. The second was that of Herod – the Lord’s presence was a threat and Herod was greatly troubled. And he also searched for the child in order to destroy him. Which of the two is our response to the manifestation of the Lord…?

www.badaliyya.blogspot.com

DHIKR SIMPLE METHOD...

1st step: Write the text or Dhikr (the Arabic word for REMEMBRANCE) in your heart.

2nd step: Let the text remain always in on your lips and mind - RECITING the text silently as often as possible...

3rd step:  Be attentive to the disclosure of the meaning/s of the text in your life.