Sunday, February 3, 2019
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
Saint Blase, Bishop and Martyr, or Saint Ansgar, Bishop – Optional Memorial
At sinabi niya, “Amen, sinasabi ko sa inyo, walang propetang tinatanggap sa sarili niyang bayan.” Lucas 4:24
Sharing the Gospel with your family is not always as easy as sharing it with a stranger. Conversely, listening to the Gospel message from a family member is not always as easy as hearing it from someone else. Why is that?
It may be that familiarity with another, such as the familiarity we have with family members, can tempt us to lack a certain confidence in their convictions and in their Christian witness. Though this is certainly not true of every relationship we have, it can be the case with some. Children, at times, will not put as much confidence in the words of a parent as they may another. Siblings may not be as open to advice from each other as they are from other people.
Marahil ang isa sa mga dahilan ng ganitong karanasan ay madalas na mas mapuna tayo sa mga taong kilalang-kilala natin kaysa sa mga hindi natin kilala. Madali nating hinahayaang maging hadlang sa pagiging bukas natin sa ating mga kapamilya ang mahabang kasaysayan ng ating mga personal na karanasan sa kanila. Lalo itong nangyayari dahil sa masasamang karanasang pinagdaanan natin sa paglipas ng mga taon. Kadalasan, kinikimkim natin ang masasamang karanasan at mga sama ng loob taon-taon, at hinahayaan nating maging batayan ang mga ito sa pagtingin natin sa anumang sinasabi o ginagawa ng isang kapamilya.
This statement from Jesus, that “no prophet is accepted in his own native place,” should challenge us to make sure we do not fall into this tendency. We should do what we can to make sure that we do accept the prophetic witness shared with us from our own family members.
The best way to do this is to make sure that we regularly strive to purge any “baggage” we carry in those relationships. Very often, we carry the baggage of hurt, anger and resentment without even realizing it. We also easily focus in on the weaknesses of family members since we easily witness their weaknesses as a result of being close to them.
Pagnilayan mo ngayon ang iyong pamilya. Pagnilayan mo lalo na kung hinahayaan mong makita ang higit pa sa kanilang mga kahinaan at kasalanan upang mamalas ang kabutihan ng Diyos na kumikilos sa kanilang buhay. Maraming nais sabihin sa iyo ang Diyos sa pamamagitan nila. Tiyakin mong hindi mo isinara ang pintuang iyon at handa kang tanggapin sila bilang mga tagapagdala ng Ebanghelyo.
Lord, I thank You for my family. I thank You for the gift that they have been in my life. Help me to daily show mercy and forgiveness to them as needed. Help me to daily be open to Your voice speaking through them. Jesus, I trust in You.
Higit pang mga Pagninilay sa Ebanghelyo
Mga Pagninilay sa Inaawit na Awa ng Diyos
Saints of the Day – Saint Blase – Saint Ansgar
