14th Sunday After Pentecost

The Altar, Divine Mercy Parish, Sikatuna, Quezon City

The theme for this mass encourages us to trust in the Lord. The Lord Our God is offended when we become so excessively pre-occupied with temporal concerns. We are taught by the Lord to trust in Him and to moderate our excessive concerns for temporalities. The Lection for this Sunday was taken from Galatians 5:16-24. The main lesson from this passage is that the apostle admonishes us to walk in the spirit, otherwise we shall be living according to the flesh. He enumerated several indicators of a person living in the flesh. On the othr hand the apostle spoke of the fruits of the spirit. The gospel reading for this Sunday was taken from Matthew 6:24-33 and here Our Lord tells us that no man can serve two masters. We were adminished not to worry. And the wonderful characteristic of a teacher was evident in how our Lord uses real objects in the world to demonstrate and illustrate eternal teachings so that ordinary people may understand its meaning.

I also had the rare chance of being present at this Sunday's Mass at Divine Mercy Parish. Fr. Joe Mitchel Zerrudo focused his sermon on the theme of the consequences of living according to the flesh. I could not exactly recall everything said, but the most striking points are the following:

• Why would it be difficult for many Catholics to accept Humanae Vitae. It is because many of us have forgotten the Christian ideals of crucifyng our selves and taking up our cross. These are gospel values that are so different from the comfort seeking world who wants the easy way. Broad indeed is the path that leads to perdition but narrow is the way that leads to eternal life. When the Church tells couples to abstain and to regulate their sexual relationships, it is always met with protests. Why? because it is hard for the flesh to deny itself. When the Church tells us that artificial contraceptives is wrong, it is always met with protests. Why? because the flesh tells us to live comfortable lives. Its a burden to have many children. Its a burden to educate Children. Its because we want to enjoy our salary and income. We have forgotten the values of self-giving love, the taking of our cross and the task of seeking the Kingdom of God.

• Many of our illness and deceases are a result of our fleshly esires such as glutony. Diabetes may be a result of glutony. We hardly think about it.