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Plenty: Talk 5 – God Wants To Give You The Gift of Radical

2023-12-16T01:31:10+08:00

TalkBRO, JOHN BEN RODRIGUEZ:WE’RE on the last Talk of our series, Plenty. And today the big message of the Talk is: God Wants To Give You the Gift of Radical Giving.I want to do a quick survey: Do you have regrets in your life? Who among you have regrets?I see people nodding.May I share one regret? They say that experience is the best teacher. Do you agree? Because sometimes, when you do something, the consequence is so painful, that you would not do it again. And it will be the lesson that you bring your entire life.But knowing that, sometimes, I still have these little regrets. I want to share one of them…One of my regrets in life is that I entered early into so many romantic relationships. Two in high school, two in college. Because I thought that entering into a relationship would complete what I felt was a lack in my life.But that’s not true.What To Do with RegretsSingle people, if you’re thinking of entering into a relationship because you feel “This is what I need…” Don’t. Because entering into that relationship will only magnify your neediness.So, for me, if only it’s possible to step back,I would say, “Lord, I should have not entered so early into relationships. Perhaps, it would have sped up my healing in my journey.”That’s a regret that I hold on to.But I thank the Lord because God can always do something good out of your wrong decisions.Another regret in my life -- I know some of you can relate—is that I procrastinate so much. I’m a crammer.Who are procrastinators here? See, they are even procrastinating in raising their hands. You are procrastinators J.I’m finding it so hard to unlearn that habit.So, sometimes, in my prayer, I say, “Lord, what do I do with these regrets?”Because sometimes these regrets enter my mind-- even though I know my life is blessed.Have you ever asked God that question: “Lord, what do I do with regrets in my life?”I discovered one beautiful thing that you could do with your regrets: You give them away. In what form?We usually teach you here in The Feast you can give to God your worries, your burdens, your fears, your regrets-- in Worship. That’s the usual way of giving to God that I have grown up with.I was a campus missionary at the University of the Philippines, Diliman.Remember, experience is the best teacher. So, I did not want these children to whom we were introducing God to make the same mistakes that I made.So, you know what I did? I taught them and shared with them my experience.So, some of them did not rush into relationships. Some of them were also procrastinators but now they are no longer procrastinators.And you know what? It has given me profound fulfillment. Why? Because my efforts were not in vain.Give Them to GodSo, I believe this message is speaking to you today.If you have regrets, and probably, you’re telling God, “Lord, it’s too late. I

Plenty: Talk 5 – God Wants To Give You The Gift of Radical2023-12-16T01:31:10+08:00

Saturday of the First Week of Advent

2023-12-10T05:01:48+08:00

Readings for the Optional Memorial of Saint Juan Diego CuauhtlatoatzinReading 1 Is 30:19-21, 23-26 Thus says the Lord GOD,the Holy One of Israel:O people of Zion, who dwell in Jerusalem,no more will you weep;He will be gracious to you when you cry out,as soon as he hears he will answer you.The Lord will give you the bread you needand the water for which you thirst.No longer will your Teacher hide himself,but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher,While from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears:"This is the way; walk in it,"when you would turn to the right or to the left.He will give rain for the seedthat you sow in the ground,And the wheat that the soil produceswill be rich and abundant.On that day your flock will be given pastureand the lamb will graze in spacious meadows;The oxen and the asses that till the groundwill eat silage tossed to themwith shovel and pitchfork.Upon every high mountain and lofty hillthere will be streams of running water.On the day of the great slaughter,when the towers fall,The light of the moon will be like that of the sunand the light of the sun will be seven times greaterlike the light of seven days.On the day the LORD binds up the wounds of his people,he will heal the bruises left by his blows. Responsorial Psalm Ps 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 R. (see Isaiah 30:18d) Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.Praise the LORD, for he is good;sing praise to our God, for he is gracious;it is fitting to praise him.The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem;the dispersed of Israel he gathers. R. Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.He heals the brokenheartedand binds up their wounds.He tells the number of the stars;he calls each by name.R. Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.Great is our LORD and mighty in power:to his wisdom there is no limit.The LORD sustains the lowly;the wicked he casts to the ground.R. Blessed are all who wait for the Lord. Alleluia Is 33:22 R. Alleluia, alleluia.The LORD is our Judge, our Lawgiver, our King;he it is who will save us.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 9:35–10:1, 5a, 6-8 Jesus went around to all the towns and villages,teaching in their synagogues,proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for thembecause 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 harvestto send out laborers for his harvest." Then he summoned his Twelve disciplesand gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them outand to cure every disease and every illness. Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus,"Go 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

Saturday of the First Week of Advent2023-12-10T05:01:48+08:00

Plenty: Talk 4 – Trust His Generosity

2023-12-09T01:45:46+08:00

Talk BRO. JOHN BEN RODRIGUEZ: The message for Talk 4 today is this: Trust His Generosity. Who among you has already eaten at a buffet event? Probably in a hotel restaurant. And as you know, in a buffet, some items are in demand. It could be the steak. It could be the Lechon. In the Japanese section, it could be the Salmon Sashimi. My wife and I, we love the Salmon Sashimi. So, one time, we were eating at this buffet, and we knew that this item was in demand. So, we lined up already because the serving plate was freshly refilled. I was fourth in the line. When the third person was already getting the Salmon Sashimi, I noticed that he was kind of excited. He was taking everything! I was telling myself, “We love Salmon Sashimi…” Imagine me already excited, waiting for my turn-- I was already mixing my soy sauce with Wasabi on the side, and a little calamansi … But when it was already my turn, there was no more Salmon Sashimi! And I became furious. I hated that person. How dare he… My God! He did not leave some for me. He could always go back if he wanted some more because the serving plate would be refilled. Scarcity vs. Abundance Why am I sharing this? Because I believe that God designed Life in Abundance. There are blessings all around. But sometimes, scarcity happens. And scarcity is mostly man- made. Some grab, some take advantage, others don’t allow you to receive the blessing for you. Has it happened to you in real life? At a buffet? Or maybe in your office – credit was taken away from you. You did all the work and someone took credit. But God is reminding you today that there’s no scarcity. His supply will never run out. I think that’s the problem with people today. Even if there is abundance everywhere people only see scarcity. So, they scheme, struggle, and squabble, constantly. They grab. And you know what? today we will learn that thinking in scarcity creates enemies. Because when I see scarcity, the next time I’m at a buffet, even if there’s someone behind me, I will get everything because that’s my share. That’s scarcity thinking. And when others do that to you, that’s scarcity thinking also. And you create enemies—enemies that must not be there in the first place if you have the right mindset of abundance. Do you have enemies? Today, Jesus God will teach us how to handle our enemies. Let’s praise the Lord today and sing: Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet And a Light unto my path. Tough Call So, we’re reading a passage today from Matthew 5: 43-48. I know some of you are already saying, “May we skip that part? May we go to the good part? But we must follow it. Let’s continue: It’s a tough call. Lord, may we love just those who are lovely? Just

Plenty: Talk 4 – Trust His Generosity2023-12-09T01:45:46+08:00

Wednesday of the First Week of Advent

2023-12-07T05:01:09+08:00

Reading 1 Is 25:6-10a On this mountain the LORD of hostswill provide for all peoplesA feast of rich food and choice wines,juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.On this mountain he will destroythe veil that veils all peoples,The web that is woven over all nations;he will destroy death forever.The Lord GOD will wipe awaythe tears from all faces;The reproach of his people he will removefrom the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken.On that day it will be said:"Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!This is the LORD for whom we looked;let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!"For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain. Responsorial Psalm Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 R. (6cd) I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.In verdant pastures he gives me repose;Beside restful waters he leads me;he refreshes my soul.R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.He guides me in right pathsfor his name's sake.Even though I walk in the dark valleyI fear no evil; for you are at my sideWith your rod and your staffthat give me courage. R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.You spread the table before mein the sight of my foes;You anoint my head with oil;my cup overflows.R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.Only goodness and kindness follow meall the days of my life;And I shall dwell in the house of the LORDfor years to come.R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. Alleluia R. Alleluia, alleluia.Behold, the Lord comes to save his people;blessed are those prepared to meet him.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 15:29-37 At that time:Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee,went up on the mountain, and sat down there. Great crowds came to him,having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute,and many others. They placed them at his feet, and he cured them. The crowds were amazed when they saw the mute speaking,the deformed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind able to see,and they glorified the God of Israel.Jesus summoned his disciples and said,"My heart is moved with pity for the crowd,for they have been with me now for three daysand have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry,for fear they may collapse on the way." The disciples said to him,"Where could we ever get enough bread in this deserted placeto satisfy such a crowd?" Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" "Seven," they replied, "and a few fish." He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the fish,gave thanks, broke the loaves,and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the

Wednesday of the First Week of Advent2023-12-07T05:01:09+08:00

Feast Conference 2023 : New Promise

2023-12-02T02:04:42+08:00

TalkBRO. BO SANCHEZ: Welcome!I want you to ask the person beside you: Have you opened your door? I want you to give a big hug to that person beside you, and maybe four, or five more persons around you. Just give that person a big hug.God is here. God is here. So good to be in the Presence of the Lord. May we give a big hand to our Worship Team? Maraming salamat. You are so good.Everybody, just tell the people here, You’re so good. You’re so good. If you see a servant beside you, tell that person, “You’re so good.”What I want to do is I want to honor the people who do not come from Metro Manila but they traveled here. I want you to stand up… if you came from the province, if you came grom another country, you flew here, just stand up.So good. Unbelievable. Thank you so much.There’s this woman here who flies from New Zealand just to come here, just to serve. Would you believe that? Thank you!We’ve got a big bunch of people from Singapore—Feast Singapore.Really, from the bottom of my heart, Thank you. What Fr. Bob loves to say, you make us believe… It is easier for us to believe that what we’re doing is worth it because you’re making that effort. And it’s difficult to, you know, come here, and take off that space, that time. Maraming salamat. Thank you so much!Vows Do Not ExpireMay I ask all the wives to raise their hands?— Just all the married women. Thank you.Married women, I’m going to ask you this question: How many times do you want your husband to tell you, I love you?If your husband will say, “I saidI love you on our wedding day, five years ago, 10 years ago, 15 years ago, and so on-- and that’s enough.”What would you say? Some married women here will say, “Up to date na ba ang life insurance mo?”JI want to believe that married women would want to say, “As often as possible. Yes. Every day. If possible.”Yes, or no? Yes!!!If you’re a husband beside that woman, can you tell that woman I love you?Twenty-five years ago, I married this gorgeous woman who gets more and more gorgeous every day. It seems like she just came off her Freshman orientation in college today.Last July, a few months ago, in front of a thousand people, or more, we said I love you again to each other. And this woman, it’s really interesting because we renewed our vows after 25 years. Now, Fr. Dennis Paez SDB, would say, the vows do not expire.There is no expiration date for vows. But why do we renew them?Why did we renew our marriage vow, Sweetheart? Why did we say again I love you to each other? You don’t know…  So, the vows do not expire… But we still have to say, I love you to each other constantly, every day, if possible—and I really believe this: it’s

Feast Conference 2023 : New Promise2023-12-02T02:04:42+08:00

Tuesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

2023-11-29T05:01:17+08:00

Reading 1 Dn 2:31-45 Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar:"In your vision, O king, you saw a statue,very large and exceedingly bright,terrifying in appearance as it stood before you.The head of the statue was pure gold,its chest and arms were silver,its belly and thighs bronze, the legs iron,its feet partly iron and partly tile.While you looked at the statue,a stone which was hewn from a mountainwithout a hand being put to it,struck its iron and tile feet, breaking them in pieces.The iron, tile, bronze, silver, and gold all crumbled at once,fine as the chaff on the threshing floor in summer,and the wind blew them away without leaving a trace.But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountainand filled the whole earth."This was the dream;the interpretation we shall also give in the king's presence.You, O king, are the king of kings;to you the God of heavenhas given dominion and strength, power and glory;men, wild beasts, and birds of the air, wherever they may dwell,he has handed over to you, making you ruler over them all;you are the head of gold.Another kingdom shall take your place, inferior to yours,then a third kingdom, of bronze,which shall rule over the whole earth.There shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron;it shall break in pieces and subdue all these others,just as iron breaks in pieces and crushes everything else.The feet and toes you saw, partly of potter's tile and partly of iron,mean that it shall be a divided kingdom,but yet have some of the hardness of iron.As you saw the iron mixed with clay tile,and the toes partly iron and partly tile,the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile.The iron mixed with clay tilemeans that they shall seal their alliances by intermarriage,but they shall not stay united, any more than iron mixes with clay.In the lifetime of those kingsthe God of heaven will set up a kingdomthat shall never be destroyed or delivered up to another people;rather, it shall break in pieces all these kingdomsand put an end to them, and it shall stand forever.That is the meaning of the stone you saw hewn from the mountainwithout a hand being put to it,which broke in pieces the tile, iron, bronze, silver, and gold.The great God has revealed to the king what shall be in the future;this is exactly what you dreamed, and its meaning is sure." Responsorial Psalm Dn 3:57, 58, 59, 60, 61 R. (59b) Give glory and eternal praise to him."Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord,praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord,praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."You heavens, bless the Lord,praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord,praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all

Tuesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time2023-11-29T05:01:17+08:00

Monday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

2023-11-28T05:01:07+08:00

Reading 1 Dn 1:1-6, 8-20 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah,King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon cameand laid siege to Jerusalem.The Lord handed over to him Jehoiakim, king of Judah,and some of the vessels of the temple of God;he carried them off to the land of Shinar,and placed the vessels in the temple treasury of his god.The king told Ashpenaz, his chief chamberlain,to bring in some of the children of Israel of royal bloodand of the nobility, young men without any defect,handsome, intelligent and wise,quick to learn, and prudent in judgment,such as could take their place in the king's palace;they were to be taught the language and literature of the Chaldeans;after three years' training they were to enter the king's service.The king allotted them a daily portion of food and winefrom the royal table.Among these were men of Judah: Daniel, Hananiah,Mishael, and Azariah.But Daniel was resolved not to defile himselfwith the king's food or wine;so he begged the chief chamberlain to spare him this defilement.Though God had given Daniel the favor and sympathyof the chief chamberlain, he nevertheless said to Daniel,"I am afraid of my lord the king;it is he who allotted your food and drink.If he sees that you look wretchedby comparison with the other young men of your age,you will endanger my life with the king."Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief chamberlainhad put in charge of Daniel, Hananiah,Mishael, and Azariah,"Please test your servants for ten days.Give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.Then see how we look in comparison with the other young menwho eat from the royal table,and treat your servants according to what you see."He acceded to this request, and tested them for ten days;after ten days they looked healthier and better fedthan any of the young men who ate from the royal table.So the steward continued to take awaythe food and wine they were to receive, and gave them vegetables.To these four young men God gave knowledge and proficiencyin all literature and science,and to Daniel the understanding of all visions and dreams.At the end of the time the king had specified for their preparation,the chief chamberlain brought them before Nebuchadnezzar.When the king had spoken with all of them,none was found equal to Daniel, Hananiah,Mishael, and Azariah;and so they entered the king's service.In any question of wisdom or prudence which the king put to them,he found them ten times betterthan all the magicians and enchanters in his kingdom. Responsorial Psalm Dn 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56 R. (52b) Glory and praise for ever!"Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;And blessed is your holy and glorious name,praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages."R. Glory and praise for ever!"Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,praiseworthy and glorious above all forever."R. Glory and praise for ever!"Blessed are you on the throne of your Kingdom,praiseworthy and exalted above all forever."R. Glory and praise for ever!"Blessed are you who look into

Monday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time2023-11-28T05:01:07+08:00

Plenty: Talk 3 – Stop Taking—Start Receiving

2023-11-24T20:07:42+08:00

TalkBRO. ALVIN BARCELONA:Welcome back to our powerfully inspiring series: Plenty: How To Live in God’s Radical Generosity. Tell the person beside you: “This is the message to bring home.” Say: Stop Taking… Start Receiving.By nature, we are takers. We want to take things. Look at babies, toddlers. They just take anything and everything that they see. They will not only take. They will put that thing in their mouth and swallow it.I know—because I have two children. My daughter, the younger one, Aia, when she was young, she picked up a paper clip, put it in her mouth, and swallowed it. Of course, we didn’t know it was a paper clip. We just saw her trying to throw up. She was choking! And we were panicking!Me, I would just be, “Oh, let’s pray!But her Mommy—thank God for mommies, they can think straight…Mommy picked up Aia, put her upside down, and forcefully tapped her back until she threw up—and that’s how we found out what she swallowed: a paper clip!And I was like, “Does she have some documents in her tummy that she needs a paper clip to compile them?”But here, her older sibling—you probably know him: Aio— I found out only recently during one of our casual chats, he swallowed a battery! His Mommy did the same—slapped his back several times until he threw up the battery.My God, why didn’t I know about that? Now I know why my son is so energisedWe Are GrabbersBut this is what’s funny… When we were kids—no exception, probably, we liked to grab things.Look at this photo:The kids are grabbing over a toy. But there are more toys around them.We are like that. We have something but when someone has something else, we put down what we have and grab what the other one has. It’s crazy.We were irrational when we were kids. But this is the sad part: We bring this attitude even when we become adults. We still want to grab.Oh, this one is okay--provided you pay for the itemWe become grabbers. We push, we step on each other, we shove, and we force ourselves into somebody else’s place just to get what we want—even when we already have the same item. Many adults still act like toddlers.Why? Why do we continue to take? You know, the answer is more than because we need it. Sometimes not. Or, more than because of anger.It’s fear. We are afraid that we might run out of supplies… We are afraid the other would have more than we have. Crazy. And this mindset is the fruit of conflicts even among families, companies, and countries to the point of going to war. Because we want to grab—to take even if the thing is no longer ours or is not yet ours. Taking in the BibleEven in the Bible, from the start— in Genesis—taking already happened.Let’s sing to the Word of the Lord:Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet and a Light unto my path. I’m going to

Plenty: Talk 3 – Stop Taking—Start Receiving2023-11-24T20:07:42+08:00

Thursday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time-Thanksgiving

2023-11-24T05:01:15+08:00

Readings for the Thursday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary TimeReadings for the Thanksgiving DayThursday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time Thanksgiving Day Readings for the Optional Memorial of Saint Clement I, pope and martyrReadings for the Optional Memorial of Saint Columban, abbotReadings for the Optional Memorial of Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro, priest and martyr - - -Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Thursday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time-Thanksgiving2023-11-24T05:01:15+08:00

Saturday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time

2023-11-19T05:01:55+08:00

Reading I Wis 18:14-16; 19:6-9 When peaceful stillness compassed everything and the night in its swift course was half spent, Your all-powerful word, from heaven’s royal throne bounded, a fierce warrior, into the doomed land, bearing the sharp sword of your inexorable decree. And as he alighted, he filled every place with death; he still reached to heaven, while he stood upon the earth. For all creation, in its several kinds, was being made over anew, serving its natural laws, that your children might be preserved unharmed. The cloud overshadowed their camp; and out of what had before been water, dry land was seen emerging: Out of the Red Sea an unimpeded road, and a grassy plain out of the mighty flood. Over this crossed the whole nation sheltered by your hand, after they beheld stupendous wonders. For they ranged about like horses, and bounded about like lambs, praising you, O Lord! their deliverer. Responsorial Psalm 105:2-3, 36-37, 42-43 R.    (5a) Remember the marvels the Lord has done! or: R.    Alleluia. Sing to him, sing his praise,     proclaim all his wondrous deeds. Glory in his holy name;     rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD! R.    Remember the marvels the Lord has done! or: R.    Alleluia. Then he struck every firstborn throughout their land,     the first fruits of all their manhood. And he led them forth laden with silver and gold,     with not a weakling among their tribes. R.    Remember the marvels the Lord has done! or: R.    Alleluia. For he remembered his holy word     to his servant Abraham. And he led forth his people with joy;     with shouts of joy, his chosen ones. R.    Remember the marvels the Lord has done! or: R.    Alleluia. Alleluia See 2 Thes 2:14 R. Alleluia, alleluia. God has called us through the Gospel, to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Lk 18:1-8 Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.  He said, “There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being.  And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, ‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’ For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, ‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being,  because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.’”  The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says.  Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night?  Will he be slow to answer them?  I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily.  But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Readings for the Optional Memorial of Dedication of the Basilicas

Saturday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time2023-11-19T05:01:55+08:00

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