Cathedral Homilies - September 15 (Fr. Viel)
Summary
TLDRIn this reflective sermon, the speaker shares a personal experience from seminary, highlighting the challenges faced by a fellow seminarian and the importance of determination and inner strength. Drawing from the Scripture, particularly the Book of Isaiah and the Gospel of Mark, the message emphasizes the support and guidance of God in overcoming life's difficulties. The sermon also touches on the significance of faith with works, encouraging believers to persevere through hardships with the knowledge that God is their companion and support.
Takeaways
- π The speaker begins by expressing gratitude for the gathering of the faithful and acknowledges the blessings received.
- π A seminary experience is shared, highlighting the challenges faced by those studying Christology and the personal growth that comes from such studies.
- π The speaker reflects on being asked to take over responsibilities, symbolizing the cycle of facing and overcoming difficulties.
- πͺ The message of determination and inner strength is emphasized, inspired by the readings from the Book of Isaiah and the life of Jesus.
- π The prophecy of Isaiah is discussed, particularly focusing on Jesus' acceptance of his suffering and the support he found in God.
- π£ Jesus' openness about his upcoming suffering and death, as told in the Gospel of Mark, is mentioned to illustrate his resolve.
- π€ The speaker prompts the audience to consider the source of Jesus' and others' determination and strength in the face of adversity.
- π The importance of faith and works is highlighted, suggesting that faith is not just belief but also action and perseverance.
- π¨βπ©βπ§βπ¦ The community is encouraged to support each other, drawing strength from the collective belief in God's presence and assistance.
- π The Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows is mentioned, with a reflection on Mary's strength and the promise of God's companionship through life's trials.
Q & A
What is the main theme of the reflection shared in the transcript?
-The main theme of the reflection is the importance of determination and inner strength in facing life's difficulties, inspired by the teachings and experiences of Jesus and the prophet Isaiah.
Why is Christology described as a difficult subject in the seminary?
-Christology is described as a difficult subject because it involves deep personal and psychospiritual processing, and the seminarians are expected to have already undergone significant personal growth and understanding of Jesus Christ.
What does the speaker suggest is the secret to Jesus' determination and strength in facing his passion?
-The speaker suggests that Jesus' determination and strength come from his faith and trust in God, as stated in the prophecy of Isaiah, where Jesus knows that God is his help and will not be put to shame.
How does the speaker relate the difficulties faced by Jesus to the challenges in everyday life?
-The speaker relates the difficulties faced by Jesus to everyday life by emphasizing that life is inherently filled with crosses and challenges, and that the same determination and strength Jesus exhibited can be found within individuals through their faith in God.
What is the significance of the phrase 'Faith with works' mentioned in the transcript?
-The phrase 'Faith with works' signifies the belief that faith is not just about believing but also about taking action and demonstrating one's faith through deeds, as exemplified by Jesus and the challenges he faced.
Why does the speaker mention the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows in the context of the reflection?
-The speaker mentions the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows to draw a parallel between the suffering of Mary standing at the cross of her son and the personal sufferings and challenges that individuals face in their lives.
What is the 'stabat mater' and how does it relate to the reflection?
-The 'stabat mater' is a medieval hymn that describes the suffering of Mary as she stands at the foot of the cross. It relates to the reflection as it serves as an inspiration to face difficulties with the same determination and faith that Mary had.
How does the speaker encourage the congregation to view their struggles?
-The speaker encourages the congregation to view their struggles as opportunities to demonstrate their faith and reliance on God, much like Jesus and Mary faced their challenges with determination and trust in God's support.
What is the message conveyed by the speaker about facing life's difficulties?
-The message conveyed is that despite the hardships and difficulties in life, one can find the strength and determination to face them by having faith in God's presence and support.
Why does the speaker emphasize the importance of having God as a companion in life?
-The speaker emphasizes the importance of having God as a companion in life to provide comfort, strength, and determination in the face of life's challenges, as it is through this companionship that individuals find the courage to persevere.
Outlines
π Embracing Challenges with Faith
The speaker begins by expressing gratitude to God for the blessings received and the opportunity to gather as a community of faith. They share a personal experience from their time in the seminary, where a fellow student's struggles with a difficult subject, Christology, inspired them. The speaker reflects on how they were often asked to take over responsibilities when others found them too challenging. They emphasize the importance of determination and inner strength, drawing parallels to the life of Jesus as described in the book of Isaiah. Despite facing suffering, Jesus remained steadfast, showing that with God's help, one can overcome life's difficulties.
π The Secret to Overcoming Life's Crosses
In this paragraph, the speaker continues the theme of facing life's challenges by referencing Jesus' teachings about suffering and rejection, as told by St. Mark. They ponder the secret to Jesus' determination and inner strength, suggesting it lies in the belief that God is always near. The speaker encourages the congregation to find strength in their faith, just as Jesus did, knowing that God's presence can help them endure hardships. They also mention the importance of community support, as seen in the example of the Our Lady of Sorrows, whose faith in God's presence gave her the strength to stand by her son's cross.
π The Comfort of God's Presence
The final paragraph focuses on the assurance of God's presence during life's trials, as exemplified by the Our Lady of Sorrows. The speaker describes the image of Mary standing at the foot of the cross and questions what gave her the strength to do so. They conclude that it was her faith in God's companionship that provided her with the determination to face her son's suffering. The speaker reassures the congregation that they too will face their own 'Pascal mystery' of passion, death, and resurrection, but they can take comfort in knowing that God will be with them every step of the way.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Christology
π‘Determination
π‘Inner Strength
π‘Crosses
π‘Prophecy of the Servant
π‘Faith
π‘Pascal Mystery
π‘Our Lady of Sorrows
π‘Stabat Mater
π‘Resurrection
Highlights
The importance of expressing gratitude to God for the blessings received.
Reflection on a seminary experience and the challenges faced by a contemporary who is now a priest.
The difficulty of the Christology subject and its impact on personal and psychospiritual growth.
The significance of determination and inner strength in facing life's challenges.
The role of God's grace in overcoming difficulties in a particular office.
Inspiration from the Sunday readings to face life's crosses with determination.
The prophecy of Isaiah and its relevance during the lenten season, symbolizing Jesus' passion.
Jesus' open acknowledgment of his suffering and the importance of having God's help.
The secret to Jesus' and the prophet's determination is their faith in God's presence.
The concept of faith with works and its encouragement to face life's difficulties.
The role of faith in providing strength and companionship in life's struggles.
The significance of the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows and its message of hope.
The image of Our Lady of Sorrows as a symbol of strength and determination in the face of her son's suffering.
The assurance of God's presence in our lives, providing the strength to face our own paschal mystery.
The message that God will take care of us in our passion, death, and resurrection.
Transcripts
Good morning my dear brothers and
sisters we thank the Lord for Gathering
us once again as a family of faith this
Sunday as we express our gratitude to
God for the Many blessings that we also
receive I'd like to begin our Reflection
this morning with another seminary
experience you know had this seminary
contemporary I think He's already a
priest a year ahead of me at kapagka
ahead ka sa isang klase Malamang yung
napagdaanan nila ay mapagdadaanan mo
din at Bakit po siya tumatak sa isip ko
i would always remember this brother of
ours saying to me or to all of us dahil
nga He is a Of Us He would tell us Alam
mo yang christology subject christology
is a subject studying Jesus christology
Alam mo yang christology subject naku
mahirap
yan because he is also ahead of us a lot
of personal or psychospiritual
processing were already done or they
already did the
us nak napakahirap niyan pahihirapan
kayo niyan and to many aspects in life
that would always be com nak napakahirap
niyan and I was telling
myself napaka delikadong sundan ng taong
ito dahil lahat mahirap sa kanya
Siguro po mapaglaro ang
Diyos dahil whenever he would let go of
a committee the seminary would ask me to
replace
him He was part of the publication
committee and I was the one who
succeeded him for a certain
committee accelerated into the next year
and I was
the him Sabi ko ito na
nga mukhang masasabi ko nga mahirap na
nga
ito and I was really trying to battle
out that experience hindi pwedeng
mahirap lang ito to the end that I will
do nothing towards the end dahil sinabi
ko mahirap na lang mahirap na lamang
mahirap na
lamang but I give thanks to God for the
graces bestowed on that particular
office dahil mukhang nagawa naman namin
ng mabuti at nakayanan na naman din
namin my dear brothers and sisters if
you are to look at the characters or the
spirit of our readings this
Sunday our readings would like to
inspire Us with that certain sense of
determination
lakas ng
loob because we would know that our life
indeed will be a life of
crosses life that will
also Let us
say life is
difficult being a parent is difficult
being a priest is
difficult having my own occupation my
own vocation life is
aoss and Our readings As I've said would
like to inspire Us with that certain
sense of determination that amount of
Strength within
us sa atin pong unang pagbasa from the
book of the prophet
Isaiah This is this reading would
usually be preached during lenten season
and would always be and this is a
prophecy of the servant which is Jesus
whom After this prophecy will be facing
his passion his death and
Resurrection at parang Okay lang sa
kanya at malakas yung loob niyang
sabihin I gave my back to those who beat
me my cheeks to those who plucked my
beard my face I did not sh from buffets
and Sige pahirapan niyo lang ako okay
lang sa
akin and at the same time we see and
hear
Jesus openly as St Mark would tell us
openly telling his
Disciples that the son of man must
suffer greatly be rejected by the elders
the chief priest and the scribes and be
killed and on the third day
again parang Napakadali lang sabihing
maghihirap
ako dadaan ako sa madaming pagsubok sa
buhay na
ito And maybe we would ask them what is
your
secret We want that kind of
determination We want we want that kind
of inner
strength to face the crosses in life
just as you can openly say
it What Might Be their
secret we go back to what the prophecy
of Isaiah said towards the last
portion the Lord God is my help
therefore I am not
disgraced I have set my flint knowing
that I shall not be put to shame He is
near to uphold my
R the Lord God is my help who will prove
me
wrong kaya alam ni Hesus at kaya niyang
sabihin na dadating ang panahon na
maghihirap ako haharapin ko ang kalbaryo
dahil alam kong may baon ako sa sarili
ko at walang iba kundi ang
Diyos this servant would like to say and
inspire to us and inspire us that
indeed We will also be facing our
oppressors We will face a difficult
life but What makes us
determined is that God is by our
side at Diyan po tayo huhugot ng
lakas Bakit tayo lalaban Bakit tayo
susulong sa buhay na ito dahil may
kakampi at may kasama tayong
Diyos This is Faith This is Faith with
works that hopefully whenever we would
Hear A Friend we would we would Hear A
family member someone de to us telling
us you know I've been dealing with the
difficulties in
life studies are hard work is hard
relationship is
hard but then Let Him experience What St
James would like to tell us Faith that
comes from
works Faith telling him that that sister
or that
brother God is with you you can do it
may kasama at kakampi tayo sa buhay na
ito
mga minamahal na
kapatid lalaban tayo sa buhay na ito
dahil alam nating may kasama tayo at may
kakampi
tayo napakahirap pong sabihin
na kaya nating humarap sa madaming crus
Sa madaming pagsubok sa mga madaming
magpapahirap sa
atin at nakakagaan ngo na makakita ng
mga taong
magsasabing Sige kahit mahirap go
tayo Kahit madaming
paghihirap sulong tayo Kahit madaming
kailangan pag-isipan madaming kailangan
pag-ipunan ng lakas ng loob Sige pursigi
tayo kaya sila nakasabi na mga ganong
bagay dahil alam nilang may kakampi at
kasama silang Diyos alam nilang hindi
sila iiwan ng
Diyos if Today is a week day we
celebrate
today the Memorial of the Our Lady of
Sorrows and we have a beautiful image
donated to us just right on your left sa
ino paliwa That is a very beautiful
image of the Our Lady of Sorrows
and whenever the feast of Our Lady of
sorrow will be
celebrated we used to pray or sing the
stabat
matter stabat matter means the mother
standing at the fruit of the
Cross at siguro mai-inspire tayo at
masasabi natin kay Maria
sa ilalim o sa paanan ng crus ng iyong
anak Anak mo yan eh ayaw mong nakikitang
naghihirap yan you are face to face with
the cross of your
son What made you determined so strong
to stand at that
cross And maybe the Blessed
Mother would like to tell us
alam k may kakampi ako dahil alam kong
may kasama
ako bring this good news to you my dear
brothers and
sisters We will be facing our Pascal
mystery our passion our death and Our
Resurrection Because God is with us and
God will take care of
us l
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