Reflections

Reflection on the XX Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

By Fray Hubert Dunstan Decena, OAR / August 13, 2020 / Comments Off on Reflection on the XX Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

Is 56:1, 6-7; Rom. 11:13-15, 29-32; Mt 15: 21-28 It was the belief in Israel that salvation was only for Israel, the descendants of Abraham. Even after the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, already in the Acts of the Apostles, Peter was questioned by the other Apostles why he entered the house of…

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Sunday Reflections: 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

By Fray Hubert Dunstan Decena, OAR / July 28, 2020 / Comments Off on Sunday Reflections: 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

Is. 55:1-3; Rom. 8:35, 37-39; Mt. 14:13-21 The 1st reading from Isaiah opens with an invitation to eat and drink water, wine and milk, and all of it for free. This passage from the prophet Isaiah signals for us events in the New Testament that Jesus would do not only to feed our body but…

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Sunday Reflection: 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

By Fray Hubert Dunstan Decena, OAR / July 26, 2020 / Comments Off on Sunday Reflection: 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

1 Kgs 3:5, 7-12; Rom 8:28-30; Mt 13:44-52 Two Sundays ago we heard the parable of the sower and we saw that God sows his Word for all persons to receive; he does not choose only the good soil, but makes his Word available to all kinds of hearts to receive. He does not discriminate…

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Reflections: 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

By Fray Hubert Dunstan Decena, OAR / July 19, 2020 / Comments Off on Reflections: 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

Wis. 12:13, 16-19; Rom. 8:26-27; Mt.13:24-43 This Sunday we are presented with three parables of the Kingdom. Let us reflect on them one by one. The mustard seed is a physical image of the Church founded by Christ. It was a very small seed in Jerusalem, then it was given by Philip to the Eunuch…

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Reflections: 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

By Fray Hubert Dunstan Decena, OAR / July 8, 2020 / Comments Off on Reflections: 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

Is 55:10-11; Rom. 8:18-23; Mt. 13:1-23. Our Gospel today is usually called “The Parable of the Sower.” And yet the sower is mentioned only at the beginning: ‘A sower went out to sow’ and not spoken of again. What is the concern of the parable? It is not the sower but the kinds of soil…

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Reflections: 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

By Fray Hubert Dunstan Decena, OAR / July 4, 2020 / Comments Off on Reflections: 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

Zech. 9:9-10; Rom. 8:9, 11-13; Mt. 11: 25-30 In our Gospel passage today Jesus speaks to God the Father in second person as a Son speaks to his Father. He praises God that he has revealed the mystery of salvation not to those who considered themselves learned about God’s Law i.e., to the Scribes and…

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Reflection: 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

By Fray Hubert Dunstan Decena, OAR / June 27, 2020 / Comments Off on Reflection: 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

2 Kgs. 4:8-11, 14-16aRom. 6:3-4, 8-11Mt. 10:37-42. The first part of our Gospel actually gives the demands for martyrdom, because to follow Jesus means being ready to give up everything for him, including parents, family and property. Jesus himself gave up his divine status and all he had at the Father’s side to become one…

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Reflection: XII Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

By Fray Hubert Dunstan Decena, OAR / June 16, 2020 / Comments Off on Reflection: XII Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

Jer. 20:10-13; Rom. 5:12-15; Mt. 10:26-33 In the first reading we see the enemies of Jeremiah plotting against him so they could take vengeance on him. He complained to the Lord, “The word of the Lord has brought me derision and reproach all day. I say to myself, I will not mention him, I will…

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Reflection: Corpus Christi Sunday, Cycle A

By Fray Hubert Dunstan Decena, OAR / June 11, 2020 / Comments Off on Reflection: Corpus Christi Sunday, Cycle A

Dt. 8:2-3; 14b-16a; 1 Cor. 10;16-17; Jn. 6:51-58. This year A, Mother Church presents to us very fundamental teachings on the Holy Eucharist. The 1st reading from Deuteronomy shows us the prefiguration of the Eucharist in the manna, which the Israelites in the desert called “bread from heaven.” The 2nd reading from 1 Cor. 10…

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Reflection: Holy Trinity Sunday, Cycle A

By Fray Hubert Dunstan Decena, OAR / June 3, 2020 / Comments Off on Reflection: Holy Trinity Sunday, Cycle A

Ex 34:4b-6, 8-9; 2 Cor 13:11-13; Jn 3:16-18. In this year A, the readings of this Sunday clearly suggest that we look at God from the perspective of Love. In the 1st reading, we hear Yahweh declaring to Moses: “The Lord, the Lord, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness…

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