June 21, 2024 | Friday
Memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious2 Kings 11:1-4, 9-18, 20Psalm 132:11, 12, 13-14, 17-18Matthew 6:19-23
Biblical: Today, we remember St. Aloysius Gonzaga. One remarkable virtue he had was his purity. He exerted effort to maintain his perpetual vow of chastity by not looking at women’s faces. This might sound extreme, but the lesson we could get from St. Aloysius is that holiness is a discipline.
Holiness is a constant choosing of what is good, true and beautiful no matter how difficult the situation is.
This is also what Jesus is teaching his disciples in our gospel, as he said; “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal.”
(“Huwag kayong mag-impok ng kayamanan dito sa lupa; dito’y may naninirang tanga at kalawang, at may nakapapasok na magnanakaw. Sa halip, impukin ninyo ay mga kayamanan sa langit; doo’y walang naninirang tanga at kalawang, at walang nakapapasok na magnanakaw.”)
Reflection: Holiness is like saving or investing, you have to do it consciously and consistently. You do it without counting how much you have exerted, or how many good you have done. Most especially, holiness is like saving. You do not get immediately what you have saved or invested. You reap it at the right time.
This is the reason why holiness should be taken to heart (isinasa-puso) as Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” (Sapagkat kung saan naroon ang inyong kayamanan, naroon din naman ang inyong puso.)
My dear brothers and sisters, holiness is a treasure that we work hard while on earth but also a treasure we will enjoy in heaven.
(Ang kabanalan ay isang kayamanan na pinaghirapan natin habang nasa lupa, ngunit ito rin ay isang kayamanan na ating tatamasahin sa langit.)
19 июн 2024
