parishworks! 1Vol. 6 No. 37 December 11, 2010

Pastor’s MessageThe Authentic Divine Messiah by: Rev. Msgr. Emmanuel Suñga

SunDAy GoSpel

MT 11:2-11

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Dear Parishioners:

In the Old Testament and specially during the time of Christ when they were under the Roman yoke, the picture of the Messiah had the following characteristics.

a.) a conqueror and vindicator.

b.) Had armies who would re-establish God’s people as a worldly power.

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Christmas partnership 2010

The Social Service Ministry held their annual Christmas Partnership event last Saturday, December 4. The Shepherding flock members who are the main beneficiaries of the program were partnered with individuals and families from Bel-Air, San Miguel, Rizal and Santiago Villages. Highlights of the highly successful event were the Holy

Thoughts on the Advent Recollectionby Glo V. Pineda, EDM Chair

A large number of parishioners responded to the invitation of the Education Ministry to the Advent Recollection held on Friday, December 03, at eight o’clock in the evening, at the Parish Jubilee Hall, with Rev. Fr. Yolito “Itoy” Ignacio, Spiritual Director of the Philosophy Department at San Carlos Seminary, as the Recollection Speaker.

The Talk centered on Mama Mary as the role model. Numerous visual aids made the presentation more meaningful.

As the Advent season reminds us to always be prepared for the coming of Jesus as He says in the Scriptures, “Be constantly on the watch! Stay awake ! You do not know

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Mary Immaculate ConceptionFeast Day: 8 December

The doctrine of Immaculate Conception of Mary arose in the Eastern Church in the seventh century. It came to the West in the eighth century. In the eleventh century it received its present name, the Immaculate Conception. In the eighteenth century it became a feast of the universal Church.

In 1854 Pius IX gave the infallible statement A feast called: “The most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instant of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin.”

It took a long time for this doctrine to develop. While many Fathers and doctors of the Church considered Mary the greatest and holiest of the saints, they often had difficulty in seeing Mary as sinless—either at her conception or throughout her life. This is one of the Church teachings that arose more from the piety of the faithful than from the insights of brilliant theologians. Even such champions of Mary as Bernard and Thomas Aquinas Thomas could not see theological justification for this teaching.

Two Franciscans, William of Ware and Blessed John Duns Scotus, helped develop the theology. They point out that Mary’s Immaculate Conception enhances Jesus’ redemptive work. Other members of the human race are cleansed from original sin after birth. In Mary, Jesus’ work was so powerful as to prevent original sin at the outset.

Mass celebrated by SAP Parish Priest, Rev. Msgr. Emmanuel Sunga and the distribution of Christmas gifts to 570 shepherding flock members. The Social Service Ministry wishes to thank the generous individual and corporate sponsors, as well as energetic Sub-parish heads and program coordinators who collaborated in making the Christmas Partnership program this year a rousing success.

when the appointed time will come!” (Mark 13:33-34) the participants were made to realize to emulate Mary’s virtues: how she responded to the plan of God as she said, “I am the servant of the Lord. Let it be done to me as you say.” (Luke 1:38) her humble acceptance, her Fiat, her obedience to the will of God. Through her life she kept Jesus in her heart.

Fr. Itoy also reminded the attendees of what God has told the huge Dragon known as the devil or Satan, the seducer of the world during the Fall of Man, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, (stands for the Blessed Mother) between your offspring and hers.” (Genesis 3:15)

To this day, the dragon still is making war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep God’s commandments and give witness to Jesus. Let us be vigilant. Let us fight the good fight of faith; to win the victory for Jesus.

His Talk touched also on the hot issue of the moment-the Reproductive Health Bill which is being opposed by the Catholic Church regarding some provisions which it says are anti-life: like the use of contraceptives, condoms etc.

As christians and as catholics, let us follow the will of the Father. Let us be pro-life.

The message of Advent is to let God come in us, not in our way, but in His way.

Christmas partnership... from page 1

Advent Recollection... from page 1

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pastor’s Messasge from page 1...

c.) Israel’s enemies would be halted and vanquished.

d.) Faithful people would be rewarded with prestige and prosperity.

No wonder John the Baptist who shared the same expectations as his contemporaries was rather disappointed to see Jesus with none of these features. He had called the people to repentance and reformation. He warned them of the coming of a just judge who would lay the ax to the root of fruitless trees. But what he saw of Jesus as the Messiah was so different.

a.) Jesus came without any glamour or power except a “band of followers” who were far from being leaders, let alone conquering generals.

b.) Jesus come in meekness and humility, preaching peace and not revolution.

c.) Jesus preached of endless forgiveness and of the chances, the loving Father was offering to His children.

Therefore when John heard in prison of the work of Jesus, who claimed to be the Messiah, he sent his disciples to Jesus with this question “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” (Mt. 11:2-31)

According to Flavius Josephus, John had been imprisoned in the palace fortress of Machaerus which was, built by Herod the Great in the desolate heights of Moab near the Dead Sea. He was held there until his death,

Jesus however to prove His Messiahship gave a totally different aspect of the Messianic expectation to correct those held by John and others. His messiahship did not correspond to those phenomena associated in the Old Testament of worldly proportions.

- His was not a promise of the annihilation of the

enemies of the elect

Rather His messiahship was of

a.) Peace and healing

b.) The blind seeing, the deaf hearing, cripples walking and dead people rising

c.) The climax was the preaching of the good news to the poor (Is.6:1-2)

Later the apologists would use this to prove His divinity. But from the biblical point of view, these events, however miraculous, were not proofs of His divinity but rather SIGNS OF GOD PRESENCE at work in Jesus. As such, these signs were invitation or challenges for the people, including John and us today, to believe in God’s presence in Jesus. This fact was made clearer in Jesus’ statement “Blest is the man who finds no stumbling block in me” (v.6)

Therefore Jesus is inviting everyone including John not to be scandalized in His kind of Messiahship but to believe, for this is indeed the true way of God to conquer evilness in this world. And mind you, this will continue throughout the rest of Matthew’s gospel. This too will later represent the essential contrast between the law and the gospel. With all the greatness of John together with his mission, let us remember, are merely preparatory to what is to come. Jesus will be its fulfillment. He inaugurates by His messianic deeds and presence, a new standard that will not be maintained nor judged by human criteria or expectation but by God alone. This new way will not be learned not through the law or in the achievements of so called successful leaders in the history of the world but in the person of Jesus Christ.

Do we believe and see this in our present parish life?

Advent is an annual opportunity for letting go of human preconceptions of our salvation in order to let God reveal to us his wonderful surprises concerning His purpose and his methods of salvation.

Happy Birthday Monsi! May our good lord continue to bless you.

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Ria Salvaña Matthew LizaresParish Works StaffEllie Medina, Angelina Poe,Emilio Medina, John David OngAnnouncements CoordinatorsPia Sanedrin, Rochelle Pineda Bulletin Board EditorEJ CarlosPowerpoint CoordinatorGing Santos, JayR PaduaContributor: Glo Pineda, Bing Campos

Spiritual AdvisorRev. Msgr. Emmanuel Suñga

PublisherSt. Andrew the Apostle ParishN. Garcia St. cor. Kalayaan Ave.Bel-Air II, Makati CityPhones: (632) 890-1796 / 890-1743 media@saaparish.com

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Mary Immaculate... from page 2

The Roman Catholic Church argues that the immaculate conception is necessary because without it, Jesus would have been the object of His own grace. The thought goes like this – for Jesus to have been miraculously preserved from sin, which itself would be an act of grace, that would mean God essentially “graced Himself.” The word grace means “unmerited favor.” Grace is giving someone something he or she does not deserve. God performing a miracle in preserving Jesus from sin is not “grace.” In no sense could Jesus possibly be infected with sin. He was perfect and sinless humanity joined with sinless divinity. God cannot be infected or affected by sin, as He is perfectly holy. This same truth applies to Jesus. It did not take “grace” to protect Jesus from sin. Being God incarnate, Jesus was in His essence “immune” from sin.

All registered candidates for the Confirmation Rites on December 19 are required to attend the seminar on December 15 at 5:00pm.

Confirmation Rites on December 19

Simbang Gabi masses will start on December 16 through December 24 at 4:00am and 5:00am. The anticipated Simbang Gabi mass will start on Dec 15 through Dec 23 at 8:00pm.

Simbang Gabi starts December 16

Kumpisalang Bayan on December 15

Everyone is invited to Kumpisalang Bayan on Wednesday Dec 15 from 4:00pm to 9:00pm. Let us all receive the Sacrament of Penance in preparation for the Birth of Our Lord Jesus.