Beloved Brothers and Sisters, Let us heed God's Call to Follow Him, to be Humble, to be in God's Service. From the Heart, Fr. Heart, SVD

1. Welcome to our Bible Study
31st Sunday in Ordinary Time A
5 November 2017
In preparation for this Sunday’s Liturgy
In aid of focusing our homilies and sharing
Prepared by Fr. Cielo R. Almazan, OFM

2. First Reading: Malachi 1,14b-2:2b,8-10
• 14b A great King am I, says the LORD of hosts, and my
name will be feared among the nations. 2b And if you do
not lay it to heart, to give glory to my name, says the
LORD of hosts, I will send a curse upon you and of your
blessing I will make a curse. Yes, I have already cursed
it, because you do not lay it to heart. 8 But you have
turned aside from the way, and have caused many to
falter by your instruction; You have made void the
covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts. 9 I, therefore,
have made you contemptible and base before all the
people, Since you do not keep my ways, but show
partiality in your decisions. 10 Have we not all the one
Father? Has not the one God created us? Why then do
we break faith with each other, violating the covenant of
our fathers?
The focus is on keeping God’s commandments.

3. First Reading: Malachi 1,14b-2:2b,8-10
Nature of God
• 14b A great King am I, says the LORD of hosts, and my name will be feared
among the nations.
Commandment and punishment
• 2b And if you do not lay it to heart, to give glory to my name, says the LORD
of hosts, I will send a curse upon you and of your blessing I will make a
curse. Yes, I have already cursed it,
Violations
• because you do not lay it to heart.
• 8 But you have turned aside from the way,
• and have caused many to falter by your instruction;
• You have made void the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts.
• 9 I, therefore, have made you contemptible and base before all the people,
• Since you do not keep my ways,
• but show partiality in your decisions.
Nature of God (personal voice of the prophet)
• 10 Have we not all the one Father? Has not the one God created us?
• Why then do we break faith with each other,
• violating the covenant of our fathers?
A simple outline!

4. First Reading: Malachi 1,14b-2:2b,8-10
Nature of God
• 14b A great King am I, says the LORD of
hosts, and my name will be feared among
the nations.
Commandment and punishment
• 2b And if you do not lay it to heart, to give
glory to my name, says the LORD of hosts,
I will send a curse upon you and of your
blessing I will make a curse. Yes, I have
already cursed it,
Violations
• because you do not lay it to heart.
• 8 But you have turned aside from the way,
• and have caused many to falter by your
instruction;
• You have made void the covenant of Levi,
says the LORD of hosts.
• 9 I, therefore, have made you contemptible
and base before all the people,
– Since you do not keep my ways,
– but show partiality in your decisions.
Nature of God (personal voice of the prophet)
• 10 Have we not all the one Father? Has not
the one God created us?
– Why then do we break faith with each
other,
– violating the covenant of our fathers?
Commentary
• It is addressed to the priests of the
Temple. (Malachi 2:1 And now, O priests, this
commandment is for you: If you do not listen)
• In v.2b, God requires them to give glory
to him, otherwise, he will curse them, and
even his blessing will turn into a curse to
them.
• In v.2b, in fact, God has turned his
blessing into a curse because:
– They lacked sincerity.
– They veered away from the righteous
paths. V.8
– They misled people by their false
teachings. V.8
– They voided the covenant. V.8
• Not only are they cursed, but made
contemptible and low because
– They did not walk in God’s ways.
– They are partial / biased in their
decisions.
• In v.10, the prophet reminds that we all
have one God. There is no reason for us
to divide and to break the covenant.

5. Reflections on the first reading
• Priests are expected to be mindful of the
liturgical laws, of the covenant on Mt. Sinai, of
the traditions laid out by the prophets.
• Priests are not spared of God’s wrath, if they are
not performing their duties and if they violate
God’s laws.
• God does not like lazy ministers.
• We, Christians, are priests. We are a priestly
people. Some are ministerial; others are simply
priests, sharing in the priestly ministry of Jesus.

6. Resp. Ps 131:1, 2, 3
• R. In you, Lord, I have found my peace.
• 1 O LORD, my heart is not proud,
nor are my eyes haughty;
I busy not myself with great things,
nor with things too sublime for me.
• 2 Nay rather, I have stilled and quieted
my soul like a weaned child.
Like a weaned child on its mother's lap,
so is my soul within me.
• 3 O Israel, hope in the LORD,
both now and forever.

7. Resp. Ps 131:1, 2, 3
• R. In you, Lord, I have found my
peace.
• 1 O LORD, my heart is not proud,
nor are my eyes haughty;
I busy not myself with great things,
nor with things too sublime for me.
• 2 Nay rather, I have stilled and
quieted
my soul like a weaned child.
Like a weaned child on its mother's
lap,
so is my soul within me.
• 3 O Israel, hope in the LORD,
both now and forever.
Commentary
• In v.1 the psalmist presents
himself before God as not
proud and haughty. He is
not ambitious.
• In v.2, the psalmist
presents himself as
relaxed, using a simile
(weaned child).
• In v.3, the psalmist exhorts
all Israel to always put their
hope in the Lord.

8. Reflections on the Psalm
• In approaching God, we should be humble.
• In life, we should not be too ambitious or
pretentious, trying to do what is beyond our ability.
• We should know ourselves and act accordingly.

9. Second Reading: 1 Thess 2,7b-9.13
• 7b Rather, we were gentle among you, as a nursing
mother cares for her children. 8 With such affection for
you, we were determined to share with you not only the
gospel of God, but our very selves as well, so dearly
beloved had you become to us. 9 You recall, brothers,
our toil and drudgery. Working night and day in order not
to burden any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of
God. 13 And for this reason we too give thanks to God
unceasingly, that, in receiving the word of God from
hearing us, you received not a human word but, as it
truly is, the word of God, which is now at work in you
who believe.

10. Second Reading: 1 Thess 2,7b-9.13
• 7b Rather, we were gentle
among you, as a nursing mother
cares for her children. 8 With
such affection for you, we were
determined to share with you not
only the gospel of God, but our
very selves as well, so dearly
beloved had you become to us.
9 You recall, brothers, our toil
and drudgery. Working night and
day in order not to burden any of
you, we proclaimed to you the
gospel of God. 13 And for this
reason we too give thanks to
God unceasingly, that, in
receiving the word of God from
hearing us, you received not a
human word but, as it truly is, the
word of God, which is now at
work in you who believe.
Commentary
• In v.7b, Paul reminds the
Thessalonians how he and the other
missionaries tenderly dealt with them
(like a nursing mother).
• In v.8, Paul tells them how they, the
missionaries, were determined to
share not only the gospel but their very
selves.
• Because of this, they have established
a good relationship with them.
• In v.9, Paul again reminds them how
they, the missionaries, did not burden
them, because they also earned their
living as they evangelized.
• In v.13, Paul give thanks to God
because the Thessalonians believed in
their preaching as coming from God,
not from humans.

11. Reflections on the second reading
• Like Paul, we, missionaries at the present time, must be
affectionate to those whom we are evangelizing.
• Like Paul, we should not burden those who are
evangelized.
• Our relationship with them must be human.
• The missionary operates using both his feminine and
masculine qualities. (a sexually integrated person)

12. Gospel Reading: Matthew 23,1-12
• Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, 2
saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their
seat on the chair of Moses. 3 Therefore, do and observe
all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their
example. For they preach but they do not practice. 4
They tie up heavy burdens (hard to carry) and lay them on
people's shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move
them. 5 All their works are performed to be seen. They
widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. 6
They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in
synagogues, 7 greetings in marketplaces, and the
salutation 'Rabbi.' 8 As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.'
You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. 9
Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father
in heaven. 10 Do not be called 'Master'; you have but one
master, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you must
be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be
humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

13. Gospel Reading: Matthew 23,1-12
• Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his
disciples, 2 saying, "The scribes and the
Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of
Moses. 3 Therefore, do and observe all things
whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow
their example. (Jesus tries to salvage their
teachings).
• For they preach but they do not practice.
(inconsistent)
• 4 They tie up heavy burdens (hard to carry) and
lay them on people's shoulders, but they will not lift
a finger to move them. (unfair)
• 5 All their works are performed to be seen.
(hypocrisy)
• They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their
tassels. (vanity)

14. • 6 They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor
in synagogues, 7 greetings in marketplaces, and the
salutation 'Rabbi.' (love of peripherals)
– 8 As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.' You have but one teacher,
and you are all brothers. (be fraternal)
– 9 Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in
heaven. (trust in God)
– 10 Do not be called 'Master'; you have but one master, the
Messiah. (be a good disciple)
• 11 The greatest among you must be your servant. (serve
everyone) 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled (be
humble); but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

15. Reflections on the gospel reading
• Religious leaders should give good examples to
the community.
• To be effective ministers, they must be
consistent and sincere.
• They must avoid hypocrisy, must not be showy,
not concerned with externals.
• Christians should recognize just one leader
(master, teacher): Jesus Christ.
• Christians should be humble, not seeking honor
and glory and praise.

16. Tying the 3 readings and the Psalm
• First reading: Religious leaders must diligently
observe the laws and the covenant. They must
do their work conscientiously.
• Psalm: We should not pretend we can do what
we can’t.
• Second reading: Paul and companions are good
examples of conscientious missionary workers
of the Lord.
• Gospel reading: Religious leadership is service
to the brothers, not self-serving.
We focus on the need for a good leadership.

17. How to develop your homily / sharing
• Share your concrete experience as a
leader / a chairman / one in charge.
• You may share the characteristic traits of a
person, who has a great impact on you.
• Connect to the readings your experience
on leadership and your admiration to the
person whom you consider a true leader.

18. • According to the 1st reading, leaders are not
lawbreakers and violators of covenants and
pacts.
• When serving the community, they are impartial.
They have no favoritism. They embrace all who
need their help.
• They do not mislead the people.
• They don’t sow confusions and intrigues.

19. • The second reading teaches the leaders
(missionaries, church people) that they must not
be a burden to the community.
• They must be affectionate to their constituents.
• They must bring the good news to the people,
(not their personal worldly values).
• They should work with their hands for their
sustenance.

20. • The gospel reading teaches leaders to be
consistent with their teachings.
• They should be fair and just to others.
• They should not use their positions to
solicit recognitions.
• They should not act like the hypocrites,
who do things for a show.
• They must be humble.

21. • Contrast the kind of leaders we have in the
church and in the government to the readings.
Give your impression of the kind of leadership
also practiced in your homes.
– Pa forma lang? Kulang din sa gawa? No
vision? Walang batas na sinusunod? Tamad?
• Challenge the listeners (they, too, are leaders)
to exercise their duties and responsibilities with
diligence, with intelligence, taking into account
the laws and traditions of the community.

22. • Christian leadership is a selfless and humble
service to God and community, couched by the
one Master, Jesus Christ.
• The one true and sincere leader and model is
Jesus Christ.
• He gives himself totally to us, without hypocrisy
and pretension.

23. • The eucharist strengthens good leadership.
• The eucharist is only for those who humbly
exercise their leadership in loving service to the
community.
• The eucharist makes us united with the true and
faithful leader, Jesus Christ.

24. Our Context of Sin and Grace
• Irresponsible leaders
• Self-serving leaders
• Abusive leaders
• Too conscious of their
authority
• Absentee
• Pretentious
• False Teachers
• Hypocrites
• Hungry for power
• Humble
• Ability to listen to Christ
(good disciple)
• Service oriented
leadership
• Servant-leader
• Nurturing leader
• Has ability to motivate

25. Suggested Songs
• Lord, have mercy
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpRghV_Ngnc
• Buhay Maging Maligaya
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh0VyqcYK3I