Paring Pasyonista
Paring Pasyonista offers concise reflections on the Gospel seen through the lens of priesthood and the Passion of Christ. Each meditation bridges Scripture and vocation — revealing how the Word continues to shape, challenge, and sustain those called to serve.
The Sheep
‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’
Jesus identified himself with the vulnerable- the homeless, the sick, the voiceless, the hungry, those in the periphery, the oppressed and the like in the society.
Jesus praise those who take care of the marginalized in our midst and regarded them as sheep who can inherit the Kingdom of God.
Lord Jesus, have mercy on is when we fail to see your face in the faces of our vulnerable brothers and sisters.
Mt 25:31-46
The Temptation
“Get away, Satan! It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.”
Jesus clearly see the goal of temptation. Jesus unmasked temptation as attempts to make human beings worship Satan and his works.
Jesus showed us that faithfulness to God would help us overcome the traps of the devil.
Priesthood, just like any other, is not devoid of temptations.
Lord Jesus, have mercy on us when we are deceived and unknowingly made instruments of the devil’s scheme.
Mt 4:1-11
The Sick
“Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”
Jesus used a clear human condition to make people see the importance of his mission.
Jesus is focused on those who are humble enough to admit their sickness and beg for God’s mercy.
Priesthood promotes the mercy of God.
Lord Jesus, have mercy on us when we fail to admit our sickness and quick to condemn the flaws of others.
Lk 5:27-32
The Seeker
“Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”
Jesus enlightened the disciples of John that his disciples will fast when he is taken away from them. Jesus is teaching us that fasting is not just a discipline to practice but has to have a connection to our desire to be one with Him. Asceticism (fasting, abstinence, penance, self-discipline, etc.) is an effort that we do with the desire to be in union with God (mysticism).
Priesthood is a self-mastery of being mastered by the Divine Master.
Lord Jesus, have mercy on us when we seek our bodily comfort more than to seek and understand your will in our lives.
Mt 9:14-15
The Son of Man
“The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”
Jesus used the title “Son of Man” in a third person many times. The title denotes humanity being born as a man, humility being subjected to trial and vulnerability being put to suffering and be killed. The title also denotes divine messianic mission by being raised on the third day.
Priesthood is a divine calling but not devoid of human suffering.
Lord Jesus, have mercy on us when we escape suffering that would make us sharers of your divine sacrifice.
Lk 9:22-25
The Ash Wednesday - Alms Giving, Fasting, Prayer
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father…”
Jesus warned his disciples to do righteous deeds not to impress others. Alms giving, Fasting, and Prayer are practical things to do in this season of Lent not for compliance but to deepen one’s relationship to God, others and self.
Alms giving make one love not just any neighbor but most importantly the poor to whom Jesus identified himself with.
Fasting makes one love himself truly not just in disciplining the desires of the flesh but most importantly in seeing clearly one’s spiritual needs.
Mt 6:1-6, 16-18
Prayer makes one love God not just by setting a regular time to connect with God but most importantly intensify the desire to listen and do the will God.
Priesthood practices AFP not to impress but to express in secret the basic principles of loving God, neighbor and oneself.
Lord Jesus, have mercy on us when we take you and our neighbor for granted because we are too full of ourselves. May the imposition of ashes in our foreheads impress in our hearts the need to repent and be better this season.
The Sign
“Why does this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.”
The signs could be seen only by those who have faith in Jesus. Those who seek to see the signs were those who had no faith in him.
Jesus is the sign of contradiction. The ultimate sign was the cross. It was a victory of the Lord disguised as defeat.
Priesthood is a sign of Lord’s sustaining love and mercy on earth.
Lord Jesus, have mercy on us when we feel the need to see signs first to believe in you!
Mk 8:11-13