Father Augustine Mang - June 28

St. Philip Catholic Church: What Jesus is mentioning in our first reading. The woman in our first reading did not know exactly what God would do through Elisha. He simply recognized that he's a holy man, a prophet, and because of that, she welcomed him, she made room for him, offered bed, table, chair, lamb, and because of her hospitality, that it became the door for God's blessing. Not only that, if you look at the little bit before that, The the reward the Lord sort of like upgraded. We love to upgrade our stuff, right? TVs, internet, phone, cars. It's like every time when we upgrade, you know, sound system, we like to upgrade it. So Jesus also sort of like raised the bar and upgraded the reward. And now he said to his apostle, Whoever received you receive me. It's no longer the blessing, it is the giver. Of the blessing itself. Jesus is saying now to his apostles, Go out, preach, whoever receive you, receive me. So as a people of God, whenever we receive someone God sent into our life, we no longer receive the blessing. Of course, it comes with a blessing also, it's no longer the blessing only. It also becomes with the giver of that blessing itself. Over these past two years you have welcomed me. You show me your kindness, your patience, your generosity and your love. For that I thank you deeply. Rather, whenever you offer, whenever you show me your kindness, patience, generosity and your love, it's not all about on me. It is a proof that how much you love Jesus. Thank you. For showing God's love to me. Not only that, at being trained and being formed because of all of you. One of my formators told me when I was a seminarian, he said, Dear brother seminarians, there are something that we can form in a seminary. But when you get to the parish, the people of God will form you for the things that we can't. Allow yourself open And humble always and always be ready to be formed. And that's why the deacon said that, you know, when the news come up there I'll be transferred, they said that we have formed you well. So let us see that practice, whether I'm being formal, I'm I'm trained well, let's see what the other parish would have to say. And if they say that, your training didn't go well at St. Philip, I'll be back. And then also, I also love When people come to me and say, ⁓ Father, we're so sad that you're leaving. It's not because that I'm happy to say that I'm sad that you're living. Can you imagine that someone come up to me and saying, Father, I'm so happy that you're living. That would be bad for me, right? So I will take the sad part rather than the happy. And also, next someone else will stand here. You will have two new priests. God has blessed. Saint Philip with two new priests. They would be different. They will have different gifts, different personalities, different experiences. And for sure, when they stand in the altar, you will see them. You will be able to see them very clearly, right? So you don't have to guess his father is kneeling or standing, but above all, brothers and sisters, they will come in the name of Christ. The bishop has assigned them to Saint Philip. They come in the name of Christ. As you have welcomed me, please welcome them. Not only that, especially pray for them. When they are down, when they are weak, encourage them. Work with them. Don't leave to them. It's about the priest's job. No, work with them. They need you. In the mission of God. Give them the same generosity you have shown me. Above all, please love them. You know, as priests, we don't have our own family, we don't have children. You call us fathers. For one reason, we are spiritual fathers. Can you imagine a parent, a father who doesn't have a children who love them? We need your love. Even in our weakness, even in our imperfection. When we see that the people of God loved us, that even in our perfection, even we're not especially when we're weak, that when you show the love, that the love that you show Jesus, when you show that love to us, we are so grateful for that. It gave us tremendous power, tremendous encouragement. So brothers and sisters, love them. Not with their strength. It is easy to love someone who When they're good, when they're doing well in their strength, but I ask you, love them especially in their weakness. When they're weak, when they're down, that is the most time that they need your love. As I go, I'll carry all the memories and all the gratitude with me, all the love that you have shown me, especially when I'm weak, when I was Not strong enough, the love that you show me, I will take that with you. Thank you for the countless way you have revealed Christ's love to me. Not only that Jesus said that, you know, not only to the priest and those apostles, Jesus also said that Whoever gives a cup of cool water to one of these little ones to drink, because of the little one is a disciple. He will also give the blessing. So brothers and sisters, my prayer for this parish as I live is that This parish will always be known as a community that welcome Christ. Christ will come in the strangers. Christ will come in those who are in need. Christ will come in the new every new parishioners. Christ will come in the in the priests who come to serve in our parish. Christ also comes in your family. So brothers and sisters. Try to see Jesus in your own family also. Try to see Jesus in your husbands. Try to see Jesus in your wives. Try to see Jesus in your children. Christ will come. Do not lose it. Pay attention when Christ come in the life of your husband, when Christ come in the life of your wives, when Christ come in your children life, be ready to welcome it. Be welcome, whatever you can do. You know, whenever we'll whenever we welcome Christ, not only that we welcome Christ Himself, it become the blessing, the door to blessing in our life. So may this parish continue to become a parish where we welcome Christ. May your family will continue to be a pe a family where you pay attention to When Christ appears and welcome Christ and serve him, I have no doubt it we can do that. God will continue to bless this parish, your families with his blessing more abundantly. Let us be a people of God, let it be a parish where we welcome Christ.