Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Author: A Dose of God Today

  • WHEN GIVING IS A BLESSING

    WHEN GIVING IS A BLESSING

    June 1, 2022 – Seventh Week of Easter

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/060122.cfm)

    How blessed really are those who give than those who merely receive? Most of us actually think that we are more blessed when we receive something. It is wonderful to be a recipient of some goods from others because we don’t have to exert effort but only to open our hands. How nice would that be!

    Yet, there are interesting different attitudes between a constant receiver and a generous giver. People who are constantly receiving gifts, or those who demand to receive may they be material or not would tend to have low self-esteem, or insecure and unsatisfied with what they have already in this life. Thus, if this becomes our attitude, we too grow to become self-entitled and demanding towards others for our own benefit and advantage. Because of these attitudes, when we become people who constantly seek the generosity of others, we also tend to keep things for ourselves alone but ungenerous to others.

    These affect how we see ourselves, believing that we don’t have enough compared to others. We also become negative in our dealings and relationships with other people because we are inclined to see what is only ugly and unpleasant for us. And so, when people like these, initiate to give something to others, their gifts or good deeds have always hidden motives. This means that we only give because we expect something bigger in return. This attitude rather seeks what is only good and comfortable for ourselves because at the very first place, we are motivated by a selfish desire.

    On the other hand, persons who are truly generous of their gifts, of their presence and of their person, are confident. Yet, it does not mean that their confidence comes from the many things that they have acquired in this life. This confidence rather comes from faith because that person truly believes in God’s generosity and providence. That is why, a true generous person is always grateful. Yes, generosity springs forth from a heart that is grateful to God and the act of giving is a response of a grateful heart.

    This is what St. Paul told us in the Acts of the Apostles – “It is better to give than to receive.” Paul was called by Jesus and was given freedom. It led Paul to faith and his faith made him grateful and thus, a generous person expressed in giving himself for the proclamation of the Good News. He was not after silver or gold, to enrich himself but to give generously his presence for the people to whom he was sent as a minister. Indeed, this is an expression that giving is a blessing.

    Such act of giving that grants blessing reminds us too of St. Justin, a martyr and philosopher. It was by giving witness to faith that he too gave himself even if it would cost him his life. He never wavered even when there was a threat to his life. That act of St. Justin was founded on his confidence and faith in the Risen Jesus.

    This has been expressed by Jesus in the Gospel. Jesus showed his gratitude to the Father because of the love that sustained him in his ministry. Jesus’ prayer for his followers was his generous act, asking the Father to protect and bless them. This generous action of Jesus culminated in giving up his life on the cross for our sake while the resurrection is the Father’s generous action for our sake because the Father is grateful for the Son.

    This is God’s invitation for us today.

    We are, first, called to be truly grateful with what we have, to be confident with what we are enjoying which includes material things, people and relationships, talents, skills and our very “person” too.

    Second, let us allow our heart to grow in gratitude and confidence in God’s generosity that will hopefully mold us to become “blessed givers.” Remember, what we can give is not limited to material things, but even our talents, capacities, knowledge and our presence to people who are truly in need.

    Indeed, blessed are the generous givers because they portray God’s character and make God’s presence ever more present. Kabay pa.

  • THE LORD IS IN OUR MIDST

    THE LORD IS IN OUR MIDST

    May 31, 2022 – Feast of the Visitation

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/053122.cfm)

    St. Luke described to us the visitation of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth. He included this story in his Gospel to bring a message to a particular Christian community to which Luke was in-charge. What we can learn from this particular passage of the Gospel of Luke is the role of Mary in the Christian Community.

     Even at that early stage of the Christian faith, Mary had already become a mother and a model to every disciple of the Lord. Mary who received the Lord in her womb and in her whole life manifested in her actions the wonders of God done unto her. She became a model of charity and service to others which is an expression of bringing the Lord to others. This is clear enough in Mary’s willing heart to help her cousin, Elizabeth.

    The exchange of greetings between these two women was the amazing thing we find in the Gospel. Luke described to us how the baby in the womb of Elizabeth leaped with joy upon hearing the voice of Mary. Mary, the THEOTOKOS or bearer of God, brought such great joy to Elizabeth and to her baby in the womb.

    Mary’s visit was certainly God’s visitation to Elizabeth, to her baby and to Zechariah.  God visited them through Mary. Definitely, Elizabeth was filled with gratitude not just to Mary but to God especially. This is what we find in her greetings, “blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” This tells us that even the unborn child can feel the presence of God. An unborn child can also give assurance of God’s presence to others. This is wonderful!

    Thus, on this feast of the Visitation, we who are disciples of the Lord are reminded to be like Mary, to be charitable in our words and actions, to be aware of those who are in need of assistance, to be at the service of others especially those who are most in need of our help. In that way, we bring the Lord to them, we let others feel God’s presence through us.

    Each of us has that capacity to bring God’s presence to others. The Lord is with us, he is with you and with me. The Lord is in our midst, as the Book of the Prophet Zephaniah tells us.

    As Christians we are called to make a stand and to be aware of what is happening around us – not just within our small community but also in the wider picture of our society. It means that we are called to be socially aware and not to remain indifferent to the difficulties of our sisters and brothers. That is why, when we are indifferent to the difficulties of others, there is surely something wrong with our Christian life. It is good then to ask ourselves, “how socially aware am I to the plight of others, or am I totally indifferent and unmoved by the sufferings of others?”

    And so, in concrete terms and in small ways, a challenge is given to us. It would be good then to remember those people whom we have not visited for a long time. Visit them if possible. Remember also those people we know who will surely need our help, or recognize the people around us who need help from us in one way or another. In hope, we may be able to let them feel God’s presence through us, through our generous words and service. Kabay pa.

  • NOT ALONE

    NOT ALONE

    May 30, 2022 – Monday Seventh  Week of Easter

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/053022.cfm)

    People who are severely ill, those who are haunted by their traumatic experiences, and those who suffer chronic depression would mostly agonize the feeling of being alone and lonely. At the height of this pandemic, when infections were so high, the pandemic left many individuals to that feeling of being alone. The isolations and lockdowns, no movements and Enhanced Community Quarantines increased the anxiety and fear to many of us.

    To feel alone, indeed, is a terrible feeling. It makes a day no matter how bright it would be, to be so dark. Even though many people will surround us physically, this feeling detaches us from their presence. This explains how a person who is alone and lonely would compensate that feeling by having many distractions as a way of coping and entertaining oneself.

    Yet, this causes people to be so sad and depressed. How much more if physically people will leave us alone? If someone we love and so dear to you would just go away and leave us? Then, this would be a horrible feeling.

    People who work away from their family would also feel being alone. They cannot help it but work from a far to give more opportunities for their family and for the children especially. Yet, as a consequence, they have to endure such loneliness for their sake in the case of migrant workers.

    In the Gospel today, Jesus reminded us of his conviction of the presence of his Father. Jesus knew that his disciples would abandon him when he will undergo his passion. The disciples will retreat and hide because of fear even though that would mean that Jesus will be left alone to suffer and die.

    However, Jesus was filled with confidence that his Father will never abandon him. Hence, the Father was there with Jesus even at the cross where Jesus felt being abandoned.

    Today, Jesus wants us to have the same conviction and confidence. Indeed, we are never alone. The Lord is with us, always with us. This is the promise of Jesus to us today.

    Thus, when we feel alone, let it be known that we are never alone. When a terrible sickness hits us, when a traumatic experience haunts us, when depression bothers us, remember, God is with us.

    Those of us who are away from home and away from our families, Jesus comforts us that he is always with us. Today, we can say, “I am not alone.” Kabay pa.

  • JESUS IS SPREADABLE

    JESUS IS SPREADABLE

    May 29, 2022 – Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/052922-ascension.cfm)

    Have you ever had a religious experience?  A religious experience is a deep and intimate encounter with God. This can be a realization how vulnerable and powerless, sinful and unworthy we are before God yet, we are being loved. Such experience brings transformation in the way we look at life and in the way we relate with others, from being closed-minded to being welcoming, from being hateful to being loving.

    Thus, a tremendous joy is felt. It could be a moment of your prayer time where you have deeply felt God’s presence despite the many problems you have. It could be in an occasion where you have seen your family or friends being together and the happiness of being with them cannot be contained. This could be the moment your girlfriend said yes to you, the moment your boyfriend held your hands, or the very first time you have carried in your arms your baby.

    This tremendous joy makes God’s presence and love ever more present in us that we wanted to get hold, to just stay there, in those feelings of joy and peace.

    Hence, allow me to bring you a bit deeper into the readings on this Solemnity of the Ascension of Jesus and see how God invites today.

    The first reading from the Acts of the Apostles told us about this kind of religious experience. The apostles witnessed the ascension of Jesus into heaven. That was surely an event that captivated them so greatly because it was glorious. It was their religious experience where God made himself ever present in them as Jesus was lifted up. Because of that, the apostles kept looking at the sky. They wanted to behold that moment for a long time, not wanting to disappear from their sight and memory what have just happened.

    However, two men appeared in their midst and told them, “Why are you standing there looking at the sky?” The apostles seemed to be stunned with what just happened. But, they were not to remain standing there and gazing at the sky. The apostles were told to come down and share what Jesus shared to them. They were to become his witnesses beginning from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth, as the Gospel told us today.

    Indeed, the apostles were witnesses of the many wonders the Father made and did through Jesus. As Jesus ascended back to his Father in heaven, Jesus gave an important role to those who believed in him. These believers were being sent and empowered by Jesus through his ascension to heaven.

    Jesus’ ascension then does not mean that the disciples were being left alone or abandoned. His ascension means being more present to each of his friends wherever they would go. His ascension makes him a constant companion to all of them and to each of us now.

    What does it mean to us? This feast reminds us that we, who believe in Jesus, are called to tell others about Jesus – that in our own way, each of us is sent to bring Jesus and to spread Jesus’ presence into the lives of others through our words and actions, through our very life.

    Our very experience of God should move and motivate us to tell others of God’s mercy, goodness and generosity. Our experience of God is not meant for us alone but it has to be shared. Jesus is after all cannot be contained in us, because Jesus is spreadable!

    We spread our God experience through our very life. We spread Jesus in the way we relate with others, in the way we treat people and all others around us. We spread the Lord in our homes, workplaces, communities and even in our virtual reality.

    When we truly spread Jesus, this also means that we make a stand of being a witness of Jesus, of our Christian faith. Yet, it won’t be easy. It might be quite difficult because people will be against us. Why? Because, it is not easy to be honest, transparent and accountable when many are dishonest, cheating and corrupt. It is not easy to tell the truth when many are lying and convinced of the lies. It is not easy to be selfless when others are selfish. It is not easy to be faithful when others are unfaithful. It is not easy to be a counter-culture. Yet, this is what being a believer of Jesus means.

    As we continue to deepen our faith and cherish our God experiences, God invites us today. 

     To Spread Jesus today! Share to someone, to your friends, family members or even to strangers your experience of God. For the young ones and to all of us who are in social media on a daily basis, explore the social media as a way of communicating and sharing the goodness of God, by not spreading lies and fake news but facts and truth.

    It is just timely that on this Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, we are also celebrating World Communications Sunday. Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, TikTok and twitter are good media platforms to proclaim the goodness of God to others.

    Again, spread Jesus today! Spread the Good News and not fake news; spread the good not the lies. Make viral God’s faithfulness and mercy upon us. Kabay pa.

  • CHRIST-sent MEDIA

    CHRIST-sent MEDIA

    MAY 29, 2022 – SOLEMNITY OF THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/052922-ascension.cfm)

    Not uncommon these days that we may see video clips of departing OFWs at the airport with their family. It is particularly heartbreaking to see little children crying & clinging to bid farewell to their beloved parent who may have been with them for awhile and now will be absent again, all because of the sacrifices-needed for the greater good and better life to be accomplished.

    In our gospel today, it is said that “As he has blessed them, Jesus parted from them and was taken to heaven.” Our Christian faith proclaims the Ascension of the Lord into heaven whenever we profess in our Apostles’ creed, ‘He ascended into heaven and seated at the right hand of the Father.” In claiming His rightful place in the story of our salvation, Jesus also has to leave us behind, depart from us & distant away from us. For God’s salvation be fully revealed & fulfilled, the risen Lord Jesus & His Easter disciples then must go through the process of goodbyes, letting go and distancing, which only an OFW family, both parent & children can understand by experience.

    But beyond the heart-breaking consequences of departure & distancing in life, the risen Lord’s Ascension & perhaps the flight of an OFW migrant is all about our rising above to the special mission & particular plan God has in store for us in life. Over and above what happened to Jesus & His disciples at the ascension, we give importance to what Jesus said: “As the Christ would suffer & rise from the dead.. would be preached to all nations, You are witnesses of these things… and I am sending upon you the promise of my Father.” With these words, Jesus attests that He has done His mission and now is for us to do our Mission – our Part in His mission.

    The Lord’s Ascension then is the moment when Jesus commissioned His disciples to continue the Mission he has begun. It is the very time when Jesus entrusted to His disciples all the good things he had done.   And Jesus is handing on the responsibilities now to us His disciples.

    Not unlike a departing OFW parent saying parting words of love & encouragement to children left-behind, in His ascension, Jesus may have been saying these words, “Hey, I have done my part. I have nurtured & formed you right. This time, do your part. Go now, go ahead, move on to the world and proclaim – that is, I’ve given you the authority & responsibility to share what you have experienced and learned from me, so that others may also enjoy what have you have enjoyed with me.  By the way, don’t forget to believe that I have sent you, for we can continue to do great things, if you believe in me and remain in my love. Go now and do your part, for I have done my part & will continue to do our part in this life and beyond”.

    Like the disciples of old, ours is a life commissioned by Christ. As baptized Christians, we are commissioned by Christ to continue and to do our part in the Mission of Christ. As we live our lives in faith of the risen & ascended Lord, we are entrusted also now do our part in building a Christian Nation as well as building God’s Kingdom in the here and now. Jesus continues to send us today in various ways to fulfill our respective life-missions as media of His offer of salvation to the world. During ordination, priests are commissioned to sanctify our Christian faith & life. During profession, religious are commissioned to consecrate & witness our response to God’s bountiful graces. During their wedding day, married couple are commissioned to love God in their marriage & family. During their commissioning, church lay ministers are commissioned to distribute communion, publicly read the scripture, give catechesis on neophytes Christians, on their own capacity. And above all, after Mass, we are all commissioned to “Go in peace, to love and serve the Lord.”

    It has been said that at the hour of his death, Jesus did not say: “I am finished”, but rather He said: “IT is Finished”. Thus, With Him & with us, there is more yet to come & more yet to happen as we do our now our part in His mission.  

    As sent & commissioned to be His media & witnesses of the God’s kingdom, may we continue to respond & do our part in His ongoing plan of salvation.

    So Be it. Kabay pa. Amen.