Know that I AM with you. This is the promise and assurance to Jacob as revealed by the Lord to him in his sleep. The Lord knows that the journey Jacob will take will not be easy. The journey will not just be filled with ups and downs on the road but Jacob shall also encounter trials that will shaken his faith. As Jacob will experience prosperity he too will be haunted by his guilt of the crime he committed against his brother, Esau.
However, despite his guilt, God saw something beyond Jacob’s sin. There in his heart lies the devotion and love to the Lord. Beyond Jacob’s sin, there was God’s mercy. This what made Jacob attuned to the revelations of God to him. Even in his sleep, God communicated to him and revealed the plan and promise to Jacob.
“Know that I AM with you,” is both an invitation and constant reminder to Jacob. It is an invitation for him to always seek the Lord who is always with him and has shown mercy to him. It is in seeking the Lord that he and his descendants shall become blessings to others. It is also a constant reminder to Jacob that he is not alone in his journey. As he fled his home after he deceived his father, Isaac and cheated his brother Esau, he left alone and with nothing. Indeed, it is when a person grows in his consciousness of God’s abiding presence that he also becomes a blessing to the communities and peoples around him. This is the promise Jacob also received from the Lord.
For us today, as we go through our own individual and common journey in faith, we too are invited like Jacob to know that God is with us. The words “I AM” is pregnant with meaning. This is the name that Moses received when we asked the name of God. “I AM” which is in present tense reminds us of God’s presence dwelling in the present moment. God, indeed, is always with us.
Know then, that no matter how difficult, confusing and tiring our journey and life at this moment, God is with us. Thus, for us, we are invited and reminded today to “know that I AM with you.”
As we rest in God’s promise and presence for us today, we may also discover how God unfolds His blessings for us in surprising ways. Hinaut pa.
Reflection by Darwin H. Malayo, Youth Mission Volunteer from San Isidro Labrador Parish, Balabagan, Lanao del Sur
The arrival of the Redemptorist Itinerant Mission Team in our Parish in Balabagan brought so much changes in our community and including myself. I have been involved in the 3-month mission. I was called as a Local Youth Mission Volunteer, yet, honestly, I do not have much experience in this kind of thing. I am more focused on my studies and looking for a living since my father had died already and my siblings cannot support my studies. They have married and have their own worries now. This means that I have not involved so much myself in Church activities.
During the first week of the mission, I did not have any plan to volunteer. My studies and the situation of modular classes that we are going through because of this covid-19 pandemic brought so much difficulties already. However, I was invited by my benefactor, the one who sponsors my studies, to volunteer in the mission. I was quite hesitant because it might affect my studies.
However, I am more surprised at how God worked. I felt that God has allowed me to join the mission team, to share my talents and presence. Here, I mingled and joined the company of missionary priests, deacons, seminarians, lay-missionaries and youth-mission volunteers like me. As what I have experienced, it did not affect my studies and I have become more determined and learned to manage my time.
Honestly, I felt anxious and shy especially when it comes to our team study of the modules and in sharing and delivering the inputs to my co-parishioners. I felt inadequate as I socialized with people and believed that I cannot do what they were doing. Nevertheless, I realized that I cannot do anything if I would not believe and trust myself and make myself open to learn new things.
It is my joy now to continue what has been started by the Mission Team. The rapport developed by the team with the parishioners was very much alive because it inspired the people to willingly support the team and join them, rain or shine. The presence of each member of the team also brought inspiration because of their attitude of saying yes to the mission. Despite the difficult terrain, with the experience of being stuck in the river and going through arduous roads, the team continued. Everyone would offer a helping hand when there would be a task. Each one would try to understand in spite of our differences. All of these, challenged me personally. The Mission Team members were not from our place, but what I saw was their willingness to share and preach the Gospel to our community for the development of our Christian life.
Their knowledge, expertise and simple way of life, touched me very much. I witnessed how they have built a good relationship with the people. In fact, I wished that everyone would learn this attitude. I have also witnessed how people expressed their generosity even in the midst of difficulties brought about by this pandemic. This did not prevent them to share their graces. These experiences are indeed one of a kind which became so dear to me. It is because of these experiences also that I have realized, I have become closer to the Lord and I also continue to live my Christian life according to the Gospel.
These are now, not just invitations to me but challenges also to young people like me that we may confidently do what we can do and to share what we have to others. Accordingly, as I learned in the mission, “greed has no place in our community.” It is an invitation to live simply, generously and humbly, to live in the holy fear of God, and to learn to truly love.
Finally, I am most grateful to the team for forming me. I have learned a lot and changed for the better because of those wonderful experiences and the teachings I got. Thank you very much.
The gospel we have just heard and proclaimed to us is the Good News of our Salvation. However, there is something disturbing about our gospel today that may make us wonder and even suspect whether it is really Good News.
Because as it is narrated to us, our gospel today basically tells us how Jesus was rejected in his own country. Yes, here we heard how Jesus was despised in his own country and by his own people. It describes to us that while he continued His Mission to preach the Good News for all & everybody, and as he preached the Good News particularly in own hometown, Jesus experienced humiliation. He suffered persecutions and rejection in his own country and by his own people “sano” that, in effect, made it difficult for him to continue his work of salvation. Because of this experience, Jesus said: “Prophets are not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house”. Good news has been preached and shared, miracles has been revealed and accomplished already, but were all rejected and wasted by his very Own people. Good new as it may be, our gospel today is certainly disturbing as well.
Now, is it true that a prophet is not without honor except in his own home? Is a prophet honorable except in his own house and his own family? Experience tells us there is truth in this. Based not only on the experience of Jesus experience but also on our experience, to share the Good News of Christ to one’s own household or community is a difficult assignment and mission. Tough and challenging indeed, to bring God’s message and do wonders and miracles in our own home. Why? Why is it hard to be a prophet in our own home? What makes it challenging to proclaim Christ and share the Good news within our own family where sometimes (or even always) parents complaining about their children, children blaming their parents, brother and sisters accusing each other? Or even within our community or church where we do tend to complain with & about one another?
Somehow, we could identify in our gospel today two stumbling blocks that make it hard to be a prophet in our own home. First, our prejudices. Like the people who saw Jesus as only the carpenter’s son, it is also our tendency to prejudge others, as if we already know them, that make us blind to recognize prophets in our midst. We tend to downgrade, belittle others, and measure or to limit others by our own standard. “Ka-menos ba.” Comments like: He is only that, or he is just a ..” And because we judged, we boxed in, that person by our own standards, we want them to behave as we expect them to behave, no more no less. Comments like, “you are just my junior, don’t disobey (“Anak, lang tika, ayaw’g supak” or “Magulang baya ko ha.”) At the same time, we tend not only to belittle others but also we undervalue ourselves. “Unsaon ta man, pobre man, manghod lang man, dili man ko pari, wa man ko kaeswela. Ordinaryo man lang ko, dili man ko dato.” What can I do, I’m just ordinary, poor, undereducated person.
There is much truth then to the saying: “over familiarity breeds contempt”.
The second stumbling block to our being a prophet in our own turf is our lack of faith. In our gospel today, Jesus was not able to work miracles in his own country because of the people’s unbelief – their lack of faith. Usually it is slow for us to believe.
If I may ask you: How many of you believe that you, yourself are called and sent to be today’s Christian prophet? Those who believe that you are a Christian prophet, please raise your hands. You might think “Me a prophet, no way. Maybe him, but not me”, or Father must be crazy, I am just a simple ordinary unworthy Catholic Christian. How can I be a prophet I cannot even confront my problematic son? How can I preach Good News to my irresponsible drunkard uncle? Or how many of you here believe that your son or daughter or your helper is also a prophet? You might think, how my son or daughter could be a prophet – they cannot even make their own room. My helper a prophet? she cannot even read her own letters. Yes, we tend to be slow to accept that we are God’s sons and daughters. It is hard for us to believe that by virtue of our baptism – our baptismal consecration, every Catholic Christians share the dignity, identity, and responsibility, gifted to be Christ’s Prophets today. Remember, every Christian is baptized to be a prophet.
Yes, tough & hard it is to be today’s prophet in our own home and community because of humiliations, persecutions, neglect and rejections that we may encounter caused by our prejudices and our lack of faith in Christ, others and in ourselves. Like the sano/townfolks of Jesus, we may have rejected and wasted the message and the miracles-offered because of our prejudices and lack of faith in the messenger.
To proclaim the Good News is indeed threatening. But beyond and regardless of these difficulties and stumbling blocks, the message of salvation is remained humbly preached, shared, and fulfilled through the witnessing of ordinary people like us. As St. Paul would say as well: “I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and constraints for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” And the good news is, despite these difficulties and hardships, God continues to send prophets who will preach his salvation to others whatever it takes. And usually he calls and sends those who are weak, ordinary, young, mayokmok in our standards. And mayokmok we maybe, He sends us to be His prophets of Good News to our world today. Reluctant & hesitant prophets we may be in our own home, we still do our part in believing & proclaiming our faith that there is God’s prophet amongst us, for the Lord said: “Whether they heed or resist, they shall know that a prophet has been among them.
Even we are slow to believe and as limited we may be, let us now renew and proclaim our faith…as we say….
Mission Reflection by Rizza Mae O. Malalay of RYM-Iligan
There is a quote that says, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. ” So, I was wondering if it is true or just a mere quote. The Balabagan Parish Mission was my longest mission exposure so far. It was also my first time away from home for almost three months. I did feel scared, nervous and I also had doubts about myself. But my excitement in joining the mission outweighed all of those. I was thinking of what would be my part in the mission team? And in what way I could be of help? Occupied by those thoughts, little did I know that it was the other way around.
Balabagan is one of the municipalities of Lanao del Sur. They do not have malls or fast food chains. When you buy things it is quite pricey. They also have power interruptions every now and then and they do not have signals in some of the areas. But despite that, they have the most generous and happy hearts. I remember every time I was at the parish health center, they would always offer me some snacks. They shared not only their food but also their stories, their life-lessons, their story of faith, their love, their warmth and themselves.
There was a particular Nanay whom I got close with in one of the areas. She would just let me do what I want. I also loved to tag along with her wherever she goes. She would let me scratch the ‘buko’ for our snacks and told me many times not to include the inner brown one, for it will only add bitterness to the buko. And yes for the record, I always include to scratch the brown one 😁. She would also let me do the traditional grating of coconut meat, even though I do not know how to do it. She was just there smiling patiently waiting for me to give up. And who would have thought that she would let us dug their sweet potatoes in their backyard? So, I asked her why she was so good to us, even though she was kind of disconcerted when we were around. She just replied to me that she was grateful and joyful that God sent us there, that’s why she wanted to provide us all the best that she have.
What I also loved in Balabagan was the presence of the youth. They were just one call away. They were willing to help in any of the activities of the parish. And I just have to inform them ahead. One time, I had this conversation with them, I asked them about the situation of the youth in their community. They casually told me about teenagers getting married at a young age and about teenage pregnancy. They also told me that they want to learn and discover more about themselves and to have a deeper relationship with God.
Those encounters led me to these realizations.
There is beauty in simplicity. I grew up where when you buy coconut, you will just add 15-20 pesos and the machine will do all the work, no sweat. We do not have coconut trees or even land for crops. So technically I have to buy everything. Living there for almost three months, made me dream of a simpler life, doing things manually, not checking my social media accounts every now and then, or not binge watching K-Drama series for the whole day. In this world of artificial intelligence, I yearn to always go back to simple things, looking above to see the stars, the moon, beholding sunsets, sunrises, mountains, seas, hiking under the heat of the sun and getting wet in the rain.
It may sound absurd, but I was so touched when the youth talked about their concerns about their fellow youth. It shows that they were not blind at all about what is happening around them. They can see and they can hear. They knew what is wrong and right, they just don’t know how to make a move with regards to it. They were also afraid that they will make a wrong move or they will fail. These are reasons why they were too shy to show their talents and creativity. They felt afraid that they were too young to involve themselves in the community.
So, here are my takeaways in this journey;
People who are joyful and grateful do not complain, instead they just live for the moment. Life is neither perfect nor it is easy. But, being joyful and grateful would help us lighten all the loads and burdens that life throws at us. Not to mention the truth that in this life’s journey, we are never alone. When we have a grateful and joyful heart, we will be able to see God in everything that we do and we will be filled with His grace.
When you love what you are doing, you don’t count the cost. You are willing to give more and you always do your best. That is how powerful love is.
To make a better world, we are called to empower the young. That they should be confident about themselves, that their thoughts and their views, matters. That they matters. We should form them to be Christ-centered, fully human and mission oriented. Reminding them that they are beloved, gifted and empowered. So that they can maximize their gifts and resources. Allowing them to use them for God’s glory. To have a better world we need to be a better citizen first.
The quote “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone” may be true to some. My life has started as I am going through this rollercoaster of emotions and phases of life.
We are a little lost in life, aren’t we? As for me, life begins when you find out your purpose in life and when you share your life with others. When you discover your purpose, then you will know where you are going and you will never be lost. At the end of the day, it is not about me, it is about the lives of the people whom I have touched. Because by others, by serving others, one will be able to know who we are and will be able to discover more about ourselves.
I pray that I may fill my heart with love and my life with service.
Jesus said in our gospel today: “Take heart, son. Your sins are forgiven.” The paralytic & his friends came for healing, but they rather received more than what they bargain for. Instead, they got encouragement & forgiveness from Jesus. Yes, their present immediate concern must be for healing from physical paralysis. But beyond the hopeless bodily outward condition of the paralytic, his friends & himself must have felt the guilt, shame & curse of the inner condition of the paralysis and sickness. Beyond & more than physical healing, deep inside, the paralytic & his friends need & are longing for mental, emotional & spiritual healing. This is what Jesus gave them – not only physical healing but moreso, encouragement & forgiveness, – not only healing of body but more so, healing & health of whole life of the cured paralytic & his friend.
For the scribes, however, the whole miracle happened is a blasphemy. For the scribes, not only the physical healing of the paralytic but above all the forgiveness of sins are complete violation of their religious law. They saw more the violation rather than the miracle happened. Jesus admonished their actions & attitudes, & showed themselves & the crowd His authority beyond their religious laws. Healing & forgiveness are His’ because He is of God.
And all of these happened because Jesus saw and knew their hearts. Jesus saw the faith of the paralytic & his friends. Jesus saw the evil thoughts and hearts of the scribes as well. Jesus knew their hearts. And Jesus knows the condition of our hearts as well. Our hearts are known to Him as well.
A lot of things are happening in our lives nowadays. At the very surfaced level, lots of things going on, lots of pressures & stresses to cope with. We do have a lot on our plates – urgent pressing concerns. But what is the condition of our hearts? How are we deep inside ourselves? Like the scribes, at times, we do have our evil thought & bad hearts. Like the paralytic & his friends, many at times we do feel broken, hopeless, tired & confused with life nowadays.
Be mindful then that the Lord knows how & where are hearts is. Our hearts are known to Him, for He sees what we deeply need at this time. Same way as he saw the faith of Abraham, He sees also our faith & our heart’s desire. He is with Us indeed, but also He is of God. He has the power & authority to respond for what we really need, – not only our urgent need but the heart’s desire of our whole person & life.
Perhaps as we go through this day & this week, we ask & reflect on the condition of our hearts these days. What is happening in our hearts these days? We do believe our Lord wants us to be healthy & whole. What is he offering us these days? Encouragements, forgiveness, admonitions & guidance? How is he restoring us inwardly? How is he helping us to stand up tall & alive amidst life-challenges?
Here we are now, Lord. We come to you as we are. You know our present concerns & our heart’s desire. We do believe in You & that You will what is best & better for us. Make us also see same way as You see us, so that may we be willingly participate with the miracle You are performing for us now & always. Amen.
A DOSE OF GOD TODAY 