Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Author: A Dose of God Today

  • OUR DESIRE TO BE SECURED

    OUR DESIRE TO BE SECURED

    October 20, 2024 – 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102024.cfm)

    What motivates me most these days? What drives me to do my best? What is it that I desire for myself? What is it really that I am looking for? – these few questions bring us into more awareness of where we are at the moment and how our actions and decisions are molded by what we nurture in our heart and mind.

    It is basic and natural to each of us to seek what would give us security and assurance in life. In every stage of our life, since our infancy until towards our older adulthood, having a sense of security and assurance is a must. This is the very reason why we do things and aspire to make our life comfortable, easier, and independent. We want and we need security in terms of material things in life and also security in our relationships. We seek security in our studies and jobs as well as in our friendship, family and marriage. We want a secured future for ourselves and for people whom we love.

    People, because of this nature in us, would also risk to invest their time, talent, treasure and whole person in order to achieve and gain a return of investment. In fact, just this month, political aspirants have just filed their certificate of candidacy. And as early as the first quarter of this year, there were already hundreds or even thousands of big tarpaulins with the over-sized photos of politicians along the streets and highways, in every corner and post. Such move is a way of securing themselves a seat in the political arena. And what drives and motivates our political aspirants? Public service? Political manipulation? Self-giving to the people? Or selfish political agenda?

    These are just few examples of our need and reality of wanting security in life. This reality is what this 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time has also reminded us. And so, allow me to reflect with you how the Lord calls and challenges us to become better Christians.

    James and John, who were close relative of Jesus, cousins actually, dared to ask favor from Jesus. They said, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” What they actually wanted was to have a secured seat when Jesus reigns in his kingdom. Each of them asked that each one will be able to sit one at his left and one at his right.

    The two actually imagined that Jesus’ kingship is like of this world filled with political power and manipulation, wealth and influence. Having a seat at his side will make them superior above other disciples. Why not? They were close relatives of Jesus. These two used this closeness with Jesus to secure their future and to advance such a selfish desire of being comfortable and staying in power.

    In our culture today, we call this “Padrino System.” This is value system in our Filipino Culture that gains favor, promotion, or political appointment because of family affiliation (called as nepotism) or through friendship (called us cronyism).[1] And this happens even if the person has no qualifications or not deserving at all.

    Nevertheless, this is motivated by selfishness. That is why, Jesus confronted the two that such selfish desire cannot be possible in the kingdom of God. To be entitled to it is futile because only God knows and only God grants.

    This irked the other disciples of Jesus because of the selfish intentions of the two. They wanted security in their life by securing a seat of power, thus, leaving the others behind. Indeed, it was expected that they must have compared each other as to who was better, brighter and closer to Jesus because each one also wanted security and assurance of what was to come.

    However, this became an opportunity for Jesus to teach the disciples of the value of the kingdom of God. What matters most is not what one can gain, or what we will be able to achieve, not even the influence, power or wealth that we gather and possess. In the Kingdom of God, to be great is to be able to give oneself for others. Greatness then is not measured as to how much people adore or praise us, but with our capacity to serve and to love. It is by being able to give oneself for the sake of others.

    Our security then is found not with the comforts and riches we have in this world, but with our relationship with the Son of Man, with Jesus. The Lord himself is our true security and assurance that above all else, the Lord gives us true comfort and contentment in life who first gave himself to brings to the fullness of life.

    This is what Prophet Isaiah told us in the first reading that through the life of the Suffering Servant (Jesus), we shall see the fullness of light and life. The letter to the Hebrews also reminds us of such security with Jesus as our High Priest for with him and in him we are given “confidence to approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace.”

    Hence, as we celebrate World Mission Sunday today, let Jesus himself be our true security and assurance and our contentment  through our capacity to serve and love others without any selfish intentions to seek praises and favor.

    Let our Christian faith then be a true expression of that capacity in us to serve and love others even when we called to make a sacrifice, for giving and in loving that we are already secured and assured in the kingdom of God. Hinaut pa.

    [1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padrino_system#:~:text=The%20padrino%20system%2C%20or%20patronage,as%20opposed%20to%20one’s%20merit.

  • WANTED: Responsible Stewards

    WANTED: Responsible Stewards

    October 20, 2024 – 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102024.cfm)

    In Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word governance is synonymous to the word “stewardship”. This is to signify that to be involved with governance is to be a steward. Stewardship is a charge and responsibility entrusted to someone, an office appointed to or a mission delegated to a person who is to manage, administer and supervise the affairs of the master or superior individuals or community. A steward then is not the Lord master-owner himself but the OIC- the officer in charge, administrator, piniyalan, sinaligan, inkargado – acting in behalf of the superior Lord, body or institutions.

    St. Paul knew his place. His tasks and charge is not to lord over but to be God’s steward for the gentiles. He is God’s OIC – officer-in-charge for the gentiles with the task of making known to all that the gentiles are our coheirs, co-members of God’s body and co-partners in the promise of God’s salvation.  

    Jesus in our gospel today reminds us also that we are not lords, earls or señoritos/señoritas but just mere stewards-OICs of God’s salvation. Everyone of us who follows Jesus is the servant-in charge of His affairs & mission. In whatever capacity, talents and vocation, we are tasked to manage, entrusted to govern, commissioned to administer and charged to steward God’s concerns & blessings for All. Freed from sin, like Paul, as Christians we are responsible now to become disciple servant-witnesses of our Lord’s righteousness.

    And Jesus is quick to teach us that as God’s steward, more are required and demanded, and much is expected of us for we are not to abuse such charge since great power, blessings & talents come with great responsibility.

    Beyond then our preoccupations with being first in life, be reminded that we are mere servant-stewards task to be able “to drink the cup that has been prepared for us”. Ours then is to be responsible for our special charge to perform & our mission to fulfill what we are & ought to do in this life.

    We pray that we may be always truly and diligently responsible for our charge and mission as God’s stewards of redemption to all and for all.

    So May It Be. Amen.

  • To be Touched by the Grace of the Holy Spirit

    To be Touched by the Grace of the Holy Spirit

    October 19, 2024 – Saturday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101924.cfm)

    Do we find it difficult not to move forward from our past? Does our past experiences affect greatly how live today? Indeed, some might find themselves trapped in this kind of situation when one cannot let go of our past.

    Our thoughts and actions and even our perspectives in life may have been tightly tied up by our painful memories or by our glorious past. When this becomes our way of life, we also become detached from the realities of the present.

    Our perception of the reality in the present may become distorted because what we see and recognize were always in the past. Our relationships could suffer greatly because we will fail to appreciate and affirm what we have at present. We would always compare what was before or we could also be suspicious with an air of mistrust to others because of something ugly that happened in the past. It will be a challenge also to correct our misconceptions and wrong practices because we are so disconnected with reality. We refuse to listen, to believe to what others see and thus, refuse to change.

    This is the image of finding ourselves in the difficult situation of moving forward, finding healing, peace and freedom. When we are trapped in the cycle of the past we might believe that we are beyond hope. This is precisely how a psychological trauma can also affect a person.

    Now, the invitation for change and transformation, for healing and forgiveness can be quite challenging because such actions can also be interpreted as threats to what we have been used to. This was how Jesus’ call for conversion was actually treated by those in power and the influential. The Pharisees and the scholars of the law were threatened by the call of Jesus and so they too denied him and did not recognize the presence of God in Jesus. In fact, they too became hostile towards his presence.

    Yet for Jesus, this  kind of reaction can still be forgiven. But, when one blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, then, this is beyond forgiveness.

    What does it really mean? Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is a conscious denial or rejection of the presence of God. This is a willful act of rejecting God. This is not even about the belief in the non-existence of God. In fact, the person believes in the presence of God but deliberately denies God’s presence and also of God’s grace.

    The person chooses to be separated and alienated from the grace of God, thus, becoming indifferent towards God. This surely is blasphemy because such decision and action worship not God but something or someone else. It cannot be forgiven because the person does not ask or welcome the grace of forgiveness. Total indifference, indeed! However, being separated from the grace of God will only bring us into oblivion and endless misery, to meaninglessness and hopelessness.

    However, the Lord does not want this for us. God’s desire for us is to live life in its fullness. This will only be possible when we too our open and welcome the Divine Presence to work in and through us, to challenge and change us.

    This is what Paul means in his letter to the Ephesians, as he said, “ I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you…”

    The call and invitation for us today is to allow the Lord to reach out to us and so allow our hearts to be touched by the grace of the Holy Spirit. May our hardened and callused hearts caused by pains and hurts, anger and hatred, be renewed by the power of the Spirit that we may be able to bring transformation and healing, forgiveness, freedom and peace. Hinaut pa.

  • Healing, Friendship & Blessing

    Healing, Friendship & Blessing

    October 18, 2024 – Friday; Feast of St. Luke, the Evangelist

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101824.cfm)

    For the past days, our sub-mission team in Barangay Opong, in the Municipality of Catubig, Northern Samar (Diocese of Catarman), has been visiting houses and conducting house blessings. Since Monday, the Sacraments of Anointing of the Sick to several old and sick persons, Reconciliation/Confession to countless residents, Baptism to 4 children, Confirmation to 2 couples and their Marriage and the First Communion of elementary pupils and several high school students were celebrated this week. The participation in the Holy Eucharist celebrated daily since Sunday increased day by day as well.

    Despite the short days spent in this Christian Community, the many encounters I had with the people, allowed me as well to develop rapport and some kind of friendship among them and not just with the team. This is the wonder and the beauty as we bring and share the Gospel and encounter Christ who is already there in the hearts of the people. As one of the Mission Volunteers, Rizza Mae Malalay, has shared, we are “meeting God in between.”

    This very encounter, indeed, allowed me to meet God in the “in between” where the Lord brings healing, friendship and blessings. I am certain that this is also the very ground experience of St. Luke, an evangelist, whose feast the whole Church celebrates today.

    St. Luke who is known as Patron of Physicians and Surgeons, was himself a healer, a doctor. Though it was believed that Luke was actually a slave, but it was common at that time in the antiquity that even slaves were educated in the service of their masters. Hence, Luke as a healer met God in his ministry of healing. This must be the very reason why Luke recorded many healing stories in his Gospel. Luke realized that healing not just in our physical bodies but also our spiritual and emotional healing bring us to the fullness of life. Salvation and the promise of freedom is certainly integral and whole.

    St. Paul in his Second Letter to Timothy expressed the many difficulties and struggles he went through. Many had left him and persecuted him because of the Gospel, yet, only one remained to support and help him. It was Luke who became a faithful friend and companion of Paul. Through Paul, Luke also met Christ. Even though Luke was a Gentile, a Greek from Antioch, Syria, yet despite the cultural and religious differences between them, Christ became the bond of that friendship.  Indeed, this very friendship formed between these two great men made them more convinced of their friendship and closeness with Jesus, whose Gospel they preached with joy.

    St. Luke was also well-educated in classical Greek. He himself was a writer, no wonder, why the Gospel was written and the Acts of the Apostles. Thanks to him we have another angle of the life and ministry of Jesus. This was how Luke brought blessings to many until today. In fact, the very Gospel on his feast tells us of the 72 disciples sent by Jesus two by two in order to bring peace and blessing. The visitations of the disciples were to prepare the people of the coming of Jesus. This is meeting God.

    Celebrating now the feast of St. Luke also calls us to these three points. First, we too are called to bring healing. Let our words, our actions and presence become channels of healing especially to a friend, family member, co-worker or anybody who need healing. May we not be a source of pain and hurts in homes and communities and so we ask the Lord himself also to heal any wounds in us so that we can bring that grace to others.

    Second, we are called to develop and nurture friendship. Our presence may also become a source of comfort and assurance to those who feel alone and lonely. Let us also develop our friendship with Jesus through the sacraments and Holy Scriptures. May we not be a source of division and tension then.

    Third, we are called to bring blessing. Let our presence also be a blessing and not curse. May our encounter and visits to people then, will also become God’s visitation to others. We do this as we also allow the Lord to work wonders through us.

    Indeed, may we be channels of healing, friendship and blessing. Hinaut pa.

  • How do I respond when confronted?

    How do I respond when confronted?

    October 17, 2024 – Thursday 28th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101724.cfm)

    When another person confronts me because of my mistakes and failures, how do I respond? When a friend or a colleague tells me of my weaknesses, how do I feel? When we are confronted of our wrongdoings and sins, how do we react?

    Being confronted, corrected or even reminded of our failures and weaknesses may not be easy to accept and embrace. It is even more difficult when the one who does it is someone who is not superior to us. When we too feel that we are superior and above others in many ways because of our achievements, entitlement or position in the company or community, the more it becomes difficult to accept such criticisms.

    Moreso, when our heart becomes arrogant, believing that we are far better than others and that our ideas, decisions and actions are superior, then criticism are almost unwelcomed. Our mind and heart will be rigid and unwelcoming and at the same time will also become vicious and violent towards those whom we believe are threats to our image and person.

    We experience this even at home from own parent or sibling. The family will then feel tensed and any other voice is suppressed because of one family member who believed that he or she has the monopoly of making decisions and making actions. This also is a reality even at our workplaces, organizations or communities – civic or religious. A colleague, or co-worker, or co-member or confrere, who think highly of himself/herself finds it difficult to accept feedback. It becomes a tension as well in our relationships. This is how manipulations, violent words and actions and malice towards those who would dare to confront them will be experienced.

    This is not far from what Jesus did and experience among the leaders of that time. Some of the Pharisees and scholars of the law who grew entitled and influential at that time thought and believed of their superiority and righteousness. Because of their meticulous observance of the law and superior knowledge, they thought that they were perfect enough.

    Nevertheless, their hearts where filled with malice. Hence, Jesus confronted them how their actions were inconsistent with what they taught and believed. Like their forefathers, these men remained hostile towards the prophets whom God had sent in order to correct and bring them back to God. They murdered all those who confronted them of their sins and failures precisely because they did not want to be corrected.

    Likewise, Jesus did again what the prophets did in the Old Testament, and in the same way, the hearts of these men were filled with malice. The Gospel reminds us that they were hostile against Jesus.

    Indeed, the Lord continues to confront us not in the sense of humiliating and bringing us down, but to correct us and brings us back to the grace of God. Thus, humility and honesty are very important as well in our Christians life. To be humble and honest enough to recognize our failures, mistakes, and sins would even help make ourselves better and our relationships healthier.

    Today, Jesus comes to us to confront us and the Lord does it in many ways. We are, then, called to be welcoming of others who would dare to confront, correct and give constructive feedback and criticism to us. We ask the grace from the Lord that we may be humble and honest enough.