Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Fr. Jom Baring, CSsR

  • SIGNS AND MEANINGS

    SIGNS AND MEANINGS

    October 14, 2024 – Monday 28th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101424.cfm)

    Everywhere we look at, there are many signs around us. Depending on its intended us, a particular sign will tell us what it is about. For example, a red light in an intersection, would tell us that cars should stop and let those other side of the intersection pass through since they have the green light. In a water dispenser, a red colored faucet means hot water while the green or blue means cold water.

    There are also natural signs around us. When we see thick and dark clouds above us, most likely rain will come in few minutes or hours. After an earthquake, when the sea would recede quickly, surely, there will be a tsunami after.

    Aside from these, there are also human emotional signs that we have to be aware of. When a person who withdraws into the recesses of his/her room, feeling sad or anxious and lonely, the person might be already undergoing depression. A person who feels afraid and terrified over particular  another person, event or place, the person might have a traumatic experience associated in those things.

    These are just few examples of different signs around us and of their meanings. And it is also important that we are able to understand them and so respond appropriately to every particular situation.

    In today’s Gospel, we too are reminded of signs. Jesus was asked by the people to give them sign before they believe in him and in what he showed them. The people seemed to believe rather that Jesus was like a magician who would do out of this world signs that would entertain them. Their demand to give them a sign was rather, a sign as well, that they have not able to understand the greatest sign already given to them.

    Jesus was the greatest sign ever revealed by the Father. Yet, their unbelieving and malicious hearts made them close-minded. Even when the sign was in front of them, they refused to see and recognized God’s greatest sign of love and salvation.

    St. Paul in his Letter to the Galatians reminds us that such attitude and way of life is a sign that these people still like with the yoke of slavery. It was slavery of hatred and indifference, the slavery of malice and selfishness. Hence, they were not free.

    However, Jesus desires that we indeed become free. Again St. Paul told us, “for freedom Christ set us free.” The very presence of Jesus in us brings us to freedom!

    Thus, as we come to understand the many signs around us, may we also become more attuned and familiar to the signs the Lord gives us. These signs from the Lord, and his presence revealed to us may not be extra-ordinary or spectacular, but simple and ordinary. Let us be discerning and patient then and make ourselves free from anything that would prevent us from recognizing and embracing God’s many manifestations in our life and relationships. Hinaut pa.

  • SEARCHING AND SETTLING DOWN

    SEARCHING AND SETTLING DOWN

    October 13, 2028 – 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101324.cfm)

    Have I settled down? Have I found what I am looking for? Do I find fulfillment and contentment with what is happening in my life now? With my work? In my relationships? Or am I restless and still searching, unable to settle down? Do I find emptiness and meaninglessness with what I do and with I have?

    Indeed, when we have reached an age of maturity and finds ourselves still searching and longing for something worthwhile and meaningful for our life, we might find ourselves restless and anxious. As a result, we could be shifting a course one after another, or changing jobs one after another or ending a romantic relationship and starting a new one without any fulfillment in those relationships. Our mind keeps changing. We are confused what we really like and what we don’t like. At times, we would just let others tell us what to do but later on regret because we never wanted it.

    However, such restlessness would also allow us to refine our intentions and see better ourselves. This also means that we need help from others to accompany and guide us in searching and finding what we are meant to be and to do. In fact, St. Irenaeus famously said, “the glory of God is a human being fully alive.” Having our full potentials, expressing and giving fully and freely what we are meant to be and to do would reveal the glory of God in us.

    In today’s readings, this need and reality is revealed to us. And so, let us see how God unfolds his invitations and challenges for us.

    Jesus, in the Gospel of Mark, encountered a man who in his heart knew already what he wanted. He asked the Lord, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” This man must have been respected and adored by many. He was a good man, religious and a pious Jew. He followed the commandments of God. He too was rich. Having such kind of character and wealth, people must have looked up to him. However, he too was restless. He was in search of something more meaningful and more worthwhile perhaps, over his routine in life.

    The Gospel told us, that Jesus looking at him, loved him and said, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then, come and follow me.”

    Nevertheless, the words and demands of Jesus were too radical and difficult for him to accept. He must have understood that and knew that that was the way, yet, he couldn’t. This made the man sad. He went away and did not follow Jesus because he had many possessions. The many things he possessed prevented him to be free.

    This makes us realize now that what we have achieved, accumulated, gathered or saved in this life won’t give us the true assurance of contentment in life. We may have the best job and position in our company, but remains unhappy. We may have gained many degrees and have spent a number of years in our profession but we feel empty. We may be so comfortable in life, doing so well with our business, yet, we feel restless when we are alone. Or we may have also been married or committed ourselves to religious life, having spent a number of years, yet, at the end of the day we couldn’t deny that our heart is still longing for something more. And this can be tiring or at times overwhelming.

    When we are in this kind of crossroad in life, this is also an opportunity for us to see clearly ourselves and see God. What we need is a heart that seeks wisdom able to discern and choose what to keep and what to let go.

    This is what the first reading calls us today. The author of the Book of Wisdom says, “I pleaded, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.” Wisdom is proven to be better than power and wealth, even with health and beauty. With wisdom, it leads us to what is lasting and fulfilling.

    This is what we also discover with the Word of God, filled with wisdom, as revealed in our second reading. The Letter to the Hebrews tells us that “the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.”

    Hence, there are three points that we can bring today as our take-aways.

    First, come closer to Jesus. Like the man in the Gospel, take the courage and the boldness to come closer to Jesus, to encounter him, that we too might be able to look at his eyes and realize how much Jesus loves us. This should give us the assurance and confidence above everything else. We can do this as we come closer to the Sacraments of the Church. The Holy Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation would surely bring us closer to Jesus and to ourselves.

    Second, seek for wisdom. Wisdom is a gift and through the Word of God revealed to us this gift is given. There are also people who can help us and seek wisdom for us to be able to see and understand better our heart. This may help us to discern well and choose  what will give us true fulfillment.

    Third, let go of those that are possessing us. As wisdom will help see and discern our heart, let wisdom allow us to take action by letting go whatever is  possessing us, of those that prevent us to be free. Unlike the man in the Gospel, we may not go away feeling sad because we are unable to let go, but rather take the risk of letting go and following Jesus freely and gladly.

    May these challenges bring us closer to Jesus and allow us to create and develop lasting relationships as we tread the path of life God calls us to be, wherever we are now and whatever is our status. Hinaut pa.

  • NOT ALONE BUT PARTNERS FOR LIFE

    NOT ALONE BUT PARTNERS FOR LIFE

    October 6, 2024 – 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/100624.cfm)

    What would make marriages last long? What would keep a wife and a husband to stay together? Love? Faithfulness? Commitment? Sacrifice? Faith in God? What would also destroy marriages? What would make a wife and a husband separate from one another after committing to love each other? Unfaithfulness? Hatred? Abuse? Vices? Anger?

    Certainly, there are many angles and aspects in the life of married people that we have to recognize and understand in order to better accompany, guide, nurture and develop such relationship that is very important both in our Church and in the society at large.

    According to an author, he identified top 10 reasons of marriage breakups[1]. But here, I will just mention the first 5 reasons. According to him, these first five reasons are namely, first, immaturity of one or both spouses. Second is clashes of personalities. Third is money issues. Fourth is interference by in-laws and commonly by mothers-in-law. And fifth is domestic abuse and violence against spouses which may be physical, emotional or psychological.

    These tell us why the Absolute Divorce Bill in our country is being pushed in congress because the recent law that we have make marriage difficult to annul. Though this push is not theological in nature but on availability, accessibility and as easy way out of those whose marriages were problematic, yet, it also fundamentally attacks the sanctity of marriage as our Catholic teachings remind us.

    Moreover, aside from these causes of breakups in marriages, there is also another aspect and reason and slowly weakens the importance of marriage. According to a survey conducted by Radio Veritas[2] there are about 45 percent of Filipino Catholics who believed that marriage is not necessary before people could live together. This means that there is a common belief now that living together outside marriage is normal and getting married in the Church is not that important.

    However, despite these reasons and scenarios in marriage, these do not diminish the beauty and wonder of marriage life. I am sure many couples who in spite of the many struggles and countless arguments and hurts they encountered, have chosen to stay together and committed once again to love each other until death will set them apart.

    This is what our readings have revealed today on this 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time. And so, let us revisit the sacred scripture proclaimed to us today and see how God unfolds the call for us to protect, nurture and develop the Sacrament of Marriage.

    The Book of Genesis portrays to us how God realized the complementarity of man and woman. This is expressed as the Lord God said, “It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him.” Man and woman, in marriage, are called to be partners, to complement each other.

    The connection of both has also been made more significant as the Book of Genesis told us how the completeness of both is discovered in each one. This means that the rib taken out from the man completes the woman, and the husband who is called to cling to his wife finds his fullness. This is how the two become one flesh, united in love.

    This partnership of man and woman is further elaborated in the Psalm where husband and wife finds delight in their relationship at home whose marriage is centered not on their personal pleasure, but in the glory of God revealed in their marriage. This is how we can sing joyfully, “May the Lord bless us all the days of our life.”

    In this way, we also understand better that marriage is not merely a human initiative but God’s divine plan for the world to bring glory. The Letter to the Hebrews reminds us, “for whom (Christ) and through whom (Christ) all things exist in bringing many children to glory.” This means again that marriage is also not a mundane human relationship but it is destined to bring and reveal the glory of God in our homes, communities and the world.

    This is what Jesus brought out in today’s Gospel. He was asked by the Pharisees on the lawfulness of divorce in which at that time divorce was allowed in that culture and time. However, that time only men were allowed to divorce their wives. This was something that was already problematic and unfair.

    Hence, Jesus in response to that  question went to the heart of the matter and identified the very reason why divorce was only allowed. It was through the “hardness of your hearts.” Again, divorce was only allowed as an easy way out for people yet, it does not solve the main problem or the root cause on why marriage was breaking down.

    The hardness of the heart is seasoned by indifference and selfishness in marriage, by manipulation, abuse and violence, by our immaturity and unpreparedness, by our desire to be above and to dominate, by our greed for self-pleasure and of a heart that nurtures hatred.

    However, this is not what God intended marriage to be. The Lord God designed and planned that woman and man will be partners all their life not competitors. Husband and wife are called to complement each one, to help and nurture each one, to develop and support one another.

    That is the reason why marriage is not just a mere human union or human agreement of being together, but a sacrament, a sacred relationship centered on God who called a husband and wife to live together for better and for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish until death will set you apart. Amen. Hinaut pa.

    [1] https://www.philstar.com/the-freeman/opinion/2021/08/30/2123595/top-10-causes-marriage-break-ups

    [2] https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1556351/pinoy-faith-in-marriage-slips

  • LESS is More than Enough

    LESS is More than Enough

    July 28, 2024 – 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072824.cfm)

    Our gospel today is surely something familiar and already known to us all. How could we miss one of the best stories of Jesus’ miracles ever told?  All four gospel evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke & John) have each own version of the story of this miracle. However one call this miracle-story – whether as “the multiplication of loaves & fishes”, or “the feeding of the multitude, these unique versions & diverse interpretations share the same plot.

    Basically it is about Jesus & His disciples with crowds of people gathered & now stranded in a far-distant mountain field, perhaps already during midday. Concerned about the people, Jesus ask his disciples for resources to tend & feed these multitude of people. With the less food-resources that they can collect & muster, Jesus instructed the disciples to organize people into small groups, took & blessed the less that they got, and have it broken & shared to the groups. People began to share what they got & have to each other, that in effect, had each other & one-another fed.

    And eventually made all filled & satisfied, and even able to garner twelve basketful of left-overs. Crisis-solved. Five thousand men (perhaps including or excluding women & children) were fed. A miracle happens. All are happy. Jesus saves the day.

    Perhaps there is more to the story than we may realize. Somehow the story have more lessons now to teach us than it has taught us before & always. Perhaps, we can learn here something about the Power of Less.

    What can Less do to All? What & how can the only Less we can have contribute for many (if not for all)? Ano at Paano ang magagawa ng kakaunti para sa karamihan at kalahatan? We may have something, but how it can help all? Like the man in our first reading, we also raised the practical question: “How can I set this (20 barley loaves & fresh grain) set up for a hundred people?” And somehow like the disciples, common sense tells us that “200 days’ wages worth of food is not enough for each of them to have a little.”

    And remember during pandemic times, we pondered: “What & how can my little inconveniences (like, wearing mask, face shield, quarantine, social distancing, or vaccine) can contribute in healing our infected & life-threating world?

    Somehow our condition and reality of LESS may bring us to these realizations. First, with less resources, we come to grip with our vulnerability. Suddenly, we come to experience how poor, fragile, limited, dependent & needy we are & we can  be. When we get what we want & have what we need – Fast, easy, accessible, instant & convenient life gives  us an illusion of power, independence & invulnerability in life. But when resources are scarce, & abilities are limited, we are humbled to realize our own poverty & neediness.

    With such humility, second, we begin to be thankful & to make the best of what we already have. We become “madiskarte sa buhay”. We learn to cope & live with what less resources we have. We get to know what is enough from what is too much. We know now what is essential & important things in life as well as what we can live & do without. In other words, with less, we become resilient as well as resourceful. Third, with less, we are moved to feel with & feel for one another. As we become conscious of our own poverty & our little resources, we come to empathize & sympathize with one another, and we try to help & contribute what little we have with others.

    Photo from https://goodtitevs.best/product_details/11663052.html

    In our gospel, Jesus did not only make a miracle of feeding the people. He also makes an example & witness of sharing the little we have with others. What meant to be a relief operation of feeding the people, now turned-out to be an agape, salu-salo, banquet because what they have received & got is also shared with others & one another. Less makes us kind & compassionate with one another. And yet still, fourth, less makes us rely on the help of others & trust in God’s mercy. In our poverty & humility, we come to realize that without God, we can do nothing. On our own we cannot live. We need God & each other to be & live in a much better & meaningful life.

    LESS can be powerful. Less can be more than enough. It can humbly render us poor, bring us to resiliency & resourcefulness, make us kind & compassionate to share with other, and above all, impels us rely & trust in God and one another. Though not much, LESS can make a BIG DIFFERENCE in life.

    Perhaps some of us are familiar with the 2007 comedy movie entitled: “Evan Almighty”. It is about a TV-anchorman turned politician Evan Baxter, not unlike Noah, inspired by God, built a big ARK to fulfill his promise campaign to change the world. The story-line evolved around how spectacular & comedic it is to literally build an ark in these modern times in order to change & save our world. Perhaps a primitive & crazy solution for our complicated world.

    At the end, Evan’s ARK may have saved his city (animals & people) from landslide & flooding. But he realized that what God meant for Evan to build an Ark is not literally a big physical structure of an ark, but as an acronym A.R.K., which means Acts of Random Kindness.

    ARK can change the world. Our little Acts of Random Kindness can make a Big difference. Less can change our world for the better.  With LESS, God can be & we can be.

    Take, Lord, the little resources we have. Bless & share these to others, as we are also needy of their help & of our Father’s mercy. Let these be our small contribution & acts of random kindness that we may have a share of our agape in God’s kingdom now & always.

    So Help us God, So may it Be. Amen.

  • GOD GROWING IN US

    GOD GROWING IN US

    June 16, 2024 – 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/061624.cfm)

    Just this week, I joined and participated in a youth leadership training for 5 days. Attended by close to a 100 youth ministers coming from DOPIM (Dipolog, Ozamiz, Pagadian, Iligan and Marawi). Aside from the wonderful topics and speakers who graced the seminar, what amazed me more was how I witnessed the changes and the growth of many youth ministers present in that event. On the first night of our arrival, many were shy and hesitant to relate and mingle with each other. In fact, there were those young leaders who seemed to be confused, alone and isolated.

    Then, we began introducing and knowing each other. The interactions became more frequent as the activities, discussions and animations were done. What I also find more interesting and wonderful were those moments when many began to let their guards down and showed how vulnerable and wounded each one of us. Each day, more and more individuals shared their own stories of pain, hurts, woundedness, triumph, success, and grace.

    On my part, as the only priest present in the whole event, I was able to accompany some of those young leaders who went through some difficulties and overwhelming emotions in their life. Yet, each day also, I saw how many of us gradually transformed. There were many realizations and discoveries, learnings and unlearning, and most importantly, friendships being developed.

    Youth leadership in the youth ministry then, essentially involves our capacity to be who we are truly, of our capacity to be welcoming, vulnerable and accepting, and of our capacity to build friendships.

    I am especially moved as it helped me as a youth minister to discover more, learn more and grow more in this ministry of accompaniment to the young.

    This is how I find the readings speaking to me today telling and inviting us towards growth and maturity, finding that God grows in us.

    The first reading from the Prophet Ezekiel tells us that God desires our growth. Indeed, God shall tear off a tender shoot, describing our simplicity and vulnerability. Yet, in God’s hand we shall become big and fruitful. God assures our growth so that we may become as God wants us to be.

    Moreover, involved in this process of growth are the changes, adaptations shedding off of the old, toxic and unhealthy and transforming into something new. Meaning, growing is a transformation.

    This is what we find in the Gospel of Mark. In the parable of the mustard seed, that small seed as it grew, changed and was transformed. As it also grew, the process also took times, yet, silent and calm. This is the very image also of the first parable in the Gospel in which a man scattered the seeds on the land, and silently, those seeds sprouted from the soil and became plants.

    These images certainly speak of growing that reminds us that growth empowers us and gives us life. In growing, it ushers us towards maturity and fruitfulness

    Indeed, God’s desire is that we develop into our full potential as what God desires us to be. We are called to continue growing no matter how our hair have turned into white or our wrinkles have become more visible. Growing as a person has no age limit. Allowing God to grow in us knows no age and stage in life.

    Hence, as we allow God to grow in us and allow the kingdom of God to grow in our communities, here are some takeaways for today.

    First, never be afraid when we are called to change and shed off. A point in our life, as we are invited to grow, may call us towards transformation and maturity. These basically involve being open to changes and letting go what have become unhealthy for us and of those attitudes, thoughts, beliefs and perspectives in life that may prevent us from learning new things, therefore, from growing.

    Second, embrace gentleness and silence. The process of growing is never aggressive but non-aggressive. It is destruction that is noisy and aggressive. Thus, being gentle and silent allow our heart to be more attuned to the workings of the spirit within us. These attitudes will also help us to listen well to what is happening in us and around us. This will help us further to be discerning to God’s invitation for our continual growth and fruitfulness. Hinaut pa.