Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Fr. Jom Baring, CSsR

  • PRAY. FAST. GIVE.      

    PRAY. FAST. GIVE.      

    February 14, 2024 – Ash Wednesday

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021424.cfm)

    The Church begins today the first day of the Season of Lent. Changes in our liturgical celebrations are also applied. We now use the color purple that symbolizes sorrow for our sins and repentance. Our music becomes mellow and subdued. We don’t sing now the Gloria or the Alleluia as Gospel Acclamation. Even colorful flowers are removed from the sanctuary.

    These changes in our liturgy direct all of us to look deeper into our lives, the kind of heart we have so that we may discover our own sinfulness and begin to repent. Hence, on this Ash Wednesday, the ashes that will be imparted on our forehead reminds of these two important messages. First, “to repent and believe in the Gospel.” The Lord in his mercy and compassion calls us now to come to him. God invites us not to be afraid anymore because the Lord desires to embrace us and heal us.

    Second, “we are from dust and to dust we shall return.” As the Lord God made out of clay and formed the man, he also breathe the spirit into his nostrils. The was how life was given. This reminds us of the frailty of human life and the certainty of our death, yet of the beauty as well because we are one with the earth and God is our creator.

    These reminders bring us now to enter fully into the Season of Lent. And welcoming this season calls us also to observe this 40-day journey faithfully and with open heart. The Church invites us now, as the Gospel of Matthew told us of the three ancient spiritual practices to guide us towards a renewed self and a transformed heart.

    The first of this, is PRAYER. Lent calls us to pray more and to pray better. To give more importance to prayer and to pray daily. Now, to pray is not limited with our memorized prayers or those that we have become so familiar with like the recitation of the Rosary or our Novenas. To pray, rather, is to be more aware of God’s presence among us. To pray is to be constantly conscious of God’s spirit working in our lives. That is why, it is an invitation for us to find ourselves praying even while at work, while traveling, while eating, while encountering and meeting people.

    Second, FASTING AND ABSTINENCE. To deprive ourselves from eating a full meal is an ancient spiritual practices that is also common in other religions. Fasting allows us to not just make us aware of our physical hunger but also our other different forms of hungers. Our hunger for love, for concern, for justice, for peace and to work for it. This makes us to have a focus on what lies within our heart. Abstinence, is to refrain ourselves from enjoying those things that we like and we love. By law, the Church only requires 18 years old up to 60 years old to fast on this Ash Wednesday and on Good Friday except for the sick. And starting at 14 years old and above, we are required by law to abstain from eating meat on this day and in all Fridays of lent and on Good Friday. This leads us to make ourselves free from anything that may prevent us being close to God and others.

    Third is to GIVE ALMS. To be charitable or to express our generosity is an important component of this Season. Our good works or our kindness is not limited to few coins that we give to the poor, but by making actions life-giving for others. Through our generosity others may find hope and blessing.

    As we begin the Season of Lent, may this 40-day spiritual journey may truly become a time of grace, of renewal and transformation of our hearts. Hinaut pa.

  • THE LEPROSY OF THE HEART

    THE LEPROSY OF THE HEART

    February 11, 2024 – 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021124.cfm)

    Leprosy is such a terrible and horrible illness in Biblical times. People would not dare touching a person who was stricken with leprosy. Because of the foul smell from the rotten flesh of a leper, one would ran away to avoid such person. The illness was gruesome that people in biblical times would separate lepers from the community. There was no cure of such illness except a miracle from heaven. Even in the past recent past, colonies of lepers were founded in order to contain them in one place.

    In fact, I have been into one of the colonies of lepers here in our country. During my college days in the seminary in Cebu, every weekend we would spend time with the lepers in their ward and spend a night in the community.

    Today, leprosy is curable. Lepers would not suffer the same alienation and discrimination as before anymore. The sanitariums especially build for this purpose were now converted to General Hospitals. This means that leprosy is no longer a threat to the population.

    However, what remained terrible and horrible, is not anymore the leprosy of the body, but the leprosy of the heart, that continually discriminates and condemns people, that plants hatred and fosters violence, that perpetrates abuse and corruption, that is unmoved and indifferent towards the sufferings of others, and that advances personal interest at the expense of the weak and the poor.

    Hence, this is what I want to share and expound on this Sunday based on the readings that have been revealed to us. Let us revisit again the readings and discover how the Lord invites us to make our hearts clean and free from the leprosy of the heart.

    In the Book of Leviticus, an instruction was given on how to treat a person with leprosy. And since, leprosy is believed to be also a form of punishment and condemnation, a person shall declare himself, “Unclean! “Unclean!” This will warn the people nearby that there was a leprous in the midst and so they can be away.

    This also means that leper cannot stay with his/her family and friends. They were designated outside the camp, outside the affairs of the community. They were removed from the life of the community. One could imagine then, the loneliness and condemnation they received from the community. No one will touch them not even talk to them.

    There was actually a medical explanation why they were separated from the community, and that was to protect the public from such medical threat. There was no cure for such illness before. However, such treatment fostered the culture of indifference, discrimination and hostility against the sick.

    These are signs of a more terrible illness, the leprosy of the heart. These culture prevailed up to the time Jesus. As the Lord preached the Kingdom of God manifested in his many miracles, Jesus also witnessed the leprosy of the heart of the people. Those who claimed to be upright, religious and clean, where the ones who treated the lepers in the worst manner. This kind of leprosy rejects the presence of God. This kind of heart knows no mercy.

    The indifference of the public and the lack of concern promoted a culture that pushes away the lepers to the fringes of the society. They were on their own, unaided and condemned to misery. These were the reasons why any Jew would not dare talking, being near or worst touching a leper. They were afraid that they might be contaminated and become unclean like the lepers.

    However, there was a turn of events, when Jesus was in their midst. Jesus, who healed many sick people, forgave the sinners, became a glimmer of hope of the lepers. Indeed, through Jesus, lepers found hope, healing and life. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus showed this hope, healing and life through his four life-giving movements.

    First, Jesus was moved with pity. The heart of Jesus belongs to them. His is only filled with love and compassion. No discrimination. No judgment.

    Second, Jesus stretched out his hand. An action that moves out to meet the other, to encounter a person.

    Third, Jesus touched him. Jesus did what was unimaginable and what was impossible, not to impress people but to express love.

    And fourth, Jesus said, “I will do it. Be made clean!” This is what love and compassion can do. After that, the leper was immediately cleaned and healed. He was given hope, healing and a new life. The person was liberated.

    This can only come from a heart that knows how to be moved with pity, love and compassion, a heart that knows how to love and how to bring healing and life.

    However, a heart that is stricken with leprosy, it stays distant from the Lord, rejecting love and compassion. This heart is truly lonely and sad, bitter and sick.

    That is why, let us listen to what Paul reminded us in his first letter to the Corinthians, he said, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” Let us strive that our heart may become like Jesus, that our heart will be free from the leprosy of indifference and hatred, of violence and bitterness.

    Thus, for this Sunday, let us pray together and ask the Lord to bless our hearts, to clean and heal our hearts. I want you now to place your right hand to your heart, close your eyes and repeat after me.

    “Lord Jesus fill my heart today with love and compassion. Make my heart gentle and humble. Free and heal my heart from the disease of indifference, violence, hatred, anger, resentment and bitterness.

    Renew my heart today and make it like yours that I may be moved with compassion when I am confronted with those in need, that my heart may have the courage to take action and initiative to show kindness and generosity without asking anything in return.

    Make my heart like yours, that I may also give hope and bring healing and life. Amen.”

    Hinaut pa.

  • A GOD WHO HEALS

    A GOD WHO HEALS

    February 4, 2024 – Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/020424.cfm)

    Broken-hearted ka ba? Umasa pero pinaasa? Umibig pero sinaktan? – These questions seemed to be filled with pain in the heart. But, how are you really? How is life going on for you now? Perhaps many would respond, “Ok lang.” Others may say, “life is favorable for me at the moment, or God is good for the graces I received”. Others are indeed happy and contented with life. Indeed, we are blessed having such kind of life.

    Yet, how about those who are overburdened with problems in life? Those who are suffering from broken relationships and broken homes? Those who are terminally ill and desperate to live a bit longer? Those who find life dark, bitter and hopeless trapped in guilt, shame, loneliness, fear and anxiety? Then, we might find life filled with misery.

    This was the life of Job. In the first reading, Job found his life miserable. He lost his family, his wealth as well as his health. Because of so much suffering, he could not find any meaning and significance in all those pain and loneliness he endured.

    Why? Because Job was a good and pious man. He did no wrong to anybody. He was faithful to God. Thus, he felt that he did not deserve such kind of life. This is how he described his life to be “miserable,” “hopeless,” and “devoid of happiness.”

    We could also act like Job. We might also say, “I do not deserve such kind of misery in life, Lord. What have I done? Why do you give me such trial and suffering?” – We could actually say these especially when we are confronted with unspeakable human suffering.

    That is why, in misery, Job concluded, “I shall not see happiness anymore.” Job felt hopeless. He believed that God completely abandoned him. Yet, Job was wrong.  Job failed to realize two important points.

    First, he justified himself for being good. He seemed to demand God and became entitled that he should not be treated in such a way because he was good. For him, he did not deserve such misery but only prosperity and blessing.

    Second, Job misunderstood that God’s grace and favor are not about how good we are, but about God’s goodness and generosity. This means that to be blessed is a sheer grace.

    However, despite this attitude of Job, the Lord remained faithful to him. Later on, the Lord confronted Job and let him realize his failures. The Lord restored Job not because he was justified but because the Lord is good and close to the brokenhearted.

    This is what the Responsorial Psalm proclaimed today, “Praise the Lord who heals the brokenhearted!” The Lord binds up our wounds because the Lord is good and gracious! This is God’s true character. This tells us that indeed, God actually desires our healing, freedom, our joy and that we may have the fullness of life.

    That is why, Paul would never stop preaching the gospel of Christ. His First Letter to the Corinthians reminds us of Paul’s conviction to share the gospel because the very message brings the presence of Jesus who gives us joy, freedom and life. Paul even said, “to the weak I became weak, to win over the weak.” This means that Paul became a true companion and a friend to people especially the weak. By being able to enter into the life of those who are suffering, Paul understood them better and saw that Christ was as well with the weak and the suffering.

    A God who heals

    A God who desires joy and fullness of life for us is best described in today’s Gospel of Mark. Jesus went inside the house of Simon and Andrew. By being welcomed into that household, Jesus was made aware of the sick mother-in-law of Simon. And Jesus had three wonderful movements in this scenario.

    First, Jesus approached. Jesus did not wait for the sick to come to him. It was God who came near the sick. This manifests an intention to bring God’s presence closer to the sick.

    Second, he grasped her hand. Jesus brought God’s touch to the sick woman. God touching her meant God’s compassion towards her. The touch of Jesus was God’s most abiding presence giving her the strength.

    Third, he helped her up. The strength from God was the gift of healing granted to the sick mother-in-law. Because she was lying down and her fever overpowers her, she needed help from another. This very action of Jesus helping her up tells us that God supplements and journeys with us towards our freedom and healing.

    From these three movement, Jesus showed us how our presence, our touch and our concrete action in helping another will manifest the presence of God that brings comfort, compassion, healing and even life.

    This is the very reason why after the healing of Simon’s mother-in-law, people with various diseases and those who are ill or possessed by demons flocked towards Jesus. Because the power of presence of Jesus is not of force and violence. People, rather, begin to recognize God’s compassion. In Jesus what we see and realize is God’s power who wills our joy and desires our healing to experience the fullness of life.

    For us today, let these three movements of Jesus be our invitations in our relationships. But first, let us welcome the Lord to come to us, to welcome him in our hearts. Not that we become entitled or demanding to God because we are good and pious.

    Then, let us allow the Lord through his instruments to approach us, to hold us, and to help us. They could be our friends or family members, professionals or even strangers who have the intention to love us.

    With that, we may also become God’s instruments who will manifest God’s powerful presence in our homes, workplaces and communities by approaching, holding and helping those who are sick, weak, vulnerable and the brokenhearted. Hinaut pa.

  • Bringing Nothing but Blessing

    Bringing Nothing but Blessing

    February 1, 2024 – Thursday of the 4th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/020124.cfm)

    Ten years ago I was sent abroad for a mission exposure, I was told that I got 30 kilos of baggage allowance for my flight. Few nights before my flight, I had my own inventory on what I should bring for the one year mission experience in Indonesia. I kept looking at my things worried that I might forget something important and something that “I might need.”

    Aside from clothes, I prepared small things, vitamins and preventive medicines against malaria, books, camping and survival kit, treats and sweets for my sweet tooth and many other small things. Unsurprisingly, my luggage was overweight and I had to pay a few thousand pesos for that.

    Indeed, the worries and anxiety that I might need this and that made my luggage heavy and overweight. I was also overburdened as I carried my luggage. After all, when I was in the mission area, there were many things that I brought but I was not able to use them. I realized I had more than enough.

    Such a situation may also be true in other aspects of our life. One may be overburdened in his or her relationship because of the emotional baggage the person brings. An emotional baggage such as trauma from the past, guilt, shame, fear, anger, hatred or other insecurities could make our life more difficult and at times overwhelming and suffocating.

    This is how I find today’s Gospel passage to be so meaningful and significant. Jesus sent out the Twelve, two by two. They were given power to cast out unclean spirits and heal the sick. However, in their journey, Jesus told them “to bring nothing except a walking stick.” They were “allowed to wear sandals but not a second tunic.”

    This journey sounds a bit harsh and difficult. A disciple could feel so vulnerable and insecure for not having other things in the journey. Yet, Jesus “gave them authority.” That authority is power. And that power is to bring blessing.

    Despite the poverty they had, the small things they possessed, the very presence of God among them and the power given to them suffice what they need. Moreover, such attitude to bring nothing but a walking stick was a invitation. There are two invitations here.

    1. First, to trust the generosity of God. The Lord shall provide the needs of His friends. The ever abiding presence of God is with them and to fully trust in God’s Providence is truly an act of faith. This is the realization of David at the end of his life. He learned to let go and entrust everything to God who is good and merciful. He is going the way of all flesh, as he said. God
    2. Second, to trust the generosity of the people. The reason why they were to bring nothing was to allow themselves become companions and friends of the people whom they were to encounter. They may have the power given by God to them, yet, they were not above the people or apart from the people. They were equal in status as companions and friends. They were to live among the people and be immersed in the life of the people. This is where the generosity of the people is welcomed and received with gratitude.

    Indeed, may we also learn and trust more the generosity of God and the generosity of people around us. That generosity may not be always material but also as an expression of support and understanding, warmth and affection, friendship and intimacy, care and compassion, mercy and forgiveness.

    Hence, as we move forward in whatever phase, track, or path we are in this journey of life, may we bring blessing to others. Hinaut pa.

  • Trusting God’s Strength vs Trusting a Man’s Strength

    Trusting God’s Strength vs Trusting a Man’s Strength

    January 31, 2024 – Wednesday of the 5th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/013124.cfm)

    To rely solely in our human strength, knowledge and wisdom can be so tempting especially when we want immediate results of what we desire. Becoming too proud of what we have achieved, gained and accumulated could make our heart arrogant making us adamant towards the grace and presence of God. This is the concern when we have less trust in God’s strength and put more trust and confidence to our human strength. This is the case in today’s readings.

    David was doubtful of God’s promise to aid him in a hundredfold of people. This was the reason why he ordered the census in order to be certain of his military power. However, doing so means not trusting the strength of God given to the people of Israel. Hence, David’s decision was an insult and a sin against God.

    Such action of David resulted to punishment of which he chose the third, and that was the pestilence over the city. This cost the lives of 70,000 people who died in the plague. However, David chose this because he realized the mercy of God. Though, his actions and wrong intentions directed only for his power and authority, but cost the lives of many. It was the people who suffered because of the failure of a leader.

    This doubt of David in God’s strength somehow reiterated among the neighbors of Jesus. The Lord who went home, preached and taught in his native place was received with offence and indifference.

    His own people, those whom he probability played with, worked with and his relatives doubted his capacity. They doubted his wisdom. They doubted his authority. They doubted his power. They took offense at him, as the Gospel said, because his own people, they who were very familiar with Jesus, only saw him as a son’s carpenter. He was too ordinary for them. Indeed, familiarity breeds contempt.

    As a consequence, the people did not believe despite what they have heard and seen. This was also the reason why Jesus can only cure few sick people by laying his hands on them, because of the lack of faith of many. That lack of faith prevented them to recognize God’s strength in Jesus. It prevented them too to acknowledge God’s wisdom and grace in Jesus.

    This is the invitation for us today and that is to grow more in our faith and trust in God’s strength to work in us. Though God gifted us with human wisdom, knowledge and strength may we not become too proud of what we have achieved. Rather, may we become more open and receptive of God’s power and strength even when that grace appears to be so ordinary and simple in our eyes and understanding. Hinaut pa.