Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Fr. Jom Baring, CSsR

  • THE GOLDEN RULE

    THE GOLDEN RULE

    June 22, 2021 – Tuesday 12th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/062221.cfm)

    Do you want others to be kind to you? Then, be kind to others. Do you want others to be generous to you? Then, be generous to others. Do you want others to love you? Then, be loving to people around you.

    This sounds simple, isn’t it? However, our experiences would tell us that this is not always the case.

    Think of people who remain ungrateful to you despite kindness and generosity to them. Think of your friends, collogues and neighbors who talked behind your back, though you have been nice to them but they remained vicious behind you. Think of people who want to stay at your side as long as you can provide them their wants and needs. Yet, once you fail to give what they want, then, they turn against you. Think of people who ignore you, criticize you and insult you before others.

    The Golden Rule, “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you,” as the summary of the Law and Prophets of the Old Testament, sounds absurd.  But then, this really sounds ridiculous when we ourselves are not convinced of its power and its significance in our Christian life. Indeed, the Golden Rule of Jesus has its power to transform individuals and communities. The Golden Rule inspires change of attitude and of the heart not just to the one doing it but also to the person who is the recipient of the good deed.

    This is what Abram showed to Lot, proclaimed in the Book of Genesis. Abram showed kindness and more consideration to Lot so that no strife shall be created between them. In return, Abram was blessed more by the Lord. The Lord God promised him vast land and many descendants.

    That is why, Jesus also gave the Golden Rule to his disciples in a positive way, “Do to others what you want others to do you.” Jesus avoided the negative but passive approach of, “Do not do unto others what you do not want others do unto you.”

    This positive approach of Jesus invites us in taking a proactive stance by initiating kindness, goodness, love, forgiveness and giving respect to others even if they are not deserving.

    Consequently, this is not that simple. For this reason, Jesus calls this the “narrow gate” because only few people will take the risk of expressing kindness and giving utmost respect to undeserving people.

    Yet, once we take the risk of going into this “narrow gate,” we shall also find life and freedom. This is how we shall also “live in the presence of the Lord,” proclaimed by the Responsorial Psalm.

    This invitation is also a reminder to us now because God loves us even though we are unworthy and underserving.

    Today, we may learn to take the risk and actively do good to people around us, no matter who they are. Let others feel our presence that neither judges nor condemns, but a presence that shows kindness and respect. Hinaut pa.

  • THAT WE MAY BE A BLESSING

    THAT WE MAY BE A BLESSING

    June 21, 2020 – Monday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/062121.cfm)

    How blessed are you today? In the midst of our own trials in life today, have we realized how blessed we are? And have we become a blessing also to others?

    The Book of Genesis, in the first reading, tells us about blessing. Abram who was called by the Lord to leave his homeland and family, was blessed by God. Abram’s faith and confidence in the Lord made him blessed and felt blessed despite the difficulty of leaving his comforts. As Abram had been blessed, through him, all the communities of the earth shall find blessing in him. Everyone, who met Abram and those whose were touched by him, were blessed.

    The Lord said to him, “I will bless you… so that you will be a blessing.” This reminds us now that each of us too is blessed by the Lord in many ways. And the blessings of God calls us now that we shall become a blessing to others, to our brothers and sisters and neighbors.

    This is God’s invitation for us today that we become a blessing to our communities and that we will not become the face of evil and curse. Jesus reminds us today also, not to judge others, not to judge the lives and situations of our brothers and sisters. Judging others and to develop and nurture prejudices in our hearts will only make us indifferent to the lives of many and indifferent to the feelings and experiences of others.

    Moreover, our judgments, prejudices and biases are signs that we may become faces of curses and evil to our community. This is not what God wants for us.

    Thus, we may learn to develop the attitude of constant discernment of the different realities in our community, of making our presence felt by those who are in difficulty, of being understanding to those who need to be understood. In such actions and attitudes, we may be able to give hope and courage to others. In this way, others shall find blessing in us as we have been blessed by God. Hinaut pa.

  • GROWING NOT IN FEAR BUT IN GRATITUDE LIKE MARY

    GROWING NOT IN FEAR BUT IN GRATITUDE LIKE MARY

    June 20, 2021 – Feast of Our Mother of Perpetual Help; 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/062021.cfm)

    When I was growing up, I was taught to fear God because He brings punishment to disobedient children. I was taught to be good and to follow my parents and elders so that God won’t be angry at me and condemn me in hell. Somehow, I developed dependence on rules and regulations, at home and at school. I tended to be hard on myself and on others whenever rules were broken. Yet, I was also inclined to feel righteous by being an obedient boy but condemning to those who did not follow the rules.

    Such upbringing made me believe that God was like an old grandfather always holding a stick and whose eyes were always angry, ready to strike a naughty boy.

    However, this belief in God made me distant from God. Faith and my relationship with the Lord was motivated by fear of punishment. Is this the kind of faith that God wants us to develop, then? Does God want us to relate with Him through fear?

    Surely, this is not what God wants. God’s self-revelation in our history tells us that God is our creator, defender, savior, a parent, a friend, and a companion because his love is everlasting, as what the Psalm proclaimed today. Indeed, in Jesus, God tells us that He is with us, he brings good news, freedom and salvation.

    This is the very image that has been revealed to us in today’s Gospel. The disciples who were terrified by the storm thought that Jesus was indifferent to the dangers they were facing. Yet, they were wrong. Jesus was entirely confident in the Father. This is what Jesus showed to them as he calmed the storm and brought peace. Having these images and experiences of God, should we be afraid of Him which could prevent us to develop an intimate relationship with God?

    God desires us that we love Him. He constantly invites us to come closer to Him because through Him, then, we shall find the fullness of our life. Jesus desires that we grow in gratitude to God for not giving up on us and for being always with us. In fact, St. Paul told us in his letter to the Corinthians, “Christ died for all” – for each of us no matter how underserving we are.

    We find this in the life of Mary, Our Mother of Perpetual Help. Mary is motivated by love and gratitude to God. Despite the fear that she felt at the announcement of Angel Gabriel to carry in her womb the presence of God, love and gratitude also must have filled her heart to respond to God.

    Her constant listening to God allowed her to understand more fully the identity and mission of her Son and Lord. Because of this, Mary must have discovered herself in God’s plan of salvation. And Mary responded to Gabriel saying, “I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done according to your word,” because the love and gratitude in her heart made her more confident not just with herself, with her ability and strength but most especially, she has become totally confident to God who loves her.

    Indeed, Mary, our Mother, brings inspiration to us now that our God, certainly, desires that we become grateful to Him because it is when we become grateful that we become confident. By being grateful to God, our insecurities will certainly lessen and our fears will be transformed into faith. This is how we become a new creation, as what St. Paul told us, because gratitude brings us closer to Christ and whoever is in Christ is a new creation.

    Let us also remember that when we become grateful, we also become joyful because we will be able to recognize how blessed we are. This is also how the old things in us, (our old hatred and grudges, anger and insecurities) shall pass away so that new things will come.

    Mary, as a new creation, is certainly a joyful woman, and no wonder, she is blessed among women because with her is the presence of God.

    This gratitude and joy will move us also to recognize ultimately the source of blessings. When we are able to recognize God then, it also follows that we will be moved to respond to Him in love.

    The Book of Deuteronomy (6:5) tells us to love the Lord God with all our heart, whole being and strength. Loving the Lord then, is our expression, not of fear, but of our deep gratitude to God.

    Moreover, Jesus reminds us of the immediate result of loving the Lord. The love of neighbor is the concrete manifestation of loving the Lord. Remember, God’s image is in each of us. Therefore, if we love God, then, it also means that our love is being expressed towards ourselves and with our brothers and sisters who are created in God’s image and likeness.

    Thus, we should be very careful when we tend to become so stiff with our religious practices but having a growing indifference towards people around us, then, our devotion to God is empty and merely motivated by fear. Our religiosity can be a mere appearance of our arrogant devotion when we also refuse to see and recognize the abuses in our community and choose to be silent amidst oppression and injustice committed against the powerless and the weak.

    To love God calls us then, to love one another. And we can begin and renew our commitment today by being grateful to God which would hopefully make us joyful persons like Mary. When we are joyful, God transforms us to be generous to others, both in our words and deeds. Thus, joyful and grateful persons are truly generous because true generosity springs forth from those attitudes of gratitude and joy. However, when we pretend to be generous but having an impure motive, just to advance our personal interests, then, this is not a true expression of love towards others, but selfishness.

    Hopefully, we will be constantly reminded through our devotion to Mary, Our Mother of Perpetual Help to grow not in fear but in gratitude and that Jesus invites us to love our God and our neighbors, regardless of our differences. Hinaut pa.

  • MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU

    MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU

    June 19, 2021 – Saturday 11th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/061921.cfm)

    “How often do I worry? How often do I find myself anxious of many things?”

    Our worries and anxieties is part of our life the moment we have become aware of ourselves and of the world. Parents would naturally worry about their growing children. Lovers may feel anxious of the security in their relationship. Workers and professionals may worry with the demands of their work and their relationships among their colleagues and superiors. We may worry these days because we might be infected by covid with its new variant. We may worry also about the vaccine that it might have terrifying side-effects on us.

    However, when our worries and anxieties reaches the smallest and most trivial things in life and settle on them, then, we will be lost and distracted so much. These trivial worries and anxieties could paralyze us to the point that we will lose our peace of mind and worst our capacity to choose and transcend difficult moments in life.

    In today’s Gospel, Jesus invites his disciples to set their hearts and seek instead the kingdom of God. Jesus felt that the disciples had grown more worried about their food, their appearance before the people, their security and even their future. Because of so much worries and anxiety, they became distracted and settled only with trivial things in their life

    Consequently, it made their hearts full that it prevented God to fill them, to surprise them and satisfy them. Jesus also wants us that we become free from worries and anxieties which only prevent God to come to us and fill us with his presence.

    Thus, the Lord invites us today to seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness. This will brings us into confidence in God who is most generous to us. This is what we have heard from the Paul’s letter today. Paul acknowledged God’s voice saying to him, “My grace is sufficient for you.” Indeed, God’s grace sustains us and satisfies us only we are fully aware of God’s presence.

    Today, we are called to seek God’s Kingdom. This means that we become more familiar with God’s presence in our everyday experiences. It is when we become familiar with His presence that we also grow in confidence and faith in God.

    To seek God’s righteousness also means being more attuned with God’s desire for us. God’s desire lead us to peace, freedom and joy.

    We may come and grew more in our confidence in God, whose grace is sufficient for us and therefore, find freedom from our unnecessary worries and anxieties. Hinaut pa. 

  • WHERE DO I FIND MY HEART NOW?

    WHERE DO I FIND MY HEART NOW?

    June 18, 2021 – Friday 11th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/061821.cfm)

    Where do you find yourself during the day? What keeps you occupied and busy? What are your major thoughts and concerns? And how do you end your day?

    These questions would somehow help us see the kind of life we are living at this very moment. We may find ourselves in front of our computer or smartphones because of our online job or online class. Others would find themselves wandering somewhere else or confined in a quarantine facility or at the hospital at this moment. Others also may find themselves alone and suffering.

    The demands of our work and career, or demands for school assignments and projects, demands in our relationship especially from our family could occupy us a lot. Meeting the deadline, doing all our responsibilities and on how we would manage well our time, presence and resources could also become our major concern. At the end of the day, we may find ourselves exhausted, stressed, empty and alone.

    To be grounded at all times is needed for our physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. This calls us to be constantly aware of our needs and of the needs around us in order to assess our priorities and to give more attention to what are most important and valuable to us. This is something important because when we are bombarded with many concerns and issues whether from our work, from our relationships or personal struggles of insecurities, anxieties and fears, then, we could easily be swayed and become lost.

    Our readings today reminds us to find our heart by also finding our true treasure. We are obviously not talking about the heart as a human organ but the heart as the center of our very being. This is where we find our deepest thoughts, our deepest dreams, our true treasure and the very space of encounter with God. Where do I find my heart now? We may ask ourselves.

    In Paul’s letter today to the Corinthians, he recounted to us his many experiences as a missionary and preacher of the Gospel. Paul was imprisoned, beaten, stoned, persecuted, and experienced dangers in his travels and all for the love of God. The Gospel and in sharing this Gospel to peoples and cultures made Paul busy and occupied. His ministry to preach the Gospel and to found churches consumed his energy physically, mentally and spiritually.

    However, despite all the trials, he was never lost and never felt alone even though he was suffering a lot. Paul did these without any complain neither grumbles nor bitterness. Joy in sharing and giving witness to the Gospel moved Paul to do those sacrifices. In fact, this joy came from Jesus himself, the true joy of Paul, and his lasting and true treasure in heaven. This is where Paul also found his heart, his very being, touched and loved by the Lord.

    Indeed, the relationship of Paul with the Lord and with the people to whom he was sent sustained him and his ministry. Paul would always see the day as something new and filled with hope, that is why he was able to continue in his ministry with joy and perseverance.

    This is the invitation that we have heard also today from the Gospel. Jesus said to his disciples, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven.” Jesus invites us to be more conscious of things that will last. Jesus was not talking about material possessions, neither human desires for recognition and power nor human cravings for self-gratification.

    Jesus invites us to give more importance to our relationships, particularly, to be daring in building intimate and deeper relationships with God, with our families and our community by giving what we have – our time and our presence.

    Thus, each of us will surely be making sacrifices, we may never forget then, that all our effort, energy and presence spent to every sacrifice that we make whether at work, at school, and with our relationships – are all intended towards storing up treasures in heaven where we shall also find our heart. Hinaut pa.