Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Fr. Jom Baring, CSsR

  • TO JOURNEY WITH GOD IS TO LISTEN TO GOD

    TO JOURNEY WITH GOD IS TO LISTEN TO GOD

    February 28, 2021 – Second Sunday of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/022821.cfm)

    We are so familiar with the story of Abraham. God called him to go to a foreign land he did not know. Despite his insecurities, he took the risk and trusted God because God promised him that he will have children, land of his own and shall be a blessing to all the people on earth. However, our first reading tells us the opposite. God indeed gave Abraham and Sarah a son, Isaac, but God asked Abraham to sacrifice sin only son for God. Abraham was surely confused; he was deeply distressed at this request from God. Yet, Abraham took the risk and completely trusted in God.

    God just tested Abraham. And God saw how Abraham remained dedicated and faithful despite the pain that Abraham endured. What was very interesting in him was his ability to listen to God who called him. It was by listening to God that Abraham was able to go beyond and conquer his fears, doubts and confusions in life. Because of that, God blessed him throughout his life. By this attitude of Abraham, he was TRANSFORMED by God making him a blessing to all.

    But what is more interesting in our readings today is the TRANSFIGURATION of Jesus as witnessed by the three disciples – Peter, James and John. They have seen in advance the wonderful face of Jesus in the glorious resurrection. However, we would wonder, why would Jesus allow the three to see in advance or have a foretaste of the glorious resurrection? The voice that came from the clouds would tell us something. That mysterious voice says, “This is my beloved son. Listen to him.”

    The voice from the cloud tells the three that Jesus is indeed the chosen one, the Messiah that they have been waiting for – the BELOVED ONE to whom they should LISTEN! The disciples are told to LISTEN to Jesus and to follow him in this life. They are told to listen to the life that Jesus will show them. Yet, this life with Jesus entails struggles, suffering and even death but there will be also joy and peace in the glorious resurrection.

    Indeed, as they listened and followed Jesus, these fishermen turned into fishers of men. From being fearful and doubtful followers of Jesus they have become dedicated apostles and preachers of the Gospel. By listening to the Lord, they were transformed and converted into new persons.

    This is now the message, the call that is being offered to us on this Second Sunday of Lent – that each of us and as a community we are called to JOURNEY WITH GOD. By journeying with God, it is essential that WE LISTEN TO GOD, to His Word. God is telling us now, “Be my herald of the good news, be my gossiper of the Gospel! Be my blessing to others”

    As we respond to the call of Jesus, expect that we would feel what Abraham felt at the beginning. We can be fearful and doubtful like the disciples of Jesus. However, let us be confident that we will be transformed into new persons as we continually listen to what the Lord is saying to us. Let us remember, in following the Lord, it entails taking risks and trusting God to transform us and to change our old and destructive ways, habits and mindsets.

    These old habits, they could be our passivity – which means that we go to church, sitting on that same area where you are seated now, saying the same prayers, responding your ‘amen’ and then go home. And that’s it! We can be very comfortable with that without confronting what is wrong with us or without recognizing our mistakes and ways of being indifferent towards other. Yes, we can we comfortable with our passivity.

    Or this could be our overwhelming self-centered heart – that desires to dominate or manipulate others, to have everything and to be in control of everything and everyone. We can be very comfortable with that! – of having an overwhelming self-centered heart.

    Orthiscould be our paralyzing fear, self-doubt and shame – that reject and do  not recognize our own giftedness and talents. We may tend to put ourselves down and discredit the possibilities that we are capable of. We can be very comfortable with that! – With our paralyzing fear, self-doubt and shame.

    Indeed, we can be very comfortable with those old and destructive ways, habits and mindsets  that we have been practicing and doing because we tend to stay to what is only familiar to us. Nevertheless, this is not what God is asking us now and not what God wants us to be.

    God tells us, “Listen to me!” God speaks in our hearts through the words in the bible, through this celebration that we are not to remain passive, self-centered, fearful and doubtful of ourselves but to become pro-active, self-sacrificing, life-giving and confident in God’s words like Abraham and the disciples of Jesus.

    Thus, for this Second Week of Lent, I would like to ask each of you to find time for the whole week to open your bible, read the Gospel of the day and stay in silence at least for 5 minutes. Let that passage speak to you, let God speak to you through the bible, listen to Him! Hopefully, through this simple exercise, we may be moved to gradually be transformed into the way God wants us to be. Hinaut pa.

  • ASK AND SEEK

    ASK AND SEEK

    February 25, 2021 – Thursday of the First Week of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/022521.cfm)

    What are we supposed to ask actually? What is it that we should really seek? The invitation of Jesus is grounded on a deep faith and trust in the goodness of the Lord. The Lord does not say that whatever we ask and desire will be given to us immediately and absolutely. Jesus wants us to realize how important it is to pray, to be able to communicate with God, with all honesty and humility.

    Prayer, therefore, is not just about asking and desiring what we want only for ourselves, that we become self-centered. Prayer is allowing ourselves to be more aware of God’s presence in our life, and more aware of the people around us. Prayer builds up our faith and trust in God, but also, it brings us to be deeply in loved.

    The story of Queen Esther in our first reading tells us about this. The Queen, in all humility, pleaded to the Lord God to rescue the people from death. She did not ask the Lord God to just secure her status, her title and wealth as Queen. She, however, became an intercessor on behalf of the people.

    Queen Esther asked the Lord for courage and strength that she may be able to become a mediator between the people and her husband the King. She knew that this would be too risky and she might also lose everything she had as Queen. Yet, what she asked and sought from the Lord made her deeply in love with God’s people. Indeed, her prayer was answered because God found delight in her heart filled with humility and love.

    As we continue to journey in this Season of Lent, may we also grow deeply in love with God and with people around us, making our heart more available for others and for God. Hinaut pa.

  • FASTING TO BE LIFE-GIVING

    FASTING TO BE LIFE-GIVING

    February 19, 2021 – Friday after Ash Wednesday

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021921.cfm)

    We always understand the religious practice of “fasting”  in reducing our food intake. This religious practice which already begun even in the ancient times still takes a central place in today’s Season of Lent. The Church, in fact, asks us to fast as one of our practices in this season.

    Our readings today actually talk about fasting. Isaiah in the first reading, criticized the people who devoutly did the religious practice of fasting. He criticized them because those people were only concerned of the traditional practice of fasting while refusing to respond to the call that fasting entails.

    According to Isaiah, when fasting remains a religious practice or tradition and does not change our heart, then, it is not true fasting. Fasting will lead us into a change of heart. This is shown in what he said,

    “releasing those bound unjustly,
      untying the thongs of the yoke;
    Setting free the oppressed,
        breaking every yoke;
    Sharing your bread with the hungry,
        sheltering the oppressed and the homeless;
    Clothing the naked when you see them,
        and not turning your back on your own.”

    From what Isaiah told us, to fast in this Season of Lent is not about making ourselves slimmer or to aim in losing weight. These reasons are not what the Season of Lent is about. The call to fast and consciously choose not to eat our comfort food is a discipline that will bring us into at least four practical and significant reasons.

    First, fasting from our comfort food will allow us to learn the value of giving more importance to what we really need and not just on what we want. Our wants could sometimes lead us into unhealthy habits in our diet, thus, to fast will help us confront those unhealthy habits.

    Second, when we fast, we will surely feel hungry. To feel the emptiness of our stomach, will help us to value every food being prepared on our table. This should help us to be more grateful of people around us and of the grace from God.

    Third, such consciousness in the emptiness of our stomach will also help us to realize the hunger that many people are suffering every day. According to Action Against Hunger, there is more than enough food produced in the world to feed the entire population of our planet, but, despite this over supply, there are 690 million people in the world who sleep without anything in their stomach.[1]

    Fourth, by becoming aware of that, fasting then, leads us to respond to those who are in need. In the words of Isaiah, in fasting, we share our food with the hungry, we set those who are unjustly accused to be unburdened, we set those who oppressed to be free, we give shelter to the homeless, we cloth those who are naked. Meaning, fasting indeed entails practical responses that will allow us to become life-giving to others.

    Thus, as we have just began this Season of Lent, please be more conscious also of this religious practice of fasting by also becoming more aware on how we could be more  life-giving to others. But never forget to bring that consciousness into prayer. Fasting without prayer will not make us life-giving.

    So, a practical example would be keeping aside the budget of your food or meal every day and give what you have kept aside to a neighbor or a friend who is in need of material or financial aid. May way all become life-giving in this season of lent. Hinaut pa.

    [1] See https://www.actionagainsthunger.org/world-hunger-facts-statistics

  • AVAILABLE AND FREE

    AVAILABLE AND FREE

    February 17, 2021 – Ash Wednesday

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021721.cfm)

    The Season of Lent invites us to be closer to God. As Christians, we are challenged by the Gospel today to make ourselves available and free for God and for others. There are three best practices that by tradition would make this desire of closeness with God and others to be possible.

    First, PRAYER. It is an invitation to be closer to God by becoming more aware of His presence in our life. Prayer is not limited with expressing and blurting out what we need and want. Prayer is our way of relating, communicating and being intimate with God who is so good to us, faithful and loving to us despite our sinfulness and imperfections. Prayer brings us closer into God’s presence. It allows us to encounter Him makes us humble before God to recognize our own limitations and sinfulness. Moreover, when our prayer focuses on God rather than our personal wants and needs, the more we also see and know clearly who we are. Hence, awareness of God brings us into self-awareness.

    In prayer, we do not have to use plenty of words. To sit in silence for few minutes and being aware of God’s tremendous presence in those very moments would also suffice and bring us into a greater consciousness of ourselves and of others.

    Second, FASTING AND ABSTINENCE. When we become aware of God, then, it helps us to be more aware of ourselves. Fasting and abstinence, then, is an invitation to recognize our thoughts, habits, behaviors and attitudes that continually prevent us from becoming closer to God and to others. To fast and to abstain is not just limited with abstaining from pork and beef or to our comfort foods. These are forms of self-denial to help our heart and mind be freed from what chained us. Thus, it would be good to ask, what is it that I will make myself free in this Season of Lent, what vice shall I stop or regulate? What habit or attitude shall minimize? – So that in doing this, I will make myself available for others, more generous and kind.

    Third, ALMSGIVING. The Lenten practice of almsgiving is a way of making ourselves generous to those who are in need. If prayer makes us aware of God and ourselves, and fasting and abstinence is to make ourselves free for others, almsgiving is to become LIFE-GIVING. Almsgiving is, therefore, not limited to giving few coins to a poor beggar or a spare of our resources, but to generously give what is dear and special from us. Hence, we allow ourselves to be a gift to others. What is it then that I can generously give to others from myself in this lent? Is it my time and wealth? It is my presence and comfort? My helping hand and listening ear? My understanding and love? My concern and honesty?

    Hopefully, in giving ourselves, we too shall be able to encounter real faces of our brothers and sisters even in this time of pandemic. Such encounter will certainly allow us to recognize God’s presence, making ourselves freer, closer and available for God and for others. Hinaut pa.

  • WHAT INFLUENCES YOU?

    WHAT INFLUENCES YOU?

    February 16, 2020 – Tuesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021621.cfm)

    Each of us is being influenced by many things and people around us. Sometimes, we may not be aware what really influences our thoughts and hearts because we are not aware of our environment. The popularity of the Social Media, of Facebook, YouTube and Instagram especially brought so much influence into our individual lives. These sites have reshaped cultures, social status, age, even beliefs and values.

    However, when one is not also aware of the kind of influences that he or she is welcoming, those influences may bring the person into better or into worst. Moreover, even our own words, spoken or written, can also influence others to become better or to become worst. The rise of fake news entertained by many has been very damaging into our culture and relationships. People who are not aware of the sources and the credibility of the report, are being deceived and in effect brought more damaged to the community by spreading them.

    Such is the warning that Jesus reminded to his disciples. The Lord firmly warned his friends, “Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” The leaven being used to make the dough to rise, was used as an image by Jesus to depict the silent but cunning influence of the Pharisees and of Herod. The passive yet indifferent, aggressive and oppressive attitudes of the Pharisees and of Herod can become alluring to people who tend to seek recognition and praise and those who tend to worship the powerful and the corrupt, the arrogant and the aggressive.

    These tendencies were also present among the disciples. This was the reason why Jesus reminded them when they began to worry of having not enough bread with them. Even until that moment, they have not yet recognized that the Lord was with them and had already worked wonders by feeding thousands of people.

    Today, like the disciples, the Lord also calls us to watch out of those distractions that may lead us away from the grace of God. God is working wonders in us and through us.

    Thus, recognize today those wonders that God is doing to you. Let not our hearts be influenced by passivity, by indifference, by arrogance, by aggressiveness or by any fake news about God, about ourselves and about others. Rather, look always of those many wonders that God is doing in our lives. Be influenced by God’s grace in our sacraments. Be influenced by His words in the bible. Be influenced by the Holy Spirit. Hinaut pa.