Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Fr. Jom Baring, CSsR

  • To Move towards Jesus and To Move like Jesus

    To Move towards Jesus and To Move like Jesus

    January 21, 2021 – Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012121.cfm)

    There are two interesting movements in the Gospel of Mark. These two movements are the invitations that I would like you today to remember. First is the movement of the people towards Jesus. Second is the movement of Jesus.

    How do we deal with our stress and tensions? With the difficulties we encounter daily? Or with our own personal issues? In dealing with these, we develop coping mechanism to address our issues. They could be a healthy or an unhealthy coping. There will be occasions where we fall into unhealthy coping mechanism that may trap us from growing and becoming more mature in the way we look at ourselves, in the way we relate with others and even in the way we relate with God. What prevents us could be our stubborn heart to accept our failures and limitations. What hinders us too is our arrogance to rely on our capacities, with our achievements, with our strength and will that refuse to seek help from others or even healing from God.

    Considering all these, I am reminded of today’s Gospel to always approach the Lord in humility but with confidence. This is what we have heard in the Gospel as people from all over the place came to follow Jesus. Mark tells us how the people were drawn towards Jesus. Those people took the risk that they too will see Jesus, touch Jesus and be healed by Jesus from whatever burden or suffering they were carrying.

    Mark presents to us how Jesus was drawing multitude of people. This tells us indirectly how the people have recognized that Jesus has come to give them life, to give them pardon and forgiveness, to give them freedom, to seek the lost, to heal the sick, to uplift the distressed and hopeless and comfort the brokenhearted.

    In Jesus, they must have saw “life.” This is the invitation for us in this first movement – and that is to be able to see life in Jesus and not in any unhealthy coping mechanism, not in arrogance, not in the stubbornness of our heart, not in self-doubt, not in complacency and self-satisfaction.

    Thus, we will only be able to touch Jesus once we also take the movement in taking the risk to remain humble and to remain dependent on God. The people approached Jesus in humility and recognize their poverty and need of God. This means that I am called to recognize my own inadequacies and weaknesses, issues and areas of healing. To remain dependent on God means that I am called to completely put my trust in God’s goodness and providence, and not just on my own strength and capacity. This is the first movement and the call to move towards Jesus.

    Again in the Gospel, Mark presents to us how Jesus became so popular. People heard about him and the wonders he did to many. He became “viral and sensational.” If Jesus was not conscious of his identity, he could easily manipulate the people who have come to him in order to gain praises only for himself and nothing to his Father in heaven. The popularity that he gained, the influence that he was able to build up and his power over the people were most probably also forms of temptations to him from Satan. Surely, Satan had also used these against Jesus.

    However, his awareness of his identity and confidence in His Father in heaven “moved” him to be more generous to the people and more conscious of their needs. As a result, he touched others, listened to them individually and taught them effectively.

    This reminds me to be always grounded and to be always aware of my own identity that I am a sinner in need of mercy, yet, chosen and loved by the Lord. This is a call then for us, not to be intoxicated with the popularity that we might have, with the affirmations and recognitions that we may gain, with the people who have come to us for help, with people who admire us. Intoxication of self-promotion, of self-entitlement, and self-gratification will only lead us to the temptation of gaining control and power that may also lead to abuses, in whatever forms that may be, and corruption.

    This reminds us to be always conscious and discerning as a person. To grow in confidence with God, like Jesus, will make our heart thankful and joyful. This is indeed an invitation for us to have a heart that is simple and undefiled by any form of bitterness, insecurity, arrogance and entitlement.

    To have this heart means to be able to love – a love that does not count the cost or expecting any return of investment. This love comes from the generous heart of God. Thus, the call of Jesus’ movement is a call to see God with others, with my brothers and sisters. This is the second movement and the call to move like Jesus. Hinaut pa.

  • God is New, always New

    God is New, always New

    January 18, 2021 – Monday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/011821.cfm)

    There seems to be a constant friction between what is new and what is old. An old tradition may feel threatened by new developments in the culture. We also find old people and those who live in the old comparing the glory of the past from the present. To compare what was better in the past with what is in the present is surely not bad. This, in fact, it is a challenge and an opportunity to become a better version in the present.

    These are abstract ideas that may be difficult to understand. Yet, there is something important here that we are invited to listen and to grow in our faith. There is a danger as one grows old. This danger lies in the attitude of a heart that has grown old and has become rigid, uncompromising and rejecting towards what is new and fresh.

    We may find this in ourselves when we settle to what is only familiar to us, to what is only routine and to what is only comfortable. This attitude also makes us exclusive, close-minded and cold. Like for instance, having a group of friends is good, yet, to limit ourselves in that kind of relationship and become exclusive may lead us to become rejecting towards others who do not belong to our circle. When we settle to our own comforts and familiarity, we may tend to become selfish and not consider others but only ourselves.

    This is the reason also why we fall into bad habits and even addictions. These are repeated actions, meaning, they become part of a cycle in us. Because of the seemingly comfort that they bring in us, we fall on them again and again. Moreover, when our heart also becomes too absorbed of ourselves, then, we become reactive and even hostile towards others who may challenge to change us or to make us adapt something new.

    This is the message that Jesus was saying to those who objected regarding the actions of his disciples. It was not that Jesus disrespected the old tradition of fasting or has trampled that revered custom. No! Jesus said,

    “No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak.
    If he does, its fullness pulls away,
    the new from the old, and the tear gets worse.
    Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins.
    Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins,
    and both the wine and the skins are ruined.
    Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.”

    The very presence of Jesus is the new cloth and the new wine. His person and his friendship was what was being offered. Yet, the limited awareness of the people of Jesus’ divine presence prevented them to embrace and accept Jesus. What they only saw was the threat that they felt from Jesus against their old tradition.

    Indeed, the presence of the Lord and his invitations may become threats to us when we also become reactive and when we tend to value more the rubrics, the physical appearances and the familiarity of things to us rather than the very source of all things, God. This is not just about tradition and practices, but also our sins and even beliefs and prejudices that have made our heart to become rigid and apathetic.

    What Jesus calls us today is to be always attentive to his presence and to enjoy the freshness and the newness that he brings in us. Jesus also brings surprises in life that will surely bring changes and renewal in the way we live our life, relate with others and look at things. Indeed, God is new, and always new.

    Jesus asks us today to make our heart open and welcoming of his presence revealed even in our daily affairs. Be more conscious of his presence today and enjoy his presence to bring new perspectives, to create challenges and to inspire movements in us. May we always discover the joy and the peace of being renewed each day. Hinaut pa.

  • LET THE CHILDREN COME TO ME

    LET THE CHILDREN COME TO ME

    January 17, 2021 – Sunday, Feast of the Sto. Niño

    Click here for the readings (https://adoseofgodtoday.com/sunday-liturgy/)

    Before this pandemic, when parents usually bring their small children in the Church, I have observed how parents or guardians discipline their unruly children. When a child begins to throw tantrum or just become noisy, they would say this, “Shut up, behave. Father will be mad at you. See… he is there. He will catch you.”

    Parents or guardians seemed to incite fear to the children by portraying that Father is terrible when he gets mad. One time, I sat in a corner while waiting for the mass to begin, a mother was trying to control her boy from going around. Since she noticed me, she began to make the boy fearful of my presence telling him that I will get mad. I looked at her and looked at the fearful boy but told the boy rather, “That’s not true. I won’t get mad at you. You go and play.”

    This weird way of disciplining children reminds me of our Gospel today on this Feast of the Sto. Niño from the Gospel of Mark. The disciples scolded the people who brought their children to Jesus that he might touch them. The disciples might have thought that the presence of the children was a mere nuisance and disturbance to the Lord. Considering the culture at that time, children had no legal identity, thus, not of great importance. However, this kind of rejecting attitude towards the small and those whom society thought was lesser, received indignation from Jesus.

    Jesus said, “Let the children come to me.” Thus, the Lord condemns such attitude that rejects, ignores and hurts the small and the weak.

    That is why, it will also be good for us to be aware, on this feast of the Sto. Niño, of those rejecting, ignoring and hurting attitudes in our community against the small and weak, particularly towards children during this pandemic.

    A study by the Save the Children revealed that one in three households around the world reported violence during the Covid-19 pandemic.[1] The study also found that 1 in 6 children suffered violence at home. This study also said that there is an increase of negative feelings and psychological distress when lockdowns were imposed. This explains the significant cases of depression and suicide during this time as reported by Department of Health and World Health Organization.[2]

    Moreover, according to UNICEF Philippines Representative, “The Covid-19 pandemic is worsening the incidence of online sexual abuse and exploitation in the country. Children are increasingly becoming victims of circumstances that are harmful to their development and well-being.”[3]

    Just few months ago, a girl was raped at home. However, parents were not that concerned on how to take care of their daughter because of poverty. Both parents lost their job when the lockdown was imposed in the city. It was the neighbors who responded and wanted to rescue and help the girl. But then, when the incident was reported, the authorities even suggested not to pursue the case because it will only become troublesome to them and will cost them a lot of money. It was suggested to just settle it with some money and let it go.

    What have we become? Have we succumbed to darkness to abuse and oppress the weak among us?

    These situations are just few reported examples of rejecting, ignoring and hurting attitudes towards the small and the weak. No wonder why Jesus expressed indignation towards those who prevented the children to come to him. God cares and loves the small and the weak. God desires to embrace and bless them.

    Yet, our world and the hearts of others are gloomed by anger, by hatred, by violence, by indifference, by evil. The world is also gloomed by the desire to have power, to gain control and manipulation, to be above others. The world is also gloomed by our dishonest and selfish leaders, by our unjust practices, by our support of the corrupt, by our blind obedience of the violent. Following these rejecting, ignoring and hurting attitudes is letting our hearts be gloomed.

    Yet, this is the very world and the very hearts as well that God chose and continues to choose again to be born. God only desires that everyone will be gifted with His light, with His embrace and with His blessing.

    Thus, the world may be darkened by our tragic experiences and gloomed by our individual and collective sins; the world may be darkened by our painful and sorrowful experiences and gloomed by indifference and violence perpetrated by many of us, directly and indirectly, God still chooses to bring the light, to give us the grace and to grant us his salvation.

    This is what God wants to remind us in today’s feast. In the first reading, Isaiah proclaims the coming of the light because those of walked in darkness will see a great light and those who dwelt in the land of gloom, a light will shine.

    In Isaiah’s prophecy, God will cast away the darkness and the land of gloom. But what is this darkness and land of gloom?

    It is our sin and guilt. It is our indifference and hatred. It is our pain and sorrow. It is our difficult and overwhelming situation whatever they may be. Darkness is around us. We may not be aware of it, because we might have become so used to it. However, God has come to us to bring light and salvation. Indeed, light is hope. It is God’s forgiveness. It is mercy. It is freedom. It is the fullness of life.

    God, indeed, will destroy the yoke on our shoulders that burdened us. This is the yoke of slavery from sin and evil. God destroys them not by violence but through the gentleness of God’s own yoke of friendship, of companionship. Remember, Jesus has offered us to take his yoke. This is what the presence of the Sto. Niño is reminding us now.

    God will also smash the rod of the taskmaster. This is the rod of our selfish desires. This shall be smashed by the Lord not through anger and hatred but through God’s gift of peace and mercy. Again, this is what the presence of the Sto. Niño is reminding us now.

    Isaiah tells us that a child is born to us, a son is given us. He is Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace . This is the Sto. Niño being gifted to us. As Paul tells us in his letter to the Ephesians, he said, “Blessed be God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him.”

    Therefore, we know that we have been gifted with the presence of God among us. Let his presence dispel the darkness in our hearts, the pain of violence in us, the evil of indifference in our hearts. Let this magnet of love, the Sto. Niño rather embrace us, bless us and place his hands on us.

    On our part as a Church, as a community and you as parents and guardians, and all those in the position of authority, let us not prevent the children, the small and the weak among us to be closer to Jesus. Let us all bring one another to God by protecting one another, by nurturing and supporting especially the vulnerable, by embracing and accepting one another. In this way, we may become a people of gentleness and of love. Hinaut pa.

    [1] See https://www.rappler.com/world/global-affairs/one-third-households-globally-report-violence-home-during-coronavirus-pandemic-study

    [2] See report https://www.who.int/philippines/news/detail/10-09-2020-doh-and-who-promote-holistic-mental-health-wellness-in-light-of-world-suicide-prevention-day

    [3] See https://globalnation.inquirer.net/190923/unicef-pandemic-worsening-child-online-sexual-abuse-exploitation-in-ph#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20COVID%2D19%20pandemic%20is,their%20development%20and%20well%2Dbeing.&text=The%20child%20has%20no%20interest%20in%20school%20and%20friends.

  • The Word of God is Living and Effective

    The Word of God is Living and Effective

    January 16, 2021 – Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/011621.cfm)

    We find wisdom in the Bible. We find guidance and direction in our life in the Bible. We find answers to questions in life and we find comfort in times of crisis from the Word of God in the Bible. However, when one carefully listens also to God’s heart and mind in the Bible, we too are being challenged, disturbed and even scandalized the way God reveals His message and presence to us.

    In today’s Gospel, we are reminded on how Jesus challenged, disturbed and scandalized some self-righteous Pharisees. Jesus called and made friends with people whom the Jews like the Pharisees hated. These were the tax-collectors who worked under the Romans and other known sinners. The action of Jesus by being with them, mingling and making friends with them was an insult to their old age belief of condemnation against the sinners.

    However, Jesus was here to save the lost, forgive the sinners and bring back life to the dead. Jesus revealed, “I do not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” It must be very difficult to reconcile Jesus’ mind and heart to our own judgmental and condemning mind and heart. What we desire is revenge and hatred towards those we hate and those we ostracize for not following our standards.

    Yet, God has his own way of making everyone be reconciled to him. God’s presence revealed in God’s word made flesh, that is Jesus, truly shows mercy and bestows grace.

    The Letter to the Hebrews reminds us of this that we too should “come confidently to the throne of grace, to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.”

    The tax collectors and the sinners have come confidently to Jesus and they received mercy and the grace of friendship with Jesus who renewed and transformed their life forever.

    From all of these, we find how the Word of God does not only tell us stories of the past or events that happened in history. The Word of God indeed, continues to touch us today as we listen again to God’s voice speaking to us in today’s scriptures.

    Again, the Letter to the Hebrews tells us, “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.”

    Thus, as we read and listen and allow our hearts to be filled with God’s presence through the Bible, let us allow also the Lord to challenge us, to disturb and scandalize our heart that has become cold and stiff. Let the living and effective Word of God bring forgiveness and peace in our hearts, as well as mercy and grace that will transform our way of life and relationship with one another. Hinaut pa.

  • JESUS SAW THEIR FAITH

    JESUS SAW THEIR FAITH

    January 15, 2021 – Friday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/011521.cfm)

    Jesus saw their faith. This is what the Gospel told us today. Jesus was touched by the concern and love of those friends of the paralytic. These four men carrying their paralyzed friend showed their creativity by finding ways for their friend to meet Jesus and be closer to the Lord. They opened the roof above to bring their paralyzed friend down so that Jesus may heal and free him.

    These four men must have recognized Jesus as the source of healing and life. This was what they wanted for their friend. They could no longer just look at him being paralyzed. They must have agreed and did all their best for the good of a sick friend. What they have done touched the Lord. Jesus did not just notice their boldness, but their faith driven by their concern for a person in need of help. They were not discouraged of the difficulty they experienced. The crowd that prevented them to enter the house did not stop them or even discourage them to go forward. They looked for ways because they believed.

    Faith, indeed, grows, matures and does wonderful things in our community. This is the kind of faith that Jesus saw among these people. Their faith moves them to respond to the one in need. Their faith became an action of concern, of creativity, of helping and supporting one another, of loving and compassion.

    Thus, through faith, the journey towards healing became possible. This tells us something important today of our faith. In the process of healing, we also need the help and presence of our community, of our friends and family.

    Today, we also remember all those who have helped, extended themselves, their time and presence and resources to bring healing to those who are sick and in need of help. The many medical practitioners who assist those who are particularly sick of covid-19, and all those who are aiding to bring healing to those who are ill are like those four men. People and organizations who take the initiative to make a difference into the lives of the less fortunate and underprivileged are also like those friends who helped a friend in need.

    May our faith and the presence of one another, move us also, to join and to respond as a community and as friends in order to bring those who are in need, sick and paralyzed not just by physical illness but also of fear and of sin, towards healing and towards the fullness of life, Jesus our Lord. Hinaut pa.