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Category: AUTHORS

  • GENEROUS HEART

    GENEROUS HEART

    November 7, 2021 -32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110721.cfm)

    I remember once on a Sunday mass, after preaching about the boy (our so-called accidental hero) in the gospel about the Multiplication of Loaves, a small boy went up in the sanctuary during the offertory bringing with him his offering. He did not quite know where to put his five pesos offering. So, when I noticed him coming up, I postpone preparing the altar. Instead, I fetched the boy and led him to our collection box.

    For me, it was a moving experience. Here I was, preaching about the boy in the gospel who gave everything (his two loaves of bread and five fishes) to Jesus as his generous contribution for the people’s need, and calling people to share something themselves for the church mission.  And right there after, a little boy coming up in the sanctuary, offering his everything (n.b. for a three or four year old boy, a five peso coin is not only something but everything) for the mission of the church. Such gesture for me is not only something (because that little boy and his family heard my homily and responded to it), but EVERYTHING because it is Good News manifested right before my very eyes. Gospel as witnessed.

    As you might notice, for the past Sundays, we have been reflecting about Christian values fitting for Christian discipleship. Blind Bartimaeus reminded us of the importance of seeing again God’s will in our lives. Then, Jesus emphasized the commandment of Loving God, others and ourselves as our right faith response to God’s grace.  Then, particularly today, we reflect about Generosity.

    Moving from the whole issue of what is the greatest commandment, here in our gospel today, Jesus discussed with his disciples about the whole issue of who or what can truly please God. By comparing the rich and the widow’s offering, Jesus pointed out to his disciples that what matters most is not What but HOW we give our offerings to God. The rich people gave from the excess or surplus of their plenty so that others may notice them, while the poor widow contributed from her poverty and helplessness everything that she has as her sacred offering. As Jesus upholds, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more that all those who gave offerings. For all of them gave from their plenty, but she gave from her poverty and put in everything she had, her whole livelihood.”

    For Jesus then, what could truly please God is Generosity. God is pleased with generous people who wholeheartedly contributed and gave up everything they got for the betterment of others, (if not all). This is clearly portrayed by the poor widow who gave her family’s food to Elijah in our first reading; by the temple offerings of the poor widow in our gospel, by that boy in the multiplication of loaves, by that little kid who offered his five pesos for the mission and by Jesus who laid down his life for the redemption of many. They all wholehearted gave up and shared everything they got to the point of denying themselves for the good of others. Well, that is Generosity, that is Christian charity and love.

    And generosity usually happens whenever we have sympathy & empathy towards others. Whenever we have the heart to feel with others (sympathy) & to feel for others (empathy), Generosity happens in our lives & grace abounds. We give credit to the spirit of generosity nowadays as we face the challenges of pandemic times. In our generosity via our sympathy & empathy with one another, somehow we are able to withstand in faith these trying times.  

    We pray then with St. Ignatius of Loyola as he described what Generosity is, through his Prayer for Generosity. 

    Dearest Lord, teach me to be generous. Teach me to serve you as I should. To give and not to count the cost. To fight and not to heed the wounds. To toil and not to seek for rest. To labor and ask not for reward. Save that of knowing that I do Your Most Holy Will. Amen. Hinaut pa unta.

  • HOW IS OUR WAY OF LOVING?

    HOW IS OUR WAY OF LOVING?

    October 31, 2021 – 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/103121.cfm)

    HOW DO I LOVE? WHY DO I LOVE?

    Have you asked yourself this question? Or have you asked how is your way of loving?

    Kyle (not his real name) seemed to be so kind and warmhearted around his friends. He would always be there when someone would be in need of help. He was always filled with smiles. He was generous of his resources and time. Yet, he also tended to just please everyone around and very afraid of any conflict and tension. As a result, his pleasing personality would turn to become submissive to his friends and family members.

    Deep within, Kyle was filled with insecurities and fear of being left alone and abandoned by people whom he valued. Kyle, at a very young age was abandoned by his mother and left by his father at the care of their relatives. Kyle grew up believing that he has to earn the love of people around him so that he would never be lonely and alone again. This was the reason why Kyle would do anything, please his friends and as much as possible cling on them. However, his goodness and kindness was easily abused by opportunists.

    Like Kyle’s pleaser-submissive way of loving, we may also have our own ways of loving and reasons of loving. Thus, we may find ourselves loving others because we seek a similar response from them. This happens when we think that loving is like making investment and expecting many returns of investment. This is Love-Investment form of loving.

    Others may find themselves loving for the sake of self-satisfaction and self-gratification that a person receives from being kind and generous. Yes, it is possible that we can be loving to people around us to boast our ego. Yet, this is a ego-centered form of loving and an attention-seeker form of loving.

    There is also another way of loving that seeks control towards others. This way of loving believes that our ways, our values and our perspective are always better and superior than the one we love. For this reason, our way of loving does not give space for dialogue, does not welcome suggestion and uncompromising because we tend to control people and submit our loved ones according to our own ways. However, such kind of loving is controlling and suffocating.

    Another way of loving also can be in a form of a guilt-driven love. This means that our way of loving induces guilt or makes people around us to feel guilty if we are not loved. Such way of loving can make threats to people just like saying, “if you won’t love me or if you will leave me, I will kill myself.” Yet, this way of loving is manipulative and destructive.

    There might be more other reasons of loving but these forms of loving are called, “REFINED SELF-LOVE.[1]” Yes, merely for self-love and has nothing to do with others or with God.

    Indeed, when our way of loving is one of those refined self-love, our way of loving others, is devoid of love of God. In fact, God has no space in there because what we are after is just ourselves – “me, myself and I.”

    Nevertheless, such forms of loving are not ways of being free, of becoming who we really are and meant to be. We only become prisoners of our fears and insecurities in life.

    What God wants us is that our way of loving will become free which requires loving beyond our comforts even beyond our fears and insecurities. This is what we have heard in our readings this Sunday.

    Moses reminded the Hebrews how God saved them from their oppressors, defended them from their enemies and favored them as God’s chosen people. What Moses wanted was to allow the hearts of the people to grow in gratitude to the Lord God because God is faithful. It is in growing in gratitude that the people also shall find themselves to be transformed in love. Loving the Lord God, then, with all our heart, soul and strength is the expression of our gratitude to God.

    Gratitude to God in our heart heals our fears and insecurities because we become convinced and confident just as the author of the Psalm proclaimed to us today, “I love you, Lord, my strength.” Yes, it is when we find our true assurance of support and comfort in God that we are also able to build a healthy self-image who is being cherished and loved first by the Lord.

    This brings us concretely to love the Lord in return not because out of fear or out of obligation, but out of gratitude which is a free response of loving. Such response of loving has been deepened by Jesus in today’s Gospel of Mark.

    Thus, Jesus reminded 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 that love is being expressed towards ourselves and towards our brothers and sisters who are created in God’s image and likeness. The two commandments of love cannot be separated from one another. They co-exist with one another.

    Loving God calls us then, to love one another with all our heart, our soul, mind and strength. And we can begin today by being, first, grateful to God which would hopefully make us joyful persons. When we are joyful, then, God transforms us to be generous to others, both in our words and deeds. Remember this, joyful and grateful persons are truly generous because true generosity springs forth from those attitudes of gratitude and joy.

    However, like the pretentious scholars of the law and some Pharisees who wanted to trapped Jesus, we could also pretend to be generous but then having an impure motive, and that is to advance our personal interests. This is then, not a true expression of love towards others, but selfishness.

    We should also be very careful when we tend to become so stiff with our religious practices but having a growing indifference and malice towards people around us, then, our devotion to God is empty and merely motivated by fear. Going to mass and going to confession regularly may become a mere appearance of our ego-centered devotion when we deny what is truth and factual, and when we tolerate dishonesty and corruption.

    Our revered sacred images at home and daily rosary shall only become merely devotional show when we also refuse to recognize abuses in our community and choose to be silent and neutral amidst oppression and injustice committed against the powerless and the weak.

    We ask for the grace today, that our way of loving will be transformed into Jesus’ way of loving, that is free, grateful and self-giving. Hinaut pa.

    [1] https://www.associationofcatholicpriests.ie/2021/10/sunday-october-31-2021-thirty-first-sunday-in-ordinary-time/

  • EXPERIENCED LOVE

    EXPERIENCED LOVE

    October 31, 2021 – 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/103121.cfm)

    It was once said that the Dalai Lama was invited as the keynote speaker to a gathering of world leaders. The world leaders were looking forward for this gathering to hear from the Dalai Lama about his message to the world today. They had heard and have known a lot about the Dalai Lama. Now they are excited to meet the Dalai Lama himself, and hoping that he could offer some perspectives and solutions on our world of present conflicts, strife, and divisions.

    When the Dalai Lama arrived, he was received with great honor and applause. As he stood at the podium before the world leaders, he said: “My simple message to you and to the world is “Love one another”. And then he went back to his seat and kept quiet. The world leaders were all shocked with the simplicity of his message. They commented: “That’s all. We just came to hear to such familiar message? We have heard it before. There is nothing new about his message. Does he think we don’t know about it?” They were so frustrated that some of them started to walk out and even to a point insulted the Dalai Lama and the organizer. Amidst the commotions suddenly the Dalai Lama stood up, went back to the podium and addressed the plenum. He said to them, “If you find it difficult to practice love, try not to hurt each other.”

    In our gospel today, Jesus gives us also a simple and direct message: “LOVE”. The greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, your soul and mind. And to love one another as yourself.

    Like the Pharisees of his time and the world leaders in the story, we can say that we also have heard it before. There is nothing new about such message. Sad to say however Jesus has the same message for us now, especially now in the world of pandemic, division, conflicts, and political turmoil: LOVE. As it was from the beginning, now and always be, Jesus has the same message and challenge to us Christian and to the world today: LOVE.

    Be as it may nonetheless, for Jesus, to love is not just a commandment that we should be aware and conscious of. Love for Jesus is not a Concept or Idea but a Reality. Each of us have not only known about love but have experienced what and how it is to love. To love others and be loved by others then is not just a law that we should obey and observe in life, but a reality we experience and live through in life. As a song suggests, “we were born because of love”, therefore we must also live our lives in love. Because God loves us through others, we must also love God through others in return. Love is also an Action, meaning we must also do and practice love. It is not enough to just know and believe in love but we must put it into practice and proclaim love by our words and actions. To love God and loving others, then is a Decision. We love God and others because we are not commanded to do so, but because we choose to do so, we choose to love God and others.

    The commandment of Love asked of us is thus a real, active & decided Love for God and others, as experienced & lived out through our daily faith & life.

    Perhaps we ask ourselves: Do we love God with all our heart, soul and mind? Well, we might not be perfect in doing so, but that is what we are trying and resolve to do. But the best way to test our love of God is to ask, Do we love others and one another? The true measure and expression of our love for God is our love and loving others, as ourselves.  Do you love your cranky husband or wife? Do we still love our aging irritable parents? Can we still love our neighbor who cheated us, our friend who betrayed, our relative who hurt us?

    Yes, experience tells us that to love God in others is difficult. But for Jesus, in loving God, we must experience, put into practice, and choose Love in our lives and in our world today for when we do so, like the scribe who asks him, in loving we understand that we are not far from God’s kingdom.  As the Dalai Lama reminds us: “If you find it difficult to practice love, try not to hurt each other.” 

    Lord, as you have loved us, teach us also how to love you in return by choosing to loving others & one another. Amen.

  • Heart’s Desire

    Heart’s Desire

    October 24, 2021 – 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102421.cfm)

    “What is your heart’s desire?” Surely we know and are familiar with the words: Your heart’s desire. It somehow describes the steering and longings of our heart directed towards something in the future or yet-to come. Its fulfillment or completion in our lives somehow drives us to move on and continue with life, as well as gives us hope and meaning to who we are now and who we will soon become. For our heart’s desire is ultimately the life we choose to be. Each of us has his/her own heart’s desire. For instance, the heart’s desire of blind Bartimaeus is to see. As well as, to speak is the heart’s desire of a dumb and mute. To walk is the heart’s desire of a lame. To be free again is the heart’s desire of a prisoner. To love is the heart’s desire of a lover. And, we do need to always be in touch, claim, and do something with our heart’s desire for this is what God also desires of us. And Bartimaeus has a lot to teach us about claiming, asserting, and working on our heart’s desire in faith.

    We hear in our gospel today not only how he was healed of his blindness, but above all, how Bartimaeus gained his sight through the mercy and miracle of Jesus. As Jesus was about to leave Jericho, Bartimaeus took his last chance for Jesus to hear his heart’s desire of gaining sight. Despite interruptions and hindrances of others, through the blind man’s insistent for His mercy, Jesus finally heard and asked him: “What do you want me to do for you?” Here then, Bartimaeus expressed before the Lord his deepest pleasure, his heart’s desire in life: to see, to gain sight. A great miracle happened indeed, a blind man can now see. And all of this happened also because of the blind man’s faith in Jesus as well as in His heart’s desire.

    From this, Bartimaeus may also teach us how to be faithful as well as to gain and receive our heart’s desire from our Lord.

    1. Be humble. Like Bartimaeus, we need to Learn to cry “Lord, have mercy” “Junim, jabirul bepusoso. O Dios, Ma-awa ka, Ginoo, Maluoy ka kanamo”. We do need to humbly recognize and believe Jesus as our Lord who grants us our heart’s desire – our life we want & choose to be. We cannot be and have such life on our own, we need the Lord. 
    2. Never allow others to stop you. Despite discouragements or hindrances from others, honor and claim your heart’s desire before the Lord, for as promised “whoever asks, receives, seeks finds, knocks and be opened”. Don’t let others dampen, constraint and gagged your heart’s desire because by the end of the day – it is your heart’s desire, the life you choose to be before the Lord. Pray and ask for it then, regardless of others, and above all commit to it.
    3. Let go of the past. Like Bartimaeus, we need to learn how to get up and move on in life. For us to live in and through our heart’s desire, we must learn how to let go of our past cloak – our past life of blindness, disabilities and limitations. If we are to live the life we want to be, we must also be willing to leave behind and be detached of our life as it is and as before, for with our heart’s desire, life will never be the same again, but now better than before.
    4. Follow the Lord. Gaining his sight, Bartimaeus went on not his way but followed the Lord’s way. Jesus gave him not only sight but also offered sacred life with God by following Jesus.  We can thus fully live our heart’s desire through our discipleship – by following the Lord, being Christian. Away and apart from Him, we lose our way, our life, and our desire.

    Indeed, as our Psalm proclaims “The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy” since we are reminded today that our God is a hands-on God who never denies us our heart’s desire, and even continues until now to do miracles & get things in our life to offer us a life better than we desire. And such great blessing and opportunity require our faith in Jesus with humility, commitment, detachment and discipleship.

    Now, if & when the Lord asks you: “What do you want me to do for you?” in other words: “What is your heart’s desire?”, what would then be your response?

    Continue your miracles of great things in us, Lord. Make us own our heart’s desire before you, for as we follow you in life, we trust that You will what is better for us now and always. Amen.

  • WANTED: Responsible Leaders

    WANTED: Responsible Leaders

    October 17, 2021 – 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101721.cfm)

    “Great power comes with great responsibility”. Surely you have heard of these words before. These are the very words of Peter Parker alias “Spiderman” and the very message of the movie “Spiderman 1”. Perhaps you may have only heard these words now, Stan Lee, the creator of the cartoon-animation “Spiderman” however is wise-enough to remind and teach us that indeed “Great power comes with great responsibility”. And the same message we can learn from our gospel today.

    In today’s gospel, we hear how the disciples were indignant and quarrelling about some members who were asking from the Lord for favor. Wanting to have a share in the coming Lord’s glory, all of them were into power-tripping and power-struggle as to who is and should be the greatest amongst them. Not giving in to their own hunger for power and greatness, Jesus instead reminds them of His mission and identity as “not to be served, but to serve and to lay down one’s life for the many”. He also warns them of the demands of following Him towards God’s glory and salvation. For Jesus, to have a share in God’s glory by means of following Him as His disciples, requires great responsibility, for it involves power and authority as well as coming persecutions and sufferings. To be disciple of Jesus – to be His follower towards God’s salvation and glory then is indeed not only a great honor and privilege but moreso, a great responsibility. Thus “Great power comes with great responsibility.”

    Like his disciples of old, we do wish to have a share and privilege in God’s glory. As we try our best to follow the Lord in our life now, we also do need to be great and to feel great in life. Normally we do need to be recognized, acknowledged, and rewarded for all our efforts and struggles in life. We do aspire for a place – a honorable seat or office in God’s glory. We do want to be credited and honored for ourselves at the Lord’s glory in God’s salvation. Be as it may, Jesus however teaches us a lot today about having our share in His glory and God’s greatness.

    First, to be in God’s greatness is not all about us, you and I, having a share but moreso about we having participated and involved in God’s work of salvation for all. Being in God’s greatness then is not all about we having honored, credited, and rewarded with God’s glory, but instead about how we allow ourselves to be instruments of God’s grace to and for others. In others words, our greatness in God’s glory is not about us – being great, but about how God’s glory and greatness are revealed in us and shared through us. Moreover, our greatness in God’s glory lies in our selfless service for God and others. To be great in God’s glory is possible then because we serve and can serve God and others. By our loving service for God others, we can be great. As Jesus reminds us, greatness is not about being first and lording over others, but instead about being servant of all. And above all, our greatness in God’s glory happens whenever we take responsibility for God and others.

    Having a share then in God’s glory aims at giving one’s life for many – i.e. to be responsible leaders for God and others than oneself.

    Simply said then, we may and can have a share of our own greatness & power in God’s glory if and whenever we allow ourselves to participate in God’s work of salvation now by our loving service and being responsible for God and others more than own selves. As a wise man once said, “Your gifts are not about you; your leadership is not about you; your purpose is not about you. A life of significance is about Serving those who need your gifts, your leadership and your purpose.” Greatness then comes not only with power but also responsibility and service for other than oneself.

    As nowadays election fever & politicking virus is in the air, beyond buying & selling power & greatness, at the end of the day, we don’t need great & powerful leaders but we want & choose Responsible Leaders for such political power & authority requires Responsibility.

    With these thoughts, we pray with St. Ignatius…

    Dearest Lord,

    Teach us to be generous, teach us to serve you as we should, to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labor and ask not for reward, save that of knowing that I do you most Holy will. Amen.