Know that I AM with you. This is the promise and assurance to Jacob as revealed by the Lord to him in his sleep. The Lord knows that the journey Jacob will take will not be easy. The journey will not just be filled with ups and downs on the road but Jacob shall also encounter trials that will shaken his faith. As Jacob will experience prosperity he too will be haunted by his guilt of the crime he committed against his brother, Esau.
However, despite his guilt, God saw something beyond Jacob’s sin. There in his heart lies the devotion and love to the Lord. Beyond Jacob’s sin, there was God’s mercy. This what made Jacob attuned to the revelations of God to him. Even in his sleep, God communicated to him and revealed the plan and promise to Jacob.
“Know that I AM with you,” is both an invitation and constant reminder to Jacob. It is an invitation for him to always seek the Lord who is always with him and has shown mercy to him. It is in seeking the Lord that he and his descendants shall become blessings to others. It is also a constant reminder to Jacob that he is not alone in his journey. As he fled his home after he deceived his father, Isaac and cheated his brother Esau, he left alone and with nothing. Indeed, it is when a person grows in his consciousness of God’s abiding presence that he also becomes a blessing to the communities and peoples around him. This is the promise Jacob also received from the Lord.
For us today, as we go through our own individual and common journey in faith, we too are invited like Jacob to know that God is with us. The words “I AM” is pregnant with meaning. This is the name that Moses received when we asked the name of God. “I AM” which is in present tense reminds us of God’s presence dwelling in the present moment. God, indeed, is always with us.
Know then, that no matter how difficult, confusing and tiring our journey and life at this moment, God is with us. Thus, for us, we are invited and reminded today to “know that I AM with you.”
As we rest in God’s promise and presence for us today, we may also discover how God unfolds His blessings for us in surprising ways. Hinaut pa.
The gospel we have just heard and proclaimed to us is the Good News of our Salvation. However, there is something disturbing about our gospel today that may make us wonder and even suspect whether it is really Good News.
Because as it is narrated to us, our gospel today basically tells us how Jesus was rejected in his own country. Yes, here we heard how Jesus was despised in his own country and by his own people. It describes to us that while he continued His Mission to preach the Good News for all & everybody, and as he preached the Good News particularly in own hometown, Jesus experienced humiliation. He suffered persecutions and rejection in his own country and by his own people “sano” that, in effect, made it difficult for him to continue his work of salvation. Because of this experience, Jesus said: “Prophets are not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house”. Good news has been preached and shared, miracles has been revealed and accomplished already, but were all rejected and wasted by his very Own people. Good new as it may be, our gospel today is certainly disturbing as well.
Now, is it true that a prophet is not without honor except in his own home? Is a prophet honorable except in his own house and his own family? Experience tells us there is truth in this. Based not only on the experience of Jesus experience but also on our experience, to share the Good News of Christ to one’s own household or community is a difficult assignment and mission. Tough and challenging indeed, to bring God’s message and do wonders and miracles in our own home. Why? Why is it hard to be a prophet in our own home? What makes it challenging to proclaim Christ and share the Good news within our own family where sometimes (or even always) parents complaining about their children, children blaming their parents, brother and sisters accusing each other? Or even within our community or church where we do tend to complain with & about one another?
Somehow, we could identify in our gospel today two stumbling blocks that make it hard to be a prophet in our own home. First, our prejudices. Like the people who saw Jesus as only the carpenter’s son, it is also our tendency to prejudge others, as if we already know them, that make us blind to recognize prophets in our midst. We tend to downgrade, belittle others, and measure or to limit others by our own standard. “Ka-menos ba.” Comments like: He is only that, or he is just a ..” And because we judged, we boxed in, that person by our own standards, we want them to behave as we expect them to behave, no more no less. Comments like, “you are just my junior, don’t disobey (“Anak, lang tika, ayaw’g supak” or “Magulang baya ko ha.”) At the same time, we tend not only to belittle others but also we undervalue ourselves. “Unsaon ta man, pobre man, manghod lang man, dili man ko pari, wa man ko kaeswela. Ordinaryo man lang ko, dili man ko dato.” What can I do, I’m just ordinary, poor, undereducated person.
There is much truth then to the saying: “over familiarity breeds contempt”.
The second stumbling block to our being a prophet in our own turf is our lack of faith. In our gospel today, Jesus was not able to work miracles in his own country because of the people’s unbelief – their lack of faith. Usually it is slow for us to believe.
If I may ask you: How many of you believe that you, yourself are called and sent to be today’s Christian prophet? Those who believe that you are a Christian prophet, please raise your hands. You might think “Me a prophet, no way. Maybe him, but not me”, or Father must be crazy, I am just a simple ordinary unworthy Catholic Christian. How can I be a prophet I cannot even confront my problematic son? How can I preach Good News to my irresponsible drunkard uncle? Or how many of you here believe that your son or daughter or your helper is also a prophet? You might think, how my son or daughter could be a prophet – they cannot even make their own room. My helper a prophet? she cannot even read her own letters. Yes, we tend to be slow to accept that we are God’s sons and daughters. It is hard for us to believe that by virtue of our baptism – our baptismal consecration, every Catholic Christians share the dignity, identity, and responsibility, gifted to be Christ’s Prophets today. Remember, every Christian is baptized to be a prophet.
Yes, tough & hard it is to be today’s prophet in our own home and community because of humiliations, persecutions, neglect and rejections that we may encounter caused by our prejudices and our lack of faith in Christ, others and in ourselves. Like the sano/townfolks of Jesus, we may have rejected and wasted the message and the miracles-offered because of our prejudices and lack of faith in the messenger.
To proclaim the Good News is indeed threatening. But beyond and regardless of these difficulties and stumbling blocks, the message of salvation is remained humbly preached, shared, and fulfilled through the witnessing of ordinary people like us. As St. Paul would say as well: “I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and constraints for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” And the good news is, despite these difficulties and hardships, God continues to send prophets who will preach his salvation to others whatever it takes. And usually he calls and sends those who are weak, ordinary, young, mayokmok in our standards. And mayokmok we maybe, He sends us to be His prophets of Good News to our world today. Reluctant & hesitant prophets we may be in our own home, we still do our part in believing & proclaiming our faith that there is God’s prophet amongst us, for the Lord said: “Whether they heed or resist, they shall know that a prophet has been among them.
Even we are slow to believe and as limited we may be, let us now renew and proclaim our faith…as we say….
Jesus said in our gospel today: “Take heart, son. Your sins are forgiven.” The paralytic & his friends came for healing, but they rather received more than what they bargain for. Instead, they got encouragement & forgiveness from Jesus. Yes, their present immediate concern must be for healing from physical paralysis. But beyond the hopeless bodily outward condition of the paralytic, his friends & himself must have felt the guilt, shame & curse of the inner condition of the paralysis and sickness. Beyond & more than physical healing, deep inside, the paralytic & his friends need & are longing for mental, emotional & spiritual healing. This is what Jesus gave them – not only physical healing but moreso, encouragement & forgiveness, – not only healing of body but more so, healing & health of whole life of the cured paralytic & his friend.
For the scribes, however, the whole miracle happened is a blasphemy. For the scribes, not only the physical healing of the paralytic but above all the forgiveness of sins are complete violation of their religious law. They saw more the violation rather than the miracle happened. Jesus admonished their actions & attitudes, & showed themselves & the crowd His authority beyond their religious laws. Healing & forgiveness are His’ because He is of God.
And all of these happened because Jesus saw and knew their hearts. Jesus saw the faith of the paralytic & his friends. Jesus saw the evil thoughts and hearts of the scribes as well. Jesus knew their hearts. And Jesus knows the condition of our hearts as well. Our hearts are known to Him as well.
A lot of things are happening in our lives nowadays. At the very surfaced level, lots of things going on, lots of pressures & stresses to cope with. We do have a lot on our plates – urgent pressing concerns. But what is the condition of our hearts? How are we deep inside ourselves? Like the scribes, at times, we do have our evil thought & bad hearts. Like the paralytic & his friends, many at times we do feel broken, hopeless, tired & confused with life nowadays.
Be mindful then that the Lord knows how & where are hearts is. Our hearts are known to Him, for He sees what we deeply need at this time. Same way as he saw the faith of Abraham, He sees also our faith & our heart’s desire. He is with Us indeed, but also He is of God. He has the power & authority to respond for what we really need, – not only our urgent need but the heart’s desire of our whole person & life.
Perhaps as we go through this day & this week, we ask & reflect on the condition of our hearts these days. What is happening in our hearts these days? We do believe our Lord wants us to be healthy & whole. What is he offering us these days? Encouragements, forgiveness, admonitions & guidance? How is he restoring us inwardly? How is he helping us to stand up tall & alive amidst life-challenges?
Here we are now, Lord. We come to you as we are. You know our present concerns & our heart’s desire. We do believe in You & that You will what is best & better for us. Make us also see same way as You see us, so that may we be willingly participate with the miracle You are performing for us now & always. Amen.
As this pandemic brought significant changes in our lifestyle and way of gathering, the online platform is now commonly used. However, I cannot help but get irritated of the many interruptions happening during our online seminars, recollections or meetings. A knock on my door, a telephone call or unnecessary noises in the background, or a participant who still struggle to use the online platform would get into my nerves. I get irritated by these interruptions.
Speaking of interruptions, honestly, I hate it also when I am interrupted from my work. Yet, there were times also when some interruptions and disturbances turned into life-giving encounters that made me wonder and reflect deeper.
I remember while I was busy with office works in our parish in Iloilo City, I was interrupted by a young lady brought by her father. This young lady was shaking and I thought she was having seizure. However, she became hysterical. Her eyes turned red and her finger nails were scratching the walls of my office. Her face showed fear and claimed that “they” were there around watching her. She seemed to see evil spirits that I could not see.
I have to stop from what I was doing. If people would judge what was happening at that moment, certainly, they would say that it was a devil’s possession. The father actually thought that her daughter was possessed by the devil. If one would look at her, she really looked possessed. The father begged me to help his daughter. He did not know what to do with her anymore.
I was terrified having encountered such case for the first time. Yet, when she calmed down, I ask the father to leave us in the office so that I can talk to her personally. I addressed her by her name but she just looked at me, fiercely. I asked her if she believed that God is with her. She responded with a big, NO! She did not believe that God is with her. She was filled with so much anger. She claimed that there were people haunting her. And they were there at that moment in my office.
That was creepy! And so I asked her, who are they? She did not answer and seemed so fearful. I asked her again but with a different question, “Who are these people hurting you now?” There was a long pause from her and she began crying, with tears in her eyes she named them. The people who were hurting her was her mother who abandoned them when she was little, her father who was so controlling to her, her siblings who did not respect her, her classmates who bullied and shamed her. In her imagination these people who have hurt her, turned into evil spirits, haunting her day and night even when she’s asleep.
She suffered so much trauma and pain from family and friends. She felt unloved and unaccepted. She felt empty. She could not believe that there is God who loves her. She opened up and it was her first time to talk to someone and shared her pain and anger. It was when she was able to name those people who caused pain to her that she began also to relax. She began to understand her pain.
I told her that her journey towards healing has begun. She won’t be haunted anymore and will not fear them because she already knew who they were. I assured her that I am her new friend whom she can trust.
I told her too that we will pray together. So I asked her what she wanted to ask from God. She wanted peace, assurance of love and friendship, that the evils and her pain will go away and never come back. So together, we prayed for her intentions. Her tears were dripping while I was praying for her. After the prayer, I asked her, how are you now? Her response touched me very much, she said, “I feel, God is talking to me right now!”
I myself have been touched by this encounter. It was not a mere encounter of a possessed lady but an encounter with a lady who suffered so much trauma and turned to be a person who found hope and love from a loving God.
This interruption reminds me now of the Gospel today. Jesus was on his way going to a place when he was interrupted by an official of the synagogue. This man interrupted Jesus to beg him to heal his daughter. Yet, on his way to the house of the official, Jesus was again interrupted by another woman who touched the end of his cloak so that she may be healed from her sickness.
This Sunday, Jesus is teaching us about these interruptions. When he was interrupted by the official and by that woman who suffered bleeding for 12 years, Jesus did not show an indifferent attitude to them. Jesus responded to them gracefully and generously. These interruptions actually turned into “life-giving encounters.”
In the Gospel, it was not Jesus who touched first the sick. The father of the child, Jairus, called Jesus’ attention and Jesus was touched by that interruption. The sick woman also touched Jesus so that she may be healed. Jesus allowed them to touch him and that is why those interruptions became life-giving.
My own encounter with that young lady taught me how powerful it is when we learn to stop for a person in need and discover how God works through us. This brings us now of Jesus’ invitation today and that is to be welcoming and to be life-giving in our many encounters with people, with our family members, relatives, friends and strangers. This calls us not to be indifferent with those who call for our care and attention, who seek our help and our presence. Like Jesus, when we are able to learn to stop and welcome interruptions, then we shall also discover how God unfolds His grace and healing power through us. This makes an interruption into a life-giving encounter. Hinaut pa.
Usually whenever we meet each other, we greet one another with these words. Through these words, we commonly express our concern for each other’s health and wellbeing. We acknowledge as well that human as we are, we are all prone to hurts, diseases, and sicknesses. Even the healthiest of us live with fear of accidents and diseases that can suddenly render us limited on the sidelines. Nobody likes to get sick. But nobody can claim that he/she has never got sick before. Easy for us to say “Bawal magkasakit? (It is not allowed to get sick), but tayo ay nagkakasakit (we do get sick). Sickness cannot be denied. To get sick is part of our human nature. So, since we are subject to sickness, it is natural for us to ask about the health and wellbeing of others, especially those we have not seen for awhile.
But what does it mean to be sick? Based from our experience, to be sick is more than just an experience of physical illness but a wide range of emotional, mental, psychological, and spiritual diseases and discomforts. Whenever we get sick, we become incapacitated. Normal for us to feel limited, dependent, depressed, irritable, helpless, and sometimes alienated or outcasted from God and others whenever we are sick. We know that it is not easy to get sick, especially when we are used to live our life independently and always in-control. Sickness is indeed a dreadful experience, as what was also described in our Gospel today.
Our gospel today shows us as well that to be sick may be a horrible human experience but could also be opportunities for growth and a chance for life anew.
First, sickness can be the opportunity to be converted. Jairus and the woman with hemorrhage came to Jesus. Coming to Jesus is an experience of conversion – a humble turning toward instead of turning away from Jesus. Whenever we get sick, we usually cease from our usual routine, go home and take a rest. It is in sickness that we break from our selfish ways and turn back towards God’s love and concern. Others would say that when we are sick, we desire and come to acknowledge God’s presence and appreciate God’s love in our lives. When we are healthy, we say, “Disco, Disco” but when sick, we say, “Dios ko, Dios ko”.
Sickness can also be the opportunity to have faith and trust in God and others. Jairus begged to Jesus, “Please come lay your hands on her, that she may get well and live”. The woman aspired “If only I could touch his cloak, I shall be cured”. To be helpless and dependent of others are not normal for us. We rather be in-control and not needing others. But to be sick is humbling for you really need and have to trust on others. In sickness, we surrender ourselves and humbly ask for God’s mercy and rely on God’s providence, and the help of others.
Sickness can also be the opportunity to be cleansed and be healed by God. In sickness, we witness God’s mercy, love, goodness, and miracles working in us. That through our faith and Jesus’ concern for us, God’s power and love is made known to all. In our weakness and sickness, God’s power and glory is revealed to you & to all.
Sickness can be also opportunity to hear once again & anew our vocation and mission life. When the woman was healed, Jesus calls her to “go in peace and be cured of your affliction” which means to be reconciled with herself and others who may have caused her afflictions. The girl is called to “arise” which mean to stand up from despair and have hope in life. Being healed from your sickness is a reminder that you are given another life – another new chance in life to make things right and better than before.
And lastly sickness can be an opportunity to proclaim our faith. Just like the cured woman and girl, our healing from sickness makes us express and share our faith to others, and through our healing, others will see and witness God’s love revealed through us and come to believe more in Him.
To be sick then can be the opportunity to be converted, to have faith and trust in God, to be cleansed and be healed, to renew life-commitments and mission, and to proclaim our faith for others to believe.
Yes, no one wants to get sick. But whenever you got sick, take it not as disgrace but opportunity for God’s glory to be revealed in You. In other words, “A blessing in disguise”. So, Kamusta na? How are you coping? Perhaps God is healing us & through us, God is revealing something better for all of us in life.
During these pandemic times, in times of sickness, discomforts, & distress, let our prayer be like that of Jesus, saying: “Father, take this cup of suffering away from me, However, not my will, but Your will be Done.” Always & Forever.
A DOSE OF GOD TODAY 