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Category: AUTHORS

  • OUR ONLY HOPE IS JESUS

    OUR ONLY HOPE IS JESUS

    March 14, 2021 – Fourth Sunday of Lent

    Fr. Manoling Thomas, CSsR

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031421-YearB.cfm)

    Today’s Gospel begins with Jesus telling Nicodemus: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” [Jn. 13:14]. Jesus is referring to an experience of the Israelites while travelling through the desert, heading for the Promised Land. They were attacked by poisonous snakes or “fiery serpents” which killed many of them. The people asked Moses’ help, who also turned to Yahweh. Yahweh instructed Moses to make a bronze serpent, and mount it on a pole. Those bitten by the poisonous snakes were told to gaze at the bronze serpent. Those who did were healed and restored to life! [Num. 21:1-9].

    The Israelites must have brought along with them to the Promised Land that bronze serpent. Superstitions and practices of idolatry around that bronze serpent crept in, that during the reformation that King Hezekiah introduced, he broke into pieces that bronze serpent and destroyed it altogether! [2 Kgs. 18:1-5]. But why did Jesus refer to that incident and use that imagery?

    Jesus used that incident and imagery to symbolize his crucifixion and glorification [resurrection]! [Jn. 8:28]. Jesus draws a parallel between the bronze serpent incident and his own destiny. The bronze serpent was lifted up on a pole. Jesus was lifted up on the cross. To those bitten by the poisonous snakes, who looked up to the bronze serpent, their life was restored. Jesus is the source of life in this world and the eternal life after. In today’s Gospel, Jesus guaranteed with eternal life those who choose to believe in him. [Jn. 3:15].

    Like the Israelites who were victims of the fiery serpents, humankind too is a victim and is poisoned by sin: pride, greed, lust, envy, laziness, gluttony and other forms of sin! Sin is a poison within us that undermines our spiritual growth and well-being. Our only hope is Jesus, our Doctor and Healer! Jesus is the Suffering Servant of God [Is. 52:13-53:12] lifted up at his crucifixion!

    To be “lifted up” can mean physically, like with the case of the bronze serpent and with Jesus’ crucifixion. But the word has another meaning. In Latin, the word “exaltare” [to be raised up high], is reserved for a very special kind of elevation, like being elevated to a rank or dignity or to be praised highly!

    For the crucified Jesus being “elevated” above the ground was a very shameful experience not only for him, but also for his disciples and for all those who believed in him! Jesus was publicly exposed almost naked and with his wounds bleeding! While hanging on the cross, Jesus was publicly derided, and insulted by his enemies. But God used that shameful and humiliating experience of Jesus, to save us! That shameful and insulting “lifting up” of Jesus was transformed by God into Jesus’ ultimate and eternal “exaltation”, his glorious resurrection!

    What can we learn from today’s Gospel and from the history behind the bronze serpent?

    1. Believing and accepting Jesus’ offer is a free choice every person has to make. The gazing at the bronze serpent offered healing and life, but far more superior is what Jesus offers to those who freely choose to believe in him. Jesus offers eternal life!
    2. What Yahweh used as an instrument of healing, and restoration to life became a source of superstition and idolatry that King Hezekiah had to destroy it to save God’s people!

    We Catholics are often accused by non-Catholics of carving images and worshipping these, thus practicing idolatry! We Catholics do not worship these images but venerate them! There is a big difference between worshiping and venerating! If we Catholics worship these images then the accusations of idolatry, thrown at us is correct! But the truth is: we do not worship these images but venerate them! We honor and reverence these representations of God and of the saints like the way we respect the representations of people we love and hold with high regard!

    Just as God used that bronze serpent to bring about healing and restoration of life to the victims of the poisonous snakes, so too God can freely decide to use what we call “miraculous images” to bring about healing, conversion, and transformation in the lives of people. It is not the image itself that brings about these “miracles” but God and the powerful intercessions of the saints these images represent!

    We must therefore be very careful and definitely clear on how we regard the sacred images, so as not to give our non-Catholic brothers and sisters the opportunity to accuse us falsely of idolatry!

  • MERCY, NOT EARNED BUT FREELY GIVEN

    MERCY, NOT EARNED BUT FREELY GIVEN

    March 14, 2021 – Fourth Sunday of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031421-YearB.cfm)

    In the Book of Chronicles, a historical event in the life of the Hebrew people tells us how the Lord showed his mercy. The people who invited destruction and death upon themselves because of their sins and unfaithfulness to God’s covenant, was shown mercy. God did not desire the destruction of His people. It was the people who went towards destruction and death. God, in history, called out again and again His people through the prophets, yet, the people rejected God’s invitation. The time of exile and slavery became a period of purification, not merely as punishment.

    Yet, the mercy that God showed, through the person of Cyrus, was God’s initiative. Though the people were not deserving of God’s mercy but God showed mercy because God is Mercy.

    The Lord indeed does not forget His people. This is what the Psalm proclaimed to us. The Lord remembers and this is embedded in the heart of the people who also longed to see the Lord. The people who were exiled in a foreign land, subjected to misery and slavery longed to be home and to be embraced by God.

    God’s memory is vast. God’s heart is too big. God’s embrace is so wide. This is what the letter of Paul to the Ephesians tells us. Paul reminds us that God grants us the grace not because we are deserving. We will never be deserving, anyway. However, because of God’s great love for us, he showed mercy to us. We are brought to life with Christ. Through this grace, we are saved. However, again, not because of our works, not because we have become deserving. No! God showed mercy to us, because God simply loved us, greatly loved us.

    The Gospel of John tells us more about this, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” Jesus’ presence with us means mercy. The Lord who is with us is grace and mercy made flesh. Jesus will not condemn us but rather save us. Jesus is the grace and the mercy of God being offered to us.

    Now, if we cannot earn God’s mercy, does it mean that we do not have to do anything? Remember, Paul said, through faith, we are saved. The Gospel of John also tells us, whoever believes in him, will have eternal life. Thus, it is through faith that we respond to God. Faith is not a passive attitude of being a Christian. Faith is an active response towards God. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI said, “faith is a human response of love to God who first loved us.”

    Our faith as a response of love is also an expression of gratitude to the Lord. This is what makes our faith alive. Our good works, our expression of piety and charity should not be our way of making God see how good we are that God will become indebted to us for being good. No! However, our honesty and sincerity, our service to others and kindness are our expressions of being grateful to the Lord who showed mercy to us.

    With such grace from the Lord, this only calls us to rejoice, to be deeply joyful. In fact, this Fourth Sunday of Lent is also called as Laetare Sunday, meaning “Rejoice.” We, indeed, rejoice because God is for us. God shows us mercy. God gives us the grace through His Son, Jesus, our Lord.

    To express better our deep joy, there are two concrete invitations for us today that we may work out this week.

    First. Humbly acknowledge our faults, failures and sins, our ways and attitudes that condemn and reject others. As we acknowledge them, this also invites us to become open to God’s offer of mercy and friendship. Thus, seek it through the gift of the sacrament of reconciliation and of the Eucharist.

    Second, show mercy and offer your gift of friendship. God showed mercy to us, and so, we are indeed capable to showing mercy and building friendship with others. By showing mercy, this makes our heart generous and kind to people around us.

    As we commit ourselves into these invitations may our faith truly become a response of love to God. Hinaut pa.

    Paul tells us, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast.” Thus, salvation is a gift, a grace freely given by the Lord to us. No one can boast himself/herself that one earned God’s grace because grace can never be earned. Salvation is not earned but given. God’s mercy is not earned but given.

    The Gospel of John tells us more about this, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” Jesus’ presence with us means mercy. The Lord who is with us is grace and mercy made flesh. Jesus will not condemn us but rather save us. Jesus is the grace and the mercy of God being offered to us.

    Now, if we cannot earn God’s mercy, does it mean that we do not have to do anything? Remember, Paul said, through faith, we are saved. The Gospel of John also tells us, whoever believes in him, will have eternal life. Thus, it is through faith that we respond to God. Faith is not a passive attitude of being a Christian. Faith is an active response towards God. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI said, “faith is a human response of love to God who first loved us.”

    Our faith as a response of love is also an expression of gratitude to the Lord. This is what makes our faith alive. Our good works, our expression of piety and charity should not be our way of making God see how good we are that God will become indebted to us for being good. No! However, our honesty and sincerity, our service to others and kindness are our expressions of being grateful to the Lord who showed mercy to us.

    With such grace from the Lord, this only calls us to rejoice, to be deeply joyful. In fact, this Fourth Sunday of Lent is also called as Laetare Sunday, meaning “Rejoice.” We, indeed, rejoice because God is for us. God shows us mercy. God gives us the grace through His Son, Jesus, our Lord.

    To express better our deep joy, there are two concrete invitations for us today that we may work out this week.

    First. Humbly acknowledge our faults, failures and sins, our ways and attitudes that condemn and reject others. As we acknowledge them, this also invites us to become open to God’s offer of mercy and friendship. Thus, seek it through the gift of the sacrament of reconciliation and of the Eucharist.

    Second, show mercy and offer your gift of friendship. God showed mercy to us, and so, we are indeed capable to showing mercy and building friendship with others. By showing mercy, this makes our heart generous and kind to people around us.

    As we commit ourselves into these invitations may our faith truly become a response of love to God. Hinaut pa.

  • PRIDE & HUMILITY

    PRIDE & HUMILITY

    March 13, 2021 – Saturday of the Third Week of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031321.cfm)

    WHAT (than Who) is Right, Matters most.

    Certainly pride & humility does not come together. It is said that pride & humility are opposite to one another. But what is the difference between Pride & Humility?

    A wise man once said: “Pride is concerned with Who is Right. Humility is concerned with What is Right.” True indeed, Pride is all about the person being correct, great & better than others, regardless of what he thinks & have done. Humility, however, is all about the person’s right relations, attitude & influence towards others, great or small he may be. Pride is about oneself and thinking more about & of oneself. Whereas humility is not thinking less of oneself but more about thinking oneself less.

    Surely our Gospel today is all about Pride & Humility. The Pharisee is full of himself. He prides & exalts himself compared to the tax collector. He lauds himself for his greatness & merits for doing what is required. He is more concerned about himself than others & even than God. It is all about himself. Whereas the tax collector pays his humble homage due to God, despite his unworthiness & sinfulness. He is concerned about God’s mercy in his life more than his being a sinner. He prays: “Lord, Have Mercy on Me, a Sinner” while the Pharisee is not concern about thanking God “I thank you Lord” but more on “I am not like the rest of humanity.”

    And who is justified & finds favor with God? The one who humbles himself – the one who thinks oneself less, will be exalted and the one who exalts himself – the one who thinks oneself more, will be humbled.

    What God then requires of us is our Righteousness – WHAT is right before God & others, Not our Greatness – WHO is right amongst us. Humility, not Pride matters most in our faith & life, as Hosea reminds us “God desires our love & knowledge of Him, not our sacrifices & burnt offerings.” Simply put, Be HUMBLE than proud. Realize that that Life with God is all about God & not about oneself & ourselves. Consider then oneself less & do whatever is right before God & others, rather than considering oneself more & insist on who is right.

    So Help us God. So May it Be. Amen.

  • Fulfilling God’s commandments?

    Fulfilling God’s commandments?

    March 10, 2021 – Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031021.cfm)

    There was once a man who went to the priest to seek advice. He asked the priest, “Father, what else must I do to lead a holy life? Well, so far, I have not taken the Lord’s name in vain. I have not profaned the Lord’s. I have not dishonored my father or mother. I have not killed anyone. I haven’t been unfaithful to my wife. I have not stolen. I have not borne false witness against anyone. And I have not coveted my neighbor’s wife or good.”

    The priest replied, “So, in other words, you know God’s commandments & have not broken any of them.” “Yes” that’s right“, the man replied. “But have you kept or fulfilled the commandments?” priest asked. “What do you mean?” said the man. “I mean: have you honored God’s holy name? Have you kept holy the Lord’s Day? Have you loved and honored your parents? Have you sought to preserve and defend life? When was the last time you told you wife that you loved her? Have you shared your goods with the poor? Have you defended the good name of anyone? When was the last time you put yourself out to help a neighbor?” Have you loved others as you have loved God and yourself?” You may not have broken God’s commandments but have you fulfilled them?

    Surely we are familiar with God’s commandments. Moses even reminds us today in our reading that we should observe God’s decree and statutes. But what is our attitude towards God’s law and commandments? Is it enough just to observe and not break it or are we doing or fulfilling what it directs us?

    Jesus in our gospel today reiterates to us his listeners that He has not come to abolish the Law and Prophets but to fulfill it. Here, Jesus particularly denounced our minimalist attitude and tendency towards God’s commandment. For Jesus, God’s commandments are more than just human tradition and religious observances or practices. Keeping God’s commandments is not a matter of not breaking or breaking the law but more on actively living out and practicing (i.e. obeying & teaching) its true spirit in our relationship with God and others. In other words, God’s commandments are to be observed not because God says so, but it is & should be our rightful attitude and behavior with God, and through it, we might share God’s salvation and may have life to its fullness.

    Sin of omission is our sin for not doing what should be done or for failing to do what we should do. In other words, the sin of not living what we believe and of not practicing what we preach, and not fulfilling the commandments.

    During this season of Lent, we are called not only to be sorry for the sins that we have done but most important, we must ask forgiveness for the sins of failing to fulfill and do what we should do. And above all, Lent is the time to make thing right before God & others.   May the Lord then, in his love and mercy, forgive us not only for breaking his commandments but failing to fulfill it in our relationship with God and others, & so that we may have anew right relationship with Him. So Help us God, So may it be.   Amen.

  • TRUE AND AUTHENTIC IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS

    TRUE AND AUTHENTIC IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS

    March 7, 2021 – Third Sunday of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030721-YearB.cfm)

    A friend who lives in the US, fell in love with a fellow Filipino. The reason why she fell in love was because the man was so sweet to her. She felt that he showed care and concern for her. Just like any other suitor, she would always receive a message from him greeting her every morning. The constant communication provided by the social media sites opened a great opportunity for the two of them to be connected with each other and be intimate despite the distance.

    Things like these melt her heart and soon enough said her yes to him. Just after a year, she went home here in the Philippines to get marry with that man whom she thought will be her “forever.” Few months after their wedding, things became odd and strange for her. Her husband was actually secretive to her. And lo and behold, there was an occasion when she found out that her husband was in relationship with another woman. Later, she too found out that she was just used by that man to secure a green card for the United States. She too found out that her husband and his girlfriend planned it all along so that they will be able to migrate to US for a greener pasture for the two of them.

    My friend was completely devastated when she knew this. She felt violated and indeed was deceived by the person whom she loved so much. She was so angry and helpless that every time she remembers it, it gives her so much pain and disgust.

    Some of you might have also this kind of experience where you were also deceived and used by people who were significant to your life. Indeed, this causes so much pain and suffering to us when those people whom we trusted and loved, used us for their personal gain.

    A similar experience of deception and destructive attitude for personal gain has been told to us in today’s Gospel. The passage from the Gospel of John narrates to us how Jesus also felt the pain when the Temple of God was used by the merchants as a way to enrich themselves. The House of God was abused by these people for their personal gain, for their own profit at the expense of the poor and ordinary Jews.

    Thus, Jesus was so angry upon witnessing this kind of attitude from the people. Jesus could not accept that the people focused on what they can gain materially in the name of Religion and in the name of God. More so, Jesus was disgusted when those people used that opportunity to exploit the poor by having an unfair and expensive prices for animals to be offered on the altar. The merchants made sure that the animals that shall be offered to the Temple must only come from them. Because of that monopoly in the market, they made the prices of the animals twice as expensive to its original price. What they did was neither for the Temple nor for God but simply to gain more profit for themselves.

    What has been done was a violation to God’s covenant, to the relationship built on trust and love between Yahweh and His people. The Temple is a symbol of that relationship of the Hebrew people and God. The Temple was the image that God is with His people, faithful and loving. Yet, the people used this relationship also for the sake of personal gain and pleasure.

    This reveals to us now how we can be cunning and deceiving also in our own relationships. There is a tendency in us to use other people for our personal gain and pleasure. We please others for the sake of gaining favors from them. We build connections from others in order to boast ourselves and advance our personal agenda which is very common in the political arena; not just in politics but even in religious and our personal relationships.

    Consequently, we have been given with the ten commandments proclaimed in the first reading. The ten commandments which basically talked about our relationships with God and our neighbor present to us the proper and right attitude in relating to God and with one another. These commandments are not designed to limit us or to put mere restrictions in relating with another, but rather, making us freer and life giving as we build and develop relationship with God and with one another.

    Therefore, the ten commandments are given to us so that we will be able to give life and celebrate life. This is essentially what the covenant of God is all about, giving life and celebrating life. A true relationship then is not about what we can profit from others, but about growing together and finding joy with one another.

    This is the call for all of us then, on this Third Sunday of Lent – and that is to be true and authentic in our relationships with one another. The commandments provide us the way on how we can freely love God and the person next to us. And that our relationship is not about what we can gain or profit but rather what we can give and invest in our family, with your husband or wife, your children, friend, our community and God. Truly, it is in mutual giving that we also find our relationships more flourishing and fulfilling.

    Now, I want to invite each of you to do something for this coming week as we continue to observe the Season of Lent. There are two invitations that you may do for those special people who could be your partner in life, children, friend or community.

    • First, invest your time and presence. It means give enough time to be there for them, to listen to their concerns and problems. Let your presence be felt by them who have become afraid, lonely and ashamed.
    • Second, say to thank you to those people who are special to you. Express your gratitude to them and to the relationship that you have with them. It also means that you are to recognize the gifts that they have and the things that they did to you.

    Hopefully, these attitudes will make our relationships with God and with one another stronger and sincere and that we will relate not on the motivation on what we can profit and gain from others, but on how we can give life and meaning to each other. Hinaut pa.