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Category: AUTHORS

  • THE CALL OF CONVERSION

    THE CALL OF CONVERSION

    March 23, 2025 – Third Sunday of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032325-YearC.cfm)

    Our fear of failure or our anxiety of what would others think can drive us to grow complacent, to settle down to comforts and even make us bored.[1] When we are unaware of these tendencies then the more we hold back. This would hamper us from maturing in our relationships and honing our talents and potentials.

    On this Third Sunday of Lent, let us allow ourselves to be challenged and to embraced the call of conversion.

    The first reading from the Book of Exodus tells us a wonderful story of the call of Moses. His call from God captures the invitation for each of us as we are now on the third Sunday of Lent. Let us explore together our readings today and see how God invites and calls us.

    The first reading tells us of the conversion of Moses. It began through the “burning bush” which led Moses to encounter God.

    Moses noticed the flaming bush but was not consumed by fire. This made Moses to become curious. His curiosity led him to come nearer to the burning bush. It was at that moment too that he heard his name being called. With that, Moses responded. He became aware of the holy presence of God as he was standing on a holy ground.

    Moses had to remove his sandals and to present himself in bare foot before God. That led him to a personal conversation with God because he was more grounded. By removing his sandals, Moses felt and became more connected with God. Moreover, this encounter brought Moses to a mission. God sent Moses back to Egypt to bring freedom for his fellow Israelites.

    This encounter of Moses allowed him to know God and be more aware of God. God’s name is “I am who am” or basically means, “I am with you always, all the time.”

    Moses realized that God is relational. This means that God does not remain remote or alien to human suffering. In fact, the Book of Exodus described God’s words in this way, “I have witnessed the affliction of my people in Egypt and have heard their cry of complaint against their slave drivers, so I know well what they are suffering.”

    This conversion story of Moses tells us that God disturbs us from our comforts, fears and complacency. Remember, Moses fled Egypt because he killed an Egyptian soldier who had beaten a Hebrew slave. The burning bush then, became the opportunity for Moses to encounter and know God, and being called and challenged by God as well.

    In the second reading, St. Paul reminds us of this call towards conversion.  The history of unfaithfulness, of the grave sin committed by the people in the past must be a learning experience. That cannot be forgotten. St. Paul calls us, definitely, not to grow complacent and to just be secured with what we have in this world. He even expressed this in these words, “whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall.” 

    In the same manner, the call of conversion is also revealed in today’s parable in the Gospel of Luke. In that parable of the fig tree, Jesus tells us that the Father is a God of many chances. God gives us many chances to change our ways and to come nearer to him so that we may find fullness of life.

    This is described to us as Jesus expressed in the parable how the owner visited the fig tree. Yet, in the person of the gardener, Jesus tells us that indeed, God gives us another chance when we fail and commit mistakes, when we grow complacent and refuse to be life-giving. The gardener expressed hope to the owner as he asked him to give the fig tree another year. The gardener promised to cultivate it so that it may bear fruit. The gardener saw hope for transformation and hope of being fruitful in that tree.

    Indeed, God always sees hope in each of us too. This was how God saw hope in Moses who left Egypt to hide and to make him as God’s messenger. God also saw hope among his people who were made slaves in a foreign land to give them the fullness of life.

    Out of these things, there are three invitations that I want you to remember on this Third Sunday of Lent.

    First, be more conscious of our own “burning bush.” This “burning bush” could be an experience where we also became curious about God. Discover and affirm those moments of your personal encounter with God.

    Second, remove our sandals, as what Moses did. Let us remove anything that is not helpful and toxic. Remove and get rid of those that prevent our growth.  We are challenged to remove and let go any unnecessary things, attitudes, behaviors, opinions, beliefs and lifestyle that prevent us from becoming a life-giving person.

    Third, go beyond. This is the message of hope and the call of conversion. We are not limited by our failures and mistakes in life, not even by our sickness, struggles and difficulties that we have at this moment. God sees hope in us and it is God’s desire that we are able to enjoy life and celebrate life in its fullness. Thus, go beyond from our protected shells of pretensions and complacency. Go beyond  from our fears and sins by seeking peace and reconciliation. Go beyond from our insecurities, anger, hatred, disappointment and trauma by making ourselves confident with God’s gift of healing and of his faithfulness. Hinaut pa.

    [1] https://ryanestis.com/why-do-we-become-complacent-comfortable-and-bored/#:~:text=Fear%20of%20failure%20or%20the,%2C%20relationships%2C%20happiness%20and%20fulfillment.

  • HOPE? Only If & When….

    HOPE? Only If & When….

    March 23, 2025 – Third Sunday of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032325-YearC.cfm)

    How do we make sense of a lot of things going on with our lives nowadays? Still adjusting from the life-threatening COVID pandemic, we are also now amidst violence, terrorism, disasters, and killings along with the imminent threat of world war, oil price hike, dwindling geo & national politics. On the jubilee year of Hope, as pilgrims of hope amidst challenging life-situations, we also ponder & discern the question: “Is there and can we still HOPE in life?

    As some people reported to Jesus about disasters and killings happened to Galileans in our gospel today, the central issue raised is also about Hope in life. “Can we still hope for God’s salvation? Is there still a hope and meaning in life now & ahead?” Sometimes with a lot of miseries happening in our world today, like calamities, wars, poverty, disasters, exploitation, corruptions, electioneering and injustices, we do find life at times hopeless and meaningless.

    This reminds me of a story about a beggar who had a rice bowl to beg. Every time he asks for some food or money from others, he would just stick out his rice bowl and beg for something. At times, he is too ashamed to beg – he cannot even look at them at the eyes. But many at times, he could be too rude to force others to give him some scraps of food or some coins.

    Like other beggars, he dreams that someday he will become a millionaire. But he knows that such dream is impossible and just a wishful thinking because he got nothing but a mere dirty battered rice bowl he inherited from his family of beggars. Sometimes he would blame God for his life’s misery. He considers himself a hopeless and useless case.

    One day, while begging, a merchant noticed his rice bowl and asked if he could have a look at it. The merchant then examined his rice bowl and concluded, “You must be stupid begging for  scraps. You should not be asking for others help because you are one of the most fortunate persons in the city. This rice bowl of yours is a priceless antique made of pure GOLD. Just wash it clean and it will cost you a fortune. Why don’t you sell it to me? I could give you five million dollars for it.”

    But the beggar just laughed off what he heard from the merchant. He simply could not believe that his useless rice bowl is worth a fortune. He dismissed everything the merchant said and continued to beg for some food or money using his dirty battered but priceless golden antique rice bowl. What a waste. What a shame.

    Sometimes, we are like that beggar. God has already given us a lot of His graces. He almost gave up everything for us – His life, His love, His salvation, His only Son. God has already endowed each and everyone of us enough of His blessings. He has given us not only a chance but a lot of chances to live life, and a golden rice bowl of faith in Him.

    But like that beggar, we rarely recognize God’s precious gifts to us. We rarely recognize our Faith. Sometimes we are not contented with our simple faith. Instead, we look for signs. We look for other substitutes. We beg for other scraps of beliefs. We dream for miracles but in vain. Then, we find life useless, and get hopeless with life.

    Like in our gospel however, as the gardener assured his master that there is always a hope for a dry fig tree to bear fruits again – only if and when given a chance, Jesus also reassures us that there is always hope in life, if & when we change our ways. Jesus in our gospel today reminds us that God has given each and everyone of us a chance to live life to its fullness.

    He calls us to see all life miseries are not signs of a vengeful God, but a constant wake up call & pruning for us to repentance, conversion and Christian life. For Him, there is still hope for those who repent and believe in the Gospel – for those who cleans up their golden bowl of our Christian faith.

    We began the Lenten season last Ash Wednesday, with the words: “Repent and Believe in the Gospel.” It simply means that the season of Lent is the time for us not only to prepare ourselves for the Easter but also to examine and purify our rice bowl of faith, and then to recognize and accept the preciousness, fortune, and chance it brings. In other words, there is hope only if and when we repent, we change our ways and believe in the Gospel – in the good news, in our golden bowl of chance to live God has already given & blessed us. Otherwise, there is no hope and meaning at all.

    Perhaps more than saying that “We are Filipinos for nothing”, more so we should believe & proclaim to ourselves & others that “We are Filipino Christians for nothing.”

    As we struggle with our life-journey nowadays during these trying times, help usO Lord to acknowledge & responsibly accept Your Gift of faith in us, for us to discover meaning, hope, strength, & direction through the life-challenges ahead of us.

    So be it. Amen.

  • AN ENVIOUS HEART CORRUPTS

    AN ENVIOUS HEART CORRUPTS

    March 21, 2025 – Friday of the Second Week of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032125.cfm)

    Having siblings makes our home more fun. During our childhood days, our siblings were our first playmates. They too become our protectors at school whenever someone would bully us. Being in any home, we too experience quarrels and tensions with our siblings.

    Moreover, when some kind of competition would arise, it also breeds jealousy and even envy among siblings. To us children, in some occasions we could have felt that we are more loved by our parents than the rest of our siblings. However, it could also be the other way around. We might have felt we are receiving lesser love and attention from our parents.

    When we are being compared to the one who is more responsible than us, or more talented and intelligent, etc., this can be painful. A deep emotional wound is created deep within our heart because of constant comparison and discrimination that we receive at home. Hence, relationships among our siblings are being stretched until a gap of indifference and mutual bitterness and hatred arise.

    In the first reading, Book of Genesis told us that “Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons, for he was the child of his old age.” These are the first words from the first reading today. Yet, that love of Israel towards his youngest son, became the reason for deep envy and hatred of his other sons.

    The envious hearts of Joseph’s brothers became cruel and vicious. The older brothers must have believed that their brother did not deserve such love and attention from their father. In that culture before, the youngest was considered to be the least and the less important.

    Thus, the brothers must have claimed that they deserved more than him. This was how their envy consumed them to the point that their thoughts and actions became violent and corrupted. Their youngest brother became the victim of those envious hearts.

    Though Reuben and Judah tried to save the life of their brother, yet, not one of them stoop up and confronted the evil that they were planning. They could not because they were into it already.

    This tells us that when we become envious of others, we will tend to get aggressively what we wanted. Our selfish ambitions and intentions will lead us to corrupt and evil practices, such as in deceiving and manipulating others. 

    Such attitude only portrays a self-image that is dominating, powerful and that must be considered a master who is above everybody else. However, this attitude would consider others as lesser and not important. It is in fact a boastful self, arrogant and vain, but deep within, insecure and filled with bitterness.

    This is what we have heard also from the Gospel. The parable was not actually about labor issues. It was about the bitterness and aggression showed by the tenants against the servants and to the son of the landowner. The tenants, who were actually the chief priests and Pharisees, became self-entitled and believed that they were the only deserving people of God’s grace and favor. Their envious and ambitious hearts also became unwelcoming, greedy and vicious.

    Like the brothers of Joseph, they too began to plan evil things against Jesus. They wanted to arrest and kill him. Indeed, this happened to Jesus. But then, their evil thoughts and plans cannot and will not defeat God’s power to bring salvation and freedom to all.

    As Joseph became the savior of his own brothers during the great drought and famine, Jesus also through his resurrection proved that evil has no match with the wonder of what love can do.

    As we continue to journey in this Season of Lent, let our hearts be overwhelmed, not by our envy towards others, but by our love and affection towards one another. Let us also recall and acknowledge the conflicts, tensions and misunderstanding we have with our siblings. Have the courage and humility to repair any gap of indifference and to heal any mutual bitterness with our siblings and friends. Hinaut pa.       

  • Seeing from the Eyes of Faith and Compassion

    Seeing from the Eyes of Faith and Compassion

    March 19, 2025 – Solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031925.cfm)

    When life becomes confusing, messy and overwhelming, how do we react? When our relationship is intrigued by anger or hatred or contempt over a misunderstood situation, are we easily driven by negative emotions and withdraw from the situation and hide? When we believe that our relationship is at the verge of collapse because of unresolved issues, how do we respond?

    These situations that we may find in our relationships are also invitations for us to be more discerning. Allowing the Lord to have significant space in our relationships would help us to be more objective and to look at the current issues from the perspective of faith and compassion. This is what I would like to propose today as our point of reflection on this Solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary.

     The Gospel of Matthew presents to us the attitudes that portray faith and compassion.  Above all, we also realize an attitude that seeks guidance from God’s wisdom.

    Joseph’s relationship with Mary was intrigued with a suspicion of scandalous betrayal and unfaithfulness.  Joseph knew that even though, Mary and himself were still at the period of engagement, but then, Mary was already pregnant. Having this kind of situation, it was also clear for the people in their village that Joseph was not the father.

    Joseph himself was confident that Mary’s child in her womb was not his. Joseph knew that the Jewish law would find Mary guilty of adultery.  This was punishable by shame and death. Their law mandated Joseph to divorce Mary.

    In a small village like Nazareth, gossip was surely faster than lightning. Certainly, every person in their village would know that Mary was pregnant though they have not yet lived together. If we would imagine Joseph, he too must have been hurt. He might have felt being betrayed. Joseph was most likely in darkness at that moment, confused and overwhelmed by the intriguing situation.

    Yet, Joseph showed a non-reactive attitude. He did not allow his emotions to overwhelm him. In fact, the Gospel described him as a righteous man. Hence, instead of condemning Mary instantly, he showed compassion by divorcing her silently. He did that so that Mary will not be disgraced and bullied by others.

    This was how Joseph treated this difficult situation from the perspective of faith and compassion. He neither not wanted Mary to suffer nor the baby in her womb. It was his faith and compassion that moved him to protect Mary despite his confusion.

    This pleased the Lord. Joseph was indeed a good man, righteous and thoughtful. This became the way for God to reveal the divine plan. And God made the revelation to Joseph in the night of dreaming and pondering. Through that revelation, Joseph’s view of Mary and her pregnancy and even of himself became larger and brighter. Joseph began to see the overwhelming and scandalous situation of Mary’s pregnancy through the eyes of faith. Thus, fear and disappointment, anger and hatred were indeed irrelevant and even destructive.

    Joseph saw and felt the true scandal in what was revealed to him. God revealed Himself to Joseph. God has become man there in the womb of Mary. It was scandalous because we thought that God is only up there or out there in the heavens. We believed it was a place that no person can reach. Yet, Mary got pregnant.

    This unexpected pregnancy of Mary tells us that God is intimately present with us.

    Joseph received a revelation. He then understood that Mary’s pregnancy was a statement of God’s faithfulness. It was also a testament to His commitment to us. God commits himself to be our God. God commits to choose us as God’s people. And so, Joseph was told to name the baby, “Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” This was how Joseph was also called to participate in God’s loving plan for all of us. Joseph was to protect, cherish, and love Mary and Jesus. And Joseph embraced this.

    This is God’s assurance to us now. The Lord, indeed, is present. He lives in the midst of our lives, in the midst of our pain and our failures. He is there in our disappointments, hurts, and fears. He is even present in overwhelming situations we are in. Like St. Joseph, let also be more discerning and to see life’s situations from the perspective of faith. Hinaut pa.    

  • Sharing the Weight of our Burdens

    Sharing the Weight of our Burdens

    March 18, 2025 – Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031825.cfm)

    What burdens do we carry now? We may have different forms of burdens that we carry in life. Some are necessary and can’t be avoided. These could be the burdens of responsibilities in our commitments and relationships at home, at work and in our communities. Some may also be unnecessary and imposed upon us. These are the burdens in our toxic relationships, emotional baggage, unreasonable expectations from others or unresolved issues.  

    Sometimes, these burdens become overwhelming. We seek and want freedom. Yet, we also find difficulty in unloading our burdens. This is because of the cycle of blame, guilt, and fear that gripped us. There are also other reasons only known to us.

    Nevertheless, the Lord desires our freedom, to unload our burdens so that we experience life in its fullness. This is the power of forgiveness is all about. Forgiveness unburdens and unshackles us from sin and guilt. Prophet Isaiah described it this way, “Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow; though they be crimson red, they may become white as wool.”

    This begins by acknowledging our sins and correcting the wrong we have done. This also includes avoiding evil, seeking justice and being charitable to the weak ad vulnerable.

    In this way, as we unload our burdens, then, we also help others to unload theirs. Yet, when these burdens are indeed necessary, then, we share together the weight of the burdens. This is the call that Jesus presented to his disciples.

    Jesus first criticized the indifference of those in power at that time. These were the scribes and Pharisees who imposed unnecessary burdens upon the people. Yet, unwilling to share those burdens. They were only concerned of their comfort and privileges. Their bloated ego and self-image became the very burden of the ordinary Jews.

    They were completely unaware of their faults and even refused to acknowledge their sins. No doubt, their hearts were hardened and can’t recognize God in the person of Jesus.

    The antidote to that bloated ego is humility. Thus, Jesus said, “The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

    Jesus calls us today that humility becomes our way of life. By being humble, it makes us recognize our faults and failures. By being humble, we acknowledge that we not strong enough when alone. We need the company of others. We need the forgiveness of God to unburden us from sin and guilt. By being humble, we are more sensitive to others’ burdens. By being humble, we share in carrying the weight of the burdens with others. By being humble, we avoid becoming the very burden that others are suffering from. Hinaut pa.