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  • Our Defining Moment

    Our Defining Moment

    February 2, 2023 – Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/020223.cfm)

    Usually every Sunday some families gather together in the church not only to celebrate Eucharist but also to attend and witness the baptism of children to become new members of their respective family, parish and of the church. Yes, during Sundays, countless children are also being baptized in the church while being witnessed by their parents and family with relatives and friends. For us priest, Sunday children’s baptism is just part of our duty and extra job besides the hectic Sunday Masses schedules. For others, it might be a usual Sunday occurrence, but for the child’s respective parents, godparent and families, the baptism of their child can be, is and should be the defining moments of their own lives as well as of the child.

    Yes, defining moments for all involved with the child. Because during baptism, the child does not only take on the identity and dignity of being Christian, the young parents of the child have suddenly grown up as well from just being two people in love to being parent to the child with a lot of responsibility for the future of the child. Along the parents, the child’s godparents, maninoy and maninay, extended families, relatives and friends also take on the responsibility and mission to help and support in the growth in Christian faith and life of the child. It is indeed, defining moments for everybody for as the child is being consecrated, the parents, godparents, families and the Christian community and the Church are commissioned to be responsible caretakers and formators-parent of the Christian life and faith-growth of the child.  

    Mary and Joseph as well as Simeon and Anna must have experienced and felt the same during the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple, same as young parents and families during child baptism. Here they are, presenting and consecrating the child Jesus in the temple as required by their Jewish religious tradition, conscious of the tasks, responsibility as well as the still-unknown and yet-to-be-revealed promise the child Jesus may offer to our lives. Joseph and Mary not only became the parent of the child Jesus, but through their testimony, Simeon and Anna also became the caretaker, formator & godparents of God’s light and glory for all. Same way as Joseph and Mary consecrated the child Jesus, Simeon and Anna became not anymore passive-expectators but now active-witnesses of God’s light and glory being revealed before them.  

    The Presentation of the Lord in the temple is indeed defining moments for Mary and Joseph as well as Simeon and Anna for they take on the responsibility before God for the child Jesus. In the same manner, the baptism of a child is the defining moments for the young parents, godparents, families and the whole church for we all take responsibility for the formation and growth of the faith and life of the child.

    Our celebration today of the Presentation of the Lord is more than just about having our candles blessed. It is actually more so about ourselves as Christians especially during our celebration of Sacrament of Baptism. When we were baptized as a child, like the child Jesus, we were presented and consecrated (made holy) to God by our Christian family and the church to be God’s children. And whenever we attend and witness child baptism, we make holy ourselves to be responsible parents and formators-witnesses for the faith-growth of the child.

    Today’s celebration and our celebration of children’s baptism are all a reminder that each and every one of us, baptized Christians are lighted candles, taking on the light of Christ, the Christian dignity and responsibility for the fulfillment of God’s promise of salvation in our lives forever in our children now and for the future Christian generation.

    Taking on the dignity and mission to be parents and witnesses of God’s salvation as revealed to us always through Jesus and our today’s Christian children are and remain to be our defining moments as Christians. God is already doing his part for our salvation by revealing us his glory through his Son, now we have to do our part by making and remaining true to our defining moments of becoming blessed lighted candles – taking part to be active parents and witnesses for the growth of the Christian life and faith of our baptized children.

    Now, when was the last time you become a witness to a Child’s baptism? When was the last time you light a candle publicly and privately? Be reminded Jesus said: “You are the light of the world”.

    May we, as today God’s lighted and blessed candle, be always responsible parents and witnesses of God’s light to our world now and forever. Amen.

  • Finding joy and contentment at home

    Finding joy and contentment at home

    February 2, 2023 – Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/020223.cfm)

    Joseph and Mary, conscious of their family traditions as well as of the identity of baby Jesus, went to Jerusalem and presented Jesus to the Lord God. This was an act of thanksgiving to the Almighty God for the gift of this child.

    Joseph as head of the family naturally led this event for the family to express their gratitude to the LORD GOD. Just like any other Jewish family at that time, it was the duty of Joseph to do this with Mary. The tradition in their culture must have been revered by Joseph. This is the reason why the Gospel of Luke described this event in these words, “when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.” The promptness of the head of the family and his consciousness of this practice allowed him to discover more the plan of God.

    Thus, this Feast of the Presentation of the Lord brings us now to four invitations as we search to find joy and contentment in our ordinary life at home.

    The first invitation is to give thanks. Yes, develop a grateful atmosphere in your family. Consciously say “thank you” to your spouse and children, siblings and parents. Whenever your family gathers whether during a meal, a trip or in a celebration, give thanks to each other and to God, the source of all blessings. Give thanks no matter how small or big the grace that you have received.

    Now, this event of the presentation of Jesus also led to two sub-events but equally important. These sub-events were the encounter with Simeon and Anna the prophetess.

    Simeon, a devout and righteous man had been waiting for the time to see and embrace the Son of God. And this was fulfilled. The long wait of Simeon was paid with peace and joy. He was able to hold tightly the child Jesus in his arms. That must be a great consolation to him. Having Jesus in his arms, Simeon saw the salvation and the light of God.

    With Simeon in the story and with the realization of his dream to see the Lord, this brings us to the second invitation which is– to embrace the Lord and embrace one another.

    Our family might be longing for peace, longing for comfort – take courage, the Lord is here as Simeon proclaimed. The Lord is waiting for us that we will embrace him. Peace and joy begin to unfold in our families when we also open our arms in reconciliation and in gentleness, to embrace each other. Let not the violence of our fist and anger in our heart destroy our families and give scar of trauma to your children.

    Moreover, Anna the prophetess also waited for Jesus. She was also there to witness this great wonder of meeting the Lord. Anna, like Simeon, immediately recognized that the child Jesus was the promised savior. Anna was so patient and prayerful. These attitudes in her, made her to long more for God. This longing in her heart made her to be open and welcoming. With this, Anna’s heart found comfort and joy. All her troubles and pain had gone away.

    With Anna’s witnessing in prayer, this brings us to the third invitation which is – to pray together as a family.

    Through our prayer, let us consciously long for God and joyfully meet the Lord in our struggles and problems. To run away from our problems or to hide because of our fears is never the solution. There are those who find comfort in drinking and gambling and other form of vices to forget their problems yet, this kind of response only create more problems. Unfaithfulness, indifference and violence in the family will be nurtured by these kinds of attitudes. We are invited rather to confront our issues and allow the Lord to touch us through our prayers. Gather your family around your altar. Cultivate a family tradition that prays together. Let our families go the Church, and there in our Sacraments, allow the Lord to be with you and to bless you.

    Lastly, the fourth invitation is – To develop practices  that will allow you to make a balance in your family life.

    Thus, parents play with your children. Find common interests where each one will be able to bond. Develop customs and traditions within your family. For those who can afford, you may take your family vacation. For those who are quite gipit, spend some time in an affordable beach resort. And for those who are really and very gipit, then have your lunch or dinner outside your door step, at least we can say, “kumain din kami sa labas.”

    Just be creative because we don’t have to spend so much. Quality time and to develop a healthy family relationship is not about the money we spend or the luxury items we give as gifts to our loved one, but our time and presence that we give to the person we love.

    With these invitations, we may hopefully ease the pain of loneliness, comfort the hearts of the troubled, heal the memories of those who are suffering and assure with our presence those who are confused and afraid. Let these invitations on this feast day also touch you and make you more conscious of God’s presence in your family life and in the life of each member of the family who could be undergoing a lot of stress or loneliness this time. Kabay pa.

  • NO ONE SHOULD BE DEPRIVED OF THE GRACE OF GOD

    NO ONE SHOULD BE DEPRIVED OF THE GRACE OF GOD

    February 1, 2023 – Wednesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/020123.cfm)

    God gives life, blesses life and renews our life. God never stops that. This is the reason why grace overflows so that no one will be deprived of the grace of God. The Letter to the Hebrew reminds us of this. It calls us to strive for peace with everyone because without peace what we shall have are troubles and bitterness in our hearts. As the grace of God overflows, the Letter also invites all Christian believers to “see to it that no one is deprived of the grace of God.”

    This means that our participation has an effect in making God’s grace to truly overflow and be experienced by all. Certainly, one can deprive oneself or others of the grace of God when the heart refuses God’s grace. Yet, why would a person refuse to welcome and accept something that is so wonderful like the grace of God? Is this even possible? Yes, this is very possible that a person will refuse to accept God’s grace because of a heart hardened by jealousy, false judgment, bitterness and hatred.

    As the grace of God overflows, the Letter also invites all Christian believers to “see to it that no one is deprived of the grace of God.”

    Let us take for example today’s Gospel story. Jesus who went home was welcomed with bitterness and hatred by his own neighbors. Jesus who did many miracles in other places was questioned and judged by the people. Their thoughts were merely based on the familiar background of Jesus of being a carpenter, being a son of Mary, being a brother to his cousins.  Outside of these, they failed to see that there was more in the person of Jesus. They failed to see the grace in the life of Jesus. As a result, the people took offense at him.

    They felt offended because they could not accept the opportunity of being graced by the person of Jesus who seemed to be only ordinary for them. This is how a bitter and hateful heart affects our relationship with others. All Jesus could do was to heal few sick people. It was not that Jesus did not want to do any miracle for them because of their bitter attitude towards him. Jesus just couldn’t because the people did not cooperate with the grace of God. They deprived themselves of the grace of God.

    Indeed, God can only work when we allow God to work miracles. The lack of faith of the people is a refusal of God’s grace. This tells us that God, though all-powerful, does not impose His power on us. God would rather invite us to allow Him to work miracles with us.

    Besides, the people expressed their non-cooperation with the grace of God through their lack of faith. This made Jesus to be amazed. It was just amazing for the Lord because the people have seen how the grace of Jesus’ life could do for them yet they still refused. The lack of faith in them was even reinforced because their hearts were filled with jealousy, false judgment, bitterness and hatred.

    And as the Letter to the Hebrews calls us, “see to it that no one is deprived of the grace of God.” This is the call for us today. Let us not deprive ourselves of the grace of God or deprive others. Let God’s grace overflow then, through us and through the gift of persons of one another.

    Instead of nurturing bitterness, hatred, jealousy and false judgment in our hearts, let us rather nurture an attitude that welcomes the grace of God through the gift of our persons. Kabay pa.

  • Being Blessed from God’s Perspective     

    Being Blessed from God’s Perspective     

    January 29, 2023 – Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012923.cfm)

    How do we understand being Blessed? We usually think of a life that is blessed on the level of having material wealth, success, prosperity – like having a good family, a prosperous business, a successful career or a good paying job, or having a good health. We also believe that being blessed has something to do with having power and influence that a person possesses, with privileges and perks that we enjoy.

    Thus, as it was in the ancient times and until today, poverty is never a blessing, being in sorrow and in grief is never a blessing. Being powerless and oppressed, being sick, being rejected and persecuted is never a blessing. If we are experiencing such life, we consider ourselves to be cursed, weak and insignificant.

    However, the readings this Sunday are quite opposite from the standard of being blessed that we usually believe. Our human understanding of being blessed is different from God. Indeed, there is a need for us to understand being blessed and our life as Christians from Jesus’ perspective.

    The Gospel of Matthew gave us that perspective of Jesus that the Lord wants us to recognize and to learn. Matthew tells us that Jesus saw the crowds. Not just a crowd but crowds of people composed of groups of poor and rich, Pharisees, Sadducees and common Jews, sick and old, men, women, children, beggars, merchants, pickpockets and spectators, his own disciples and others who followed him faithfully.

    And Jesus saw the many realities of the people of his time. What he saw was not just limited with what can be seen from the outside. Jesus saw and realized the anguish of the people and the cause of their miseries perpetrated by those who took advantage of the weak and powerless. Jesus saw and realized how the social evils of greed, hatred, and indifference contributed to the senseless sufferings of the people. Jesus saw and realized how the people felt abandoned, in need of mercy and love, in search of justice and salvation, longing for a blessed life.

    This prompted Jesus to express what he saw and what was in the heart of God for His people. Jesus began to teach while sitting on a mountain which gave him the perspective of the Father. This Sermon on the Mount, as this is commonly called, is indeed quite symbolic. From this symbolism of Jesus teaching from the mount, the Lord evokes a different perspective of being blessed. Not anymore from our human perspective and standard, but from God’s eyes.

    In God’s perspective, the blessed ones are those who are poor, who are mourning and sick, the humble and unassuming, the powerless and merciful, those who are contented in life and those who are persecuted. But why? It is because in their poverty and difficulty, in their powerlessness and nothingness that they also realize their dependence and need of God. Indeed, such insecurities in life bring us to understand that we are so small in this world and we are in need of God’s grace. That is why, Jesus addressed these Beatitudes to the people, assuring them of his presence and assuring them of a blessed life in the Kingdom of Heaven. Though the Kingdom is to be fully manifested later, yet, being blessed is already experienced in the here and now.

    Thus, the very presence of God in our life is what makes us “blessed.” Since God favors those who are weak, poor, suffering, the sick and struggling in life, they are the ones who are blessed because they understand their dependence and need of God. God comes to us when we are ready to accept God in our life and to let God be our God there in our poverty and weaknesses.

    This is what Prophet Zephaniah reminds us in the first reading to seek the Lord which can only be possible through a humble heart that recognizes God’s presence and power. An arrogant and self-satisfied heart will never acknowledge God and thus, can be very vicious to people around.

    “God comes to us when we are ready to accept God in our life and to let God be our God there in our poverty and weaknesses.”

    Moreover, Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians expressed powerfully the wisdom and favor of God. He says to us, “God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something.”

    This indeed is a warning to those who in the standard of the world are blessed such as the self-satisfied and self-absorbed, the corruption-driven-rich, the powerful, the popular and the influential. Why? It is because the danger lies in the attitude of the heart that becomes independent from God, a heart that rejects God’s mercy and love. In fact, the Lord warns us when we tend to accumulate more wealth for ourselves at the expense of the poor, or when we gather fame and influence at the expense of others.

    Such attitude of the heart is filled with arrogance and self-centeredness that has no need of God. True enough, when we are so filled with ourselves and too satisfied of what we have gained and achieved, we don’t need God anymore. Our successes and we, ourselves, have become ‘gods.’ This leads us to worship our achievements, wealth, our power and ourselves. But then, all of these will corrupt us because we will never be satisfied. We will thirst and hunger for more wealth, recognition and fame which will also lead to our own destruction and those who are around us and those blocking our way to gain for more.

    Thus, through these Beatitudes, God invites us to claim that we are blessed and can bless others even when we are poor and insecure, in grief and in search for justice, in need of mercy and in showing mercy.

    This also calls us that as we understand being blessed in God’s perspective, then, the material wealth that we have gained, the influence and fame that we have received and the successes that we have achieved are signs of God’s grace and generosity. When we have these, may it lead us to humble ourselves and to recognize that these are gifts and we ought to share them to others. Thus, if you have received much, share the blessing to those who are in need. If you are enjoying success in life, share the experience with those who failed. If you have power and influence over others, then, use them to liberate the oppressed and to work for justice. If you have been shown mercy despite your sins, then, let that mercy flow in your relationships by becoming merciful to others. It is in this way that the Kingdom of Heaven will truly be present among us, and that we ourselves will not just be blessed but will also be a blessing to our community. Kabay pa.

  • Price of Faith

    Price of Faith

    January 29, 2023 – 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012923.cfm)

    A story once told about a beggar who owns nothing but his tin rice bowl to beg. He is particularly ashamed of begging that he would just bow his head & cannot even look at the eyes of others. But poverty & hunger usually force him to bully others for some money & food to survive. Like any beggars, he hopes to be free from his situation & dreams of becoming rich & wealthy someday. But he knows that his dreams of better living is just wishful thinking for he owns nothing except his old and dirty tin rice bowl – which he just inherited from his poor grandparents. Yes, he considers himself useless, hopeless, & helpless. A nobody & nothing at all, who even blames God & his family for his sufferings & poverty in life.

    Now while begging for some left-overs and coins in the market, one day a merchant approached him and asked to have a good look at his rice bowl. After examining his rice bowl, the merchant told him, “You idiot, you don’t have to beg. You should not beg at all because you are a rich person. Do you know that this rice bowl of yours is precious? This rice bowl is made of priceless gold. Just have this rice bowl clean and sell it to the highest bidder, you will be the wealthiest man in this town. You know what? If only I have money, I’ll buy it for 80 million dollars.” But the beggar just laughs off and would not believe what he heard from the merchant. He would not believe that his rice bowl is made of gold. That is why, until now, he continues to beg for alms from others… using his priceless golden rice bowl.

    There are times in our lives that we become like that beggar. The Good news of Christmas and the whole Christian life simply proclaims to us how blessed we are for God has already offered us His life and his salvation through his son, Jesus Christ.

    However, often at times we missed it, because we fail and even refuse to recognize the blessings, to the point that we do not accept the importance of the graces God has given us. It so happens that we are not contented with, and we even feel ashamed of God’s presents. Pre-occupied with our own selves, our own concerns, biases, and expectations, mostly we are blinded from the value and sacredness of God’s graces and blessings given us. 

    This is what our readings are trying to tell us today. It wishes to remind us, especially Jesus in our gospel today, that we should be awake and be aware that people who are poor, humble, helpless, weak, oppressed, and most abandoned find favor in God’s eyes. Because of their deep faith and need for God, and their acknowledgement of Jesus, as God’s gift, they are blessed and worthy of God’s kingdom.

    In our gospel today, we hear the Beatitudes. Jesus announced how blessed already we are – not for being poor, humble, helpless, mourning, weak and abandoned, but because God finds favor in us. We are blessed then because of God’s gift of our faith in Jesus, and not because of our poverty, humility, weakness, persecution, and abandonment. As our world prefers wealth, popularity, power, & prestige, we are reminded that God rather chooses & favors people of great faith and trust in His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.   

    Here, Jesus encourages us to recognize and have confidence on the value of our Christian faith in life. God has already given us our Christian faith – our way of life and salvation. We must not downgrade it but instead, recognize and value its importance into our lives today. Jesus reminds us that Blessed are we and those who welcomes and follows Him for God has already endowed us with enough faith to redeem us & live our lives meaningful now & always.

    Remember his first message proclaimed: “Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand” that is – Change your ways… not because of our sins and mistakes but because God’s grace is here with us now. In other words, “Behave for God’s grace is Here with You”. And Now Jesus is telling us the Beatitude – proclaiming how blessed and lucky we are  -not only because we behave well, but also because God finds favor on us who have faith & trust in His son & have welcome Him into our life.

    Through the Beatitudes, Jesus is somehow proclaiming to us how Blessed and Fortunate we are who owns and treasure our golden rice bowl of faith for we are already in God’s favor. In other words, Worthy, Blessed and Fortunate are we who willingly welcome, value, and believe in Jesus, God-given gift of salvation to us, for God’s kingdom is already & always upon us. Priceless then is our Christian faith in Jesus for God finds favors in us, who believes & trusts in Him.

    Perhaps we consider these days on how maximize of own rice-bowl of faith. Do we make use of our faith just to beg… OR to honor & value Him who offers & presents us God’s favor?

    We pray then that we must learn how to see, recognize, accept, and treasure our God-given Christian faith now & always.