Category: Easter Season

June 7, 2019 – Friday 7^th Week of Easter

Jn 21:15:19

 

“Simon, Son of John, do you love me more than these?” – Jn 21: 15

My 5-year-old niece playfully asked my parents, “Tatay, do you love Nanay?” Asking my Papa if he loves Mama. And then she asked in the same way her grand mom, “Nanay, do you love Tatay?” This happened just a week before Papa died.

In the eyes of my niece, perhaps what she was doing was a mere play of asking questions and relaying the answer to both of her grandparents. Yet, the question entails commitment and faithfulness.

The question of Jesus to Peter essentially involves commitment and faithfulness. The three questions of Jesus were not of condemnation and judgment against the unfaithfulness of Peter. However, the question, “Do you love me?” was an affirmation that Peter was loved and forgiven.

This scenario happened after Peter went back to his old life of fishing. Because of so much guilt, fear and disappointment at the event of the arrest of Jesus, which led to his crucifixion and death, Peter and the other disciples retreated back to their old self, to what was familiar because they were afraid of what to come next.

Yet, from that situation of the disciples also, the risen Jesus called them back. This tells us that Jesus would never give up on his friends. God will never give up on us. In fact, in a surprising way, the Lord will stoop down and come to us wherever we are. This is the reason why Jesus appeared on the shore calling Peter and the other disciples to come to the shore once again, that is, to come to Jesus once again and receive his forgiveness and love.

This tells us too that the Lord will come closer to us. He is ready to come down and meet us wherever we will be. The Lord shall come to us in our dark moments, in times of our depression and sadness, even in times of great confusion and doubts, and in times of anger and hate. The Lord is always ready to do that because he wants us to live free from those.

Thus, the question of Jesus, “Simon, Son of John, do you love me more than these?” refers to that attitude of Peter. Jesus was basically asking Peter, “Simon, do you love me more than your fishing career? More than your fears and doubts? More than your sins and guilt? More than your insecurities? More than your dreams, desires and personal wants?”

Positively, Peter also understood what Jesus was asking. Jesus asked three times to tell Peter of the great responsibility and also of the joy of the meaning of loving Jesus. To feed or tend the lambs and sheep basically means, “Take charge to care and love others.”This reminds us of Peter’s capacity to care and love others as Jesus did on the cross.

To each of us today, we are reminded that when failures and frustrations overwhelm us; never forget that Jesus will always come in a surprising way for us, to draw us back to him. Be mindful, then, of friends and events in your life that will become God’s way of calling us back again. In the same way like Peter, the Lord also asks us, “Do you love me more than these? More than your insecurities and fears, more than your personal wants and ambitions?” Then, the Lord also asks us to take the risk of loving him by being able to love others, to become courageous and confident in loving others. Remember, it is in taking the risk of committing ourselves to love others that we too shall find our true selves.

The Lord knows that each of us has that capacity to love and take care of others. Never be afraid then, never be afraid to love. Never be afraid to express your care and affection towards others. It is in this way that like Peter, we will be able to follow Jesus, who invites us today, to express our love and care to others in the most concrete ways as we have experienced it from Jesus himself. Hinaut pa.

Jom Baring, CSsR

June 6, 2019 – Thursday 7^th Week of Easter

Jn 17:20-26

“Father, they are your gift to me, I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may se my glory that you gave me, because you loved me before the foundation of the world.” – Jn 17:24

In these past few days, we have been following the prayers of Jesus just before his passion and death. Most of these prayers of Jesus speak of unity, of oneness, and of friendship. Jesus speaks about it because he has most probably felt already the suffering that he will undergo. There will be great feelings of confusion and of loneliness and abandonment.

In this prayer of Jesus, he expresses his gratitude to the Father for giving him the gift of friendship with his disciples. This friendship somehow gives comfort to Jesus. Yet, he also feels that his friends are also afraid, confused and insecure. Thus, Jesus prays that his friends may be one with him, may never leave him but will accompany him in his suffering.

However, these friends of Jesus turned out to be overwhelmed by their fear and insecurities. They fled and hid themselves for fear of being persecuted too. After all, they left Jesus alone.

But this attitude of the disciples never made Jesus to surrender on them. Jesus remains grateful to the Father because he saw something beyond the imperfection and unfaithfulness of his friends.

Indeed, Jesus trusts the wisdom of the Father for giving him these kinds of friends. These friends are also the very sign of the Father’s love to his son. Beyond the unfaithfulness and fear of the disciples are the image and the presence of God in them.

The disciples realized this after the resurrection of Jesus. This event gradually changed them completely. Indeed, it was in this way that they have become one with Jesus. And true indeed, they were the Father’s gift to Jesus because each of Jesus’ friends became his witnesses to all the nations.

We, too, are the Father’s gift to Jesus, each of us. As gifts, we are very precious to Jesus. Yet, like the disciples, we shall also find ourselves weak, fearful and insecure. But remember, Jesus will never surrender on us because he sees something beyond our weaknesses and fears. Jesus sees himself in us!

As Jesus wishes that we may be one with him to see his glory, we are invited to remain firm in our faith and conviction as Christians. But, when we find ourselves going away from Jesus, let us come to him again, to come closer to him. It is only in being with him that we too shall find our true peace and comfort.

Today, be also grateful of the friendship you have with Jesus and of the friendship you have developed with other people. Like Jesus, we may also see the person of Jesus in our friends, to see Jesus beyond the imperfection and weaknesses of our friends. Hinaut pa unta.

Jom Baring, CSsR

June 5, 2019 – Wednesday of the 7^th Week of Easter

Acts 20:28-38: Jn 17:11b-19

How do we perceive the truth from the false? Or how do we identify the real from the fake? We might find it difficult to identify what is true from false when false would pretend to be like the truth.

A story was told about the Naked Truth and the Lie. And so, the Truth and the Lie met on the road one day. The Lie said to the Truth: “It’s a marvelous day today!” The Truth looked up to the sky and sighed, for the day was really beautiful.

They walked together for a while, until they reached a beautiful well. Then Lie told the Truth: “The water in the well is very nice, let’s take a swim together!” The Truth, once again suspicious, tested the water and discovered that it, indeed, was very nice.

They undressed and started to swim. Suddenly, the Lie jumped out of the well, put on the clothes of the Truth and ran off towards a nearby village. The furious Truth leaped out of the well and ran to find the Lie and to get her clothes back. The Villagers, seeing the Naked Truth, were horrified and looked away with contempt and rage.

The poor Truth returned to the well and disappeared forever, hiding in her shame. And since that day, the Lie travels the world, clothed as The Truth.

(from https://storytelling.co.za/the-naked-truth-and-the-lie/)

This certainly is very true. We love to listen to gossips and to be entertained by it and as a result even believing to it. This happens even within family members, circles of friends, and neighbors and among colleagues at work. We would even add in defaming others ones a gossip would reach our ears.

In social media platforms too, we seemed to be ignorant at believing to rampant fake news. We easily believe a particular story on Facebook when we see that there are many people liking it or commenting on it without verifying such news.

It seems that we are very dependent upon the dictation of other people in perceiving and believing something. Yet, remember also, not everything that is believed by many is always true. The Lie in the story were perceived and believed by many to be the Truth. But people were disgusted when they saw the Naked Truth.

This is the desire of Jesus for all his followers. We have heard in the Gospel of John how Jesus expressed this desire, “Consecrate them in truth, your word is truth.”

Jesus desired that each of us would be consecrated in him because he is the Truth. Jesus himself also is the living Word of God. The Bible, which contains the Word of God, also contains the Truth.

Thus, we are called to grow in that Truth and to have a personal relationship with the Truth, with Jesus. This will also be possible by making ourselves available and open to God’s word in the Bible.

Jesus desires that each of us will be consecrated to him and be purified through His word. It is a challenge for us then to always discern the inputs that come to us. Be more aware to what we are listening if it is merely a gossip that destroys the image of another person or a good news. Beware also of the fake news that has been spread in social media. Adhere rather to what is Truth by being discerning and intelligent. Develop a love for Word of God and constantly seek God’s wisdom and desire that we may truly be consecrated to Jesus, to the truth. Hinaut pa.

Jom Baring, CSsR

June 4, 2019 – Tuesday of the 7^th Week of Easter

Jn 17: 1-11a

“I pray for them.” – Jn 17:9

We always ask our family members, friends and people we know to remember us in their prayers too. It is such a comfort that we are being remembered in the thoughts and prayers of others. When we celebrate special moments of our life, when we are sick, leaving home for studies or work, when we take challenging endeavours (such as taking board exams), struggling with our problems and concerns, or starting a new chapter of our life, we ask people we know to pray for us that will be given strength and wisdom, courage and faith.

In today’s Gospel, we have been reminded of the intimacy Jesus shared with his Father. This is shown on how Jesus prayed to the Father in heaven. Jesus expressed his confidence and at the same time the unity he has with the Father. What Jesus has is also of the Father’s. The glory of Jesus is also the glory of the Father. Hence, the suffering and pain of Jesus at his passion and even death is also shared by the Father.

All of these have been revealed to Jesus’ friends who were also so dear to the Father. Jesus treasures this friendship. And as a friend, Jesus manifests his concern by expressing his desire to pray for them. Jesus is about to leave physically in the world. But it does not mean that Jesus will abandon them.

Jesus prays for his friends. This means that Jesus remembers his friends in his thoughts. Being in the thought of Jesus also means that Jesus makes his person present in the life of his friends. It is a promise of faithfulness and of constant presence of God.

Today, Jesus reminds us too, that he prays for us and with us. We can say this confidently, Jesus prays with me because he remembers me and he is with me.

Being remembered by Jesus in his prayers, let us make an effort too, to pray for others today. Pray for your friends, for your family members and those who really need our prayers. Prayer will make us more conscious of others as we become one with them in their hopes, joy and suffering. In prayer, we also become more present with God as we grow in our confidence and faith in Him who has called us and loved us. Hinaut pa unta.

Jom Baring, CSsR

June 3, 2019 – Monday 7^th Week of Easter

Jn 16:29-33

“But I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you this so that you might have peace in me.” – Jn 16: 32b-33a

Do you feel alone? People who are severely ill, those who are haunted by their traumatic experiences, and those who suffer chronic depression would mostly agonize the feeling of being alone and loneliness.

To feel alone is a terrible feeling. It makes a day no matter how bright it would be, to be so dark. Even though many people will surround us physically, this feeling detaches us from their presence.

This causes people to be so sad and depressed. How much more if physically people will leave us alone? If someone you love and so dear to you would just go away and leave you? Then, this would be a horrible feeling.

People who work away from their family would also feel being alone. They cannot help it but work a far to give more opportunities for their family and for the children especially. Yet, as a consequence, they have to endure such loneliness for their sake.

In the Gospel today, Jesus reminded us of his conviction of the presence of his Father. Jesus knew that his disciples would abandon him when he will undergo his passion. The disciples will retreat and hide because of fear even though that would mean that Jesus will be left alone to suffer and die.

Yet, Jesus was filled with confidence that his Father will never abandon him. Hence, the Father was there with Jesus even at the cross where Jesus felt being abandoned.

Today, Jesus wants us to have the same conviction. Indeed, we are never alone. The Lord is with us, always with us. This is the promise of Jesus to us today.

Thus, when we feel alone, let it be known that we are never alone. When a terrible sickness hits us, when a traumatic experience haunts us, when depression bothers us, remember, God is with us.

Those of us who are away from home and away from our families, Jesus comforts us that he is always with us.

Today, we can say confidently, “I am not alone.”

Jesus promises us too that with him we shall have our peace. When we allow Jesus to come into our life, surely, we will be at peace. We will be at peace because we will be assured, and we will be satisfied with him.

Today also, be more sensitive of people who feel alone who could just be your friend, sibling, or child, or parent or co-worker. Let them feel that Jesus is with them and you too are with them. Hinaut pa unta.

Jom Baring, CSsR