Have you ever been lost in the forest? What do you think is the best thing to do if you get lost in the forest?
Others would say that to do what is practical, which is to find your way back. You may have found a way back, but still you have not arrived to the place where you want to be. Others would suggest to pray and “balihon ang sinina” or incorrectly wear your shirt. Again nothing would happen except you are still lost with incorrectly worn shirt, and never arrive at your destination.
The best way to do if you are lost in the forest is to first stop your journey, and then look for some higher grounds, so that you will know and see where you are, where have you been, where you want to go and what the best way or road to take. Meaning, you have to stop first then climb a high place – a hill, mountain or a tree, so that from there you get a wider perspective of your journey and travel.
Being lost in the forest may reflect our experience of life. There are times in our lives that we feel lost & confused in all our endeavors and dreams. Because of this, like being and getting lost in the forest, it is easy for us to feel tired, dry, afraid, anxious and hopeless in life to reach and achieve our aspirations, hopes and dreams in life.
Our gospel today narrates us the Transfiguration of the Lord. We hear Jesus brought his apostles to Mt. Thabor so that they would witness the glory of God revealed before them. After they have followed the Lord in his preaching and ministry in many towns and villages, the apostles have now experienced weariness and exhaustion in their journey, even to the point others have cast doubt in the Lord’s person and authority. For them to be inspired (to be in-spirit) and encourage once again, Jesus brought then to mountain of Thabor to have a preview or prelude of God’s glory so that they themselves taste and witness God’s glory made manifest in Jesus Himself. And then, they hear & encounter themselves the call & challenge from God to listen and have faith in Jesus, his beloved Son.
Sometimes in life, we need to stop for awhile from all our endeavors and aspirations, and then, climb the Lord’s mountain in order for us to view a much wider perspective in life and our journey. Like in our modern lingo of cellphones, we need a higher ground to get a good signal; sometimes we need to climb the mountain with the Lord for us to get a good and strong signal of God’s presence and love.
We call this today as RETREAT with the Lord – a time in our life where we stop or slowdown from all our plans, aspirations and activities in life, spend some time to distance from our usual routine and look and climb for a high place in order to get a wider perspective of our life. Time and place to ask ourselves: “where am I now in relation to my life, dreams, aspirations and commitments? Am I lost or in the right path? What else should be done? What need to be change?” Retreat would also mean to Treat ourselves again & anew to God’s vision of life-glory. In other word, to take care & nourish ourselves anew to the vision & fervor of God’s glory. And above all, in the Lord’s transfiguration & our retreat moments, we are challenged also to be “transfigured”, i.e in our modern-tech language, to do “system update” for us to be in sync, upgraded, & outfitted with the current plans of God for our redemption
As we follow the Lord, as Christian, it is healthy then for us to sometimes to retreat & be transfigured, i.e., to stop and climb up on a higher ground with the Lord in order to have a wider perspective of life, to witness God’s presence revealed in Christ, and to hear again & anew God’s call & challenge, our vocation: “This is my Son, the beloved. Listen to Him”. Amen.
August 1, 2023 – Solemnity of St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori
Readings
From the Book of Prophet Isaiah (61:1-3)
The spirit of the Lord is upon me; because the Lord has anointed me;
He has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners;
To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn; to provide for those who mourn in Zion –
To give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
The mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.
They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.
Responsorial Psalm : Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
From the Gospel of Matthew (9:35-10:1)
Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness.
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples,
“The harvest is plentiful, but he laborers are few;
Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness.
Who would not want to be happy? Who would not want a fulfilled life? To be happy and to have a fulfilled life is everyone pursuit in life. This is the very reason why we dream, aspire things for our life and others, hope for a better and comfortable life.
And in our search for happiness, we also realize that there can be actually many reasons to make us happy from small things to the big and great things. We may also do many things just to make ourselves happy or make other people happy. We can also actually make our life busy in pursuing happiness. This is not just true among adults or old people but even among the young generation. Yet, in making ourselves busy to find happiness we might also lose the opportunity to be really happy. The question now, is on the quality and endurance of our happiness.
There are many young people today, who entertain themselves with a lot of things. Many are drawn towards online or mobile games to experience a surge of happiness in winning a game. Others would also keep their eyes on the screen to watch Korean TV Series and be entertained with the Korean Idols. Others make themselves busy on everyday TikToks and selfies to be uploaded on Facebook and Instagram.
Though these are forms of short-term happiness but they can also lead us to what would really make truly happy and fulfilled. However, in our sear, we may be prevented by many things as well especially when expectations from our families and friends are different from what we truly desire. People around us may have something in mind for us, believing that what they think is better for us. Yet, this is not always the case. That is why, there would be individuals whose lives become miserable because they have to follow the desires from others for them.
This reminds me of the life of Alphonsus whose feast we celebrate today. That is why, I also wonder of the kind of life Alphonsus had when he was young and what led him to affirm his vocation by giving his life for the poor and the most abandoned.
Alphonsus came from an aristocratic family in Naples, Italy. As the eldest in the family, his father had so much expectations from him. We were told in his biography that an early age he had books on his hands instead of toys. He must have been deprived of playing with other children because as an aristocrat, he needed to receive instructions from various teachers. He was an exceptional boy who even finished his studies in both civil and ecclesiastical laws at the age of 16. In his twenties, he was already a known lawyer in Naples. Not just that, he also excelled in arts and music and authored many books.
With all these things on him, I am very sure that Alphonsus had felt so much pressure from the family and particularly from his father. His father expected him to succeed and follow him as what had been practiced in their family. His relatives and the whole clan had surely expected him also to follow the footsteps of his father as an aristocrat. This was the reason why at an early age he was expected to follow whatever was told to him. Alphonsus was very careful to follow everything and not to commit any mistakes.
At that time, any mistake will not go unpunished. We could imagine how Alphonsus had to endure the corporal punishments and the shame, every time he would commit a mistake or a failure. This kind of upbringing had actually a deep influence on the spiritual life of Alphonsus. He was a very scrupulous man. Alphonsus was very afraid of hell and of eternal damnation. He was very careful not to sin and not to commit any mistake because he believed that God would not be able to forgive him.
Being scrupulous prevented him to be free from shame. He was always haunted by guilt too. Now, we understand how family pressures and his severe upbringing affected his relationship with God. In his lifetime, he struggled to believe that God could forgive him. No matter how small was the mistake or the sin he committed, he would go anxious and worried. Somehow, Alphonsus struggled to find what truly makes him happy and what would truly fulfill his life.
However, there was something in Alphonsus that really desired for freedom, to be free from pressures, from shame and guilt, and from that severe childhood upbringing. Deep within, Alphonsus desired to express what he really wanted. He searched ways were he could truly express his true self without any pressure or expectation from others. Alphonsus was searching to what would really give meaning and true happiness in his life. This was the reason why he excelled in many things but most importantly with his encounter with the common people.
It was with the patients at the House of Incurables, the prostitutes of Naples, the men and women in the marketplace and later on with the people in a remote area of Scala, that he found himself, and found God more alive, where he found happiness and fulfillment of this life.
This was the beginning of the continual conversion of Alphonsus. By becoming more in touched with his struggles and questions, he too became more aware of God’s desire for him more than the pressures of the people’s desire around him. Hence, Alphonsus gave up his profession and his status as an aristocrat by becoming a poor priest. With this decision, it greatly upset and broke the heart of his father to the point of disowning Alphonsus as his son.
However, God’s desire for Alphonsus cannot be prevented by anybody. God has so much plan for Alphonsus. And for Alphonsus, he willingly sought God’s desire and he found it among the people. This was where Alphonsus also found how good God is to him. He realized how God loved him so much despite his imperfections and weaknesses.
Our Psalm today proclaims to us, “Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.” Alphonsus was indeed singing the Lord’s goodness not just expressed in his paintings, music and writings but also in his person, in the way he related with people. This happiness and fulfillment in Alphonsus touched many men and women including his father. Later on, his father discovered also how God worked in the life of his son and that God had a bigger and better plan for Alphonsus than him.
Despite the deprivation Alphonsus had and the strict upbringing in his childhood, he did not become a bitter person but rather, his negative experiences allowed him to become understanding and generous to those who were deprived with many things in their life. Consequently, Alphonsus affirmed that the spirit of the Lord is upon him because the Lord anointed him and chose him.
Today, on this blessed feast day of Alphonsus, the Lord is inviting each of us to continually seek our own happiness and fulfillment , and in our search, we may also be continually converted into God’s heart. Let our search leads us deeper and intimately into God.
Let us allow the Lord then, to unfold before us his desires for us by being open and welcoming to his invitations to change and to be converted in his ways and thinking. May our encounter with people allow us to affirm God’s desire for us whatever that may be in bringing happiness, joy and peace not just to ourselves but also to people around us. Hinaut pa.
Drawing strength and inspiration from the recent events in my professional & spiritual life, I am sharing this reflection to all the followers of this beautiful blog, “A Dose of God Today”.
This day, June 28, 2023, we celebrated our Parish Fiesta in honor of Our Mother of Perpetual Help here at St. Clement’s Church, Redemptorists, La Paz, Iloilo City.
As one of the volunteer counselors of our St. Clement’s Pastoral Care & Counseling Ministry, this year’s fiesta theme “Hands of Mary, Hands of Hope resonates well with me.
Looking back on how I started my devotion to this blessed image, brought me to acknowledge the hands of Mary – the hands of God in the unfolding of the events in my life. As early as elementary days, we gather as a family to pray the Holy Rosary each night. During Wednesdays, my late mother would lead the novena prayer to Our Mother of Perpetual Help. Being a college student at Iloilo Normal School (now West Visayas State University – my current workplace), her strong devotion to the Blessed Mother became a solid foundation of our family’s spiritual life. She inspired & taught us to become closer to Jesus through Mama Mary. This, too, I know has been contributory to my decision to join the Redemptorists as Lay Vocation Promoter/Guidance Counselor for fifteen (15) years. I always behold Mama Mary’s loving care in those precious years which deepened & concritized my being a missionary partner of the Redemptorists. I have been growing & flourishing in all aspects of my life.
After my missionary endeavors with the Redemptorists, I treaded a different path: counseling and teaching in the academe. I always recognize God’s hands in the scheme of things in my new life. Due to my immense love for Mama Mary & Jesus, I started to answer a calling to found the St. Clement’s Pastoral Care & Counseling Ministry together with my counselor-friends and two young Redemptorists, Fr. Jom & Fr. Deriz.
Weeks before the fiesta of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, I had been crazy busy as the Associate Dean of our Graduate School. There were no appointments and referrals for counseling. I know Mama Mary has been taking good care of me during these challenging times. She allowed me to rest- practice Self-care on Sundays even if it’s my turn to be on duty at our Pastoral Care Office since there were no clients in need. When I was able to regain my strength and ready to serve again, a new client asked for a counseling appointment. So I have a reason to be available on that Sunday. In the course of our counseling session, I was teary-eyed and a deep sense of joy wrapped around me as I was listening to the narration of my client. In the road to recovery from a major setback in life, she recognized God’s and Mama Mary’s hands. One of the protective factors she pointed out was her parent’s prayerful and deep connectiom with Jesus/God.
I know that our fiesta’s theme: “Mary’s hands, hands of hope – are words made true in the life of my client. Indeed, I am always hopeful that our clients in the ministry will recover & get healed.
God through the intercession of Mama Mary has arranged the events which allowed me to join the Procession & Parish Night with another volunteer counselor. It is Providential that today is a holiday – thus we both were able attend the Fiesta Mass. We also shared the meal with the Redemptorist Community after a simple yet beautiful and inspiring mass. The preacher who was a young Redemptorist priest shared a very deep and moving life story of how Mama Mary played a crucial role in his journey as a Redemptorist priest – brought him closer to Jesus and answer the call to be of service to the needy and the most abandoned.
These events inspired me to continue to serve as a Volunteer Counselor & Directress of Our St. Clement’s Pastoral Care & Counseling Ministry. Being a partner in the Redemptorist missions calls for a deeper commitment to love and serve the needy. With huge responsibilities and a plate full of tasks, I am not hesitant to devote my time during weekends to this ministry. This apostolate draws me to be closer to Jesus. Through the intercession of Mary – Her Hands, Hands of Hope- I am entrusting my professional life and our apostolate to Jesus through Mama Mary. With a deep faith in these two central figures in my spiritual life, I resolved to be an instrument of healing and recovery.
Thus, let us be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit so that God’s/Jesus’ and Mama Mary’s hands will be instrumental in our desire to be of service to humanity. VIVA MARIA!!! VIVA JESUS!!!
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.
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.
A DOSE OF GOD TODAY 