Category: Homilies

January 22, 2020 – Wednesday of the 2^nd Week of Ordinary Time

Click here for the readings http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/012220.cfm

Homily

What is it that you find most difficult to deal with now – that you consider as the “bullying giant” of your life at the moment? 

Each of us would have different answers. Others might have the difficulty of the upcoming exams for students or others would have relationships at the brink of breaking. Others also might be suffering from some sickness. Others as well are troubled for losing one’s job. Some of us also might be struggling with some destructive habits and addictions.

Indeed, there might be more than what I have mentioned. Personally, when I was younger I have this difficulty of presenting myself before a big crowd. Just by standing in front, it frightened me very much because of a very low self-esteem. I believed that I was so worthless and was good for nothing. Yes, that kind of belief I had before was one the most difficult things I had to face. I needed to recognize what I am good at, by looking at my strengths and not to dwell so much of what I can’t do and what I didn’t have. In fact, this was my biggest giant I had to face and conquer. True enough, as I was “rediscovering” myself with the help of friends and mentors I have arrived at a level of being grateful of who I am, thus, becoming more confident and accepting of who I am and of what I am capable of. 

This experience reminded me of our first reading today. It is also about facing a giant and conquering fear.

We are very familiar with this story of the little shepherd boy, named David and the bully giant, Goliath. The Hebrew people were threatened by other nations especially by the Philistines who wanted to conquer Israel. The giant Goliath was the image of that bully neighbor of Israel, the Philistines. Goliath had killed so many armies since he was so big and so strong. The soldiers of King Saul were so frightened because they have witnessed how this Goliath killed their friends in the battle field. They were actually at the brink of surrendering to the enemy. However, here comes the little shepherd boy who came with his sling shot and five stones. He presented before the king and volunteered to fight against Goliath. David, though so small, was confident and unafraid.

How come? This is David’s secret. David was confident and unafraid because the Lord promised him, “I will be with you!” Yes, this confidence was shown in the attitude of David. When Goliath advanced, David in response met him. David did not wait for Goliath but he too actively advanced to show to Goliath that he was not afraid of him. And the reason? David was confident that God is with him!

This is God’s message for us today.

We are all aware that life may not be easy. There will be challenges and difficulties in our relationships with others and with ourselves. Let us just be conscious that we also have this tendency to take things by ourselves alone, thinking that we can do things and solve problems by ourselves alone. Like for example, when we deal with our own problems, we might tend to keep it to ourselves and refuse to seek help from others. Surely, it would be almost impossible for us to deal that problem. Especially with destructive habits or addictions that we have developed through time. Like addictions in computer games, alcohol, drugs, gambling, or sex – these addictions cannot be dealt alone. We need the company and guidance of others. Thus, we are reminded today to face our difficulties by seeking the help of friends.

And most importantly, to remember that when we face the troubles of our life, the challenges that we have now, we are not all alone because God has promised us that he will be with us! Yes, the Christmas that we have just celebrated last month has reminded us of the birth of the Emmanuel, the God-with-us. God has come to live among us! Thus, as we face the troubles and difficulties of our life, let us be confident also like David in facing those bullying giants because God is truly our friend, refuge and defender. Hinaut pa.

Jom Baring, CSsR

January 16, 2020 – Thursday First Week in Ordinary Time

Click here for the readings http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/011620.cfm

Homily

14 years ago I met, Nanay Elisabeth, an old lady with leprosy. Life was so difficult because she was poor. But once, she shared with me an experience. In her younger years, she was into scavenging garbage in Cebu. One early morning, as she approached a garbage bin to collect recyclable materials, she found something. She actually found “someone” inside the garbage bin that others might have thought, was a trash. Nanay Elisabeth found a newly born baby girl in that garbage bin. She named her Nancy. Nancy, perhaps, a reason why she was thrown away, was because Baby Nancy had a cerebral palsy. But what was more heartwarming there, was Nanay Elisabeth’s unconditional love for the baby. The baby was unwanted. But for Nanay Elisabeth, all her love and affection were for Nancy. She brought Nancy home and did all her best to let Nancy feel that she is loved and treasured.

It is a story that proves kindness and love in the human heart that values human life and worth despite its seemingly ugliness. It tells us that no matter how poor we are, wounded or imperfect we are in the eyes of many – we can give life to others by touching the lives of those who need most of our love and kindness.

It brings me into the story that we have heard in the Gospel. It is about a leper who found love and kindness in Jesus. In the Biblical times, a leper was nobody. When somebody is infected with leprosy, the person is removed from the community. It means that the person is forced to leave from the comfort of friends, family and relatives. 

The Jews at that time believed that leprosy is an ultimate punishment for sin. A leper is considered a terrible sinner punished by God and thus unclean, unworthy and worthless person. It was a form of treating a leper as less than human or not human at all.

But then our Gospel tells us a shocking and moving turn of events. A leper should never come closer to a Jew and a Jew should also immediately avoid any contact with a leper. However, a leper confidently came closer to Jesus asking the Lord to cure him. But what was more mind-blowing for the people to see was Jesus’ gesture towards the leper. 

Jesus touched the leper!

The Lord touched a worthless, unclean and less-human leper. The touch of Jesus destroyed the wall of indifference among the Jews towards the leper. The touch of Jesus assures the leper that he is not worthless at all, not less human but, loved and cherished by the Lord who longs to see him joyful and healed.

Indeed, Jesus was moved to touch the leper because the Lord looked with PITY on him. This feeling of pity is not a “shallow feeling” that we usually have when we see a beggar or a person with difficulty, and then we feel pity, but we go along with our life and forget about the person. No, it is not that way. 

What Jesus felt was true pity where he too felt the sorrow and pain of the leper. This moved him to do something, and that is, to touch the leper in order to heal him. By doing that, Jesus broke the barriers of disgust, shame and fear that prevent the leper to be accepted by the community. 

This is what the Lord wants us to realize today – to recognize those people in our community who have been left out, abandoned and disgusted by many, so that, like Jesus we may also be able to touch them and show kindness and love.

Let us also not forget that each of us has our own leprosy, imperfection and sins that would qualify us as worthless before God. However, God felt pity upon us and thus became human like us so that he may touch us to heal us. Let us then, share to others the touch of God that we have experienced so that like Nanay Elizabeth who despite her own situation, we may also be able to give joy to those who are sad, to give hope to those who are hopeless, and to give healing as we care to touch the lives of others. Hinaut pa.

Jom Baring, CSsR 

January 15, 2020 – Wednesday of the 1^st Week in Ordinary Time

Click here for the readings http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/011520.cfm

Homily

Have you been so busy these days? Or are you expecting a busy schedule in the coming days because of your upcoming exams, reports to present, business engagements, and overwhelming workloads?

Sometimes these things consume us. We become tensed and even anxious because of a busy schedule. We tend to forget other important aspects in our life such as our personal care and relationship with our family and friends. When we are overwhelmed, we also tend to lose our balance, thus, we also need to re-balance our life. As a response, we initiate recreations to make ourselves grounded and sane.

Some of these recreations may take in the forms of spending time in a spa, in a beach, cinemas, mobile games, or even in eating, smoking and drinking alcohol, etc. However, some may be healthy and beneficial but some may be not. 

What is interesting in today’s Gospel is how Jesus teaches us something that would really make our life regain our balance in the midst of overwhelming days and even in the midst of a struggling and problematic life. 

Jesus has begun his public ministry. The Gospel of Mark described to us how busy Jesus was. Jesus had been from one town to another to proclaim God’s kingdom and heal the sick. People from all over the place too have sought Jesus. They have brought with them their varied concerns and wanted to be near to Jesus to have a solution to their individual struggles and concerns. Everyone was looking for him. We can also imagine how overwhelmed Jesus was.

Yet, with all of these, Jesus remained and kept his balance, he remained grounded and fully aware of what was happening around him. As a way of unwinding, Jesus got up very early and went to a quite place in order to RELAX and PRAY. 

Jesus’ way of releasing the bodily, mental or emotional tensions was through prayer. His prayer was his way of reconnecting to his Father. Prayer was his way of listening carefully to the will of his father. It was his way of making his life grounded, balanced and centred.

Prayer is not a mere distraction to what is routine and ordinary. Prayer is not a way of diverting ourselves from what is going on with our life. However, prayer brings us into the experience of our life, by becoming more aware of ourselves, of our thoughts and actions and most importantly, a way of being aware of God’s invitation for us at the very moment.

This is the invitation for us today. Are you having a heavy and busy day? Or will the coming days be overwhelming for you? Then, do not distract yourself from other forms of diversion, but rather, allow yourself to RELAX by PRAYING so that you may be grounded, connected and balanced by spending a quality time with the Lord. And it is free of charge, and we will rather be re-charged. We don’t have to make a lot of words in our prayer too. Silence is enough. Being aware of God’s presence is enough. Hinuat pa.

Jom Baring, CSsR

January 14, 2020 – Tuesday 1^st Week in Ordinary Time

Click here for the readings http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/011420.cfm

Homily

During my elementary even up to my college days, I tended to fear authority figures. I followed rules and regulations because of fear of being punished by the authorities. In fact, I experienced being punished and shamed in front of others because I had been naughty. Those accumulated experiences of being punished and shamed created painful experiences and even traumatic for me. I have experienced this, both at home and at school.

Thus, my relationship with authority figures was grounded on that fear. I saw them as punishers. Unconsciously, this was how I also related with God. I was afraid of God and afraid to commit sin because of fear of being punished and not because I love God. I realized that this attitude towards my relationship with authorities and with God does not do good to me. In fact, it only prevented me in expressing myself and being true to myself because I began to please authorities.

This experience of mine brought me to the Gospel proclaimed to us today. Jesus appeared before the people and spoke with authority. This means that the words of Jesus contain weight. He commands and people listened and followed. What they felt and saw in Jesus was sincerity and honesty unlike the teachers of the law who merely mumbled the words of God but without life.

Hence, from the very experience of the people they were able to differentiate the authority exercised by Jesus and the teachers of the law. It would be good then for us to look at this briefly and see how God invites us today.

Jesus spoke with authority and the people felt that. Jesus even commanded an evil spirit to come out from a man, and so the man was freed. This tells us that the authority exercised by Jesus gives life and freedom, inspires and motivates the Spirit within us. This means that the authority of Jesus does not condemn but saves.

However, the authority exercised by the teachers of the law condemns and incites fear to the people. They felt that the teachers of the law merely murmured the law for their own benefit but to the disadvantage of the common people. They had created many laws to dominate, manipulate and burden the people. Thus, the authority exercised by them prevented life and placed one person to slavery.

This kind of manipulating and enslaving authority was portrayed through that man possessed by an evil spirit. It is loud, violent yet very fearful. The man was not himself but manipulated by someone else. Thus, in this kind of authority, it takes away the person to experience the grace of life and to be himself freely.

Yet, with the compassionate authority of Jesus, the man was liberated and was given a chance to experience life.

This is the invitation for us today. As we carry our duties and responsibilities every day, as parents, as elder siblings, as seniors to our colleagues at work, as teachers and mentors, as superiors  to your subordinates or even just as student leaders at school, we may ask ourselves, how do I exercise authority in my scope of influence? Do I give and inspire life, or do I dominate and manipulate others to incite fear and insecurity? 

As Christians, we are invited by the Lord to follow him, and that is to exercise in our own capacity the authority given to us in order to bring life and freedom to others, to inspire and encourage others. Hinaut pa.

Jom Baring, CSsR