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Category: Ordinary Time

  • Embracing Faith Amidst Life’s Storms

    Embracing Faith Amidst Life’s Storms

    February 1, 2025 – Saturday Third Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/020125.cfm)

    “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.” This is what the Letter to the Hebrews reminds us as it recalled the faith of Abraham. Despite the many trials and seemingly impossible things to happen in the life of Abraham and his wife, Sarah, they remained steadfast in their faith in God. Abraham took the risk to trust in God and so his faith grew and matured.

    Indeed, it was through his faith that what he hoped for, was being realized. Even though, he did not know where would God lead him, yet, he continued to believe. And so, the Lord blessed him and made him the father of many nations.

    However, in today’s Gospel, we too are reminded of our human tendency to doubt and be paralyzed by fear. “Why are you so afraid, you of little faith?” This was the questions of Jesus to his disciples when they woke him up. They were terrified by the storm that was sweeping their boat.

    Certainly, they were afraid that their boat might be destroyed and they would be drowned and die. However, there was a very interesting part of this Gospel story.

    While the storm was sweeping the boat and the disciples were terrified by it, Jesus was fast asleep on a cushion. Jesus was there in the boat with his disciples but sleeping. It seemed that Jesus was not so concerned with the storm. He was confident that they would arrive at their destination safe and sound.

    The Gospel today tells us of these two important lessons on faith.

    First, the forgetfulness of the disciples that Jesus was with them brought them tremendous fear and anxiety.  They forgot that Jesus was in the boat and that their Lord was with them on that journey. And so, they seemed to lost their faith that Jesus was with them.

    Consequently, they have actually taken for granted the very presence of Jesus in their life. This is an invitation for the disciples to always recognize the presence of Jesus.

    And so for us today, this is an invitation to recognize Jesus in our journey. The Lord is not distant. He is to be found and He is journeying with us. Have faith in this.

    Thus, when we are not aware of God’s presence in us, it brings us fear, anxiety and uncertainty. When we become fearful, anxious and uncertain, then, we will be paralyzed mentally and spiritually. It will be very difficult for us to move on and to find opportunities of growth because we will tend to focus on the storm rather on Jesus who is with us.

    Second, because of this terrifying situation of the disciples, it became an opportunity for Jesus to reveal Himself as Lord and Savior. At this revelation Jesus assured his disciples that his presence brings comfort and peace, calmness and confidence. At the same time, the Lord’s presence also is confronting. Jesus confronts the doubts and the little faith of his disciples. This is the reason why it was not only the wind and the sea that calmed down but also the terrified and anxious hearts of the disciples.

    This tells us now that the presence of Jesus brings assurance and confidence in us. The disciples calmed down and found peace because at last, they have recognized the presence of Jesus who was there in that boat.

    Therefore, have faith and recognize the comforting and peaceful presence of Jesus in our life. Let us also allow Jesus to confront us especially our doubts and fears, and even our selfish, unkind and ungenerous actions and words. By being able to recognize Jesus and confront ourselves then we shall certainly find peace and calmness, confidence and assurance in Jesus. Hinaut pa.

  • A Delightful Surprise

    A Delightful Surprise

    December 12, 2024 – Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121224.cfm)

    A surprise that is made especially to someone we love, has the very intention to bring joy. This makes our heart filled with affection and love. And this kind of surprise is what the Season of Advent is also characterized.

    Indeed, God comes to visit us is a big surprise. Imagine, God who is almighty and all-powerful comes and humbles Himself in order to reveal God’s Divine presence to humanity, in human form.

    This is what our Gospel tells to us today. Elizabeth was surprised by the visit of her cousin Mary. More than that, Elizabeth and the baby in her womb were more surprised of what Mary carried in her womb. They were surprised because God visited them. This prompted baby John to leap with joy because God has come through Mary.

    The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is also a manifestation on how God has visited us in our history. This visit of God through Mary to San Juan Diego is an expression of God’s loving concern for his oppressed people particularly in Latin America. God’s visit then, is a revelation that God is on the side of the poor and the oppressed, of the weak and powerless, the vulnerable and the insignificant.

    Both on this Season of Advent and feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, we are invited to allow God to surprise us. God calls us to be open and welcoming of His presence and of his surprise like Elizabeth and San Juan Diego.

    Thus, never lose the sense of being surprised. This means that we are challenged to put down our judgments and biases, indifferences and suspicions, our anxieties and fears.  

    God surprises us all the more when we begin to embrace our own failures and sins, and when we begin to accept that we are vulnerable and weak. And when God comes to surprise us, may it lead us to leap with joy. In hope, that experience will also move us to also surprise others with our own kindness and generosity.

    Certainly, God calls us to be sensitive enough to his presence in us particularly when life gets dark and difficult, when we are in the middle of fear and stress because in those vulnerable moments, God is closer to us. And this is hope for a delightful surprise. This is what the Season of Advent is all about. Hinaut pa.

  • As PROMISED

    As PROMISED

    November 17, 2024 – 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111724.cfm)

    Corrie Ten Boom, a Nazi concentration camp Christian survivor, now a well-known inspirational writer, once said: “If you look at the world, you will be distressed. If you look within yourself, you will be depressed. If you look at God, you will be at rest.” These words of wisdom are learned from her life-experience of the cruelty of war and racism, not only before her captivity in Amsterdam while her family were helping in hiding escaping Jews, and during her captivity in the concentration camp of Germany, and after her release and liberation, but also based from her experience of life struggles and faith journey in general, as Christian.

    If and whenever we reflect on these words, we somehow can relate with her on how we also experience our life-struggles and faith-journey as Christian in general. Though we may not share the same experience of life with her, but her words offer us a realistic but still hopeful view of our Christian life:

    “If you look at the world, you will be distressed. If you look within yourself, you will be depressed. If you look at God, you will be at rest.”

    True indeed, distressing it is to look at world today. With a lot of things going on – war, racism, discrimination, alienation, poverty, moral decadence, corruption, crisis, natural and human disaster, migration, pandemic and other, we cannot help but be distressed, upset, worried and be bothered with life nowadays and in near future. And while looking at our world today with distress, we cannot also help but be depressed, helpless, and hopeless within ourselves as we try to adjust, adopt, and respond to our troubling world. Addiction, crimes, sex, violence, drugs, suicide, abortions, marital breakdowns are just mere manifestations of how depressed & depressing we are and we can be within ourselves, due to the reality of our world outside and our life within. These are the common pains we are experiencing life as it is.

    Worse, Jesus in our gospel today even warns us of these on-going and coming distressing and depressing realities of life in the world to happen. We cannot help but be bothered of Jesus’ cosmic depiction of the end-time, “Sun will be darkened, moon will give not its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.” We may not have yet experienced end-time as Jesus described it, but with our experience of our life’s common pains nowadays of increasing fatality & sickness, easy for us to see that at most we are already on our way towards destruction and end-game of life (even to a point we say, nahugno na ang kalibutan)

    We might have been experiencing life at its worse these times, however, Jesus promises us a life, not as how we look and experience it, but Eternal Life with God. Jesus proclaims and promises us: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” (Lilipas man ang Langit at Lupa, ngunit ang aking mga salita ay hindi lilipas: Mahanaw man and langit ug yuta, apan akong pulong dili gayud mahanaw).

    Here Jesus is teaching us that eternal life is not about life without end, or endless life, or our life/world now not passing away. For Jesus, eternal life with God is not the extension and expansion of our life as we look and experience it. Surely, we desire not the extension and expansion of our common pains & struggles in life. But what Jesus promises us is eternal life with God that gives us meaning and purpose as we experience life’s common pains & sufferings.

    In & with our experience of life’s common pains, Jesus is thus offering us eternal life of common purpose. He is offering us Himself as our Way, Truth and Life that would give us meaning, direction and purpose as we struggle with life and journey in faith amidst our common pains of life. Jesus wants us to live our Life In & With Christ. In other words, Jesus offers us common purpose and meaning amidst common pains of life.  Pains & sufferings thus take place and will happen in our life here on earth, but rest assured, Jesus -God’s word and love for us remains for us and with us forever, as promised. Ika nga: (Matupok man lahat ang buong daigdig, hindi magmamaliw ang aking pag-ibig. And so, Jesus is calling & directing us to focus & center our life on Him, to prioritize Him, Our Lord & Savior, the Son of God in our daily lives than our world & selves.

    True enough, though Corrie’s experience happened few decades ago, but still we can also say, based on our experience & what is going on in our life today…. Distressing it is to look at our world… Depressing is our helplessness to look into ourselves…. But promising, assuring & hopeful it is to focus our gaze & look to God for meaning & sense in life.

    So, whenever we find our life distressing and depressing, and as we long for rest and peace in life, just be reminded of and learn from the wisdom-shared to us by Corrie ten Boom: “If you look at the world, you will be distressed. If you look within yourself, you will be depressed. If you look at God, you will be at rest.”

    Siya Nawa. Hinaut pa unta. Amen.

  • In GENEROSITY

    In GENEROSITY

    November 10, 2024 – 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111024.cfm)

    Once on a Sunday mass, after I preached in our Redemptorist church in Dumaguete about the boy  in the gospel on the multiplication of Loaves (our so-called accidental hero), a small boy went up in the sanctuary during the offertory bringing with him his offering. He did not quite know where to put his fifty pesos offering. So, when I noticed him coming up, I postpone preparing the altar. Instead, I fetched the boy and led him to our collection box.

    For me, it was a moving experience. Here I was, preaching about the boy in the gospel who gave up everything (his two loaves of bread and five fishes) to Jesus as his generous contribution for the people’s need, and calling people to share something themselves for the mission of the church. And right there after, a little boy coming up in the sanctuary, offering his everything generously (n.b. for a four year old boy, a fifty pesos bill is not only something but everything) for the mission of the church. Such gesture for me is not only something (because that little boy and his family heard my homily and responded to it), but EVERYTHING because it is Good News manifested right before my very eyes. Gospel preached & responded as witnessed right before me.

    As you might notice, for the past Sundays, we have been reflecting about Christian Values fitting for Christian discipleship.

    Blind Bartimaeus reminded us of the importance of seeing again & anew God’s will in our lives. Then, Jesus emphasized the commandment of loving God, others and ourselves as our right faith response to God’s grace & blessings. Then, particularly today, we reflect about Generosity.

    Moving from the whole issue of what is the greatest commandment, here in our gospel today, Jesus discussed with his disciples about the whole issue of who or what can truly please God. By comparing the rich and the widow’s offering, Jesus pointed out to His disciples that what matters most is not what but HOW we give our offerings to God.

    The rich people gave from the excess or surplus of their plenty – out of duty & obligation as well as  others may notice them, while the poor widow contributed from her poverty and helplessness everything that she has as her sacred offering & humble contribution for others.

    As Jesus upholds, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more that all those who gave offerings. For all of them gave from their plenty, but she gave from her poverty and put in everything she had, her whole livelihood.”

    For Jesus then, what could truly please God is our Generosity. God is please with generous people who wholeheartedly contributed and gave up & share everything they got for the betterment of others, (if not all).

    This is clearly portrayed by the poor widow who gave her family’s food to Elijah in our first reading; by the temple offerings of the poor widow in our gospel, by that boy in the multiplication of loaves, by that little kid who offered his five pesos for the mission and by Jesus who laid down his life for the redemption of many. They all wholehearted gave up and share everything they got to the point of denying themselves for the good of others. Well, that is Generosity, that is Christian charity and love.

    And generosity usually happens whenever we have sympathy & empathy towards others. Whenever we have the heart to feel with others (sympathy) & to feel for others (empathy), generosity happens in our lives & grace abounds. We give credit to the spirit of generosity as we face the challenges of pandemic & natural disasters (like the recent typhoon Kristine). In our generosity via our sympathy & empathy with one another, somehow we are able to withstand in faith these trying times.

    And so, what truly pleases God is not what we offer Him but How we generously offer Him our gifts with others. We have much to learn from the window’s mite for in her gratitude for God’s graces, she generously offers & shares her everything in empathy & sympathy with others. Remember then: God appreciates a grateful beneficiaries & acknowledges generous sharers of His Gifts with others.

    We pray then with St. Ignatius of Loyola as he described what Generosity is, through his Prayer for Generosity.

    Dearest Lord, teach us to be generous. Teach us to serve You as we should. To give and not to count the cost. To fight and not to heed the wounds. To toil and not to seek for rest. To labor and ask not for reward. Save that of knowing that we do Your Most Holy Will.

    Amen. Hinaut pa unta.

  • LONG In Faith

    LONG In Faith

    October 27, 2024 – 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102724.cfm)

    We cannot deny Life during Covid pandemic times had rendered our lives unstable, unclear, and unknown. With the challenging reality upon us then, we found ourselves  disable & limited. Somehow someway, not unlike Blind Bartimaeus in our gospel today, if not blinded by the overwhelming difficulties we were facing, we were sightless & without a vision.

    And when the Lord would ask us then, “What do you want Me to do for You?” without a doubt, we do have a lot of wants and needs from Him, to at least save our day. But over & above our urgent needs & wants from the Lord, we do want always some clear vision & direction as we face the life-challenges. Like Blind Bartimaeus, our difficult condition calls for more than just sympathy, concerns & assistance but most of all, a new clear set of meaning, ability & purpose in life. Like Bartimaeus, deep inside we cry before the Lord praying: “Lord, I want to see”. Somehow this is what we want the Lord to do for us: “Lord, we want to see.”

    Without question, the Lord will show us & reveal to us life amidst, behind & beyond challenging realities. He will give us sight, direction & vision in life as we struggle with it now and ahead. But we also have to do our part for the miracle to happen & blessings to be revealed to us, for us to see not only in sight, but in Faith. And we have much to learn from Bartimaeus here.

    First, same way as he listens of the Lord’s arrival, we do need to be sensitive of the Lord’s presence in our midst. Second, we do need to call the attention of our Lord & others about our own presence: “Lord, have pity on Me.” Third, we need to throw ourselves on His mercy & express our needs & intentions, praying: “Lord, I want to see.” And above all, we must trust & have faith in Him with His plans, ways & will for the grace of sight, vision, inspiration & direction to happen.

    The LORD’s Presence, OUR presence, our Needs & His Graces with our Faith are somehow the essential ingredients for us to taste & see God’s greatness in our lives despite challenging times. Same as Bartimaeus, somehow we are to (L.O.N.G. : L-ord’s, O-ur presence, in our N-eed of His G-races) LONG in FAITH for miracles to happen in our lives.

    Lord, as we look in sight what is going on with us & ahead of us, make us also long to SEE in faith what better You in store for us now & always.

    So May It Be. Amen.