Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Ordinary Time

  • Not for ME…

    Not for ME…

    September 4, 2022 – 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090422.cfm)

    Recently a Facebook post catches my attention. It is about a young man named Seth Adam Smith who realized, after being married for a year and a half, and said that: “Marriage is not for me”. Why? After all these months of marriage with his teenage sweetheart, he comes to understand now what his father’s advice to him before his wedding day, is becoming true and right before his very eyes. His dad once said to him then: “Seth, Marriage is not for you. You don’t marry to make yourself happy. You marry to make someone else happy. More than that, marriage is not for yourself. You’re marrying for a family and for your future children. Marriage is not for you. It is not about you. Marriage is about the persons you marry to.”

    Surely married couples here could relate to this realization or advice. For marriage is indeed not really for the sake of oneself but for the sake of your lifetime partner. Eventually married couples have to learn along the way that marriage is not all about me or about I but about us. And surely such realization is a hard-lesson to learn where learning happens only through trial and error experience.

    To be selfless, i.e. to be not selfish and self-centered then is the very challenge of committed love we called marriage. For love is more than just a feeling or emotion but a commitment and decision to go beyond and give up oneself for the sake of the other. In other words, in marriage – in committed love, couples are to love their own spouse as much and as more than they love themselves and they love one another.

    This is the very kind of love Jesus asked of us in His commandment of love when he said: “Love one another as I have loved you”. A love much and more than our kind of love, but a selfless love for the sake of the other, and a love that leads us to a life and a world that is not the same as it is, but for the better of you.  A married life committed in love not for your own but for the sake of your loved ones and of loving them, and above all for our Lord Jesus Christ.

    It is indeed easy nowadays for people to say: “Not for me”. Priesthood? Not for me. Religious life? Not for me. Marriage? Not for me. And even perhaps, Christianity? Not for me. But come to think of it, Priesthood, religious life, marriage – following Jesus is indeed not for Me nor for You, but for Him; not about Me or You, but about Him whom we love & follow in life as Christian. And faithful who opted for Christ is saying that their discipleship is SELFLESS – not for them but for Him whom they choose to follow in life.

    For what it is to be a Christian? What does it cost to be a disciple of Christ? To be a Christian, as Jesus taught us today is like marriage, more than just a preference but a commitment. To follow Christ is not just we prefer Christ in our dealings with life – that we want and like Christ to be part of our lives, but it is to commit ourselves to the Christian way of life. To commit to Christ then is to be selfless, i.e. let go of ourselves and let God be God in our lives.

    On one hand, to commit is to LET GO, that is to renounce – to give up everything. And this is not easy for usually we prefer to have, possess, acquire, and own everything. But Jesus reminds us that the Kingdom of God is more than what we prefer and desire (want and like) in life, but it is what God’s wants and wills what is best for our life. Like Seth who realized that “Christian Marriage is not for me…not for my sake but for the best and sake of my partner, and my own family”, being His disciples is not about being self-oriented, self-centered & inward-looking, but rather being other-oriented, other-centered & outward-looking. And the Kingdom of God is then not about You and I, not even about yours & mine. But God’s kingdom is all about We and Ours, and above all about HIM, as our Lord and we, as His disciples.

    On the other hand, to commit to Christ is also to LET GOD BE GOD, that is to submit to God’s will. Human as we are we like to be in control, to lead and to be the master. In a way we prefer to take the driver’s seat and take the steering wheels, and go where we want to go. But following Christ means to commit and submit to God’s will for us, and let God control, lead, guide, and form the direction of our lives. This means that we become passengers, and let Jesus takes the wheels and brings us to place and time in our life beyond our imaginings.  

    Again, be reminded what Jesus is saying to us in our gospel today: to BE HIS disciple is to hate our life, carry our crosses & follow Him, and renounce all our possessions… all for the sake of and because of HIM. Jesus himself, by his words and examples, has shown us how to be selfless by letting go and letting God be God.

    In the same way, for us to fully fulfil God’s kingdom in our lives, as Christians, pray we must that we selflessly commit our lives to Christ (as Christian husband, wife, mother, father, priest, religious nuns or brothers, sons and daughters, family) by letting Go and letting God be God with total commitment for Him (and, not for the sake of me, you, & ours alone) in faith & life. AMEN.

  • OURS… not yours alone.

    OURS… not yours alone.

    August 28, 2022 – 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082822.cfm)

    While waiting for her flight, once a very proper British lady went to the airport café. She sat at a table for two, ordered a mug of cappuccino and set herself to enjoy some fine biscuits she had in her tote bag. Because the café was so crowded, a black Jamaican took the other seat in front of her and also had some brewed coffee. Not minding the company, the woman prepared for a leisurely time. And so, she began to read the paper and took a biscuit from a package on the table. She then noticed the man also took a biscuit from the same package. This upset her, but she just ignored it and kept on reading her paper. After a while she took another biscuit. And so did he. This irritated  her and so, he glared at him. But he then reached for the last biscuit, smiled at her and offered her half of it. Now indignant at such conceited man, she paid her bills and left hurriedly back to pre-departure gate. There, to check for her boarding pass, she opened her tote bag. And much to her distress & shame, she saw, that in her bag was her own package of biscuits. “Opps, dili diay to iya.” Di pala kanya, yon. Opps, she ate Not her OWN biscuits.

    Sometimes it is good to examine and ask ourselves: “What are the things that we claim as being rightly ours and yet are not truly ours?” This may not only be material possessions but could also be our status in society used to lord over others… titles used for personal advantages…. prejudices and biases harbored towards others… or self-righteous behaviors what makes us feel morally better or more privilege & important than others. Sometimes, we are not different from that lady. We sometimes claim these privileges that we come to think and believe that only ours to have, but do not really belong to us. Worse, we sometimes claim that we are the only rightful owners of the package of biscuits and it is exclusively for us to have and eat.

    Certainly Jesus would not tolerate and justify such behavior of distinctiveness, self-righteousness, and conceit. This is what Jesus openly criticizes here in our gospel today.  Although he was invited to a party hosted by a Pharisee, Jesus openly reprimanded both the guests and hosts for their unjust behaviors and practices of table fellowship. Jesus strongly condemned the Pharisees and scribes of his time for being so pre-occupied with honor, recognitions, privileges, titles, and social status, thinking they are greater compared to others.

    Here, Jesus warns us of our tendency, like Pharisees to see ourselves as more privilege – of great importance compared to others. For Jesus, the Kingdom of God is wider than our human standards of social status and privileges. He reminds us today that we are not the rightful owners but rather, sharers or stewards of God’s graces. We cannot exclusively claim ownership and privilege for what we have, because everything we have is a gift from God.  For Him, God’s Kingdom is more like a big banquet, a table-fellowship not exclusive for the most privilege but for ALL,  everybody especially for those who are humble enough to share their gifts to others, because no one is too poor who cannot share with others and no one is too rich who does not need others. As an Ilonggo church song would say: Wala sang kubos nga indi makahatag, Wala sang adunahan nga wala nagakinahanglan.

    Instead of being so conscious of our positions and honors in the God’s kingdom, Jesus calls us to humble ourselves and be more concerned of those who are discriminated and less fortunate than ours, “for whoever makes himself out to be great will be humbled and whoever humbles himself will be raised.” Thus, to find favor before God is to humble oneself. Rather than selfishly thinking of our greatness, the more we need to humble ourselves or else we may stumble, and fall.

    Our Covid pandemic realities nowadays indeed are rather humbling experiences for us. It makes us realize that we are not owners but just administrators and stewards of everything we have in life; and also makes us learn that what we have are meant not to be exclusively own but rather be collectively shared with others. In our common poverty and humility, we come to empathize and be concerned of others than ourselves. We are not on our own, but we are all in this together.

    Today, here in our Eucharist, our Lord Jesus invites us to his table-fellowship, not because of our greatness and honors but because of His great love for us.  Here in this Eucharist, let us humbly take part in Him meal and ask the Lord to make us more concern & open to share with others, especially the poor and needy. So be it. Amen.

  • The Narrow Gate is Wider than We Think

    The Narrow Gate is Wider than We Think

    August 21, 2022 – 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082122.cfm)

    It is a standard procedure in airports that each passenger must go through metal detector devices and the luggage to x-ray machines. Each passenger will pass these, and the nearer we are at the gate, we have to pass through the machines again and by this time in a more thorough and stricter manner. Metals in the body are removed, these include, mobile phones, watches, belts, coins and even shoes at times are asked to be removed. When there will be undesirable objects like scissors, lighters or any pointed objects and even breakable items like bottles which exceed to the allowed size, everything has to be to be surrendered. A passenger has to let go of them or take the hassle again of going back to the check-in counter.

    I realized also that the more I bring unnecessary things in my flight the more it becomes troublesome for me. Besides, if I bring undesirable items too then, I am asked to let go of those things that are not allowed in the flight just for me to be allowed to board.

    This realization brought me into today’s readings. So, I invite you also that we see again and discover how God unfolds his invitations for us today on this 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time.

    Someone asked Jesus, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” We would wonder why that man asked about that. Well, the path that Jesus was taking seemed too difficult for this man. This was the reason why he asked the Lord about this. Jesus’ way was totally different from the trend at that time. People believed in a God who was so far away, too powerful and almighty. Yet, Jesus presented a God who is so close with the people. The people believed in an untouchable God who burdens them with so many laws to follow. Yet, Jesus introduced to them a God who heals the broken-hearted, who favored the poor and the despised. Their world taught them that they should be above others, to be rich, famous and powerful. But then, Jesus remained humble and poor, simple and unassuming, weak and powerless.

    The Lord desires that everyone will be saved, and will experience healing and peace, reconciliation and freedom. This is what we have heard from the first reading in the Book of Isaiah. It was an affirmation of God’s desire to gather every one whether Jews or Gentiles, sinners or saints, rich or poor. People from all nations will come to worship the Lord. Indeed, it is God’s desire that all will be saved by overcoming the division and hatred in each one through reconciliation

    However, as it was at the time of Jesus, we continue to prevent the Lord from making us closer to him. Our tendency to advance our selfish desires and interests at the expense of others, stops us in allowing the Lord to work in us. Selfishness and arrogance continue to hold us back from God.

    Yet, God’s salvation is offered to us freely, but not imposed on us. And so it means that salvation also requires our participation. This makes the door of salvation “narrow” because of the commitment that it entails as we live our life.

    To understand this better, the Letter to the Hebrews tells us on how we could enter that narrow gate. It is through “discipline.” The author wants to tell us that the trials and sufferings that we endure in this life are opportunities for us to be disciplined by God. And this is where we can participate with God.

    When we encounter problems and difficulties, and disappointments, particularly in your marriage, with your families, with your friends, with your studies, or work or business – do not retreat or become aggressive. Retreating or being aggressive will do us no good. These trials are opportunities for us to build our personality, to be responsible, to grow with confidence, to be committed, to be honest, and to gain more wisdom.

    But remember, in this kind of discipline, God never desires us to suffer or to be in pain. Pain and suffering are part of this world where we are now. Yet, God, in His wisdom, uses these human experiences of pain, suffering, disappointments, failures, and fears as ways to discipline us. These are doors for us to welcome God in our life so that He may be able to bring blessings upon us, to give us His peace and freedom. Certainly, God desires that we turn to Him and become closer to Him.

    Indeed, trials in life are ways for us to strip ourselves from our arrogance, to let go of our selfish desires, and to turn away from our sinful ways. These are the unnecessary baggage that will prevent us from entering the narrow gate. Yet, when we come as we are, without any pretensions and selfishness, then, we shall see that the narrow gate of Jesus is wider than us. 

    Thus, God’s way of disciplining us is not about punishing us and giving more pain to us, but to correct us, to mold us and to form us according to His desire for us. As we become conscious of this, we will discover the wonder of the process of working with God to mold us.

    Hence today, there are three invitations that I want you to remember and that also serves as your take aways.

    First, show and express God’s desire for the salvation of all. But how? It is by offering and giving of peace and reconciliation. This calls us to recognize pain the we have caused and to amend what we have done. This calls us too to embrace forgiveness no matter how difficult it may be for us. Only then, that we shall find healing and freedom.

    Second, God desires our active participation. This means that in the work of redemption we are not mere bystanders and mere observers. As we participate with God let us listen attentively to His voice in the scriptures, in our sacraments, in our culture, in our current events and with those who are suffering in many ways in our community, so that we may be able to respond with compassion and love, in justice and in mercy.

    Third, be instruments of God’s salvation. This calls us now that in whatever status or standing we have in our society, each of us is called to be an instrument of salvation, of healing and peace to each one and not agents of death and damnation, not agents of curse and hatred, not agents of corruption and dishonesty. Kabay pa.

  • HOME

    HOME

    August 21, 2022 – 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082122.cfm)

    In a dream, once an old lady found herself at the heaven’s door. Confidently she  knocks at the door and demands admittance. And she heard God’s loud voice asking, “who are you?” She then replied, “My Gosh, You don’t know me. I am most influential person in our town. I am the mother of our town’s mayor. I have been known for my generosity, an elder of the church’s lay organization and have sponsored the education of your seminarians and ordination of your priests. I even spearheaded the construction of your cathedral in our town”. God replied, “Sorry, I don’t know you”. Angry and disgusted with God, she just stayed outside, grumbling at the doorsteps, while seeing others being admitted inside. Coming to her senses, she once again knocks at the door and now requests for admittance. She said, “Lord, actually, my life has been a failure. I am separated from my husband. My children have been involved with a lot of questionable activities. I have been an oppressive landlord, abusive lady and known gambler. I am a sinner and have caused other’s to sin. I am sorry, Lord”. God replied, “But still I don’t know you, who are you?” Confused and ashamed of herself, she again stayed outside and pondered who she really is before God. Then something dawned in her that made her stand, knocks at the door and humbly admits “Now I know who I am, Lord. Regardless of what happened to me in life, I am still your beloved child.” The door then opened widely and God’s voice joyfully proclaimed “Welcome back, my daughter. Come in.”

    Along our desire to explore life, there is always a deep longing for us to be at home, and be reunited home. Even for those who have already settled in foreign lands, there is always the strong desire to come back home. Same way with those who have settled abroad, there is always a desire to go back homeland – Bohol, Siquijor, Cebu or Luzon.

    For home is more than place where you live. Home is the place where it feels right to walk around without shoes, where people understand you, where when you go there, people have to take you in. Home is where you are accepted, understood, welcomed, belonged and loved.

    Jesus has always preached to us the kingdom of God is our heavenly home, and the Reign of God’s Kingdom is like homecoming and reunion. Like a fiesta, salvation is the moment where everyone is joyfully welcome and celebrating in God’s Kingdom – the occasion where and when we are at home and re-united with God. Particularly in our gospel today, when asked about who are saved, Jesus emphasizes that salvation is not for the few but for everyone – everyone is welcome in God’s kingdom.

    However, in our journey back to our heavenly home, Jesus directs us to strive and be strong enough to enter through the narrow gate. What Jesus meant here is that in life, we must realize that we are just but pilgrims and migrants in this life that we have now. We are here but not from here. As we live & journey with the life we have now, we must do our best to be more at ease and at home with our identity as God’s children.

    For Him, welcomed, saved and redeemed are those who are at Home with their identity as a Child of God. Meaning, it is not what we have done and achieved in life, or even what happened to us in life, but who we are before Him, as His children that matters most. Welcome and Worthy are we of eternal life in God’s kingdom when we are strong and discipline enough to accept and be at home with our identity as God’s Children. As Henry Nouwen would say, “We are not what we do, we are not what we have, we are not others think of us. Coming home is claiming the truth that – I am the beloved child of God.”

    Remember what Jesus said: “the last will be first, first will be last”. Those we consider to be first in life may perhaps be the last one to realize and accept their identity; and those we consider to be last-lost-least in life maybe the first one to realize and accept their identity as Children of God. Question now and still remains, is : “now who am I, who are you before God?…….

    As our recent experiences of the challenges of Covid pandemic times do make us realize & think of death, life, & meaning of all these things, we pray then that we may consistently be & becoming more worthy beloved children of God in faith & life now & always. So May It be. Amen.

  • Love

    Love

    August 19, 2022 – Friday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081922.cfm)

    Surely, we are all familiar that the greatest commandment is to Love. But perhaps we may consider why is love the greatest commandment. Why do we have to love, then?

    However we experience it in life, ultimately we realize that Love is our great response to the great Gospel that God is with us. Love is our most appropriate & productive response to the revelation of Emmanuel (God-with-us). Not only out of obligation & as commanded, loving God wholeheartedly is our response to the Good News that God is with us. We love because God is with us, and we are with God. Because God is with us, we come to love God by loving one another and ourselves. And we come to love one ourselves and one another by loving God wholeheartedly.

    Perhaps this can be described clearly in the quote that says: “The greatest thing you will even learn is to love & be loved in return.”

    Here we can highlight to two things.

    First, love is something we learn in life. For us to live in life, we must learn not only to breath the air, to eat food, to sleep and move to grow, but also we must learn to love to communicate with others. Love then is (like any other), the basic language we must learn in life in order to grow in our relationship with others. For us to grow, we must learn the personal, cultural, universal & spiritual language of love. Beyond science, math, survival & others, the greatest capacity we must learn to grow in life is the language of love.

    Second, to love & be loved is the greatest experience we may have in life. Love is not only a noun, but above all, both an active & passive verb. It is active experience -something we do & being done to us. Same way with a child, for us to be loved by others is life-giving & nurturing; and for us to love others in return is self & other-enriching.

    In love, being with God, others & oneself is Great. But without love, being with God, others & oneself is limited.

    So, since God is with us, not only as commanded but in response, we love Him wholeheartedly as we love ourselves & others; and we come to love ourselves & others by loving Him wholeheartedly. And how we love and be loved in return is all that matters in God & in life.