Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Ordinary Time

  • The Sign of God’s Covenant  

    The Sign of God’s Covenant  

    February 20, 2025 – Thursday Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/022025.cfm)

    When I was assigned in Sumba Island in Indonesia in 2014, it was my first time to see a double rainbow in the sky. And it did not disappear immediately. I was so amazed because most of time there would only be one rainbow and would just easily disappear after few minutes.

    This phenomenon is due to the reflection of the sun to the raindrops in the sky. And as the sunlight reflects twice in a raindrop, thus, creating another reflection above the primary rainbow.

    Today, the rainbow has also become a sign of pride, unity and diversity of the LGBTQ+ community. Yet, at the very beginning, as to be found in the Holy Scriptures, it was God the Creator who first made this bow from above, which now we call as rainbow, as a sign of God’s covenant and faithfulness to us.

    Let us explore a bit our readings today, and discern how God invites us to grow in our relationship with one another, with the whole created world and with the Lord.

    In the story of Noah, we have heard how the Lord renewed the covenant with the whole human family. The Lord God still sees hope in us. And the wonder of this renewal of the covenant with God, as God says, “I am now establishing my covenant with you,” carries with it the call and responsibility to nurture, cherish, develop and give life.

    What does it mean? As the Lord renews the covenant, God also demanded an accounting for the life of every animal and every human life. This is not a threat from God but rather the Lord wants us to value every life. This is how the Lord wants us to flourish and discover the wonder of life here on earth and be embraced by life itself through the whole creation of God. Every creature of the Lord reflects God’s goodness and love and every human being also reflects and carries God’s image.

    In this way, we understand the call to be fertile and multiply within the context of life, in nurturing, cherishing, developing and giving life. This calls us to defend life from anything that will suppress life, abuse life and destroy life.

    The very covenant that we have with God is a testament of that life and promise of the fullness of life. The rainbow is not just some ideological color, however, it is a biblical sign of God’s presence among us, a sign of life and a sign of renewal.

    This calls us further to commit ourselves into that covenant with God so that we too shall become cooperators of God’s action and presence in the world in bringing and giving life, in recreating and renewing our community.

    We can fully express this in our homes, communities and organizations, and into our relationships. Every time we give hope to those who are hopeless, every time we give a helping hand to those who need it, every time we give more attention in taking care of animals and of nature, every time we defend and nurture every human life – these are simple ways of expressing that covenant and call to give life.

    In a way, the Gospel today tells us also how Peter recognized the fullness of life in Jesus as he confessed that certainly, Jesus is the Christ. However, after realizing that Jesus is to be persecuted, will suffer and die, Peter retreated from his commitment to be with Jesus, the Christ.

    Like Peter, if we confess that Jesus is the Christ, our Lord and Savior, then, this implies commitment and risk. After all, when we commit ourselves to somebody we love, risks and sacrifices are implied.

    As we embrace the covenant God made with us, may we come to fully commit in that relationship with the Lord. Let us therefore, allow our human relationships and relationship with the rest of the created world to be fertile where we can multiply love and multiply life. Hinaut pa.

  • Seeing but not Recognizing

    Seeing but not Recognizing

    February 19, 2024 – Wednesday Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021925.cfm)

    Have you ever experienced searching for something yet could not find it? After a while, that object was actually right in front of you. You must have seen it but was not able to recognize that it is was what you were looking for. Perhaps, as you were walking on a street, a friend met you and greeted you, yet, you were unresponsive. You’ve seen the person but was not able to recognize that it was a friend of yours.

    In medical term, it is called as “agnosia.” This is a disorder of which a person sees an object despite the normal vision but cannot identify what the object is. In particular, this is called as “visual agnosia.” There is also so called “auditory agnosia” of which we heard something but cannot recognize what it was.

    In psychology, this is referred to as “inattentional blindness.” This means that we fail to notice or see something within our visual field because our attention or consciousness is so focused on something or somewhere else. This also applies to our hearing. As a result, we become absent-minded and out-of-focused.

    In our Christian faith, this can also happen. And this is best described in today’s healing story of the blind man in the Gospel of Mark. Jesus who took the blind man by the hand and brought him outside of the village performed the healing. Jesus has to do it twice for the person to see and recognize clearly. The man’s eyes were healed at the fist attempt yet, cannot distinguish between people and trees, thus, a “spiritual agnosia”. And so, for the second time, Jesus touched his eyes then his sight was completely restored.

    What the man received was not only physical healing but also spiritual healing. This means that he was both blind physically and spiritually. As he was healed and restored completely only then that he recognized the Lord’s face in front of him. Then, he was told not to go back to the village of Bethsaida.

    The actions in this healing story are filled with spiritual insights and so, let us take them one by one. Jesus needed to take the blind man out of the village and later told him not to go back. Bethsaida was a symbol of a place of evil, sin and rejection of God’s presence. Jesus was not accepted there.

    Hence, in order for the man to be freed from his illness, he too needed to be freed from that place that made him blind. He was told not to go back but to go home, so that he won’t be able to go back to his old cycle of darkness and sin.

    Jesus also allowed his disciples to witness this event to make them realize of the importance not just of our physical sight but also of our spiritual insight. The disciples actually struggled and found difficulty at recognizing of the wonders that Jesus did. They remained anxious on what to eat even though Jesus fed five thousand people. They were troubled when things got rough and difficult even when Jesus was with them in the boat. At this time, they were still figuring out who Jesus really was. Indeed, they too were blind, spiritually blind because their hearts were still filled with fear, anxieties and doubts. Hence, they too had spiritual agnosia.

    Yet, Jesus remained patient just like with the blind man, until such a time they too received the spiritual insight and recognized that God was with them all along.

    This calls us now to ask for the grace of spiritual insight. This begins by humble owning and acknowledging the beliefs, attitudes or experiences that continually bring us into darkness and sin.

    Indeed, we may have a perfect physical vision and some may have blurred vision and so the need of eye glasses, but most importantly, may we too have a perfect spiritual sight to see and recognize the Lord, his gifts and manifestations. Hinaut pa.

  • Goodness in the midst of Evil

    Goodness in the midst of Evil

    February 18, 2024 – Tuesday Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021825.cfm)

    The rise and popularity of the social media platforms have significantly reshaped our consciousness on many matters as individuals and society. The influences that we get and receive from constant interaction whether passive or active interaction in social media, affect how we think and believe, behave and act.

    In consequence, fake news and disinformation entertained by many have been very damaging into our culture and relationships. People who are not aware of the sources and the credibility of the reports, are being deceived and in effect brought more damage to the community by spreading them. However, through the social media, we also realize that it can be a medium to raise proper and correct awareness of the realities in our communities. Hence, this kind of influence promotes social awareness for activism and social change.

    Aside from this, there are also other “offline” influences that we get from around us. These may come from people whom we interact with personally. Significant persons, persons in authority, peers and organizations of which we are affiliated can also influence that way we behave and make decisions. Spiritually, we also believe in the influence from good or the evil spirit.

    Being aware of the many influences that surrounds us, Jesus also reminds us of this. In today’s Gospel of Mark the Lord firmly warned his friends, he said, “Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”

    The leaven is used to make the dough to rise, was used by Jesus as an image to depict the silent but cunning influence of the Pharisees and of Herod. The passive yet indifferent, aggressive and oppressive attitudes of the Pharisees and of Herod was so attractive to people who tend to seek recognition and praise and those who tend to worship the powerful and the corrupt, the arrogant and the aggressive. They portrayed that those who have the power and influence were always the victorious.

    Jesus seemed to see and realize such tendencies among the disciples. This was the reason why Jesus reminded them when they began to worry of having not enough bread. Even until that moment, they did not yet recognize that the Lord was with them and had already worked wonders by feeding thousands of people. This prompted Jesus to ask them, “Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear?”

    The hardened hearts, the eyes that couldn’t see and the ears that couldn’t hear must have been gripped through the influence of selfishness.

    This is what we realize in the story from the Book of Genesis. We are reminded of the disheartening event where the Lord regretted and his heart was grieved. God found evil in the hearts of humanity. Their hearts had been influenced and consumed by wickedness and evil. With that, the Lord can’t play a blind eye to the atrocities committed by humanity. God decided to wipe out the earth and reshape it.

    Yet, Noah found favor with the Lord. Noah was neither influenced nor consumed by evil and selfishness. Rather, Noah remained obedient and devoted to God even when others were not. Noah carefully listened to God’s voice and followed God’s commands even when he was ridiculed and insulted. Noah remained concerned and faithful. Indeed, there was goodness in the heart of Noah even in the midst of evil around him. This was how the Lord found hope in us to reshape the earth and renew our hearts.

    Today, like the disciples and like what happed in the story of the Book of Genesis, the Lord also calls us to watch out those distractions or influences that may lead us away from the grace of God, from God’s presence and away from each other. We may always realize that God is working wonders in us and through us.

    Let us not allow our hearts be influenced by evil or selfishness or by our negative emotions. Let us recognize, see and understand those many wonders that God is doing in our lives. The Lord calls us that we may be influenced by God’s grace in our sacraments, by God’s words in the Bible, and by the Holy Spirit. Hinaut pa.

  • WHEN RESENTMENT CONSUMES US

    WHEN RESENTMENT CONSUMES US

    February 17, 2025 – Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021725.cfm)

    A person who becomes resentful in a relationship or work or in any other things, can easily nurture emotions like anger, frustrations and disappointments. When these negative emotions are being built up from within and being “nested,” the more the heart becomes resentful and even violent.

    Yet, our resentful heart does not acknowledge the wrong or the failure in us but only blames our frustrations and anger towards others. We could easily hold grudges against others; having a passive-aggressive expressions of anger in the forms of sarcasm, overly critical and inaction or indifference. And these are also forms of bitterness of the heart that slowly consumes and destroys our relationships.

    This is what happened in the story we have today in the Book of Genesis. Cain, the first born of Adam and Eve, grew resentful towards God and jealous towards his younger brother, Abel.

    Cain must have felt that God was unfair towards him because the Lord only accepted the offerings of Abel and his was rejected. Abel’s attitude was different from his brother. Abel offered the best and what was due to God. Abel offered those gifts as an act of thanksgiving. He offered his best gifts out of joy and gratitude.

    However, Cain only gave his offerings passively and complacently. It was rejected not because of the value of his gifts, but the attitude of his heart. Cain’s offering was not an act of devotion and gratitude to the Lord, and thus, his offering was rejected. His ungrateful heart has become seedbed of his resentment. He felt wronged by God and seen Abel as his competitor.

    This resentment grew more in his heart. The Lord God warned Cain of this, “sin is a demon lurking at the door; his urge is toward you…” This was how Cain allowed his resentment to consume him until he became vicious and violent. And so Cain, with a deceptive heart brought his brother Abel away and killed him.

    And worst, when God asked the whereabouts of Abel, Cain responded again with a resentful heart, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” This only confirms his guilt and the blood in his hands. This was such a horrifying and sad story between brothers.

    This resentful heart also reflected in today’s Gospel among the Pharisees who demanded signs from Jesus. It was the hardness of their hearts and vicious thoughts that made Jesus to “sigh from the depth of his spirit.” They asked for a sign, yet, they cannot recognize the greatest sign in front of them, already talking with them.

    However, despite this tendency in us, the Lord gives us a chance. God sees hope in us as well. This was the reason why God never condemned Cain to death, not to condone his actions, but give a chance for Cain to repent, to be renewed and to be freed from the evil in his heart.

    Indeed, we also ask the grace that our heart may not become resentful and bitter but will rather be grateful and contented. Having such attitude in our heart, may we always be mindful of God’s revelations and His presence. Hinaut pa.

  • BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO TRUST IN THE LORD

    BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO TRUST IN THE LORD

    February 16, 2025 – Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021625.cfm)

    How blessed are you today? How do we also measure that experience of being blessed? Do we depend on the material things we enjoy? Or the spiritual graces that we receive? Or the satisfied and contented state of life?

    Well, it really matters on how we understand blessing or being blessed. Commonly, when we think of a life that is blessed we think of material wealth and prosperity. This includes having a good family, a booming business, a successful career, good paying job, or having a good health. Thus, our easy understanding of being blessed has something to do with success and material possessions.

    Yet, as we look at life in a bigger reality, we see that poverty is never a blessing. To live poor and being deprived of many things in life make us insecure with many things. The same goes with being persecuted, being sick, being mistreated or being rejected is never a blessing. If we are experiencing such life now, do you consider yourself being blessed?

    However, there is a twist, a different perspective and understanding of “being blessed.” This is what our readings this Sunday offer us to realize and discern.

    May I invite you then, that we revisit again the readings and see how the Lord guides and calls to understand blessing and our life from God’s perspective rather than from a materialistic point of view.

    In the Book of Jeremiah in the first reading, the prophet reminds us to trust in the Lord and not to rely on human strength and capacity. True enough that we can exercise great power in terms of our intelligence, will, material wealth and influence yet all of these will pass away because we will all die, one day, sooner or later. This means that our dependence on these forms of material satisfactions can be a mere human arrogance and a false sense of security.

    In fact, the author of the Psalm expressed the same message reminding us that the “counsel of the wicked” may appear enticing because it promises an easy way out, instant riches and satisfaction. Nevertheless, it is empty and we shall find no contentment because the “counsel of the wicked” makes us crave for more and gain for more for ourselves. This is actually the promise of addictions, in whatever form that may be, whether addiction to drugs, alcohol, sex, influence and fame, wealth and power (political or economic power).

    In the same way, Jesus warns those who in the standard of the world are blessed such as the satisfied, the rich, the powerful, the popular and the influential.

    The danger and evil now lies in the attitude of the heart that becomes independent from God. This is a heart that rejects God’s offer of friendship, mercy and love. Moreover, Jesus warns us when we tend to accumulate more wealth for ourselves at the expense of the poor, or when we consolidate power and influence at the expense of others, or when we seek to be praised and recognized by others by means of manipulations and abuse of power.

    Such attitude of the heart is filled with arrogance and self-centeredness that has no need of God. Our successes and we, ourselves, have become ‘gods.’

    But then, all of these would corrupt us because we will never be satisfied. We will thirst and hunger for more wealth, recognition and power which will also lead to our own destruction and those who are around us and those blocking our way to gain for more, as any form of addiction will also result in this way. Again, this is what Prophet Jeremiah reminds us, because those who turn away from the Lord are barren and empty.

    However, in God’s perspective those who are poor, sick, persecuted, those who failed and rejected are blessed because it is in our poverty and difficulty that we realize our weakness and of our need of God.

    Such insecurities bring us to understand that we are so small in this world and we are in need of God’s grace. That is why; Jesus addressed these Beatitudes to his disciples, assuring them of his presence. His disciples left everything, their families, jobs and the comfort of home. They went to places where sometimes they have to sleep without roof. Authorities ridiculed them and insulted them for following Jesus.

    This is what Jeremiah affirmed as well as in our Psalm, “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is the Lord.” Thus, the very presence of God in our life is what makes us “blessed.” Since God favors the weak, poor, suffering and struggling in life, they are the ones who are blessed because they understand their need of God. Remember, God comes to us when we are ready to accept God in our life and to let God be our God.

    God invites us then, to recognize our own poverty and anxieties because God blesses us with His presence. St. Paul reminds us, God is faithful. The resurrection of Jesus is our assurance. We might feel his absence at times when we are overwhelmed with difficulties and fears; yet, God remains with us.

    The material wealth that we have gained, the influence and fame that we have received and the successes that we have achieved are signs of God’s grace and generosity. When we have these, may these lead us to humble ourselves and to recognize that these are gifts and we ought to share them to others.

    And so, when we have received much, share the blessings to those who are in need without any expectation of a return of investment. If you are enjoying success in life, share the experience with those who failed. If you have achieved much in life, be humble enough to become an inspiration for others. In this way the Kingdom of God will truly be present among us, because we ourselves will become blessing to each one. Hinaut pa.