Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Season of Advent

  • LONGING AND HOPING IN OUR EVERYDAY LIFE

    LONGING AND HOPING IN OUR EVERYDAY LIFE

    November 27, 2022 – First Sunday of Advent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/112722.cfm)

    Have you been so overwhelmed by your issues and enormous problems at the moment? Or by the tragedies and traumas in your life? Or are you simply so caught up with the demands of work, family life, studies and in reaching out your dreams that you seemed to be always running out of time; so engrossed with the expectations that you begin to stress out; feeling terribly anxious and pressured that you forget other important aspects of your life?

    However, in realizing such situations we are in, we also begin longing and hoping for peace, reconciliation, healing and freedom. We have begun the first day of the new Liturgical Calendar in our Church today and we are being reminded to refocus our gaze, our longing and our hope to the Lord. Hence, those aspects of our life that would incline us to lose our awareness and sensitivity of the Lord’s presence are the very areas where we are invited to grow. So, allow me now to draw out God’s call for us on this First Sunday of Advent through the Scripture readings we have heard.

    In the first reading from the Book of Isaiah, the prophet expressed wonderfully the longing of the people for the coming of the Lord. This book was written at the time when the people have suffered from being exiled in Babylon. While being captured and made into slaves, they longed for the time when all of them will come home and will be reunited. They longed for that time of peace where there will be no more wars but abundance and joy.

    Isaiah expressed this hope for the people which was meant to uplift the spirit of the people. This reminds us of the significance of the first candle that we have lighted on this first Sunday of Advent. That candle symbolizes hope. This hope is what the prophets of the Old Testament have told us. Thus, the candle is also called as the Candle of the Prophets.

    This hope as told by the prophets is reechoed in our Psalm today, “Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.” This is an expression of a longing to be in the presence of God. Yet, let us also not forget our human tendency to lose hope particularly when things become overwhelming for us. Because of so much pain and of the suffering we endure, we too might feel of losing hope and forgetting our desire for God.

    This is what St. Paul in his letter to the Romans reminds us. Paul tells to be awake from sleep because of the discouraging and disappointing events that had happened in our life. We could have fallen asleep because we have become so tired from waiting for the Lord, because our prayers remain unanswered, because we have already failed several times in spite of our efforts, or your partner or a family member remains problematic despite your prayers, or until now you are not yet healed from your illness which gives you suffering, or your loved one was taken away from you because of a sudden death. Because these are discouraging, we would feel the absence of God just as the Hebrews felt when they were exiled. We could declare that we have lost our faith, because God seemed not to care for us. But, this is not true because God’s remains faithful to us and remains ever present in us. We are not just sensitive!

    Likewise, aside from the trials in life, there is another reason in losing our focus of God’s presence in life. This is basically the business of our usual days, of the demands of our everyday life, of our work, family responsibilities, studies, and everyday endeavors. This is the tendency of many who are occupied all day with many things. Indeed, the demands of everyday life are merciless. There is always more to do and not enough time to do it.[1]

    This is how Jesus reminds us today in the Gospel, “to stay awake.” This is the Lord’s invitation for us to grow in our longing and hoping for God’s presence in our everyday life. Jesus wants us to be always attentive of his presence and attentive to his everyday coming in our daily life – at home, at work or at school.

    Hence, as St. Paul teaches us in “conducting ourselves properly,” we are called to be more selfless by expressing our love for one another. When we become less self-centered, then, we also begin to recognize others and recognize God. By showing our concern for one another, we also become more aware of God. When we begin to build intimate connections with our family and friends by opening up ourselves to them, then, we also begin to open up ourselves for God. Our intimacy with others brings us, actually, into the intimacy we have with God. In other words, our closeness with those who are around us brings us into closeness with God.

    And when our routinary days are filled with demands, may we not tend to forget the Lord and lose our gaze on him and become indifferent of his presence. Thus, in the midst of our busy routinary life, let our awareness of God’s presence be intertwined in our work, in our studies, and in our activities. Therefore, it is still possible to become awake and aware of the movements of God and his invitations for us while we are working or doing something as long as we allow the Lord to be with us wherever we are. Let those moments of our awareness of God and encounters with God bring us to peace, to reconciliation, to healing, to freedom and to the fullness of life. Kabay pa.

    [1] John Shea, On Earth as it is in Heaven (Asia Trading Corporation: India, 2010), 28.

  • Already yet Still

    Already yet Still

    November 27, 2022 – First Sunday of Advent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/112722.cfm)

    A mother once knocks at his son’s door and have this following this exchange of words. Mother: “Son, wake up.” But the son said: “Mom, I don’t want to get up.” Mom continued: “Son, Get up now. You have to go to the church today.” Son said, “I don’t want to go to church today”. Mom asked: “Why not?” Son replied, “I will give you three reasons: “I’m too young to go church, it’s dull and boring in the church, and people there don’t like me.” Mom persisted, “Now, I will give you only three reasons you should go to the church. Today you have to be there, you are already 30 years old and it’s your wedding day. So, Wake up and get up now. You are already grown up – enough to just go back to sleep again.

    Which is more difficult nowadays: to lay down and go asleep in the evening or to get up and stay awake in the morning? Waking up and getting up in the morning, and staying awake the whole day have always been our daily struggle. We always want to go back to sleep. All day long there is a longing in us to go back to bed and sleep again. Even when we are up and awake, we still have bouts of daydreams and musings the whole day through. That is why we have a Filipino saying: Mahirap gisingin ang taong gising. “It is not easy to wake up someone who is already awake”. In other words, how can you wake up someone who is already awake?

    We may not only be dealing here about our getting up physically in the morning and the whole day through, but this may also be true about getting up and staying awake in our whole life.  This may also be about how awake and aware are we in living our lives.

    As we go through our lives, there are many moments that we are more asleep than awake. Habitually we may have found ourselves already physically awake but still actually unaware, out of sync, lukewarm, numb, and out of touch of reality. In life, we find usually ourselves in situations where we are already yet still – already awake yet still asleep. It is like, you already realize your mistake, but still doing the same mistake all over again. Same way as that son, who is already awake but still find reasons and excuses not to get up but to go back to sleep on his wedding day.

    Waking up and staying awake in life may be a struggle but it is also a choice. In other words, “to get up and stay awake OR to go back and remain asleep” in life is perhaps the first decision we have to struggle with and make daily in life. What is significant here is not only the action and decision taken but moreso on the awareness, realization, and choice of the present NOW in facing life. Since now you know your mistake, now you have the choice to continue the same mistake, or do something about it. Since you know NOW you are old enough to go to church today because it’s your wedding day as your special Day with your spouse before the Lord, you may get up OR to go back asleep.

    This is why on the first Sunday of Advent in preparation for the coming Christmas day, the Lord has very simple message to us: STAY AWAKE, and BE prepared.

    Human as we are, the Lord knows that we rather stay asleep than awake in life. He recognizes that we are already awake yet at times mostly asleep in life. He also knows however that we do have the choice NOW whether to stay awake or asleep. That is why He is particularly calling us to Stay awake, be prepared, get up and go forward for He promises that there are more and better in life yet to come.  His words in our gospel today are not His warning but a wake-up call to us to brace ourselves to the New Normal Life Ahead.

    To remain awake and stay aware in life, is indeed a struggle yet a choice in life. But if we continue to heed and do our part in the Lord’s invitation of staying awake and being aware now in our life, we will see more and eventually become witnesses to fullness of the New Normal life God can offer us now & the near future ahead.

    As the Lord reminds us today: Therefore, Stay awake and be prepared… for the Son of Man will come.”  In other words, Hoy Gising… Wake up for I am on-the-way coming NOW.

  • Faith-Sharing

    Faith-Sharing

    December 19, 2021 – Fourth Sunday of Advent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121921.cfm)

    Once during our Mission at the outskirts of Dumaguete City, I happened to visit an old lady in her home. She was sick, bedridden, and alone in her payag-payag. When she saw me, she cried out with joy because someone cared to visit her. After we introduced ourselves as Redemptorists missionaries, I heard her confession, prayed over her, administered to her the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick and gave her Holy Communion. Again, she cried for joy because it has been quite a while since she last received Holy Communion. To lighten the situation, I asked her if she could still sing. Right there and then, she sang, “O Birhen Maria” the whole song, since she missed the Wednesday novena for OMPH in our Perpetual church in the city. As we were about to leave, she also asked me if I could visit her sickly neighbor. She also wanted to share to her sickly neighbor her experience of faith & joy in our visit with her.

    Such experience reminds me of our gospel today and of how Elizabeth responded to the event. As Mary visited her, Elizabeth felt so honored, blessed, and happy that she praised the Lord, professed her faith, and blessed Mary. The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth is a sharing of joy and faith.

    Christmas is also about visitation and sharing of faith and joy. Christmas is not only about Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and others, but most of all, about God. The story of our salvation is all about God visiting us, and we, welcoming Him into our lives. Then, God offers us His son, and we are blessed and honored to accept His Son into our lives and to share Him to others. Like the experience of lola and Elizabeth, it is a great honor and blessing for us to be visited by God and being given us His son as His first gift to us. Same feeling we would have, when a mother and her newly-born baby come to visit us in our home. It brings great joy, honor, praise, and fellowship amongst us.

    https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=mary+and+elizabeth&sxsrf=AOaemvL_auRFe6RansIc_sc0TK4MtjANlA:1639874640410&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjimauL0e70AhVdUGwGHZ70Ci0Q_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1409&bih=670&dpr=2

    This is the story of our Salvation – a series of visits and sharing. We celebrate and share life, blessings, graces, and faith – which should be the essence and importance of Christmas.

    At Christmas, we usually gather for the Eucharist and share food, time, stories, and gifts with one another. But seldom we do talk and share with each other about our faith in Incarnation, the Word of God made flesh in our lives, and its implications. Each of us has a private belief, theology, or understanding of Christmas, which, with regret, we usually keep private. We rarely share our joy and faith in God with others.

    Time for us now to share our faith, most especially during these pandemic times, where & when we do feel at times estranged, isolated & neglected from one another. Deep inside, we do like to be visited, blessed & encouraged by others & one another. We do also like to share our life-stories & faith-journeys with one another. All it takes is just a simple act of kindness through our personal smiles, hellos, kamustahan, and above all, our virtual or face-to-face visits. 

    Remember, Christmas is more than just about food, gifts, and presents, but most of all it is about faith. The deepest, most personal, and most memorable gift we can and have to share with others this Christmas is our Christian faith. Our Faith is an expression of God’s word becoming flesh in our lives. To share our faith with others & one another is our great gift to others this Christmas. We know and believe in the message of Christmas. Time for us now to be the messenger of Christmas. Time for us now to be faith-sharers to others & one another.

    As we are about to celebrate Christmas, like Lola and Elizabeth, may we joyfully expressed and share our faith to others since “Blessed are they who trusted that the Lord’s message to them would be fulfilled”

    So be it. Amen.

  • OF DREAMS & ASPIRATIONS

    OF DREAMS & ASPIRATIONS

    December 12, 2021 – Third Sunday of Advent, GAUDETE SUNDAY

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121221.cfm)

    Three parents were asked about their dreams and aspirations for their respective children. The first one said: “I wish that my kids will be successful in life”. The second one said, “I want my kids to be happy in life”. The third one said: “All I wish is that my kids will grow in life righteous and worthy before God and others.

    Success, happiness, and righteousness are three great and nice aspirations in life. We all wish to have all these dreams in life, but we do also know that we cannot have always all these in life. That is why it is important for us to recognize our own dreams and aspirations in life, as well as what is proper for us, as Christians?

    To aspire for success in life today is never easy, because there are many options and standards. As a consequence, we are not easily contented with life. In order to succeed, we have to aspire for more and better than others. Thus, making others easily discouraged in life because they are not the dean’s lister, cum laude, boss, or millionaire, and hopeless because they are “not-yet but only a” from what they aspire to be. Others may have been already successful in life but done through corruption, lie and deception, and still not happy and still discontented in life.

    Nowadays, to aspire for happiness is also difficult because there are endless and unsatisfying possibilities. Like, a simple telephone or watch is not enough, it has to be a smartphone or smartwatch. Some would even be willing to lie and exploit others, just to keep up with Jonesses, with the latest and fashionable trends. That is why Gadgets are getting smarter while the people getting stupid. Others even may be enjoying a happy life now but at the expense of others by being a burden and dependent on others. 

    Yes, there are demands and shortcomings in life, but to aspire to be right and worthy before God and other has always been close and gentle in our hearts. To behave rightly before God and others is not only expected of us but also usually satisfy our hearts-desire.

    Thus, it is not our worldly success or happiness, but our worthiness before God and others is our deepest hearts-desire and God’s wish for us, and what should be proper for us Christians, as believers and followers of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

    When asked how to be and what to do  before God’s offer of salvation, John in our gospel today teaches the people then and us now to aspire and to be worthy and righteous as we are before God and others. What is required of us then in God’s salvation is our worthiness before God and others, and not our successes and happiness in life. He said, “If you are rich, share what you have. If you’re a tax-collector, don’t take advantage of others. If you’re a soldier, be fair and just with others”. In other words, Be worthy and righteous as you really are now before God and others.

    https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/205617539222809240/

    John knows himself. He is not the Messiah himself. He is only the voice and just the precursor to prepare the way of the Lord. But he also aspires to be a worthy friend of the bridegroom. He is not the Groom but the Best Man for the Groom. This is also what John wish for us – that We become the Best (worthy and righteous) Person for the Groom before God and others. 

    We may aspire to have a successful and happy Christmas this year and life next year, but may also not be righteous and worthy before the Lord. Or we may have an unsuccessful and unhappy Christmas and life ahead but still worthy and righteous before Him, as we behave rightly as we are called to be Christians to others. 

    Rejoicing at the Lord’s coming and being into our life now, is not about we being happy and successful in life, but because we behave and act rightly and worthily before God and others in life. To be worthy and righteous before God and others then is what we should and are we to do in life, even in these trying pandemic times, for us to once again and always openly received God’s continuing blessing of grace to us in life through His son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

  • General House Cleaning

    General House Cleaning

    December 5, 2021 – Second Sunday of Advent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120521.cfm)

    To clean the whole house. A family activity and exercise that should be done regularly but rarely done, because it is demanding & requires a lot of work.

    To do general house cleaning is difficult indeed, but if & when we do it occasionally, we can learn a lot of good things & may promise some changes in life. Simply because, we know that general house cleaning is not only about cleaning things in our home.

    General house cleaning could be our chance to treasure the treasures-found. As we go through daily lives, eventually we collect a lot of things received, bought, and possessed along the way. As we clean our house then, we got the chance to re-evaluate, i.e. to give value again & anew the treasures what we have owned & collected, to let go the excess & what we do not really need, & share these now to those who are in need. Through this, we may able to recognize, count and share our blessings, and may able to declog & make our lives easier & lighter from unnecessary burdens & concerns.  

    General house cleaning may also be our chance to review our life. As we clean our things in the house, it could happen that we remember our past experiences & memories, become in touch once again with the spirit, values & principles-held in life, recognize our present realities & state of life (like, kids are not anymore kids but now teenagers, & teens are becoming adults), & realize the new changes & challenges required to adjust with our current status of life.

    General house cleaning may also be our change to rearrange our lives (not only our home). By responding & planning for the challenges of the new changing realities in life, we may update, upgrade, reconfigure or reformat our outdated systems & ways within the house that would best suit to our changing & growing family. In other words, to do the things rightly in order to make things right in life now.

    To re-evaluate, review & re-arrange may just be some of the good things & benefits of doing general house cleaning. Demanding it may be, but if & when we do it, it offers us ease & direction in living our lives.

    During this 2nd Sunday of Advent, we are challenged to, through the witness of St. John the Baptism, from the words of Prophet Isaiah: “Prepare for the way of the Lord.” But we may ask: “What is more to prepare? What more we should prepare? Come to think of it, we are already prepared. As early as before October, we already decorated our house. Christmas trees & decors are already placed. Gifts to be given, food for celebrations are being prepared. Some have their parties & reunions already. Some were already tired & impatient waiting for their gifts & bonuses. What else is & should be prepared? 

    The preparation we are challenged to by the Sacred Scripture is not our usual preparation of decorations, gifts, food, parties, bonuses & others. The expected preparation required of us is “to make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain & hill shall made low. The winding road shall be made straight & the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of the Lord.” Simply put, To do General House Cleaning – to clean our whole home, to make things right rightly for the Lord. What is asked of us then is – an update, upgrade, reconfiguration & reformatting of lifestyle suited for the Lord, us & others now.

    The Lord become one of us & being with us is not just a decoration in life where we only use when needed or where we only maximize when we wanted it. Christmas – the birth of the Lord, God’s incarnation into our lives should be the suited Center, Way, Guide & Direction of our Christian lives. Meaning, what preparation expected of us is not house decoration but general house cleaning.

    Now, when was the last time you had your general house cleaning? When is your general house cleaning?

    As the year about to end & we are now fast approaching Christmas, why not do your general house cleaning these days? Ask nobody to do it for you, but rather do it yourself, so that, you may have a new perspective, meaning, & purpose in life, and thus, may have carved a new space for God’s word, Jesus Christ into your life. Amen.

    NB. Say a little prayer for me as I also celebrate my 25th year of priesthood today on  this year’s 2nd Sunday of Advent.