Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Season of Advent

  • Unboxing God’s Wonderful Gifts

    Unboxing God’s Wonderful Gifts

    December 24, 2024 – Ninth Day of Misa de Aguinaldo

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122424.cfm)

    Our traumatic experiences, sad and painful events that happened in our life could be our heavy reasons to retreat into sadness and desperation. Sometimes, we could not help it because what had occurred to us was just too much to bear, and too overwhelming. Such experiences can be likened to darkness where every gleam of the light of joy and comfort was deprived from us.

    In fact, the bombing that had happened a year ago, of which many of you were survivors of that horrible and evil act, could have made you traumatized and to ask the Lord for a reason why it happened to our community. Others are still carrying the shadow of fear and anxiety, for the possibility that it might happen again.

    However, there are many of us also who despite those painful, traumatic and heartbreaking experiences in life, they persisted to hope again and too see something beyond the darkness that had befallen into their life. This is how realize how hope becomes a powerful movement towards transformation within us.

    And for us to have a better understanding on this and a better realization on the wonder of seeing beyond darkness and hoping beyond pain and sadness, let us rediscover God’s invitation for us today and see how the three gifts of presence, of light and of life were slowly being unboxed in today’s readings.

    In the Second Book of Samuel, the prophet proclaimed the gift of presence to be given to David. David who thought that he should build a house for God, was promised by the Lord rather to be given a house that will last forever. David was reminded that it is God who builds a strong house for us. This is the covenant so dear to the people because God will be a father.

    Likewise, the Psalm also expressed a similar hope. Because of the suffering endured by the people of this time, they longed to that promise of God who shall show an everlasting kindness. What kept them hopeful was their confidence in God’s faithfulness because God is our Father. This confidence in God as Father, is the gift of the presence of God being unboxed slowly throughout the history of Israel and of the story of our salvation.

    In the Gospel of Luke, what has been proclaimed to us today is the Song of Zechariah. Yet, remember, before he was able to sing this, Zechariah was muted by God. Because of his unbelief of God’s gift to him, Zechariah was silenced. He did not listen and believe in God’s revelation.

    Remember again, Zechariah’s unbelieving response was a bitter reaction to God. Zechariah must have believed that God had forgotten him and abandoned him. The shame that he endured for being childless for many years must have brought him to hopelessness. He forgot that God was faithful and a father to him.

    Yet, despite this reaction of Zechariah towards the gift of God, John was given to him and to his wife. The birth of John, was a gift of light. The dark shame and guilt of Zechariah was removed because of this gift of light. John was a light to him and to people who came to be baptized by John. John also led people to see the true light. John as the prophet of the Most High, himself unboxed the gift of light for people to see and be illuminated by God’s grace. He unboxed that gift through his preaching of the coming of the Messiah, the Lamb of God who was in their midst.

    This is how Zechariah recalled the covenant of God and the fulfillment of the promise of a mighty Savior. In his song, he also recounted how his eyes have seen clearly that promise being unfolded through the birth of his son. John will go before the Lord to prepare his way, to give knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of sins. The song of Zechariah itself is the unboxing of the gift of life.

    The Song of Zechariah proclaims to us the abundance of life coming into us now and that we too, each of us, is unboxing this gift of life.

    With all of these, how do we unbox the gifts given to us by the Lord? How shall we unbox God’s wonderful gifts when we are still overshadowed by fear, guilt, shame and sin?

    First, we unbox the gift of presence of God by becoming confident in God’s presence. Both the Second Book of Samuel and the Psalm tell us that God is our Father. Take confidence in this. It is because that God is a Father to us, God will always be for us. We may have not so nice experiences with our earthly fathers, but God as our Father, will never hurt and will never leave us.

    Second, we unbox the gift of light when we accept and confront our own blindness and our own darkness. Like Zechariah, he was confronted by the Angel of his unbelief. John also confronted the sins of the people and their corrupt ways so that the Lord will be welcomed. Let us also confront and challenge ourselves not to succumb to what is dark and to what is evil. Only then, also that we will be able to confront the darkness and the evil around us when we are confident that we have unboxed the gift of light, who is Jesus.

    Third, we also unbox the gift of life when we learn to embrace the beauty and the wonder of every form of life. God is born like us, and God chooses to be born because God is life and God is for life. When we learn to show respect to all life, cherish all life and protect all life, then we unbox this gift and be gifted with eternal life.

    Now, the gifts of presence, of light and life is Jesus himself. These are God’s wonderful gifts for you and for me. Remember that. Hinaut pa.

  • YOU ARE GREAT!

    YOU ARE GREAT!

    December 22, 2024 – Fourth Sunday of Advent, 7th Day of Misa de Aguinaldo

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122224.cfm)

    I want you to tap the shoulder of the person beside you and tell that person, “You are great!” We are all great! But wait, what makes us really great? With all our weaknesses and sinfulness, how could we be great?

    By ourselves alone, we are never great, but because we have been chosen and loved, we are made great – each of us, no matter how we consider ourselves small and insignificant. Yet, what makes us great are not those things that we have achieved or accumulated in this life. We may boast ourselves because of the achievements in life and what we have reached, however, not one will make us truly great.

    Hence, let us revisit the readings on this final Sunday of Advent that wonderfully tell us how we have been made great by God and how we have been chosen and loved.

    Prophet Micah, in the first reading,  who is also called as the Prophet of Advent, proclaimed to us how God chose the insignificant town of Bethlehem to be the place of the birth of the Messiah. Bethlehem was small compared to other tribes of Judah. However, God chose the small and the humble, not the powerful and the arrogant. From Bethlehem, David was chosen to be king and where the Messiah shall also be born.

    This is how I shall offer you now a different perspective in looking and understanding today’s Gospel which is the same Gospel as yesterday. Indeed, God’s favor for the small and the humble reflects in that encounter of Mary and Elizabeth. Mary was chosen to be the mother of the Messiah, a woman from a small town of Nazareth. Likewise, Elizabeth who was old and shamed for being barren, was chosen to be the mother of John who will prepare the way of the Lord.

    Neither of them were royalty, nor a daughter or wife of a governor. There were many women who would be more fitting than them if God would follow our worldly standard of greatness. However, God does not choose somebody because of a high status, or of popularity or fame or of wealth or power. God chooses the small and the humble, who are most welcoming of His invitations and most willing to respond to His call. Indeed, God looks at the greatness of each one of us because we are humble and unassuming of power and fame. We are made great because we are chosen and loved.

    Certainly, Mary and Elizabeth welcomed God fully in their life because they did not have many possessions. Power, or wealth, or fame, or any other forms of insecurities did not possess them; they were free and open to God.

    This reminds us too that when we are possessed by our insecurities, whatever they may be, we are being prevented from receiving the Lord in our life. But once, we make ourselves free from our insecurities, fears and anxieties, from our hatred and resentments, then, we make ourselves open to God’s invitations.

    Thus, on the part of Mary, who was greeted by Elizabeth as blessed among women, has made herself completely free for God. Her acceptance of Jesus made her life filled with love and blessings. Thus, we have lighted the fourth candle of Advent that reminds us of love.

    And because Mary was filled with love, this moved her to respond immediately to her needy cousin Elizabeth. Mary knew well that Elizabeth needed help and so she responded with willingness.

    And again, as we have reflected yesterday, this reminds us that when we are truly filled with love, love makes us more aware of the needs of others. True love and concern overflows from us and thus, making us free to share our love to those who are in need, to people around us. In this way, our way of loving will become free of pretentions and insecurities.

    What is more interesting was on how the two women greeted each other. Their encounter tells us the wonder and beauty of those who truly believed in God. Elizabeth was surprised and delighted by God’s visit through Mary. Mary’s willingness and openness to God made her the bearer of God’s loving presence to her cousin Elizabeth. Indeed, Mary’s visit, though simple, was a great gift for Elizabeth.

    Indeed, on this fourth Sunday of Advent, we are called to remain free and open to God so that we too shall receive Him fully in our life. And through that, then, hopefully, each of us will also become bearer of God’s presence to others. Never underestimate the gift of presence that you can give to your children, to your family, colleagues and friends even strangers. Be the “PRESENT” to people around you by being truly “PRESENT” in their life.  This may be simple, but our presence will be a powerful force of love and concern.

    And so, never deprive others of your presence. God has never deprived us of his presence. The Lord is never “paasa” to us because God is always faithful. God took the risk of meeting us even though it will cost him pain, suffering and even death, because each of us is a delight to him. We are so dear to God, remember this. Take also the risk to build deeper, healthier and stronger relationships, selfless and loving relationships.

    In these ways, we shall be able to respond to God’s invitation in this Season of Advent, by becoming ourselves LOVE for others, as Jesus is LOVE for us. That makes us great! Hinaut pa.

  • BEING GIFTED

    BEING GIFTED

    December 22, 2024 – Fourth Sunday of Advent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122224.cfm)

    Once I visited a sick bedridden elderly Lady in her home for the Sacrament of Anointing. She was crying overjoyed of my presence and visit since it has been awhile since she received Holy Communion and she really missed our Wednesday novena to OMPH. To lighten the circumstances, I asked her if she could still sing any Marian hymns, and readily she sang the whole, “O Birhen Maria”. As I was about to leave she asked me to also visit her sick neighbor nearby.

    My visit to her reminds me of our gospel today and of how Elizabeth responded to visit of Mary. As Mary visited her, Elizabeth felt great honor, blessing and happiness that made her praise the Lord, professed her faith and blessed Mary, that also moved Mary to sing the Magnificat. A simple visit made and can still make a lot of difference, influence and change in people’s life.

    In the same manner, in gift-giving, happy we would be whenever the gifts we give are gratefully received. And more joyfully it would be when our gifts are gratefully received and shared with others. Joyful it is then, when our gifts are thankfully received & shared with others. Elizabeth was so grateful for Mary’s gift of visitation.

    And more so, she acknowledged the blessedness of Mary for sharing her God’s offer of salvation for us. Both women joyful to receive & share God’s gift of a child for them & for all. Being GIFTED with simple visit, God’s gift of salvation for us in Jesus is gratefully received & joyfully shared with others by Mary & Elizabeth, and us, as God’s bearers & sharers of God’s gift of salvation for all.

    If we really come to think of it, salvation happens when the Lord comes for a visit. Meaning, our salvation happens with our personal encounters or experiences of the Lord in our lives. And such graces and blessings continue to happen as the Lord always GIFTED us with personal visits and as we welcome Him wholeheartedly into our lives. Thus, salvation occurs with a visit and a welcome. Whenever we welcome a visit as well as whenever in sharing we visit someone, we participate in the Lord’s way of transforming and renewing life.

    As we are nearing the Lord’s birthday, perhaps we ask ourselves: When is the last time we visit someone, and when is the last time we welcome a visitor? When is the last time we participate in God’s salvation by visiting another person and by welcoming a visitor? When is the last time we thankfully receive & bear Jesus into our lives? When is the last time we joyfully shared Him to others? Listen & Respond.

    Come Lord Jesus into our lives. Amen.

  • REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS

    REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS

    December 15, 2024 – Third Sunday of Advent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121524.cfm)

    How joyful are you today? Do you find joy in things that you do and with those that you have? Are you joyful too with your relationships now? Do you find joy with what is going on with your life despite the struggles and problems you have?

    Each of us is gifted and blessed despite the problems and trials that we might be facing right now. This should be reasons for us to be joyful and grateful. This should hopefully lead us too in sharing our gratitude to God and joy to others.

    There is a particular gift also that we should be grateful and be more joyful. This is the Gift of God’s Self to us. God’s gift of Himself to us is what we have heard in the readings today on this Third Sunday of Advent, also called as Gaudete Sunday. And so let us explore together the sacred scriptures and discern how God invites us today.

    In the Book of Zephaniah, we were told that God is indeed with us. The prophet proclaimed, “The Lord is in your midst!” God has forgiven us and even blessed us with His presence.  Having this confidence, it calls us to rejoice.

    In the second reading, St. Paul reiterated the message of Zephaniah. Paul reminded the early Christians to rejoice and always be joyful because God is with us. In fact, Paul’s words echoes to us today, “Rejoice in the Lord always!”

    This joy is in fact TRANSFORMATIVE. This means that joy is life-changing and life-giving. John the Baptist told us about this, of the one mightier than him. When we accept the Lord in our life and allow him to be in us and with us, then, God leads us to change our bad old ways from being self-centered to life-giving, from being fearful to having faith, from being bitter to being better and grateful.

    This leads us to share what we have to those who are in need, to share our joy to those who are joyless and to share our life and presence who need friendship and company. These are all emphasized in the Gospel in the way the converts asked John the Baptist on what they should do after their baptism, like the tax collectors and even the soldiers.

    The response of giving and sharing is according to the way they should live their lives, in their daily affairs. Thus, each of us too is called to express joy in our life according to the state of our life now.

    Are you a student? Then, you are called to express joy in your studies and in your school. Are you working? Then, express joy at your workplace and with your co-workers. Are you out-of-school or still looking for a job yet? Then, express your joy in your neighborhood and to your friends. Are you a young parent? Then, express your joy to your child.

    Therefore, on this third Sunday of Advent, God invites us to be joyful because we are gifted and blessed. And because joy empowers us to express it, then, be free to be joyful and let not problems discourage you. Be free to communicate joy and let not fear and shame prevent you. Be free to accept joy from others too and let not bitterness, judgments and biases hold you back. Be free to draw joy from your surroundings and with nature. Be free to make your daily work, daily studies and daily responsibilities as your joyful recreation for yourself, your family and for your friends; let not complaints and ungratefulness hold you from being truly joyful everyday.

    Indeed, let joy make us young and free, alive and life-giving to others. We pray that as we make ourselves joyful, we may also welcome the Lord in our hearts with much joyful anticipation as He comes to us today so that we may “rejoice in the Lord always!” Hinaut pa.

  • BEST Person

    BEST Person

    December 15, 2024 – Third Sunday of Advent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121524.cfm)

    In a PTA meeting of the graduating class, the guidance counselor asked the parents: “What do you aspire for your child in life?” Some parents wants their children  to be happy. Others aspire for success. Others would hope for righteousness.

    How about us now? What would we aspire in life? What do we aspire for our children?

    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 aspiration 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 the Baptist 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.

    John the Baptist 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 & lived to be Christians to others.

    Rejoicing at the Lord’s coming and being into our life now, is not because we being happy and successful in life, but rather 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,  for us to once again and always openly received God’s continuing blessing of grace to us in life through His son, Jesus Christ.

    And so, healthy for us to perhaps ask ourselves nowadays: “what do we aspire for in life?” “Is our priority in life … happiness, success OR righteousness?

    Lord take away everything that distance us from you. Grant us everything that bring us close to you. Detach us from ourselves to bring our all to you. (Nicholas of Flue’s prayer) So May It Be. Amen