Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Season of Easter

  • DO YOU LOVE ME MORE THAN THESE?

    DO YOU LOVE ME MORE THAN THESE?

    June 3, 2022 – Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/060322.cfm)

    Peter was asked by the Lord, “Do you love me more than these?” And Peter responded that his love for the Lord was beyond his failings, beyond his fears, beyond his denials, beyond his doubts. His love was a response of a greater love he received from God who despite his human failings, he was blessed and called.

    Such love moved Peter to respond fully and offer completely his whole life and to let go of other things in his life. Those things include his hurts and pains, his personal dreams, career and even family, moved him to be completely available for God and for others.

    This is a story that totally changed a person’s understanding of himself, a person’s perspective of life and relationships, and of a person’s belief in God. Remember, Peter was hopeless after the death of Jesus. He was filled with guilt because of his denial of Jesus. He was in darkness. This was the reason why we went back to fishing, going back again to his old self, old way of life and old ways of coping from problems and trials in life.

    Yet, we also find the presence of Jesus, who never surrendered on Peter. There was the Risen Lord calling again Peter and the other disciples to find and recognize the Lord even at that disappointing night of catching nothing.

    Love then is beyond our human feelings. Love is beyond our light and joyful moments in life even beyond our failings and pains. Love entails our daily commitment and generous response. It calls us to care for others, to look and tend for the welfare of others and to be able to give life for others.

    This was how Peter was asked three times and was told also three times to tend and feed Jesus’ sheep, that is God’s people, God’s Church. Peter in return understood that he was loved by the Lord beyond his failures and inadequacies. Peter saw his potentials and gift to become a loving and a life-giving person to be expressed in his ministry.

    In the same way, the Lord also calls us today, to respond in love that we way also be able to recognize that despite our failures, we are being loved unconditionally. And that despite our other attachments in life, we are asked to make it clear that God is our priority, that the Lord takes the central part of our thoughts and hearts.

    May this allow us to constantly change our selfish and fear-motivated thoughts and actions into a free, caring and life-giving act of love wherever we are at this moment, and whatever is our status today. Kabay pa.

  • TAKE COURAGE

    TAKE COURAGE

    June 2, 2022 – Thursday of the 7th Week of Easter

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/060222.cfm)

    In the past few days, we have been following the prayers of Jesus just before his passion and death. Most of these prayers of Jesus speak of oneness and of friendship. Jesus speaks about these because he has most probably felt already the suffering that he will undergo. There will be great feelings of fear, confusion, of loneliness and abandonment.

    In this prayer of Jesus, he expresses his gratitude to the Father for giving him the gift of friendship with his disciples. This friendship gives comfort to Jesus. Yet, he also feels that his friends are afraid, confused and insecure. Thus, Jesus prays that his friends may be one with him, may never leave him but will accompany him in his suffering.

    However, these friends of Jesus turned out to be overwhelmed by their fear and insecurities. They fled and hid themselves for fear of being persecuted. After all, they left Jesus alone.

    But this attitude of the disciples never made Jesus to surrender on them. Jesus remains grateful to the Father because he saw something beyond the imperfection and unfaithfulness of his friends.

    Indeed, Jesus trusts the wisdom of the Father for giving him these kinds of friends. These friends are also the very sign of the Father’s love to him. Beyond the unfaithfulness and fear of the disciples are the image and the presence of God in them.

    The disciples realized this after the resurrection of Jesus. This event gradually changed them completely. Indeed, it was in this way that they have become one with Jesus. And true indeed, they were the Father’s gift to Jesus because each of Jesus’ friends became his witnesses to all the nations.

    This is the experience of Paul, who was a true witness of Jesus, as described to us in the Acts of the Apostles. What sustained Paul from those accusations and persecutions was his friendship with the Lord and the friendship he developed with the other believers of Jesus. This is how the Lord himself assured Paul and told him, “Take courage.” The Lord stood by him. This is friendship!

    We, too, are the Father’s gift to Jesus. As gifts, we are very precious to Jesus because we are his friends. We may also find ourselves weak, fearful and insecure like the disciples, but remember, Jesus will never surrender on us because he sees something beyond our weaknesses and fears. Jesus sees himself in us!

    As Jesus wishes that we may be one with him to see his glory, we are invited to remain firm in our faith and conviction as Christians. But, when we find ourselves going away from Jesus, let us come to him again, to come closer to him. It is only in being with him that we too shall find our true peace and comfort.

    Today, let us be grateful of the friendship we have with Jesus and of the friendship we have developed with other people. Like Jesus, we may also see the person of Jesus in our friends, to see Jesus beyond the imperfection and weaknesses of our friends. Take courage, then, because we have friends. Kabay pa.

  • JESUS IS SPREADABLE

    JESUS IS SPREADABLE

    May 29, 2022 – Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/052922-ascension.cfm)

    Have you ever had a religious experience?  A religious experience is a deep and intimate encounter with God. This can be a realization how vulnerable and powerless, sinful and unworthy we are before God yet, we are being loved. Such experience brings transformation in the way we look at life and in the way we relate with others, from being closed-minded to being welcoming, from being hateful to being loving.

    Thus, a tremendous joy is felt. It could be a moment of your prayer time where you have deeply felt God’s presence despite the many problems you have. It could be in an occasion where you have seen your family or friends being together and the happiness of being with them cannot be contained. This could be the moment your girlfriend said yes to you, the moment your boyfriend held your hands, or the very first time you have carried in your arms your baby.

    This tremendous joy makes God’s presence and love ever more present in us that we wanted to get hold, to just stay there, in those feelings of joy and peace.

    Hence, allow me to bring you a bit deeper into the readings on this Solemnity of the Ascension of Jesus and see how God invites today.

    The first reading from the Acts of the Apostles told us about this kind of religious experience. The apostles witnessed the ascension of Jesus into heaven. That was surely an event that captivated them so greatly because it was glorious. It was their religious experience where God made himself ever present in them as Jesus was lifted up. Because of that, the apostles kept looking at the sky. They wanted to behold that moment for a long time, not wanting to disappear from their sight and memory what have just happened.

    However, two men appeared in their midst and told them, “Why are you standing there looking at the sky?” The apostles seemed to be stunned with what just happened. But, they were not to remain standing there and gazing at the sky. The apostles were told to come down and share what Jesus shared to them. They were to become his witnesses beginning from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth, as the Gospel told us today.

    Indeed, the apostles were witnesses of the many wonders the Father made and did through Jesus. As Jesus ascended back to his Father in heaven, Jesus gave an important role to those who believed in him. These believers were being sent and empowered by Jesus through his ascension to heaven.

    Jesus’ ascension then does not mean that the disciples were being left alone or abandoned. His ascension means being more present to each of his friends wherever they would go. His ascension makes him a constant companion to all of them and to each of us now.

    What does it mean to us? This feast reminds us that we, who believe in Jesus, are called to tell others about Jesus – that in our own way, each of us is sent to bring Jesus and to spread Jesus’ presence into the lives of others through our words and actions, through our very life.

    Our very experience of God should move and motivate us to tell others of God’s mercy, goodness and generosity. Our experience of God is not meant for us alone but it has to be shared. Jesus is after all cannot be contained in us, because Jesus is spreadable!

    We spread our God experience through our very life. We spread Jesus in the way we relate with others, in the way we treat people and all others around us. We spread the Lord in our homes, workplaces, communities and even in our virtual reality.

    When we truly spread Jesus, this also means that we make a stand of being a witness of Jesus, of our Christian faith. Yet, it won’t be easy. It might be quite difficult because people will be against us. Why? Because, it is not easy to be honest, transparent and accountable when many are dishonest, cheating and corrupt. It is not easy to tell the truth when many are lying and convinced of the lies. It is not easy to be selfless when others are selfish. It is not easy to be faithful when others are unfaithful. It is not easy to be a counter-culture. Yet, this is what being a believer of Jesus means.

    As we continue to deepen our faith and cherish our God experiences, God invites us today. 

     To Spread Jesus today! Share to someone, to your friends, family members or even to strangers your experience of God. For the young ones and to all of us who are in social media on a daily basis, explore the social media as a way of communicating and sharing the goodness of God, by not spreading lies and fake news but facts and truth.

    It is just timely that on this Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, we are also celebrating World Communications Sunday. Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, TikTok and twitter are good media platforms to proclaim the goodness of God to others.

    Again, spread Jesus today! Spread the Good News and not fake news; spread the good not the lies. Make viral God’s faithfulness and mercy upon us. Kabay pa.

  • CHRIST-sent MEDIA

    CHRIST-sent MEDIA

    MAY 29, 2022 – SOLEMNITY OF THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/052922-ascension.cfm)

    Not uncommon these days that we may see video clips of departing OFWs at the airport with their family. It is particularly heartbreaking to see little children crying & clinging to bid farewell to their beloved parent who may have been with them for awhile and now will be absent again, all because of the sacrifices-needed for the greater good and better life to be accomplished.

    In our gospel today, it is said that “As he has blessed them, Jesus parted from them and was taken to heaven.” Our Christian faith proclaims the Ascension of the Lord into heaven whenever we profess in our Apostles’ creed, ‘He ascended into heaven and seated at the right hand of the Father.” In claiming His rightful place in the story of our salvation, Jesus also has to leave us behind, depart from us & distant away from us. For God’s salvation be fully revealed & fulfilled, the risen Lord Jesus & His Easter disciples then must go through the process of goodbyes, letting go and distancing, which only an OFW family, both parent & children can understand by experience.

    But beyond the heart-breaking consequences of departure & distancing in life, the risen Lord’s Ascension & perhaps the flight of an OFW migrant is all about our rising above to the special mission & particular plan God has in store for us in life. Over and above what happened to Jesus & His disciples at the ascension, we give importance to what Jesus said: “As the Christ would suffer & rise from the dead.. would be preached to all nations, You are witnesses of these things… and I am sending upon you the promise of my Father.” With these words, Jesus attests that He has done His mission and now is for us to do our Mission – our Part in His mission.

    The Lord’s Ascension then is the moment when Jesus commissioned His disciples to continue the Mission he has begun. It is the very time when Jesus entrusted to His disciples all the good things he had done.   And Jesus is handing on the responsibilities now to us His disciples.

    Not unlike a departing OFW parent saying parting words of love & encouragement to children left-behind, in His ascension, Jesus may have been saying these words, “Hey, I have done my part. I have nurtured & formed you right. This time, do your part. Go now, go ahead, move on to the world and proclaim – that is, I’ve given you the authority & responsibility to share what you have experienced and learned from me, so that others may also enjoy what have you have enjoyed with me.  By the way, don’t forget to believe that I have sent you, for we can continue to do great things, if you believe in me and remain in my love. Go now and do your part, for I have done my part & will continue to do our part in this life and beyond”.

    Like the disciples of old, ours is a life commissioned by Christ. As baptized Christians, we are commissioned by Christ to continue and to do our part in the Mission of Christ. As we live our lives in faith of the risen & ascended Lord, we are entrusted also now do our part in building a Christian Nation as well as building God’s Kingdom in the here and now. Jesus continues to send us today in various ways to fulfill our respective life-missions as media of His offer of salvation to the world. During ordination, priests are commissioned to sanctify our Christian faith & life. During profession, religious are commissioned to consecrate & witness our response to God’s bountiful graces. During their wedding day, married couple are commissioned to love God in their marriage & family. During their commissioning, church lay ministers are commissioned to distribute communion, publicly read the scripture, give catechesis on neophytes Christians, on their own capacity. And above all, after Mass, we are all commissioned to “Go in peace, to love and serve the Lord.”

    It has been said that at the hour of his death, Jesus did not say: “I am finished”, but rather He said: “IT is Finished”. Thus, With Him & with us, there is more yet to come & more yet to happen as we do our now our part in His mission.  

    As sent & commissioned to be His media & witnesses of the God’s kingdom, may we continue to respond & do our part in His ongoing plan of salvation.

    So Be it. Kabay pa. Amen.

  • Again, How’s your LOVE LIFE?

    Again, How’s your LOVE LIFE?

    May 22, 2022 – Sixth Sunday of Easter

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/052222.cfm)

    “They said if you love someone, you set them free. If they come back again, till the end you are meant to be.” Words are from the popular song sung in duet by Barbara Streisand and Barry Manilow.

    So, How’s your love-life? More than having someone to love, love-life is all about having a life of being loving of and being loved by others. And in love, would you agree to these words that, “if you love someone, set them free; if they come back again, till the end you are meant to be?”

    When we really come to think of it, for those who have love-life, love harshly teaches us how to let go and set free of one another. For our love to grow and mature, we need also to learn how to let go and set each other free. True enough in loving others, we know that part of it is the experiences of letting go as well as letting grow – of saying goodbye and saying hello – of departure and arrival, of going away and coming back, of leaving behind and starting again anew, of distance as well as closeness. And we learn & experience growth in this kind of love along the way, not without difficulties.

    Last Sunday, we heard again the commandment of Jesus: to love one another as I have loved you. He wants us to learn how to love and be loved in return, to share love with one another, same as the way He loved us. Today, Jesus is teaching us His tough kind of love – His way of loving that requires setting one another free. He said, “I am going away and I will come back to you.” Meaning, for His love and our love to grow, we must learn how to let one another go and set each other free. This is the kind of tough love Jesus is teaching and requiring us in loving one another. Part and parcel then of loving like Jesus is our capacity to let go, set free, leave behind, and say goodbye so that our love for one another to grow and mature.

    As part of his last words, last farewell, mi ultimo adios to his apostles, Jesus is also trying to tell us that because of his love for us, he has to leave us not to forsake us, but to give us a chance to practice the love he has taught us, and to experience for ourselves the Father’s love he shared us. In other words, as he goes back to the Father, Jesus has given us the opportunity to grow in our faith and to witness and share that faith to others. His commandment of love to us is His kind of loving, that we are to be set free from our kind of loving so that we may grow in Our Father’s love. Out of love and for us to grow in that love, Jesus, as parent, guide, leader, good shepherd, Himself has to distance Himself, step back, let go, say goodbye, & set us free – so that we can love God for ourselves and help others love God for themselves.

    Somehow Jesus is saying to us now, “Guys, I have already taught you, guided you what to do. I have already done my part. Now is your time to do your part. Just carry out what I have told you: Love one another just like as I have loved you. By your love and loving, others may believe in God.  Yes, I am going away, and I will come back to you. So, don’t worry. I will never abandon you. As you love one another, in Holy Spirit, I will be always with you.”

    To us Christians who loves Jesus, this tough Christ-like love that requires distancing in order to grow is very familiar – as well as with our OFW Migrants who loves their family back home. By their love for Christ, their family and loved ones, Filipino Christian migrants find themselves physically distant but still personally close with their family & loved ones, regardless of absence and distance. As I have once ministered them, somehow their example of Christian love-life is a story of being distant yet intimate, of setting free yet coming together again, of departures and arrivals, of goodbyes and hellos. And all of these are not for the sake of preserving good things in life but to make them grow and do their part to be better versions of themselves and others in faith & life so that all may glorify God, and others may believe in Him through Jesus Christ.

    In whatever time & situation we are in – here or abroad, normal or new normal, may the love of Christ continue to inspire us to intimately lead our lives in loving God and one another in life – even if at a distance. Amen.