Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Season of Lent

  • TO FOLLOW AND OBEY

    TO FOLLOW AND OBEY

    March 26, 2025 – Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032625.cfm)

    When we are told to only “do this” and to “do that” as well as “don’t do this” and “don’t do that,” how do we react? How do we respond? Wherever we are, whether at home, at school at work or in an organization or community, we find rules and regulations being implemented. Our nation and the church is also being guided by laws and decrees that we have to follow. With all of these, are they restricting and limiting us? Do they give us rather more freedom and protection?

    When I was also younger especially in high school and college, I would always look at rules and regulations as something that put limitations to what I can do. These were mostly expressed or stated like, “you shall not,” or “don’t.”

    These rules and regulations were reinforced by my strict parents, siblings and teachers at schools. I was taught indirectly to be fearful. If ever I disobey, then, there will be a consequence, a corresponding punishment whether corporal or verbal.

    This formed me be to obedient. Yet, I was also a very fearful boy. I followed every rule. I was never been late in school and had only one absent in my entire high school. And that was when I was very sick. I was obedient to the rules and regulations, to teachers and other persons of authority. And it was because I fear them. Only later that I realized that I was relating in a very unhealthy way. I felt so unfree because of my fear of being punished. I saw authority figures as merely who executed and deliver painful and shameful punishments.

    Yet, I also realized that this was not the right attitude. Rules and regulations, or even Church laws are originally designed to make us free. As we relate with one another, laws and decrees are meant to protect us rather than harm us. We feel them restrictive to our freedom only when we lack the right attitude. Self-expression suffers if we do not respond properly to laws or rules and regulations.

    Our Gospel today reminded us of the right attitude towards laws. Jesus himself told us that he has come not to abolish the law and the teachings of the prophets. Jesus was to fulfill them.

    Hence, it is in fulfilling the law or commandment of God that we find joy and peace, security and life.

    So how, what kind of attitude then? We find it in Jesus’ relationship with his Father in heaven. Jesus trusts completely the Father. He never doubted his intimacy with the Father and the Father’s love for him. He is indeed secured in the Father’s love. This was manifested and clear when Jesus was on the cross, in pain and was about to die. Despite his confusions and questions in his own suffering, he trusted the Father as he offered his life.

    The invitation for us now is to take confidence in God’s tremendous love and affection for us. It is only by being confident that we also learn to follow God’s commands because we know that we respond in love and not in fear.

    To follow and obey out of love will make us Christians who are free; Christian who live not in the fear of being punished or being limited by many restrictions and “don’ts.” We are rather, Christians who are confident and assured of being loved and cherished by God. Hinaut pa.

  • THE CALL OF CONVERSION

    THE CALL OF CONVERSION

    March 23, 2025 – Third Sunday of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032325-YearC.cfm)

    Our fear of failure or our anxiety of what would others think can drive us to grow complacent, to settle down to comforts and even make us bored.[1] When we are unaware of these tendencies then the more we hold back. This would hamper us from maturing in our relationships and honing our talents and potentials.

    On this Third Sunday of Lent, let us allow ourselves to be challenged and to embraced the call of conversion.

    The first reading from the Book of Exodus tells us a wonderful story of the call of Moses. His call from God captures the invitation for each of us as we are now on the third Sunday of Lent. Let us explore together our readings today and see how God invites and calls us.

    The first reading tells us of the conversion of Moses. It began through the “burning bush” which led Moses to encounter God.

    Moses noticed the flaming bush but was not consumed by fire. This made Moses to become curious. His curiosity led him to come nearer to the burning bush. It was at that moment too that he heard his name being called. With that, Moses responded. He became aware of the holy presence of God as he was standing on a holy ground.

    Moses had to remove his sandals and to present himself in bare foot before God. That led him to a personal conversation with God because he was more grounded. By removing his sandals, Moses felt and became more connected with God. Moreover, this encounter brought Moses to a mission. God sent Moses back to Egypt to bring freedom for his fellow Israelites.

    This encounter of Moses allowed him to know God and be more aware of God. God’s name is “I am who am” or basically means, “I am with you always, all the time.”

    Moses realized that God is relational. This means that God does not remain remote or alien to human suffering. In fact, the Book of Exodus described God’s words in this way, “I have witnessed the affliction of my people in Egypt and have heard their cry of complaint against their slave drivers, so I know well what they are suffering.”

    This conversion story of Moses tells us that God disturbs us from our comforts, fears and complacency. Remember, Moses fled Egypt because he killed an Egyptian soldier who had beaten a Hebrew slave. The burning bush then, became the opportunity for Moses to encounter and know God, and being called and challenged by God as well.

    In the second reading, St. Paul reminds us of this call towards conversion.  The history of unfaithfulness, of the grave sin committed by the people in the past must be a learning experience. That cannot be forgotten. St. Paul calls us, definitely, not to grow complacent and to just be secured with what we have in this world. He even expressed this in these words, “whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall.” 

    In the same manner, the call of conversion is also revealed in today’s parable in the Gospel of Luke. In that parable of the fig tree, Jesus tells us that the Father is a God of many chances. God gives us many chances to change our ways and to come nearer to him so that we may find fullness of life.

    This is described to us as Jesus expressed in the parable how the owner visited the fig tree. Yet, in the person of the gardener, Jesus tells us that indeed, God gives us another chance when we fail and commit mistakes, when we grow complacent and refuse to be life-giving. The gardener expressed hope to the owner as he asked him to give the fig tree another year. The gardener promised to cultivate it so that it may bear fruit. The gardener saw hope for transformation and hope of being fruitful in that tree.

    Indeed, God always sees hope in each of us too. This was how God saw hope in Moses who left Egypt to hide and to make him as God’s messenger. God also saw hope among his people who were made slaves in a foreign land to give them the fullness of life.

    Out of these things, there are three invitations that I want you to remember on this Third Sunday of Lent.

    First, be more conscious of our own “burning bush.” This “burning bush” could be an experience where we also became curious about God. Discover and affirm those moments of your personal encounter with God.

    Second, remove our sandals, as what Moses did. Let us remove anything that is not helpful and toxic. Remove and get rid of those that prevent our growth.  We are challenged to remove and let go any unnecessary things, attitudes, behaviors, opinions, beliefs and lifestyle that prevent us from becoming a life-giving person.

    Third, go beyond. This is the message of hope and the call of conversion. We are not limited by our failures and mistakes in life, not even by our sickness, struggles and difficulties that we have at this moment. God sees hope in us and it is God’s desire that we are able to enjoy life and celebrate life in its fullness. Thus, go beyond from our protected shells of pretensions and complacency. Go beyond  from our fears and sins by seeking peace and reconciliation. Go beyond from our insecurities, anger, hatred, disappointment and trauma by making ourselves confident with God’s gift of healing and of his faithfulness. Hinaut pa.

    [1] https://ryanestis.com/why-do-we-become-complacent-comfortable-and-bored/#:~:text=Fear%20of%20failure%20or%20the,%2C%20relationships%2C%20happiness%20and%20fulfillment.

  • AN ENVIOUS HEART CORRUPTS

    AN ENVIOUS HEART CORRUPTS

    March 21, 2025 – Friday of the Second Week of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032125.cfm)

    Having siblings makes our home more fun. During our childhood days, our siblings were our first playmates. They too become our protectors at school whenever someone would bully us. Being in any home, we too experience quarrels and tensions with our siblings.

    Moreover, when some kind of competition would arise, it also breeds jealousy and even envy among siblings. To us children, in some occasions we could have felt that we are more loved by our parents than the rest of our siblings. However, it could also be the other way around. We might have felt we are receiving lesser love and attention from our parents.

    When we are being compared to the one who is more responsible than us, or more talented and intelligent, etc., this can be painful. A deep emotional wound is created deep within our heart because of constant comparison and discrimination that we receive at home. Hence, relationships among our siblings are being stretched until a gap of indifference and mutual bitterness and hatred arise.

    In the first reading, Book of Genesis told us that “Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons, for he was the child of his old age.” These are the first words from the first reading today. Yet, that love of Israel towards his youngest son, became the reason for deep envy and hatred of his other sons.

    The envious hearts of Joseph’s brothers became cruel and vicious. The older brothers must have believed that their brother did not deserve such love and attention from their father. In that culture before, the youngest was considered to be the least and the less important.

    Thus, the brothers must have claimed that they deserved more than him. This was how their envy consumed them to the point that their thoughts and actions became violent and corrupted. Their youngest brother became the victim of those envious hearts.

    Though Reuben and Judah tried to save the life of their brother, yet, not one of them stoop up and confronted the evil that they were planning. They could not because they were into it already.

    This tells us that when we become envious of others, we will tend to get aggressively what we wanted. Our selfish ambitions and intentions will lead us to corrupt and evil practices, such as in deceiving and manipulating others. 

    Such attitude only portrays a self-image that is dominating, powerful and that must be considered a master who is above everybody else. However, this attitude would consider others as lesser and not important. It is in fact a boastful self, arrogant and vain, but deep within, insecure and filled with bitterness.

    This is what we have heard also from the Gospel. The parable was not actually about labor issues. It was about the bitterness and aggression showed by the tenants against the servants and to the son of the landowner. The tenants, who were actually the chief priests and Pharisees, became self-entitled and believed that they were the only deserving people of God’s grace and favor. Their envious and ambitious hearts also became unwelcoming, greedy and vicious.

    Like the brothers of Joseph, they too began to plan evil things against Jesus. They wanted to arrest and kill him. Indeed, this happened to Jesus. But then, their evil thoughts and plans cannot and will not defeat God’s power to bring salvation and freedom to all.

    As Joseph became the savior of his own brothers during the great drought and famine, Jesus also through his resurrection proved that evil has no match with the wonder of what love can do.

    As we continue to journey in this Season of Lent, let our hearts be overwhelmed, not by our envy towards others, but by our love and affection towards one another. Let us also recall and acknowledge the conflicts, tensions and misunderstanding we have with our siblings. Have the courage and humility to repair any gap of indifference and to heal any mutual bitterness with our siblings and friends. Hinaut pa.       

  • Sharing the Weight of our Burdens

    Sharing the Weight of our Burdens

    March 18, 2025 – Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031825.cfm)

    What burdens do we carry now? We may have different forms of burdens that we carry in life. Some are necessary and can’t be avoided. These could be the burdens of responsibilities in our commitments and relationships at home, at work and in our communities. Some may also be unnecessary and imposed upon us. These are the burdens in our toxic relationships, emotional baggage, unreasonable expectations from others or unresolved issues.  

    Sometimes, these burdens become overwhelming. We seek and want freedom. Yet, we also find difficulty in unloading our burdens. This is because of the cycle of blame, guilt, and fear that gripped us. There are also other reasons only known to us.

    Nevertheless, the Lord desires our freedom, to unload our burdens so that we experience life in its fullness. This is the power of forgiveness is all about. Forgiveness unburdens and unshackles us from sin and guilt. Prophet Isaiah described it this way, “Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow; though they be crimson red, they may become white as wool.”

    This begins by acknowledging our sins and correcting the wrong we have done. This also includes avoiding evil, seeking justice and being charitable to the weak ad vulnerable.

    In this way, as we unload our burdens, then, we also help others to unload theirs. Yet, when these burdens are indeed necessary, then, we share together the weight of the burdens. This is the call that Jesus presented to his disciples.

    Jesus first criticized the indifference of those in power at that time. These were the scribes and Pharisees who imposed unnecessary burdens upon the people. Yet, unwilling to share those burdens. They were only concerned of their comfort and privileges. Their bloated ego and self-image became the very burden of the ordinary Jews.

    They were completely unaware of their faults and even refused to acknowledge their sins. No doubt, their hearts were hardened and can’t recognize God in the person of Jesus.

    The antidote to that bloated ego is humility. Thus, Jesus said, “The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

    Jesus calls us today that humility becomes our way of life. By being humble, it makes us recognize our faults and failures. By being humble, we acknowledge that we not strong enough when alone. We need the company of others. We need the forgiveness of God to unburden us from sin and guilt. By being humble, we are more sensitive to others’ burdens. By being humble, we share in carrying the weight of the burdens with others. By being humble, we avoid becoming the very burden that others are suffering from. Hinaut pa.

  • SYSTEM UPDATE

    SYSTEM UPDATE

    March 16, 2025 – Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031625.cfm)

    What is the best thing to do if & when we get lost our way?

    The best way to do if & when we are lost is to first stop our journey, and look for some higher grounds, so that we may know and see where we are, where we have been, where we want to go and the best way or path to take. Meaning, we have to stop first then climb a high place – a hill, mountain or a tree, so that from there we get a much wider perspective of our journey and travel.

    Losing our way may also reflect our experience of life. There are times in our lives that we feel lost & confused in all our endeavors and dreams. Because of this, like being and getting lost in the forest, it is easy for us to feel tired, dry, afraid, anxious and hopeless in life to reach and achieve our aspirations, hopes and dreams in life.

    Our gospel today narrates us the Transfiguration of the Lord. We hear Jesus brought his apostles to Mt. Tabor so that they would witness the glory of God revealed before them. After they have followed the Lord in his preaching and ministry in many towns and villages, the apostles have now experienced weariness and exhaustion in their journey, even to the point others have cast doubt in the Lord’s person and authority.

    For them to be inspired (to be in-spirit) and encourage once again, Jesus brought then to mountain of Tabor to have a preview or prelude of God’s glory so that they themselves taste and witness God’s glory made manifest in Jesus Himself. And then, they hear & encounter anew for themselves the call & challenge from God to listen and have faith in Jesus, his beloved Son.

    Sometimes in life, we need to stop for awhile from all our endeavors and aspirations, and then, climb the Lord’s mountain in order for us to view a much wider perspective in life and our journey. Like in our modern lingo of cellphones, we need a higher ground to get a good signal; sometimes we need to climb the mountain with the Lord for us to get a good and strong signal of God’s presence and love.

    We call this nowadays as RETREAT with the Lord – a time in our life where we stop or slowdown from all our plans, aspirations and activities in life, spend some time to distance from our usual routine and look and climb for a high place in order to get a wider perspective of our life. Time and place to ask ourselves: “where am I now in relation to my life, dreams, aspirations and commitments? Am I lost or in the right path? What else should be done? What need to be change?”

    Retreat would also mean to treat ourselves again & anew to God’s vision of life-glory. In other word, to take care & nourish ourselves anew to the vision & fervor of God’s glory. And above all, in the Lord’s transfiguration & our retreat moments, we are challenged also to be “transfigured”, i.e in our modern-tech language, to do “system update” for us to be in sync, upgraded, & outfitted with the current plans of God for our redemption.

    As we follow the Lord, as Christian, it is healthy then for us to sometimes to retreat & be transfigured, i.e., to stop and climb up on a higher ground with the Lord in order to have a wider perspective of life, to witness God’s presence revealed in Christ, and to  hear again God’s call to us “This is my Son, the beloved. Listen to Him”, and so be updated & challenged anew of our vocation to follow Him.

    As our way of doing a retreat with the Lord these days, may our Lenten discipline of prayer, fasting & almsgivings bring us to a much deeper spiritual updating and growth in our Christian faith & journey now & always.

    Amen.