Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Sunday Homlies

  • A Journey towards Transformation

    A Journey towards Transformation

    March 5, 2023 – Second Sunday of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030523.cfm)

    Life is a journey. It is never meant to be static. As simple as the flow of the traffic, it goes forward until one reaches the desired destination. When life becomes stagnant, this is where we also find life uninteresting, depressing and devoid of life itself. Thus, our life also entails taking risks to move forward and being able to embrace the possibilities of what lies ahead despite its uncertainties.

    This is how we realize that taking risks to enter into new relationships, new places, new perspectives, new ways or methodologies could bring more life in us and even help us to be a better version of ourselves. This is something that I want to expound on this Second Sunday of Lent. The readings we have today have a lot more to say for each of us in this Season of Lent. And so allow me to journey with you through the readings.

    The Book of Genesis tells us of the call of Abram. He was called by the Lord to journey to a land he did not know, only God knows. This already tells us that this particular journey was filled with uncertainties and unfamiliarity. Abram was asked to leave and go out from his comforts, from the usual and from the familiar to him as he was to leave his family and homeland. Everything will be left behind.

    Yet, amidst uncertainties, God promised, “I will bless you!” Abram will be a blessing and all communities of the earth shall find blessing in him. This was how Abram went as the Lord directed him. Abram trusted the Lord and took the risk. Abram also grew in faith and became more familiar with God’s voice speaking in his heart.

    Abram’s life was a journey with the Lord but despite the risk of being uncertain, it formed Abram to grow as a person, as a man of faith. This was how Abram became a blessing to all.

    The Second Letter of Paul to Timothy reminds us also that even though we might experience fear and become anxious in life, yet, there is comfort and assurance given to us. Paul tells us that our journey is towards a “Holy Life.” We are saved and called for this. This is God’s desire for us and so God gives us spiritual strength. Therefore, we cannot rely on our own abilities and convictions alone. As we take risks in this life, we rely on the grace of God. We trust God’s presence to direct and inspire us.

    Moreover, the Gospel of Matthew beautifully proclaimed to us this journey towards that holy life. We were told that Jesus took Peter, James and John to a high mountain. It was a journey taken by the three with Jesus. The three disciples, like Abram, didn’t know what will happen there but because they trusted the Lord and had already built a close relationship with him, then, they went ahead.

    That high mountain is a symbol of being close to the Divine presence. This was where Jesus was “transfigured.” This means that Jesus’ appearance was completely changed, signifying his glory that was never seen before. This was a glimpse of that holy and glorious life. Yet, the transfiguration of Jesus was more than physical.

    That is why, the presence of Moses and Elijah pointed to something more. These two were the figures of the Law and the Prophets of the whole Hebrew Scriptures. They were conversing with the transfigured Jesus. This means that Jesus is the embodiment or the living fulfillment of the Law and of the Prophets. Hence, in journeying with Jesus, we shall find in him the fullness of life, healing and freedom.

    However, we are warned not to be like Peter at that time of this event. Peter who had a glimpse of the glory of Jesus wanted to stay. It was so glorious that he wanted to behold longer. Peter only listened to his desires and impulses. This is the danger of becoming static and stagnant in life when we let ourselves be overwhelmed by the events in our life, or by our emotions or by anything that prevents us to move forward and discover more.

    Yet, the Lord God never meant that life must be stagnant. That’s why when Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed the three of them. This was God’s presence with a declaration saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased, LISTEN TO HIM.” Yes, to listen to Jesus – this was the response to Peter and to all of us who merely listened to what we want and like to believe based only on our personal preferences and fancies.

    Another interesting and moving event here was that action of Jesus after that voice from heaven. The three were very much afraid of what just happened but “Jesus came and touched them.” This was the real presence of a friend who brings comfort and assurance when we too become afraid in life.

    From there, they came down from the mountain. This expresses that the journey continues and that is to bring change and blessing into our homes, groups, organizations, workplaces and communities. And from these readings today, I leave you three invitations.

    First, consciously make this Season of Lent a journey towards our transformation and not just as a mere devotional ritual to be practice yearly. So, seek the Sacrament of Reconciliation and faithfully do fasting and abstinence.

    Second, be more attentive of God’s presence in this Eucharist and even in the ordinary events of our life. Thus, it is important that we give time to be silent and to pray by becoming more familiar with God’s presence.

    Third, listen to Jesus. The Lord speaks in our hearts. So, read and reflect with your Holy Bible, if you can, attend Lenten Recollections and Retreats.

    As we embrace these invitations, may we be transformed to become blessings to everyone as we allow ourselves to be a gift to people whom we will encounter in this life. Kabay pa.

  • God’s AGENDA First

    God’s AGENDA First

    March 5, 2023 – Second Sunday of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030523.cfm)

    Coming back from the desert, a holy man was once asked to describe his experience of God. People asked him, “Tell us, how does God look like? How do we recognize God?” But the holy man was so confused, for how can he express to them his experience of God from his heart. Is it possible to articulate to them his God experience in few words? So, he decided to teach them a simple prayer to describe his God experience in the desert, knowing also that this prayer is limited and incomplete. He hoped however that through this simple prayer, people may become more open to experience God for themselves. People then accepted such prayer readily, made it sacred and holy devotion, teach and impose it on others, and preach it to other nations. Some even gave up their lives to spread devotion to this Prayer to other people.

    However, concerned about what happened, the holy man eventually regretted his actions because many things have been done already to his simple yet incomplete prayer, except to help people experience and encounter God for themselves. He realized eventually that it would have been better if he did not speak at all but stayed silent, than give people a few words of prayer. 

    True enough, we do aspire to know and experience God. Like the people in our story, through prayer, we hope to encounter God’s presence in our lives, since prayer is all about our meeting with God. Prayer is our chance to experience God in our own lives. Meaning, prayer is not only our spoken-words and actions-done to express our needs, wants and desires for God, but moreso, prayer is our way & chance for God to reveal, make himself known, and be experienced by us. 

    Our readings today describe to us what Prayer really is. In our first reading, we come to learn that by listening to God’s will, Abram in prayer received God’s promise of salvation. In our gospel, by accompanying Jesus in prayer, the disciples witnessed and experienced God’s presence & glory.

    Meaning, in prayer we come to experience God, and it is our encounter with Him. Our experience of God (what happens) then matters most than the methods and words we used in prayer. Words and the manner of praying are just then but helps or avenues towards experiencing God through prayer.

    But usually while praying, we become more concerned about the Hows (methods) – on what is the righteous thing to do or say for us to experience God, and like Martha, on what do we have to do or say before the Lord. Remember, however: What God say to us is more important that what we say to Him.” What God wants from us and for us is more important than what we want from Him. What God does to us is more important than what we do to Him.

    In others words, God’s presence and glory is more important than our presence and glory. Simply put, while praying, God’s agenda and business are more important than our own agenda and business.

    Like for instance, while praying the rosary, we do find ourselves at times tired and sleepy or sleeping. And then we find ourselves guilty for losing track or not completing our rosary. Consider perhaps that God is more concerned with our tired souls than completing our rosary. While praying, God is more concern about taking care of our tired and weary souls than we finishing off our rosary. OR at times, while we are praying the Lord’s prayer, we distracted and bothered with the word: “Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sinned against us” because we are reminded of people who have hurt and pained us, as well as of people we have hurt and pained. Consider perhaps that those hurtful memories are the very agenda and business God wants us to address at that very moment to be eventually forgiven and healed.    

    Prayer and praying usually lead us into quiet and silence of our heart, eventually for us to become more open to God’s agenda and business as well as God’s presence. Abram in our first reading and the disciples during the Lord’s transfiguration experienced God’s glory and became sensitive to God’s will because they prayed in silence and open enough to be changed by God’s agenda and business for them.

    This Lenten Season, the Holy Church calls us to pray. And in the many ways and words we pray, be reminded that these prayers are just ways and means, but great help and aid for us to experience for ourselves God’s presence and will for us these days. Through our silent prayerful listening anew to God’s word & agenda for us these days is our sure path into our redemption towards God’s glory. In response to our Father’s call to Listen to His beloved Son, through our prayer in silent listening, may we be more open and sensitive to experience God’s presence and revelations – greater and better things God in store for us in life after pandemic. Amen.

  • Overcoming Temptations

    Overcoming Temptations

    February 26, 2023 – First Sunday of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/022623.cfm)

    “What would you do if your boss offers you big amount of money and promises you a high-paying and much better job position, if you only betray your innocent supervisor and bear false witness against him in court for money-laundering?”, a priest once asked his three friends.

    The first friend answered, “No, I will not take the money and the tempting offer.” The priest said, “You are foolish stupid man.” The second friend retorted, “Well, Yes, I will take the offer. I will not waste such remarkable opportunity.” The priest said, “You are devious crook”. The third friend replied, “Well, I really don’t know what to do? Will I overcome my evil inclinations? OR, Will my evil inclinations overcome me to claim for myself what is not mine and to do what should not be done? I really don’t know. But if God will bless me and strengthen me to go against all my evil inclinations, I will not accept the money and offer of my corrupted boss.   The priest then said, “You are right, and you are a good wise man.”

    Everytime we pray the Lord ’s Prayer “Our Father”, we specifically ask the Lord to lead us not into temptation. This is because in our experience, temptations are very real in life. Dealing with temptations that comes our way – always challenging and testing our faith, values, and principles in life, is part and parcel of our daily struggles. Nobody among us here can claim that we are never been tempted or burdened by temptations in life. Each one of us in one way or another, had dealt, has been dealing and still dealing with a few temptations in our day lives.

    Perhaps we may somehow have three options in dealing with life-temptations: We may Get-rid, Get-into, or Get-through temptations in life.

    First, we may Get rid of life-temptations. Whenever confronted with temptations, here we may resist, fight with, and fly from these temptations. In overcoming our evil inclinations and life-temptations, here we do it on our own. The priest called the first friend as stupid and foolish man because he chooses to deal with (get rid of) temptation on his own. He doesn’t know himself – believing that he is strong enough to resist and deal with temptation on his own. No one, maybe except Jesus, has ever overpowered temptations in life. Usually, temptations overcome us not because we are weak but because we are too proud to think that we are strong enough to overcome temptations. Getting rid of temptations is a stupid and foolish option.

    Second, we may Get into the temptations. Whenever confronted, we just get into and allow ourselves to submit and be overcome by temptations itself. We do nothing ourselves but be corrupted by temptations – hurting not only others but also ourselves along the way. The priest called the second friend an opportunistic criminal because he opts to get into temptations – willingly claim what he is not due him, and do wrongdoing, without any qualms whatsoever. For such kind of men, temptations are opportunities for them to take advantage of others for their own benefits and glory. Getting into temptation is a crooked criminal approach to temptation.

    Third, we may Get through of temptations in life. Here whenever we are confronted with temptations in life, we willingly face and struggle along with these temptations – aware that on our own we are weak and limited, but also we steadfastly believe in God’s power with us to overcome such temptations. The priest praised the third as good and wise man because he knows that like all of us, we are basically weak people. He hopes that amid temptations, he will be strong enough to do what is right and his part. But he also knows that he can only do this with God’s help and strength, and he is most willing to ask and pray for it. He knows that in dealing with life-temptations, there is always a struggle within as well as reliance in God’s help. Getting through temptations is a good and wise option.  

    Easy for us indeed to fall into temptations. The biggest problem in dealing with temptations is our lack of self-knowledge, our lack of recognizing and overcoming the evil within ourselves. We struggle with the evils of others and in our society but the toughest struggle is to acknowledge and overcome the evil within our own selves, the evil in our own hearts. We were born with conflicting goodness and evil within. That is why we can be good and can do good. But not easily, since there are always tensions and struggles within ourselves. Moreover, we can only withstand these difficulties, if we are wise enough to rely not only in our strength but in God’s help and power.

    If we think we can overcome these life-temptations and evils only by and through own strength and power, we are surely wrong and are doomed to failure for we don’t have the power and capacity to resist temptations. But like Jesus, if we are wise enough to be God-centered to acknowledge and ask for, and rely on God’s help and strength, we surely can overcome evils and temptations in others as well as within ourselves.

    Notice Satan mainly tempts us in life in order to prove to God that we don’t care about God and others but only care about ourselves. Temptations usually happen then whenever we only selfishly care about ourselves, not about God and others. But through our faith and reliance in God’s help and power over temptations, we prove Satan wrong and proclaim our Love and Care for God and others.

    In praying then to God not to lead us into temptations, we pray to God to guide us through not in getting rid or getting into but in getting through life-temptations because we care not about ourselves, but we care more about God and others in life.

    Father, lead us then not into temptation.

  • SEEK LOVE, SEEK PEACE

    SEEK LOVE, SEEK PEACE

    February 19, 2023 – Seventh Sunday Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021923.cfm)

    As my niece was growing up, it was also the time that we directly and indirectly taught her ways of behaving and of different attitudes, which may be good or bad. Unconsciously, there were many things and ways that we taught to the child that were not really good. For instance, when she would misstep and fall, she would cry because of pain. Our immediate response is to comfort the child and tell her, “hapaka ang salug aron makabalos ka” (hit the floor so that you may have your revenge).Then, this would somehow bring comfort to her as if hitting back would take away the pain.

    A situation like this can easily be taken for granted since this looks and sounds normal to us. However, what we are not aware of is that we are actually introducing a very unhealthy attitude to the child. In fact, this kind of situation would only teach children the “culture of revenge” and the “culture of hate.” It is a form of teaching a child not to be comfortable with pain but to take comfort with vengeance. Hence, this is an unconscious way of teaching hatred to a young heart. Yet, is this the attitude and way of life that Jesus is teaching us as his disciples now?

    Well, we have heard from the Book of Leviticus what the Lord said to the Israelites, “You shall not bear hatred for your brother or sister in your heart… Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against any of your people. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The Lord God commanded this because this is how the Lord shows his heart and compassion to the people despite their unfaithfulness and sins. Moreover, the Psalm today also expressed God’s nature, “The Lord is kind and merciful.”

    This nature and attitude of God is the call for all of us Christian believers. Jesus also tells us, “be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” This perfection, which is much better translated as completeness or wholeness, that Jesus said, is meant to love all, not just loving those who are close to us but also those whom we do not like, those who caused us pain and shame, those who betrayed us and those whom we hate and those who have hatred against us.

    Indeed, it is also true that this sounds impossible to do especially if we would follow what Jesus said, “when someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one as well.” This really sounds ridiculous and outrageous not just to us now but also to people who listened to Jesus at that time. We can possibly ask, “How can I love someone who betrayed me? How can I love the person who abused us, physically, materially, emotionally o sexually?”

    Let us remember that it is certainly true that there may be people who caused pain to us and even unrepairable damage to us, but then, let us also be honest that we too, may have caused pain and damage to others in one way or another, or in many ways which we may not be totally aware of.

    So, what is this message of Jesus really all about? Love and peace, not hatred, not vengeance, not violence. This is what Jesus revealed to us. This is the very experience of Jesus with his Father in heaven as well. Indeed, the Lord God is not a violent Father. The Lord God cares for all sinners and righteous alike. And that God’s power rests in unconditional love and not in bringing us to damnation and eternal death because the Lord is slow to anger and does not hate.

    From this realization of God’s nature and attitude towards us, we are called to grow and become more like Jesus – in the sense, that we become “a complete person or a whole person” as Psychology says. Being a complete and whole person means a person who is healed through forgiveness, love and peace, who does not nurture grudges and not being controlled by anger or hatred.

    Indeed, we are called to get rid of that culture of hate, revenge and violence because healing, reconciliation and peace are not possible when we linger on these attitudes.

    This challenges us now that in our relationships, as we may face the possibilities of being hurt, let us also do our best not to keep feeding our hearts with hate and the thirst for revenge and violence. Let us also consciously teach our children of the culture of forgiveness and not the culture of hatred. Kabay pa.

  • All-Ready LOVE

    All-Ready LOVE

    February 19, 2023 – Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021923.cfm)

    In the comedy film Evan Almighty, God said to Evan Baxter: “If you want to change the world, build an ARK.” Only later after the fuss of exactly building a big ark that Evan Baxter realized that an ark simply means: one single act of random kindness at a time, i.e. one single ARK (act of random kindness) at a time.

    Days after Valentine’s Day, with all the decorations around us, we could say that until now, love is still in the air or we still got valentines’ day hang-overs upon us. Valentine’s Day is the day we honor and celebrate LOVE as we experience it in Life.

    Human as we are, we know how it is to love and be loved by others. We celebrate Valentine’s Day because we live life with love, in love and out of love. We know that Life without love is worthless. Though it’s a constant challenge, living life then with love, in love and out of love make life more meaningful.

    In our gospel today, while preaching to His disciples His Sermon on the Mount, we get a glimpse of Jesus’ take on our experience of love in life. Here He invites us that in our loving, we must “love our enemies, go another mile, offer your cloak and other cheek as well and be perfect as our Father”. Surely, we are already familiar with these words, which are nice words to listen. But easily falls into deaf-ears and slogans because they are difficult to practice. The kind of love Jesus is asking us here are very unusual and demanding, and even Stupid Love, as Salbakuta (Filipino rap-band) would say.

    Jesus knows already that human as we are, we are loved and loving people. But now he requires us to go beyond with our human ways of loving and follow His and God’s way of loving, i.e. Christian Love: To love one another AS (like, same as) He and the Father has loved us. 

    But why is Christian Love, the love Jesus requires of us, is difficult and demanding in our experience of love in life? What makes LOVING AS JESUS LOVES, unusual, hard, and tough, and even stupid?

    Though we live life with love, in love and out of love, human as we are, we do have the tendency to place love at the distance both in place and time. We place love at the distance in time, because we are more willing to postpone doing good than do bad things right away. Easy for us to delay faith, hope and love but attend readily to fear, greed and anger. Why only during Valentine’s Day you remember and celebrate that you are loving and loved, and that you need love in life?  Yes, we do tend to postpone love, but we also know in our experience of love that love is for Now or Never.

    We also tend to place love at the distance in place. We rather love others from a distance and at a distance. Why is it that we have more virtual friends in Facebook and others social media than our actual intimate personal friends? Why is it that we are more open, chatty, and relax in Facebook and messengers but silent and awkward face to face with others? This is because we are afraid to love because love makes us vulnerable, exposed, and weak before others. However, if we are afraid to love then it is not Love but Fear.

    In other words, though we tend to distance from love, Love really is Here and Now, not There and Later.  

    For Jesus then, Christian love, to love and be loved like His and the Father’s, is Here and Now – not there and later, not at a distance and from a distance. Love for Jesus then is and should be an All-READY LOVE – an ARK, act of random kindness. This is the kind of Love Jesus requires us to live and practice in life in the here & now. If we want to change our world with Love, we must change our love into Christian love by building our love into ARK – by living in one simple Act of Random Kindness at a time.

    Unusual, difficult, tough, and stupid it maybe, Loving others same AS (like) Jesus and the Father love us in the here & now, & not there & later, leads us to our redemption towards God’s presence in our lives.

    May we be known as Christians, by our love here & now.  Amen.