Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Weekday Homilies

  • Encouraging others brings self-confidence and growth

    Encouraging others brings self-confidence and growth

    June 11, 2019 – Feast of St. Barnabas, Apostle

    Acts 11:21b-26;13:1-3; Mt. 5:13-16

    “a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith (Acts 11:24).”

    People who encourage others would always bring support and growth because encouragement nurtures confidence and hope. Parents who would give generous encouragements to their growing children would find children to be happier and lively. Teachers who would also express words of encouragements to their students would find them animated to perform well in their studies. It is also true among employers or corporate leaders. A leader who is generous in expressing encouragement to his/her workmates or colleagues or employees would surely find people around him or her to work confidently and competitively.

    Moreover, when words of encouragements are expressed whether at home, at school or at work, they lessen unnecessary stress, avoid unnecessary conflicts and rather promote self-confidence, trust and hope.

    This attitude of encouraging others had been shown to us through the person whose feast we celebrate today. St. Barnabas, an apostle, was a man of encouragement. During his lifetime, in his ministry, he never forgot to encourage people around him. In fact, it was through his encouragements, together with St. Paul, that they helped and nurtured the early Church to grow and to mature. It was in the Church of Antioch, through Barnabas too, that the Church is indeed Catholic or universal in its nature. In Antioch, Jews and Gentiles lived together. Despite the differences in culture, language, and history, the Church became one in faith but so dynamic and vibrant in living as Christians.

    Indeed, it was in Antioch that we, believers of Jesus, were first known as “Christians.” Thanks to that attitude of Barnabas, his encouragements to the first Christians made them confident in living together. Actually, the name Barnabas means, “the son of encouragement.”

    IMG_0293

    The Acts of the Apostles reminds us of the attitude of Barnabas that he was “a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith (Acts 11:24).” This tells us that when we welcome and allow the Holy Spirit to satisfy us, then, we also become discerning on how the Holy Spirit works in the life of those people around us. Certainly, we become familiar to the movements of the Spirit.

    This makes us then, to be become welcoming of others. We shall surely see more opportunities of growth and rooms for developments for ourselves and for those people around us. Accordingly, we see more value in expressing encouragement rather than in blurting out destructive criticisms that may only damage one’s self-confidence and the hope to redeem oneself after a failure.

    Thus, on this feast of Barnabas, each of us is being reminded and called to be more welcoming of the Holy Spirit in our life so that our hearts and minds will be filled with wisdom, understanding and compassion. In this way, then, we too shall become persons of encouragements that promote growth, confidence, trust and hope in our own context; whether at home, at school, at work, or wherever we are called to be. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • We have a Mother

    We have a Mother

    June 10, 2019 – Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church

     

    “Behold your mother.” – Jn. 19:27

    Today’s Gospel makes us confident because there on the cross, Jesus assured us that we have a mother. We are not orphaned and alone because Mary is our mother and we, all of us, are her sons and daughters. The presence of Mary becomes the presence of Jesus.

    As Mary stands at the foot of the cross, she becomes a model of faith and discipleship. Her presence and her maternal role keep us and protect us. This is the reason why we, the Church, would always seek guidance and inspiration from Mary because we feel the identity of being her children in faith. The intercession of Mary as a mother, becomes a bridge of faith. It is to lead us to her risen Son, Jesus Christ.

    Through her example of faith and obedience to God, she shows us the direction. By her confidence and prayer, she assures all of us. This is the very reason too why we are celebrating this feast of Mary, Mother of the Church right after the Solemnity of the Pentecost. In the words of Pope Francis, “through the person of Mary, as a mother, the Church learns the langugae of tenderness, knows the language of such wisdom of caresses, of silence, of the gaze that knows compassion, that knows silence,” (Pope Francis, May 21, 2018).

    Personally, Mary as a mother, she cares and loves all the believers of Christ not just in a general sense. Mary cares and loves every believer. And I truly believe in this. She carries and leads every person to gaze and recognize at the true source of light and life, her Lord and God. And by her loving care, no one will be lost. St. Alphonsus would say, “a true child of Mary will never be lost.”

    download

    This feast that we celebrate today does not point at all to Mary but rather to Jesus who commissioned Mary and gave her the grace to be our mother, and thus, to be my Mother, my own Nanay.

    What is it to you and to me now who are devoted to Mary, our Mother? How do we express now our act of thanksgiving for all the graces that we have received? You and I are called now to become God’s sign of help and compassion. It means that as a Church, our devotion should not only remain a mere devotional practice but must also flow into our actions and words, into our decision and choices.

    Thus, I would like to invite you to extend your help to someone who is most in need, perhaps your friend, co-worker, relative or even a stranger. Console and give comfort to those who are in pain. Support and promote life and oppose those who destroy it because these are the ways that we will truly become a Church that shows compassion and tenderness.

    Mary, our mother, would have a lot to teach us to us. Let us come closer to her, then, belive in her maternal love and tenderness because she will surely brings us closer to her Son, Jesus. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • Stop comparing, God has plans for each of us

    Stop comparing, God has plans for each of us

    June 8, 2019 – Saturday 7th Week of Easter

    Jn 21: 20-25

     

    “Lord, what about him?” – Jn 21: 21

    When we begin to compare ourselves with others. Our insecurities will grow. We will also begin to either belittle others to compensate our incapacities or belittle ourselves that feeds self-pity and low self-esteem.

    This kind of feeling irritates all ages, young and old, students and professional, children and parents. This makes us feel inadequate, unworthy, and lesser being than others. Thus, this could also affect on how we relate with others even among siblings, or friends, classmates or colleagues at work.

    When this happens in us also, we tend to be bitter not just with others but also with ourselves. We will tend to see to what is only negative and wrong. This makes then, ungrateful to others and to God. We also become unhappy of the successes and achievements of people around us. And takes pleasure at the mistakes and failures of others.

    stop comparing

    However, God does not want us to become this kind of person. God desires that each of us will realize our own potentials and capacities, but, most of all, of our very identity before God. We are loved! We are God’s beloveds.

    Today’s Gospel tells us about Peter and the beloved disciple of Jesus. Peter asked Jesus, “What about him Lord?” which means, “Do you also have plans for the beloved disciple? Do you have something in mind for him aside from me?” Peter seemed to be so concerned about the beloved disciple; yet, Jesus told him that it was not his concern.

    Peter was called to a particular mission as the beloved disciple too was called to a particular mission. Jesus wanted Peter not to make it his concern about others and even not to be disturbed by others, but to focus on what Jesus called him to be.

    It was invitation for Peter to be confident with himself and with his gifts, with his capacities and potentials, and with the Lord who called him and also loved him.

    Definitely, each of us is also called by the Lord in different ways and to different tasks as Peter and the beloved disciple and the rest of the group was called each according to God’s desire and according to their gifts and weaknesses, capacities and willingness.

    We knew, then, that the beloved disciple was called to testify to the Lord not through martyrdom. The beloved disciple died out of old age. And through him, the Gospel of John was written to tell the world of the wonders God has done for us. In fact, he himself told us in the Gospel that all those things that Jesus did, if everything will be written, the world will not be able to contain those books.

    Hence, God’s wonder and goodness continue to overflow to each of us today. It is just right to fully trust this God who became human like us, who expressed his love for us in the most concrete way.

    Jesus invites us to also discover his plan for us, to stop comparing ourselves from others, but rather, to become more confident of the gifts that God has given us. When we become confident of our gifts and more accepting of our weaknesses, then, we shall also begin to discover who we are really before God. This identity then, will lead us to that particular vocation that God calls us.

    Hopefully, through our lives, we too shall become Jesus’ witnesses to the world, people who shall share and proclaim how good God is. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • Do you love me?

    Do you love me?

    June 7, 2019 – Friday 7th Week of Easter

    Jn 21:15:19

     

    “Simon, Son of John, do you love me more than these?” – Jn 21: 15

    My 5-year-old niece playfully asked my parents, “Tatay, do you love Nanay?” Asking my Papa if he loves Mama. And then she asked in the same way her grand mom, “Nanay, do you love Tatay?” This happened just a week before Papa died.

    In the eyes of my niece, perhaps what she was doing was a mere play of asking questions and relaying the answer to both of her grandparents. Yet, the question entails commitment and faithfulness.

    The question of Jesus to Peter essentially involves commitment and faithfulness. The three questions of Jesus were not of condemnation and judgment against the unfaithfulness of Peter. However, the question, “Do you love me?” was an affirmation that Peter was loved and forgiven.

    do-you-love-me-more-than-these-1024x576

    This scenario happened after Peter went back to his old life of fishing. Because of so much guilt, fear and disappointment at the event of the arrest of Jesus, which led to his crucifixion and death, Peter and the other disciples retreated back to their old self, to what was familiar because they were afraid of what to come next.

    Yet, from that situation of the disciples also, the risen Jesus called them back. This tells us that Jesus would never give up on his friends. God will never give up on us. In fact, in a surprising way, the Lord will stoop down and come to us wherever we are. This is the reason why Jesus appeared on the shore calling Peter and the other disciples to come to the shore once again, that is, to come to Jesus once again and receive his forgiveness and love.

    This tells us too that the Lord will come closer to us. He is ready to come down and meet us wherever we will be. The Lord shall come to us in our dark moments, in times of our depression and sadness, even in times of great confusion and doubts, and in times of anger and hate. The Lord is always ready to do that because he wants us to live free from those.

    Thus, the question of Jesus, “Simon, Son of John, do you love me more than these?” refers to that attitude of Peter. Jesus was basically asking Peter, “Simon, do you love me more than your fishing career? More than your fears and doubts? More than your sins and guilt? More than your insecurities? More than your dreams, desires and personal wants?”

    Positively, Peter also understood what Jesus was asking. Jesus asked three times to tell Peter of the great responsibility and also of the joy of the meaning of loving Jesus. To feed or tend the lambs and sheep basically means, “Take charge to care and love others.”This reminds us of Peter’s capacity to care and love others as Jesus did on the cross.

    To each of us today, we are reminded that when failures and frustrations overwhelm us; never forget that Jesus will always come in a surprising way for us, to draw us back to him. Be mindful, then, of friends and events in your life that will become God’s way of calling us back again. In the same way like Peter, the Lord also asks us, “Do you love me more than these? More than your insecurities and fears, more than your personal wants and ambitions?” Then, the Lord also asks us to take the risk of loving him by being able to love others, to become courageous and confident in loving others. Remember, it is in taking the risk of committing ourselves to love others that we too shall find our true selves.

    The Lord knows that each of us has that capacity to love and take care of others. Never be afraid then, never be afraid to love. Never be afraid to express your care and affection towards others. It is in this way that like Peter, we will be able to follow Jesus, who invites us today, to express our love and care to others in the most concrete ways as we have experienced it from Jesus himself. Hinaut pa.

     

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • We are the Father’s gift to Jesus

    We are the Father’s gift to Jesus

    June 6, 2019 – Thursday 7th Week of Easter

    Jn 17:20-26

    “Father, they are your gift to me, I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may se my glory that you gave me, because you loved me before the foundation of the world.” – Jn 17:24

    In these 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 unity, of oneness, and of friendship. Jesus speaks about it because he has most probably felt already the suffering that he will undergo. There will be great feelings of confusion and 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 somehow gives comfort to Jesus. Yet, he also feels that his friends are also 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.

    father they are your gift to me

    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 too. 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 his son. 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.

    We, too, are the Father’s gift to Jesus, each of us. As gifts, we are very precious to Jesus. Yet, like the disciples, we shall also find ourselves weak, fearful and insecure. 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, be also grateful of the friendship you have with Jesus and of the friendship you 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. Hinaut pa unta.

     

    Jom Baring, CSsR