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  • Bitterness Deprives Us of God’s Grace

    Bitterness Deprives Us of God’s Grace

    February 5, 2025 – Memorial of Saint Agatha, Virgin and Martyr

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/020525.cfm)

    When the brain is deprived of oxygen, medical science tells us that it can lead us to loss of consciousness. And longer deprivation of oxygen as in the case of drowning can lead to more damage to the brain and even death. When we too are being deprived of essentials in our relationships like love and acceptance, it also leads us to confusion, depression and even in losing ourselves.

    In matters of faith, depriving oneself of the grace of God will lead us to hopelessness and misery in this life. Yet the Holy Scriptures teach us that God always gives life, blesses life and renews our life. God never stops that.

    In fact, this is the reason why grace overflows so that no one will be deprived of the grace of God. The first reading from Letter to the Hebrews reminds us of this. We were reminded to strive for peace with everyone because without it, we shall have troubles and bitterness in our hearts. As the grace of God overflows, the Letter also invites all Christian believers to “see to it that no one is deprived of the grace of God.”

    This tells us that our participation has an effect in making God’s grace to truly overflow and be experienced by all. However, one can actually deprive oneself or others of the grace of God when the heart refuses God’s grace.

    Yet, why would a person refuse to welcome and accept something that is so wonderful like the grace of God? Is this even possible? Indeed, this is very possible that a person will refuse to accept God’s grace because of a heart hardened by jealousy, false judgment, bitterness and hatred. This is a heart seeks no peace.

    This is what we have heard in today’s Gospel. As Jesus went home, he was welcomed with bitterness and hatred by his own neighbors. Jesus did many miracles in other places but was questioned and judged by the people who knew him. Their thoughts were merely based on the familiar background of Jesus of being a carpenter, being a son of Mary, being a brother to his cousins.  Outside of these, they failed to see that there was more in the life of Jesus. The people failed to see the overflowing grace in the life of Jesus. As a result, the people took offence at him.

    They felt offended because they could not accept the opportunity of being graced by the life of Jesus who was only ordinary for them. This is how a bitter and hateful heart affects our relationship with others. All Jesus could do was to heal few sick people. And it was not that Jesus did not want to do any miracle because of their bitterness towards him. Jesus just couldn’t because the people did not cooperate with the grace of God. The bitterness in their hearts made them refuse and be deprived of God’s grace.

    Indeed, God can only work when we allow God to work miracles. The lack of faith of the people is a way of refusal of God’s grace. This tells us that God, though all-powerful, does not impose the Divine power on us. God would rather invite us to allow Him to work miracles for us.

    Besides, the people expressed their non-cooperation with the grace of God through their lack of faith. And Mark tells us that Jesus was amazed of their lack of faith. It was just amazing for the Lord because the people have witnessed how the grace of Jesus’ life could do for them yet they still refused. The lack of faith in them was even reinforced because their hearts were filled with jealousy, false judgment, bitterness and hatred.

    Yet, as the Letter to the Hebrews calls us, “see to it that no one is deprived of the grace of God.” This is the call for us today. Let us not deprive ourselves of the grace of God or deprive others. Let God’s grace overflow then, through us and through the gift of persons of one another, like St. Agatha whose feast we celebrate today.

    St. Agatha though was subjected to suffering because of a sexual desire of a Roman governor, grew more in her faith in God. In the midst of torture, even when her breast was torn off and later was burned alive, the grace of God flowed through her. Her commitment to Christ and through her martyrdom, she became a channel of miracles of healing.

    And so, with St. Agatha’s intercession, let not our hearts nurture bitterness, hatred, jealousy and false judgment on others in order not to deprive ourselves or others of the grace of God. Let us rather nurture an attitude that welcomes the grace of God through the gift of our persons. And we can do this by striving for peace. Hinaut pa.

  • GOD IN OUR HOMES

    GOD IN OUR HOMES

    January 19, 2025 – Sunday, Feast of the Sto. Niño

    Is 9:1-6; Eph 1:3-6, 15-18; Lk 2:41-52

    There would be times that I noticed how parents would discipline their children when they bring them to Church. There was even a time when I sat at the back before the mass and when a mother saw me, she said to her child, “Pagpuyo diha, hilom, kay naa si Father oh, masuko na siya.” Or sometimes parents would say to a naughty child with these words, “ayaw pag sigeg kiat, si Jesus naa sa krus oh, masuko na siya, monaug gyud na ron kay kusion ka!”

    Parents or those guardians of children would seem to incite fear to the little ones by introducing to them that the “Priest” would easily get angry, and the God will easily punish a naughty child.

    And this weird kind of discipline, though might have been really the experience of some in the past of having priests who easily get angry, reminds us now of the Gospel on this feast of the Sto. Niño.

    The child Jesus remained in the Temple and did not join Mary and Joseph in the caravan. This tells us that the 12 years old Jesus already felt the joy of the presence of his Father in Heaven while being at the Temple. Jesus realized that he also needed to live in his Father’s house because he also felt that it was as well his home. The Temple of God is indeed, Jesus’ home.

    Thus, Mary and Joseph saw that the child Jesus was in fact doing good and well with the teachers of the Temple despite their worries and anxieties of the event. Yet, this also gives us the reality that children also need a home where they will be joyful, will feel loved and a home that will give them opportunities for growth in health and wisdom.

    Hence, allow me now to share with you some surveys and studies that tell us about the situations of many children today.

    According to the World Health Organization[1], there are 6 in every 10 children or 400 million children, under the age of 5, who regularly experience physical and psychological violence, from their own parents and caregivers or guardians.

    Moreover, there is also 1 in 5 women and 1 in 7 men who experienced sexual abuse when they were children. In consequence, such trauma would result to lifelong physical and mental health problems especially when such shameful and painful experience is not processed and reconciled.

    These are only few of the concrete situations that many children are subjected to suffering, violence and unhealthy environment. In fact, there are many children who did not experience a peaceful and loving home because of irresponsible parents. There are many who suffer because of abuse from those people around them.

    Yet, as a Church and a Christian community, we also hope and desire that our children will have a home filled with love and freedom, life and joy. This desire is what we have heard from the readings we have today on this feast of the Sto. Niño.

    In the first reading, Prophet Isaiah proclaimed about the coming of the light, because those who walked in darkness will see the light, and those who live in gloom will be enlightened.

    In Isaiah’s prophecy, the Lord shall dispel the darkness of sin and failures, of our suffering and sadness. And in the midst of these, the Lord has come to bring light and freedom for us. Indeed, his light is our hope. This is what we also journey this time of the Jubilee Year 2025 of which we are all invited to become Pilgrims of Hope. The presence of the child Jesus, the Sto. Niño is God’s manifestation of forgiveness, of God’s mercy, of freedom and gift of life.

    In our devotion to the Sto. Niño, we are reminded of the presence of God who is among us, and who shows his power through the image of a child – through the gentle and humble image of the Child Jesus, who also calls us to grow in friendship with him.

    Indeed, Isaiah tells us of a child who is born for us and will be given to us. He is the Wonder Counselor, the Almighty God, the Eternal Father, the Prince of Peace. This is the Sto. Niño who is given to us.

    And so, we know that we have already been gifted of the presence of God. Let us allow then, God’s presence to dispel all forms of darkness in our hearts, of the pain that we feel because of violence, of the evil of indifference and corruption. Let us also allow the Magnet of Love (ang Bato Balani sa Gugma), the Sto. Niño to embrace us and to bless us now.

    With these, there are 2 challenges for us on this feast of the Sto. Niño.

    First, make a home of acceptance and love. Remember, we can make big and comfortable houses, but what is more important is for parents, for every family, rich or poor, to be able to create a welcoming and loving home. Let not our homes become a home of judgments and home of rejection, or source of unbearable pain and trauma.

    Second, allow God to be at home – so that our children will also be assured of the presence of God and that they will know God. Allow also the Lord that He will have a big space in our homes, that the Lord will become an important part in our dreams and hopes, in making decisions in life, in our concerns and problems as well as in our joys and sufferings – so that in all the days of our life, God’s presence will bless us. Hinaut pa.

    [1] https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/child-maltreatment

  • In HUMILITY

    In HUMILITY

    January 5, 2025 – Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/010525.cfm)

    A man once asked a wise priest: “Father, how come unlike before God seems to be not talking or speaking to us anymore?” The priest replied: “It is not that God is not anymore talking or speaking to us. But rather it is that nowadays nobody are humble enough to stoop down to listen to Him. Nowadays…nobody… are humble enough… to stoop down … to listen to Him. Bihira nalang ngayong panahon ang mga tao na lumalapit sa Kanya na may pagpakumbaba upang marinig Siya at makinig sa Kanya. Niining panahon pipila nalang ang mapaubsanon nga nangaliyupo sa pagpaminaw Kaniya

    True enough that there are times in our lives that God seems to be silent and absent to us. But during those moments of our frustrations and hopelessness with God, perhaps it is better to consider not His seeming absence or silence, but rather perhaps that we have reach already too far and high in life that we don’t anymore get near and low enough to listen to Him. Siguro napakataas at napalayo na ng ating narating na hindi na tayo lumalapit at may pakumbabang makinig sa Kanya at marinig Siya.

    For the past Sundays, during Advent and these Christmas Seasons, we come to know a number of people who became involved in the birth story of Jesus and happened to encounter God and begun to know God’s will for them in life. Mary met God through angel Gabriel and became the mother of Jesus. Through a dream, Joseph became responsible foster-father of Jesus. Zecharias became the father of John, after meeting an angel in his old age. Elizabeth became pregnant with John also in her old age after his husband encounter with the angel. Shepherds saw and learned from an angel that God’s gift to all has been borne in Bethlehem and they became witnesses (godfathers’ or ninong) of baby Jesus. And now in our gospel, the three kings come to know where baby Jesus, God-promised they have been searching, through an omen of  bright-guiding star. All these people and their experiences are telling us that God had made Himself and His will know to them, and God will always continue to make manifest Himself and His will to us until now.

    Same way as before, we might experience once again God and His will for us now, if and when we honor our dreams, listen to God’s word and witness His works actions in us shown to us by his angels or messengers. God still continues to manifest or reveal to us in many ways through the faith and actions of our community and church as we share each other God’s word, good advice, kind and loving service with others, and responsible guidance and parenthood of our elders and leaders. Even in a special way for us Filipino Catholic, we sense God through our kalooban and pangdama. Kilala ko siya dahil dama ko Siya. Malapit ang loob ko sa kanyang salita at gawa.

    Today, in the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, marks the end of Christmas Season. Today is to remind us that more than about the three Kings, God is still making Himself and His will know to us. He is still reaching out and communicating to us in many many ways. He is still talking and speaking to us, like before. All we need to do is to be humble enough to stoop down to listen and be sensitive to Him and His ways of revealing Himself to us.

    Moreover, Epiphany also reminds us that once we become humble enough to sense, hear, and honor God and His will to us now, we must change our ways. After meeting the baby Jesus, the magi went back in their journey following different path. This would mean that once we listen and honor God’s will for us, life will never be the same again, for it has to change for the better. Simply, God’s revelations requires our humility to follow & obey His better plans for us.

    As we say goodbye to Christmas season, may we be more sensitive to God’s continuing revelations to us (His ways of making Himself and His will know to us) and be more humble & open enough to be changed and be responsible for the gift of life God is offering us now and always.

    So be it. Amen.

  • PARENTING 101

    PARENTING 101

    December 29, 2024 – Feast of the Holy Family

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122924.cfm)

    In every Wednesday novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help, one intention we pray is that we may learn to adapt to our growing children. Parenthood, as we all know, is not only about raising children but also adjusting to our growing children. Thus to parent a child is more than just caring for the growth of the children; it is also adjusting and learning in the process, as children grow in maturity and age.

    As Redemptorist missionary involved in parish, retreat, mission and migrant ministry. For many years, though not a parent myself, I came to be aware of the difficulties of parenthood. In as much as adapting to life-changes is difficult, how much more adapting to growing children. In confessions and counseling sessions with faithful people, I become conscious of the hurts & pains suffered by both parents and children alike in their difficulties with parenthood.

    Parents hurt by their children’s disobedience, i.e. going against their will; children blaming their parents for their misfortunes in life. All because of our limitations in parenthood. Parenthood indeed is not an easy task rightly so that we pray to OMPH that we may learn from our experiences of adapting to the growth of our growing children.

    Today, we honor the Holy Family, the family who parented the child Jesus. Our gospel tells us that like any other family, the Holy Family also experienced the difficulties of parenthood. Joseph and Mary followed the proper traditions of raising the child Jesus. They did their best. But as we all know, they also experience how Jesus became disobedient to them, going against their will.

    Surely parents here could relate with Joseph & Mary, and know the hurts, pains and anxieties they experience when children start to grow up and be on their own. Like my mother would say, when we, her children became independent from her, “Kung puede palang ibalik sa tiyan.” (If I could only bring you back in my womb…) It is the same way with the experience of a chicken hen that raises ducks as her chicks. When the duck-chicks, which by nature a swimmer, start to swim and float on a pond, the mother hen would be extremely worried because she cannot swim and she gets anxious that her chicks will get drowned.

    This is also what and how Joseph and Mary experienced parenting Jesus. When the child Jesus began to grow up in age & maturity, his parents also experienced the difficulties of parenthood. However, the Holy Family’s experience could teach us more about parenting, in view of adapting to our growing children.

    First, parenthood is a family matter, not only of parents. To parent a family is not only about the husband and wife tandem in raising their children but it is more on the dynamic teamwork between parents and children. If it was difficult for Mary and Joseph to raise and adjust with Jesus, it was also difficult for Jesus to grow up in his own family. In as much as being parent is difficult, we also know that growing up maturely (to be on our own) is difficult. If Jesus only obey his parents’ will,  we wonder: would we be able to benefit from and share with the salvation God has given us through Jesus, who did not remain a child of Mary and Joseph but become our Christ, our Savior? Surely Jesus had been an obedient Child to His parent, but above all, Jesus became an obedient adult Christ to our God, the Father.

    Second, parenthood is also about trusting in God’s way of raising and forming all of us His children. Inasmuch as we are tasked to parent to our little ones, raising and adapting to their growth, we must never forget that ultimately God is our Father – our ultimate Parent, and we are all His children. If we want the best for our children, God also knows, wants and does what is best for each one of us. God knows what was best for us when we were children, surely, he knows what is best for us when we become mature adult parent to His little ones. So trust and have faith in God’s will, in God’s way of parenting us.

    Photo from YoungCatholic.com

    To parent a child is to work together then with one another as family of parents and children as well as to work with and in deep faith and trust of God’s way of parenting us. Perhaps these days we consider:  “What kind of parent we have been? What is your parenting styles? Have you been a CARPENTER parent who designs, measures, builds up & wills what is best for your children? Or are you a GARDENER parent who prepares, tends, & cares for God’s child in you growing to be a blooming, budding & fruitful blessing for all, God intended our children to be? What need to be improved then, as we learn to adapt to our growing God’s children with us?

    Christmas challenges us Christian to be responsible parents of Jesus in our lives today. Parenting our growing children is also our way of being responsible to Jesus, God’s Word made flesh in us. As we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family, we pray that the Holy Family will continue to inspire all Christian families and communities in parenting our growing children. Amen.

  • Filled with Grace and Power

    Filled with Grace and Power

    December 26, 2024 – Thursday, Feast of St Stephen, First Martyr

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122624.cfm)

    Christmas is a joyful season. The music, decorations, the variety of food and the many gatherings during this season give the festive and joyous atmosphere. Yet, the liturgy today, just a day after the birth of Jesus reminds us how faith and commitment to the Word-made-flesh will make us a contradiction to many.

    Indeed, yesterday we celebrated the joyful birthday of a child and today we celebrate the cruel death of an innocent man. In some ways, the birth of Jesus led to the death of Stephen, one of the first deacons of the church and the first Martyr. Stephen was put to death because of his faith in Jesus, declaring him to be the glorious Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.

    St. Luke describes Stephen dying with two prayers on his lips. First, a prayer of surrender, “Lord, Jesus, receive my spirit.” Second, a prayer of petition for his executioners, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”

    When Jesus was dying on the cross, he had two similar prayers on his lips as well, a prayer of surrender, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” and a prayer of petition for his executioners, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing.” We can see that Jesus prays to the Father while Stephen prays to the risen Lord.

    Mary’s child is now the risen Lord and can be prayed to as we would pray to God. In the church, we often pray to the Father through Jesus, but we are also invited to pray directly to Jesus. Stephen died as Jesus died because he was “filled with the Holy Spirit.”

    We have been given the gift of the same Holy Spirit, and it is the Spirit who empowers us both to live like Jesus and to die like Jesus. On this feast of Saint Stephen, we pray for a fresh outpouring of that Spirit into our lives in this Season of Christmas that we may also be filled with grace and power like him. Hinaut pa.