Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Tag: Commitments

  • CHOOSING JESUS EVERYDAY

    CHOOSING JESUS EVERYDAY

    August 22, 2021 – 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082221.cfm)

    When you want buy something, how do you choose that thing (cloths, accessories, or gadgets) that you want to buy? Some wise buyers would go through into a selection process before buying. They would consider the quality, its practicality, the price, the evaluation of other buyers, and the specifications of the item. However, there are also some of us who actually don’t mind all these steps but would only consider if it is trending or popular, used and promoted by famous personalities or just used by others, neighbors and friends. Even though they may not be so practical for us or useful but because it’s the trend, we go into that.

    This is not just limited to buying things. During elections, people tend to vote people in office because of popularity not really because of the competency of the candidate. This is evident on how every candidate will make their name and faces be recognized by the people. Posters and billboards are displayed in every corner, a catchy jingle is composed, radio and TV commercials are prepared in order to introduce into the minds of the voters that they are popular and thus, shall be remembered during the election day. Though not all, but people are elected in office primarily because they are famous and popular.

    This is not far from what we believe and sometimes spread. I am talking with the fake news that surround us. People tend to believe, spread and adhere to fake news because they have become popular and because many have come to believe in them. We should be very careful then because a popular opinion or belief does not always hold the truth. Thus, be very careful when you entertain people who tend to talk a lot about other people. It is actually very easy to identify people who bring fake news and “chismis,” they are usually loud and tend to dominate the conversation. People who bring fake news and chismis do not have to be invited also. They voluntarily talk and spread it.

    And when a story is being told and retold then, it becomes popular and many will believe that it is true. And we who hear a story would not even care to investigate if the story is true. Indeed, these situations tell us of our tendency to favor and choose things, people, beliefs and principles according to their popularity. The number of people who tend to favor such thing is very influential for us. This kind of tendency in us is not far from those we have heard in the scriptures.

    In the first reading, Joshua asked the people if they would choose and commit themselves to Yahweh. At that time, there were many gods that confused people and divide them. There was the temptation to choose those foreign gods than choosing the true God, Yahweh. Joshua confronted the people and to choose right there, at that moment. The people, with their clear conscience, chose God to be served and to be loved.

    However, this is not the case that happened in the Gospel. Jesus who became popular to many people because of his miracles by healing the sick and multiplying the bread was becoming unpopular.

    Jesus taught the people that He is the Bread of Life that came down from heaven. Through him, by eating his body and drinking his blood, eternal life will be attained. Yet, the people around him found this teaching difficult to accept and offensive. The teaching of Jesus implied that they were to follow Jesus in his ways and let go of their old ways. This teaching was understood to be taken with commitment to Jesus. Jesus’ teaching asked them to let go of their old beliefs and renew themselves in God. Yet, they could not let go and accept Jesus fully in their life. They could not believe that God became man and He is with us. They could not believe that God desires mercy and forgiveness of all. Thus, they left Jesus and “returned to their former way of life” because his teachings were unpopular for them.

    Jesus confronted his disciples, “do you also want to leave?” In a similar way, Jesus also asks each of us, “Will you also leave? Will you choose me or the false gods? Will you also leave me because of your sins and guilt, because of your comforts and wants?”

    There are many false gods around us. These false gods may tempt us to worship them rather than God, to believe in them rather than in the Word of God, to hold on them rather than trusting in Jesus. These false gods could be our desire to be famous, to gain power and control, to manipulate and use others. They could also be in the form of persons whom we idolize where we refuse any criticism on them and following them blindly. These could also be our own unhealthy behaviors or addictions that we continually keep. These could be our pretensions and insecurities that we continue to hone. These could also be our comforts and possessions that we are so attached. These could be our false belief and principles in life that only advances our personal agenda.

    We are challenged and called today to choose and commit ourselves in serving and loving the Lord. Choosing Jesus and committing our work, studies, dreams, hopes and our whole life to Jesus is surely not the popular thing to do today. Yes, it may not be the popular to be always true and to be always loving, but to be true to ourselves, true to others and true to God will make us free. Indeed, choosing Jesus and following faithfully his teachings is truly difficult as the people complained. Thus, this Eucharist is our way now to renew once again our commitment. This is our opportunity to choose Jesus!

    As we choose Jesus everyday, this means that we choose life not death, choose hope not despair, chose mercy and love not anger and hatred, choose humility not aggression and to choose warmth and concern not indifference. Hinaut pa.

  • The Gift of promise being fulfilled: A call to fulfill our commitment

    The Gift of promise being fulfilled: A call to fulfill our commitment

    December 18, 2020 – Friday, Third day of the Misa de Aguinaldo

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121820.cfm)

    Homily

    Each of us might be waiting for something good to happen. Yet, we could have grown impatient because of waiting. But then, extend more our patience, God is preparing and it is coming. It really is. Just believe. But, why should we believe? Why risk in believing, in having faith in God? Well, because promises are made to be fulfilled.

    Do you believe in this? Contrary to popular saying that “promises are made to be broken,” which applies to those who are bitter in their life, promises are indeed made to be fulfilled. So, please don’t be bitter, be better rather.

    Promises are, certainly, made to be fulfilled. This what makes a promise, a promise. Using the philosophical language, “the very essence of a promise, is its fulfillment.” That is why, the very essence of the WORD is when it becomes FLESH. The very essence of what we speak and talk about, is when it becomes our action.

    The very person of Jesus, our Lord, is the fulfillment of God’s promise. This promise of God started from the very beginning found in the Book of Genesis. When man and woman was driven out from paradise, God promised to be with them and to stay always with them. As God chose the people to be his own, God also promised to send a Savior, a Redeemer, a Messiah who will be with God’s people. This is what has been proclaimed in the first reading today. The Book of Jeremiah tells us that God proclaims his promise to save his people and give them security.

    In fact, this points us to this “PROMISE OF GOD” that springs from the covenant made by God with humanity.  The prophets told the people of this promise, the laws and decrees of God point also to this promise. The historical events and all those people in the Bible have prepared for the promise to be fulfilled.

    So, what is this promise? Much better to ask, Who is this promise? He is the Emmanuel, the God who is with us. He is born from a virgin, the word that became flesh, he is JESUS, (whose names means “YAHWEH SAVES”.) JESUS, our Lord, is the very promise of the Father to us.

    However, the fulfillment of the promise was tainted by a scandal of unfaithfulness and of a promise seemed to be broken. The arrival of Jesus seemed to be scandalous. This was the steaming aura at that time in the little town of Nazareth. In the ears of the neighbors of Joseph, what happened to Mary was scandalous. Mary and Joseph were already engaged but within that period of engagement Mary got (preggy) pregnant. The people in their village knew that Joseph was not the father. Joseph himself was confident that Mary’s child in her womb was not his. Joseph knew that the Jewish law would find Mary guilty of adultery.  This was an act punishable by shame and death.

    As it happens in small villages, Mary must have been a subject of gossips and fake news. Mary was judged without further investigation. The eyes and fingers of the people around her must have pointed and branded her to be a shame. In their eyes, the promise of the engagement was broken.

    Joseph must have been in pain as well. He must have been confused and must have been very hurt. He must have felt betrayed. However, Joseph’s response to this was not out of anger or bitterness. In the heart of Joseph, he wanted to save Mary by divorcing her quietly. Joseph must have thought that Mary was in another relationship. To divorce her quietly will allow Mary to be engaged with the man who fathered the baby in her womb.

    This difficult situation in Joseph, and the belief that he was betrayed, became the way for God to reveal the divine plan to this gentle and thoughtful man. God must have been waiting for the proper time when to reveal to Joseph the divine plan. Thus, when everything was in its place and when Joseph was ready enough, an angel revealed to Joseph the mind of God.

    What Joseph realized in that deep dream was the fulfillment of what he was hoping for and the hope of all humanity, the joy of all. God’s presence made into flesh is that greatest joy of all, and the fulfillment of the promise because “Yahweh saves.”

    Joseph began to see the scandalous situation of Mary’s pregnancy through the eyes of faith rather than his fears and disappointment, through God’s love rather than his anger and hate. Joseph now fully realized that this was the fulfillment of God’s promise, calling him also to fulfill his commitment.

    From then on, Joseph saw and felt that what has been revealed to him was truly scandalous because God revealed Himself to him, because God has become man there in the womb of Mary just to be with us. It was scandalous because we thought that God is up there or out there in the heavens only, a place that no person can reach. But then Mary was preggy (pregnant). This blows our minds now, because through that unexpected pregnancy, God is telling us the He is intimately present with us. God is telling us that humanity can become pregnant with God.

    Joseph understood that Mary’s pregnancy is a statement of God’s faithfulness and commitment to us. God commits himself to be our God. God commits himself to choose us as His people. This is God’s assurance to us now that he is present and he lives in the midst of our lives, in the midst of our pain, of our failures, of our disappointments, hurts and fears in order to bring to us His mercy, love and friendship.

    What God is telling us now is this – that God chooses life and not death because God chooses to be born like us. God is telling us that he never gives up on us because His name is Jesus – the God who saves us. God is telling us that we are not alone in our difficulties because He is Emmanuel, the God who is with us who gives joy and hope.

    May this reminds us now, that as God fulfills His promise to be with us and to be for us, we too are called to fulfill our commitments in our work or profession, among our friends and family, in our communities or organizations. May our commitment then, bring us into that realization that every time we fulfill our commitment, we also share in fulfilling God’s promise to be with us for we become God’s presence today. Hinaut pa.

  • Attachments and Conditions in Commitments

    Attachments and Conditions in Commitments

    September 30, 2020 – Wednesday of the 26th Week in Ordinary Time

    Memorial of St. Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/093020.cfm)

    Homily

    What prevents us to fully commit ourselves to a relationship? Why are we being prevented and what makes it difficult to fully commit?

    A couple who was about to be married shared to me their thoughts and plans. They were surely in loved with each other and wanted to live as husband and wife. Yet, they too shared to me that as a couple they planned not to have a child. They just wanted to live as husband and wife. I asked them why. The two of them confirmed that, to have a child is difficult for them. Both of them were at the peak of their careers and their individual profession was so important that losing them was not a choice. Thus, if they will have a child then their careers will be affected.

    Christian marriage is not just limited between the union of husband and wife. This love and union should also overflow towards their children. Completely closing the doors to the possibility of having children, rearing, loving and nurturing them is after all, a non-commitment to Christian marriage.

    Thus, our many attachments can actually prevent us from fully committing to a relationship. It is indeed difficult when we are called to let go of our many attachments. These attachments could be our careers and jobs, positions and influence, power and wealth, or unfulfilled dreams and desires, our traumatic experiences or past broken relationships. These can also be our various addictions and compulsive behaviors, or just our family and circle of friends.

    These attachments prevent us to fully commit to a relationship because we are being held back and we allow ourselves to be caught up. This happened to those whom Jesus invited to follow him.

    Jesus said “follow me.” The person certainly wanted to follow Jesus, BUT, in following Jesus, there were conditions attached. Jesus emphasized the urgency of following him but then the person was being held by his attachments. These attachments prevented him to follow the Lord by making conditions.

    This is something Job realized also in the first reading. The story of Job tells us about the human suffering of those who find themselves righteous and good. Yet, life is not under our control. God remains the author of life and decides about our life. Job here slowly realized that he was not the master of his life. All the things that he possessed are not his, including the life of his family and his very life. His suffering was a proof that attachments in life do not give security and contentment and that he can just set conditions in his relationships with God, the almighty.

    Today, Jesus also calls us to follow him freely and without conditions. Each of us is being invited, wherever we are and whoever we are. Whether you are working and married or single, unemployed or a simple vendor, a professional or a laborer, well and healthy or sick, a religious or a government official, young or old – the Lord calls us to commit ourselves to Him. When we commit ourselves, then, we too are challenged to let go of our attachments that may prevent us from fully following Jesus.

    Let us ask Mary, Our Mother of Perpetual Help, t to guide us in recognizing our unhealthy attachments so that we will be able to let go of them and realize the freedom and peace of choosing Jesus. Hopefully, in choosing to follow Jesus we may also discover the joy and the beauty of allowing God to be the center of our commitment in our relationships. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR