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Tag: Faith

  • Increase our Faith     

    Increase our Faith     

    October 2, 2022 – 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/100222.cfm)

    “I am losing my faith,” these were the words of my friend who has been in so much difficulties in her life recently. The pandemic affected so much their business and lost their investments. Then, her husband who was her inspiration and strength, her comfort and dearest friend, died of covid-19. She is left alone to take care of their three children and a burden to pay a surmounting debt.  She was frustrated, in deep sorrow and angry at God for letting all these happen to her and her family. She felt lost and confused if God is listening to her and truly present.

    “How long must I endure this?” This was a question from my friend that I cannot also answer. I dare not offer any advice to her because I realized that my words would not be enough to bring comfort to her. I was afraid that I might bring more confusion to her. And so I listened to her and prayed with her to rediscover faith in the midst of those great trials and to find God in her most depressing and grief-stricken moments in life.

    Prophet Habakkuk in our first reading also expressed such distress and hopelessness in the midst of an overwhelming suffering. “How long, O Lord? I cry for help but you do not listen!” Habakkuk seemingly felt the absence of God amidst the misery and violence he had witnessed.

    At this time, the tragedy and suffering of the people were caused by themselves. Prophet Habakkuk lived during the time when their political leaders, their kings, committed grave sins against God and the people. In particular, King Jehoiakim led his people into evil. He was a corrupt and a godless tyrant who murdered his own people, violated the wives of the men who were against him and then seized their properties to be his own.

    This was the situation of their nation under such ruthless leader. And with this, there was also an overpowering foreign kingdom of the Babylonians who threatened smaller kingdoms. There was a coming destruction that Habakkuk had already seen.

    Thus, the prophet prayed in behalf of the people, “How long, O Lord?” The suffering of the people, the violence and misery that they were enduring seemed to be endless. Yet, the prophet still hoped and held on to his faith. This is what we have heard at the end of first reading, “and for the just one, because of his faith, shall live.”

    The invitation of faith is what we have also heard in today’s Responsorial Psalm, “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” Indeed, God speaks to us and God remains present even in the darkest and most painful story of our lives. That is why the Psalm calls us to sing songs of thanksgiving in God’s presence, to come to God and recognize that God is our God. We are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides. Therefore, we are not the one who is in total control of life, but God, something that could be very difficult for us to understand.

    Such realization is what we also find among the apostles of Jesus, who asked the Lord, “Increase our faith.” The apostles realized the their faith might not be enough to become worthy of Jesus. They became concerned that they might not be in control of their lives and lose their way.  Before this request, Jesus told them of the significance of a person who has faith and that is to be able to lead others to God’s presence and to be able to forgive.

    This was the very context of that plead from the apostles. Their faith might not be enough to lead the people closer to God and might even lead many to evil just like Jehoiakim, the corrupt and godless tyrant. Their faith might not be enough to forgive others because they might turned to become bitter, hateful and vengeful. Their faith might not be enough when great suffering and persecution will come in their life. They might lose their faith.

    Yet, the Lord assured them that even when faith is just as the small size of a mustard seed, that can make wonders in us. This is something that Paul also reminded in his second letter to Timothy. Paul who was already old and was in prison became more confident and assured in his faith despite the persecutions and the suffering he was enduring.

    Paul reminded and comforted the young Timothy of the gift he received. Timothy was gifted with faith. Thus, Paul said, “stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands” (speaking of the gift of ordination). God gave Timothy power, love, and self-control. This was how Timothy was told neither to be ashamed nor to be a coward to become a witness of the Lord, a witness of God’s presence and of God’s goodness even in the midst of evil and suffering.

    With all of these, this 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time tells us and reminds us that…

    First, faith is our loving response to the Lord who is ever faithful to us and ever present even when we feel that he is not.

    Second, faith is our power and our strength especially in times of hardships or in times of miseries and in times of confusion and great trials.

    Third, faith is not just a mere adherence to creeds or traditional religious practices that we have. Rather, faith is our active response to God who has called us to be his witnesses, to become Jesus’ present-day apostles who shall bring others closer to the Lord through our own experiences of God working in our life. Kabay pa.

  • FAITH SHARING

    FAITH SHARING

    April 18, 2021 – Third Sunday of Easter

    Bishop Manny Cabajar, C.Ss.R., D.D. (Bishop-Emeritus of Pagadian)

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/041821.cfm)

    If last Sunday’s gospel was on experiencing the risen Lord, today’s gospel is on sharing our faith with others. Christ wants us to be his witnesses which means that we are called first to have a personal experience of Him and then to share that experience with others. Many Christians only focus on knowing Christ without an interest in sharing their knowledge of Him with others.

            When the two disciples going to Emmaus met the risen Lord, they went back to Jerusalem to share their experience with the eleven apostles. While talking with them Jesus appeared in their midst and said, ‘Peace be with you’. Christ made himself present in the process of sharing their faith experience with others. The eleven apostles were in turn enabled to experience the risen Lord. It takes no stretch of the imagination to see that for the two disciples this is a big strengthening of faith, a great empowerment. Faith is like a flame: the more a piece of wood passes the flame to others the more brightly it burns, but if it refuses to pass on the flame, it is in danger of losing even its own flame.

              Jesus actively gives them His peace. He is the one who strengthens their faith and takes away their doubts. He is the one who opens their minds and explains the Scriptures to them. He is the one who declares them his witnesses. The disciples don’t do much in the encounter except open their eyes to see Him, their hearts to let in His peace, their minds to receive His instruction. When He says, “You are witnesses of these things,” they are expected to respond, “Yes, Lord!” and then go out and try to be just that.

             

    Heavenly Father, help us to give witness to Christ, Your Son, not by arguing on controversial doctrines or theological issues but to simply relate the story of our own personal encounter with Christ, as the two disciples on the way to Emmaus did. With your grace, enable us to just share with others why we are Christians. Let us take heed of St Peter’s words, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect”.

              Brothers and sisters, let us be ready to give the reason for our hope!

  • BELIEVE

    BELIEVE

    APRIL 11, 2021 – 2ND Sunday of Easter

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/041121.cfm)

    Once a Catholic missionary tried to lead a young atheist to accept God’s grace by faith in Jesus Christ through the Church. But the young man just said, “I will never believe until I have an experience of Christ.” And the missionary replied, “But you will never have an experience of Jesus in His Church until you believe in Him.”

    Nowadays, it is difficult for us to believe. We ask usually for signs, proofs, or evidences in order to trust somebody. We need some credentials in order for us to believe someone. We say: “To see is to believe.” Many times, we claim, “We will never believe until we see it”. Others would say, “Show me the money first before I trust you”. Like Thomas in our Gospel today, we say: “Unless there are evidences (see and touch the nailmarks on the Lord’s sides), I will not believe”.

    The opposite of Belief is doubt. Doubt and distrust have indeed been a great stumbling block or hindrance in the growth of our Christian faith. Even Jesus had difficulty in preaching the Good News because of the people’s doubt and unbelief. And the same doubt and unbelief have caused the Lords’ suffering, crucifixion and death. 

    Usually we doubt by certain truths in our life because they are beyond our comprehension. Because we don’t understand them – they don’t make sense- that we doubt if what is presented before us is really true and sincere. So also, many at time in life, we struggle to find God in our signs and evidences, in our darkness and loneliness, in our comprehension and understanding that usually leads us nowhere but doubt and unbelief. But actually, doubt and unbelief happen whenever and because we are just asleep – not aware or not awake and present enough to recognize what has been presented right before us.

    This is what Jesus is trying to reveal and teach his apostles then and us now in our Gospel today.

    As the community of disciples hid themselves asleep in fear for the authority, in shame for abandoning their master, and in hopelessness and defeat for the death of the Lord, Jesus, now the Risen Lord came and shown Himself to them, saying: “Peace Be with you”. Take note, Jesus reveals and presents Himself – make Himself known to them in order to tell them: “Not doubt but believe Him”, that is to wake them up from doubt, and to wake up their faith in Him again. The Risen Lord thus presents Himself before and in the Church to wake up our Faith in Him anew so that we may experience God’s glory being offered to us once again.

    And He continues to reveal Himself again and always to us in our Church and whenever we are PRESENT in our Christian faith-community. Remember, Thomas doubted the risen Lord because he was absent – not there but somewhere else – when the Lord revealed Himself for the first time. In the same way, whenever we are absent with ourselves and with our community, we doubt and don’t experience Easter. But whenever we are present with ourselves and our community, we experience and believe in the Resurrection of our Lord.   

    “Believe the Gospel, believe in Him, Believe in Jesus Christ” has always been the core message of the Gospel. For us to experience the Good News of God’s glory in our lives always, all we are asked to do is not to look for evidences, signs or proofs but just to believe in Him who reveals Himself right before and in us, our community of faith. Without faith, we cannot comprehend and benefit from the greatness of God’s graces offered and can offer us now by the Risen Lord, as he makes Himself present in our church and community.

    Joan Chittister, a known lady-theologican once said: “It takes a lifetime to really understand that God is in what is standing in front of us. Most of our lives are spent looking straining to see the God in the cloud, behind the mist, beyond the dark. It is when we face God in one another, in creation, in the moment that the real spiritual journey begins”. Very true, indeed. We do tend to look for something else while searching for God who is already right before and in front of us. In other words, Easter – the Lord’s resurrection only happens, makes sense and becomes meaningful to us, if and when we are present enough to acknowledge and believe in the Risen Lord as He reveals to us face to face, in front of us, in our Church, our community of believers.

    So, Don’t doubt but Believe the Gospel being and yet to be revealed to us in our community of faith. Be present as the Lord presents Himself & is present in our Church. 

    So be it. Amen.

  • TO SEE JESUS IS TO BELIEVE IN JESUS

    TO SEE JESUS IS TO BELIEVE IN JESUS

    March 21, 2021 – Fifth Sunday of Lent

    by Fr. Manoling Thomas, CSsR

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032121-YearB.cfm)

    Today’s Gospel begins with “some Greeks” approaching Philip with a request: “to see” Jesus! The Greek word used means: “to visit or to meet with.” But for John “to see Jesus” means “to believe in Jesus”! So these Greeks really wanted “to believe in Jesus”. The Gospel never told us whether they actually had the chance “to see” Jesus! But these two statements of Jesus in today’s Gospel provide us the answer. Jesus said:  1) “Very truly, I tell you unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain, but if it dies it bears much fruit.” [Jn. 12:24]; and 2) “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” [Jn. 12:32]

    “Very truly, I tell you unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain, but if it dies it bears much fruit.”

    From Grades One to Four, I studied at the public school in my hometown. To take a “short-cut” to and from the school, we had to pass through rice paddies! I remember being fascinated observing the cycle of growth of these rice planted there! First the palay seeds were sown in a small section of the rice field. When the rice seedlings had sprouted and grown up to a foot, these were carefully transplanted by rows to the rice paddies. As these seedlings continue to grow, they start to bear flowers, which turned into bunches of new grains. These green bunches of grains turn golden, and soon they are ready for harvest!

    Although Jesus’ imagery was about “the grain of wheat”, but I could imagine that the process of growth has some similarity to the rice! Jesus is the “grain of wheat”. Jesus is talking about himself: his dying, burial, and rising up again! Jesus’ death and resurrection brought about “the plentiful harvest of redemption” just like the grain of wheat, or rice! Jesus had to let go of his life and to die, before the rich harvest of salvation for humankind could take place!

    “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

    The phrase, “to be lifted up” in John has a double meaning! This phrase refers to both Jesus’ crucifixion, and resurrection! When Jesus was crucified, he was “lifted up” from the ground. At Jesus’ resurrection, the Father “lifted” him up from death, from the ground, and from the tomb!

    These two statements of Jesus answered the request of those Greeks to Philip: “to see or to believe in Jesus”! “Seeing or believing in Jesus” could only take place after Jesus’ death and resurrection! Only after Jesus was “lifted up” that Jesus was able “to draw all people” to himself! It was only after Easter that both Jews and non-Jews began to join Jesus’ new family, new community!

    But Jesus also invites and challenges all his followers to take part in “this process of dying and rising with him” so that the yielding of a rich harvest will continue on! True disciples of Jesus, must go through the process of growth of the “grain of wheat or rice”, by letting go and by losing one’s life for the sake of Jesus and his teaching! “Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” [Jn. 12:25]. If the “grain of wheat or rice” does not let go of itself allowing itself to die and be buried in the soil, it will remain on its own. There will be no rich harvest to look forward to! If Jesus did not let go of his life, there would have been no salvation for humankind! Jesus modeled a life of total surrender to the Father’s Will, for a greater good and for the service of humanity. To this kind of life, Jesus invites and challenges all would-be followers!

    “Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.” [Jn.12:26]. Jesus promises, and assures us of the eternal life, that he received from the Father after his suffering and death! Jesus guarantees us that, living “the Jesus way”, will end up the way Jesus’ life ended up! Where Jesus is now, we will also be there! Just as the Father honored Jesus with his resurrection, so too will the Father honor us with that same gift!

    As we come to the end of our 40-day journey with Jesus, he asks us this question: “Do you want to continue your journey with me, until you reach your own “holy week”?  

  • VIA Repentance & Faith

    VIA Repentance & Faith

    January 24, 2020 – Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012421.cfm)

    Our gospel today reminds us that the first message Jesus ever preached to us is “The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and Believe the Good News.” God’s grace is now upon us & before calling us to “Come after Him” in discipleship, we are invited first to repentance & faith. His missionary preaching begins then by calling us all to repent and embrace His Good News. With our repentance & faith in Jesus, God’s kingdom starts, happens & is upon us. 

    Easy for us to understand this call to repentance and faith as primarily directed toward sinners. But we should never forget God’s offer of grace is intended for everyone, and not only to sinners. Even Jesus himself had lots of difficulties communicating this message to good people than with sinners. Why? Because the hardest people of all to change their ways & believe are the so-called good and righteous people. They simply don’t see any need of conversion. They think that as sick people need healing; only sinners need repentance and faith. But, the call to repentance and faith is in reality a constant call for everyone – an invitation for all, good or bad we may be, that we have to struggle with in life.

    For what does repentance & faith mean?

    It means to feel dissatisfied with oneself, and thus longing for something better in one’s life. There must be a sense of something is wrong, or at least something is lacking or missing in one’s life – A feeling of discontent with what is happening with the usual status quo – with what is going on with one’s life.  To repent is not only to be sorry for what we have done but also what we have failed to do. Usually repentance begins in the realization that we are not what we could or should be; or we are not what we choose to be. A realization that – “Hindi ako naging karapat-dapat”, Dili ako nahimong angayan, dili ko nangin takus.

    It also means being true & honest with oneself – to put an end to self-deception, and to confront painful self-realities. Surely, it takes a lot of honesty & courage for a person to line up for confession, admitting one’s guilt, asking forgiveness, and resolving to change. And sometimes, it is more difficult to admit one’s mistake than to be sorry for one’s sins & to ask forgiveness. Easy for us to make excuses & quick to blame others than to admit our shortcomings. Repentance & faith meant to be true to say to oneself: “I am wrong. I am sorry. Period” (no more excuses/blame). Magpakatotoo ka, brother.

    Moreover, the call for us to repent & believe requires us to make a decision to change oneself. And this is difficult, for it entails a lot of responsibilities. Human as we are, as much as possible, we tend to escape from making a stance or commitment in life. However, whatever your decision today, whether to choose life or death, to help or exploit oneself or others, to do good or evil deeds, to accept responsibility or blame others, mirrors your very own identity, your conviction and commitment as human persons. As the saying goes, “Kon gusto mo ng pagbabago sa buhay, umpisahan mo sa sarili mo.” God’s grace of change & renewal of life begins by being responsible for oneself.

    Tough road it might be to tread, repentance & faith can be & should be a very positive experience. True, to admit that all is unwell, time now to change & be true and more responsible for oneself can be difficult. But it also means to discover something new and better about oneself. It means not being tied up with biases and prejudices, challenging one’s values, opening up to others options and possibilities, and seeing life anew with the eyes of faith. In other words, it offers us an alternative & much better meaning & attitude in life. Repentance & faith then could be an exciting and joyful adventure.

    This is what happened to the apostles when they responded to Jesus’ call for repentance and faith. Inasmuch as it staggered them from their old convictions, confronted themselves, left their nets and followed him, it offered them also a new & better Way, Truth & Life – from being fishermen to be now Fishers of men.

    Same way as the apostle, the people of Nineveh & even God repented and believed, (by means of, by way of) Via our repentance & faith, God’s kingdom, grace & miracles are here upon & with us always.

    Even now amidst pandemic times, the call of Jesus  to us remains the same: Repent & Believe the Gospel for the Kingdom of God is at hand. May we continually allow God’s grace & miracle work in us via our repentance & faith in the Gospel of Salvation Jesus is offering us now & always. Amen.