Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Tag: Jesus

  • FULL OF GRACE

    FULL OF GRACE

    December 9, 2024 – Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120924.cfm)

    According to (Artificial Intelligence) AI Overview, we, human persons, generally speaking, can easily notice and recognize the negatives in our surrounding and people around us rather than the positive. There is a so called “psychological phenomenon” among us called “negativity bias.”

    As psychology teaches us, this concept called negativity bias causes amplified emotional responses to the negative and painful events compared to positive and joyful events even despite having equal magnitude.[1] No wonder, we can easily react when there is something wrong, ugly or painful that we see or experience. We also feel more troubled and distressed when we have negative and painful experiences. We tend to linger on those and find ourselves difficult to move forward.

    However, having such orientation could greatly affect the way we look at things, look at life and look at ourselves. Our relationships even in the way we make decisions in life can be hampered because of such negativity. Yet, there is also a need for us to develop a sense of positivity and finding balance in our life. To be able to recognize what is good, wonderful and beautiful will add more courage and hope in our life.

    On this Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, we are reminded and challenged to see and recognize the good, wonderful and beautiful that God made for Mary and for all of us. Indeed, this is what we have heard in the Gospel. “Hail, full of grace!” these were the words of Angel Gabriel to the young lady, Mary of Nazareth.

    That being full of grace of Mary offers us now a different perspective in the way we look at our life and the world. This is in contrast to what happened in the Book of Genesis in which man and woman sinned against God.

    The fear, shame and guilt that they felt move them back to hide from God. They who first enjoyed the presence of God in paradise where the very first ones to have received the fullness of grace, that was ORIGINAL GRACE in itself. Yet, their desire to “become like god” broke that wonderful grace of intimacy with God.

    That led the man and woman to blame each other without claiming their responsibility. This is where we find the ORIGINAL SIN, a concept from St. Augustine. In this concept, human beings are born with that hereditary sin as a consequence of the sin of the first man and woman. It is understood that we have the natural inclination to do bad things, to sin against God and to hurt one another. Nevertheless, to focus only on this negativity of the past will also cloud our faith and relationship with fear, guilt and shame.

    Yet, let us not forget that before ORIGINAL SIN entered, there was first the ORIGINAL GRACE of God for humanity. This original grace, despite what happened after that, has been preserved in the life of Mary, the favored one of God. God chose her because Mary is most willing to embrace and accept the very presence of God in her heart, in her whole life. This made Mary, indeed, to be full of grace.

    In fact, St. Paul in his Letter to the Ephesians also reminds us that we are blessed “with every spiritual blessing in the heavens… to be holy and without blemish before him.” This is the grace that has been given to the whole humanity, “for in him (Christ) we were also chosen, destine in accord with the purpose of the One.”

    As we celebrate this feast, we remind ourselves of this ORIGINAL GRACE, of our first inclination to do good things, of our origin in being filled with the grace of God like Mary.

    And so, what we are called to be and to do today, is to allow also the Lord to fill us with His grace. Like Mary, our Mother, may we be more open to God’s invitations for us, to be more willing to participate in bringing and filling grace in our hearts, homes and communities. Hinaut pa.

    [1]See and read more at  https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/negativity-bias

  • HAVING AUTHORITY IS A LOVING-SERVICE

    HAVING AUTHORITY IS A LOVING-SERVICE

    December 7, 2024 – Saturday First Week of Advent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120724.cfm)

    To exercise authority gives us the opportunity and capacity to serve others. This is how we understand “authority” in Christian perspective. This means that when we have authority over other people, this does not give us the right to belittle or put people down just because we have power over them. Having authority is not even about overpowering others where it is easy for us to manipulate and control others for our own benefit.

    In any community, organization or even in our workplaces, when we are given authority, it is rather meant to give us the ability to empower others and to facilitate the community for productivity, growth and maturity.

    Jesus in today’s Gospel also “gave authority” to his twelve disciples. And the authority he has given to them has two functions.

    First, to drive out unclean spirits that terrifies and imprisons people. Second, to cure every disease and every illness of the people to whom they were sent. Through the authority given by Jesus to the Twelve disciples, the Lord gave them the opportunity and capacity to serve others by setting people free and bringing healing to the sick.

    The Gospel tells us now that authority is a gift. It is given to us as an opportunity and giving us the capacity to serve others and not to serve ourselves or to serve those who are only close to us.

    Thus, exercising authority is a form of loving-service. And we will know that it is a loving-service when in exercising authority it sets people free, inspires freedom, brings healing and creates a space for growth and maturity to people around us.

    Yet, let us also remember, when authority is used as a means to serve oneself by manipulating, controlling and overpowering others, then, authority discourages and oppresses people just like unclean spirits or demons would do.

    Moreover, in this case, authority becomes cause of divisions, wounds and toxicity in our community or organization just like a disease or illness would bring suffering to a person.

    Thus, Jesus calls us today that as we exercise authority in our own context and life-situations whether at home, at work or in our communities and organizations, we may always be able to inspire freedom, to allow others to be free and become agents of healing and growth. Hinaut pa.

  • THE LORD HEALS OUR BLINDNESS

    THE LORD HEALS OUR BLINDNESS

    December 6, 2024 – Friday of the First Week of Advent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120624.cfm)

    When a person is blind physically, usually, other senses of the body are being enhanced and are more developed. Like for example, the sense of touch or hearing and smell are all heightened to also compensate the deprived sense of seeing. This makes a blind person to be able to recognize things and people and go one with life. However, when we pretend to be blind, not being able to see and recognize what surrounds us, nothing is heightened but in fact we only deteriorate. And it is more difficult to cure this kind of blindness.

    Having such two kinds of blindness, our readings today give us the insight and the humility to recognize our own blindness and to ask the Lord for the grace of healing. Indeed, the miracle of making the blind see was foretold by the prophets. This is a recurring theme the whole Bible.

    Prophet Isaiah in the first reading told us that the Messiah shall open the eyes of the blind. The prophet foretold, “And out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see.” God grants healing to our blindness and insights to our spirit. This gives us joy in the Lord because God shall also bring the tyrant, the arrogant and all those that oppress us to their end. Those were the very people who cannot and even refused to recognize their own blindness.

    In the Gospel of Matthew the two blind men presented to us their interesting encounter with Jesus. They followed Jesus, cried and shouted, “SON OF DAVID, HAVE PITY ON US!”

    Though they were blind physically, but they were one of those who truly recognized Jesus as the Messiah. These men did not see physically the face of Jesus or the miracles done by Jesus. They were only dependent on others who conveyed to them the person of Jesus.

    And despite that Jesus seemed not to hear them when they first cried out, the two persisted and still followed the Lord and begged him. When Jesus was about to enter a house, they were able to catch up with him, and the two seized that opportunity.

    That was their moment of encounter with Jesus. Jesus himself asked them, “DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT I CAN HEAL YOU?” Jesus asked because without their complete trust, Jesus cannot do anything.  And both of them eagerly responded, “YES, LORD!”

    The trust of these blind men allowed Jesus to TOUCH them gently and lovingly. And their eyes were opened. The opening of their eyes was more than physical sight, they gained insight as well as they saw the face of God.

    This very encounter with Jesus overwhelmed their hearts with joy and gratitude. Despite the command of Jesus not to tell others about what happened, they cannot but share to others what they have experienced.

    Jesus indeed is the Messiah and the two blind men taught us that we will only recognize the Lord through the eyes of faith, of complete trust in the Lord even when the Lord seems not to hear our prayers or seems to have not seen our difficulty in life.

    However, with fervent prayer and unwavering trust in God who loves us, God will also ask us, “Do you believe in me?” It is only when we put our complete trust in the Lord, that we allow him to touch and to heal us.

    And so for today, we are called to recognize our own blindness, or areas of blindness in our lives that need healing. Let us recognize that we too struggle with weaknesses and disabilities of one kind or another.

    These areas in our life can be in terms of our own relationships with our friends, family members or co-workers and even within ourselves. It is good then, that we own our blindness and ask the Lord to touch and heal us.

    In this Season of Advent, let this be our prayer too, that the Lord will heal our own blindness so that we will see him more clearly, follow him more closely and love him more dearly. Hinaut pa.

  • GOD SORROUNDS US

    GOD SORROUNDS US

    December 5, 2024 – Thursday of the First Week of Advent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120524.cfm)

    What kind of storms do you have now? Big storms? Small storms? Few or many storms? Well, these storms in our life may struck us in the forms of crises in our family or marriage life, friendship, with our health, job, business or studies. These can also be in the form of our personal struggles that we carry alone like the guilt that we hide in our hearts, the fears that paralyze us, the trauma that haunt us day and night or the anxiety that we could not escape of.

    This Season of Advent, we are reminded that as we wait for the Lord to come and bring us peace, we might also find ourselves troubled and our hearts filled with fear.

    Hence, Isaiah proclaims, “Trust in the Lord forever.” As Isaiah brought a joyful hope to the people of his time who were oppressed and exploited by the rich and powerful, and so he does again to us today. Indeed, it is very evident in the Book of Isaiah that God favors the poor, the weak and the powerless. As the prophet pictures out how the Lord shall bring the arrogant, the corrupt and shameless into their own destruction and misery, the Lord shall also bring freedom, life and  salvation to the oppressed.

    The Prophet, whose words echo until today point us how the very presence of God becomes our strength. Though we await for God’s arrival but God’s presence can already be felt in the here and now. And it is because God sustains us and God strengthens us.

    Consequently, Isaiah powerfully described God as our strong city because God surrounds us. God is beneath us. God is above us. God is beside us. God is before us. God is after us. And God is within us. This requires now, faith in us to fully trust the Lord who is always with us and who is always for us. In trusting the Lord, we shall have peace because God will keep us in peace.

    As Isaiah calls us now to faith by trusting God. Jesus also calls us to action. This is what Jesus invites in the Gospel of Matthew. And this means that to believe and to trust in the Lord is not a mere ideology, an idea or a thought and not even a lip-service. Our faith that trusts in the Lord needs action. Thus, Jesus reminds us today, “everyone who listens to my words and acts of them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.” This is an invitation to listen and to act on it, making the Word of God as our way of life.

    Indeed, by cherishing the Word of God and translating the word into our life, thoughts and actions, then, we become a wise person, whose foundation is God, our eternal Rock. By loving the Sacred Scripture and receiving the Sacraments, we make ourselves more familiar to God’s presence. As we make ourselves available for God, this will mold us to become persons for others and with others.

    Hence, God invites us today to be with others, to allow others to be part of our life. This is how we shall discover the strength, love and support from our friends, families and communities. To trust in the Lord leads us to become confident that the Lord is with us through the people who surround us.

    And so, as we will be tossed by the storms these days that we encounter in life, whatever that may be, we now take comfort by trusting the Lord who is with us, through our friends, our family member the very people who love and cherish us and the Church. Hinaut pa.

  • HASTEN THAT DAY    

    HASTEN THAT DAY    

    December 4, 2024 – Wednesday First Week of Advent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120424.cfm)

    Fr. Bonn Barretto, CSsR sang a song entitled Hasten that day[1] in 2020 at the height of the Covid-19 Pandemic. And the lyrics of the song remains relevant until today. Personally, I am touched as the lyrics of the song tell us, “So hasten that day, a day without fear. When the world will rejoice, salvation is near, gone are the tears, the hurt and the pain.”

    This is a day that we continue to hope. Individually, we may be going through some kinds of struggles within. We may be carrying emotional baggage that affect so much our relationships, work, or study. Our physical illness and limitations may have bothered so much that make us desperate to long for healing and recovery. Others, because of poverty, have to endure the hardships just to survive for a day.

    And so we long for that day of comfort and consolation, joy and fullness of life. Indeed, our longing now was also prophesied by Isaiah in the first reading. The prophet tells us of a day of feast and celebration. Everyone, regardless of our status and differences, is invited to dine together with the Lord. This celebration is an image of the fullness of life to be shared with God.

    This is meant to comfort us all and to give us hope that indeed the Lord will come and bring contentment, joy and fullness of life for us. What Isaiah prophesied also became a reality in the ministry of Jesus. In Matthew’s Gospel, this fulfillment presents to us two important points.

    First was the arrival of many people who have come to be near the presence of Jesus. The people had realized that the presence of Jesus brings healing and recovery to the sick. The physical illness and limitations of many were healed. This is a testament that the Lord indeed heals our body.

    Second was Jesus compassion for the crowd. Upon seeing the great number of people who had been following him for three days, Jesus also realized the hunger of the people. Jesus mas moved with compassion for them. This is where we can find the invitation of Jesus for his disciples to participate in the mission to bring the fullness of life.

    The seven loaves and few fish reserved for the group were shared for the many. The miracle happened here and it started when the disciples learned to share the little things they had for the benefit of many. Despite the insecurity of not having enough and the thought of “what will be for us?” – the disciples trusted more the Lord.

    Indeed, everyone ate and was satisfied. And so, people from all walks of life dined together with the Lord, the very image of the Kingdom of God.

    For today, as we pray and long to hasten that day of comfort and peace, joy and fullness of life, we too are called to participate in realizing the ministry of Jesus to bring healing, comfort, peace and fullness of life. There are three take aways that I want you to bring today.

    First, like Jesus, be moved with compassion. This is the antidote when we become numbed and indifferent to what is happening around us. Ask the Lord to make our hearts be moved as we encounter the realities we face. Being moved with compassion is making hope more alive in us that indeed, the day of salvation and freedom shall be realized.

    Second, like Jesus, be an instrument of healing and comfort. Remember, our very presence can bring healing and comfort to others. Hence, never be stingy to give even words of encouragement and affirmation to people, to give appreciation and gratitude to others, to give an understanding heart free of judgments and biases, to offer a listening ear to a friend who felt afraid and anxious. Though small, but these are ways of being able to bring healing and comfort.

    Third is to give in the spirit of joy and gratitude. Like the disciples who despite the insecurity of not having enough, the very presence of Jesus gave them the assurance of being satisfied. Hence, as we give our material resources or talents and self to others, make sure that we do it out of joy and gratitude to God and not as a way of making ourselves be praised. Hinaut pa.

    [1] Composed by Nathaniel Cabanero and lyrics by Buddy Sutton.