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Tag: Jesus

  • To Move towards Jesus and To Move like Jesus

    To Move towards Jesus and To Move like Jesus

    January 21, 2021 – Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012121.cfm)

    There are two interesting movements in the Gospel of Mark. These two movements are the invitations that I would like you today to remember. First is the movement of the people towards Jesus. Second is the movement of Jesus.

    How do we deal with our stress and tensions? With the difficulties we encounter daily? Or with our own personal issues? In dealing with these, we develop coping mechanism to address our issues. They could be a healthy or an unhealthy coping. There will be occasions where we fall into unhealthy coping mechanism that may trap us from growing and becoming more mature in the way we look at ourselves, in the way we relate with others and even in the way we relate with God. What prevents us could be our stubborn heart to accept our failures and limitations. What hinders us too is our arrogance to rely on our capacities, with our achievements, with our strength and will that refuse to seek help from others or even healing from God.

    Considering all these, I am reminded of today’s Gospel to always approach the Lord in humility but with confidence. This is what we have heard in the Gospel as people from all over the place came to follow Jesus. Mark tells us how the people were drawn towards Jesus. Those people took the risk that they too will see Jesus, touch Jesus and be healed by Jesus from whatever burden or suffering they were carrying.

    Mark presents to us how Jesus was drawing multitude of people. This tells us indirectly how the people have recognized that Jesus has come to give them life, to give them pardon and forgiveness, to give them freedom, to seek the lost, to heal the sick, to uplift the distressed and hopeless and comfort the brokenhearted.

    In Jesus, they must have saw “life.” This is the invitation for us in this first movement – and that is to be able to see life in Jesus and not in any unhealthy coping mechanism, not in arrogance, not in the stubbornness of our heart, not in self-doubt, not in complacency and self-satisfaction.

    Thus, we will only be able to touch Jesus once we also take the movement in taking the risk to remain humble and to remain dependent on God. The people approached Jesus in humility and recognize their poverty and need of God. This means that I am called to recognize my own inadequacies and weaknesses, issues and areas of healing. To remain dependent on God means that I am called to completely put my trust in God’s goodness and providence, and not just on my own strength and capacity. This is the first movement and the call to move towards Jesus.

    Again in the Gospel, Mark presents to us how Jesus became so popular. People heard about him and the wonders he did to many. He became “viral and sensational.” If Jesus was not conscious of his identity, he could easily manipulate the people who have come to him in order to gain praises only for himself and nothing to his Father in heaven. The popularity that he gained, the influence that he was able to build up and his power over the people were most probably also forms of temptations to him from Satan. Surely, Satan had also used these against Jesus.

    However, his awareness of his identity and confidence in His Father in heaven “moved” him to be more generous to the people and more conscious of their needs. As a result, he touched others, listened to them individually and taught them effectively.

    This reminds me to be always grounded and to be always aware of my own identity that I am a sinner in need of mercy, yet, chosen and loved by the Lord. This is a call then for us, not to be intoxicated with the popularity that we might have, with the affirmations and recognitions that we may gain, with the people who have come to us for help, with people who admire us. Intoxication of self-promotion, of self-entitlement, and self-gratification will only lead us to the temptation of gaining control and power that may also lead to abuses, in whatever forms that may be, and corruption.

    This reminds us to be always conscious and discerning as a person. To grow in confidence with God, like Jesus, will make our heart thankful and joyful. This is indeed an invitation for us to have a heart that is simple and undefiled by any form of bitterness, insecurity, arrogance and entitlement.

    To have this heart means to be able to love – a love that does not count the cost or expecting any return of investment. This love comes from the generous heart of God. Thus, the call of Jesus’ movement is a call to see God with others, with my brothers and sisters. This is the second movement and the call to move like Jesus. Hinaut pa.

  • Making a sacrifice?

    Making a sacrifice?

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    August 30, 2020 – 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/083020.cfm)

    Homily

    Who wants a life without suffering, without sacrifices and difficulties? That would be nice, right? We could dream of a life that knows only comfort, that is easy, and that we’ll always feel good.

    There is actually nothing wrong in dreaming a life filled with comfort and without sacrifices and difficulties, to always feel blessed and good. This is a desire from us to feel secured. Nevertheless, the danger lies within a heart that denies sacrifice and suffering as part of our life, and as part of our Christian way of living.

    I remember a story being told to me when I was in college. There was a boy who went out into their garden and found a cocoon. It was so timely that he saw how the cocoon moved. The butterfly was about to come out from its cocoon. However, the butterfly was struggling. The boy felt pity for the butterfly. And so, the boy immediately, ran back to his room, got a pair of scissors. He wanted to help the butterfly and so, with scissors in his hand, he cut the cocoon carefully in order not to wound the butterfly. He was so successful that the butterfly was in her perfect shape and out of her cocoon.

    But then, something was wrong with the butterfly. She did not fly. She couldn’t fly because her wings were too weak. When the boy cut the cocoon, the butterfly lost the opportunity to make her wings strong. She was supposed to go through in that struggle, in that difficulty of coming out from her cocoon. Because of the easy way out, her wings were not made strong to enjoy the wind as she was supposed to fly.

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    In today’s Gospel, Jesus scolded Peter when he denied that Jesus should suffer and die. Even though, Peter confessed that Jesus is indeed the Christ sent by the Father, but then, Peter did not understand the commitment of being sent by the Father. Peter only knew of the victorious image of the Christ who will bring salvation and glory. Peter held on to his belief that in Jesus, there will be only blessings, power, and praises.

    This was the mistake of Peter. He couldn’t accept that Jesus will undergo suffering, persecution and death. He couldn’t accept of a vulnerable and weak God. This caused Peter to be scolded by Jesus and even called Satan because Peter only wanted an easy one, an easy life. Peter only considered what he wanted, not what God desired.

    This is also the consequence when we encounter Jesus. Before this passage of Peter being rebuked by Jesus, the Lord actually asked the disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” This question of Jesus was a question of commitment. And Peter responded this question with conviction. Peter said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Like Peter, if we confess that Jesus is the Christ, our Lord and Savior, then, this confession implies commitment and risk.

    After all, when we commit ourselves to somebody we love, risks and sacrifices are implied. That is why, in the Letter of Paul to the Roman, he reminds us to “offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.”

    This Sunday, we are reminded neither to fear nor deny the reality of making a sacrifice, of experiencing pain and difficulty in our life. Life is found when we go through the process of struggling. Never cut the cocoon or else there will be no life. When we experience pain, struggles, and difficulties never lose those opportunities because those are ways where we too shall find life, meaning and purpose.

    When we are called to make a sacrifice for others, never fear, because life is brought forth there. Take the example of parents and of mothers especially, giving birth is painful and excruciating, but the beauty of life is found when the baby finally comes out.

    Hence, do something concrete today (this week) that would best express your faith and knowledge of Jesus. Hopefully, by having this consciousness, this will further help us in knowing Jesus all the more because it is in knowing him that we also grow in our faith, in our commitment and relationship with God and with one another. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • Ho me 2 U?

    Ho me 2 U?

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    August 23, 2020 – 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082320.cfm)

    Homily

    How are you holding on these days? We are now already almost fast approaching  the sixth month of living life in pandemic times. We already have gone through a lot and still going through a lot these days. Things seem to be getting worse than getting better. Perhaps at this stage most of us (if not all) have experienced and still grieving over some loss of someone and/or something important in ones life – be it a beloved family and friends, work, opportunities, and/or lifestyle. And we cannot help but ponder about what all these happenings now mean and got to do with our life and faith.   

    “Your decision today is the statement of who you are and declaration of who you choose to be”, said  Neal Donald Walsch in his book Conversation with God. True indeed for experience teaches us that whatever our decisions-made somehow and someway reflect our own identity, our own responsibility and even our faith (of what we believe) as well.

    For  instance, whenever a young couple decides to commit into Christian married life through the Sacrament of Matrimony, both of them receives a new identity and responsibility as follower of Christ in life and faith. In their exchange of marital vows before God’s altar they become not anymore just any other couple but now a Christian married couple forever in life. They remain not anymore as children of their parents but now as Christian husband and wife for life. Through their exchange of vows before God and His Church, their love for each other and their following of Jesus now becomes a Sacrament – sign and instruments of God’s continuing love and presence in our own lives. As they decide and resolve to live life in Christian marriage, the couple’s life now is and will never be the same as before but is now of God, and for God’s grace in life.

    In our gospel today, as he asked his disciple “who do you say I am”, Jesus did not ask just to test them or to probe what others say of Him. Jesus is basically asking: “who am I to you? – inviting them to make a decision for Him – an option in favor of Jesus. He wants them to make a proclamation of their faith in Jesus into their own lives. And as we have heard, Peter professed, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”. And because of this, Simon receives a new identity and responsibility in life and faith. Before he was just Simon, son of Jonah, but now he is Peter “the rock” as foundation stone of the church and the key bearer of God’s kingdom in heaven.

    Like Eliakim in our first reading, because of his faith in Jesus as Christ, Peter now is entrusted, blessed and given the authority and power in the church by Jesus. Through his witness of his faith in Jesus, the life of Peter and our lives now changed for the better – not anymore as before but now as life in Jesus, with Jesus and for Jesus.

    Until now, perhaps especially now during pandemic times, Jesus is asking us the same question: “Who am I to you?” Ho me 2 U?  Again this is not to test us or survey opinions of Him or to parrot what others taught us about Him, but a challenge to make a decision – a stance for Him. Meaning: Is Jesus your beloved whom you promise to live life with OR is He but just your convenient partner who comes handy when needed? Are all things from Him, through Him & for Him to you? Our response is our proclamation of our faith, and statement of our identity and a declaration of our responsibility in life. Like Peter then and us today’s Christians, our life-options/ decisions  for Jesus Christ, (limited & imperfect it maybe) is our proclamation and witness of our faith that make and build us as Church – a sacrament of God’s continuing blessings and grace.

    Remember then how blessed are you Christian married couples. Blessed are you not only because through your marriage, your heritage and bloodlines lives on, but also through your marriage – lived for the sake of Christ, God continues to make miracles in our lives today. Forget not what the evangelist John told us, the first miracle-performed by the Lord Jesus happened during the wedding in Cana. Meaning, through marital vows and married life – imperfect or lacking it may be, the Lord began and will continue to produce miracles – continually partaking God’s blessing to us. That’s how blessed and fortunate  you are now Christian married couples.

    The faith of Peter gains him a new identity and responsibility in life and in  God’s glory and graces. Our life-decisions and options for Christ ensure us a definite identity, dignity and responsibility in life as Christian, and offer us a blessed and promising life now and in God’s glory. That is why Your decision today is a statement of your identity, a declaration of your responsibility in life, and a proclamation of faith. In other words, remember always that whatever our decision today reflect who we are now, who we choose to be, and what we believe.

    While always hoping for the better, holding on as things get worse these days, may we not lose track, but instead be steadfast of our basic identity, responsibility and faith before God and others, so that we may be guided now with whatever decisions we have to make ahead. Amen.

    By  Fr. Aphelie Mario Masangcay, CSsR (a former Filipino Redemptorist Missionary for Filipino Migrants in South Korea who, due to immune compromised diabetic condition, stationed back home  in the Philippines for now).