One day, I got a call from a hospital. They asked for an anointing of the sick for a dying man in his 90’s. Honestly, I do not like going to sick calls for the dying. I may carry emotional baggage when I leave the room. Aside from the scary machines and tubes applied to the patient, it is heart-breaking to see a dying person. They are holding on to their last remaining breaths. The sorrow of the family members would creep into my heart. The grief of those who gather around the suffering patient would enter my mind. Yet, I have to appear “okay” in order to do the rites properly. It’s the way of accompanying the dying and the family in prayer.
With this particular old man holding on to his last breathes, there was something different about him. Behind his transparent respirator, he was smiling as soon as I introduced myself to him. He was actually smiling during the whole rite while looking at me. He was fully conscious but cannot move. He was definitely in pain at that moment. He too must have been so loved by his family gathered around him. They were keeping to themselves, as much as possible their cries, as I did the rite and told him to go in peace.
After the rite, he removed gently his respirator to tell me something. He told me with a smile (saying in the local language), “Father, thank you. I will go now.” The family members could not hide anymore their tears as they too heard those words. It was heart-breaking that I have to keep myself from breaking down in tears to assure him of my presence.
Yet, I felt the confidence behind those words. This old man was confident that he was not alone. His loved ones were with him and the Lord was with him too. He was not afraid anymore despite the deep sorrow and pain at that very moment. He knew that after this, everything will turn into joy.
As I left the room and bid my goodbye, the parish office received a call fifteen minutes later. The call informed me that the old man died in peace.
This is a testimony that completely trusts in God’s presence and promise of joy. It describes a particular situation. It is a concrete human experience of struggle and confusion. There is fear and anxiety. There is also pain and sorrow. Moreover, such human experience paved the way for the Lord to intervene and bring comfort and confidence.
The readings today convey this message to us. In the Acts of the Apostles, Paul was mistreated by those who refused to believe in Jesus. He was harassed and was accused wrongly to put him in prison and to death. With this kind of situation, Paul must have been so confused and afraid for his life. He must have started to question the Lord for sending him into this kind of trouble in his ministry.
As a result, Paul’s difficult situation allowed Jesus to enter his life. Jesus assured him and gave him comfort and confidence. Jesus appeared in a vision. The Lord told Paul, “Do not be afraid, continue speaking and do not be silent. I am with you. No one will harm you.”
In the same way, Jesus also gave this assurance to his disciples. This conversation with Jesus happened just before the Lord was betrayed and arrested in Chapter 18 in this Gospel of John. Jesus prepared his disciples for the horrible and unimaginable events to happen in the coming days. Thus, the words of Jesus, “You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy,” are the Lord’s assurance to us.
We might be struggling at this very moment. There might be some of us who experienced being humiliated, harassed, oppressed or abused. Or perhaps who are ill at the moment, or in trouble at work, lost a job or failed in business. There might be some of us too who are now having problems in relationships or in great sorrow for losing a loved one.
With these difficult and painful human experiences, God also comes to us through this sacrament, through the scriptures, through the love and support of our family and friends and through the gift of the Holy Spirit abiding in us. God intervenes to bring comfort and confidence in us.
Moreover, this calls us today to truly believe that God is the God of our life. Then, in that faith, we shall see the many good things we enjoy in this life. This is true despite the many difficulties and hardships we encounter. When we truly believe that God is the resurrection and the life, we begin to become true Christians. We see light in the midst of darkness. We find joy in the midst of sorrow. We capture a smile in the midst of pain. We embrace hope in the midst of impossibility. We find healing in the midst of so much sickness. Lastly, we find life in death. Hinaut pa.
What keeps us going? What keeps us dreaming and hoping? Joy as a deep-seated contentment and peace, plays a very important part in our lives as Christians. It is that profound joy that will keep us going, dreaming and hoping. It is joy that will make us not just surviving, but in truly living.
Jesus addressed his disciples and reminded them of this important desire of the Lord for them. Jesus said, “I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete.” The Lord addressed them when later on he will undergo such painful and shameful death of the cross. There was so much suffering to come. This was the time to make his disciple see better what joy was all about.
Although, only later on as well that the disciples, now Apostles of the good news of Jesus, have understood well what this joy from Jesus meant. In the Acts of the Apostles, the first Christians faced with dilemma because of their difference in doctrines and cultures. In the midst of conflict and tensions, they too have realized that at the center of everything should always be the Risen Jesus and their well-rounded relationship with each one.
Joy is fully discovered not when we are alone. Joy is fully manifested in our relationship with God and shared commitment to love each other. As we begin to see lesser ourselves, lesser of our biases and personal comfort, we too begin to see more Jesus and our brothers and sisters.
In this way, the Apostles together with the first Christians learned to adjust with one another and not to impose their old belief system upon each other. What had become more important is their faith in Jesus, of their love for each other.
This makes joy complete. We realize also today that our joy is basically founded in our confidence of being first loved by the Lord. No matter who we are and what dirt we have because of sin and guilt we have committed, this love of God will never diminish. Such love brings us to respond in love and show such love in most concrete ways of loving. This is how joy becomes full in us, with Jesus and with our commitment to love each other. Hinaut pa.
Why do people who tend to complain a lot, find life miserable? Why do people who love to keep things only for themselves always feel unsatisfied?
When we tend to complain a lot then we only see the ugly, the mistakes, the failures and the not so nice in life . We find life miserable because we believe that life is so unfair to us. Hence, no matter how provided we are by our parents, or no matter how much wealth we have possessed, and no matter how many achievements we have succeeded, when we only see the ugly in us and in others, life will be miserable.
When we also keep things for ourselves only, then, this tells us how insecure we have become. We shall only recognize what we do not have and do not see what we already have. Thus, we will always feel unsatisfied because our tendency to keep things for ourselves will remove us from the confidence of being graced and being gifted.
If we have developed one or these two attitudes, then, we are missing many things in life. St. Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians recounts to us today the grace of God received in the churches of Macedonia. Macedonia, a Greek territory, had been subjected to many trials and affliction. However, Paul recognized that despite those and their profound poverty, the Christians in Macedonia were filled with abundant joy. Within that joy was an overflowing wealth of generosity on their part.
Paul happily tells us that through their joy expressed by their generous heart, then, they offered their lives to the Lord and to the Apostles for the sake of the Gospel.
Such wealth of generosity has been my experience in a small Christian community in Talisay, Balabagan, LdS during our 3-month long mission.
Such attitude by the first Christians in Macedonia tells us today that we can remain contented, happy and filled with joy in life despite the afflictions, the poverty and the sickness that we are suffering at this moment. This was the spirit behind the Macedonians because they recognized and were fully aware of the grace of God in their life.
They very presence of the Apostles and the gift of faith were enough reasons of becoming conscious and confident in God’s loving and faithful presence. Consequently, that joy in their heart made them generous. Despite their poverty, there was an overflowing wealth of generosity, an expression of true joy.
This is God’s invitation for us today. We are called to become more conscious of God’s grace, of God’s loving and faithful presence to us. In that awareness, we may grow in our confidence with God and be filled with joy in our heart even when we are suffering and poor. May it lead us to become generous in our words and actions even to the extent of loving our enemies and praying for those who have hurt us, persecuted us and insulted us for the sake of their conversion and peace. Hinaut pa.
As we say our goodbye to 2020 and welcome a New Year of 2021, there is something I want you to do. I invite you to think, remember and recognize those many things that you have lost during this year of 2020 especially as Covid-19 Pandemic began to create chaos and significant changes into our lives. Those things that you have lost may include opportunities at school, at work or your business, relationships, family, or losing a loved one or anything that were significant to you.
I am giving you now 60 seconds to remember, recognize and count each of them. Are you ready? Timer starts now.
Losing something especially when that was significant or losing someone whom you love, creates deep pain in our heart. We become sad and even depressed. Others were even stunned and petrified when they realized that they have lost something special and important in their life.
I know several friends who until now are carrying that deep sorrow and grief over the loss of a loved one during this pandemic. It was too much to bear and the memory of it would always bring sadness.
Many medical front-liners also suffer emotional stress and physical fatigue in responding to the crisis. Many of them got infected and were deprived to be with their families.
Indeed, it is very important to recognize what we have lost. Many writers and social media influencers called us to always be positive and exercise “optimism” in midst of this depressive and life-altering challenges of the pandemic. Yet, optimism without a realistic recognition of what happened in our surrounding can be a blind spot. To be optimistic but denying the existence of our difficulties has no ground at all.
Our difficulties, our issues and problems both personal and of our community must always be considered in our search to go forward and to be hopeful. Thus, with this exercise to remember and recognize what we have lost brings us into the awareness of concrete and realistic situations that need mature and responsible response.
A responsible response may require to be reconciled with what happened, to ask forgiveness for our failures and sins and to let go of those that may burden us from going forward. All of these will only be possible when we recognize what we have lost as well as our failures.
From here, this calls us now to step forward. This is the invitation that I would like you now to dwell deeper – “the invitation to find great blessings in simple and small things.”
I would like to invite you again for another 60 seconds. This time, I would like you think and recognize those blessings that you have received this year especially as we are all going through this world wide crisis. Remember, blessings are not just limited with material things. They also include people or relationships, opportunities being offered in your work or business, or even events. So, begin now recognizing your blessings. And your 60 seconds starts now.
A mother shared to me how she found wonders in the middle of this difficult and depressive time of the pandemic. Because of the home quarantine, she found changes in the attitude of her children and even grandchildren and her husband. At the beginning, each one seemed to enjoy their gadgets. They were in one home but almost not talking to each other. Yet, when one family member got sick, and was suspected of Covid-19, everybody slowly changed their attitude. Her children, grandchildren and husband began to join her in her daily rosary. Slowly, each one would sit around the altar to pray. But more than this, the quality of the presence of each one, was being shared to all the members of the family.
What she found and became more grateful was the gift of presence of her family members. Each one also realized the importance of that gift and became more conscious of each one’s needs. This, certainly, is a great blessing. Easily taken for granted but when we become more conscious of it, presence becomes a powerful gift we can share to a loved one who is suffering and afraid.
As we are about to close this year and welcome the New Year, we are indeed invited to find great blessings in small and simple things in life. They may be small but they can be powerful and wonderful when we become conscious of them.
This is what we have heard in tonight’s readings. Our Scriptures proclaimed to us God’s blessings. And so, I would like to invite you again that we now turn our attention to what was proclaimed to us in the Sacred Scriptures.
The First reading from the Book of Numbers gives us the assurance of God’s blessing. God blesses and loves to bless us. Moses was told by the Lord to convey to Aaron and his sons that the Lord blesses and protects them. God’s blessing is to make God’s face shine upon the people God loves.
In the same way, our Psalm also proclaims this hope. It says, “May God have pity on us and bless us, may he let his face shine upon us.” Accordingly, St. Paul told us in his letter to the Galatians that, “when the fullness of time has come, God sent his soe, born of a woman.” This fullness is the fulfillment of God’s promise which we have been reflecting during the Season of Advent.
This fullness of time was also received by a woman who was full of grace. This is why we celebrate the first day of the year in honor of Mary, the Mother of God because through her fullness, Mary brought to us God’s greatest blessing. Mary reminds us on this first day of the year that no matter how difficult life is, no matter what kind of challenges we are facing right at this very moment, we are blessed.
May I ask you now, that you say it confidently to yourself, “I AM BLESSED.” Please repeat, “I AM BLESSED!” Yes, we are blessed because God has come to us and his name is Jesus, our God who saves us.
"I AM BLESSED"
This Gospel of Luke also described to us this wonder in finding great blessing in small and simple things. The shepherds who were considered at that time as stateless, nameless and insignificant people in their society must have been looking and searching for something that will affirm their worth. People who were abandoned and not recognized by the community carry a deep pain in their heart and deep longing to be understood and to be loved. These shepherds must have been looking for this, deep in their hearts.
God is not blind to this. God shows his mercy. God comes to bless us. Indeed, those deprived shepherds, as St. Luke told us, went in haste to Bethlehem in search of a child after an Angel told them of the great news. In their search, what they found was an infant lying in a manger with Mary and Joseph. Yes, they found this family and an infant in unadorned manger which was intended only for animals’ food.
Can we not see it? God’s greatest blessing to us rests in a poor, simple and unadorned manger. As God promised to let his face shine on us, God fulfills it in a simple and humble way. This is what Mary, the Mother of God reminds us today. Mary brought to us the Lord Jesus not in a majestic or spectacular or extravagant way where people will be crowding to see and be amazed of what happened. No! There was no big crowd. There were no dignitaries! There was no presence of important people in the society. Only the stateless, insignificant, nameless, and unimportant shepherds and perhaps some animals to see and behold the face of God.
Why is that? We can only wonder. Those important and big people could have been too busy and too occupied with their ego. When we turn like this, we will be more concerned in big and spectacular things for ourselves. We will be overwhelmed by our desire to have more for ourselves that our heart became indifferent to the simple invitation of God.
What does it tell us now? As this New Year of 2021 is about to unfold, never ever take for granted the small, the least, the simple and the ordinary in our life. History tells us that God comes and shines his face upon us through the simple and small things, through ordinary events, through our familiar friends, through the least of our brothers and sisters.
Look and find God and His great blessings in the small and the simple. Never forget that because like the shepherds, when we begin to recognize God and his blessings to us in the small and simple things, it will move us to joy and to gratitude. Look at what happened to the shepherds. When at last they have received God’s blessing brought by Mary, they began glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen.
The shepherds became the first preachers of joy. Everyone they met on the road, they shared the joy that they have felt. That joy in them became more infectious that any disease or virus. With that blessing they received, they began to look at their life and look at the world at a very different perspective from before. They now look at life and the world through the lens of blessing because God is here with us.
Life becomes more wonderful despite its challenges. The world though it was night, but there was a glimmer of hope that the sun will surely shine. All these have become possible because like Mary and Joseph, the shepherds also received the carried the Lord in their hearts. Now, as we welcome 2021 in few more ours, let us also receive and always allow the Lord to be with us.
For us to remember God’s invitations tonight, let me remind you again of your “take aways.”
Recognize what you have lost as well as your failures. Be reconciled and let go.
Recognize your blessings even in the small and simple things in life. And be grateful.
Preach joy and live in joy.
Hinaut pa. Have a Merry Christmas and a Grace-filled New Year everyone.
On December 20, a policeman shot dead in broad-daylight a mother and her son. The mother was shot twice. The first was shot while she was embracing her to keep him from the policeman. The second was made when she already fell on the ground.
It was merciless. It was not just heartbreaking, but it was evil. The police officer without any emotion of fear and doubts, shot them dead in the presence of her daughter and of people.
This is an image of our world in darkness. Indeed, the world is not just darkened by the recent natural calamities, of typhoons and floods that affected millions of our brothers and sisters. The world is not just darkened by this long and tiring health and economic restrictions brought by our fear of covid-19 pandemic.
Our world and the hearts of others are also gloomed by anger, by hatred, by violence, by indifference, by evil. The world is also gloomed by the desire to have power, to gain control and manipulations, to be above others. the world is also gloomed by our dishonest and selfish leaders, by our unjust practices, by our hate speech, by our fanaticism, by our support of the corrupt, by our blind obedience of the violent.
Yet, this is the very world and the very hearts as well that God chose and continues to choose again to be born.
The world may be darkened by our tragic experiences this year and gloomed by our individual and collective sins; the world may be darkened by our painful and sorrowful experiences and gloomed by indifference and violence perpetrated by many of us, directly and indirectly, God still choose to bring the light, to give us the grace and to grant us his salvation.
Tonight, this is what God wants to remind us. In the first reading the prophet proclaims the coming of the light because those of walked in darkness will see a great light and those who dwelt in the land of gloom, a light will shine. Paul in his letter to Titus tells us, “God reveals his grace of salvation to all peoples.” God’s promise is fulfilled because God is granting us his salvation.
And in the prophecy of Isaiah, God will cast away the darkness and land of gloom. But what is this darkness and land of gloom?
It is our sin and guilt. It is our pain and sorrow. It is our difficult and overwhelming situation whatever they may be. Just look around. Darkness is around us. We may not be aware of it because we have become so used to it. However, God has come to us to bring light and salvation. Indeed, light is hope. It is God’s forgiveness. It is mercy. It is freedom. It is the fullness of life.
God, indeed, will destroy the yoke on our shoulders that burdened us. This is the yoke of slavery from sin and evil. God destroys them not by violence but through the gentleness of God’s own yoke of friendship, of companionship. Remember, Jesus has offered us to take his yoke.
God will also smash the rod of the taskmaster. This is the rod of our selfish desires. These shall be smashed by the Lord not through anger and hatred but through God’s gift of peace and mercy.
Isaiah tells us that a child is born to us, a son is given us. He is Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace. The birth of this child tells us the situation of the world and of our hearts.
The child was born at midnight and it was dark. He was laid in a manger because there was NO ROOM in the inn. No one offered them a comfortable and respectable place where Mary could deliver her baby. Joseph could not even find a regular bed but found a manger. No one offered a place for the baby to rest.
And do we think that this was such a happy situation to witness? Do we not feel the indifference of the people around them? Do we not feel those cold hearts who did not care that a pregnant woman was about to deliver her first baby? Do we not feel these at all? Something must be wrong with us!
Those cold hearts and indifferent people who did not care at all, they remained in darkness and did not recognize that God was among them, that God was there. Their hearts must be so dark that even though it was God who has come near to them, yet, they could not offer him a room. This is an expression of the unwelcoming attitude of the darkness in us.
However, despite this rejection and indifference, God finds a way to let us know that He is with us. This light found its way in a “manger.” God was born and was laid in a manger – poor, humble and unadorned. Light, certainly, finds a way to illumine the world and our hearts. God, indeed, finds a way to give Himself to an unwelcoming world and unwelcoming heart.
And to whom did he proclaim his birth? TO THE SHEPHERDS! To the stateless, insignificant, nameless, unimportant, abandoned, unrecognized and poor shepherds of Bethlehem.
They were the first ones to receive the gift of light, the humble and the underprivileged. This is God’s statement that God is for the abandoned and for the forgotten, whose life have been darkened by those who were indifferent.
Though, Jesus was born about two thousand years ago, yet, he is reborn in us when we allow our dark guilt and sin to be accepted, confronted and forgiven; when we allow our painful and traumatic experiences become ways for us to discover hope and freedom; when we recognize that we need the Lord and his gift of salvation; when we stop being indifferent and begin to care and to show genuine concern; and when we are able to recognize that we are all brothers and sisters in need of love and mercy.
Christmas happens every day because God comes to visit us every day. Let his light dispel the darkness in us now. Let his peace dispel our fear now. Let his light cast away our selfishness and evil desires now. Let his peace cast away our anger and hatred now. Hinaut pa.
A DOSE OF GOD TODAY 