Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Tag: Sin

  • The Unforgivable Sin

    The Unforgivable Sin

    October 15, 2022 – Saturday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101522.cfm)

    Do we find ourselves living in the past and unaware of our present? We might find ourselves trapped in this situation when we cannot let go of our past. Our thoughts and actions as well as our perspectives in life may have been tightly tied up by our painful memories or by our glorious past. When this becomes our way of life, we also become detached from the realities of the present. Our perception of the reality in the present may be distorted because we also see and recognize what was in the past. Our relationships could suffer greatly because we will fail to appreciate and affirm what we have at present. It will surely be a challenge also to correct our misconceptions and wrong practices and unhealthy coping at the present because we are so disconnected with reality.

    This is the image of finding ourselves in the difficult situation of moving forward, finding healing, peace and freedom. Indeed, when we are trapped in the cycle of the past we might believe that that is all. This is how a psychological trauma can affect a person as well.

    The invitation for change and transformation, for healing and forgiveness can be quite difficult because such actions can be interpreted as a threat to what we have been used to. This was how Jesus’ call for conversion was actually treated by those in power and influence in the Jewish society. The Pharisees and the lawyers were threatened by the call of Jesus and so they too denied him and did not recognize the presence of God in Jesus.

    For Jesus, this reaction can still be forgiven. However, when one blasphemes the Holy Spirit, then, this one is beyond forgiveness. What does it really mean? Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is a conscious denial or rejection of the presence of God. This is a willful act of rejecting God. This is not even about the belief in the non-existence of God. In fact, the person believes in the presence of God but deliberately denies God’s presence and also of God’s grace.

    The person chooses to be separated and alienated from the grace of God, thus, becoming indifferent towards God. This surely is blasphemy because such decision and action worship not God but something or someone else. It cannot be forgiven because the person does not ask or welcome the grace of forgiveness. Total indifference, indeed! However, being separated from the grace of God will only bring us into oblivion and endless misery, to meaninglessness and hopelessness.

    The Lord does not want this for us. God’s desire for us is to totally embrace the gift of the Divine Presence so that we may be able to live life in its fullness. This is where we find the meaning in the words of Paul in his letter to the Ephesians, he said,

    “ I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you…”

    The Lord invites us today to allow him to reach out to us and to allow our hearts be touched by his grace. The Holy Spirit continuously works and moves in our life, we may become more receptive then of the movements and invitations of Spirit in our individual lives and in our community, to bring transformation and healing, forgiveness, freedom and peace. Kabay pa.

  • The Cycle of Blaming

    The Cycle of Blaming

    February 13, 2020 – Saturday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021321.cfm)

    “No, not me! It was her!” The Man must have pointed his judging finger to the woman who gave him the fruit. Yet, the woman too responded, “Not me either. It was the serpent!” Both of them denied responsibility of eating the fruit and realized that they were naked. Both succumbed to the blame-game to deny full responsibility to their disobedience.

    However, what was really the issue in this story? Was it because of eating a desirable fruit? Was it because of the presence of the serpent that tempted them? Or the presence of evil around?

    Both of them, the woman and the man, were tempted not just by the desirable fruit to eat. The fruit was only a symbol of a greater temptation. The serpent that was very cunning, engaged the woman in a conversation by asking, “Did God really say that you will die?” It was only an opening of the serpent’s temptation for both man and woman to believe that they can become like God. This means that the temptation was in believing that they will be in complete control of everything. They must have believed too that they did not have everything in paradise. And so the unquenchable desire to have everything must have consumed them. They can only have everything if they too will become like God.

    Yet, the moment they tasted the fruit and came to know what is good and what is evil, they too realized their smallness before God. This was how they hid from the Lord God. They knew that they have sinned and that sin led them to fear. Fear is filled with guilt and shame. This is the reason why Adam and Eve were hiding. Their nakedness tells us of their guilt. Yet, their guilt never assumed the responsibility that they have sinned. As a result, they became trapped in the cycle of blaming. Adam blamed Eve. And Eve blamed the Serpent. And perhaps, we as readers, might also blame God for putting the serpent among them.

    Because of this, the intimacy between man, woman, and God was shattered. In the same way, man and woman lost their closeness with God. It was them who distanced from God. Thus, sin, without acknowledgment makes us hide yet, it leads to destruction and to death.

    However, this is also how God intervenes. God calls us and God continues to find us not to condemn us or to destroy us but to renew us, to recreate us, to give us the fullness of God’s grace and presence. This is how the Gospel tells us also of the heart of Jesus. Jesus felt the hunger of the people. Jesus felt their need to be filled and be satisfied.

    That is why, God calls and finds us when we try to hide because of shame and guilt. God does that because as the Gospel said, the “heart of Jesus is moved with pity.”

    Let us also remember, when we ty to separate and distance from God, God initiates to come to us to invite us to come closer to Him in humility and to end the cycle of blaming. Thus, let not our fear, guilt and shame prevent us from seeking God’s mercy. God offers the abundance of grace through the sacraments, let us come and be renewed, be recreated and be given the fullness of God’s grace. Hinaut pa.

  • Where are you?: God Finding Us

    Where are you?: God Finding Us

    December 8, 2020 – Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

    Click here for the Liturgy in PDF File (https://adoseofgodtoday.com/sunday-liturgy/)

    Homily

    “Where are you?” God’s voice must have been echoing in the garden looking for humanity. God’s voice also echoes today in every heart of man and woman, waiting to be heard. Though God knows where we are, but God waits until we show ourselves to Him in humility. This is the very scene that the Book of Genesis is depicting to us on this Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, the woman consecrated to God.

    Now, let us see a bit how sin destroys our relationship with God and with one another, and on how grace also restores that relationship and brings new life through the person of Mary.

    Sin leads us to fear. Fear is filled with guilt and shame. This is the reason why Adam and Eve were hiding. Their nakedness tells us of their guilt. Yet, their guilt never assumed the responsibility that they have sinned. As a result, what happened was the chain of blaming. Adam blamed Eve. And Eve blamed the Serpent.

    Because of sin, the intimacy between man and woman was shattered. In the same way, they lost their closeness with God. It was them who distanced from God. Thus, sin makes us to hide yet, it leads to destruction and to death.

    Moreover, in this occasion of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, we are reminded of the original grace in each of us, of that grace given by God to us. In Mary, that grace was preserved. The Gospel of Luke that recounts the annunciation to Mary sheds the light of this mystery.

    What we see in the life of Mary is this –  that grace leads to confidence and faith. Such confidence and faith made Mary to conceive God in her womb. She became pregnant with God. Mary’s willingness and availability for God and for others allowed God to work wonderfully and beautifully in the life of Mary. This reminds us now that grace indeed, overflows and it creates and inspires life.

    After all, God continues to find us not to condemn us and to destroy us but to renew us, to recreate us, to give us the fullness of God’s grace and presence.

    Through the fullness of grace in Mary, God initiates to restore our relationship with Him. This has been fulfilled through the participation of Mary by expressing her freedom that she chose God, she chose grace not sin, and that she chose life and not death.

    How is God calling us now through the Immaculate Conception of Mary?

    First, as the Book of Genesis tells us, God calls and finds us when we try to hide because of shame and guilt. God does that, not to condemn us to death and to eternal misery but to restore and renew us. Allow God to find us.

    Second, when we ty to separate and distance from God, God initiates to come to us to invite us to come closer to Him in humility. Thus, let not our fear, guilt and shame prevent us from seeking God’s mercy. Our sacraments are God’s initiative too to make us ever closer to Him. Allow God to forgive us.

    Third, God desires that we too shall be filled with grace so that like Mary, God’s grace will also overflow in our life. The pregnancy of Mary and becoming the Mother of Jesus, was that overflowing grace of God to Mary. When we choose the Lord today and every day, God blesses us and fills us with grace. Grace makes us discerning and understanding, joyful and generous. Moreover, grace does not only renew us but also grace inspires and creates life through us. Thus, allow God today to fill us with grace. Hinaut pa.