I know who I am 0 comments
What would you say when you introduce yourself? Every time we introduce ourselves to a group of people, we use some words that would describe us. And we often end up saying only our name, our surname or just describing our body such as our height and weight, or saying our favorite food, hobbies, interests in life, likes and dislikes or giving an adjective that will portray who we are. Introducing one’s self is not easy because we don’t know who we really are and our goal in life.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus twice said to the people, “I AM” and by saying those words He was confident because He knew who He is. He knew where He came from and He knew His purpose in life. He knew everything about Himself and there is no doubt about it. Jesus did not describe Himself by saying His Name or His favorite food but by saying who He really is and His relationship to the Father. He was speaking about the Father because He did what the Father told Him.
As we continue our reflection in this season of Lent, we are reminded once more of who we are in relation to the Father. Our real identity was restored by Jesus Christ as He gave himself on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. And because of this we become once more children of God and this is our identity. Just like Jesus, we are challenged to act according to our identity as children of God and Jesus’ disciples. We are being challenged to do the will of the Father as Jesus did.
Grow old gracefully 0 comments
Yesterday we celebrated 81st birthday of Fr. Kees Swinkels. Everyone was happy, most especially Fr. Kees. I remember this saying: "When grace is joined with wrinkles, it is adorable. There is an unspeakable dawn in happy old age." I believe that I must learn from Fr. Kees how to live the principles of growing old gracefully (when in the future I reach that stage of age).
First, "WHATEVER A MAN SOWS, THAT HE WILL ALSO REAP..." Stated more fully, St. Paul in his letter to the Galatians (Gal 6:7-8) said, "..... for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life."
Second, "MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE..." Quoted by Jesus in Mt 4:4, we can focus our attention on two words: (a). Bread - involves more than just dough; includes all things of a material nature. (b). Live - involves more than simple existence; includes living life in its fullest sense, i.e., an abundant life.
Third, "BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO FINDS WISDOM..." Wisdom here refers to insight, understanding, which enables one to make the best use of his or her talents and circumstances, avoiding the mistakes and pitfalls of life.
Happy Birthday Fr. Kees. Teach us to keep the heart unwrinkled, to be hopeful, kindly, cheerful, and reverent - that is to triumph over old age."
We, the young, have a special way to express our happiness:
Who caught who? 0 comments
If they exerted extra effort to catch the woman in the very act of adultery so that she might be stoned to death, the scribes and the Pharisees were not really after her conversion to God and the salvation of her soul. Like mad dogs thirsting for blood, they wanted her dead plain and simple. Such can be man’s inhumanity to man.
If it was actually the woman who caught her accusers in their lust for her; they were guilty of adultery, too. For Jesus said, “…. everyone who looks lustfully at a woman has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). Adultery is not only in the act; adultery begins in the heart.
When we are rather quick to point an accusing finger at anyone, let us pause for a really long while and see what Jesus writes on the ground with His finger. He may be writing down a litany of our sins instead. Then the fingers we point at others are actually accusing fingers pointed at us.
Who caught who? The scribes, the Pharisees and the woman caught one another. But what intrigues me further though is where was the woman’s client?
Dying to oneself that others may live 0 comments
5th Sunday of Lent
But one day out of desperation he had decided to cut the bamboo tree. So he talk to the bamboo tree and explained that he has to make use of him and it's necessary to cut him. He told the bamboo tree that he loved him so much but even though it hurts he has to do it. The bamboo replied, "I my self, am surprised too, why I'm the only one standing here. Others are long gone; I've seen you cut them and used them to build houses, fences fisherman's tools' even bed at one time. I know I'm ready if you need me too."
So the farmer cut his beloved bamboo tree. After a while the farmer said to the bamboo tree I need to remove your branches and leaves too. The bamboo replied in agony," do you really have to do that? I'm already in pain now you have to break my branches and even remove my leaves too?
After cutting and cleaning the bamboo the farmer said to the bamboo I have to remove your head and split your body in half. The bamboo replied," I respect your decision please do what you think is necessary."
After the cutting and some more cleaning and preparations, the farmer brought the bamboo to the highest part of his farm, there he used the bamboo as an irrigation pipe to bring water to the low lying portion of the farm unreachable by water before.
After several months, the water that flowed from the bamboo pipe gave life and produce abundance to the farm and the people of the town.
Then the bamboo realized his purpose and he was so happy, he gives his life so that others may live.
Our Gospel today opens with some Greeks who had come up to Jerusalem to worship. Philip brings them to Andrew and he brings them to Jesus. Jesus brings them right away into the heart of a paradox and into the heart of truth.
"Unless the grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies it remains alone: but if it dies it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life destroys it, and whoever despises his life in this world keeps it for everlasting life."
The Greeks wanted to see Jesus. But what does it mean to see Jesus?
This season of Lent invites us to see Jesus on the Cross. To see here means to find the meaning of His self-offering on the Cross. As the gospel suggests, the self-offering of Jesus is a mark of a total surrender to the will of the Father. It is a show of obedience to the will of the Father. The surrender can be found in a beautiful imagery of the grain of wheat. He says that the grain of wheat should fall to the ground and die so that it can produce fruit. There is a seeming contradiction here: losing one’s life so that others can win life. Dying to oneself so that others may live. Like in the story of the bamboo, it dies to give others life.
This point is something we need to look into. We, people, have this tendency to cling or to hold on to many things. This results to a compromise in our discipleship. For instance, if we cling too much to power or riches, our discipleship suffers. If we cling to sins, we compromise our discipleship. If we cling to vices, our family or marital relationship suffers. It also brings misery to the concerned person. The person’s life can be pathetic.
However, if we try to “lose” these things; if we allow these things to fall and die, life would appear instead. Like, for instance, if we “die” to our sinfulness, we can have a “new life” in and with God. Or a person who is drunkard and womanizer brings trouble and lifelessness to his family. But as soon as he “dies” to his vices, a life full of happiness will emerge in his family. Indeed, “dying” to some things would bring life to our relationship with God, and with our family. Moreover, pride and arrogance bring death in every relationship, like friendship. But if we try to lose or to die to pride, a new life in friendship begins; friendship would be rekindled. Hence, dying brings about life.
Patayin natin ang masasamang hilig upang mabuhay tayo na disiplinado at makatulong sa iba. Patayin ang labis na pagmamahal sa sarili upang makapaglingkod sa kapwa...
You are the Messiah 0 comments
Saturday 4th week of Lent
A Jewish rabbi had built himself a small prayer hut in the woods next to a big Catholic monastery. The religious in that monastery were very downcast and sad because their community was dying out; no young people wanted to join them. One day when the rabbi came for his day of private prayer, the superior of the monastery went down to talk to him. They chatted and prayed out of the Bible together. Then the rabbi began to cry and told the superior, “Father, I have a secret I want you to tell your brothers. Once they hear it, they are not supposed to tell it to anyone else. Tomorrow morning you tell them this: The Messiah is one of you. That’s all.”
So the next morning the superior called his Brothers together and gave them the message which he had from the saintly rabbi. When they heard it, their sadness suddenly left them. They were now happy because one of them was the Messiah. But who? Because no one know, each had to treat the other very specially. Everybody began relating to each member of the community as a possible messiah. They treated each other with love and respect because no one wanted to hurt the messiah, either by words or by deeds. That changed their lives and community completely.
This may be an old story but its message remains as relevant as ever. he possibility of living in the presence of the Messiah would truly convert selfish people in the world into martyrs and people of charity. Yes, one of us is the Messiah. And because we could be living in the presence of a possible Messiah, then we must conduct our lives accordingly.
To live in the presence of a possible Messiah means to love even and because it hurts. It also means to live one’s life for others, to be one’s neighbor’s keeper; to be unselfish; to give way to others. It could be as simple as obeying traffic signs or being honest in one’s work. It could also mean being misunderstood or judged, even by those closest to you.
Furthermore, it also means to forgive those who hurt you, even your adversaries; to be vulnerable, even if you would appear to your friends as a fool. In all this, stand your ground for you are not alone. They treated the prophets in exactly the same way. Our Lord was even called a lunatic and possessed by demons. So, love still, for to love – Jesus’ style – is to be lunatic. Forgive still, for to forgive the way Jesus did is to be a fool.
Sense of purpose and meaning 0 comments
Jesus in the Gospel was aware of this truth. He knew that He came from god, that He was sent by the Father. He knew His mission, the purpose for which He was sent. And this truth He proclaimed under the pain of rejection and disbelief.
The realization that He came from the Father, and that He wasn’t acting on His own accord but His Father’s bidding, emboldened Jesus to brave arrest and even death to accomplish His mission. This truth became Jesus’ source of strength and faithfulness.
Human experience tells us that, cut off from our parental identity or roots, we tend to behave rather carelessly. Because they do not have to protect any name or purpose of goal, some people even squander their lives in useless ventures and immoral living. What is important for them is the moment, not their parents, not the trust and love given to them, not their family’s name, not even their future because the think that there is none. But there is a future. There is love and trust that we must deserve – not only from our parents or family, but also from God Himself.
A researcher on relationships and personal growth, Barbara de Angelis wrote, “What allows us, as human beings, to psychologically survive life on earth, with all of its pain, drama, and challenges, is a sense of purpose and meaning.” But, what is the purpose of our life? In his book, Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren wrote, that we were born by God’s purpose and for his purpose. It is our task to live a life in which we let God use us for his purposes, not our using him for our own purposes.
Although God’s purposes take place in human mistakes, even sin, let us be mindful where we came from and the values we learned. Let us be mindful of God’s love for us. Let us not betray His love and always be prompt in doing the things He want us to do.
The Center 0 comments
How central is Jesus to our lives – to all that we think, say, and do? Do we refer all – our personal affairs and concerns, our family affairs, our workplace issues – to Jesus?
Once I chatted with one of our boys in our house. He was about to start his classes. He said, “Father, when I start my classes I will remember this word: FOCUS.” “That’s right,” I said, “If you want to be successful, you have to FOCUS on what you are doing. Otherwise, you will be distracted by many unnecessary things.” Apparently, the word FOCUS he said was more than what I thought. He said, “I will do my study for Family, Others, Universe, Self, and Christ should be in the center.” “Wow, that is beautiful!” I said. I think he is right. In everything we do, we might do it for family, others, universe, self, but we have to remember that we have to put Christ in the center of our lives.
Centre Of My Life - Hillsongs
Yes! 0 comments
The feast of the Annunciation calls to mind the marvelous things that God has done to Mary. It laso reminds us of humanity's indeptness to her for her selfless courage and abandonment to the will of the Almighty. In that tense encounter between Mary and Gabriel, humanity's collective longing to be saved was contained in that powerful yes of Mary. That paved the way for God to start His work of redemption through His son to be born of her. In tahat moment, God became helpless. Though He desired to save humanity, He couldn't force Mary to say "yes" to His plan. The "yes" has to be done in freedom. St. Augustine wrote, "The God who created you without you, cannot save you without you." Without Mary's yes as humanity's spokeperson, God couldn't save us.It was not an easy yes for Mary. She was disturbed and greatly troubled. She had every reason to be. Nobody can be tranquil before the majesty of God. Besides, the Incarnation of Jesus and our redemption began with a difficult question of faith: a call to believe a scenario unheard of before in human history - a woman conceiving God's Son while remaining a virgin.
To say yes to the will of God is never easy. But if salvation is to be realized in our personal lives, in our own circumstances, we must say yes however difficult it may seem and no matter how hard it demands.
This yes to God is a moment-by-moment, day-by-day reality. If we are not holy in the moment, then we are not holy at all.As we thank Mary today for her selfless assent to the will of God, let us also ask for her intercession that we may be able to say yes to God in our daily lives. As we trust like Mary, the will of God will never lead us to where His grace cannot sustain us. As we believe that nothing is impossible with God, we fear not for we shall find favor with God.
Dag Hammarskjold wrote a personal testimony about saying yes: "I don't know who or when (the question was put. I don't even remember answering. But at one moment in my life, I did say yes to Someone, or Something, and from that hour I realized that existence is meaningful; and that, therefore, my life, in self surrender, had a goal."“I have no one…” 0 comments
It was the lonely and sad answer of the paralytic who was waiting for thirty eight years that someone would help him into the pool to be cured. But he had no one… until Jesus came, cared for him and solved the problem with one word.
Sometimes I wonder why God lets us experience such moments of loneliness. Is it only because it is part of every human life? Even Jesus had to experience this loneliness when he was arrested and all his friends abandoned him and fled. When He died alone, suspended between heaven and earth, on the cross He cried out, “My Father, why have you abandoned me?”
Or does God have a purpose allowing us to experience such moments because we rely too much on the people instead of relying more on Him? We try to solve our problems alone. That is not bad. We rely on others for help. That is also not bad. We live in a human community where we are supposed to rely on each other and support each other. But then comes the moment when we might rely too much on ourselves or on others and forget that the source of all our strength is God.
The cure of the paralytic is just another one of the seven “signs” we find in the Gospel of John. The story deals with more than a miraculous cure. Jesus tells us that He is always there when we need him. He tells us that He is there to heal us, to give us life. God has shared His life with us when we were baptized but sin paralyzes us again and again. There is only one person we can turn to: Jesus Christ. Why not turn to Him when you sigh once more, “I have no one…”?
To see is to believe 0 comments
John never speaks of Jesus’ “miracles.” He calls them “signs.” Signs are heavy symbols of what Jesus is doing on a deeper level. They are parables of sacramental experience. What sustains us, disciples of Jesus, is faith and trust in what happens in the sacraments. The water of baptism flows but we cannot see what our faith says happens in our hearts. We cannot see the inner cleansing and liberation from sin. After consecration, bread and wine are said to be the real Body and Blood of Christ. But what we see is the same bread and wine. Neither form nor color nor taste have changed; even under a microscope we would not discover any difference. The priest says, “I absolve you,” but we cannot check our hearts whether the sins are really gone. Faith is an adventure, a total trust in the words of Jesus and of the Church. As disciples we cannot live after the motto ‘To see is to believe” but, like the royal official, we embrace the motto, “To trust fully in Christ is to believe.” Such trust and faith is rewarded with inner joy and inner peace.
The royal official tells us more. He was not a man who got from Jesus what he wanted and then went away to forget. He and all his household became believers. It is a pity that we experience Christ’s power and healing so often in the sacraments but then go home and live the way we lived before. It is a pity that we go every year through this holy season of lent but forget soon after Easter all our promises and resolutions we made under tears before the image of the suffering Lord. May the royal official inspire us to follow his example and change after having encountered the love of God in Christ.
You are His beloved 0 comments
"Do you really want to marry him? Oh, my God…See his face! His eyes are like the eyes of an owl! His nose looks like a ripe tomato! The hair.... HIV (Hair Is Vanishing) Are you sure?" Some girls question their beloved and beautiful friend who is about to marry.
"Sure, because I fell in love with him!"
"Fell in love? You fell in love with that guy?"
And this is the answer of that a beautiful girl: "Yes, i fell in love with him ... not with his face but with his heart!"
It seems that the saying, "love is blind" is true. True loves does not differentiate somebody handsome or beautiful or not!
In our second reading today St. Paul says, "For we are His handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them." There is a better translation from the Jerusalem Bible: "We are God's work of art." Other translations, like the one we use at Mass, use the term handiwork of God. Is it handiwork or work of art? The word used is the Greek word, poiema. This same Greek word is used in the Greek translation of the Book of Genesis when it describes God as creating the heavens and earth. So, we are God's creation. St. Paul said, "We are created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance…." We are a unique part of the new creation of the world through Jesus Christ. The authors of the Jerusalem Bible obviously felt that God was far more than the Divine Handyman. He is the Divine Artist. And we are His work. We are God's work of art. Whatever your appearance is, you are a beautiful God’s work of art! You are His beloved!
This is how God loves us. Loves is blind. I think he loves us blindly. He will always love us even when we do not deserve His love. He gave us His Son for our salvation. It is true that He is just ... but he is also merciful ... Retributive but forgiving! He loves us first before we love Him.
The season of Lent is a good opportunity to reflect on the love of God and see our being sinners! It is easier to see a black spot if we put it on a white background. It is easier to see our being sinners if we put ourselves in the love of God. There, we will see how big our failures are but it will not change His love. So, it is the time for us to approach God and seek his forgiveness for our sins.
Do not worry if you feel that you are a sinner. You are still and always His beloved! Seek His mercy!
What causes arthritis? 0 comments
He had come with a purpose, however, “Excuse me, Father,” he said, “Could you tell me what causes arthritis? The priest ignored that too.
But when the man repeated the question the priest turned on him impatiently and cried,” Drinking causes arthritis, that’s what causes arthritis! Gambling causes arthritis! Chasing loose women causes arthritis….” And only then, too late, “Why did you ask?”
“Because it says here in the papers that that’s what the Pope has!”
(from The Prayer of the Frog, by Anthony de Mello).
The attitude of the Pharisee is never far from us that makes us easily judge others and put others in the box. We easily judge a neighbor, “That drunkard!” about another, “That womanizer!” About a coworker, “That good-for-nothing!” And worse if we bring this attitude into our prayers! Nobody who despises a fellowman can pray. In prayer we do not lift ourselves above others but line up with all the sinners who approach God seeking mercy and forgiveness. In prayer we approach God realizing that we need God. In prayer we do not compare ourselves with other people but ask, “Am I as good as God is?” The honest answer to this question will kill any temptation to give in to a Pharisee mentality.
Well said…. Well done! 0 comments
Jesus said a commendable remark to the scribe, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” The scribe is neither “far” or ‘near” from the Kingdom of God. He is rather “not far” from the Kingdom of God.
Loving requires no minimum requirement. It is always two dimensional – love of God and love of neighbor. The scribe in the Gospel excellently expounded his understanding on the commandment. However, the commendation of Jesus seemingly suggests that verbalization is not enough. It involves concretization of what we learn. We should act on what we learn.
Our Gospel today reminds us of our attitude towards our identity as Christians, that we are loved, loving and lovable children of God. It is definitely good to hear, very well said. But is it well done?
Love is and should never be floating in the air. Christians love should be concretized and lived out. Words will only remain as words if we just keep them in our minds. But words concretized in day-to-day actions are life-giving words, words that heal and words that bring us near to the Kingdom of God.
A father had three men put on a contest as to who will win the heart of his daughter. One man recited a haunting poem to which the father said, “Well said.” The other quoted a portion of songs of Songs in the Bible ad adapted it in a poem for the woman. The father said, “Very clever! Well said!” The third man was nowhere to be found. Looking out at the window, the father saw him watering the garden and chopping wood for his daughter. The father said, “Well done!”
What is better than well said? Well done!
Be not afraid! 0 comments
More tan that, man is afraid of what the wild stirrings of his heart are capable of. He is also afraid to the demands of the Gospel. And he is also becoming more and more troubled that his dreams – for himself and his loved ones – may not come true.
But in all this, the words of John Paul II reminded us not to be afraid. For him, the power of God will overshadow our fearful hearts. God’s grace will see us through in the midst of all this.
Today, as we honor St. Joseph, we hear the same assurance from the angel bidding him not to be afraid to commit himself to the will of God. Why? Because, like us, Joseph was afraid. He was scared if he took Mary into his home he might lose face, and could be called “husband of an adulterer.” He was also afraid if he exposed Mary to the authorities, they would kill her. Above all this, being a righteous man, Joseph was afraid of offending God. It troubled him that he dreamt about it. But God’s power was made manifest in his dream. Then he feared no more.
We admire Joseph for his docility and obedience, for his selfless love, for listening to his angel. We admire him for his readiness to lose his life and his reputation for the sake of his beloved. But most of all we admire him for his courage, his capacity to dream even in the most tense of situations.
Today, more than ever, many of us are in a similar situations. We are afraid to take responsibility of our own lives. We are afraid to commit to a cause, to a certain value however noble it is. We are afraid to put our lives on the line. We are afraid that our dreams may not come true. We are afraid to trust, to be cheated or to be treated unfairly.
Law of love 0 comments
A bishop was testing the suitable of a group of candidates for baptism.
“By what sign will others know that you are Catholics?” he asked.
There was no reply. Evidently no one had expected this question. The bishop repeated the question. Then he said it once again, this time making the Sign of the Cross to give the others a clue to the right answer.
Suddenly one of the candidates got it. “Love,” he said.
The bishop was taken aback. He was about to say, “Wrong,” then checked himself in the nick of time.
In Matthew’s gospel especially, Jesus is shown as not being a maverick breakaway from the traditions of the Jews. He was not a heretic or a blasphemer. He was the last in the great line of prophets sent by God to his people. And so, in today’s passage, he strongly emphasizes that it is not his intention to abrogate the Jewish law but rather to develop and complete it. He quotes a number of moral situations contained in the Law and shows how he expects his followers not only to observe them but to go much further in understanding their underlying meaning.
The Law is not to be downgraded in any way; rather it is to be transcended to a higher level. Up to the time of Jesus and this is clearly exemplified in the Pharisees and Scribes as they appear in the gospels, perfect observance of the Law focused on external observance. Jesus will show that true observance must also be in the heart and mind.
We, Christians, too, can become obsessed with external observance of Church laws and regulations. It can become a source of scrupulosity and fear. This can happen during the Lenten season when we are encouraged to do ‘penitential acts’. We need to remember that these acts do not stand on their own and only have meaning if they deepen our relationship with God and others. In all things, our ultimate guide must be the law of love. So, by what sign will others know that you are Catholics? By the external observance of church laws and regulations? By your love of God and neighbors?
To forgive and be forgiven 0 comments
We all want to be forgiven, but most of us have difficulties to forgive. Often these are small things which we cannot forgive, but because of the long time we carried them in our hearts they become bigger and bigger and forgiveness does not come easily anymore. We might also finally forgive, but conditionally or limit our forgiveness the way Peter tried to do it.
What can help us here is a glimpse at the Cross where Jesus suffered and died for our sins, forgiving all humankind unconditionally. Good Friday and Easter draw nearer and nearer. Surely we all will line up during Holy Week for confession to ask God for forgiveness. We sinners have offended the all-holy-God, our Creator and Savior! And God will forgive – without counting the times he has forgiven us already in the past, unconditionally, totally. But how can we ask God for this act of love when we have not forgiven our fellow men? What is this we cannot forgive, this hurt a sinner did to me a sinner, compared with what I have done by hurting God? The test of how worthily we accept God’s forgiveness is our willingness to forgive others.
Count your blessings 0 comments
Some times I heard people crying their heart to me, depressed and envious of others’ good fortune in life. “Father,” they would ask me, “why are they more blest than me? Why do they own this or that? Why is that family so loving while mine is not? Why my parents are cruel while my friends’ are not?” These people think that they are less privileged than others who have what they do not have. But are they truly less favored?
Some people sometimes have the habit of wishing to have their parish priest the one who already belongs to another parish. They sometimes wish to have a different priest other than the one who celebrates the Mass with them. Why? Are they less favored?
I don’t think so. What I think and see is that these people are missing the point they are losing because of it. In wishing to have what others have, they miss their own blessings. They fail to appreciate their own giftedness and fail to develop whatever potential they have because they focus on what others have while neglecting their own. Moreover, they failed to see the giftedness of the persons around them, their talents and the wonders they’re capable of doing. They failed to see the beauty of their own environment or situation in life.
They lose because they’re not going to experience the uniqueness of their own personality, the opportunities for growth that their environment could bring, and the beauty of the character of the persons around them. They lose because, as Jesus puts it, they failed to recognize the time of their visitation.
The lepers in Israel were not cured because they could not believe that there was a prophet sent by God among them. Jesus was not able to perform many miracles in his own native place because his people did not believe that He, one of their town mates, Joe the carpenter’s boy, was capable of making miracles happen. The town folks failed to see their blessedness in Jesus because they were thinking of having the messiah that would come from Betlehem. Because of that, they lost.
Let us not like them. What we need to do is to count our own blessings and giftedness. This Lenten season, let us make use of our blessedness as Christians. Let us thank the Lord for the people around us which we feel it would be inconceivable that God could speak to us through such people but indeed they bring the message of God. And let the Lord help us to see in those people around us God’s abiding presence
Passion 0 comments
Lent focuses our attention on the passion of Jesus Christ. Usually, “passion” in this sense is regarded as the agony and sufferings of Jesus. Almost totally, we forget that “passion” originally means “strong feelings towards something or someone”. Thus, we have a passion for basketball, a passion for food, a passion for music, a passion for peace, a passion for religion, a passion for humanity, a passion for God. We have an impassioned speech, an impassioned homily, an impassioned quest for the truth, an impassioned struggle for justice, an impassioned thirst for wisdom, an impassioned religious belief. And of course, we can be passionate lovers.
Are you a passionate lover?
Love without passion is boring. Passion without love is dangerous. Love with very little passion is weak, but passion with very little love is violent. Love with no passion must be healed. Passion with no love must be tamed.
Jesus is a passionate lover. He loves with His whole being. His whole being is involved with the one He loves. Loving is not just one of the many concerns of Jesus. Loving, rather, is the foundation of everything He is and He has. It is for love and of love that He thinks, speaks and acts. It is for the same reason that He receives and gives. His passion for love is the very soul of His being. The key to understanding the person of Jesus is the experience of passionate love. Jesus is passionate love personified.
Jesus is a passionate lover of God. No wonder, He is consumed with zeal for the house of God. No doubt, He totally and radically obeys God’s will even when His obedience entails undeserved suffering and violent death. It is no surprise that God, whom He loves passionately, raises Him back to life to the shame and horror of His enemies.
Jesus is a passionate lover of us all. He never forgets us even when we forget Him. He cannot deny us even when we deny Him. “He laid down His life for us,” St. Paul says, “not when we were His friends but when we were His enemies” (cf Rom 5:10).
Because Jesus is a passionate lover, He always finds Himself in conflict with cold-hearted people and structures made of hard cement. Because Jesus is a passionate lover, He is never satisfied with mere observance of the law. Because Jesus is a passionate lover, He is ready to die even a cross. Because Jesus is a passionate lover, death could not hold Him from rising back to life for those whom He loves.
Are you a passionate lover of God? Are you a passionate lover of all humankind?
In the Gospel today, Jesus is angry. He is angry at the crass display of irreverence right at the very house of God, His Father. The temple, a place of worship, has become a marketplace instead. The house of God is a house of prayer, but it has become a den of thieves instead. And in the Temple where sacrifices are offered to God, God Himself is sacrificed in favor of the sales in the Temple. Jesus’ command is clear: “Take all these out of here and stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace.”
The image of Jesus in today’s Gospel is a world away from the storybook caricature of Jesus, the meek and mild Jesus who seemed to be weak, if not comic. Jesus is angry today. And He does not mind at all being seen angry. He is angry because He loves. Because He loves, there are times when He has to be angry. He is angry because He is passionately in loved with God. His love for God consumes Him.
Jesus is angry because God’s house is desecrated. The mundane concern for profit even at the expense of sacred worship is a sacrilege against Him who is worshipped. While heads are bowed down in adoration to God, some hands strike God right on His face. And if we were in Jesus’ shoes, we cannot be less angry, too.
Are we bothered when we come to Mass not properly dressed and yet go to parties in the latest fashion? Are we slow to see anything wrong when we gossip during the Holy Eucharist and yet quick to teach others to make a double genuflection when the Blessed Sacrament is exposed? Is it sinful for us to pray in church and yet cheat in our places of work? Do we recognize the horror of supporting the Church with wealth illegally or immorally collected?
May Jesus cleanse God’s holy temple.
Jesus’ anger is not only caused by the irreverence committed against God in His very house. Jesus’ anger is ignited by the injustice done to others right in the very house of the just God. We are the temples of God’s Spirit, and Jesus’ anger is fanned into fire each time we show irreverence to ourselves and commit injustice against one another. If we were in Jesus’ shoes, we cannot be less angry.
When we indulge ourselves in vices that kill the body and condemn the soul, do we feel guilty? When we exploit the weak for our personal gain, do we have remorse? When we are indifferent to the sufferings of others as long as we are not the ones who are suffering, do we feel contrite? When we tolerate a culture of sin and death but claim ourselves to be Christians, do we recognize our need for conversion? When we say that we love God and yet hate our neighbors, do we realize the fundamental lie on which our lives are based?
May Jesus cleanse us, God’s holy temple.
The passion of Jesus is not just His suffering and death. The passion of Jesus is, first, His immense and genuine love for God and for us all. That kind of love made Jesus endure suffering and death. So passionate is His love for God and for us that He endured His passion. It is precisely the passionate love in His heart that led Him to His passion on the cross. And His passion cleanses God’s temple -- the one that is made of stones and the one that is made of human hearts.
After Jesus clears out the temple, the place is reclaimed for the worship of God. After Jesus rises from the grave, Jesus becomes the new sanctuary of God that is just within our reach. After Jesus cleanses us, we are restored so that God’s Spirit may dwell in us. And when God’s Spirit dwells in us, we cannot but be passionate lovers of God and of one another, too.
Lent focuses our attention on the passion of Jesus. Just as the suffering and death of Jesus move our inner most beings to conversion, may the love of Jesus transform us, from the deepest recesses of our hearts, so that our love may be passionate and our passion may always be for true love.
Stewardship 0 comments
When I was a little boy, I used to play priest (romo-romoan; in some places in Indonesia we call a priest Romo). I would cover a table with cloth and then I would invite my little sister and friends. We would use tea and Marie biscuits to represent the bread and wine. Everyone would wish it was communion time already. In other occasions we played also pasar-pasaran (pasar: market) or rumah-rumahan (rumah: house).
This got me thinking: why do we call it rumah-rumahan, romo-romoan, pasar-pasaran, or dokter-dokteran? Because after the play, there is no longer any house. After the play I am no longer a priest. After the play there is no longer any market. After the play one no longer is a doctor. It is only temporary, not forever. It reminds us that all our possessions are also temporary. Everything that we have is given and we cannot hold on to them forever. Even the very life we have is simply a gift. Time will come when we have to turn it over to the Lord of Life.
The parable of the Tenants reminds us of the Christian meaning of stewardship. God is the source of everything that we have and are. The Gospel reminded us, “Therefore, I say to you, the Kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.”
God expects us to be fruitful with the gifts He has given us. When we come face to face with the Lord, He will ask us how much we have used all that He has given us. What do we bring with us before the Lord?
There was a dying man who told his wife, “When I die, I want you to put all my money in my coffin. I want to bring all of them with me.” The wife took all of the man’s money, deposited it in her bank account, issued the man a cheque and put it in the man’s coffin.
When a man dies his palms remain open. No one dies with pal closed. We bring nothing with us when we die. The only thing we can bring with us are the seeds of goodness we have planted in our hearts and in the heart of others. What would you bring with you when that time comes?
We are our brothers and sisters’ keepers 0 comments
In the first reading today Jeremiah makes a strong contrast between two kinds of people: (a) the one who thinks he is self-sufficient, is immersed in the material world and ignores the place of God in his life. (b) the one who puts all his trust in God and in the way of life that God suggests. The first man's life is basically barren and empty. "He is like dry scrub in the wastelands." He has no eye for what is really good. Surrounded by his luxuries and pleasures he unconsciously lives in a desert. He measures his life by what he has, not by what he is – for himself, still less for others. The second man "is like a tree by the waterside that thrusts its roots to the stream; when the heat comes, it feels no anxiety, its leaves stay green; it has no worries in a year of drought, and never ceases to bear fruit." Such a person may lead a life of great material simplicity but is in touch with a deeper source of wealth, God's truth, wisdom and love. It is very easy to be persuaded that happiness lies in having things, having status, having power. That is what the rich man in the Gospel was thinking of. And many people have been trapped by this by sacrificing the truth, justice and humanity or neglecting others. That was the nameless rich man in the gospel did. It seems that there was nothing happening. The rich man is eating; the poor man is sitting and waiting. There are no words between them. The poor man is not abused or chased away; he is simply ignored as if he did not exist. So, his problem is not so much what he did, but what he didn't do. He failed to reach out and help Lazarus, the poor man covered with sores. He failed to take this opportunity to serve his neighbor. He could have easily given him something to eat and drink and he didn't do it. Life is measured not by wealth, status, or power but in a life of caring and sharing relationships. In a world of extreme consumerism, hedonism and individualism, today's readings have a very important message. The truly rich are those who enrich the lives of others. Today's Mass is about priorities and about our responsibilities to those around us. It deals with Cain's question: "Am I my brother's keeper?" And the answer is, "Yes." "We are our brothers and sisters' keepers!"
"What do you want?" 0 comments
Parents wish the best for their children. Normally, they do not simply wish for it; they work hard for it. They are the first and best supporters of their children.
The mother of James and John wanted to secure the best future for her boys. She asked Jesus to reserve the seats on His right and left for her sons, James and John. We cannot blame her. She was a mother.
However, Jesus had something else for James and John. He still had their best future in mind, but the best for James and John was not what mother wished for them but what God wanted from them.
God wanted that James and John fix their eyes on Jesus and not on the seats at His either side. God wanted James and John to follow Jesus even unto death. He wanted them, and all who follow Jesus, to serve as Jesus served. And God’s will is always the best for anyone.
There are times when our dreams for our loved ones are confronted by God’s will for each of them. When those times come, do we force our dreams on them or do we help them recognize and fulfill God’s will for them? When it is a battle between our will and God’s will, whose will prevails? Jesus asked the mother of John and James, “What do you want?” What would be your answer if Jesus asks you the same question?
Great Leaders 0 comments
A person who is a great leader is never someone who draws attention to himself of herself for the sake of vanity or fame. Truly great leaders have people who gravitate to them by the sheer force of things that they have achieved or for the power behind the values for which they stand. A truly great leader will leave behind a legacy that will outlive those who knew him or her personally. The saints are great leaders. Rarely have the saints commanded armies or great economic empires. They normally exercise their influence in relatively limited portion of the world. Yet, we remember these men and women centuries after they have lived and died. It is as though their person is still with us – and in a sense it is! A great leader is one who lives a moral life and has committed to a set of moral values that are universally acknowledged. The greatness behind their example and leadership is the adherence to their moral law of truth and right. This why we remember to this day and will continue to do so until the end of time. Greatness that is built upon the values and things of the world is passing away! We remember such greatness for as long as the personal contact is there – otherwise the person's memory passes into oblivion and the next person who exercises such economic, political or social power captures our attention. Such greatness is like a passing fad – here in one generation and gone in the next. The greatness of the truly moral leaders of human history rests in their ability to have borne witness to a set of values that will not change and will endure forever. It not just a matter of being able to know what we should do, but having the strength and courage to actually do it! It is this level of living witness for which we all should strive. If we desire to leave a mark on this world for good, then it is in the moral arena that we should seek to be exemplary leaders. As the lives of the saints bear witness, no one is necessarily excluded from this possibility.
Be Merciful… 0 comments
"Be merciful just as your Father is merciful. Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you;; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you," (Luke 6:36-38). You want a food for the soul today? Then read the above text. Read it slowly for the second time. Feel what it proclaims. Feel the joy that it brings to your heart. Then cry if you must. Call them tears for joy. Why? Because God has been merciful to you. He has forgiven you several times; and has given you back the hundredfold that He promised for every act of kindness that you extended to the least of your brothers and sisters. That is how God measures us. Yes, in spite of our flawed humanity, our stubbornness and pride, and countless betrayals of His love. Surely, this is and undeserved charity from God. But He does it nonetheless and He asks nothing in return, except that we follow His lead. Is it still a wonder then that He demands the same bigheartedness from every one of us? We receive mercy countless of times. Can we not be merciful ourselves? To whom? To your spouse, children, house helpers, officemates, annoying neighbors or to whom God wills you to dispense mercy. We were not judged, so we were not condemned even if we deserve it. Instead, we were forgiven. Can we not do the same? Also, much has been given to us. In fact, all that we have has been given. St. Paul said, "Name anything you have which you did not receive." With such a realization, can we not therefore share?
Conversion 0 comments
We are now at the second week of Lenten Season. When we began this graceful season, we were marked with ashes and exhorted to repent when the priest said, "Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel." Self renewal and repentance are always the main theme of this season as we prepare to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The repentance is accomplished through conversion.
The Greek word for conversion is metanioa. The imperative verb is metanoiete that means "convert". Metanoia is its noun form: conversion.
Quite commonly, many people consider conversion as turning away from sin. But that is only half of the process. The other half is turning towards something better that will help us achieve intimacy with God. Conversion is "turning away" so that we may "turn towards". And if that "turning towards" is lesser than for the purpose of becoming closer to God, such a conversion is skin-deep, short-lived, and futile. The truth is it is no conversion at all. Without turning towards something that will bring us closer to God, turning away from sin may mean only this: turning away from one sin and turning towards another. Unfortunately, very often, the new sin one towards to is even worse than that from which one turns way.
The easiest and most effective way to kick a bad habit is to develop and reinforce a good one. For example, conquer tardiness by punctuality, defeat selfishness through charitable deeds, cut down on television viewing by giving more time to Bible-reading and to prayer, cease cheating during an exam by studying well prior to it, or stop lying by simply telling the truth.
Turn away from sin by turning toward God. And for a genuine conversion, it is always good to start with believing in the Good News of Jesus Christ. Belief in the Good News is manifested not only in our knowledge of it but also in our involvement in noble causes, such as pro-life advocacy, ecological concerns, urban poor housing, nuclear disarmament, anti-apartheid movement, or vigilance against graft and corruption in governance. Turning towards these worthy causes helps us turn away from sin – the challenge of the Good News of the Kingdom.
Because we sin, conversion is all of us. If indeed we turn away from our sins, towards what or towards whom do we turn? If not towards godly causes or towards God Himself, or we simply turn towards nothing or no one at all, ours is false conversion. As we continue our journey in this Lenten season, we ask for the grace of true conversion.
Destined for Glory 0 comments
When Francis Xavier was in Kagoshima, Japan, he met a monk named Ninjutsu, meaning "True Heart," a superior of a monastery in that locality. Francis asked Ninjutsu a question, "Which time of life do you like most, youth or old age?" Ninjutsu replied, "Youth was to be preferred to old age, for then a man's body was strong, his mind clear, and he could do what he wish unhindered. Francis smiled and said, "Have you ever gone on a long voyage? When do passengers of the ship rejoice? When they are on open sea, buffeted by waves and wind, or when they are in sight of the land and begin to enter the harbor?" Ninjutsu replied, "Father, I know you well. I know that the aspect of the harbor is pleasant and joyful to those who are bound there. But what is my harbor? Where am I bound? It is not yet clear to me… and so I do not know how or where I must land." This second Sunday of Lent, the Church offers us for reflection and inspiration the Gospel story of Jesus' Transfiguration. It reminds us that, first, Jesus needed to experience it before He suffered. Second, as followers of Jesus, we need to experience the same to keep us focused and persevering in good and holy works this Lenten season. Knowing the fate that awaited Him, Jesus needed the assurance of an event like the Transfiguration. Prefiguring His glorious resurrection, it gave Him enough strength to drink the "cup of suffering" for our salvation. With His Transfiguration, Jesus was reassured that the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah) were behind Him in His mission, and that no less than the Father himself approved of it. With a glorious resurrection awaiting Him after His passion and death, Jesus can now take on the road to Calvary. He was fully aware that death would not be its end, but life; not defeat, but victory; not shame, but glory. The transfiguration was His harbor, so to speak, so that no matter how huge the waves are, or how violent the ocean can be, like a good sailor, Jesus would not let them blur His vision of His destination – His transfiguration realized in His glorious resurrection. Like Jesus, we are called to always bear in mind our harbor, our destination. Unlike True Heart, we don't suffer from any uncertainty as to where our labors and sacrifices would lead us. Because we are sure of our destiny, and that destiny is glorious. Although buffeted from all sides by trials and difficulties in this ocean of life, if we don't lose sight of our harbor, it's certain that we shall reach our glorious destination. Therefore, let us never lose sight of Jesus who was transfigured. He is our harbor; He is our port. What happened to Him surely happen to us. But if we persevere to the end, what was given to Him as a reward shall also be ours.
Called to be Radical 0 comments
There are very few people who generally enjoy standing out from the rest of humanity. There is something comforting about being one of a crowd. We like the security of believing or knowing that we are not really all that different from everyone else. However, this sort of an attitude can be a problem when it comes to our Christian life. Jesus tells His disciples that one of their goals must be to stand out from the crowd.... to the pint of aiming for radical perfection. Earlier in this chapter we have heard Jesus teaching us that our righteousness must be deeper than that of the Scribes and Pharisees. This is only possible by the grace of God as on our own we will not be able to overcome temptation and sin. A Christian must be different from the rest of humanity who do not know Christ. His or her focus must be the promise and reality of eternal life and not the mere pleasures of this earthly existence. The promise of eternal life is the one that undergirds all that a Christian will do and, as such, will govern their lives. Jesus calls his disciples, and we who follow in their footsteps, to become beacons in a world of indifference and mediocrity. He calls humanity to a higher calling – faith in God and a life lived according to His will. This is a call to be radical. This is a call to put aside the cares of the world and focus upon the Kingdom of God and all that it promises to us. This is not easy as it is not as concrete as the pleasures of the world – the here and now that we can touch and interact with in a physical fashion. If we read the Gospel of John we will discover that Jesus constantly comes back to one theme, namely that He has to come to do what God the Father wants him to do. Here is the key to a radical way of life – discover the will of God for you and be obedient to it. This is the ultimate secret of the saints. They are no different from you and me. All they have done is exactly that – listened to God's word for their lives and done their best to put it into action.
Spring from a deep life 0 comments
The passage of our Gospel today comes from the Sermon on the Mount and is the first of six so-called "antitheses" where Jesus contrasts the demands of the Law with those of the Gospel. Virtue for the scribes and Pharisees was largely measured by external observance of the law. Jesus says, "Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees…." Another translation says, "Unless your virtue goes deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees…." Jesus is not adding more rules to the multitude of rules that the scribes and Pharisees deduced from the Law; rather he approaches everything from a deeper level. For Jesus that is not enough. For him real virtue is in the heart. There was a commandment not to kill but Jesus says that even hatred and anger, violence in the heart (often expressed by abusive language) must be avoided. Furthermore, we cannot have one set of relationships with God and another set with people. You may own thousands of acres, but if they are just barren rock you will starve, because nothing will grow there. Where there is no depth of soil, the seed comes to nothing (see Mk 4:5); and likewise when our actions do not spring from a deep life they wither before they can bear any fruit.
God Answers All Our Prayers 0 comments
Once I passed by a room of a seminarian and I read a note posted on his door. It read, "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find. OPEN and you shall be KNOCKED."
Though meant as a joke, that attitude, if taken seriously, depicts one's insensitivity to the needs of others. Because if possible, we would not want to be disturbed by beggars, by small-time vendors, by money borrowers or by our neighbors whose borrowing habits and needs ranged from kitchen utensils to transportation fares for their children. We want to avoid these people. We shut our doors at them, insult them, humiliate them in front of others or shout at them at the top of our voice. Indeed one of the beggars who use to knock our door once said, "Brother, how hard is your heart..."
Well, we human beings can be mean at times. But God is not. When He says, "Ask and you shall receive," He really means it. Because He is God who listens. He understands. He knows what we need and when we need it. He is just waiting for our request. It doesn't matter how often we make such requests. For the more we ask, the more it pleases Him. We only have to be sincere and open to His will when we pray. Surely, He only wills what is best for us.
God hears our prayers and He answers them, especially the prayer of the poor in spirit - those who have nothing else to depend on except God. But for some, the answer to their prayers is no. Not because God is stingy, or that He doesn't care, but because He knows what is best for us. And that is what He wants us to have. As our Father, He would not hand over us a snake if what we truly need is a loaf.
The things we ask for in prayer can be very revealing of our relationship with God and with others, it can be very revealing of our values and our wants (which are very different from our needs). The deepest prayer of petition will be to ask God to give us those things which are most for our long-term well-being, those things which will bring us closer to him and help us to interact in truth and love with those around us. It is a prayer to be the kind of people we ought to be. It is difficult to see that prayer not being answered.
The trouble with us at times is that we are not actually praying when we pray. Many times, we are simply informing God of what we want, without regard whether He who is our Father would like us to have what we ask. Many time we think that what is important for us is what we like, not what God likes. This is not prayer at all but arrogance. Interestingly though, perhaps due to our stubbornness or annoying persistence, God at times still grants what we asks for even in an arrogant manner, if only to please us.
When we pray then, we must pray humbly, trustingly, and sincerely, not seeking our own glory but only God's design and the honor of His name. Whoever loves God for anything else does not abide in Him, but abides in the thing he is loving Him for. If, therefore, you want to abide in Him, you must love Him for nothing but Himself.
Sign of Jonah 0 comments
The mention of the prophet Jonah in our Lenten liturgy may have to do with two points of connection:
1) Lent focus on repentance. For many people Lent is a season to recollect life and see what things need to be changed in one’s life. It is a call for metanoia. The prophet Jonah was an effective prophet of repentance for the Ninevites in spite of his own weakness.
2) Lent prepares us to celebrate Jesus’ death and rising. The high point of the season is the Paschal Mystery: Jesus rising after three days. Jonah’s stay in the belly of the whale for three days, before he was ejected alive on the shore of Nineveh, is seen by many as a foreshadowing of Jesus’ own stay in the dark belly of the tomb before his triumphant resurrection.
For me, the sign of Jonah is not only the sign of repentance, but also the sign of God’s Love. He never gives up on us.
There was a film, "Commandments," released a couple of years ago. The protagonist, Seth Warner feels that God has broken the Covenant. He is a contemporary Job. His pregnant wife has drowned, his home has been destroyed in a tornado (which spared all the other houses on the block), he has lost his job, and lightning struck him (and his dog). Since God has broken his promises, Seth feels it’s appropriate for him to strike back by breaking his end of the Covenant. He systematically breaks all the commandments to show God what he thinks of Him. His final violation is of the Commandment “you shall not kill.” His method of breaking that command is spectacular: he throws himself off a lighthouse in the midst of a hurricane. God’s response is equally spectacular. The next morning a crowd of people walking down the beach discover a dead whale. They cut it open and out of the whale’s belly there comes water, fish, and Seth Warner, very much alive. God has responded to his hatred with the Sign of Jonah.
God always responds one way or another, our hatred with his love. He never gives up. How do we respond to this love? Repent, like the Ninevites.
The Model of Prayer 0 comments
Perhaps the most popular prayer that there is in the Christian world is the Lord’s Prayer. Almost everyone, from little children playing in the streets to old women selling in the market, knows the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus taught His disciples this prayer when they saw Him praying and asked Him, “Master, teach us how to pray.”
Jesus’ life was a life of prayer. Prayers should be brief because it is for our good, not for the good of God since He already knows what we need. The Lord’s Prayer is a simple prayer. Despite its brevity, one of the Fathers of the Church called the Lord’s Prayer “truly a summary of the whole Gospel.” It is the expression of our chief beliefs that serve as an “Identification Prayer,” like a distinctive badge that bind believers together.
When Jesus gave to His disciples the Lord’s Prayer, He intended to give it to them not as the only prayer but rather as the model of prayer. It is a model of prayer since we will be able to see in it the four elements of prayer that we have been taught of, that Catholic tradition remembers as the ACTS (Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving and Supplication). In it we ask not only for the things we can rightly desire, but also in the sequence that they should be desired. Speaking with God is an intensely personal event.
In this season of Lent, let us never forget to call God our Father as Jesus had taught us. We have a right to call God our Father if we treat other people as our brothers and sisters, especially those who are closest to us and those who are most in need. Now is a good time to improve our prayer life and our relationship with God as we observe the season of Lent
