Acts 10:34.37-43
1 Corinthians 5:6-8
John 20:1-9
We celebrate Easter in many different ways – Easter egg-hunting, sending Easter greetings cards, or spending quality time with our families. During the Easter vigil Mass, the entire church is enveloped with darkness. At the church grounds, the priest lights a bonfire and does the blessing of the huge Easter candle with the corresponding inscriptions to emphasize that Jesus Christ is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. The Mass proceeds with lights off up the five Readings. Then the faithful sing the “Gloria” to give praise, honor, and glory to the Risen Lord. After moments of darkness, lights are switched on to symbolize that the light has conquered darkness. At dawn, we have the famous “salubong” which dramatizes the meeting of the Resurrected Christ and His beloved Mother Mary. One from among the choirs of angels removes the black veil of Mother Mary and the white veil remains to signify that joy prevails over mourning. The resurrection of Jesus Christ, Our Savior, is more than all these outward manifestations.
Pondering on the glorious event of the resurrection, perhaps, can inspire us to write a book because of the richness of its message. As of the moment, let us limit our reflection on two points: First, the resurrection promises a new life and conveys a message of hope. Second, the resurrection invites us to reflect more on the ordinary events in our lives and encourages us to see beyond. As we reflect on our own lives, we sometimes fail to realize that after the trials and tribulations we go through, a ray of light and hope beacons yonder. In today’s Gospel, we take a glimpse on the lives of the prominent characters, Mary of Magdala and Simon Peter.
Mary of Magdala. Mary of Magdala, also known as Mary Magdalene, from whom seven demons were cast out, was among the women who provided the resources of Jesus and his apostles in their Galilean ministry (Luke 8:2-3). She was one of the women who stood at the foot of the cross during the crucifixion of Jesus. Mary Magdalene took care of Jesus’ body during His burial (Mark 15:42). A very interesting episode in Mary Magdalene’s life was that she was the first person who saw Jesus on the day of His resurrection. Thereafter, she joyfully announced to the disciples what she had seen and heard from Jesus.
After the great encounter with the Risen Lord, a significant change in the role of Mary Magdalene took place. Mary Magdalene, a mere “provider of material needs,” became a “proclaimer of the spiritual needs” — the good news that the Lord Jesus Christ is indeed alive.
Simon Peter. We have read so many accounts about Simon Peter in the New Testament, particularly in the gospels. To mention a few, we know that Simon Peter was a fisherman from Galilee. He was the aggressive type of person who walked on the water, was almost drown, and was later reprimanded by Jesus Christ because of his little faith (Matthew 14: 28-30). He was the impulsive man who struck and cut off the ear of the high priest’s slave when Jesus was arrested at the Garden of Gethsemane (John 18:10). He was the curious guy who frequently asked questions (Luke 12:41; Mt 19:27). One thing that we could not forget about Peter was his denial of Jesus thrice (Matthew 26:69-76; Mark 14: 66-71; Luke 22:54-61). After having denied Jesus three times, what transpired was that Peter broke down (Mark 15:72) and bitterly wept (Matthew 26:75). Peter sincerely repented for what he had done. The highlight in Peter’s encounter with the Risen Lord was his pronouncement of his threefold confession of love to Jesus (John 21:15-19). This declaration counteracted his denial. From this confession, Simon Peter was given the task to shepherd and rule over the flock of Jesus. Peter, the “fisherman,” became a “true fisher of man.” Peter’s irresolute character had turned into one with firmness of faith, great fidelity, and profound love to the Lord.
Who were Simon Peter and Mary Magdalene? They were just ordinary persons in the olden times. They were just like you and me who have our own difficulties, struggles, and weaknesses in life. But the Lord had given them the grace to be transformed so as to live a new life — a life anchored in the Risen Christ. Mary Magdalene and Simon Peter attained a conversion of life because they opened themselves to the power of the resurrection.
To reflect on the second point, let us take a look on the very brief account on the life of The Beloved Disciple. The beloved disciple was the one who reclined at the chest of Jesus during the Last Supper (John 21:20). He, together with the other women, stayed at the foot of the cross during the crucifixion and he was the one who took Mary home (John 19:26-27). In today’s gospel, the evangelist John, highlighted the act of the beloved disciple who, upon arriving at the tomb, saw the burial cloth and cover for the face of Jesus already separated and began to believe (John 20:8). He saw and he believed! He believed not because he saw the scattered clothes, but he believed because, through the eyes of faith, he recognized and understood the deeper meaning of what he saw. This act of the beloved disciple encourages us to reflect on the implications of the ordinary things we encounter in our lives.
Easter is more than the spectacular “salubong.” It is far beyond the Easter eggs, the Easter greeting cards, and the picnics. It is the message that Jesus is alive and very much present in our lives. It shows us that behind the torment of the cross is the crown of victory; behind every tear of pain and grief is the radiant beam of love and hope; and behind the tortured body with wounds and bruises is a person with renewed flesh. The resurrection shows us a promise of new life, new beginning, new role, new path, and new endeavor.
As we celebrate Easter, we are invited to further strengthen our bond with the Risen Lord as we are called to renew our commitment to the Christian faith. If we have a litany of New Year’s resolutions, I think we can make a difference by trying an “Easter resolution” this time. As we proudly profess our deep faith, we look forward, with much hope and optimism, that the Risen Lord will touch our lives and make us worthy bearers of His Good News. Like Mary Magdalene, Simon Peter, and the Beloved Disciple, we “clear out the old yeast in us so that we become a fresh batch of dough (1 Corinthians 5:7)” as we totally surrender and open ourselves to the power of the Risen Lord.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Christ the King
2 Sam 5, 1-3
Col 1, 12-20
Lk 23, 35-43
Chist the King
If there is a prominent title in today’s Gospel, it would be the title “King.” In the Old Testament, particularly in Ancient Israel, someone becomes a king by appointment, election, or succession. A king has a distinct character and is unique in stature (1 Sam 9:2; 1 Sam 16:12). A king has power and dominion over his people. A king is expected to rule the people honorably and lead them in times of battle.
In a deeper sense, a king is seen as an intermediary between Yahweh and the people. He carries out Yahweh’s will for justice. He protects the poor and the vulnerable members of the society. In promoting justice and righteousness in his kingdom, a king mirrors the righteousness and justice evident in Yahweh’s rule over the universe (see Ceresko, pp.153-154). These are the vital and fundamental roles of an ideal king.
From the Ancient Israel down to the time of King Herod the Great, the ideal kingship was hardly attained. Most of the kings abused their power, disobeyed God’s command, and became evil in the Lord’s sight. Such attitude displeased God.
The ideal king emerged in the human history two thousand years ago in the person of Jesus Christ (Luke 1:32-33), but most of the people failed to recognize and acknowledge Him. In today’s Gospel, we heard the rulers and the Roman soldiers reviling Jesus and addressing Him “King of the Jews,” a title which was not used by Jesus throughout His ministry. The title “King of the Jews” was never used by the Jewish people because it entails a negative connotation. The title “King of the Jews” was a title given by the Roman Senate to Herod. Herod was not a real Jew and the Jews did not like him because of his notoriety and cruelty. He was a merciless and unkind leader. He ordered the massacre of the infants in Bethlehem and in some parts of Jerusalem (Matthew 2:16). The title “King of the Jews” accorded to Herod was, in fact, a title of insult and rejection.
Aside from the rulers and soldiers who despised Jesus in today’s Gospel was the good thief who saw something beyond the man burdened with wounds and bruises, the man pierced by big nails, and the man wearing a crown of thorns. The good thief recognized the true identity of Jesus. He repented and he asked for forgiveness for his sins. He was converted when the eyes of his faith had seen and identified Christ.
We, Christians, call Jesus “Christ the King.” Jesus Christ is such a great King who was so simple yet extraordinary. He is the epitome of a True King – one who governs his citizens in the exercise of lawful authority; one who defends his inhabitants in times of danger; one who provides for the needs of his constituents; one who shepherds his flock; and one who understands and accepts the shortcomings of his people.
In the olden times, Jesus had no commanders and soldiers nor chariots and horses for battle, he only had apostles and disciples who walked from town to town to preach the Good News; he never built magnificent temples nor huge palaces, he only built a community of believers, a Church of the faithful; he had no swords, spears, nor bows, only teachings, parables, and words of kindness. In his simplicity and loving mercy, Jesus conquered the world not with armed attacks, violence, and war, but with the act of surrender and obedience, by being humble, through exemplary service, and unconditional love.
Act of surrender and obedience. Jesus submitted himself not to his persecutors, but to the will of the Father. In his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus begged the Father to take the cup away from Him (Matthew 26:39). Jesus knew that was going to die on the cross. Perhaps He was also trembling and afraid during those crucial hours, but He had the courage to say, “My Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass without me drinking it, Your will be done (Matthew 26:42)!” Jesus, in today’s Gospel, remained quiet when the people derided him. In his silence, perhaps Jesus was praying, not for God to spare him death, but he was even praying for his persecutors. It could also be that Jesus was savoring the essence of what it is to be the Messiah, the Savior of the World. Jesus, the Ideal King, was obedient to the command of God no matter how painful and difficult it will be.
A humble servant of all. A true king, as mentioned earlier, protects the poor and weak members of the society. He heeds to the essential needs of the people. This is very much evident in Jesus, especially during His ministry, as accounted in the four Gospels. The lepers (Mt 8:3; Mk 1:41-42), the paralytic man (Mk 2:11-12), the blind men (Mt 9:29-30; Mt 20:33-34; Mk 10:52; Jn 9:7), the woman with hemorrhage (Mt 9:22), the man with a withered hand (Mk 3:5), the crippled (Lk 13:13), the adulterous woman (Jn 8: 10-11), and the sick (Mt 8:13; Mk 1:34) had been regarded as the outcasts and marginalized sectors in Jesus’ time. They were alienated from the society and people treated them with mockery and disdain. They were considered “second class citizens” in their own land. Jesus healed the infirmities of these people. By doing so, Jesus brought them back to the mainstream of the society. Jesus lifted them up from the feeling of shame and being ostracized.
A very beautiful image or symbol of a king is a shepherd. In the First Reading, the Lord said to David, “You shall shepherd my people Israel (2 Samuel 5:2).” The people of Israel were entrusted to David. Shepherding requires a great responsibility upon whom the sheep depends for its daily sustenance. To take care of another person’s life is not easy. It demands real love, patience, kindness, and gentleness. In John’s Gospel, Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep (John 10:11).” A real king, who carries the symbol of a shepherd, is ready to die for his people. The only king who has attained that ideal standard is Jesus. Jesus came to serve and not to be served.
Whenever we look at the cross, we see the image of Jesus, the crucified Christ. Such is not a symbol of defeat. On the contrary, it is a symbol of victory and kingship so that the mission of Jesus — in proclaiming the kingdom of God, in being a model of servanthood, and in saving all people — is fulfilled and completed. Likewise, the cross also symbolizes humility. For the Jews, to be hanged on the cross was the most shameful thing. Jesus, the crucified king, suffered such humiliation and insult. He humbled himself, but later on, He was exalted.
Talking about humility and service, I remember a story written by Fr. Jerry Orbos, SVD in one of his books, Moments. It was about Bishop Rillera, former Bishop of the Diocese of Bangued, Abra and now Bishop in La Union. Bishop Rillera, who was then in plain clothes, was cleaning the front yard of his residence. A driver of a priest from a neighboring diocese approached the bishop and asked the latter to help him carry the baggage. Perhaps, the driver knew Bishop Rillera by name but had never met him. Bishop Rillera readily obliged and carried the bags. During meal time, all the guests gathered at the dining area and the man who had earlier carried the baggage arrived and led the prayer before the meal. The driver was stunned. It was a fitting contrast that Bishop Rillera willingly did a menial task which personifies the humble service he had been rendering to the people.
Today, we are not ruled by a human king. We, whatever titles and appellations we append to our names, are the modern-day kings in our own communities, our own institutions, our own families, our peer groups, and our own simple ways of dealing with others. We need not have crowns, scepters, temples, palaces, commanders, soldiers, and other symbols of power and affluence. We do not need those things to be a king. We are simply called to protect and care for our brothers and sisters, particularly the less privileged and marginalized sectors in our society. In serving others, let us first acknowledge our weaknesses and failures before the Lord and ask for healing. The more we allow ourselves to be cleansed, the more we radiate the innate goodness in us.
Jesus, the King of Kings, invites and challenges us everyday — His disciples and believers — to faithfully follow what he has done, that is, to be obedient to the will of God and be a humble servant of all, a servant who is ready to sacrifice and even give up his own life for the sake of others. Let us be reminded of Jesus’ words “whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Amen.
references:
A. Ceresko, Intoduction to the Old Testament: A Liberation Perspective (Quezon City: Claretian Publications, 2001).
"Christ the King" in www.divinewordseminary.blogspot.com
Col 1, 12-20
Lk 23, 35-43
Chist the King
If there is a prominent title in today’s Gospel, it would be the title “King.” In the Old Testament, particularly in Ancient Israel, someone becomes a king by appointment, election, or succession. A king has a distinct character and is unique in stature (1 Sam 9:2; 1 Sam 16:12). A king has power and dominion over his people. A king is expected to rule the people honorably and lead them in times of battle.
In a deeper sense, a king is seen as an intermediary between Yahweh and the people. He carries out Yahweh’s will for justice. He protects the poor and the vulnerable members of the society. In promoting justice and righteousness in his kingdom, a king mirrors the righteousness and justice evident in Yahweh’s rule over the universe (see Ceresko, pp.153-154). These are the vital and fundamental roles of an ideal king.
From the Ancient Israel down to the time of King Herod the Great, the ideal kingship was hardly attained. Most of the kings abused their power, disobeyed God’s command, and became evil in the Lord’s sight. Such attitude displeased God.
The ideal king emerged in the human history two thousand years ago in the person of Jesus Christ (Luke 1:32-33), but most of the people failed to recognize and acknowledge Him. In today’s Gospel, we heard the rulers and the Roman soldiers reviling Jesus and addressing Him “King of the Jews,” a title which was not used by Jesus throughout His ministry. The title “King of the Jews” was never used by the Jewish people because it entails a negative connotation. The title “King of the Jews” was a title given by the Roman Senate to Herod. Herod was not a real Jew and the Jews did not like him because of his notoriety and cruelty. He was a merciless and unkind leader. He ordered the massacre of the infants in Bethlehem and in some parts of Jerusalem (Matthew 2:16). The title “King of the Jews” accorded to Herod was, in fact, a title of insult and rejection.
Aside from the rulers and soldiers who despised Jesus in today’s Gospel was the good thief who saw something beyond the man burdened with wounds and bruises, the man pierced by big nails, and the man wearing a crown of thorns. The good thief recognized the true identity of Jesus. He repented and he asked for forgiveness for his sins. He was converted when the eyes of his faith had seen and identified Christ.
We, Christians, call Jesus “Christ the King.” Jesus Christ is such a great King who was so simple yet extraordinary. He is the epitome of a True King – one who governs his citizens in the exercise of lawful authority; one who defends his inhabitants in times of danger; one who provides for the needs of his constituents; one who shepherds his flock; and one who understands and accepts the shortcomings of his people.
In the olden times, Jesus had no commanders and soldiers nor chariots and horses for battle, he only had apostles and disciples who walked from town to town to preach the Good News; he never built magnificent temples nor huge palaces, he only built a community of believers, a Church of the faithful; he had no swords, spears, nor bows, only teachings, parables, and words of kindness. In his simplicity and loving mercy, Jesus conquered the world not with armed attacks, violence, and war, but with the act of surrender and obedience, by being humble, through exemplary service, and unconditional love.
Act of surrender and obedience. Jesus submitted himself not to his persecutors, but to the will of the Father. In his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus begged the Father to take the cup away from Him (Matthew 26:39). Jesus knew that was going to die on the cross. Perhaps He was also trembling and afraid during those crucial hours, but He had the courage to say, “My Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass without me drinking it, Your will be done (Matthew 26:42)!” Jesus, in today’s Gospel, remained quiet when the people derided him. In his silence, perhaps Jesus was praying, not for God to spare him death, but he was even praying for his persecutors. It could also be that Jesus was savoring the essence of what it is to be the Messiah, the Savior of the World. Jesus, the Ideal King, was obedient to the command of God no matter how painful and difficult it will be.
A humble servant of all. A true king, as mentioned earlier, protects the poor and weak members of the society. He heeds to the essential needs of the people. This is very much evident in Jesus, especially during His ministry, as accounted in the four Gospels. The lepers (Mt 8:3; Mk 1:41-42), the paralytic man (Mk 2:11-12), the blind men (Mt 9:29-30; Mt 20:33-34; Mk 10:52; Jn 9:7), the woman with hemorrhage (Mt 9:22), the man with a withered hand (Mk 3:5), the crippled (Lk 13:13), the adulterous woman (Jn 8: 10-11), and the sick (Mt 8:13; Mk 1:34) had been regarded as the outcasts and marginalized sectors in Jesus’ time. They were alienated from the society and people treated them with mockery and disdain. They were considered “second class citizens” in their own land. Jesus healed the infirmities of these people. By doing so, Jesus brought them back to the mainstream of the society. Jesus lifted them up from the feeling of shame and being ostracized.
A very beautiful image or symbol of a king is a shepherd. In the First Reading, the Lord said to David, “You shall shepherd my people Israel (2 Samuel 5:2).” The people of Israel were entrusted to David. Shepherding requires a great responsibility upon whom the sheep depends for its daily sustenance. To take care of another person’s life is not easy. It demands real love, patience, kindness, and gentleness. In John’s Gospel, Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep (John 10:11).” A real king, who carries the symbol of a shepherd, is ready to die for his people. The only king who has attained that ideal standard is Jesus. Jesus came to serve and not to be served.
Whenever we look at the cross, we see the image of Jesus, the crucified Christ. Such is not a symbol of defeat. On the contrary, it is a symbol of victory and kingship so that the mission of Jesus — in proclaiming the kingdom of God, in being a model of servanthood, and in saving all people — is fulfilled and completed. Likewise, the cross also symbolizes humility. For the Jews, to be hanged on the cross was the most shameful thing. Jesus, the crucified king, suffered such humiliation and insult. He humbled himself, but later on, He was exalted.
Talking about humility and service, I remember a story written by Fr. Jerry Orbos, SVD in one of his books, Moments. It was about Bishop Rillera, former Bishop of the Diocese of Bangued, Abra and now Bishop in La Union. Bishop Rillera, who was then in plain clothes, was cleaning the front yard of his residence. A driver of a priest from a neighboring diocese approached the bishop and asked the latter to help him carry the baggage. Perhaps, the driver knew Bishop Rillera by name but had never met him. Bishop Rillera readily obliged and carried the bags. During meal time, all the guests gathered at the dining area and the man who had earlier carried the baggage arrived and led the prayer before the meal. The driver was stunned. It was a fitting contrast that Bishop Rillera willingly did a menial task which personifies the humble service he had been rendering to the people.
Today, we are not ruled by a human king. We, whatever titles and appellations we append to our names, are the modern-day kings in our own communities, our own institutions, our own families, our peer groups, and our own simple ways of dealing with others. We need not have crowns, scepters, temples, palaces, commanders, soldiers, and other symbols of power and affluence. We do not need those things to be a king. We are simply called to protect and care for our brothers and sisters, particularly the less privileged and marginalized sectors in our society. In serving others, let us first acknowledge our weaknesses and failures before the Lord and ask for healing. The more we allow ourselves to be cleansed, the more we radiate the innate goodness in us.
Jesus, the King of Kings, invites and challenges us everyday — His disciples and believers — to faithfully follow what he has done, that is, to be obedient to the will of God and be a humble servant of all, a servant who is ready to sacrifice and even give up his own life for the sake of others. Let us be reminded of Jesus’ words “whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Amen.
references:
A. Ceresko, Intoduction to the Old Testament: A Liberation Perspective (Quezon City: Claretian Publications, 2001).
"Christ the King" in www.divinewordseminary.blogspot.com
Saturday, September 29, 2007
The Rich Man and Lazarus
The Rich Man and Lazarus
Luke 16: 19-31.
Most of us love to listen to stories and likewise, many of us like to tell stories. Some stories make us laugh while others make us cry. Some stories challenge us; lead us into deep reflection; affect our choices and decisions; and even set the direction in our lives, especially when these stories are equipped with moral lessons.
The Evangelist Luke in today’s Gospel narrates a story which is worth pondering. It is a story that speaks of the different realities – the socio-economic structure of the society; the existence of heaven and hell; the responsibility behind a blessing; and the reality eternal life . When we say socio-economic structure of the society, the clearest image that comes to our minds is the gap between the poor and the rich. The rich man in today’s Gospel who was dressed in purple garments and dined lavishly everyday could be categorized as one belonging to the upper class people or the elite group in the society. They are the ones who can afford to purchase and acquire whatever they want; those who can luxuriously have access to the latest inventions and gadgets of science and technology, and those who can enjoy the comforts in life which are not readily accessible to the people belonging to the lower strata of the society. Lazarus, on the other hand, represents the poor, the oppressed, the marginalized, the desperate, and the outcast in the society. They are those who could hardly cope up with the basic necessities of their daily existence; who are struggling for the sustenance of their families and trying to make both ends meet; and who can only resort to wishful thinking as regards the things they want in life.
As the story goes, both the rich man and Lazarus died and they were put in different places — heaven and hell. We were taught that good people go to heaven while the bad ones go to hell. The rich man was thrown to hell not because of his riches. To be rich is not a sin per se. Riches are blessings; riches are gifts from God. But riches could lead us to sin when it is misused, when it is abused, and when we become pre-occupied with it. The rich man was thrown to hell because he was too pre-occupied with his blessings and affluence. He enjoyed so much the things he has that he became insensitive to the situation of Lazarus. He was too blind that he neglected to see the immediate need of the poor, sickly, and hungry Lazarus. The rich man took pleasure in the abundance of his worldly possessions, but never had any initiative to offer food, clothing, shelter, or medicine to the needy Lazarus.
Similarly, we heard the Prophet Amos condemning the ruling class in the First Reading. Amos condemned the ruling class not because of their wealth, but because of their selfishness; cravings for much wealth; lust for power, and most of all, their insensitivity and unjust attitudes to the ordinary people .
Just a short background of the First Reading. In the Old Testament, land was so significant to the lives of the people. They considered the land as a gift from God. The land is sufficient to provide the necessities of every family. In those days, according to biblical scholars, the land was divided equally so that everybody can maintain a living. With such socio-economic set-up and having the right to access to the source of life’s basic necessities and provisions, the Israelites envisioned a people joined together in the common goal of building a just and peaceful community guided and strengthened by their loyalty to God.
That vision was distorted when the ruling class, their leaders, who were motivated by greed and lust for power; grabbed the land of the ordinary people; evicted the occupants of the land; and reduced them to mere tenant farmers. As the ruling class controlled the land, tenants were forced to yield the growing crops, such as grapes and olives, into the production of luxury commodities like wine and oil. These luxury commodities brought to the domain of the ruling groups had been generated for export and sale in exchange of imported luxury items such as carved ivory, jewelry, and perfumes. The gauge was that the more the ruling class acquired landholdings and wealth, the more they gain social and political power. The insatiability of the few added to the misery of the many.
In today’s Gospel, we heard Abraham saying, “My child, remember that you receive what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad.” This contrast tries to point out that blessings bestowed upon us entail a sense of responsibility. Let us be reminded that the wealth we receive from God are not simply ours. When we say wealth, we do not limit the concept merely to money or material possessions. Wealth can come in different forms — our good health (As they say, health is wealth); our intelligence; and our talents and practical skills. These wealth we possess are entrusted to us by God for us to take care of it, to let them grow, and to share them with others. Because we are the care takers of these gifts, we should be responsible for them. The less fortunate are the instruments for us to make these wealth grow and prosper. The less fortunate provides us an opportunity for us to practice sharing these gifts. The rich man in the Gospel failed to do so; he forgot his duty to the less privileged Lazarus and that made him sinful. He was too negligent with what was entrusted to him.
Towards the end of the story, we heard the rich man asking Abraham to send Lazarus to his father’s house to warn his brothers, but Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.” Those words of Abraham remind us once again to be always aware of the necessary things for our salvation. What are the keys towards salvation? In the Second Reading, Paul’s letter to Timothy provides the answers. We are commanded to pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness towards others. It could simply mean that our faith in God must be seen in our actions; our prayers must be concretized in our works. Simple things like giving food to the hungry; providing drink to the thirsty; offering shelter to a homeless stranger; giving a dose of medicine to a sick person; helping an elderly cross the street; sharing one’s talent to others without asking for any compensation or expecting a reward. Such little actions and simple gestures assure us that we are investing or “depositing” something in the “Eternal Bank of Life.” The more good deeds we deposit to the “Eternal Bank of Life,” the more we place ourselves in the bosom of Abraham and Lazarus and in the heavenly banquet prepared to us by Jesus Christ. Amen.
reference:
A. Ceresko, Introduction to the Old Testament: A Liberation Perspective (Quezon City: Claretian Publications, 2001).
Luke 16: 19-31.
Most of us love to listen to stories and likewise, many of us like to tell stories. Some stories make us laugh while others make us cry. Some stories challenge us; lead us into deep reflection; affect our choices and decisions; and even set the direction in our lives, especially when these stories are equipped with moral lessons.
The Evangelist Luke in today’s Gospel narrates a story which is worth pondering. It is a story that speaks of the different realities – the socio-economic structure of the society; the existence of heaven and hell; the responsibility behind a blessing; and the reality eternal life . When we say socio-economic structure of the society, the clearest image that comes to our minds is the gap between the poor and the rich. The rich man in today’s Gospel who was dressed in purple garments and dined lavishly everyday could be categorized as one belonging to the upper class people or the elite group in the society. They are the ones who can afford to purchase and acquire whatever they want; those who can luxuriously have access to the latest inventions and gadgets of science and technology, and those who can enjoy the comforts in life which are not readily accessible to the people belonging to the lower strata of the society. Lazarus, on the other hand, represents the poor, the oppressed, the marginalized, the desperate, and the outcast in the society. They are those who could hardly cope up with the basic necessities of their daily existence; who are struggling for the sustenance of their families and trying to make both ends meet; and who can only resort to wishful thinking as regards the things they want in life.
As the story goes, both the rich man and Lazarus died and they were put in different places — heaven and hell. We were taught that good people go to heaven while the bad ones go to hell. The rich man was thrown to hell not because of his riches. To be rich is not a sin per se. Riches are blessings; riches are gifts from God. But riches could lead us to sin when it is misused, when it is abused, and when we become pre-occupied with it. The rich man was thrown to hell because he was too pre-occupied with his blessings and affluence. He enjoyed so much the things he has that he became insensitive to the situation of Lazarus. He was too blind that he neglected to see the immediate need of the poor, sickly, and hungry Lazarus. The rich man took pleasure in the abundance of his worldly possessions, but never had any initiative to offer food, clothing, shelter, or medicine to the needy Lazarus.
Similarly, we heard the Prophet Amos condemning the ruling class in the First Reading. Amos condemned the ruling class not because of their wealth, but because of their selfishness; cravings for much wealth; lust for power, and most of all, their insensitivity and unjust attitudes to the ordinary people .
Just a short background of the First Reading. In the Old Testament, land was so significant to the lives of the people. They considered the land as a gift from God. The land is sufficient to provide the necessities of every family. In those days, according to biblical scholars, the land was divided equally so that everybody can maintain a living. With such socio-economic set-up and having the right to access to the source of life’s basic necessities and provisions, the Israelites envisioned a people joined together in the common goal of building a just and peaceful community guided and strengthened by their loyalty to God.
That vision was distorted when the ruling class, their leaders, who were motivated by greed and lust for power; grabbed the land of the ordinary people; evicted the occupants of the land; and reduced them to mere tenant farmers. As the ruling class controlled the land, tenants were forced to yield the growing crops, such as grapes and olives, into the production of luxury commodities like wine and oil. These luxury commodities brought to the domain of the ruling groups had been generated for export and sale in exchange of imported luxury items such as carved ivory, jewelry, and perfumes. The gauge was that the more the ruling class acquired landholdings and wealth, the more they gain social and political power. The insatiability of the few added to the misery of the many.
In today’s Gospel, we heard Abraham saying, “My child, remember that you receive what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad.” This contrast tries to point out that blessings bestowed upon us entail a sense of responsibility. Let us be reminded that the wealth we receive from God are not simply ours. When we say wealth, we do not limit the concept merely to money or material possessions. Wealth can come in different forms — our good health (As they say, health is wealth); our intelligence; and our talents and practical skills. These wealth we possess are entrusted to us by God for us to take care of it, to let them grow, and to share them with others. Because we are the care takers of these gifts, we should be responsible for them. The less fortunate are the instruments for us to make these wealth grow and prosper. The less fortunate provides us an opportunity for us to practice sharing these gifts. The rich man in the Gospel failed to do so; he forgot his duty to the less privileged Lazarus and that made him sinful. He was too negligent with what was entrusted to him.
Towards the end of the story, we heard the rich man asking Abraham to send Lazarus to his father’s house to warn his brothers, but Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.” Those words of Abraham remind us once again to be always aware of the necessary things for our salvation. What are the keys towards salvation? In the Second Reading, Paul’s letter to Timothy provides the answers. We are commanded to pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness towards others. It could simply mean that our faith in God must be seen in our actions; our prayers must be concretized in our works. Simple things like giving food to the hungry; providing drink to the thirsty; offering shelter to a homeless stranger; giving a dose of medicine to a sick person; helping an elderly cross the street; sharing one’s talent to others without asking for any compensation or expecting a reward. Such little actions and simple gestures assure us that we are investing or “depositing” something in the “Eternal Bank of Life.” The more good deeds we deposit to the “Eternal Bank of Life,” the more we place ourselves in the bosom of Abraham and Lazarus and in the heavenly banquet prepared to us by Jesus Christ. Amen.
reference:
A. Ceresko, Introduction to the Old Testament: A Liberation Perspective (Quezon City: Claretian Publications, 2001).
Saturday, August 25, 2007
The Narrow Gate
The Narrow Gate
Attention technique: As you can see, I am holding a plane ticket of the Cebu Pacific Air Lines. This ticket offered me the luxury of taking pictures of the various formations of the clouds. It allowed me to enjoy an aerial view of the different islands of Visayas and Mindanao. This ticket became my pass to the door of the 5J963 Cebu Pacific airplane.
Today’s Gospel talks about the ticket to enter the kingdom of God. We heard someone asking Jesus, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” Jesus did not answer the question with a categorical “Yes” or “No.” Instead, Jesus replied, “People will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God.” Jesus further stressed, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.” From these words of Jesus, we can reflect on two (2) different points. The first is the reality or the picture of those who try to enter the kingdom of God. The second is Jesus’ command and challenge in order to enter the narrow gate.
Let us reflect on the first one — on the reality or picture about the narrow gate. Jesus said, “Many will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.” This was as if Jesus was saying that many could not meet the demands of the narrow gate; many could not keep its rules; many could not tolerate its difficulties. We might ask, “What does the narrow gate demand from us?” It is simple; they are the two (2) great commandments of God – to love God above all things and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. It also includes the popular phrase, “do good and avoid evil.” They are simple commandments but for most of us, it becomes very difficult because there are certain things that make us weak. What makes us weak in entering the kingdom? What are the hindrances in our way to the narrow gate? We can enumerate a number of things. To mention a few, we have pride — our pride urges us to break rules and regulations and it leads us to defy orders. Our pride pushes us to insist on what we want and become unyielding to what we should rightfully do. Our pride makes us boastful and drives us to look down on other people. Another is gossip — gossip can destroy relationships between and among people and could even tarnish the dignity of a person. Selfishness and greed are also stumbling blocks in our quest to the narrow gate because these make us self-centered and cause us to willfully neglect the needs of others. Last, our attachment to material things, especially to our wealth or money. Wealth and money are not bad per se. They become evil only when we misuse them; when we allow them to manipulate or rule over us; when we feel that they are the only things in life that keep us going; when we become a slave of our money and possessions; and when we feel that we can take control over the whole situation or other people provided that we have money and power. The attachment to the worldly things deviates our attention to God. We tend to forget that we have a God who provides for our daily needs — our Divine Providence.
Allow me to share a story about greediness, selfishness, and pride. The situation was this: For several years, my father had been working as a Bill Clerk in a prominent bus company plying the Northern Luzon to Manila route. When an internal problem in the bus company he was working for had occurred, the monthly payroll of its employees was delayed. The bus company withheld the salaries of some of its employees without any justifiable reason. Thus, most of my father’s co-employees were forced to resign in order to seek other work opportunities just to make both ends meet. It was really disheartening to see that these hardworking people were unlawfully deprived of the very source of their livelihood due to the unusual action of the company. My father stayed on for four months more. In February of this year, as he sensed that no salary was still forthcoming, he tendered his resignation with a heavy heart. It was a no-win-situation. I know how dedicated my father was to his work. He willingly rendered additional services, sometimes even beyond offices hours, but without any overtime compensation. He could have stayed on with the company perhaps until his retirement age, but the harsh situation compelled him to do otherwise. Not receiving one’s monthly salary on time proved to be very difficult, especially when there were many financial obligations to settle. It was disappointing to know that many employees of that bus company were left with no option but to resign. They were unjustly treated for no valid reason at all. As a consequence of the company’s greed and cling to money, many employees suffered.
The experience of my father and his co-workers was a test that gave them an opportunity to explore other possibilities that came their way. There must be a reason why it happened. If we are faced with such problems, God might want us to do something better.
This leads us to the second point of reflection — about Jesus’ words, “Strive to enter the narrow gate.” It seems that these words appear to be both a command and a challenge. It is as if Jesus was trying to say, “Go the extra mile and make an extra effort to walk the road toward the narrow gate.” The Second Reading gives us a tip in entering the narrow door. It says, “Endure your trials as discipline; strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees.” Trials and tribulations cannot be avoided; they come to us in different ways any time, any day. Trials can come in the form of the anxiety of a student preparing for a quiz or a Board examination; the parents having a son or daughter who prefers to stay in the company of his or her friends and comes home late at night; the difficulty of a person seeking gainful employment; one’s experience of rejection; one who is in the edge of giving up when confronted with an unfavorable situation, and many other less smooth-sailing scenarios. These are part of the ingredients of life. Trials are enemies to those who are disturbed by it and those who consider it as a burden while they become tools for improvements to those who face it with a positive outlook and right attitude. It is just a matter of how we view it. It is like a glass of water with the contents half-filled. To the optimist, one will say, “Look, the glass of water is half-filled. It will only take a little while for it to be filled to the brim.” In a matter of time, one can pull through and eventually survive the situation, no matter how difficult it may be. On the other hand, a pessimist would say, “Oh no, the glass water is already half-empty. Soon, it will become empty.” With this attitude, one becomes perennially stuck in the web of the difficult situation and finds it very hard to get out of it. Trials have good effects and this was affirmed in the Second Reading, “At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.”
Aside from enduring trials as discipline, another clue given to us by Jesus in entering the narrow gate is found at the latter part of the Gospel that says, “Some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” Jesus was referring to those people who do small things with sincerity, humility, dedication, and love; those who render service to others without counting the cost; those who work selflessly without waiting for a reward; those who work silently with grateful hearts; and those who look after the welfare of others. Those who enter the narrow gate follow the unusual path and the road less traveled; they focus their eyes on Jesus; and they keep their minds and hearts on the commandments of God. Jesus encourages us to do the same.
Let us go back to the plane ticket. Before I enjoyed the luxury of taking pictures of the different cloud formations and the pleasure of having an aerial view of the islands of the Visayas and Mindanao, I had to enter the door of the plane 5J963. I went through a process. I patiently stood in line along with the other passengers — co-Filipinos, Americans, and Chinese waiting for our respective turns. I followed the instructions of the airport guard who told me to take off my wrist watch, eyeglasses, belt, and shoes for safety and security measures. Another airport personnel weighed in my baggage and gave a clearance that I did not bring any prohibited materials. I showed my plane ticket to the person at the counter who validated it. Thereafter, I waited at the terminal until the security guard opened the door and allowed each of the passengers to enter the plane.
Inside the plane, I had so much fun taking pictures of the cloud formations and the islands and seas we hovered. How much more when we are inside the narrow gate of heaven? Entering the door of an airplane is so easy, one merely needs to follow the instructions. Entering the narrow gate is so difficult because it requires a lot of sacrifices on our part. We have to let go of our personal desires and let God’s plan work in us. These sacrifices are made possible if we become faithful to the Word of God and His commands. Our ticket to the narrow gate is simply our discipline and our good and right attitude toward others, toward events and situations that we encounter, and toward God. It is only then when we ask for the grace of God that we can make it to the narrow gate.
I was about to end my reflection when I received a text message from a friend that says, “People may be unkind, just be kind; they may cheat you, just be honest; they may forget your good deeds, just do good. In the end it’s between you and God, not you and them.” That was a simple text message that teaches us to follow the unusual path, the difficult path toward the narrow gate. Amen.
Attention technique: As you can see, I am holding a plane ticket of the Cebu Pacific Air Lines. This ticket offered me the luxury of taking pictures of the various formations of the clouds. It allowed me to enjoy an aerial view of the different islands of Visayas and Mindanao. This ticket became my pass to the door of the 5J963 Cebu Pacific airplane.
Today’s Gospel talks about the ticket to enter the kingdom of God. We heard someone asking Jesus, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” Jesus did not answer the question with a categorical “Yes” or “No.” Instead, Jesus replied, “People will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God.” Jesus further stressed, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.” From these words of Jesus, we can reflect on two (2) different points. The first is the reality or the picture of those who try to enter the kingdom of God. The second is Jesus’ command and challenge in order to enter the narrow gate.
Let us reflect on the first one — on the reality or picture about the narrow gate. Jesus said, “Many will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.” This was as if Jesus was saying that many could not meet the demands of the narrow gate; many could not keep its rules; many could not tolerate its difficulties. We might ask, “What does the narrow gate demand from us?” It is simple; they are the two (2) great commandments of God – to love God above all things and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. It also includes the popular phrase, “do good and avoid evil.” They are simple commandments but for most of us, it becomes very difficult because there are certain things that make us weak. What makes us weak in entering the kingdom? What are the hindrances in our way to the narrow gate? We can enumerate a number of things. To mention a few, we have pride — our pride urges us to break rules and regulations and it leads us to defy orders. Our pride pushes us to insist on what we want and become unyielding to what we should rightfully do. Our pride makes us boastful and drives us to look down on other people. Another is gossip — gossip can destroy relationships between and among people and could even tarnish the dignity of a person. Selfishness and greed are also stumbling blocks in our quest to the narrow gate because these make us self-centered and cause us to willfully neglect the needs of others. Last, our attachment to material things, especially to our wealth or money. Wealth and money are not bad per se. They become evil only when we misuse them; when we allow them to manipulate or rule over us; when we feel that they are the only things in life that keep us going; when we become a slave of our money and possessions; and when we feel that we can take control over the whole situation or other people provided that we have money and power. The attachment to the worldly things deviates our attention to God. We tend to forget that we have a God who provides for our daily needs — our Divine Providence.
Allow me to share a story about greediness, selfishness, and pride. The situation was this: For several years, my father had been working as a Bill Clerk in a prominent bus company plying the Northern Luzon to Manila route. When an internal problem in the bus company he was working for had occurred, the monthly payroll of its employees was delayed. The bus company withheld the salaries of some of its employees without any justifiable reason. Thus, most of my father’s co-employees were forced to resign in order to seek other work opportunities just to make both ends meet. It was really disheartening to see that these hardworking people were unlawfully deprived of the very source of their livelihood due to the unusual action of the company. My father stayed on for four months more. In February of this year, as he sensed that no salary was still forthcoming, he tendered his resignation with a heavy heart. It was a no-win-situation. I know how dedicated my father was to his work. He willingly rendered additional services, sometimes even beyond offices hours, but without any overtime compensation. He could have stayed on with the company perhaps until his retirement age, but the harsh situation compelled him to do otherwise. Not receiving one’s monthly salary on time proved to be very difficult, especially when there were many financial obligations to settle. It was disappointing to know that many employees of that bus company were left with no option but to resign. They were unjustly treated for no valid reason at all. As a consequence of the company’s greed and cling to money, many employees suffered.
The experience of my father and his co-workers was a test that gave them an opportunity to explore other possibilities that came their way. There must be a reason why it happened. If we are faced with such problems, God might want us to do something better.
This leads us to the second point of reflection — about Jesus’ words, “Strive to enter the narrow gate.” It seems that these words appear to be both a command and a challenge. It is as if Jesus was trying to say, “Go the extra mile and make an extra effort to walk the road toward the narrow gate.” The Second Reading gives us a tip in entering the narrow door. It says, “Endure your trials as discipline; strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees.” Trials and tribulations cannot be avoided; they come to us in different ways any time, any day. Trials can come in the form of the anxiety of a student preparing for a quiz or a Board examination; the parents having a son or daughter who prefers to stay in the company of his or her friends and comes home late at night; the difficulty of a person seeking gainful employment; one’s experience of rejection; one who is in the edge of giving up when confronted with an unfavorable situation, and many other less smooth-sailing scenarios. These are part of the ingredients of life. Trials are enemies to those who are disturbed by it and those who consider it as a burden while they become tools for improvements to those who face it with a positive outlook and right attitude. It is just a matter of how we view it. It is like a glass of water with the contents half-filled. To the optimist, one will say, “Look, the glass of water is half-filled. It will only take a little while for it to be filled to the brim.” In a matter of time, one can pull through and eventually survive the situation, no matter how difficult it may be. On the other hand, a pessimist would say, “Oh no, the glass water is already half-empty. Soon, it will become empty.” With this attitude, one becomes perennially stuck in the web of the difficult situation and finds it very hard to get out of it. Trials have good effects and this was affirmed in the Second Reading, “At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.”
Aside from enduring trials as discipline, another clue given to us by Jesus in entering the narrow gate is found at the latter part of the Gospel that says, “Some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” Jesus was referring to those people who do small things with sincerity, humility, dedication, and love; those who render service to others without counting the cost; those who work selflessly without waiting for a reward; those who work silently with grateful hearts; and those who look after the welfare of others. Those who enter the narrow gate follow the unusual path and the road less traveled; they focus their eyes on Jesus; and they keep their minds and hearts on the commandments of God. Jesus encourages us to do the same.
Let us go back to the plane ticket. Before I enjoyed the luxury of taking pictures of the different cloud formations and the pleasure of having an aerial view of the islands of the Visayas and Mindanao, I had to enter the door of the plane 5J963. I went through a process. I patiently stood in line along with the other passengers — co-Filipinos, Americans, and Chinese waiting for our respective turns. I followed the instructions of the airport guard who told me to take off my wrist watch, eyeglasses, belt, and shoes for safety and security measures. Another airport personnel weighed in my baggage and gave a clearance that I did not bring any prohibited materials. I showed my plane ticket to the person at the counter who validated it. Thereafter, I waited at the terminal until the security guard opened the door and allowed each of the passengers to enter the plane.
Inside the plane, I had so much fun taking pictures of the cloud formations and the islands and seas we hovered. How much more when we are inside the narrow gate of heaven? Entering the door of an airplane is so easy, one merely needs to follow the instructions. Entering the narrow gate is so difficult because it requires a lot of sacrifices on our part. We have to let go of our personal desires and let God’s plan work in us. These sacrifices are made possible if we become faithful to the Word of God and His commands. Our ticket to the narrow gate is simply our discipline and our good and right attitude toward others, toward events and situations that we encounter, and toward God. It is only then when we ask for the grace of God that we can make it to the narrow gate.
I was about to end my reflection when I received a text message from a friend that says, “People may be unkind, just be kind; they may cheat you, just be honest; they may forget your good deeds, just do good. In the end it’s between you and God, not you and them.” That was a simple text message that teaches us to follow the unusual path, the difficult path toward the narrow gate. Amen.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
P=1P+3P
Gen 18, 20-32
Col 2, 12-14
Lk 11, 1-13
Prayer Formula
When you see this thing P=1P+3P, what comes to your mind? Are they some numbers? Letters? Or signs and symbols? It (P=1P+3P) looks like a mathematical equation or formula, right?
Today’s Gospel talks about a unique formula, not a mathematical formula, but a “Prayer Formula” — (Prayer = 1P (praise) + 3P [patience, perseverance, and persistence]). Jesus says, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins as we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us. And do not subject us to the test.’ ”
If we ponder on this prayer that Jesus teaches us, we realize that it is divided into two parts. The first is “praising God” and the second, “the art of begging through prayer.”
Let us reflect on the first one – Praising God. The prayer starts with “Father, hallowed be your name…” Jesus reminds us that as we address our prayer to the Father, we must first acknowledge His greatness. We worship Him for He is the Almighty God and the “Omnipotent Being.” We glorify His name and recognize that He is the source of all the wonderful things in this world. We feel His very presence in our lives for His is the “Omnipresent Being.” We appreciate His generosity for He alone can grant the longings of our hearts. He knows what is inside our hearts and minds for He is the “Omniscient Being.” By saying, “your kingdom come,” we believe that He knows what is best for us at all times. We also earnestly ask God to bestow His graces and blessings upon us. We rely on God’s providence. We joyfully hope for something good and beautiful.
The second part of the prayer is about “the act and the art of begging.” “Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins as we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us. And do not subject us to the test.” Jesus illustrates this by citing the parable of a man asking his friend for bread because he has a visitor but has nothing to offer. Jesus further explains the art and the act of begging in this manner, “ask and you shall receive; seek and you shall find; and knock and it shall be opened to you.” These three (3) acts and art of begging can be converted into three (3) important attitudes when we pray.
Ask and you shall receive. Sometimes when we ask somebody for something, he or she will not immediately oblige, right? If we really want to get what we are asking for, we should be unrelenting and wait unceasingly until it is given to us. In waiting, we apply the virtue of patience. Patience requires one to have tenacity, endurance, fortitude, tolerance, or forbearance. As they say, “patience is a virtue” because not all people can patiently wait for something beautiful to happen.
Seek and you shall find. If we aim for something, we explore all possible means just to attain our goal. We exert extra effort and make use of our creativity to achieve our objective. What we often apply is the attitude of perseverance. Perseverance implies the attitude of one to keep going, to cling to, to see through, to stay firm, to remain determined, or to continue constantly.
Let me share my personal experience along the famous lines of “ask and you shall receive” and “seek and you shall find” – about patience and perseverance. At the beginning of the Second Semester of the School Year 2006 - 2007, one of the professors at the Divine Word School of Theology in Tagaytay City announced that there would be a quiz by the end of the year. That was December 2006. The professor gave the class enough time to review by making one of his classes vacant so that it would be intended for study period and research work. The quiz would constitute 20% of the final grade. The scope of the quiz consisted of about 160 pages of a book. My classmates and I took the exam last December 2006. When the results were released last January 2007, only six (6) out of the forty three (43) students passed. Thirty seven (37) of us failed.
20% constituted a big percentage in the computation of the final grade. The professor told us that the only way to obtain a better grade would be to submit a very good research paper and get a high score in the final exam. Most of those who failed in the quiz dropped the course and opted to re-enroll in the following semester or in the coming years. Out of the thrity seven (37) students,not including the six (6) students who passed the quiz, only the twelve (12) of us pursued the course. Everyone was pressured to produce a good paper so as to meet the expectation of the professor who maintained a certain standard in evaluating a research paper. One of my classmates would often say, “Bahala na ang Diyos.” Of course, I agree with Him that God will take care of the rest as long as we do our part too. Another thing that overwhelmed us was the bulk of the coverage of the final exam. Well, the long and short of it, all of us who took the challenge of pursuing the course finally succeeded. The professor congratulated each of us for our perseverance. All our efforts paid off.
That was one of the most challenging and beautiful experience I had ever encountered as a student. I would call it “my success” —not because I received a good grade, but more importantly, because of the process I went through and the sacrifices I endured to be able to pass the course. I imposed upon myself proper time management and discipline. I had to forego my siesta and recreation so as to gather relevant data and information in the school library. I had to rewrite, revise, and proofread my research paper many times to ensure that it would have a good result. I had to go over my notes so that I would have that much needed “security blanket” of knowledge as I take the final exam. Along with my human capacity, I constantly beg and ask the aid of God for I know that my efforts are worthless without His grace. The success that happened to me was an interplay of effort and prayer and an interaction of patience and perseverance.
Knock and it shall be opened. ILLUSTRATION (audience participation)
In the First Reading, Abraham was so persistent in haggling or bargaining with the Lord. With his persistence God granted his requests to spare the city from destruction.
Lest we forget, P=1P+3P. Prayer is Praising God (1P) together with patience, perseverance, and persistence (3Ps). God listens to our prayers. He knows when to give our needs. Sometimes, the answers to our prayers are delayed, perhaps because God wants us to talk to Him more often or God wants us to listen to Him. Sometimes God does not answer our prayers in the way we may want it to be, but He answers it in a way far more than what we are asking for. God knows best. No doubt about that. We need not dictate things upon Him. All we need is the “Prayer Formula of P=1P+3P.” As Saint Paul says in the Second Reading, the one essential thing that we need in our prayers is faith in the power of God. AMEN.
Col 2, 12-14
Lk 11, 1-13
Prayer Formula
When you see this thing P=1P+3P, what comes to your mind? Are they some numbers? Letters? Or signs and symbols? It (P=1P+3P) looks like a mathematical equation or formula, right?
Today’s Gospel talks about a unique formula, not a mathematical formula, but a “Prayer Formula” — (Prayer = 1P (praise) + 3P [patience, perseverance, and persistence]). Jesus says, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins as we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us. And do not subject us to the test.’ ”
If we ponder on this prayer that Jesus teaches us, we realize that it is divided into two parts. The first is “praising God” and the second, “the art of begging through prayer.”
Let us reflect on the first one – Praising God. The prayer starts with “Father, hallowed be your name…” Jesus reminds us that as we address our prayer to the Father, we must first acknowledge His greatness. We worship Him for He is the Almighty God and the “Omnipotent Being.” We glorify His name and recognize that He is the source of all the wonderful things in this world. We feel His very presence in our lives for His is the “Omnipresent Being.” We appreciate His generosity for He alone can grant the longings of our hearts. He knows what is inside our hearts and minds for He is the “Omniscient Being.” By saying, “your kingdom come,” we believe that He knows what is best for us at all times. We also earnestly ask God to bestow His graces and blessings upon us. We rely on God’s providence. We joyfully hope for something good and beautiful.
The second part of the prayer is about “the act and the art of begging.” “Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins as we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us. And do not subject us to the test.” Jesus illustrates this by citing the parable of a man asking his friend for bread because he has a visitor but has nothing to offer. Jesus further explains the art and the act of begging in this manner, “ask and you shall receive; seek and you shall find; and knock and it shall be opened to you.” These three (3) acts and art of begging can be converted into three (3) important attitudes when we pray.
Ask and you shall receive. Sometimes when we ask somebody for something, he or she will not immediately oblige, right? If we really want to get what we are asking for, we should be unrelenting and wait unceasingly until it is given to us. In waiting, we apply the virtue of patience. Patience requires one to have tenacity, endurance, fortitude, tolerance, or forbearance. As they say, “patience is a virtue” because not all people can patiently wait for something beautiful to happen.
Seek and you shall find. If we aim for something, we explore all possible means just to attain our goal. We exert extra effort and make use of our creativity to achieve our objective. What we often apply is the attitude of perseverance. Perseverance implies the attitude of one to keep going, to cling to, to see through, to stay firm, to remain determined, or to continue constantly.
Let me share my personal experience along the famous lines of “ask and you shall receive” and “seek and you shall find” – about patience and perseverance. At the beginning of the Second Semester of the School Year 2006 - 2007, one of the professors at the Divine Word School of Theology in Tagaytay City announced that there would be a quiz by the end of the year. That was December 2006. The professor gave the class enough time to review by making one of his classes vacant so that it would be intended for study period and research work. The quiz would constitute 20% of the final grade. The scope of the quiz consisted of about 160 pages of a book. My classmates and I took the exam last December 2006. When the results were released last January 2007, only six (6) out of the forty three (43) students passed. Thirty seven (37) of us failed.
20% constituted a big percentage in the computation of the final grade. The professor told us that the only way to obtain a better grade would be to submit a very good research paper and get a high score in the final exam. Most of those who failed in the quiz dropped the course and opted to re-enroll in the following semester or in the coming years. Out of the thrity seven (37) students,not including the six (6) students who passed the quiz, only the twelve (12) of us pursued the course. Everyone was pressured to produce a good paper so as to meet the expectation of the professor who maintained a certain standard in evaluating a research paper. One of my classmates would often say, “Bahala na ang Diyos.” Of course, I agree with Him that God will take care of the rest as long as we do our part too. Another thing that overwhelmed us was the bulk of the coverage of the final exam. Well, the long and short of it, all of us who took the challenge of pursuing the course finally succeeded. The professor congratulated each of us for our perseverance. All our efforts paid off.
That was one of the most challenging and beautiful experience I had ever encountered as a student. I would call it “my success” —not because I received a good grade, but more importantly, because of the process I went through and the sacrifices I endured to be able to pass the course. I imposed upon myself proper time management and discipline. I had to forego my siesta and recreation so as to gather relevant data and information in the school library. I had to rewrite, revise, and proofread my research paper many times to ensure that it would have a good result. I had to go over my notes so that I would have that much needed “security blanket” of knowledge as I take the final exam. Along with my human capacity, I constantly beg and ask the aid of God for I know that my efforts are worthless without His grace. The success that happened to me was an interplay of effort and prayer and an interaction of patience and perseverance.
Knock and it shall be opened. ILLUSTRATION (audience participation)
In the First Reading, Abraham was so persistent in haggling or bargaining with the Lord. With his persistence God granted his requests to spare the city from destruction.
Lest we forget, P=1P+3P. Prayer is Praising God (1P) together with patience, perseverance, and persistence (3Ps). God listens to our prayers. He knows when to give our needs. Sometimes, the answers to our prayers are delayed, perhaps because God wants us to talk to Him more often or God wants us to listen to Him. Sometimes God does not answer our prayers in the way we may want it to be, but He answers it in a way far more than what we are asking for. God knows best. No doubt about that. We need not dictate things upon Him. All we need is the “Prayer Formula of P=1P+3P.” As Saint Paul says in the Second Reading, the one essential thing that we need in our prayers is faith in the power of God. AMEN.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Martha and Mary
Gen 18, 1-10
Col 1, 24-28
Lk 10, 38-42
Service Hospitality and Presence Hospitality
When I was in high school, my barkadas used to come to my home to ask me to join their gimmicks or spend time with them exchanging stories. I would then entertain them at the front yard of the house especially when I have not yet cleaned the sala area. My mother would always say then, invite your classmates or visitors to come in and offer them some merienda. My Mama and Papa once explained that it would be best to entertain my guests inside the house where they can sit comfortably and relax rather than have them stand outside the house. With the comments of my parents, I realized the importance of welcoming and accommodating guests warmly.
Today’s readings, both the First Reading and Gospel, talk about hospitality. Hospitality can be viewed in two different levels — First, hospitality through service and second, hospitality through presence. Let us reflect on the first one – hospitality through service or action. In the first reading, when Abraham saw the three men, he approached them without any hesitation and he took the initiative to render service for them. Together with his wife, Sarah, and his servant, they prepared some food for their guests. Abraham’s welcoming attitude reflects a kind of mutual aid and generosity even toward strangers. Abraham’s hospitality was rewarded by God. The reward was for Sarah to be able to conceive a son.
Moreover, as described in the Gospel, when Jesus entered the house of Martha and Mary, Martha immediately prepared something for Jesus. The difference between Abraham and Martha was that Abraham patiently waited until the three men finished their meal while Martha complained, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?” Martha protested because she might have felt the burden of the work in preparing everything. Or maybe, Martha wanted Mary to help her so that the preparation would have been less burdensome. But Jesus replied, “Martha, you are anxious and worried of many things.” These words of Jesus could mean that Martha was so bothered with unnecessary things. She did things of less importance. Jesus was telling Martha that there were far greater things to do than mere preparation. The remark of Jesus to Martha should lead us to a deeper level of hospitality.
The other level of hospitality is hospitality through presence. Upon noticing Martha’s anxiousness, Jesus added, “There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.” We might be tempted to ask, “What did Mary do?” The first part of the Gospel stated, “Mary sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.” Mary’s mere presence beside the Lord speaks a lot. It could mean Mary’s interest in listening to Jesus’ stories and teachings. It could also be Mary’s way of showing her love for the Lord.
Isn’t it beautiful to see that a husband and his wife or a boy and a girl who are into a relationship sitting side by side, even though they are not actually talking to each other? It seems to be such a sweet and special moment for both of them. This is because the mere presence of their partners by their side is enough to give them so much happiness. One’s presence can make a difference – a sweet smile, a helping hand, a pat on the shoulder, encouraging words, inspiring messages, good jokes, and most especially, by merely listening to one’s story – which can make another person’s heart leap for joy. It can make one feel that he or she is important. It is not the quantity of tangible things we give to others that can make them happy, but it is the quality of time we spend with them that matters most.
The Gospel shows us the interplay between service and presence; between work and prayer. Sometimes, if not most of the time, we are like Martha. We are concerned with so many things — things that we want to do, things that give us pleasure, things that satisfy our needs, things that please others. We do lots of things that are not necessary. We even reach the point of being saturated even with the simple things that we do or easily get tired in our work. We feel the burden on our shoulders. Why? Because we do it through our own efforts. We rely so much on our own capacity. The worst thing that can happen is when we feel stressed out and disappointed in the things that we do.
In our lives, there were times when we do not imitate Mary – Mary who recognized the presence of Jesus; Mary who listened to Jesus; and Mary who was so calm. The readings showed that Mary was just seated beside Jesus; yet Jesus gave her the credit simply because she opened her heart and allowed Jesus to talk to her.
Jesus has visited Mary and Martha centuries ago. Jesus continues to do the same thing with us now. Jesus comes to our house everyday. He knocks at the doors of our hearts every moment, but sometimes we do not recognize Him because we are too busy. We are not aware of his presence because we focus only on the things we want to see; on the things we want to do; and on the things we want to happen in our lives. Mary teaches us to be more hospitable to Jesus. How? Simply make time for Jesus to talk to us. All we have to do is to sit, stay quiet, and pray. Praying does not mean that we do all the talking before God and asking for the things we desire, but praying is more of listening. We listen to what Jesus is whispering to us. I recall what my Spiritual Director in Tagaytay would always tell me, “Abs, you don’t need to talk before the Lord. Your presence is enough. The Lord knows what you need. All you have to say is, ‘Lord I’m here and I am listening to you.“ We lend our hearts to what Jesus is communicating to us.
Thus, the Gospel challenges us to make a balance between service we render to others and our presence for them; or between our daily work and our prayer life. The more we stay close to Christ, the more we become like him. I believe that if we start our day with a prayer, everything will fall into their proper places. We may encounter difficult tasks, but we don’t really feel the burden because we are not alone and we have totally surrendered everything to God. In this way, we will always find joy in the things we do. Let our prayers bear fruit in our work and let our work be a part of our prayer. Amen.
Col 1, 24-28
Lk 10, 38-42
Service Hospitality and Presence Hospitality
When I was in high school, my barkadas used to come to my home to ask me to join their gimmicks or spend time with them exchanging stories. I would then entertain them at the front yard of the house especially when I have not yet cleaned the sala area. My mother would always say then, invite your classmates or visitors to come in and offer them some merienda. My Mama and Papa once explained that it would be best to entertain my guests inside the house where they can sit comfortably and relax rather than have them stand outside the house. With the comments of my parents, I realized the importance of welcoming and accommodating guests warmly.
Today’s readings, both the First Reading and Gospel, talk about hospitality. Hospitality can be viewed in two different levels — First, hospitality through service and second, hospitality through presence. Let us reflect on the first one – hospitality through service or action. In the first reading, when Abraham saw the three men, he approached them without any hesitation and he took the initiative to render service for them. Together with his wife, Sarah, and his servant, they prepared some food for their guests. Abraham’s welcoming attitude reflects a kind of mutual aid and generosity even toward strangers. Abraham’s hospitality was rewarded by God. The reward was for Sarah to be able to conceive a son.
Moreover, as described in the Gospel, when Jesus entered the house of Martha and Mary, Martha immediately prepared something for Jesus. The difference between Abraham and Martha was that Abraham patiently waited until the three men finished their meal while Martha complained, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?” Martha protested because she might have felt the burden of the work in preparing everything. Or maybe, Martha wanted Mary to help her so that the preparation would have been less burdensome. But Jesus replied, “Martha, you are anxious and worried of many things.” These words of Jesus could mean that Martha was so bothered with unnecessary things. She did things of less importance. Jesus was telling Martha that there were far greater things to do than mere preparation. The remark of Jesus to Martha should lead us to a deeper level of hospitality.
The other level of hospitality is hospitality through presence. Upon noticing Martha’s anxiousness, Jesus added, “There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.” We might be tempted to ask, “What did Mary do?” The first part of the Gospel stated, “Mary sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.” Mary’s mere presence beside the Lord speaks a lot. It could mean Mary’s interest in listening to Jesus’ stories and teachings. It could also be Mary’s way of showing her love for the Lord.
Isn’t it beautiful to see that a husband and his wife or a boy and a girl who are into a relationship sitting side by side, even though they are not actually talking to each other? It seems to be such a sweet and special moment for both of them. This is because the mere presence of their partners by their side is enough to give them so much happiness. One’s presence can make a difference – a sweet smile, a helping hand, a pat on the shoulder, encouraging words, inspiring messages, good jokes, and most especially, by merely listening to one’s story – which can make another person’s heart leap for joy. It can make one feel that he or she is important. It is not the quantity of tangible things we give to others that can make them happy, but it is the quality of time we spend with them that matters most.
The Gospel shows us the interplay between service and presence; between work and prayer. Sometimes, if not most of the time, we are like Martha. We are concerned with so many things — things that we want to do, things that give us pleasure, things that satisfy our needs, things that please others. We do lots of things that are not necessary. We even reach the point of being saturated even with the simple things that we do or easily get tired in our work. We feel the burden on our shoulders. Why? Because we do it through our own efforts. We rely so much on our own capacity. The worst thing that can happen is when we feel stressed out and disappointed in the things that we do.
In our lives, there were times when we do not imitate Mary – Mary who recognized the presence of Jesus; Mary who listened to Jesus; and Mary who was so calm. The readings showed that Mary was just seated beside Jesus; yet Jesus gave her the credit simply because she opened her heart and allowed Jesus to talk to her.
Jesus has visited Mary and Martha centuries ago. Jesus continues to do the same thing with us now. Jesus comes to our house everyday. He knocks at the doors of our hearts every moment, but sometimes we do not recognize Him because we are too busy. We are not aware of his presence because we focus only on the things we want to see; on the things we want to do; and on the things we want to happen in our lives. Mary teaches us to be more hospitable to Jesus. How? Simply make time for Jesus to talk to us. All we have to do is to sit, stay quiet, and pray. Praying does not mean that we do all the talking before God and asking for the things we desire, but praying is more of listening. We listen to what Jesus is whispering to us. I recall what my Spiritual Director in Tagaytay would always tell me, “Abs, you don’t need to talk before the Lord. Your presence is enough. The Lord knows what you need. All you have to say is, ‘Lord I’m here and I am listening to you.“ We lend our hearts to what Jesus is communicating to us.
Thus, the Gospel challenges us to make a balance between service we render to others and our presence for them; or between our daily work and our prayer life. The more we stay close to Christ, the more we become like him. I believe that if we start our day with a prayer, everything will fall into their proper places. We may encounter difficult tasks, but we don’t really feel the burden because we are not alone and we have totally surrendered everything to God. In this way, we will always find joy in the things we do. Let our prayers bear fruit in our work and let our work be a part of our prayer. Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)