Family

29 January 2008 Tuesday of the 3rd Week in Ordinary Time
Mark 3, 31-35 Family

To many cultures whose family ties are influential and strong, the Gospel today will come as a shock: Jesus seem to ignore his family. While Jesus was preaching, his mother, brothers and sisters sent word that they were outside, and Jesus said, “Who are my mother, my brothers and sisters?” He took the opportunity to point out that whoever does the will of the Father is a member of the larger family of God. In other words, what marks a member of the family is a common authority whose obedience we owe. We obey our parents, because we are members of the family. Those who do not belong to our immediate families are not bound to obey.

Furthermore, our human experience tells us that blood relationships do not necessarily translate into family ties. In fact, there are many people, such as our close friends, who are often more family to us than our real families: they know more about us and our secrets than our parents. May mga taong mas malapit sa atin kaysa sa ating mga kadugo’t kapamilya.

In the family of God, what binds us together is our obedience to the will of the Father. When we were baptized, our parents have given their word to form us into good Christians; so that when we are of age, we will freely choose to remain in God’s fold. This relationship therefore is a commitment. As children of God, we attend regular Sunday mass and dedicate a part of the day in prayer. We mold our lifestyle according to the commandments of God and the norms of the Church. We believe in a creed and we deepen our understanding of the Christian experience of God.

Let me explain. There are two types of companionship or friendships: those without commitment and those with commitments. Those without commitments are usually spontaneous and depend on circumstances and common interest. Here is a usual dialogue:

After class, Cathy blurts out, “Let’s watch a movie!”
“When?”
“Now. Who wants to come?” And all those interested in movies raise their hands.

Many of our friendships end when circumstances change. Our circle of friends in high school may not be our friends now in college.

But there are friendships who stay. They are not anymore dependent on spontaneity and circumstances. Their relationship goes beyond common interest; they appreciate and in fact, love their differences. Instead of spontaneity, their relationship acquires a regular event and schedule: couples cross out a day and a time during the week for their regular dates, friends keep a once-a-month get-together, families dedicate Sundays for themselves. Thus, these relationships can withstand distance and long absences. A couple whose marriage I officiated told me that in the seven years that they were apart, they dedicated a time of day for their calls and emails.

This is why in the family of God, there are things we do regularly. It is no wonder that the Church lived for centuries.

Roman Catholic

27 January 2008 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
1 Corinthians 1, 10-17; Matthew 4, 12-23 Being Roman Catholic

Note: This is homily 2, which I think is better.

St. Paul in the 2nd Reading calls for unity in the midst of division. He encourages every disciple of Christ to be “united in the same mind and in the same purpose”. He said that we are made one by our love for Christ. The Gospel tells us about Jesus who called specific people from different backgrounds to be his closest friends. These apostles were an odd mixture: Peter, Andrew, James and John were fishermen; Simon was a Zealot, who were against the Roman occupation of Israel while Matthew, a tax collector, was pro-administration. It is not difficult for us to imagine disputes and disagreements among Jesus’ disciples. But what brought them together was their love of Christ. The early Christian communities were reminded to keep both together: diversity and unity. Some would even say, unity in diversity.

Today, we shall use two words that describes our identity: Roman Catholics. Roman will describe our particular identity; thus a point of gathering. By being Roman, we are distinguished from our Eastern brothers and sisters who also belong to the Catholic Church. By being Roman, we flow from the Western or Latin tradition that the Spaniards passed on to us centuries ago, though we belong clearly to the East. It is our particular characteristics. And thus, we are united by our Roman liturgy and tradition.

The word, Catholic, will describe our acceptance of those who are different from us; an acceptance of the diversity of people and culture. It is being Catholic, being universal, that describes our vision and outlook. We are forever reaching out to people who are different from our religion, from our form of worship, from our beliefs. We are always accepting those who are ‘strangers’ into our fold. Like Jesus gathering his disciples from different background and personalities. And loving them altogether; and telling them to be ‘Catholic’ --- to tell the Good News to all nations, gathering all peoples from all walks of life.

But being Roman Catholic has always been part of our history. When we started off to become a small Jewish sect of Jesus of Nazareth, we would again lose our identity, to accept the Gentiles. The 1st Council of Jerusalem with Peter and James with the Jewish community and Paul testifying the presence of Christ in the Gentiles, decided to expand into a universal Church. Three hundred years later, when we were accustomed to be the main religion of Rome, to be Roman, we were again called to expand and include the barbarians. In the Philippines during the Spanish time, the Spaniards gathered around the mass in Spanish. And just as they were at home with the Spanish mass, when the natives joined them, challenging them to open the doors to Filipinos whom they were colonizing, who were now Catholics, who were also their brothers and sisters. And just as we were comfortable with the Latin mass, when we were challenged again to accept the mass in the vernacular in 1965.

And just as we are now comfortable with the mass of today, we are now challenged to accept into the fold many people who find themselves alienated from the Church. Do we speak about the roles of women, those who are divorced and single parents, those who are gay, those who are struggling with love, the sick and the dying, or the young who lives in a different culture and technology. Often, we do not want to speak about them, because we are afraid that we may be involved in controversy, or we may find oursleves accused by many narrow-minded people of rocking the boat. But this is what it means to be Roman Catholic. Like breathing: we inhale and gather the air into our body of faith as being Roman; and we exhale as we reach out to others as being Catholic. Only when we inhale and exhale that we live; as only when we become Roman and Catholic, that our Church becomes alive, rich and dynamic.

Unity in Diversity

27 January 2008 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
1 Corinthians 1, 10-17; Matthew 4.12-23 Unity in Diversity

Note: This is homily 1 which I made in a coffee shop.

The incorporation of the Gentiles into a formerly Jewish sect brought division among its members. Each culture contributes its own tradition and customs to the young Christian community. Often, the customs clash with other ways of life. Moreover, the varied background of its members added to their different interpretation of the ways of Christian discipleship. Thus, St. Paul urges the communities to find their unity in the love of Christ.

Diversity can trace its roots in the discipleship of Jesus. Though largely Jewish, the apostles came from different backgrounds. Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John were fishermen. Simon the Zealot was against the Roman occupation of Israel, while Matthew, the tax collector was pro-administration. I am almost sure that there were disputes and disagreements within their ranks, but what brought them together was precisely their sole love for Jesus.

In the largest religion of the world, Christianity’s diversity enriches as well as divides its members. The Protestants, the Catholics, and the growing evangelicals, all have different interpretations and traditions that segregate them from each other. Within the Catholic fold, the Roman Catholics will differ in various ways with their brothers and sisters in the Eastern Catholic tradition. In a largely Catholic Philippines, the practices also vary.

When a global culture moves towards an individualist or an “I” culture, there is emphasis on differences, ethnicity and cultural pride. One’s love for one’s own culture should be valued. However, when there is so much division, we have to emphasize what we all commonly share. The Church moves towards dialogue with our fellow Christians in ecumenism and with other religions in interreligious dialogue.

St. Paul proposes that we should all be one in mind and heart with our love for Christ. Thus, may I suggest the following.

First, we put primary understanding of the Creed which embodies what makes us Catholics. It is the object of our faith. As long as we understand what we profess, we are one with each other. Moral norms and worship that includes the sacraments are found in the Creed.

Second, practices however differ according to local custom. Thus, agreeing on what makes us one, we respect and enrich the faith by inculturating it, by letting the culture enhance, develop and add relevance and meaning to the practice of the faith, and vice versa.

Concretely, when in Rome, we do what the Romans do. In the Philippines, some people assert their own way of doing things. For example, in large churches were there are pews and kneelers, generally people kneel during the consecration. Some however would stand. I believe that unity in worship is a good witnessing value: thus, when majority is kneeling, we kneel. In addition, in Africa were music is largely percussive and dancing is part of their worship, we dance with the people when we are there.

Our love for Christ allows us to be flexible. We don’t attract attention to our ourselves, but we join and celebrate unity in diversity, the mark of a Christian community eversince it was established.

David and Goliath

23 January 2008 Wednesday of the 2nd Week in Ordinary Time
1 Samuel 17, 32-51 David and Goliath

The first reading is the famous story of David and Goliath. David, an unknown shepherd presented himself to the king to ask permission to fight the huge Philistine. King Saul relented, probably thinking how foolish David was. After all, Saul exhausted all means to topple the Philistine army. David’s weapon was a sling shot and a few smooth stones; but he was victorious --- he was able to hit Goliath at his brow and beheaded him with Goliath’s own sword.

Many of us, especially when we were kids, were attracted to this story. Perhaps, it tugs at our own insignificance at the company of someone or something overwhelming or powerful. We literally shrink in the shadows or we get self-conscious when we are at the presence of a dignitary or for many, being with movie stars who seem to be bigger than life when they are on screen. The story resonates to us because like all children’s tales, they speak about our inner turmoils and desires. Cinderella speaks about our poverty and our desires to be rich: as all the other contestants in Wowowee and Dream Academy. David made it possible for us to dream of overcoming the Goliaths in our lives: as all success stories of small businesses becoming huge, someone from an obscure town becoming heroes or national artists.

In our lives, there are Goliaths that overwhelm us: having terminal illnesses, the onset of old age and the feeling of uselessness, a family problem that threatens our reputation and the family bond, a demand from work or from school like a challenging thesis. We think that a person of small stature like us cannot tackle them; and we shrink in fear. Some of us easily give up. Some just let things happen. Some just despair.

But David taught us that we can. That we can overcome these Goliaths. All we need are three small things. First, David knew where he is good at. He was physically prepared. Second, David knew the source of his confidence and courage. He was spiritually ready to take on a huge challenge. Finally, David was wise. He knew the best strategy to topple a giant. He knew the Achilles heel of Goliath.

Nothing therefore is difficult to overcome. If we hone are abilities, faithfully strengthen our faith, and sharpen our minds, nothing should overwhelm and paralyze us. This reminds me of Fr. Eduardo Hontiveros* SJ who had 7 strokes that impaired some parts of his body. Despite his partial paralysis, he continued to compose songs until his death on January 15, 2008. All we have to do, when we are fully equipped like David, is to take the plunge.

* he composed liturgical songs sung all over the world especially when Filipinos gather like “Pananagutan”, Papuri sa Diyos, Dakilang Pag-ibig, Paghahandog ng Sarili (Kunin Mo O Diyos). He has been awared the Presidential Merit posthumously and is being called, the Father of Filipino Liturgical Music.

Being Chosen

22 January 2008 Tuesday of the 2nd Week in Ordinary Time
1 Samuel 16, 1-13 Anointing of David

The first reading tells us the story of how God has chosen David to replace Saul. Samuel invited Jesse and his sons to a banquet as the Lord bid him to do. But despite Jesse’s seven sons presented to him, the Lord rejected all of them: “Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance, but the Lord sees the heart.” Samuel asked Jesse if he had another son, on which Jesse replied that the youngest was tending sheep. Samuel summoned David, and with the Lord’s indication, anointed him with oil.

Today, being chosen carries with it a privilege. Often, people who have been elected for office, feel entitled to several advantages and benefits. They think that people should accord them the places of honor and pay him their respects.

But the Old Testament notion of being chosen was not about privilege, but about responsibility and sacrifice. It was therefore a humbling experience, wherein the chosen was fully aware of his weakesses, but was still chosen. Garfield once said, “Why me?” Nevertheless, the chosen realized that owed his authority and power from God. His being chosen was meant for service: to receive God’s message and proclaim it to people.

At present, we have many experiences of being chosen --- that is, we can ‘read’ events as God’s act of choice. When we passed entrance exams to UP, we were therefore given the responsibility to serve our country in the spirit and purpose of UP. When you had been personally picked among many job applicants, then you had been given a responsibility according to your job description. When we were baptized, we too were anointed with oil --- giving us to preach the good news as Prophet; to worship the Lord as Priest; to serve God and our fellow human beings as King. Thus, the anointing with chrism at Baptism bestowed on us the roles we are to perform in our lifetime.

However, God specifically calls us to a particular form of service according to our abilities, capabilities and our personalities. There is always a space for each of us in the whole scheme or things. All we have to do is to find them. We can start by considering all your strengths and abilities. Often, God calls us to where we may maximize the use of our talents.

A final word. The first reading ended like this: “From then on, the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David.” We call this the grace of office. If one is chosen for a job, believe that the Lord will also give you the grace you need to fulfill your tasks and responsibilities. All you have to be is this: be open to new experiences and grab every opportunity to improve oneself.

Feast of the Sto. Nino

20 January 2008 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Philippine Feast of the Child Jesus (Sto. Nino)

In all aspects of our lives, we grow. Physical, motor, cognitive and social development are major areas of development. Parents and guardians who watch over children must see improvements in their physical and language skills. In sight, the child should make basic distinctions in vision & hearing and have some perception of pain at 1 month; visually fixates or smiles at a face at 3 months; and should respond to his own name at 10-12 months. A normal individual undergoes the stages of human development.

The same way with faith. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that the seven sacraments touch all the natural stages and all the important moments of Christian life: they give birth and increase healing and mission to the Christian’s life of faith (1210). Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist initiates one into the faith; Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick into healing; and Marriage and Ordination give us our specific mission to the faithful.

Popular devotions like our love for the Sto. Nino help us in this growth; but should not replace the sacraments. Everyone knows that Jesus is not a child anymore; He died on the cross at age 33. Moreover, many treat the Sto. Nino like a toddler --- we dress him up and offer candies the way we treat little children at 3-7 years old. The Catechism tells us that we are to help “sustain and support popular piety, but we are also tasked to ‘purify and correct religious sense which underlies these devotions so that the faithful may advance in knowledge of the mystery of Christ” (1676).

Having said this, our devotion to the Sto. Nino should be placed into perspective.

First, childbirth: our devotion should remind us of our faith that was introduced to us when Ferdinand Magellan came into the shores of Cebu on April 7, 1521 and planted the cross on its shores. He presented the image of the child Jesus as a gift to Rajah Humabon’s wife Hara Humamay on her baptism. In other words, the devotion to the Sto. Nino is a celebration of childbirth. But like all birthdays and anniversaries we ask: How does our centuries-old faith transform ourselves and our society at large?

Second, childhood: our devotion to the Sto. Nino should remind us of the virtues of simplicity and dependence on God. We can get caught up by the noise and dance of life --- much like our Sinulog and Ati-atihan --- and make our life complicated. Often we think that maturation means having a complicated life. However, people who are happy are those who enjoy the simple things. They would enjoy isaw, fishball and ice cream which vendors sell on sidewalks. They would enjoy quiet moments at home or the simple company of friends. At the end of the day, what matters to us can be said in a simple sentence: I love you.

I believe the devotion to the Sto Nino should be kept because it is a cultural expression of the faith. However, the devotion should also be purified and corrected. Children, like faith, should grow.

When Defeated and Abandoned

17 January 2008 Thursday of the 1st Week in Ordinary Time
1 Samuel 4, 1-11 When Defeated


The story in the first reading is about defeat and abandonment. The Israelites were defeated not just once but twice by the Philistines in the reading today. They lost 40,000 soldiers in the first battle, and 30,000 foot soldiers in the second. At the second battle, they brought the ark of the covenant with them, hoping that with the presence of God, they would be victorious. However, it was disastrous, with Eli’s sons among the dead. They may have questioned and doubted God’s words that they were His favorites and that they would never be abandoned.

Many of us do feel like the Israelites. When the UP Maroons edged their way through this season’s UAAP, they lost every game. And they brought with them everything: prayers, holy water, and me --- their priest. They were good men, like the Israelites. But despite our ‘arks’ we were defeated.

Many God-fearing people like you who come to mass daily and sincerely try to become good Christians also experienced abandonment and defeat. We tried praying but felt nothing. When friends abandon us or when our hope disappears after each of our dreams have been crushed one after the other; when someone close to us dies or a crisis in the family affects us deeply, we feel like the Israelites. When we fail exams despite our tedious studies, we turn to God but our words just seem empty and our hearts feels desert-like.

People whose names has been connected with holiness were not spared from these experiences: Moses in exile, Elijah in the cave, Mary at the foot of the cross, Jesus crying “Why have you abandoned me?” Even Mother Teresa of our time has not been spared. St. John of the Cross called it the ‘dark night of the soul’.

Why now? Maybe it is like our childhood. When we were children, we were pampered by our parents. They gave us everything. When we started our faith life, we were exhilarated by God’s presence and graces. When the UP Chapel was first built, we heard of the young faith-community experiencing dramatic God-interventions. But also like children, we have to grow up. Our parents would eventually withdraw their presence from us so that we could tackle our problems independently --- the only way to become mature individuals.

And so now that we are older, we experience situations of defeat and abandonment even if the “ark of the covenant” is with us. We feel that God has withdrawn from our consciousness (since we believe that He is present everywhere). What do we get from this experience? First, we realize that many material things do not satisfy us: we are not moved by music or find joy in going to our favorite spa or a dream vacation. Nothing can impress and satisfy us. Second, when we feel that our faith is being threatened, we are either led to pray or to despair. When our faith is in the context of abandonment, we begin to question God’s existence, or the validity of our practices or God’s love. Thus, when we doubt and question, we are led towards more answers.

In the Chronicles of Narnia, Aslan --- the Christ-figure --- is wild and comes to visit them when we wants and likes to. Perhaps, this is what God wants us to know when He is ‘away’. We cannot control God: since we have faithfully prayed our novenas, he SHOULD grant our intentions. We just should let God be.

In Praise of Single Blessedness

15 January 2008 Tuesday of the 1st Week in Ordinary Time
Sam 1, 9-20 In Praise of the Single Blessedness

The Bible have stories of genuine women with very difficult problems where faith are tested. The widow of Zarephath was asked to share to a stranger (Elijah) the only food she had; Queen Esther had to defy the king to save her people; Deborah, Phoebe and Priscilla whose great service as leaders in the Old Testament and the New Testament highlights the roles women took. Today we hear of Hannah, a barren woman who prays for a child. She joins the ranks of Abraham’s Sarah and Zechariah’s Elizabeth. In the first reading, Hannah pours out her heart to God.

Isaiah (54,1; 56, 3-5) says about how God sees people who are barren and unmarried.

Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child;
Burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor;
Because more are the the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the Lord…

Let not any eunuch complain, “I am only a dry tree.”
For this is what the Lord says:
“To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant ---
To them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name
Better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off.”

In a sexualized world, everything is connected with sex. Those who are deprived of it or of its fruits --- like single, unmarried or childless couples --- are seen to be less than whole persons. People who are unfulfilled. Like priests, nuns and spinsters.

Every Christian must know that his or her identity lies in Jesus Christ, not in the roles or the civil status that we play. These roles and status come and go. There are many single people who have brought up many sons and daughters to the Kingdom of God. My growing up years have been enriched by the unmarried librarians who aided my research. My life as a priest have been inspired by priests who lived a single and holy life. Some students of mine have been adopted by an aunt or an uncle who had no family of their own. It is not our status that defines us, but who we are.

The apostle Paul said that sometimes marriage complicates service to Christ because it divides allegiances to God and one’s spouse (1 Cor 7, 7-9, 32-25; 39-40). It can sidetrack Christians from serving God. Those who have families, for example, cannot spend their whole time in Church or to a cause. They have to take care of their families first. But those who are single, can spend all of her or his time with the people they serve. Mary Steward Van Leeuwen said that if we evaluate our roles in terms of the Kingdom of God, all are complementary: “a stable Christian family may have a missionary advantage in providing hospitality; but a single person, unencumbered by family duties, often has the missionary advantage of mobility. And both are vital in the spread of the Church.”

Mundane Tasks

13 January 2008 Feast of Our Lord’s Baptism
Matthew 3, 13-17 The Mundane Life

We mark beginnings with events: initiation rites, commissioning ceremonies, and in faith-life, baptisms. Today, we celebrate Jesus’ inauguration of his public ministry. Jesus is given approval by His Father to begin his work; and therefore, He was baptized for a specific task and mission. In the liturgical life of the Church, the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus marks the end of the Christmas Season and begins the Ordinary Time. And thus, those who are baptized, initiated or whose careers were launched begin a ‘new life’ which will take form in the everyday, ordinary, and humdrum times of their lives.

Milestones and special events are spurts in our lives. The bulk of our lives are spent in doing mundane tasks. We wash our clothes. We cook our food. We rush to work. We pour our time on our study tables and books. In the ordinariness and routine of our lives, we operate what we were meant to do. If one begins his work as music director of Musica Chiesa, then his or her ordinary days will be spent arranging music or performing for the church; if one becomes a member of a choir, then his weekends will now be devoted to practice and service at mass. However, it is in these common days that we are molded into who we are meant to be: the daily practice of the musician makes her the performer of the night, the regular workout of the exercise buff gave him the body to die for, the habitual prayer of a person deepens his or her relationship with God.

When Jesus was baptized, His life and lifestyle changed: He would be under public scrutiny; his tasks would now be preaching and healing multitudes; he would organize his companions and later suffer and die. All of these because of one choice: to faithfully do His mission which His Father has given to Him in Baptism.

However, the celebration of Christmas tells us that when Jesus came into the world, everything has been sanctified. Nothing therefore has remained ordinary. Even the most humdrum and uneventful days of our lives are opportunities to experience the Divine. When we were baptized, we have been commissioned by God to make ordinary days extraordinary. To paint the otherwise boring canvass of life. To make life more vivid, bright, vibrant, and colorful. The saints tell us that we are to make the ordinary holy; we are to become “saints of the ordinary”. Mother Teresa said that we can only do ordinary things with great love.

Discernment

12 January 2008 Saturday after the Epiphany
1 John 5, 14-21 Discernment

Discernment is an important word in the first reading. It says, “We also know that the Son of God has come and has given us discernment to know the one who is true.” Discernment is God’s grace for all of us to be able to find and know Him; to identify and see Him in our lives. Fr. James Donahue SJ said that “the ability to discern leads to an understanding of the direction and path that one is to follow to be faithful to God’s purposes and intentions.” The goal is thus to make the right choices.

A life of faith is not just about choosing what is good or bad. Because if it is just a matter of good or evil, then decision-making is easy. The choice is obvious: choosing evil is not an option. You don’t need to discern in this situation: the will of God is clear!

However, the most difficult situation is choosing between two or more good things. For example, having an array of promising careers, opting between two job offers, considering two important values in one’s life such as obeying our parents or following the desire of our hearts. It is about what decisions and commitments do you think you are being called to make in your life. Discernment is asking about what choices would best manifest who I am and who I am called to be. That is why discernment is called for when resolving between forms of vocation: to get married and build a family, to be in religious life, to be single, etc. All of them are good life choices: but which is God’s will for you? In all of these situations, finding God’s will for us is harder and challenging; finding God in two or more good things is often difficult.

Have you experience going to a grocery store and not finding what you are looking for; only to discover that the item has a new packaging? Often we look for God at all the familiar places where we have been experiencing God such as a church, a quiet place, or a deep and enjoyable friendship. Can we find God in His other forms such as a doctor who gives you a wrong diagnosis, a criminal, or a person whom you dislike? Or finding God in an unpopular path --- the road less travelled?

Jesus gifted us with the eyes to recognize God in our lives. The Holy Spirit’s task is to enlighten us and guide us as we ‘read’ the signs of the times. Thus, confident of this gift, we are to continually search and reflect on the presence of God in all His different ‘forms’ in our lives.

God's Commandments Are Not Burdensome

10 January 2008 Thursday after the Epiphany
1 John 4, 19 – 5:4

There are two things that interest me in the first reading from the first letter of John. First, he said, “We love God because He first loved us.” Our ability to love God and our fellow persons is a gift. It does not come from us. Science tells us that there are capabilities that we have that are innate; they are like seeds planted on soil but waiting for the sun and the rain to stimulate their growth. Howard Gardner pointed out in 1983 that we all possess multiple intelligences such as verbal, logical-mathematical, spatial, musical, kinesthetic, etc. Even our abilities to relate to others and our own inner selves are all seeds needing our attention and practice. Our ability to love therefore has been planted by God from the very beginning; it was not given out of our merit or as reward for our achievements or our being ‘good’ boys and girls. The very fact that God planted it on us --- thus a gift --- is a manifestation of His love.

Second, he said, “His commandments are not burdensome.” Our experience of goodness points to the veracity of this fact. When we are able to do what is good, we are uplifted and fulfilled. No matter how challenging the work, as long as it is able to help others (like a charitable event) or it develops our giftedness (like preparing for a music recital), we are at peace. Following God’s commandments enriches our nature; it compliments who we are.

On the other hand, we find doing some things burdensome. When we do something we don’t want, we do it dragging our feet. Our hearts are heavy because we are doing something against our will. The task --- though it would require less effort --- becomes heavy because we are going against our will and nature. The work is against our concept of ourselves.

Let us put these two concepts together. If seeds of ability have been given by God to us, then the commandment of God is to discover, nurture, develop and share them to our brothers and sisters. Our innate talents and abilities that constitutes our personality and character will be the tools to use to express our love and concern to the world. The conglomeration and mix of these abilities in varying degrees make our service to others unique and personal. When we are able to use all of God’s gifts as our response of obedience to his commandment, we feel light and at peace. On the other hand, when we are asked to do something beyond our capabilities and against our self-concept, we feel the weight on our shoulders.

In the end, God’s command makes us more human.

A State of Being

9 January 2008 Wednesday after the Epiphany
1 John 4, 11-18; Mark 6, 45-52

The first reading presents to us a basic truth: Whoever abides in love remains in God. To abide in God is an intimate relationship; a perfect relationship is seen in the union of hearts and minds of two or more individuals that they think and feel almost as one. That God remians in him or her who loves Him; and the beloved remains in God.

This relationship is a characteristic of being; it is not something that we do, but something that we are. First, it is a state of waiting. We spend time not doing something, but eagerly preparing and opening our hearts to God anytime He arrives. We bear every second patiently until the arrival. Second, abiding means to endure staying without booting out. We don’t easily give up when the waiting is too long. We use all our enduring and staying powers, trusting that our loyalty will not be useless. This relationship is much more important than what we do or don’t.

When this loving relationship has been established, the assurance wipes away our fears. It removes our insecurities. We no longer become threatened by the storms in our lives just as the disciples were assured of Jesus when they saw Him walking on water towards their boat that was being tossed by the waters of Galilee.

However abiding in God completely and perfectly does not come by at one point. It does not happen overnight. It is a process that we continually strive for, but never being disappointed. Abiding in God is not something we achieve. It is something that comes when we stop for awhile and move about reflectively. It happens when done in prayer. It happens when we come to church not as an obligation but in celebration and on our own free will.

And so we ask ourselves reflectively. We come to mass everyday. We have remain faithful to all the obligations the Church plays on us. But why is it when faced by challenges, we are more afraid that assured? Does assurance in God mean leaving all things to fate? What makes it difficult for us to assume that all will soon be well?

Characteristics of the UP Community of Believers

8 January 2008 Tuesday after the Epiphany
1 John 4, 7-10; Psalm 72, 1-8; Mark 6, 34-44

The University of the Philippines celebrates 100 years of existence and kicks off its celebration today with a misa cantata at the UP Philippine General Hospital and a motorcade from PGH to Diliman. Here at Diliman, we have continued the celebration with fireworks. With this backdrop, we shall look at our celebration with the eyes of faith. Let me take our reflection from historical Jesuit sources whose presence in PGH, UP Manila and Diliman began in 1910, thus we are celebrating 98 years of Jesuit presence in UP; from these articles come out certain characteristics of the faith community in UP.

First, the believing community had been counter-cultural. The pervading culture of the University of the Philippines has been anti-clerical and anti-religious. Then Fr. Delaney was assigned to UP first in Padre Faura in 1946 and then to Diliman from 1949-1956. The prayer and lifestyle of the administrators, students and faculty who were especially members of UPSCA, provided an alternative to a culture that was hostile to religious belief.

Second, the community became agents of change: they spawned a religious movement that was ‘radical’ at that time. Radical means the ability to think ‘outside of the box’, to experiment on new ways of expressing one’s faith. When UP transferred to Diliman, Fr. Delaney used a former US Army Signal Corps’ dilapidated-bamboo-and-sawali structure that served as a non-denominational church. With students and faculty volunteers, they cleaned it up and began regular Wednesday and Sunday Masses. The architecture of the UP Chapel was ‘radical’ at that time in 1956: a circular church meant that the priest faces half of the congregation which would then be the change of Vatican II in 1965 ten years ahead.

Third, the UP community of believers focus was the Eucharist. They found nourishment and inspiration at mass. The rivers of life of the UP Church means that all peoples from all corners of the world come to worship Christ at the altar, and their love of God enriched and overflowing at mass, goes out to all parts of the world.

Finally, the manner of evangelization was personal. For Jesuits, we call it, cura personalis --- personal care. Fr. Delaney knew by name the people who lived in UP. He ate his meals with them, as Jesus did. He got to know his students well enough, that when he died, he had the longest funeral so far.

As we celebrate the centennial, we look back at what made our community alive. And then, we ask what more can we contribute to make our faith a leaven of change and transformation for the future generation.

The Ability to See

6 January 2007 The Epiphany of our Lord
Isaiah 60, 1-6; Psalm 72; Ephesians 3, 2-6; Matthew 2, 1-12

We used to call the feast today as the Feast of the Three Kings; but I agree when this was changed to the “Epiphany” meaning “manifestation of God” --- when we are enabled to see with our own eyes God in the form of a child. All of the readings today celebrate this new way of seeing and recognizing God.

There is an important place in our faith for the ability to see. We are asked to fix our gaze on Christ, no matter what we do. The first reading and the responsorial psalm tells us about Jerusalem in shining radiance that all people from all corners of the world come together to sing God’s praises. All people gazes on the star of Bethlehem like the wise men who comes from the East. Despite the commercialization of Christmas, we actually see all sorts of people celebrating Christ today!

But who can see? The readings gives us the answer: everyone! The ability to see God is beyond race or religion --- Jew or Gentle recognizes God. The second reading explicitly show that “it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gentiles are co-heirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” The magi from the east as Matthew describes were not Jews, they were Gentiles who belonged to a different religion.

How can we see? The Gospel tells us that those who sincerely searches for God find God. Those whose hearts yearn to see God recognizes the presence of God in the physical world. Those who crave and desire to find “God in all things” actually experience the divine in the most banal and ordinary things of the world. They are those who see what the saints already saw: that everything is a manifestation of God. Therefore, even if the wise men do not have the historical yearning for a Messiah as the Jews, the wise men were able to find God in the most surprising of all locations. Bethlehem was an insignificant village; they found a plain mother, father and a child, but saw through them and recognizes the extraordinariness of the child that they prostrated themselves and did him homage.

On the other hand, Herod and those whose hearts are evil and malicious do not find God. There are those who doubt God. They would ask for evidence or proof about God and, despite what we present, they will never come to believe. They would look at faith with distrust and regard faith as a problem. Talk about belief and they would shut you off, and worse, laugh at you. And therefore, no convincing will bring them to see God as you see Him. The truth of the matter is this: They will not find God --- until a tragedy happens or an extreme terminal illness befalls them. When all of their doctorates fail to heal their illnesses, when nothing can help them as in a life-changing exam, they will eventually begin to rethink and see the world ‘with a different eye.’

It is no wonder then that when we are faced with something uncharted or something happened that we cannot put heads and tails on it, we ask in faith for enlightenment. That like the Star of Bethlehem who guided the magi to the Child, we too are to be given the light to understand the world and our lives. To understand is to come closer to the God of Wisdom. Thus, when we study and discover truth after truth, we all the more wonder about the greatness of something beyond. TIME has it that Albert Einstein who delved deeper into things, finally wondered about the laws of the universe, “What separates me from most so-called atheists is a feeling of utter humility toward the unattainable secrets of the harmony of the cosmos” (see http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1607298,00.html).

We see God in the world today because He reveals Himself to us first. We get to understand a friend only when he or she shares secrets with us. This is what we celebrate this Sunday: God chose to reveal Himself to us first, thus enabling us to see and encounter Him in our daily lives.

Putting on Skin

25 December 2007 Christmas Day
The Incarnation

Today we celebrate an article of faith found in the Creed. In fact, when we recite this part, “who was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary” we kneel in reverence. This article is the reason for the holidays, the rationale behind the Christmas season. In Christian faith, it is called, the Incarnation --- when God choose to be enfleshed, by becoming human like you and me.

Let me illustrate what the Incarnation is with a contextualized adaptation of a story of a five-year-old child named Janie who woke scared in the middle of a typhoon, shouting for her parents in the other room. After her mother rushed to calm Janie, she took her leave. But the child protested, pleading her mother to stay with her. Her mother, like many religious persons, said, “But God is with you all the time.” Janie replied, “But I need someone with skin!” In the Incarnation, God has put on skin in order for us to experience Him.

What does this mean in our lives? Our first experience of God is with people --- creatures with skin. Not ghosts. Not spirits. Our parents are our first experience of God. Through their kisses and embraces, through their ways of caring for us, we experience the care of God. Psychology has it that those who grew up without fathers, find it difficult to identify with God as Father, because they do not have an experience of what a father is.

How much we are loved by God is seen in the people who surround us with love and devotion. Our friends and relatives facilitate this experience. Therefore, at Christmas, when we give gifts to those we love or to those who are poor and homeless, we contribute to God’s putting on skin in the world today. They experience Christmas through people who enflesh God’s love.

There is a story about a pig and a cow. The pig, one day, complained to the cow, “Why do you have more friends than I? I think I contribute to humans more than you do: hams, longganisa and sausages, lechon, and various dishes for fiestas and celebrations come from me. While you, contribute mainly your milk to make cheese and dairy products.”

The cow gave it a thought and answered, “Perhaps because I give while I am still alive.”

So too with us. While we are alive, our faith encourages us to give all of our love. Not wait until the day when we lose all our skin.