31 August 2008. 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jeremiah 20, 7-9; Psalm 63; Romans 12; Matthew 16, 21-27
In the first reading, Jeremiah lamented to Yahweh. He used a very bold word about Yahweh: “You duped me! And I let myself be duped!” Niloko mo ako, at nagpaloko din ako! He added, “You were too strong for me, and you triumph!” The verb, pata, means ‘to seduce’.
What was the background of Jeremiah’s lamentation? Jeremiah urged Israel to turn back to God and to obey the covenant they forged in Mt. Sinai. If they didn’t, Israel will be captured by Babylon and would send its inhabitants into exile. Thus, Jeremiah believed that Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, would therefore be an agent of Yahweh who would enforce the punishment, unless Israel reformed. But Pashhur, the priest and leader of the Temple, opposed and imprisoned him. For Jeremiah, the experience was humiliating. When he was released, Jeremiah told Pashhur that his family and friends will be captured and exiled (Jeremiah 20, 6). Click here for news article on archaelogical findings about Passhur, the son of Immer.
But Yahweh for Jeremiah was too strong for him to resist. Despite the ridicule he encountered in proclaiming God’s word and the temptation to withdraw from his mission, the Lord remained to be a consuming fire, “like a fire burning in my heart, imprisoned in my bones; I grow weary holding it in, I cannot endure it” (20, 9).
Many lives had been witnesses to the truth of Jeremiah’s lament. We began our love affair with God with an inspiring event, when the experience of God was deeply felt. Perhaps it was a retreat, a liturgy, or an extraordinary event. It could be the experience of love, of beauty, of childbirth, of being saved from possible destruction. Like Jeremiah, we were thus ‘seduced’ by God. From these experiences, we resolved to be at the service of God and to lead a life committed in faith. Only to realize that that was just the first part of the package.
Discipleship covered the cross too. We soon saw that the Church was beset with scandals and division. We discovered the warts in a religious group and found that the greatest cross was living with a community. Many saints who were members of religious orders affirmed this. And when we began to do our work as missionaries or as plainly as a good Christian in the workplace, we encountered fellow Christians who made our life difficult and unbearable. Those who humiliate us were often fellow Christians who might have claimed being at the service of the same God.
However, how many persevered? The churches where there is greatest persecution flourish. Think China and Latin America. The more their zeal grew when challenged. They said that love flourishes when tested by fire. Our ‘cloud of witnesses’ (the saints and heroes) testifies to this.
There is something else. God is experienced as a consuming fire. I know of many people who have felt the urge to serve God, but ran away in fear. They have tried avoiding the question about their vocations, only to be ‘seduced’ once again at a certain point in their lives. Indeed, we cannot escape God. He is too strong for us to resist.
To me, God is someone too beautiful even to let go.
Vigilance
28 August 2008 Memorial of St. Augustine
Matthew 24, 42-51 Vigilance
The Gospel begins with an exhortation: “Stay awake!” The exhortation primarily refers to the Second Coming of Christ. Paul in the first reading reminds his people to remain faithful to the Lord until the end of days. Because it will come like a thief in the night. No one will know when it comes, and when it does it would be too late to change. But a delay of thousands of years may bring a certain disillusionment. It may not come in our lifetime, or perhaps, it would take longer for another generation.
So, we shall take the Gospel to also mean our own physical death when we too will meet the Lord in the afterlife. We know that the climax of our lives is our eventual union with God. St. Augustine, whose life we remember today, said that in all of our lives our hearts will be restless, until it comes to rest in God. And therefore, our whole life is a preparation for our death. And it is healthy to think about death in this perspective --- not superstitiously. If we meditate on our death, it would give us a perspective.
All we have to do is to imagine ourselves at our deathbed and ask certain questions. What would you like people to say about you when you die? What memories would you like them to keep as a remembrance of you? What questions in your life would you like to have resolved? Who are the people you would like to see and to surround your deathbed before your last breath? If so, are you spending more time with them than with others who do not matter to you?
St. Augustine was a latecomer or a late bloomer in terms of his faith life. “Late have I loved you” wrote Augustine. There is always a chance to begin changing now; an opportunity to prepare and stay awake! With the perspective of death, we can now direct our lives to where we would like it to lead. So that when the hour comes --- when, we do not know --- we would be ready. And if we have prepared well, our hearts will be peaceful and at rest when we sleep.
Matthew 24, 42-51 Vigilance
The Gospel begins with an exhortation: “Stay awake!” The exhortation primarily refers to the Second Coming of Christ. Paul in the first reading reminds his people to remain faithful to the Lord until the end of days. Because it will come like a thief in the night. No one will know when it comes, and when it does it would be too late to change. But a delay of thousands of years may bring a certain disillusionment. It may not come in our lifetime, or perhaps, it would take longer for another generation.
So, we shall take the Gospel to also mean our own physical death when we too will meet the Lord in the afterlife. We know that the climax of our lives is our eventual union with God. St. Augustine, whose life we remember today, said that in all of our lives our hearts will be restless, until it comes to rest in God. And therefore, our whole life is a preparation for our death. And it is healthy to think about death in this perspective --- not superstitiously. If we meditate on our death, it would give us a perspective.
All we have to do is to imagine ourselves at our deathbed and ask certain questions. What would you like people to say about you when you die? What memories would you like them to keep as a remembrance of you? What questions in your life would you like to have resolved? Who are the people you would like to see and to surround your deathbed before your last breath? If so, are you spending more time with them than with others who do not matter to you?
St. Augustine was a latecomer or a late bloomer in terms of his faith life. “Late have I loved you” wrote Augustine. There is always a chance to begin changing now; an opportunity to prepare and stay awake! With the perspective of death, we can now direct our lives to where we would like it to lead. So that when the hour comes --- when, we do not know --- we would be ready. And if we have prepared well, our hearts will be peaceful and at rest when we sleep.
Laws in our Lives
27 August 2008 Memorial of St. Monica
2 Thessalonians 3, 6-10, 16-18; Matthew 23, 27-32
The Gospel continues the “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees” and today, He compared them to whitewashed tombs that looks beautiful on the outside but contains the bones of the dead and other filth in the inside.
For the Jew at the time of Jesus, this image was vivid. Tombs were often placed on the wayside. Every pilgrim on his or her way to Jerusalem to worship at the Temple was endangered from being ritually unclean. You see, the Pharisees and scribes had passed a law that whoever came in contact with tombs and dead bodies became unclean. The unclean were then disallowed from worship in the Temple. They had to go through an elaborate ritual to ‘regain’ their cleanliness. This was the reason why the Levite did not want to help the victim in the story of the Good Samaritan. So they painted the tombs white, for everybody to see and thus avoid. The whitewashed tombs would look ‘beautiful’ by the wayside, but remained dirty on the inside.
To Jesus, the Pharisees and scribes may look deeply pious and holy, but their hearts were full of vile and sin. This, however, was not just a Christian description but also a Jewish one. The Jews distinguished six different kinds of Pharisees who do their jobs for all sorts of motivations, except doing it for their deep love of God (the 7th classification of Pharisees). The Pharisees and the scribes are keepers of the Law. However, they trivialized and concocted ridiculous laws. Every rule protected a value. It was supposed to help people live in an ‘orderly way’ (first reading). “Orderly behavior” meant consistent with our nature as human beings. If the law did not protect the value, then following the law became irrelevant, superfluous and meaningless.
We can reflect on any of these two points. First, we can look at ourselves like whitewashed tombs. Is there an inconsistency with how we project ourselves with others and our real inner selves? When are the times when we pretend to be happy and unaffected but in reality, we are confused and troubled?
Second, we can look at the laws of our lives. Have we ever questioned the relevance and meaning of the little laws that we follow? Do these laws provide order in our lives, or do they add to the burdens we already have?
2 Thessalonians 3, 6-10, 16-18; Matthew 23, 27-32
The Gospel continues the “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees” and today, He compared them to whitewashed tombs that looks beautiful on the outside but contains the bones of the dead and other filth in the inside.
For the Jew at the time of Jesus, this image was vivid. Tombs were often placed on the wayside. Every pilgrim on his or her way to Jerusalem to worship at the Temple was endangered from being ritually unclean. You see, the Pharisees and scribes had passed a law that whoever came in contact with tombs and dead bodies became unclean. The unclean were then disallowed from worship in the Temple. They had to go through an elaborate ritual to ‘regain’ their cleanliness. This was the reason why the Levite did not want to help the victim in the story of the Good Samaritan. So they painted the tombs white, for everybody to see and thus avoid. The whitewashed tombs would look ‘beautiful’ by the wayside, but remained dirty on the inside.
To Jesus, the Pharisees and scribes may look deeply pious and holy, but their hearts were full of vile and sin. This, however, was not just a Christian description but also a Jewish one. The Jews distinguished six different kinds of Pharisees who do their jobs for all sorts of motivations, except doing it for their deep love of God (the 7th classification of Pharisees). The Pharisees and the scribes are keepers of the Law. However, they trivialized and concocted ridiculous laws. Every rule protected a value. It was supposed to help people live in an ‘orderly way’ (first reading). “Orderly behavior” meant consistent with our nature as human beings. If the law did not protect the value, then following the law became irrelevant, superfluous and meaningless.
We can reflect on any of these two points. First, we can look at ourselves like whitewashed tombs. Is there an inconsistency with how we project ourselves with others and our real inner selves? When are the times when we pretend to be happy and unaffected but in reality, we are confused and troubled?
Second, we can look at the laws of our lives. Have we ever questioned the relevance and meaning of the little laws that we follow? Do these laws provide order in our lives, or do they add to the burdens we already have?
Balance in Everyday Life
26 August 2008 Tuesday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time
2 Thessalonions 2, 1-3, 14-17 Balancing our Acts
The letters of Paul to the Thessalonians were written because there was a need to explain and clarify what he had said. Paul sent Timothy to the Thessalonians when he was in Athens because of several issues. The Church in Thessalonica was growing, and the Thessalonians loved Paul. But something was wrong: a teaching was overly-bloated.
Paul taught about the Second Coming of Christ. He regarded the end of time, NOT as a DATE, but as a state of life when all were ‘gathered together to meet Christ’. In apocalyptic teaching, however, it was taught that people would know about the end when evil had reach a certain fullness. That evil would show its worst conceivable form. When this happens, almost nearing evil’s triumph, the time for God’s judgment would have been ripe. (Giblin, Threat to Faith). It is like watching some movies: the hero receives all the blows, almost experiencing the peak of brutality, only to retaliate and then triumphs in the end.
The Thessalonians however stopped working and gave up completely their daily lives. They awaited with excessive expectancy Christ’s Parousia. They thought, “if the end is near, what is the meaning of toil? We would all die anyways.” Somehow, in their piousness, they have blown Paul’s teachings out of proportion. They have taken the teachings out of context and overly emphasized them.
Thus Paul wrote his letters to the Thessalonians as soon as possible. He sought to shed light on the teaching, and thus to put things back normally. In the second letter, he said things to calm their hysteria, and make them wait, not idly, but proactively. Paul told them that by waiting patiently for the Second Coming, we are not abandon our daily activities.
There is a tendency for us in our lives to lose balance and to interpret things out of proportion. For example, it is true that we are to serve the Lord. Many parents who belong to many pious organizations would spend hours and hours with their prayer sessions, to the point of neglecting their primary service: the care of their children. Many priests can be pre-occupied with the performance of the liturgy, that they forget the primary demand of charity. We can get too engrossed with our responsibilities in fulfilling a nevertheless noble task as catechism or tutoring children, but forget what we students are meant to do: study.
We should help each other balance our lives. We either do one thing excessively, or not do anything at all. Sometimes the demand is not so much to do a priority list and assigned a number of hours, but to discern everyday which needs more attention and which needs to be restrained.
2 Thessalonions 2, 1-3, 14-17 Balancing our Acts
The letters of Paul to the Thessalonians were written because there was a need to explain and clarify what he had said. Paul sent Timothy to the Thessalonians when he was in Athens because of several issues. The Church in Thessalonica was growing, and the Thessalonians loved Paul. But something was wrong: a teaching was overly-bloated.
Paul taught about the Second Coming of Christ. He regarded the end of time, NOT as a DATE, but as a state of life when all were ‘gathered together to meet Christ’. In apocalyptic teaching, however, it was taught that people would know about the end when evil had reach a certain fullness. That evil would show its worst conceivable form. When this happens, almost nearing evil’s triumph, the time for God’s judgment would have been ripe. (Giblin, Threat to Faith). It is like watching some movies: the hero receives all the blows, almost experiencing the peak of brutality, only to retaliate and then triumphs in the end.
The Thessalonians however stopped working and gave up completely their daily lives. They awaited with excessive expectancy Christ’s Parousia. They thought, “if the end is near, what is the meaning of toil? We would all die anyways.” Somehow, in their piousness, they have blown Paul’s teachings out of proportion. They have taken the teachings out of context and overly emphasized them.
Thus Paul wrote his letters to the Thessalonians as soon as possible. He sought to shed light on the teaching, and thus to put things back normally. In the second letter, he said things to calm their hysteria, and make them wait, not idly, but proactively. Paul told them that by waiting patiently for the Second Coming, we are not abandon our daily activities.
There is a tendency for us in our lives to lose balance and to interpret things out of proportion. For example, it is true that we are to serve the Lord. Many parents who belong to many pious organizations would spend hours and hours with their prayer sessions, to the point of neglecting their primary service: the care of their children. Many priests can be pre-occupied with the performance of the liturgy, that they forget the primary demand of charity. We can get too engrossed with our responsibilities in fulfilling a nevertheless noble task as catechism or tutoring children, but forget what we students are meant to do: study.
We should help each other balance our lives. We either do one thing excessively, or not do anything at all. Sometimes the demand is not so much to do a priority list and assigned a number of hours, but to discern everyday which needs more attention and which needs to be restrained.
Developing a Personal Faith
24 August 2008. 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
Matthew 16, 13-20 Who do you say that I am?
In the Gospel, Jesus asks his disciples what people think about Him. They come up with different answers, but in the end, He would ask each one who He is to them personally. The two questions can correspond to how we develop in our faith. For the sake of explanation, let me simply call them by phases or stages.
Stage 1. When we were younger, our faith depends on what other people say about Jesus. We learn many things about the content of our faith from our parents. We learn about how we practice what we believe from teachers. We learn how to worship from the Catholic community whom we see regularly. Our belief system have been almost ‘imposed’ and ‘handed down’ to us. This was however, necessary when we were just starting. Little children learn this way. We generally just follow what the grown-ups do and say. The reason is simple: biologically our faculty to be critical about the world is still developing until it reaches an age of maturity.
Stage 2. Eventually, there is a time when we will soon be asked about who Jesus is to us personally. Not anymore about what other people say about our faith, but what the faith means to us in our daily life. You see, we all share the same faith --- that is why we professed the Creed every Sunday. But how we practice it, the methods of our worship, varies from individual to individual. The amount of knowledge about our doctrines, the degree on our moral lives, the techniques and regularity of prayer vary as uniquely as who we are.
Bridge between Stages. And thus between these stages comes a phase where we begin to think and question within the faith. or some would doubt it. I personally would not easily judge the ‘goodness or badness’ of these stage. I would rather regard it as a necessary bridge in order for one to mature. So that, once having discovered answers to questions, and reaching a level of knowledge, one finally discerns about owning the faith. Making one’s faith really ours, not just being imposed on us. This is true about education. Facts are handed down to us, opinions are given, but in the end, when we assimilate them, they become ours. This is the reason why we study and take exams: we evaluate the extent of what we know and owned.
There is no particular age for this stage. Some begin to question the faith at an early age as teenagers, others later in their years, and still others by circumstance: when their faith is threatened or challenged.
How do we go about this stage? The primary ability being developed is the ability for reflection. In education, we give students assignments on how the lesson applies in their lives. By giving them reflection papers and projects where they are able to engage their knowledge with the real world, help whatever facts sink in and become part of their consciousness. The same way with faith. We develop by continually reflecting on our lives.
Second, praying regularly. Real friendship happens because of the time you spent with each other. A personal relationship blooms when lives are shared. This is not the “friendship’ in Friendster, Multiply or Facebook. It is not about adding one to your contacts, but it is about having invested one’s life on friends. Same thing with faith: our relationship with God develops when we pray.
In our questioning, we can consult those who know, like those who studied theology --- lay and religious alike. We refer to doctors about medicine; fashion designers about fashion; theologians about religion. We google to find answers; the way we google when we do research.
We hope that eventually, the faith is not just something from the past, but something that is meaningfully lived.
Matthew 16, 13-20 Who do you say that I am?
In the Gospel, Jesus asks his disciples what people think about Him. They come up with different answers, but in the end, He would ask each one who He is to them personally. The two questions can correspond to how we develop in our faith. For the sake of explanation, let me simply call them by phases or stages.
Stage 1. When we were younger, our faith depends on what other people say about Jesus. We learn many things about the content of our faith from our parents. We learn about how we practice what we believe from teachers. We learn how to worship from the Catholic community whom we see regularly. Our belief system have been almost ‘imposed’ and ‘handed down’ to us. This was however, necessary when we were just starting. Little children learn this way. We generally just follow what the grown-ups do and say. The reason is simple: biologically our faculty to be critical about the world is still developing until it reaches an age of maturity.
Stage 2. Eventually, there is a time when we will soon be asked about who Jesus is to us personally. Not anymore about what other people say about our faith, but what the faith means to us in our daily life. You see, we all share the same faith --- that is why we professed the Creed every Sunday. But how we practice it, the methods of our worship, varies from individual to individual. The amount of knowledge about our doctrines, the degree on our moral lives, the techniques and regularity of prayer vary as uniquely as who we are.
Bridge between Stages. And thus between these stages comes a phase where we begin to think and question within the faith. or some would doubt it. I personally would not easily judge the ‘goodness or badness’ of these stage. I would rather regard it as a necessary bridge in order for one to mature. So that, once having discovered answers to questions, and reaching a level of knowledge, one finally discerns about owning the faith. Making one’s faith really ours, not just being imposed on us. This is true about education. Facts are handed down to us, opinions are given, but in the end, when we assimilate them, they become ours. This is the reason why we study and take exams: we evaluate the extent of what we know and owned.
There is no particular age for this stage. Some begin to question the faith at an early age as teenagers, others later in their years, and still others by circumstance: when their faith is threatened or challenged.
How do we go about this stage? The primary ability being developed is the ability for reflection. In education, we give students assignments on how the lesson applies in their lives. By giving them reflection papers and projects where they are able to engage their knowledge with the real world, help whatever facts sink in and become part of their consciousness. The same way with faith. We develop by continually reflecting on our lives.
Second, praying regularly. Real friendship happens because of the time you spent with each other. A personal relationship blooms when lives are shared. This is not the “friendship’ in Friendster, Multiply or Facebook. It is not about adding one to your contacts, but it is about having invested one’s life on friends. Same thing with faith: our relationship with God develops when we pray.
In our questioning, we can consult those who know, like those who studied theology --- lay and religious alike. We refer to doctors about medicine; fashion designers about fashion; theologians about religion. We google to find answers; the way we google when we do research.
We hope that eventually, the faith is not just something from the past, but something that is meaningfully lived.
Mary and the Youth
22 August 2008 Memorial of Mary the Queen
Luke 1, 26-38 Mary, Queen of the Young
“Let no one despise your youth, but become an example of the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” (1 Tim 4, 12)
Our images of Mary are usually one that is older: as mother, as queen, or as helper. But we forget that the most significant event in Mary’s life was during the Annunciation. It was her “yes” to God’s will that began the life of Jesus and made possible the Son being conceived by the Holy Spirit. The rest is history. However, it is significant for many of us to know upon what age did Mary agreed to become the Mother of God. Tradition has it that she was fifteen years old.
It is not uncommon that young people have been called to discipleship and leadership. Jeremiah, the prophet, was young, as well as Timothy, who became a great leader despite his youth. The reason is quite obvious: every young individual teems with potential and energy.
But Mary was also brave and daring. Mary took a great risk, a leap of faith, when she gave her consent. In Palestine, a woman who got herself pregnant without a husband was stoned to death. Nevertheless, she trusted God. People who think outside of the box believe that wherever they go they will find God as Psalm 134 reminds us.
Philippine leaders have been very young and daring as Mary. These Filipino heroes deserve what we call them. They were indeed brave. Jose Rizal wrote Noli Me Tangere at age 26. Through his writings, he inspired and encouraged Filipinos to stand up against colonial abuses, to developed themselves, and to assert their equality viz the Spanish colonizers. Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo awakened a Filipino giant from its sleep and highlighted the need for national reform. The Spanish branded his novels as subversive and had become the reason for someone to depart for another country. Because of his writings, he was killed in 1896. But his fire and zeal, opened the hearts of Andres Bonifacio who became the key figure in Philippine Revolution.
This is another characteristic of the young. They enkindle other fires. They inspire others. From the inspiration of Rizal, Emilio Jacinto and Andres Bonifacio were teenagers when they founded the Katipunan. Emilio Jacinto was 18 years old and became the brains of the Katipunan. And later, Emilio Aguinaldo became the first president of the Philippines at 30 years old.
When we celebrate Mary, the Queen, we should not forget her youth. Who we are today we owe to our youth. We should remember that we, adults, should listen to the young: they too possesses the Holy Spirit. They have something to say. We just don’t believe that they can say something sensible and better than ourselves. They can be heroes. They can change the world --- in fact, they have all the power to change it. Isn’t it that it was Jose Rizal who said that the hope of our country lies with the young --- almost a paraphrase of Timothy’s?
And how about us, the older generation? Our responsibility is to give the young the opportunities for leadership. Let us help build them up. Let us help them regenerate, re-invigorate and enrich them as much as we can. If we can only give them something to eat, while they work out their projects and organizations, that is already a great contribution. We have to accept that our energies are diminishing, that the world is changing, and though we can’t catch up with the rapid pace, we can however let the young explain things to us, and perhaps suggest how we can be young again.
Luke 1, 26-38 Mary, Queen of the Young
Homily at the Parish of Mary, the Queen
“Let no one despise your youth, but become an example of the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” (1 Tim 4, 12)
Our images of Mary are usually one that is older: as mother, as queen, or as helper. But we forget that the most significant event in Mary’s life was during the Annunciation. It was her “yes” to God’s will that began the life of Jesus and made possible the Son being conceived by the Holy Spirit. The rest is history. However, it is significant for many of us to know upon what age did Mary agreed to become the Mother of God. Tradition has it that she was fifteen years old.
It is not uncommon that young people have been called to discipleship and leadership. Jeremiah, the prophet, was young, as well as Timothy, who became a great leader despite his youth. The reason is quite obvious: every young individual teems with potential and energy.
But Mary was also brave and daring. Mary took a great risk, a leap of faith, when she gave her consent. In Palestine, a woman who got herself pregnant without a husband was stoned to death. Nevertheless, she trusted God. People who think outside of the box believe that wherever they go they will find God as Psalm 134 reminds us.
Philippine leaders have been very young and daring as Mary. These Filipino heroes deserve what we call them. They were indeed brave. Jose Rizal wrote Noli Me Tangere at age 26. Through his writings, he inspired and encouraged Filipinos to stand up against colonial abuses, to developed themselves, and to assert their equality viz the Spanish colonizers. Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo awakened a Filipino giant from its sleep and highlighted the need for national reform. The Spanish branded his novels as subversive and had become the reason for someone to depart for another country. Because of his writings, he was killed in 1896. But his fire and zeal, opened the hearts of Andres Bonifacio who became the key figure in Philippine Revolution.
This is another characteristic of the young. They enkindle other fires. They inspire others. From the inspiration of Rizal, Emilio Jacinto and Andres Bonifacio were teenagers when they founded the Katipunan. Emilio Jacinto was 18 years old and became the brains of the Katipunan. And later, Emilio Aguinaldo became the first president of the Philippines at 30 years old.
When we celebrate Mary, the Queen, we should not forget her youth. Who we are today we owe to our youth. We should remember that we, adults, should listen to the young: they too possesses the Holy Spirit. They have something to say. We just don’t believe that they can say something sensible and better than ourselves. They can be heroes. They can change the world --- in fact, they have all the power to change it. Isn’t it that it was Jose Rizal who said that the hope of our country lies with the young --- almost a paraphrase of Timothy’s?
And how about us, the older generation? Our responsibility is to give the young the opportunities for leadership. Let us help build them up. Let us help them regenerate, re-invigorate and enrich them as much as we can. If we can only give them something to eat, while they work out their projects and organizations, that is already a great contribution. We have to accept that our energies are diminishing, that the world is changing, and though we can’t catch up with the rapid pace, we can however let the young explain things to us, and perhaps suggest how we can be young again.
A New Heart and Spirit
21 August 2008 Memorial of St. Pius X
Ezekiel 36, 23-28; Psalm 51, 12-19; Matthew 22, 1-14
People ridiculed God. And so God said to the prophet Ezekiel in first reading: “I will prove the holiness of my great name.” What respect can be given to a god who cannot even protect His people on His own land! So God promised to bring the peoples from foreign lands, and gather them back to His own land. And so in verse 25 and 26: God promised to give us a new heart and a new spirit.
The heart is the seat of thinking and loving. And so God will give us a way of looking at our lives from the point of view of God. And the new spirit is the power to live as an entire nation, as one community, and not just as individuals.
The parable of the banquet in the Gospel stresses this point. The banquet is a community event, celebrating an important milestone such as a wedding. During the olden days in Palestine, wedding invitations are sent long beforehand, but the time of the feast is unannounced. It presupposes that during that particular day, the invited guest would make that day free as a gesture of giving the host importance. No appointments are made, all of their hearts are set on the feast. They put on their best clothes and primp themselves... and then they wait for the announcement of the time of the feast.
The parable however said that those who were invited had set their hearts on their individual concerns. And so the king invited everyone on the streets, the good and the bad to come to the banquet. The banquet has been changed from an exclusive to an inclusive event. Everyone is invited. The kingdom of heaven therefore is community.
The Pentecost has brought people from different nations, with a variety of language and culture, to understand each other as compared to the incident at the Tower of Babel. The coming of the Spirit has brought understanding between peoples.
The same way with the Eucharist: it is a banquet of various people from all sorts of backgrounds, but united in the same love of Christ. Think World Youth Day. It is the largest single gathering of people from different nations, celebrating as one. Indeed, World Youth Day is a fulfillment of the God’s promise to Ezekiel.
Thus, many of us Catholics should understand that we become more Catholic (meaning, universal) when we are welcoming and friendly of people who have different ways, ideas, race and even religion. We become agents of unity than division. We know that we have a new heart and spirit when we create community.
Ezekiel 36, 23-28; Psalm 51, 12-19; Matthew 22, 1-14
People ridiculed God. And so God said to the prophet Ezekiel in first reading: “I will prove the holiness of my great name.” What respect can be given to a god who cannot even protect His people on His own land! So God promised to bring the peoples from foreign lands, and gather them back to His own land. And so in verse 25 and 26: God promised to give us a new heart and a new spirit.
The heart is the seat of thinking and loving. And so God will give us a way of looking at our lives from the point of view of God. And the new spirit is the power to live as an entire nation, as one community, and not just as individuals.
The parable of the banquet in the Gospel stresses this point. The banquet is a community event, celebrating an important milestone such as a wedding. During the olden days in Palestine, wedding invitations are sent long beforehand, but the time of the feast is unannounced. It presupposes that during that particular day, the invited guest would make that day free as a gesture of giving the host importance. No appointments are made, all of their hearts are set on the feast. They put on their best clothes and primp themselves... and then they wait for the announcement of the time of the feast.
The parable however said that those who were invited had set their hearts on their individual concerns. And so the king invited everyone on the streets, the good and the bad to come to the banquet. The banquet has been changed from an exclusive to an inclusive event. Everyone is invited. The kingdom of heaven therefore is community.
The Pentecost has brought people from different nations, with a variety of language and culture, to understand each other as compared to the incident at the Tower of Babel. The coming of the Spirit has brought understanding between peoples.
The same way with the Eucharist: it is a banquet of various people from all sorts of backgrounds, but united in the same love of Christ. Think World Youth Day. It is the largest single gathering of people from different nations, celebrating as one. Indeed, World Youth Day is a fulfillment of the God’s promise to Ezekiel.
Thus, many of us Catholics should understand that we become more Catholic (meaning, universal) when we are welcoming and friendly of people who have different ways, ideas, race and even religion. We become agents of unity than division. We know that we have a new heart and spirit when we create community.
Without Rewards
20 August 2008 Wednesday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time
Matthew 20, 1-16 Love Without Rewards
The Gospel is in contrast with our notion of justice. Salaries are paid to according to the labor rendered, and the time we spent at work. In the parable, the vineyard owner hires laborers--- idle men chosen from the marketplace--- at different hours and times of the day and gives the same full salary to all. In the same way, God rewards the Kingdom of Heaven to all, even to latecomers.
In faith life, there are latecomers. They may be baptized Catholics, but have been nominal for a long period of time in their lives. Some have stopped coming to mass, or prayed occasionally. This has been one of the reflection I have in UP. There are those who have declared that they stopped believing in God, or who didn’t believe in God altogether in their younger days, and when they had finally come to reconcile with God, they were a few months before their death. I have known several personalities who have requested for confession or masses in their deathbed.
If you are one of those who have been an early bird in faith, will you feel bad that God would give the same reward to that person who have rejected him, but returned in the nick of time? If you have been very faithful in fulfilling your duties as a Christian, coming to mass regularly, never doubted God, would you feel bad that you get the same reward as the one who lived a carefree life devoid of religious duties but nevertheless came back to the faith in their old age? Would you even consider, if this is the case, to come in late anyways we get the same remuneration?
To someone who genuinely loves, we love not for the reward, like friends with benefits. The lover does not expect a reward for every good thing that one does from the beloved. We don’t keep a list of our good deeds in order to expect a better payment. Ang tunay na pagmamahal ay hindi nagbibilang at naghahanap ng kapalit.
The reward is itself the beloved. Serving the beloved is pleasurable enough. The beloved is the reward. The same way with God. It is not so much what we do that pleases Him, it is our being with Him. So when a latecomer comes and chooses to be with Him, then it makes God happy. I think of my mom: she’s happy enough to be with us and her grandchildren. It is never too late to change.
We often forget that there is a higher value than justice: it is love. In love, we don’t even think of rewards: when we do, it breaks the very definition of love. Rewards are about ourselves; love is about others. What we do in love is from the generosity of our hearts. That is why generosity is said to be magnanimous. Generous people have big hearts.
Matthew 20, 1-16 Love Without Rewards
The Gospel is in contrast with our notion of justice. Salaries are paid to according to the labor rendered, and the time we spent at work. In the parable, the vineyard owner hires laborers--- idle men chosen from the marketplace--- at different hours and times of the day and gives the same full salary to all. In the same way, God rewards the Kingdom of Heaven to all, even to latecomers.
In faith life, there are latecomers. They may be baptized Catholics, but have been nominal for a long period of time in their lives. Some have stopped coming to mass, or prayed occasionally. This has been one of the reflection I have in UP. There are those who have declared that they stopped believing in God, or who didn’t believe in God altogether in their younger days, and when they had finally come to reconcile with God, they were a few months before their death. I have known several personalities who have requested for confession or masses in their deathbed.
If you are one of those who have been an early bird in faith, will you feel bad that God would give the same reward to that person who have rejected him, but returned in the nick of time? If you have been very faithful in fulfilling your duties as a Christian, coming to mass regularly, never doubted God, would you feel bad that you get the same reward as the one who lived a carefree life devoid of religious duties but nevertheless came back to the faith in their old age? Would you even consider, if this is the case, to come in late anyways we get the same remuneration?
To someone who genuinely loves, we love not for the reward, like friends with benefits. The lover does not expect a reward for every good thing that one does from the beloved. We don’t keep a list of our good deeds in order to expect a better payment. Ang tunay na pagmamahal ay hindi nagbibilang at naghahanap ng kapalit.
The reward is itself the beloved. Serving the beloved is pleasurable enough. The beloved is the reward. The same way with God. It is not so much what we do that pleases Him, it is our being with Him. So when a latecomer comes and chooses to be with Him, then it makes God happy. I think of my mom: she’s happy enough to be with us and her grandchildren. It is never too late to change.
We often forget that there is a higher value than justice: it is love. In love, we don’t even think of rewards: when we do, it breaks the very definition of love. Rewards are about ourselves; love is about others. What we do in love is from the generosity of our hearts. That is why generosity is said to be magnanimous. Generous people have big hearts.
So We Can Give More
19 August 2008 Tuesday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time
Matthew 19, 23-30
Jesus tells us that a rich person will find it hard to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Riches pose spiritual dangers because crime is sometimes involved in gaining them. And once possessed, riches can distract one from God, cut us off from others, and lead to exploitation and oppression.
Riches encourage a false independence. If we are well-supplied with worldly goods, we may think that we can well deal with any situation in our lives without the need for God. There is a modern proverb that says that everything has a price. We think that we can buy everything we want. We believe that in a very difficult and challenging situation, especially when the situation threatens our status or reputation, we can buy ourselves out of it. We can pay people, the way we buy their votes or pay to speed up government service. We can think that we can even spend money for happiness and disburse to quell our sorrow. At the peak of it all, we think that we can well do without God and is quite able to handle life by ourselves. When we are young, when we feel that we have all the talents and energy in the world, we feel so adequate.
But there comes a time when we discover that this is an illusion. There are things that money cannot buy, nor can save us. Often we feel this at a certain age, when our energy starts to diminish and our bodies cannot sustain the same amount of work. The experience of terminal illness or a sudden accident or tragedy in the family, or death points to this very illusion.
Riches can, however, be used to do much good. This is the reason why the call of Christians is to be poor, to live simply. So that in our richness, we can give more.
Matthew 19, 23-30
Jesus tells us that a rich person will find it hard to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Riches pose spiritual dangers because crime is sometimes involved in gaining them. And once possessed, riches can distract one from God, cut us off from others, and lead to exploitation and oppression.
Riches encourage a false independence. If we are well-supplied with worldly goods, we may think that we can well deal with any situation in our lives without the need for God. There is a modern proverb that says that everything has a price. We think that we can buy everything we want. We believe that in a very difficult and challenging situation, especially when the situation threatens our status or reputation, we can buy ourselves out of it. We can pay people, the way we buy their votes or pay to speed up government service. We can think that we can even spend money for happiness and disburse to quell our sorrow. At the peak of it all, we think that we can well do without God and is quite able to handle life by ourselves. When we are young, when we feel that we have all the talents and energy in the world, we feel so adequate.
But there comes a time when we discover that this is an illusion. There are things that money cannot buy, nor can save us. Often we feel this at a certain age, when our energy starts to diminish and our bodies cannot sustain the same amount of work. The experience of terminal illness or a sudden accident or tragedy in the family, or death points to this very illusion.
Riches can, however, be used to do much good. This is the reason why the call of Christians is to be poor, to live simply. So that in our richness, we can give more.
Giving All, Not Just Some
18 August 2008. Monday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time
Ezekiel 24, 15-23; Deuteronomy 32; Matthew 19, 16-22
The readings today reminds us to put God first in our lives. It is all summarized by the Responsorial Psalm from the book of Deuteronomy: “You have forgotten God who gave you birth.”
In the first reading, God said, through the prophet Ezekiel, that he would destroy and desecrate the altar, the pride and delight of the people of Israel. Why would God do that? Because we are often distracted by many things, often quite noble and holy as the rubrics at mass, and forget God himself. Instead of giving our full attention at God’s word and worship, we devote some attention to mistakes. We may be so engrossed at our teaching, parenting, or charity work, but if we forget God himself, we lose purpose. In Canon Law, the sole purpose of the law is “the care for souls.” Meaning, all of our faith should lead us to our one and only love: God. By loving God and by encouraging others to be happy loving God, we care for each other’s souls.
The Gospel tells us that the young man has done all of God’s commandments, except the one most important: the giving of one’s life totally to the others and God. He couldn’t give all because he has many possessions. To me, he might be able to give some of his possessions --- since he had obeyed God’s commandments --- but he missed the point: giving all.
Pope Benedict XVI wrote a book, An Introduction to Christianity (Ignatius Press, 1990). In that book, he said that Jesus has two principles in his life: the principle of “the other” and the principle of “excess”. Jesus taught us to always love our neighbors in words and in deeds. But Jesus taught us that in loving, we must not give ‘some’ of what we have, but all of it. When He made water into wine, he filled all of the jars not just some. When He died, he gave all of His life, not just some of it. Thus, He asked the young man not just to give some, but all of His possessions. To surrender everything is the hardest part.
Ezekiel 24, 15-23; Deuteronomy 32; Matthew 19, 16-22
The readings today reminds us to put God first in our lives. It is all summarized by the Responsorial Psalm from the book of Deuteronomy: “You have forgotten God who gave you birth.”
In the first reading, God said, through the prophet Ezekiel, that he would destroy and desecrate the altar, the pride and delight of the people of Israel. Why would God do that? Because we are often distracted by many things, often quite noble and holy as the rubrics at mass, and forget God himself. Instead of giving our full attention at God’s word and worship, we devote some attention to mistakes. We may be so engrossed at our teaching, parenting, or charity work, but if we forget God himself, we lose purpose. In Canon Law, the sole purpose of the law is “the care for souls.” Meaning, all of our faith should lead us to our one and only love: God. By loving God and by encouraging others to be happy loving God, we care for each other’s souls.
The Gospel tells us that the young man has done all of God’s commandments, except the one most important: the giving of one’s life totally to the others and God. He couldn’t give all because he has many possessions. To me, he might be able to give some of his possessions --- since he had obeyed God’s commandments --- but he missed the point: giving all.
Pope Benedict XVI wrote a book, An Introduction to Christianity (Ignatius Press, 1990). In that book, he said that Jesus has two principles in his life: the principle of “the other” and the principle of “excess”. Jesus taught us to always love our neighbors in words and in deeds. But Jesus taught us that in loving, we must not give ‘some’ of what we have, but all of it. When He made water into wine, he filled all of the jars not just some. When He died, he gave all of His life, not just some of it. Thus, He asked the young man not just to give some, but all of His possessions. To surrender everything is the hardest part.
Faith: Fruit of Persistent Love
17 August 2008. 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Matthew 15, 21-28 Faith: The Fruit of Persistent Love
Note: This homily appears at this Sunday's Sambuhay of the Society of St. Paul. (Sorry for posting this earlier, August 10.)
At the end of the Gospel, Jesus tells the woman, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.
One of the most powerful scenes in the musical, Miss Saigon, is when Kim (played by Lea Salonga) sings to her son, “I’d Give My Life For You”, so that the father, Chris, an ex-GI would provide a much better life for the child. The show’s inspiration was reportedly a photograph which producer Claude-Michel Schönberg found in a magazine. The photograph showed a Vietnamese mother leaving her child at a departure gate at Tan Son Nhat Airport to board a plane bound for the US. This action was for Schönberg “The Ultimate Sacrifice” the central idea in the plot of Miss Saigon. An excerpt from the lyrics of the song goes this way:
You will be who you want to be.
You / can choose whatever heaven grants.
As long as you can have your chance
I swear I’d give my life for you.
No one can stop what I must do.
I swear I’d give my life for you.
A mother will do everything for her children. I have seen that with my mother. I have witnessed that with many mothers who have given all their love and their lives for their children. The Canaanite woman’s love for her daughter is no different from many mothers we know. She will do anything; pass through anything just to have her sick daughter healed. She cried out to Jesus, “Have pity on me, Son of David. My daughter is tormented by a demon.” In the time of Jesus, all illnesses were believed to be caused by evil spirits.
Let’s see what she went through:
First, Jesus ignored her. He did not say a word (v. 23) in answer to her cries. This is the first rejection. We are hurt when someone ignores us. Even in prayer: if we feel that we do not get an answer from God, we easily give up. The Canaanite woman did not.
Second, Jesus’ disciples are annoyed and would like to send her away because she keeps on calling out to them. This is the second rejection. We are deeply offended when the person we need pay no attention to us, and worse, when his or her staff, joins the bandwagon. If you find yourself in this situation --- like an office or a bank--- what would you do? Would you walk out of the door, and completely give up? Even in prayer: after all your novenas and candles to all the saints, what if you didn’t pass the bar exams or the most desirable thing you prayed for was not granted? Some people I know stopped coming to mass. Would you harbor a grudge against God? The Canaanite woman did not.
Third, Jesus said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (v. 24). If you were told that you couldn’t join a group because you don’t belong there, would you storm out of the room? Would you throw a tantrum and begin dropping names of influential people you know? The Canaanite woman did not.
Finally, Jesus said, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs” (v. 26). If someone calls or insinuates that you are a dog or says, “Hayop ka!” will you be insulted? And when insulted, will you finally resign and forget what you most desire? Having the insult as the last straw, the Canaanite woman would just have given up. After all, this was a great insult. She must have some self-respect left. But she did not.
The more the mother cried out, “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” In other words, she was saying, “Yes, I can take that. I know I am unworthy. I am not at par with the others, but please, heal my daughter.” The Canaanite mother was willing to take insults for the sake of her daughter. Kim would sing centuries later, “I swear, I’d give my life for you.”
This show of great faith puts us to shame. We would have quitted and given up long before the final straw like ‘people of little faith.” That is why Jesus said, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.”
Matthew 15, 21-28 Faith: The Fruit of Persistent Love
Note: This homily appears at this Sunday's Sambuhay of the Society of St. Paul. (Sorry for posting this earlier, August 10.)
At the end of the Gospel, Jesus tells the woman, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.
One of the most powerful scenes in the musical, Miss Saigon, is when Kim (played by Lea Salonga) sings to her son, “I’d Give My Life For You”, so that the father, Chris, an ex-GI would provide a much better life for the child. The show’s inspiration was reportedly a photograph which producer Claude-Michel Schönberg found in a magazine. The photograph showed a Vietnamese mother leaving her child at a departure gate at Tan Son Nhat Airport to board a plane bound for the US. This action was for Schönberg “The Ultimate Sacrifice” the central idea in the plot of Miss Saigon. An excerpt from the lyrics of the song goes this way:
You will be who you want to be.
You / can choose whatever heaven grants.
As long as you can have your chance
I swear I’d give my life for you.
No one can stop what I must do.
I swear I’d give my life for you.
A mother will do everything for her children. I have seen that with my mother. I have witnessed that with many mothers who have given all their love and their lives for their children. The Canaanite woman’s love for her daughter is no different from many mothers we know. She will do anything; pass through anything just to have her sick daughter healed. She cried out to Jesus, “Have pity on me, Son of David. My daughter is tormented by a demon.” In the time of Jesus, all illnesses were believed to be caused by evil spirits.
Let’s see what she went through:
First, Jesus ignored her. He did not say a word (v. 23) in answer to her cries. This is the first rejection. We are hurt when someone ignores us. Even in prayer: if we feel that we do not get an answer from God, we easily give up. The Canaanite woman did not.
Second, Jesus’ disciples are annoyed and would like to send her away because she keeps on calling out to them. This is the second rejection. We are deeply offended when the person we need pay no attention to us, and worse, when his or her staff, joins the bandwagon. If you find yourself in this situation --- like an office or a bank--- what would you do? Would you walk out of the door, and completely give up? Even in prayer: after all your novenas and candles to all the saints, what if you didn’t pass the bar exams or the most desirable thing you prayed for was not granted? Some people I know stopped coming to mass. Would you harbor a grudge against God? The Canaanite woman did not.
Third, Jesus said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (v. 24). If you were told that you couldn’t join a group because you don’t belong there, would you storm out of the room? Would you throw a tantrum and begin dropping names of influential people you know? The Canaanite woman did not.
Finally, Jesus said, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs” (v. 26). If someone calls or insinuates that you are a dog or says, “Hayop ka!” will you be insulted? And when insulted, will you finally resign and forget what you most desire? Having the insult as the last straw, the Canaanite woman would just have given up. After all, this was a great insult. She must have some self-respect left. But she did not.
The more the mother cried out, “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” In other words, she was saying, “Yes, I can take that. I know I am unworthy. I am not at par with the others, but please, heal my daughter.” The Canaanite mother was willing to take insults for the sake of her daughter. Kim would sing centuries later, “I swear, I’d give my life for you.”
This show of great faith puts us to shame. We would have quitted and given up long before the final straw like ‘people of little faith.” That is why Jesus said, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.”
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
15 August 2008 Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Rev 11, 19a; 12:1-6; 10ab; Psalm 45; 1 Cor 15, 20-27; Luke 1, 39-56
The Eastern, Oriental and Coptic Orthodox and the Catholic Churches teach and celebrate the Assumption of Mary. For Catholics, this belief was solemnly declared by Pope Pius XII on November 1, 1950. Pope Pius XII said: “By the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own authority, we pronounce, declare, and define it to be divinely revealed dogma: that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.”
Many Catholics have been criticized for their devotion to Mary. Because of the various Marian traditions and practices, popular piety often look like worship of her. We should therefore clarify that we do not worship Mary (only the Trinity is worshipped), but we give her to highest honor accorded to human beings like us for having participated in our history of salvation. The Solemnity of the Assumption therefore reminds us that if we participate in the grace of God, we will all be with God, body and soul, in the end of time. In the end of time at our resurrection, we will conquer death because we will have both body and soul. Death is defined in Christian faith as the separation of body and soul. Mary reminds us of our future with God.
Why do we give Mary the highest honor? First, we honor Mary for agreeing to be Jesus’ mother. She said, “Yes” when the angel Gabriel asked her. Because of Mary, we have Jesus. We wouldn’t have known Jesus without her. Of course, many would refute, “Then maybe God would look for someone else.” Yes, God can do that, but the bible says, it was Mary who agreed to be the human vessel for making Jesus’ existence on earth possible. God needs us as instruments to carry out His will on earth.
With gratitude, we therefore honor Mary today, the way we honor our very own mother, and the mothers of our friends. Without them, we would not be; without them, we would not experience friendship and love shown by their children, who are our friends.
Second, we honor Mary for the role she plays in our lives. Some people would not have a devotion to Mary. But many people do have a deep love for her. In Christian art, the images of the Madonna and Child, whether as icons or statues, have Mary’s fingers pointing at her Son, whom she carries. The gesture evokes meaning: our love for Mary should lead us to Jesus. Our rosaries and prayers through her intercession, should make our hearts burn for her Son. Following her virtues and her life, should bring us closer and closer to becoming like Christ.
Finally, we honor Mary because her example helps us participate in the fulfillment of the will of God in our lives. How? Many persons experience the accompaniment of Mary in their lives in different ways. Some would experience Mary as someone we can run to when in need (Mother of Perpetual Help). The Gospel tells us that Mary accompanied her cousin Elizabeth in her pregnancy, though she too needed someone to assist her in her child-bearing.
For some, Mary is their protector from evil: follow her virtues, then one will be protected from the seductions of the devil. The title, “Tower of David” in the litany of the rosary, is precisely about protection. The citadel of Jerusalem known as the “Tower of David” is on the highest point of the southwestern hill of Jerusalem, higher than any other point in the ancient city. A series of fortifications in the tower, protected Jerusalem from the west. It also oversees the entire city. The symbol of the Tower of David in the Song of Songs (4:4) was applied to Mary who protected Jesus in her womb, just like the Tower protecting Jerusalem, the city of God. And thus, today, when we invoke the title of Mary, we are asking for immunity from harm --- protecting our holiness (Richard of St. Laurent). At the same time, asking her to oversee our lives the way our mothers would talk to us when we are going astray.
Today, we ask ourselves: How do we participate in the fulfillment of the will of God for us?
Rev 11, 19a; 12:1-6; 10ab; Psalm 45; 1 Cor 15, 20-27; Luke 1, 39-56
The Eastern, Oriental and Coptic Orthodox and the Catholic Churches teach and celebrate the Assumption of Mary. For Catholics, this belief was solemnly declared by Pope Pius XII on November 1, 1950. Pope Pius XII said: “By the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own authority, we pronounce, declare, and define it to be divinely revealed dogma: that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.”
Many Catholics have been criticized for their devotion to Mary. Because of the various Marian traditions and practices, popular piety often look like worship of her. We should therefore clarify that we do not worship Mary (only the Trinity is worshipped), but we give her to highest honor accorded to human beings like us for having participated in our history of salvation. The Solemnity of the Assumption therefore reminds us that if we participate in the grace of God, we will all be with God, body and soul, in the end of time. In the end of time at our resurrection, we will conquer death because we will have both body and soul. Death is defined in Christian faith as the separation of body and soul. Mary reminds us of our future with God.
Why do we give Mary the highest honor? First, we honor Mary for agreeing to be Jesus’ mother. She said, “Yes” when the angel Gabriel asked her. Because of Mary, we have Jesus. We wouldn’t have known Jesus without her. Of course, many would refute, “Then maybe God would look for someone else.” Yes, God can do that, but the bible says, it was Mary who agreed to be the human vessel for making Jesus’ existence on earth possible. God needs us as instruments to carry out His will on earth.
With gratitude, we therefore honor Mary today, the way we honor our very own mother, and the mothers of our friends. Without them, we would not be; without them, we would not experience friendship and love shown by their children, who are our friends.
Second, we honor Mary for the role she plays in our lives. Some people would not have a devotion to Mary. But many people do have a deep love for her. In Christian art, the images of the Madonna and Child, whether as icons or statues, have Mary’s fingers pointing at her Son, whom she carries. The gesture evokes meaning: our love for Mary should lead us to Jesus. Our rosaries and prayers through her intercession, should make our hearts burn for her Son. Following her virtues and her life, should bring us closer and closer to becoming like Christ.
Finally, we honor Mary because her example helps us participate in the fulfillment of the will of God in our lives. How? Many persons experience the accompaniment of Mary in their lives in different ways. Some would experience Mary as someone we can run to when in need (Mother of Perpetual Help). The Gospel tells us that Mary accompanied her cousin Elizabeth in her pregnancy, though she too needed someone to assist her in her child-bearing.
For some, Mary is their protector from evil: follow her virtues, then one will be protected from the seductions of the devil. The title, “Tower of David” in the litany of the rosary, is precisely about protection. The citadel of Jerusalem known as the “Tower of David” is on the highest point of the southwestern hill of Jerusalem, higher than any other point in the ancient city. A series of fortifications in the tower, protected Jerusalem from the west. It also oversees the entire city. The symbol of the Tower of David in the Song of Songs (4:4) was applied to Mary who protected Jesus in her womb, just like the Tower protecting Jerusalem, the city of God. And thus, today, when we invoke the title of Mary, we are asking for immunity from harm --- protecting our holiness (Richard of St. Laurent). At the same time, asking her to oversee our lives the way our mothers would talk to us when we are going astray.
Today, we ask ourselves: How do we participate in the fulfillment of the will of God for us?
Feedback when It is Needed
13 August 2008 Wednesday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time
Matthew 18, 15-20 Feedback-giving
Have you ever wanted to tell a family-member, a friend or a co-worker about a behavior or an attitude that makes you angry? You thought that giving it might hurt your friendship, or another person’s feelings, so you would rather not than rock the boat? We forget that we are all responsible for each other, and therefore, we help each other grow into better people. Giving constructive feedback then, as the Jesus reminds us in the Gospel, is a skill that we must develop as Christians. We’ve seen many persons advancing in age, but have not shed off their bad behavior. So, how are we going to give feedback? Here are a few steps for both the person who will give the feedback, and the person who receives them. However, this process is very sensitive. And so we can find these guidelines helpful.
First, we must pay attention to the location and timing to offer feedback. Often, it is good to give it immediately since the incident is fresh: like a ‘short chat’ after a choir sings terribly at mass. Choose a quiet and private room, to avoid the person embarrassment. Do not give large quantities of facts, because this might overwhelm the person. Do not burden a person with a long list of wrongdoings. We have to be sensitive to the person: they might not be ready to receive them, or the timing is not right (eg. the person is a host of a party and is currently busy entertaining guests).
Second, describe the incident than judge the person. Give the person an objective description of the event, avoiding judgment of a person’s character or offering appropriate behavior. Focus just on the behavior (“When you did this, I was hurt” is different from “When you shouted at me, you were being uncharitable!”). Avoid the labels or the statements that is ambiguous like “you always do this” or “you never do this to me.” Give specific and clear examples and frequency. By being non-threatening, you allow the person to discuss the problem with you.
Third, describe possible consequences of their behavior. By giving them a possible scenario will help the person see why they need to change. Be careful that we do not blame the person. Often, there are reasons why people act the way they do. Many are unaware or are paralyzed by their personal issues and addictions.
Fourth, concentrate on behavior that can be changed or modified. Be realistic, feedback is not right when they have little or no control over the problem. For example, to propose counseling in another country, when the person cannot afford it. Thus it is important to discuss with the receiver possible goals. It is better if we do not offer all the answers, but to involve the person in the discussion. Allow them to explain their problems and highlight their difficulties. Ask the person what they can possibly do to fix their problems. By involving them increases the possibility of them taking action because they will feel trusted and empowered.
Finally, end by summarizing important points and offer what you can do to encourage and support them. Follow in time (but not too often as to be nagging) and give praise for little changes that the person has done.
On the other hand, if you are receiving the feedback it is better to take a few points. First, listen to the person carefully. Do not interrupt them. When the person finishes talking, you can ask questions to clarify what was said. Avoid being defensive. If you disagree with a point, ask them to give more details about the event.
Second, summarize the feedback by paraphrasing or using your own words. This would ensure that you and the giver understand each other. And then, feel free to discuss the person’s feedback.
Finally, discuss what you and the person giving it can do together. However, if you are not sure about the other person and you feel uncomfortable, postponed this last step to evaluate what you feel. Knowing what you feel clearly is important to change. Remember, you may not agree with everything that they have said, but there may be something that is true.
The motivation for all this is important. The Gospel tells us that when we give feedback, it is done out of charity --- because they are important to us and we wish what is good for them. Whether the person becomes angry or not is not anymore our business. By not saying a word, we tolerate unacceptable behavior.
Matthew 18, 15-20 Feedback-giving
Have you ever wanted to tell a family-member, a friend or a co-worker about a behavior or an attitude that makes you angry? You thought that giving it might hurt your friendship, or another person’s feelings, so you would rather not than rock the boat? We forget that we are all responsible for each other, and therefore, we help each other grow into better people. Giving constructive feedback then, as the Jesus reminds us in the Gospel, is a skill that we must develop as Christians. We’ve seen many persons advancing in age, but have not shed off their bad behavior. So, how are we going to give feedback? Here are a few steps for both the person who will give the feedback, and the person who receives them. However, this process is very sensitive. And so we can find these guidelines helpful.
First, we must pay attention to the location and timing to offer feedback. Often, it is good to give it immediately since the incident is fresh: like a ‘short chat’ after a choir sings terribly at mass. Choose a quiet and private room, to avoid the person embarrassment. Do not give large quantities of facts, because this might overwhelm the person. Do not burden a person with a long list of wrongdoings. We have to be sensitive to the person: they might not be ready to receive them, or the timing is not right (eg. the person is a host of a party and is currently busy entertaining guests).
Second, describe the incident than judge the person. Give the person an objective description of the event, avoiding judgment of a person’s character or offering appropriate behavior. Focus just on the behavior (“When you did this, I was hurt” is different from “When you shouted at me, you were being uncharitable!”). Avoid the labels or the statements that is ambiguous like “you always do this” or “you never do this to me.” Give specific and clear examples and frequency. By being non-threatening, you allow the person to discuss the problem with you.
Third, describe possible consequences of their behavior. By giving them a possible scenario will help the person see why they need to change. Be careful that we do not blame the person. Often, there are reasons why people act the way they do. Many are unaware or are paralyzed by their personal issues and addictions.
Fourth, concentrate on behavior that can be changed or modified. Be realistic, feedback is not right when they have little or no control over the problem. For example, to propose counseling in another country, when the person cannot afford it. Thus it is important to discuss with the receiver possible goals. It is better if we do not offer all the answers, but to involve the person in the discussion. Allow them to explain their problems and highlight their difficulties. Ask the person what they can possibly do to fix their problems. By involving them increases the possibility of them taking action because they will feel trusted and empowered.
Finally, end by summarizing important points and offer what you can do to encourage and support them. Follow in time (but not too often as to be nagging) and give praise for little changes that the person has done.
On the other hand, if you are receiving the feedback it is better to take a few points. First, listen to the person carefully. Do not interrupt them. When the person finishes talking, you can ask questions to clarify what was said. Avoid being defensive. If you disagree with a point, ask them to give more details about the event.
Second, summarize the feedback by paraphrasing or using your own words. This would ensure that you and the giver understand each other. And then, feel free to discuss the person’s feedback.
Finally, discuss what you and the person giving it can do together. However, if you are not sure about the other person and you feel uncomfortable, postponed this last step to evaluate what you feel. Knowing what you feel clearly is important to change. Remember, you may not agree with everything that they have said, but there may be something that is true.
The motivation for all this is important. The Gospel tells us that when we give feedback, it is done out of charity --- because they are important to us and we wish what is good for them. Whether the person becomes angry or not is not anymore our business. By not saying a word, we tolerate unacceptable behavior.
A Wonderful World
12 August 2008. Tuesday of 19th Week in Ordinary Time
Ezekiel 2,8 - 3,4; Psalm 119; Matthew 18, 1-14
There is a little story found in tradition --- thus it is unverified --- that the child Jesus took in the Gospel today was Ignatius of Antioch. He became a great figure in the Church, a theologian, a writer, later martyred and proclaimed a saint. The surname of Ignatius was Theophoros, meaning God-carried, thus the little story: Jesus carried him on his knee.
Anyways, the Gospel tells us that a disciple asked the question: “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” Jesus answered by putting a child on His knee to set a visual aid: whoever is like a child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. What characteristics of children should adults maintain and continually enrich?
Let me take just one. I love children: I like to babysit and take care of my nephews and nieces. I like to run around with them. I like the way they ask questions: their curiosity stems from their sense of wonder. When we say to someone that he or she is wonderful, it means, that their mere presence is something we wonder about. No scientific explanation. It is just awesome to be with them!
Louis Armstrong has this song:
I see trees of green, red roses too.
I see them bloom for me and for you
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
I see skies of blue, clouds of white
Bright blessed days, dark sacred nights.
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
The colors of a rainbow, so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shaking hands, saying, “How do you do?”
They’re really saying, “I love you.”
I hear babies cry, I watch them grow
They’ll learn much more, than I’ll never know
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
When we were in Sydney for the World Youth Day, Australian television said that we changed the face of Sydney. Didi, my niece, would say post-event, “There’s no more happy people!” Everyone reverted to their more serious nature, all glued up in their individual concerns.
Because many things can now be explained by science, it does not mean the world lost its awesomeness! (Thanks Kung Fu Panda for this word!). Einstein would wonder about the vastness of the universe, the way that a child would ask questions about anything and everything. In fact, people who wonder sees clearly the kingdom of heaven already present in the world!
We are in the brink of losing our sense of wonder and awe. The Gospel today exhorts us to re-claim what we already had when we were children. People who wonder, and find trees, roses, clouds, skies, the rainbow, and babies crying, are people who could fill the streets of the world with joy. The pilgrims of World Youth Day reminded people that to see the world in the eyes of faith is to rediscover a wonderful world.
Ezekiel 2,8 - 3,4; Psalm 119; Matthew 18, 1-14
There is a little story found in tradition --- thus it is unverified --- that the child Jesus took in the Gospel today was Ignatius of Antioch. He became a great figure in the Church, a theologian, a writer, later martyred and proclaimed a saint. The surname of Ignatius was Theophoros, meaning God-carried, thus the little story: Jesus carried him on his knee.
Anyways, the Gospel tells us that a disciple asked the question: “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” Jesus answered by putting a child on His knee to set a visual aid: whoever is like a child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. What characteristics of children should adults maintain and continually enrich?
Let me take just one. I love children: I like to babysit and take care of my nephews and nieces. I like to run around with them. I like the way they ask questions: their curiosity stems from their sense of wonder. When we say to someone that he or she is wonderful, it means, that their mere presence is something we wonder about. No scientific explanation. It is just awesome to be with them!
Louis Armstrong has this song:
I see trees of green, red roses too.
I see them bloom for me and for you
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
I see skies of blue, clouds of white
Bright blessed days, dark sacred nights.
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
The colors of a rainbow, so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shaking hands, saying, “How do you do?”
They’re really saying, “I love you.”
I hear babies cry, I watch them grow
They’ll learn much more, than I’ll never know
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
When we were in Sydney for the World Youth Day, Australian television said that we changed the face of Sydney. Didi, my niece, would say post-event, “There’s no more happy people!” Everyone reverted to their more serious nature, all glued up in their individual concerns.
Because many things can now be explained by science, it does not mean the world lost its awesomeness! (Thanks Kung Fu Panda for this word!). Einstein would wonder about the vastness of the universe, the way that a child would ask questions about anything and everything. In fact, people who wonder sees clearly the kingdom of heaven already present in the world!
We are in the brink of losing our sense of wonder and awe. The Gospel today exhorts us to re-claim what we already had when we were children. People who wonder, and find trees, roses, clouds, skies, the rainbow, and babies crying, are people who could fill the streets of the world with joy. The pilgrims of World Youth Day reminded people that to see the world in the eyes of faith is to rediscover a wonderful world.
Faith: Fruit of Persistent Love
10 August 2008. 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Matthew 15, 21-28 Faith: The Fruit of Persistent Love
Note: This homily appears at this Sunday's Sambuhay of the Society of St. Paul.
At the end of the Gospel, Jesus tells the woman, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.
One of the most powerful scenes in the musical, Miss Saigon, is when Kim (played by Lea Salonga) sings to her son, “I’d Give My Life For You”, so that the father, Chris, an ex-GI would provide a much better life for the child. The show’s inspiration was reportedly a photograph which producer Claude-Michel Schönberg found in a magazine. The photograph showed a Vietnamese mother leaving her child at a departure gate at Tan Son Nhat Airport to board a plane bound for the US. This action was for Schönberg “The Ultimate Sacrifice” the central idea in the plot of Miss Saigon. An excerpt from the lyrics of the song goes this way:
You will be who you want to be.
You / can choose whatever heaven grants.
As long as you can have your chance
I swear I’d give my life for you.
No one can stop what I must do.
I swear I’d give my life for you.
A mother will do everything for her children. I have seen that with my mother. I have witnessed that with many mothers who have given all their love and their lives for their children. The Canaanite woman’s love for her daughter is no different from many mothers we know. She will do anything; pass through anything just to have her sick daughter healed. She cried out to Jesus, “Have pity on me, Son of David. My daughter is tormented by a demon.” In the time of Jesus, all illnesses were believed to be caused by evil spirits.
Let’s see what she went through:
First, Jesus ignored her. He did not say a word (v. 23) in answer to her cries. This is the first rejection. We are hurt when someone ignores us. Even in prayer: if we feel that we do not get an answer from God, we easily give up. The Canaanite woman did not.
Second, Jesus’ disciples are annoyed and would like to send her away because she keeps on calling out to them. This is the second rejection. We are deeply offended when the person we need pay no attention to us, and worse, when his or her staff, joins the bandwagon. If you find yourself in this situation --- like an office or a bank--- what would you do? Would you walk out of the door, and completely give up? Even in prayer: after all your novenas and candles to all the saints, what if you didn’t pass the bar exams or the most desirable thing you prayed for was not granted? Some people I know stopped coming to mass. Would you harbor a grudge against God? The Canaanite woman did not.
Third, Jesus said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (v. 24). If you were told that you couldn’t join a group because you don’t belong there, would you storm out of the room? Would you throw a tantrum and begin dropping names of influential people you know? The Canaanite woman did not.
Finally, Jesus said, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs” (v. 26). If someone calls or insinuates that you are a dog or says, “Hayop ka!” will you be insulted? And when insulted, will you finally resign and forget what you most desire? Having the insult as the last straw, the Canaanite woman would just have given up. After all, this was a great insult. She must have some self-respect left. But she did not.
The more the mother cried out, “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” In other words, she was saying, “Yes, I can take that. I know I am unworthy. I am not at par with the others, but please, heal my daughter.” The Canaanite mother was willing to take insults for the sake of her daughter. Kim would sing centuries later, “I swear, I’d give my life for you.”
This show of great faith puts us to shame. We would have quitted and given up long before the final straw like ‘people of little faith.” That is why Jesus said, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.”
Matthew 15, 21-28 Faith: The Fruit of Persistent Love
Note: This homily appears at this Sunday's Sambuhay of the Society of St. Paul.
At the end of the Gospel, Jesus tells the woman, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.
One of the most powerful scenes in the musical, Miss Saigon, is when Kim (played by Lea Salonga) sings to her son, “I’d Give My Life For You”, so that the father, Chris, an ex-GI would provide a much better life for the child. The show’s inspiration was reportedly a photograph which producer Claude-Michel Schönberg found in a magazine. The photograph showed a Vietnamese mother leaving her child at a departure gate at Tan Son Nhat Airport to board a plane bound for the US. This action was for Schönberg “The Ultimate Sacrifice” the central idea in the plot of Miss Saigon. An excerpt from the lyrics of the song goes this way:
You will be who you want to be.
You / can choose whatever heaven grants.
As long as you can have your chance
I swear I’d give my life for you.
No one can stop what I must do.
I swear I’d give my life for you.
A mother will do everything for her children. I have seen that with my mother. I have witnessed that with many mothers who have given all their love and their lives for their children. The Canaanite woman’s love for her daughter is no different from many mothers we know. She will do anything; pass through anything just to have her sick daughter healed. She cried out to Jesus, “Have pity on me, Son of David. My daughter is tormented by a demon.” In the time of Jesus, all illnesses were believed to be caused by evil spirits.
Let’s see what she went through:
First, Jesus ignored her. He did not say a word (v. 23) in answer to her cries. This is the first rejection. We are hurt when someone ignores us. Even in prayer: if we feel that we do not get an answer from God, we easily give up. The Canaanite woman did not.
Second, Jesus’ disciples are annoyed and would like to send her away because she keeps on calling out to them. This is the second rejection. We are deeply offended when the person we need pay no attention to us, and worse, when his or her staff, joins the bandwagon. If you find yourself in this situation --- like an office or a bank--- what would you do? Would you walk out of the door, and completely give up? Even in prayer: after all your novenas and candles to all the saints, what if you didn’t pass the bar exams or the most desirable thing you prayed for was not granted? Some people I know stopped coming to mass. Would you harbor a grudge against God? The Canaanite woman did not.
Third, Jesus said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (v. 24). If you were told that you couldn’t join a group because you don’t belong there, would you storm out of the room? Would you throw a tantrum and begin dropping names of influential people you know? The Canaanite woman did not.
Finally, Jesus said, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs” (v. 26). If someone calls or insinuates that you are a dog or says, “Hayop ka!” will you be insulted? And when insulted, will you finally resign and forget what you most desire? Having the insult as the last straw, the Canaanite woman would just have given up. After all, this was a great insult. She must have some self-respect left. But she did not.
The more the mother cried out, “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” In other words, she was saying, “Yes, I can take that. I know I am unworthy. I am not at par with the others, but please, heal my daughter.” The Canaanite mother was willing to take insults for the sake of her daughter. Kim would sing centuries later, “I swear, I’d give my life for you.”
This show of great faith puts us to shame. We would have quitted and given up long before the final straw like ‘people of little faith.” That is why Jesus said, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.”
Shekinah on Transfiguration
6 August 2008. The Transfiguration
Deut 7, 9-14; Psalm 97; 2 Peter 1, 16-19; Matthew 17, 1-9
There are little details that might make up a deep reflection on the Transfiguration --- perhaps, another angle to what we usually hear about it. Moses, Elijah and Jesus encountered God on the mountain. Moses met God in Mt. Sinai; Elijah heard God as a still small voice; and Jesus would pray on a mountain. In the Transfiguration, the mountain was Mount Horeb or Sinai. Moses, Elijah and Jesus were great leaders; influential personages in the salvation history of humankind.
God spoke from a cloud, which the Jews called shekinah, or the luminous saving presence of God. It is also with a cloud (‘a pillar of cloud’) that led the Jews out of Egypt, a cloud that filled the tabernacle where the Tables of the Law was, and another cloud that filled the Temple of Solomon when it was dedicated. The experience of God provided the inspiration that set afire the hearts of leaders.
With Jesus were Peter, James and John. All disciples of Jesus, some say, His closest friends who will be important witnesses of His passion. It is after the Transfiguration, Scripture scholars would say, that Jesus set His eyes on Jerusalem, almost ready for what would befall them. Peter, James and John would later be pillars of the Church.
When we are in the midst of a crisis in our lives, or we are anticipating a lot of challenges even heartaches as we run a project, pursue our dreams, fulfill a responsibility, or manage people in an organization, we have to equip ourselves with the necessary strength to overcome obstacles. For Moses, Elijah, James, John, Peter and Jesus, encountering God is their greatest source of energy and strength. We can therefore look back at our prayer life (our mountain experience) or even plan a retreat (a return to the mountain) and continually develop a deeper relationship with God.
Deut 7, 9-14; Psalm 97; 2 Peter 1, 16-19; Matthew 17, 1-9
There are little details that might make up a deep reflection on the Transfiguration --- perhaps, another angle to what we usually hear about it. Moses, Elijah and Jesus encountered God on the mountain. Moses met God in Mt. Sinai; Elijah heard God as a still small voice; and Jesus would pray on a mountain. In the Transfiguration, the mountain was Mount Horeb or Sinai. Moses, Elijah and Jesus were great leaders; influential personages in the salvation history of humankind.
God spoke from a cloud, which the Jews called shekinah, or the luminous saving presence of God. It is also with a cloud (‘a pillar of cloud’) that led the Jews out of Egypt, a cloud that filled the tabernacle where the Tables of the Law was, and another cloud that filled the Temple of Solomon when it was dedicated. The experience of God provided the inspiration that set afire the hearts of leaders.
With Jesus were Peter, James and John. All disciples of Jesus, some say, His closest friends who will be important witnesses of His passion. It is after the Transfiguration, Scripture scholars would say, that Jesus set His eyes on Jerusalem, almost ready for what would befall them. Peter, James and John would later be pillars of the Church.
When we are in the midst of a crisis in our lives, or we are anticipating a lot of challenges even heartaches as we run a project, pursue our dreams, fulfill a responsibility, or manage people in an organization, we have to equip ourselves with the necessary strength to overcome obstacles. For Moses, Elijah, James, John, Peter and Jesus, encountering God is their greatest source of energy and strength. We can therefore look back at our prayer life (our mountain experience) or even plan a retreat (a return to the mountain) and continually develop a deeper relationship with God.
Our Deepest Hunger
2 August 2008 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Is 55, 1-3; Ps 145; Rom 8, 35-39; Matthew 14, 13-21 Feeding of the Five Thousand
Allow me to divide the reflection into two parts: the levels of interpretations and some reflections.
We can read the story of the feeding of the five thousand literally like a historical fact, a story from the past: When more than five thousand people who followed and listened to Jesus’ teachings became hungry, Jesus fed them. Period. The story becomes just amusing, an additional item to our general knowledge.
There is, however, a second interpretation: they see in the story people who brought some provisions but were afraid to share them. They thought that whatever they had was not enough for themselves, and more so, for others. But the gesture of the boy who had a few loaves and ordinary fish and the words of Jesus inspired them to put out whatever they had. And like any potluck party, there’s always a surplus. The story then inspires generosity.
However, there is more to this story than just the first two interpretations. The story was regarded important by the Gospel writers that all of them included it in their books and placed the story in strategic parts in their Gospel. The story would signal an important turn in Jesus’ life, a glimpse of His true identity, or a significant part for future belief and ministry. Matthew places this story before Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
To these evangelists, there was a deeper hunger that Jesus must have satisfied. It was not just a hunger for physical food, as the first and second interpretation suggest. But it was something that is beyond just bread. It probably was a need for words: an articulation of what we deeply desire. Sometimes we cannot put a finger to that ‘something’ that we seek: we already tried ways and means to get to the bottom of our infinite hunger, but still cannot label or name them. To identify what we want can clear our directions. Jesus’ words articulated what we truly seek.
Or, it probably was a need for an act by persons: as actions of compassion and love. As sharing fish and bread. Despite Jesus’ grief from the death of John the Baptist, He saw that the best thing to do was to respond to people’s needs. What mattered to Jesus was His relationship with people. And so Jesus stayed with them and fed them.
Therefore, what we truly seek is not a ‘what’ but a ‘who’ --- a relationship. How many of us have mistakenly thought that what would put our heart at rest is the fulfillment of a career? And having that dream profession now, we still remain restless. It may be finding a connection with family and friends or, a significant other or a group where we feel at home. This is the desire when we are lonely: loneliness often points to the reality that we miss someone who has a name and who has face, but is not physically present. In other words, our deeper hunger is the desire to belong to someone. The only person who can satisfy our infinite hunger for presence is God alone. And thus, the hunger of the people in the Gospel was satisfied by the mere presence of Jesus who fed their infinite thirst.
The gist of the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand was not having fed a large number of people, but having experienced Jesus --- having experienced the Divine.
If we take the first, second and third interpretation as a movement of the spirit. Then we know why it is often a practice for people who long for God, to fast. If one deprives oneself of physical food, the mind is trained to realize that there is a deeper hunger that food cannot satisfy; that we thrive “not just on bread alone, but on the very words that comes from the mouth of God.”
And having discovered our deepest desires that fast brings forth to our consciousness, we are led back to the second and first step. We find the rationale for being charitable and generous. Because, a change of heart is not just empty words. Its veracity is proven by an act: it must enable us to help end destitution. Our generosity should actually put physical food on the table.
In every day life, the miracle continues. Having found God as the source of our hunger as St. Augustine said, “My heart is restless until my heart rests in Thee” is half way towards a greater miracle. To put real food on the table of the hungry completes it.
Is 55, 1-3; Ps 145; Rom 8, 35-39; Matthew 14, 13-21 Feeding of the Five Thousand
Allow me to divide the reflection into two parts: the levels of interpretations and some reflections.
We can read the story of the feeding of the five thousand literally like a historical fact, a story from the past: When more than five thousand people who followed and listened to Jesus’ teachings became hungry, Jesus fed them. Period. The story becomes just amusing, an additional item to our general knowledge.
There is, however, a second interpretation: they see in the story people who brought some provisions but were afraid to share them. They thought that whatever they had was not enough for themselves, and more so, for others. But the gesture of the boy who had a few loaves and ordinary fish and the words of Jesus inspired them to put out whatever they had. And like any potluck party, there’s always a surplus. The story then inspires generosity.
However, there is more to this story than just the first two interpretations. The story was regarded important by the Gospel writers that all of them included it in their books and placed the story in strategic parts in their Gospel. The story would signal an important turn in Jesus’ life, a glimpse of His true identity, or a significant part for future belief and ministry. Matthew places this story before Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
To these evangelists, there was a deeper hunger that Jesus must have satisfied. It was not just a hunger for physical food, as the first and second interpretation suggest. But it was something that is beyond just bread. It probably was a need for words: an articulation of what we deeply desire. Sometimes we cannot put a finger to that ‘something’ that we seek: we already tried ways and means to get to the bottom of our infinite hunger, but still cannot label or name them. To identify what we want can clear our directions. Jesus’ words articulated what we truly seek.
Or, it probably was a need for an act by persons: as actions of compassion and love. As sharing fish and bread. Despite Jesus’ grief from the death of John the Baptist, He saw that the best thing to do was to respond to people’s needs. What mattered to Jesus was His relationship with people. And so Jesus stayed with them and fed them.
Therefore, what we truly seek is not a ‘what’ but a ‘who’ --- a relationship. How many of us have mistakenly thought that what would put our heart at rest is the fulfillment of a career? And having that dream profession now, we still remain restless. It may be finding a connection with family and friends or, a significant other or a group where we feel at home. This is the desire when we are lonely: loneliness often points to the reality that we miss someone who has a name and who has face, but is not physically present. In other words, our deeper hunger is the desire to belong to someone. The only person who can satisfy our infinite hunger for presence is God alone. And thus, the hunger of the people in the Gospel was satisfied by the mere presence of Jesus who fed their infinite thirst.
The gist of the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand was not having fed a large number of people, but having experienced Jesus --- having experienced the Divine.
If we take the first, second and third interpretation as a movement of the spirit. Then we know why it is often a practice for people who long for God, to fast. If one deprives oneself of physical food, the mind is trained to realize that there is a deeper hunger that food cannot satisfy; that we thrive “not just on bread alone, but on the very words that comes from the mouth of God.”
And having discovered our deepest desires that fast brings forth to our consciousness, we are led back to the second and first step. We find the rationale for being charitable and generous. Because, a change of heart is not just empty words. Its veracity is proven by an act: it must enable us to help end destitution. Our generosity should actually put physical food on the table.
In every day life, the miracle continues. Having found God as the source of our hunger as St. Augustine said, “My heart is restless until my heart rests in Thee” is half way towards a greater miracle. To put real food on the table of the hungry completes it.
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