28 February 2010 2nd Sunday of Lent
Genesis 15, 5-18; Psalm 27; Phil 3,17 - 4,1; Luke 9, 28-36
Was there a point in your life when you were about to take the greatest plunge in your entire existence but then you wanted to be assured that the people whom you loved most understood what you were about to do --- or at least, knew who you really were? Take these examples.
You just graduated from high school and you’re going to study far from your home and friends. You knew the challenges that awaited you such as loneliness, homesickness, financial difficulties, or alienation in a “strange” place. And you already decided that you would take the risk because it was a necessary step towards fulfilling your dreams. However, you had to make sure that your friends will still be your friends no matter what happened.
Or, you were in a life crisis and you wanted to make sure that in that journey, your friends would continue to be really your friends and your loved ones would truly love you for what you were. And you wanted to be sure that they knew who and what you are --- so that whatever happened, they would remain constant and faithful. This situation could be more concrete when your doctor announced that you had a debilitating disease or you decided to tell your family your darkest secret.
In other words, these were the elements: a) you trusted the recipients of your revelation; b) you brought them to a very personal place where you articulated who you really were; c) then you spelled out to them that you were about to take a great turn in your life that would be very challenging; and finally, d) you expressed to them that you wanted them with you.
If you have analogous experiences like the ones we’ve mentioned today, then you have a comparable transfiguration experience as that of Jesus. The Transfiguration story tells us that Jesus invites His closest disciples to go to the mountain where He prays. And in that mountain, He reveals to His disciples who He really is when He changes His appearance (v. 29). His clothes become dazzling white; He converses with two of the greatest persons in Scripture; and a voice from heaven affirms that He is indeed God’s Son. With Moses, the Lawgiver, Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law; and with Elijah, the Prophet, Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises since the time of Abraham (first reading). Moses and Elijah are the signs that Jesus will fulfill the expectations of the Hebrew people.
And then, when they go down the mountain, Jesus tells them that He will suffer. From the Transfiguration, Jesus will fix His eyes on Jerusalem where He will die. With the experience in the mountain, Jesus knows that His disciples will eventually understand Him as both the Son of Man and the Son of God. The admonition, “Listen to Him” underscores the importance of what Jesus was saying about His own mission and the nature of discipleship.
A final thought. The Transfiguration appears in three liturgical seasons: Advent, Lent and Ordinary Time. I would like to believe that they are not accidents. Advent and Lent as seasons of preparation to the peak liturgical seasons of Christmas and Easter respectively encourages us to change and to undergo some transformations in our hearts and our way of life. And even in the daily grind of things, the Lord continues to help us transform into His image and likeness.
If the Transfiguration is God’s revelation of Jesus as the Son of Man and the Son of God, then the Transfiguration in Advent prepares us to experience Jesus, our God, becoming human. In like manner, the Transfiguration in Lent prepares us to experience Jesus, our brother, as Divine at Easter. And finally, the Transfiguration at Ordinary Time reminds us that our daily lives has to be transform towards a life lived as children of God.
Don't Be Paralyzed by Your Past
26 February 2010 Friday of the 1st Week of Lent
Ezra 18, 21-28; Psalm 130; Matthew 5, 20-26
Let’s look back at one particular argument we had with a loved one. While we are estranged from them, we find ourselves playing tapes about how they are at fault, and therefore they should make the first move to reconcile with us. And we? We are of course innocent.
However, if we begin the process of reconciliation by talking to them, we find ourselves admitting that we too have contributed to the pain and estrangement, that we are not innocent after all. We too are at fault. In other words, when we start speaking with each other, in a loving dialogue, we are able to identify and recognize our faults, and thus, the tapes in our heads begin to change. And we begin to see the whole picture for what it truly is.
It is first of all important to recognize our faults. The Gospel tells us to go first and be reconciled with them; meaning, our sins always affects another. And thus, we confess to another person. Because when we do, Christ’s light shines on us and we understand our sinfulness for what it is. Understanding is an effect of a dialogue. In the first week of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, we are led towards a recognition of our disordered attachments so that the light of Christ will free us from them. The Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 130) says, “If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?”
This to me is why confession is effective: if we do not confess our sins to another, we will never recognize our sinfulness. If we acknowledge our faults, we will discover the depth and venom of our actions.
But on the other hand, when we are able to see our sins, we just don’t experience our badness, but our capability to love more: we missed the opportunity by deciding not to love. We discover that we do have the capacity to become much more loving persons than what we think we are capable of doing. We have been complacent, when we could have been proactive.
In the Spiritual Exercises, Ignatius reminds us that our sinfulness is never separated from the background of Christ’s love for us. Without the background of Christ’s steadfast love and the salvation He won for us, we will become paralyzed by guilt and our sinful history. That is why when we confess, we should never dare to look back at our sinfulness because the Sacrament of Reconciliation wipes all our sins. This is the meaning of the first reading from the prophet Ezekiel. God forgets the past when we turn away from our evil deeds.
Thus says the Lord GOD:
If the wicked man turns away from all the sins he committed,
if he keeps all my statutes and does what is right and just,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.
None of the crimes he committed shall be remembered against him;
he shall live because of the virtue he has practiced.
We should never look back or else we will be like Lot’s wife who turned into a pillar of salt when she turned her eyes towards Sodom (Genesis 19:26). She disobeyed God's order. When we look back, our past will paralyze us. And this is not what God wants to happen. Thus we should never look back complacently but always to look forward in love and in hope. We look forward, because Christ has saved us.
In the Season of Lent, when you find yourselves moved to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, always remember that when you do, you will gain a new life. Guaranteed: you are given another chance. And you will always be given as many chances as possible.
What about the sins you really (not deliberately) forgot (even if after confession you remember them)?Well, we do forget. But fortunately, thanks be to God, He understands and thus those sins have been wiped out too.
When you find yourselves doubting that God has not forgiven all of the sins in your past after the Sacrament of Reconciliation, you have just declared that He lied. And everything else is a farce.
Ezra 18, 21-28; Psalm 130; Matthew 5, 20-26
Let’s look back at one particular argument we had with a loved one. While we are estranged from them, we find ourselves playing tapes about how they are at fault, and therefore they should make the first move to reconcile with us. And we? We are of course innocent.
However, if we begin the process of reconciliation by talking to them, we find ourselves admitting that we too have contributed to the pain and estrangement, that we are not innocent after all. We too are at fault. In other words, when we start speaking with each other, in a loving dialogue, we are able to identify and recognize our faults, and thus, the tapes in our heads begin to change. And we begin to see the whole picture for what it truly is.
It is first of all important to recognize our faults. The Gospel tells us to go first and be reconciled with them; meaning, our sins always affects another. And thus, we confess to another person. Because when we do, Christ’s light shines on us and we understand our sinfulness for what it is. Understanding is an effect of a dialogue. In the first week of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, we are led towards a recognition of our disordered attachments so that the light of Christ will free us from them. The Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 130) says, “If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?”
This to me is why confession is effective: if we do not confess our sins to another, we will never recognize our sinfulness. If we acknowledge our faults, we will discover the depth and venom of our actions.
But on the other hand, when we are able to see our sins, we just don’t experience our badness, but our capability to love more: we missed the opportunity by deciding not to love. We discover that we do have the capacity to become much more loving persons than what we think we are capable of doing. We have been complacent, when we could have been proactive.
In the Spiritual Exercises, Ignatius reminds us that our sinfulness is never separated from the background of Christ’s love for us. Without the background of Christ’s steadfast love and the salvation He won for us, we will become paralyzed by guilt and our sinful history. That is why when we confess, we should never dare to look back at our sinfulness because the Sacrament of Reconciliation wipes all our sins. This is the meaning of the first reading from the prophet Ezekiel. God forgets the past when we turn away from our evil deeds.
Thus says the Lord GOD:
If the wicked man turns away from all the sins he committed,
if he keeps all my statutes and does what is right and just,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.
None of the crimes he committed shall be remembered against him;
he shall live because of the virtue he has practiced.
We should never look back or else we will be like Lot’s wife who turned into a pillar of salt when she turned her eyes towards Sodom (Genesis 19:26). She disobeyed God's order. When we look back, our past will paralyze us. And this is not what God wants to happen. Thus we should never look back complacently but always to look forward in love and in hope. We look forward, because Christ has saved us.
In the Season of Lent, when you find yourselves moved to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, always remember that when you do, you will gain a new life. Guaranteed: you are given another chance. And you will always be given as many chances as possible.
What about the sins you really (not deliberately) forgot (even if after confession you remember them)?Well, we do forget. But fortunately, thanks be to God, He understands and thus those sins have been wiped out too.
When you find yourselves doubting that God has not forgiven all of the sins in your past after the Sacrament of Reconciliation, you have just declared that He lied. And everything else is a farce.
Authentic Prayer
23 February 2010 Tuesday of the 1st Week of Lent
Isaiah 55, 10-11; Psalm 34; Matthew 6, 7-15
The readings in the season of Lent are taken from different passages in Scripture. They are chosen to prepare catechumens for baptism. Catechumens are those who have decided to become Catholics. The readings therefore are catechetical; the readings teaches the catechumens about the faith that they are committing themselves to. Today’s lesson is about authentic prayer.
Nachman of Bratslav said, “Faith is not only in the heart; it should be put into words.” However, though they have to be articulated, they don’t have to be superfluous and flowery. The Gentiles thought that saying too much will make the Lord listen to them. This type of praying can also be self-righteous: “Because I have put all my effort in praying, you Lord should listen to me.” Our prayer can be a form of coercion and control by letting God change His will in our favor.
However, Jesus said to His disciples in the Gospel: “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” The Lord knows what we need before we come for prayer.
And thus Jesus teaches us how to pray. This is how:
First, acknowledge that even prayer comes from the Lord. “OUR Father, YOU are in heaven, holy is YOUR name. YOUR kingdom come, YOUR will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” This acknowledges that it is God who is the source of all, including our prayer and all our lives. In contrast to self-righteous prayer, the focus is not ourselves.
Second, our needs comes secondary to our acknowledgement of God. “Give us THIS day our daily bread.” God already knows our needs, and so we simply ask Him to grant it to us today, every single day, at the present time.
Third, authentic prayer also rectifies our relationship. It cannot be that we pray but we don’t put any effort to be reconciled with the people who hurt us or whom we hurt. “And forgive us our sins, AS we forgive those who sinned against us.”
Thus when we pray, we put ourselves humbly before God and acknowledge that God’s will is above all --- and thus if God’s reply to our needs is a great “No” then His will is to be done and not OURs.
And then we converse with God and articulate to Him what we believe we need. And let Him fill out what we also need but have not realize them yet.
And finally, our prayer does not happen only in words, but also in deeds. Our sincerity to follow God above all else should be shown. So, because it is God’s will, we go to our brothers and sisters and reconcile with them.
Isaiah 55, 10-11; Psalm 34; Matthew 6, 7-15
The readings in the season of Lent are taken from different passages in Scripture. They are chosen to prepare catechumens for baptism. Catechumens are those who have decided to become Catholics. The readings therefore are catechetical; the readings teaches the catechumens about the faith that they are committing themselves to. Today’s lesson is about authentic prayer.
Nachman of Bratslav said, “Faith is not only in the heart; it should be put into words.” However, though they have to be articulated, they don’t have to be superfluous and flowery. The Gentiles thought that saying too much will make the Lord listen to them. This type of praying can also be self-righteous: “Because I have put all my effort in praying, you Lord should listen to me.” Our prayer can be a form of coercion and control by letting God change His will in our favor.
However, Jesus said to His disciples in the Gospel: “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” The Lord knows what we need before we come for prayer.
And thus Jesus teaches us how to pray. This is how:
First, acknowledge that even prayer comes from the Lord. “OUR Father, YOU are in heaven, holy is YOUR name. YOUR kingdom come, YOUR will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” This acknowledges that it is God who is the source of all, including our prayer and all our lives. In contrast to self-righteous prayer, the focus is not ourselves.
Second, our needs comes secondary to our acknowledgement of God. “Give us THIS day our daily bread.” God already knows our needs, and so we simply ask Him to grant it to us today, every single day, at the present time.
Third, authentic prayer also rectifies our relationship. It cannot be that we pray but we don’t put any effort to be reconciled with the people who hurt us or whom we hurt. “And forgive us our sins, AS we forgive those who sinned against us.”
Thus when we pray, we put ourselves humbly before God and acknowledge that God’s will is above all --- and thus if God’s reply to our needs is a great “No” then His will is to be done and not OURs.
And then we converse with God and articulate to Him what we believe we need. And let Him fill out what we also need but have not realize them yet.
And finally, our prayer does not happen only in words, but also in deeds. Our sincerity to follow God above all else should be shown. So, because it is God’s will, we go to our brothers and sisters and reconcile with them.
Celebrating the Chair of St. Peter
22 February 2010 Feast of the Chair of St. Peter the Apostle
1 Peter 5, 1-4; Psalm 23; Matthew 16, 13-23
You might find it strange that the feast today is the Chair of St. Peter the Apostle. The stole is white and the Gloria is sung or recited today in the Season of Lent. Like the Chair of the committee, this chair refers to the occupant, not the furniture. But there is the furniture, the Cathedra Petri, a relic that is preserved at St. Peter’s Basilica and done by Gian Lorenzo Bernini in 1647-53. Nevertheless, we celebrate St. Peter who Christ appointed as the servant-leader of the whole Church. The office has endured many generations and thus the chair became the sign of a long tradition and a focus for the universal church. It is indeed the pope who traces his authority to the first leader, St. Peter. It is therefore the pope that unites all Catholic churches in the world.
Jesus in the Gospel asks his disciples two things: First, who is He according to other people? The disciples naturally answers Him that people think that He is John the Baptizer, that He is Elijah or one of the prophets. The second question is crucial: Who is He according to his disciples? And it was Peter’s proclamation that He is the “Son of God” that satisfied Jesus. It is Peter’s answer that made Jesus call Peter, the Rock. “And upon this Rock, I will build my Church.”
We are in some way being called like St. Peter. But we must have a faith is truly based on Jesus. It is thus clear that a strong faith foundation in Jesus is based on who Jesus is to us. How we know Jesus, Who is Jesus to us, will determine how we live our faith, and how we practice our faith. Thus the knowledge of Jesus will determine the quality of our love for Him, and the quality of service we render for Him.
For example, if Jesus is a friend to us, then our love for Jesus is that of a friend, and our service of Jesus is based on good friendship. A case in point: The case of Moses. In Exodus 33:11, we read that “the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.” And in another place God chides the Israelites for their anger at Moses by saying: “Hear my words, When there are prophets among you, I the Lord make myself known to them by visions; I speak to them in dreams. Not so with my servant Moses; he is entrusted with all my house. With him, I speak face to face --- clearly, not in riddles; and he beholds the form of the Lord” (Numbers 12:6-8).
Friendship is not an image only: Jesus Himself clears our relationship with Him: You are no longer slaves but my friends. We, Jesuits, call ourselves, Compañia de Jesus, and our relationship is described as “friends in the Lord.” This relationship of friendship determines how we love each other and how we serve others. The song “Day by Day” in the hit musical, Godspell, is similar to St. Ignatius’ desire in the second week of the Spiritual Exercises, “to know Thee more clearly, love Thee more dearly, follow Thee more closely” day by day.
How do we know who Jesus is? And we can know who Jesus is by praying. Once I directed young people in their retreat. One of them left me a note which says, “I do want to pray, Father, but it is also the last thing I want to do.” It is indeed true to all of us: in the very depths of our hearts, we yearn for God, and yet, we are also afraid that is why it is the last thing we want to do. Because when we plunge ourselves in prayer, we know that we are not anymore in control of our lives --- God is. And we are not used to it.
Rudolph Otto describes our encounter with God as a mysterium tremendum et fascinans, a mystery which evokes holy awe (tremendum) but which also fascinates (fascinans). The very God who awes us also draws us. It is like seeing a movie star: we are fascinated by the movie star’s presence, but we are afraid to approach him—not that we are shy, we just do not know what to say. The Psalmist says, “My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the Living God” (Psalm 84). And when we pray to God, we listen and we hear the words, “Fear not.” It is the same words God has spoken to our great biblical leaders: to Daniel, to Gideon, to our very own, Mary when the Angel announced the coming of the Savior.
Our experience tells us that the closer we are to God, the better off we are. Do not be afraid to pray; do not be afraid to know God. I guess the best way is to look at the deepest meaning of the fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast, which tells of the fear of the human heart before God. God, like the Beast, wants us to know him as love, but we, like Beauty, are terrified by his size and what seems to us God’s anger at us, who are sinners. If we allow God to come close to us, if we kiss the Beast, we will find that he is only love and delights in us and in our love.
The Facts on Fasting
On Fasting
God tells the Israelites, through the prophet Isaiah, that fasting is not an end in itself but simply a means to break out of our selfishness, pride, and materialism in order to live as true children of God. Our fasting must move us to acts of justice and charity - releasing the slaves and prisoners, setting free the oppressed, feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, and caring for one’s neighbor. Our fasting and penances during this season of lent must not make us focus on ourselves and our needs but it must direct us towards responding to the needs of others. Our voluintary fasting and penances is not simply an endurance test to prove our faith. It is an act of solidarity with those whose hunger and pain is not voluntary.
May our Lenten practices of penance lead to a conversion of our hearts and our way of living so that we can be more just and generous to others. If we practice this authentic kind of fasting, the Lord assures us that he shall be with us and that our light shall break forth like the dawn and the wounds of our sinfulness shall quickly be healed.
Fr. Eric Marcelo Genilo SJ
*Here is another homily on fasting from Fr. Ritchie Genilo SJ. This was his homily last Friday, 19 February 2010 at the Loyola School of Theology, Ateneo de Manila University. Fr. Genilo teaches Moral Theology.
In our first reading from the book of Isaiah, we are given a lesson by the Lord about what it truly means to fast. Fasting is not simply about external penances and outward displays of devotion. The purpose of fasting is inner transformation that would bear fruit in works of justice, charity and compassion. God criticized those who misuse fasting and penances in order to feel and appear righteous while remaining unjust to their neighbors. God uses strong words to condemn this kind of hypocritical fasting - on your fast day you carry out your own pursuits, and drive all your laborers. Your fast ends in quarreling and fighting.
In our first reading from the book of Isaiah, we are given a lesson by the Lord about what it truly means to fast. Fasting is not simply about external penances and outward displays of devotion. The purpose of fasting is inner transformation that would bear fruit in works of justice, charity and compassion. God criticized those who misuse fasting and penances in order to feel and appear righteous while remaining unjust to their neighbors. God uses strong words to condemn this kind of hypocritical fasting - on your fast day you carry out your own pursuits, and drive all your laborers. Your fast ends in quarreling and fighting.
God tells the Israelites, through the prophet Isaiah, that fasting is not an end in itself but simply a means to break out of our selfishness, pride, and materialism in order to live as true children of God. Our fasting must move us to acts of justice and charity - releasing the slaves and prisoners, setting free the oppressed, feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, and caring for one’s neighbor. Our fasting and penances during this season of lent must not make us focus on ourselves and our needs but it must direct us towards responding to the needs of others. Our voluintary fasting and penances is not simply an endurance test to prove our faith. It is an act of solidarity with those whose hunger and pain is not voluntary.
May our Lenten practices of penance lead to a conversion of our hearts and our way of living so that we can be more just and generous to others. If we practice this authentic kind of fasting, the Lord assures us that he shall be with us and that our light shall break forth like the dawn and the wounds of our sinfulness shall quickly be healed.
Additional Note from the Jesuits' bulletin board concerning the practice of fasting.
1. What is the Church's official position concerning penance and abstinence from meat during Lent?
In 1966, Pope Paul VI reorganized the Church practice of public penance in his "Apostolic Constitution on Penance" (Poenitemini). The 1983 revision of the Code of Canon Law incorporated the changes made by Pope Paul VI. Not long after that, the U.S. bishops applied the canonical requirements to the practice of public penance.
To sum up those requirements, Catholics between the ages of 18-59 are obliged to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. In addition, all Catholics 14 years old and older must abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all the Fridays of Lent.
2. Fasting as explained by the US Bishops means partaking of only one full meal. Some food (not equaling another full meal) is permitted at breakfast and around midday or in the evening --- depending on when a person chooses to eat the main or full meal.
3. Abstinence forbids the use of meat, but not of eggs, milk products or condiments made of animal fat.
According to Fr. John Huels in "The Pastoral Companion" (Franciscan Herald Press), abstinence does not include meat juices and liquid food made from meat. Thus, such food as chicken broth, consomme, soups cooked or flavored with meat, meat gravies or sauces, as well as seasonings or condiments made from animal fat are not forbidden. So it is permissible to use margarine and lard.
Have You Been Ashamed of Our Faith?
21 February 2010. 1st Sunday of Lent
Deut 26, 4-10; Psalm 91; Romans 10, 8-13; Luke 4, 1-13
If you felt ashamed about the Catholic faith, at any point in your life, I understand. I said that I empathize with you because there many things that has happened that we are not proud of. We are sad about the many scandals that rocked the Church; the many decisions individual members of the hierarchy take that hurt not just the people they pastor, but their fellow members as well.
When I was fresh from ordination, I felt this shame too. It’s like our family’s dark secret: even if you’re not the one who made the mistake, you feel that you are part of it because you are part of the family. We all hold the brunt of the family member’s indiscretion because we belong in the family; just as we also share their successes.
Moreover, to bring the secret into the light is unsettling. When Pope Benedict XVI apologized to the victims of sexual abuse by clerics in Australia on 19 July 2008, we suffered from many opinions and comments around the world. Pope John Paul II also apologized for the Church’s historical sins on 12 March 2000. He said, “We humbly ask for forgiveness for the part that each of us with his or her behaviors has played in such evils thus contributing to disrupting the face of the church. At the same time, as we confess our sins let us forgive the faults committed by others towards us.”
It is disorienting and humbling because in admitting our faults, we put ourselves at the mercy of everyone and we are not to defend ourselves. It kills whatever arrogance and pride we have. We become vulnerable: it destroys the walls we built in our lifetime to protect ourselves. We are giving ourselves to die defenseless from the jeers of the atheists, of Catholic-haters, and the like. We feel like the adulteress in the Gospels: she can’t do anything but take the stones being hurled at her. But good for her, there was Jesus who challenged the Pharisees: Let the sinless cast the first stone.
And so professing our belief in Jesus Christ within this flawed Church is a daunting thing to do. So how do we profess our belief in Christ and this Church we belong to?
First, don’t defend our sins. When we ask for forgiveness, we just bow our heads and say, “Yes, it is my fault. Period.” In a final attempt to protect ourselves even in confession, we try to justify our sins to appear less culpable.
Second, a change of perspective is good: we never professed a perfect Church because it is obviously broken, cracked, torn, scratched, deformed, distorted, and warped. But we are moving towards perfection. We are pilgrims who rise and fall most of the time, but learn from the mistakes we’ve done. We shouldn’t justify the sins we’ve committed, but it would be a tragedy to be paralyzed by it, especially in our effort to become just as Christ wants us to be. What our popes did allowed the Church to move on. Asking for forgiveness and forgiving the ones who are hostile to us is doing what Christ wants us to do.
Third, keep in mind Christ. Our sins and the accompanying guilt can distract and discourage us from our pursuit to be like Christ. The content of our faith, the principles which the Church upholds remain valid: the call to conversion, the preferential option for the poor, the hierarchy of values, etc. These should encourage us to put more effort in living them.
Think of our family. Do we abandon our loved ones because they have done something that we are not proud of? We carry the burden, but we continue to protect and love them. People who abandon ship does not love much.
And because there is much to be desired, then there is space for me -- and you -- in the Church. I like to feel useful in a group of imperfect individuals, than be in a group of people who believe they’re perfect and flawless.
Deut 26, 4-10; Psalm 91; Romans 10, 8-13; Luke 4, 1-13
If you felt ashamed about the Catholic faith, at any point in your life, I understand. I said that I empathize with you because there many things that has happened that we are not proud of. We are sad about the many scandals that rocked the Church; the many decisions individual members of the hierarchy take that hurt not just the people they pastor, but their fellow members as well.
When I was fresh from ordination, I felt this shame too. It’s like our family’s dark secret: even if you’re not the one who made the mistake, you feel that you are part of it because you are part of the family. We all hold the brunt of the family member’s indiscretion because we belong in the family; just as we also share their successes.
Moreover, to bring the secret into the light is unsettling. When Pope Benedict XVI apologized to the victims of sexual abuse by clerics in Australia on 19 July 2008, we suffered from many opinions and comments around the world. Pope John Paul II also apologized for the Church’s historical sins on 12 March 2000. He said, “We humbly ask for forgiveness for the part that each of us with his or her behaviors has played in such evils thus contributing to disrupting the face of the church. At the same time, as we confess our sins let us forgive the faults committed by others towards us.”
It is disorienting and humbling because in admitting our faults, we put ourselves at the mercy of everyone and we are not to defend ourselves. It kills whatever arrogance and pride we have. We become vulnerable: it destroys the walls we built in our lifetime to protect ourselves. We are giving ourselves to die defenseless from the jeers of the atheists, of Catholic-haters, and the like. We feel like the adulteress in the Gospels: she can’t do anything but take the stones being hurled at her. But good for her, there was Jesus who challenged the Pharisees: Let the sinless cast the first stone.
And so professing our belief in Jesus Christ within this flawed Church is a daunting thing to do. So how do we profess our belief in Christ and this Church we belong to?
First, don’t defend our sins. When we ask for forgiveness, we just bow our heads and say, “Yes, it is my fault. Period.” In a final attempt to protect ourselves even in confession, we try to justify our sins to appear less culpable.
Second, a change of perspective is good: we never professed a perfect Church because it is obviously broken, cracked, torn, scratched, deformed, distorted, and warped. But we are moving towards perfection. We are pilgrims who rise and fall most of the time, but learn from the mistakes we’ve done. We shouldn’t justify the sins we’ve committed, but it would be a tragedy to be paralyzed by it, especially in our effort to become just as Christ wants us to be. What our popes did allowed the Church to move on. Asking for forgiveness and forgiving the ones who are hostile to us is doing what Christ wants us to do.
Third, keep in mind Christ. Our sins and the accompanying guilt can distract and discourage us from our pursuit to be like Christ. The content of our faith, the principles which the Church upholds remain valid: the call to conversion, the preferential option for the poor, the hierarchy of values, etc. These should encourage us to put more effort in living them.
Think of our family. Do we abandon our loved ones because they have done something that we are not proud of? We carry the burden, but we continue to protect and love them. People who abandon ship does not love much.
And because there is much to be desired, then there is space for me -- and you -- in the Church. I like to feel useful in a group of imperfect individuals, than be in a group of people who believe they’re perfect and flawless.
Why Do We Fast?
19 February 2010. Friday after Ash Wednesday
Isaiah 58, 1-9; Psalm 51; Matthew 9, 14-15
One of the practices that has become unpopular in the Season of Lent is fasting. But the greatest names in Scripture have practiced it: Moses, David, Elijah, Esther, Daniel, Anna the prophetess, Paul and Jesus. Outside of the bible, the greatest leaders also fasted like Socrates, Aristotle, Plato, Hippocrates, Confucius, and Gandhi. What did these great people gain from fasting?
What do we mean by fasting? Fasting is about abstaining from food for spiritual reasons.
A hunger strike done by farmers and workers is not a fast even if it is for a good cause such as to gain people’s attention to their plight. Diet programs for weight-loss, detoxification and body contouring is not a fast because they are for vanity or physical well-being. Their purposes differ from the reasons why the people of the bible did it: fasting was for the spiritual life.
Why do we fast? We take it from the first reading.
First, we fast so that our hearts will focus on God alone. In fasting, it is important to know why we are doing it. If there is no purpose, the practice is meaningless. As we fast, the motivation, sincerity and determination intensifies. The concern of Jesus about fasting in Matthew 6, 16-18 (the Gospel for Ash Wednesday) is motivation. He said many practices of almsgiving, prayer and fasting are done for show. We shouldn’t be like the hypocrites. We do not fast so that God will do what we want; so that He will give us the blessings we’ve been praying for. Fasting is about God. That is why fasting and prayer should be together. That is why we fast as a community of Christians within a liturgical season. Fasting and worshipping are always great partners.
Second, we fast so that what controls us is revealed to us. We discover that it is not food that sustains our lives; we “do not live by bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4,4). Many of us are controlled by what we eat. The food industry is growing, thanks to our unquenchable thirsts and hungers. We have stress eaters and comfort foodies. To try to break away from that which controls us, or to find what determines our decisions, we avoid them. Alcoholics discover their dependency by avoiding alcoholic beverages.
Finally, we fast to uncover what is not essential to us. Our desires are often reckless, and they take over our lives. We crave for many things that we actually don’t need. By fasting, we feel the degree of control they have on us and we gain the opportunity to overcome them. The harder it is to fast, the stronger our desires grip us. But the more we fast, the faster we become free from them.
With the growth of food chains, restaurants, street vendors and market stalls all around us, fasting becomes very challenging. So, think about it this way: the stronger your resistance (read: avoidance), the sharper your focus on whom you desire the most.
Second, we fast so that what controls us is revealed to us. We discover that it is not food that sustains our lives; we “do not live by bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4,4). Many of us are controlled by what we eat. The food industry is growing, thanks to our unquenchable thirsts and hungers. We have stress eaters and comfort foodies. To try to break away from that which controls us, or to find what determines our decisions, we avoid them. Alcoholics discover their dependency by avoiding alcoholic beverages.
Finally, we fast to uncover what is not essential to us. Our desires are often reckless, and they take over our lives. We crave for many things that we actually don’t need. By fasting, we feel the degree of control they have on us and we gain the opportunity to overcome them. The harder it is to fast, the stronger our desires grip us. But the more we fast, the faster we become free from them.
With the growth of food chains, restaurants, street vendors and market stalls all around us, fasting becomes very challenging. So, think about it this way: the stronger your resistance (read: avoidance), the sharper your focus on whom you desire the most.
Why We Put Ashes on Our Forehead
17 February 2010 Ash Wednesday
Joel 2, 12-18; Psalm 51; 2 Cor 5, 20-6,2; Matthew 6, 1-18
This article appears in SAMBUHAY in English. Sambuhay is published by the Society of St. Paul in the Philippines. It is used as a guide during masses especially Sundays and other important liturgical celebrations such as today.
Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the liturgical season of Lent. We are reminded that we should be reconciled with God in view of the salvation completed in Easter with the Resurrection of Christ. How do we then celebrate Ash Wednesday?
First, the sorrow of Lent in the symbol of the ash. In the Old and New Testament, a repentant sinner wears sackcloth and covers himself with ashes. The ash that is placed on our forehead symbolizes repentance. But these are outward signs of repentance. The Lord tells us in the first reading that we should rend, not our clothes, but our hearts. We should return to the Lord with all our hearts, with fasting and weeping, begging on our knees for the Lord’s forgiveness and mercy. The kind of heart that is asked in the Lenten season is a contrite heart; its sorrow is deep and inward. We can call this feeling as a holy and blessed sorrow because this is about our relationship with God. It is not the tears that comes from an actor’s eyes, or from a broken-hearted, or from our experience of death and hurt. This time it is not about us as victims of pain; but us as the cause of another’s pain. It is about another, and this time, it is about God. It is a sorrow because we have hurt someone else and we would like to repair the damage that we have done. We cry because our relationship with another has been severed and it is constantly bleeding. We weep because we have contributed to the injustice in our society. Until today, we are still haunted by the memory of the Maguindanao massacre or the people affected by the floods. When Christians --- yes, not just Catholics --- put ashes on their forehead, we, as a community, declare a worldwide day of repentance. We acknowledge that our sins affect others.
Second, the joy of Lent. This may come as a surprise, but it isn’t. We look at our sins in the background of the love of God. We are sorry for our offenses because God continually loves us despite our unfaithfulness. That means when we repent, we know that God will forgive us because God is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and rich in kindness.” Psalm 51 is a celebration of God’s mercy towards us. Mercy and a renewal of heart are guaranteed to those who sincerely asks for forgiveness. The Anglo-Saxon word for Lent is spring. Ash Wednesday marks the first day of our transition from winter to spring! Psalm 126 says, “May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy!” Thus, our joy comes from contrition and penance. In our lives, this is illustrated by the joy we experience when someone forgives us; when having offended our parents and being forgiven, we weep with comfort, relief and joy!
Thus, the meaning of Lent becomes profoundly true in view of spring, in view of Easter. The Gospel reminds us that we should not appear fasting like the hypocrites. Our faces should be washed clean like those with assured joy. It is a tragedy that many of us remain in Lent, and forget the joy of Easter. We think Christianity is centered on sorrow, and not on joy. This is why we have contributed to a dark and gloomy Christianity. We must not miss the point of repentance. We repent because we want to return to the embrace of God, as the son returns to his loving father in the parable of Jesus. It is therefore not an accident that we call the Season of Lent a celebration. Like all celebrations, the most successful event is a result of thorough preparation. Lent prepares us for the overwhelming joy of Easter.
Finally, the role of the community. Paul exhorts us that we should work together to receive the grace of God. Thus, we should help each other create the environment for repentance. It can mean physical space like dried twigs on church altars, simple music for masses during Lent or communal participation in reconciliation services. It also means that we can encourage one another, that indeed this is the “acceptable time” to return to God. Many people come to Ash Wednesday mass because the hope in the possibility of returning to God is enkindled. There is in our hearts parts that we hold back and needs to be re-joined to God. Or for many, the time to once more strengthen one’s faith is created when members of the Christian community work together to make the Lenten Season meaningful. Ash Wednesday then is an acceptable time, the day of our salvation!
First, the sorrow of Lent in the symbol of the ash. In the Old and New Testament, a repentant sinner wears sackcloth and covers himself with ashes. The ash that is placed on our forehead symbolizes repentance. But these are outward signs of repentance. The Lord tells us in the first reading that we should rend, not our clothes, but our hearts. We should return to the Lord with all our hearts, with fasting and weeping, begging on our knees for the Lord’s forgiveness and mercy. The kind of heart that is asked in the Lenten season is a contrite heart; its sorrow is deep and inward. We can call this feeling as a holy and blessed sorrow because this is about our relationship with God. It is not the tears that comes from an actor’s eyes, or from a broken-hearted, or from our experience of death and hurt. This time it is not about us as victims of pain; but us as the cause of another’s pain. It is about another, and this time, it is about God. It is a sorrow because we have hurt someone else and we would like to repair the damage that we have done. We cry because our relationship with another has been severed and it is constantly bleeding. We weep because we have contributed to the injustice in our society. Until today, we are still haunted by the memory of the Maguindanao massacre or the people affected by the floods. When Christians --- yes, not just Catholics --- put ashes on their forehead, we, as a community, declare a worldwide day of repentance. We acknowledge that our sins affect others.
Second, the joy of Lent. This may come as a surprise, but it isn’t. We look at our sins in the background of the love of God. We are sorry for our offenses because God continually loves us despite our unfaithfulness. That means when we repent, we know that God will forgive us because God is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and rich in kindness.” Psalm 51 is a celebration of God’s mercy towards us. Mercy and a renewal of heart are guaranteed to those who sincerely asks for forgiveness. The Anglo-Saxon word for Lent is spring. Ash Wednesday marks the first day of our transition from winter to spring! Psalm 126 says, “May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy!” Thus, our joy comes from contrition and penance. In our lives, this is illustrated by the joy we experience when someone forgives us; when having offended our parents and being forgiven, we weep with comfort, relief and joy!
Thus, the meaning of Lent becomes profoundly true in view of spring, in view of Easter. The Gospel reminds us that we should not appear fasting like the hypocrites. Our faces should be washed clean like those with assured joy. It is a tragedy that many of us remain in Lent, and forget the joy of Easter. We think Christianity is centered on sorrow, and not on joy. This is why we have contributed to a dark and gloomy Christianity. We must not miss the point of repentance. We repent because we want to return to the embrace of God, as the son returns to his loving father in the parable of Jesus. It is therefore not an accident that we call the Season of Lent a celebration. Like all celebrations, the most successful event is a result of thorough preparation. Lent prepares us for the overwhelming joy of Easter.
Finally, the role of the community. Paul exhorts us that we should work together to receive the grace of God. Thus, we should help each other create the environment for repentance. It can mean physical space like dried twigs on church altars, simple music for masses during Lent or communal participation in reconciliation services. It also means that we can encourage one another, that indeed this is the “acceptable time” to return to God. Many people come to Ash Wednesday mass because the hope in the possibility of returning to God is enkindled. There is in our hearts parts that we hold back and needs to be re-joined to God. Or for many, the time to once more strengthen one’s faith is created when members of the Christian community work together to make the Lenten Season meaningful. Ash Wednesday then is an acceptable time, the day of our salvation!
Do You Want To Change?
16 February 2010 Tuesday of the 6th Week in Ordinary Time
James 1, 12-18; Psalm 94; Mark 8, 14-21
Do you want to change but find it difficult to do so? How many of us make a list of resolutions weekly, annually, or when we feel that our lives are going down the drain?
One way to check progress is through tests. We know this in school. The measure we employ to determine how much a student has absorbed in class is through examinations like quizzes, reflection papers, a thesis or an oral evaluation at the end of course. The grade of the course is an indication of a change, or a mark of development.
Going through exams is hardly enjoyable. It is grueling: the hours spent poring over books and taking down notes; the patience in research; and the stress in memorizing minute details.
On the other hand, it is not just the student who is tried. The teacher has to be very patient with their students. Like Jesus in the Gospel, He is disappointed at His disciples for not understanding His teaching. In addition, the most taxing type of exams are the ones easiest to check but difficult to formulate like a modified true-or-false exam or a find-the-best-answer multiple choice. The teacher, like God, is also tested. We know that God is patient from our experience. Our age is directly proportionate to the times we have been unfaithful to Him, and the time He has remained steadfast to us.
In faith life, James mentions that temptations are tests to make us change for the better. They are not meant to seduce us to sin: “No one experiencing temptation should say, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God is not subject to temptation to evil, and He Himself tempts no one” (James 1, 13).
And where do these temptations come from? James said it originates from our desires. Our desires have the tendency to bring us away from God. For example, our desire to be loved can bring us to possession and to jealousy. However, if we do not have those desires, then our hearts will always focus on God. But we do have desires. And like exams, we also give ourselves space for mistakes. It is how we learn: we forgive ourselves too.
James added that anyone who are able to persevere through these tests, and proven themselves will receive the crown of glory from the Lord. Thus we learn when we are tested. If we commit mistakes, we still learn: at least we know that what we chose was not the correct answer. This is one way in which God instructs us. Some of us learn fast, and some don’t. Not because we’re slow, but because we’re hard-headed.
When we overcome temptations, we become better. When we were novices, we were taught a principle: agere contra (do the opposite). So when tempted not to share a piece of chocolate, do the opposite: share it. When our desires tell us to exact revenge on someone who hurt us, do the opposite: think of their welfare and give feedback. When tempted to lie to protect one’s self and one’s name, agere contra: tell the truth and bear the consequences bravely.
When we develop the habit of agere contra in the midst of temptation or the occasion on which these temptations occur, we find ourselves better: more altruistic, more concerned about others, more merciful and honest. And what do we call these improved qualities? We call them change. And I believe this is the type of change we desire.
James 1, 12-18; Psalm 94; Mark 8, 14-21
Do you want to change but find it difficult to do so? How many of us make a list of resolutions weekly, annually, or when we feel that our lives are going down the drain?
One way to check progress is through tests. We know this in school. The measure we employ to determine how much a student has absorbed in class is through examinations like quizzes, reflection papers, a thesis or an oral evaluation at the end of course. The grade of the course is an indication of a change, or a mark of development.
Going through exams is hardly enjoyable. It is grueling: the hours spent poring over books and taking down notes; the patience in research; and the stress in memorizing minute details.
On the other hand, it is not just the student who is tried. The teacher has to be very patient with their students. Like Jesus in the Gospel, He is disappointed at His disciples for not understanding His teaching. In addition, the most taxing type of exams are the ones easiest to check but difficult to formulate like a modified true-or-false exam or a find-the-best-answer multiple choice. The teacher, like God, is also tested. We know that God is patient from our experience. Our age is directly proportionate to the times we have been unfaithful to Him, and the time He has remained steadfast to us.
In faith life, James mentions that temptations are tests to make us change for the better. They are not meant to seduce us to sin: “No one experiencing temptation should say, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God is not subject to temptation to evil, and He Himself tempts no one” (James 1, 13).
And where do these temptations come from? James said it originates from our desires. Our desires have the tendency to bring us away from God. For example, our desire to be loved can bring us to possession and to jealousy. However, if we do not have those desires, then our hearts will always focus on God. But we do have desires. And like exams, we also give ourselves space for mistakes. It is how we learn: we forgive ourselves too.
James added that anyone who are able to persevere through these tests, and proven themselves will receive the crown of glory from the Lord. Thus we learn when we are tested. If we commit mistakes, we still learn: at least we know that what we chose was not the correct answer. This is one way in which God instructs us. Some of us learn fast, and some don’t. Not because we’re slow, but because we’re hard-headed.
When we overcome temptations, we become better. When we were novices, we were taught a principle: agere contra (do the opposite). So when tempted not to share a piece of chocolate, do the opposite: share it. When our desires tell us to exact revenge on someone who hurt us, do the opposite: think of their welfare and give feedback. When tempted to lie to protect one’s self and one’s name, agere contra: tell the truth and bear the consequences bravely.
When we develop the habit of agere contra in the midst of temptation or the occasion on which these temptations occur, we find ourselves better: more altruistic, more concerned about others, more merciful and honest. And what do we call these improved qualities? We call them change. And I believe this is the type of change we desire.
How to Start a New Life with Joy and with Love
14 February 2010: The 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jeremiah 17, 5-8; Psalm 1; 1 Cor 15, 12-20; Luke 6, 17, 20-26
Let me first wish all of you a happy day of love and joy on Valentines Day and the Chinese New Year! Kung Hei Fat Choi!
Let us make some statements. First, the beatitudes were exclamatory sentences. The beatitudes were written in Greek, but spoken in Aramaic. And in Aramaic, they have a common expression, which is exclamatory. For example, Psalm 1, 1: “O the blessedness of the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly.” There is no verb: no is, no are. Like the exclamations we say to a graduate: Congratulations! So, why is this important? Because it tells us of a time element, the present moment, the present form. Thus, the beatitudes are not about a future happiness, a pious hope of what will be. They are a congratulations of what is present, here and now! Thus, the fulfillment of the beatitudes is in the present time: it is indeed attainable today.
Second, the word blessed is a special word. In Greek, it is makarios, and it is used to describe the gods. Let see how makarios is used. The Greeks calls Cyprus, hē makaria (feminine form of the adjective), meaning, The Happy Isle. The Greeks like Cyprus, because it is so lovely, so rich, so fertile, full of flowers, trees, fruits, and the climate is just wonderful. All of these are materials for perfect happiness! Therefore, makarios describes that joy which has its secret within itself, a joy that is untouchable, serene, and self-contained; independent of all the chances and changes in life. This is Christian joy!
On the other hand, in English, happiness tells us what it is: it has as its root, hap, which means chance. Thus, human happiness is something that is dependent on chances, the changes in life, or on something which life may give or destroy.
Therefore, Christian joy is the joy that cannot be touched by our pains, sorrows, losses, griefs, disappointments, helplessness, or anger. It is the joy that is deeper than the ebbs and tides of life: a change in one’s fortune, a collapse in one’s health, the failure of a plan, the disappointment of an ambition, even the change in weather and of feeling. Sometimes, there is no feeling: we are just settled and sure. In Christian blessedness, there is permanency and peacefulness. This is what many of us seek.
It is no wonder that couples in marriage vow to each other: "Grant us, O Lord, to be one heart and soul, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death." Christian love and joy are the same. It cannot be touched by chance or change. This is the love of Christ for the Church, in which, every couple must emulate and mirror. Christ’s love is faithful and steadfast to us. It is unchangeable and overflowing. It is not withdrawn when we are unfaithful; when we do not pray; when we sin; when we become terrible. Believe it or not, the worse sinner still has Christ’s love.
Thus, each couple, whether mag-asawa o magkasintahan, reminds all of us --- including those who do not have partners, whether by choice or by chance --- that love is still alive. However, it has with it a responsibility. In the marriage rite, the parents, principal sponsors, and their friends promise to the couple: “We express our support and love, vow to counsel them in times of their need and difficulties, remind them of their responsibility of sharing themselves to others, and to mirror to them through our lives, the virtues of responsible marriage.”
I would like to make this bold statement: we cannot prevent our sons and daughters, even how young, from falling in love. But we can help them maintain their relationships, so that they are able to learn. We do not want them to be learning the primary stages of trust when they are already committed. When I was high school campus minister, I found myself giving some counseling sessions when they quarreled or when they were about to break-up. At an early stage, we should help and counsel our young, so that when they finally tie the knot, they will know how to keep the marriage going. We teach them the permanent character of Christian love and joy.
I met this woman in a mass in UP-NISMED (University of the Philippines' National Institution for Science and Mathematics Education Development). She told me, that her husband died and that she disagrees with the vow formula in the marriage rite. She said, “Death has no bearing on my love for my husband. I will continue to love him even after death.”
My wish to all of you today on Valentines and the first day in the Year of the Tiger: a good start and a beautiful heart.
My wish to all of you today on Valentines and the first day in the Year of the Tiger: a good start and a beautiful heart.
Your Priest is Not the Angel of Death: Here's How To Heal
12 February 2010 Friday of the 5th Week in Ordinary Time
1 Kings 11, 29 - 12, 19; Psalm 81; Mark 7, 31-37
The stories of yesterday’s Syro-Phoenician woman and the deaf-mute of today’s Gospel are fascinating tales of healing. Aside from Jesus, the protagonists are “outsiders” who come from a non-Jewish part of Palestine (v. 31). As a Jew, Jesus is forbidden to be in contact with them. In these episodes, non-Jewish men and women are healed, and they too spread the news about Jesus. We can say that these outsiders also become evangelizers.
In today's world, there are two healing ministers: the doctor and the priest. But the priest is often at the losing end: there are more cases of death after a priest visits. The thing is: you too can heal. Here is a pattern in the way Jesus cures. And we can use this process too.
First, talk to the person privately. Jesus has taken the deaf-mute away from the crowds.
Illnesses are personal matters; we are embarrassed to tell people what we are suffering from. We feel we become “outsiders” when we are limited and less useful to society. Our physical inadequacies affect our self-esteem. For practical reasons, those who get sick are requested to withdraw from the crowd. Hospitalization is a form of isolation.
Doctors begin by consulting patients in their individual offices for diagnosis. Patients need space to honestly answer questions. Some of these answers are mortifying to reveal in public.
In the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, the priest requests all those present to leave the patient for some time if the sick wants to confess. After confession, everyone returns for prayer.
Second, employ touch and prayer. Jesus has touched the deaf-mute to heal him. There are many ways to use a healing touch. We can pat them on the back or we can visit them. Care for the sick is one of our corporal works of mercy. Our mere presence can uplift their spirits.
Touch assures us that there are people who will accompany us in our affliction. In anointing the sick, the priest lays his hands on the head of the sick person and then anoints with oil the forehead, hands and other areas of pain and injury while the community around the sick prays. These gestures guarantee the sick of God’s constant care and consolation.
Modern medicine does not discount the importance of the human touch. Parents are encouraged to massage their babies. Scientific studies show that babies who feel the warmth of their parents become physically and emotionally healthy. Even for adults, we feel well after being given a hug from a loved one or from a group of friends.
Third, use medicine. Jesus has used spittle to heal. In the olden days, they believed that saliva possessed some antiseptic property. This is not totally alien to us in the Philippines: we chew young guava leaves and then apply them to bruises and scratches. To the modern mind, the use of spittle will make many wince.
However, this episode of healing gives us a glimpse of the mind of Jesus. He knows He doesn’t need spittle to heal. However, He does not want to disturb the beliefs of people so He used it.
Often the medicine that we trust the most are the ones that heal us, even if other alternatives like generic drugs possess the same ingredient.
Nevertheless, the message is clear: use available medicines.
To recap: talk to the person privately to diagnose, touch and pray over them, and finally, help the person take faithfully what is prescribed to them.
1 Kings 11, 29 - 12, 19; Psalm 81; Mark 7, 31-37
The stories of yesterday’s Syro-Phoenician woman and the deaf-mute of today’s Gospel are fascinating tales of healing. Aside from Jesus, the protagonists are “outsiders” who come from a non-Jewish part of Palestine (v. 31). As a Jew, Jesus is forbidden to be in contact with them. In these episodes, non-Jewish men and women are healed, and they too spread the news about Jesus. We can say that these outsiders also become evangelizers.
In today's world, there are two healing ministers: the doctor and the priest. But the priest is often at the losing end: there are more cases of death after a priest visits. The thing is: you too can heal. Here is a pattern in the way Jesus cures. And we can use this process too.
First, talk to the person privately. Jesus has taken the deaf-mute away from the crowds.
Illnesses are personal matters; we are embarrassed to tell people what we are suffering from. We feel we become “outsiders” when we are limited and less useful to society. Our physical inadequacies affect our self-esteem. For practical reasons, those who get sick are requested to withdraw from the crowd. Hospitalization is a form of isolation.
Doctors begin by consulting patients in their individual offices for diagnosis. Patients need space to honestly answer questions. Some of these answers are mortifying to reveal in public.
In the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, the priest requests all those present to leave the patient for some time if the sick wants to confess. After confession, everyone returns for prayer.
Second, employ touch and prayer. Jesus has touched the deaf-mute to heal him. There are many ways to use a healing touch. We can pat them on the back or we can visit them. Care for the sick is one of our corporal works of mercy. Our mere presence can uplift their spirits.
Touch assures us that there are people who will accompany us in our affliction. In anointing the sick, the priest lays his hands on the head of the sick person and then anoints with oil the forehead, hands and other areas of pain and injury while the community around the sick prays. These gestures guarantee the sick of God’s constant care and consolation.
Modern medicine does not discount the importance of the human touch. Parents are encouraged to massage their babies. Scientific studies show that babies who feel the warmth of their parents become physically and emotionally healthy. Even for adults, we feel well after being given a hug from a loved one or from a group of friends.
Third, use medicine. Jesus has used spittle to heal. In the olden days, they believed that saliva possessed some antiseptic property. This is not totally alien to us in the Philippines: we chew young guava leaves and then apply them to bruises and scratches. To the modern mind, the use of spittle will make many wince.
However, this episode of healing gives us a glimpse of the mind of Jesus. He knows He doesn’t need spittle to heal. However, He does not want to disturb the beliefs of people so He used it.
Often the medicine that we trust the most are the ones that heal us, even if other alternatives like generic drugs possess the same ingredient.
Nevertheless, the message is clear: use available medicines.
To recap: talk to the person privately to diagnose, touch and pray over them, and finally, help the person take faithfully what is prescribed to them.
So, don't call a priest when it's too late. There is reason why Jesus used touch first before the spittle. No wonder, we know many people who think that God's assigned angel of death in your area is the priest you know.
Need to Withdraw
11 February 2010. Thursday of the 5th Week in Ordinary Time
1 Kings 11, 4-13; Psalm 106; Mark 7, 24-30
I posted this note on the wall. I wanted some space away from the maddening crowd. The entire area had been a place where musicians, students and friends stayed and created music. But once in a while I needed a break. This was the reason why I resonated with Jesus.
Mark said that when Jesus went to Tyre, He went to a house and wanted no one to notice. He wanted some space. His life had been crowded by people who were in need. And yet, in the Gospel, He was not able to escape notice. The Syro-Phoenician woman insisted to have her daughter healed. And because Jesus was impressed by her persistence, she got what she wanted.
Today, we focus on the need to be alone. We have different labels to this need. Spirituality calls this, solitude. Modern jargon calls it, our me-time. It is the moment when we literally withdraw from conversation, from others, from the barrage of media, from noise, and yes, even from music and newspapers that distract us. It is the time when we remove our “scaffolding” as Henri Nouwen describes it: when we leave behind what props us up, the things that make us feel useful and important. In solitude, we don’t bring anything. It is just you and God.
Our world tells us that we are important when we do something. Or, we feel valuable when we are of use. So we are constantly on the go. We are on a rat-race. But after some time, we become tired. So we need to slow down and stop and review our lives.
For a brief period, I used to be with the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). I used to see referees reviewing recent basketball events. Some of these events were painful to them. They saw their mistakes recorded on videos and there was no way to deny them. But there were also moments of redemption when they were spared from more mistakes because they learned from the past reviews.
This I believe is what we do when we take our time alone. We look at the events that transpire in our lives and see how God has been with us, or what God is saying to us.
These moments of solitude can be done regularly, like small pauses during the day. Or you can have it at longer periods like a one-day recollection, a weekend retreat, or to some an 8-day respite from everything. Whatever the duration, we have to acknowledge that we need solitude. That is why, the word solitude is the most appropriate: there is no “me-time” because it is always a date with God. Nothing can separate us from God, as St. Paul says.
What can solitude do? When our “Syro-Phoenician woman” insist that we all return to the rat race, we will be able to work out a miracle.
Knowledge and Wisdom
10 February 2010 Memorial of St. Scholastica
1 Kings 10, 1-10; Psalm 37; Mark 7, 14-23
Today we learn three things.
1. The difference between knowledge and wisdom.
2. The reason why we can eat anything. We don’t have food restrictions such as pork or blood.
3. How to know when we’re proud and when we’re humble.
There is a great difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge consists of facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education. It is also the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject. In Philosophy, knowledge is certified understanding or belief as oppose to an opinion.
Wisdom on the other hand, is the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment. It is more than just a collection of facts and figures; more than just knowledge. Wisdom carries with it what people learn through the ages; the lessons they accumulated from a series of experiences that has been tried and tested from generation to generation. And thus, wisdom is a body of knowledge and principles that develops within a specified society or a period in history. Therefore, a person with knowledge will decide according to what he or she reads from a book, learns from the classroom; but the wise will have a sound action or decision based on the application of such experiences, knowledge and good judgement.
Wisdom is what King Solomon possesses. Perhaps, he has learned from the experiences of many people in his generation, and the people who has gone before him. He listened to the old and the wise. The Israelites have a very colorful history and they have observed certain patterns in their lives. For example, when they follow God’s law, their lives are in order; but when they don’t, they experience chaos. The Queen of Sheba therefore finds Solomon’s renown wisdom irresistible that she traveled from afar just to hear him and ask him questions. And they exchanged an abundance of wealth and gifts.
In the end, she says, “Blessed are your men, blessed these servants of yours, who stand before you always and listen to your wisdom. Blessed be the LORD, your God, whom it has pleased to place you on the throne of Israel. In his enduring love for Israel, the LORD has made you king to carry out judgment and justice.” (1 Kings 10, 8-9) Thus, she recognizes that it is the Lord who gave Solomon his throne and his wisdom.
The Gospel also gives us contrasting examples of those who possess knowledge versus those who are wise. For the Pharisees, what defiles us comes from external sources: unclean food and utensils, the touch of a person with disease, a person who is not a Jew or an enemy like the Samaritans. But Jesus who is wise teaches us that what defiles is not what goes to our mouth, but what comes from our hearts such as our evil thoughts, our impure motivations, greed, malice, unfaithfulness, arrogance, envy, etc. And in contrast to the Pharisees whose beliefs come from a long line of accumulated writing, Jesus debunks all of them because He is the source of wisdom. Jesus then declares a new teaching: all foods are clean.
But what is the point in today’s readings? The Queen sees that whatever Solomon has comes from his fidelity to the Lord who is the source of all his wisdom. And the Gospel points to Jesus as the source of wisdom.
Here we get to see the difference between those who are proud and those who are humble. Proud persons think that their abilities come from themselves. They believe that we should admire them for their superiority. This is arrogance.
Humble people think like Solomon: their abilities are bestowed by God and whatever they have should reflect God. The wise person is thus humble: from their experience, whatever they have can be taken away anytime.
The test is this: when people encounter us, what do they discover? Do we lead them to the very source of our greatness? Or do we want them to admire us and us alone?
1 Kings 10, 1-10; Psalm 37; Mark 7, 14-23
Today we learn three things.
1. The difference between knowledge and wisdom.
2. The reason why we can eat anything. We don’t have food restrictions such as pork or blood.
3. How to know when we’re proud and when we’re humble.
There is a great difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge consists of facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education. It is also the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject. In Philosophy, knowledge is certified understanding or belief as oppose to an opinion.
Wisdom on the other hand, is the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment. It is more than just a collection of facts and figures; more than just knowledge. Wisdom carries with it what people learn through the ages; the lessons they accumulated from a series of experiences that has been tried and tested from generation to generation. And thus, wisdom is a body of knowledge and principles that develops within a specified society or a period in history. Therefore, a person with knowledge will decide according to what he or she reads from a book, learns from the classroom; but the wise will have a sound action or decision based on the application of such experiences, knowledge and good judgement.
Wisdom is what King Solomon possesses. Perhaps, he has learned from the experiences of many people in his generation, and the people who has gone before him. He listened to the old and the wise. The Israelites have a very colorful history and they have observed certain patterns in their lives. For example, when they follow God’s law, their lives are in order; but when they don’t, they experience chaos. The Queen of Sheba therefore finds Solomon’s renown wisdom irresistible that she traveled from afar just to hear him and ask him questions. And they exchanged an abundance of wealth and gifts.
In the end, she says, “Blessed are your men, blessed these servants of yours, who stand before you always and listen to your wisdom. Blessed be the LORD, your God, whom it has pleased to place you on the throne of Israel. In his enduring love for Israel, the LORD has made you king to carry out judgment and justice.” (1 Kings 10, 8-9) Thus, she recognizes that it is the Lord who gave Solomon his throne and his wisdom.
The Gospel also gives us contrasting examples of those who possess knowledge versus those who are wise. For the Pharisees, what defiles us comes from external sources: unclean food and utensils, the touch of a person with disease, a person who is not a Jew or an enemy like the Samaritans. But Jesus who is wise teaches us that what defiles is not what goes to our mouth, but what comes from our hearts such as our evil thoughts, our impure motivations, greed, malice, unfaithfulness, arrogance, envy, etc. And in contrast to the Pharisees whose beliefs come from a long line of accumulated writing, Jesus debunks all of them because He is the source of wisdom. Jesus then declares a new teaching: all foods are clean.
But what is the point in today’s readings? The Queen sees that whatever Solomon has comes from his fidelity to the Lord who is the source of all his wisdom. And the Gospel points to Jesus as the source of wisdom.
Here we get to see the difference between those who are proud and those who are humble. Proud persons think that their abilities come from themselves. They believe that we should admire them for their superiority. This is arrogance.
Humble people think like Solomon: their abilities are bestowed by God and whatever they have should reflect God. The wise person is thus humble: from their experience, whatever they have can be taken away anytime.
The test is this: when people encounter us, what do they discover? Do we lead them to the very source of our greatness? Or do we want them to admire us and us alone?
Why Do We Have to Go to Church on a Sunday?
9 February 2010 Tuesday of the 5th Week in Ordinary Time
1 Kings 8, 22-30; Psalm 84; Mark 7, 1-13
The first reading is called, Solomon’s Prayer. He prayed it to the Lord during the dedication of the Temple of Jerusalem. The prayer has a format:
First, adoration: The Lord is extolled as the one and only God in heaven and all the earth.
Second, thanksgiving: The Lord is thanked for the blessings already bestowed and for the future divine providence.
Third, petition: The Lord is asked to effect the remainder of the promise of continuity. Solomon requests the Lord that his sons will continue his dynasty.
The prayer has a political and theological effect. There were people who were against the building of the temple, because the presence of God is everywhere. Not one dwelling can contain the greatness of God.
On the other hand, there were people who wanted a singular place of worship. A physical space that is sacred and dedicated to God. It is a place where God is honored.
When people say, “you don’t have to go to church [the building] to pray; God is everywhere,” they’re correct. It is true that the majesty of God cannot be contained in a human-made building no matter how grand and how majestic. In Christian prayer, we are encouraged to reach this level of mysticism: that we are able to see God in all things.
However, we also need a building; a place dedicated to God. Not that God needs it. But we, people, need it. We are limited and finite, and a place to worship, gather and honor God greatly helps in the formation of our faith and our community. Remember, our faith is formed by the community also. It is nurtured and enriched by people. And when people come together in a specific place where God is worshipped, God is greatly honored. In the first reading, it is clear that God wanted people to worship Him there, in a particular area in the whole kingdom of Israel.
And that is why we do can pray everywhere; but we come on Sundays to gather as a community. And why do we make an effort to have it on a Sunday? Because people are free on Sunday as well as it is also the day of the Resurrection. The Sabbath was Saturday; but we believe that the day Jesus rose from the dead a new creation has been made. Therefore, the new “sabbath” became a Sunday.
But more importantly, Sunday becomes a day of obligation, because it is the time when the community can pray together. Think: Every Sunday, fellow Catholics (or many Christian communities), worship together all over the world. Regularly celebrating an important value such as faith forms a community. Just as a family is formed by the presence of each member in a get-together like a family dinner, a birthday, an anniversary; so is a community. By marking days for these celebrations, the ties that bind each person are strengthened.
And how do we celebrate? Take for example birthdays. We first acknowledge who the person is to us. Then, we thank them for the things they’ve done to our lives. And finally, we tell them that we will remain friends.
Nonetheless, we do can make the birthday celebrant important every day, not just during that particular day. However it is nice to have one special day, in a place that is meaningful and beautiful as the occasion. It’s just that: it is nice to have one.
So it is the same with prayer and worship. We adore God; we thank Him; and we ask for what we need.
1 Kings 8, 22-30; Psalm 84; Mark 7, 1-13
The first reading is called, Solomon’s Prayer. He prayed it to the Lord during the dedication of the Temple of Jerusalem. The prayer has a format:
First, adoration: The Lord is extolled as the one and only God in heaven and all the earth.
Second, thanksgiving: The Lord is thanked for the blessings already bestowed and for the future divine providence.
Third, petition: The Lord is asked to effect the remainder of the promise of continuity. Solomon requests the Lord that his sons will continue his dynasty.
The prayer has a political and theological effect. There were people who were against the building of the temple, because the presence of God is everywhere. Not one dwelling can contain the greatness of God.
On the other hand, there were people who wanted a singular place of worship. A physical space that is sacred and dedicated to God. It is a place where God is honored.
When people say, “you don’t have to go to church [the building] to pray; God is everywhere,” they’re correct. It is true that the majesty of God cannot be contained in a human-made building no matter how grand and how majestic. In Christian prayer, we are encouraged to reach this level of mysticism: that we are able to see God in all things.
However, we also need a building; a place dedicated to God. Not that God needs it. But we, people, need it. We are limited and finite, and a place to worship, gather and honor God greatly helps in the formation of our faith and our community. Remember, our faith is formed by the community also. It is nurtured and enriched by people. And when people come together in a specific place where God is worshipped, God is greatly honored. In the first reading, it is clear that God wanted people to worship Him there, in a particular area in the whole kingdom of Israel.
And that is why we do can pray everywhere; but we come on Sundays to gather as a community. And why do we make an effort to have it on a Sunday? Because people are free on Sunday as well as it is also the day of the Resurrection. The Sabbath was Saturday; but we believe that the day Jesus rose from the dead a new creation has been made. Therefore, the new “sabbath” became a Sunday.
But more importantly, Sunday becomes a day of obligation, because it is the time when the community can pray together. Think: Every Sunday, fellow Catholics (or many Christian communities), worship together all over the world. Regularly celebrating an important value such as faith forms a community. Just as a family is formed by the presence of each member in a get-together like a family dinner, a birthday, an anniversary; so is a community. By marking days for these celebrations, the ties that bind each person are strengthened.
And how do we celebrate? Take for example birthdays. We first acknowledge who the person is to us. Then, we thank them for the things they’ve done to our lives. And finally, we tell them that we will remain friends.
Nonetheless, we do can make the birthday celebrant important every day, not just during that particular day. However it is nice to have one special day, in a place that is meaningful and beautiful as the occasion. It’s just that: it is nice to have one.
So it is the same with prayer and worship. We adore God; we thank Him; and we ask for what we need.
Focus on God
8 February 2010 Monday of the 5th Week in Ordinary Time
1 Kings 8, 1-13; Psalm 132; Mark 6, 53-56
The readings today, when meditated well, focus us on God alone.
The first reading is about a promised fulfilled. In 2 Sam 7, Yahweh promises David that his son will sit on the throne and would build a temple for the Lord. In this passage from the first book of Kings, we see the entire community of Israel, together with King Solomon, sacrificing a great number of sheep and oxen to the Lord, while watching a procession with the Ark of the Covenant. They will now bring the ark to the Holy of Holies, its final resting place in the Temple of Jerusalem. The ark contains the two stone tablets, which symbolize the covenant of Yahweh and Israel. By building the Temple, the king connects with Yahweh, showing his fidelity to Him. Because of this, the cloud that hovers in the Temple symbolizes the approval of the Lord.
The whole event focus on the one real King, the Lord Almighty. Even King Solomon bows down to him. The Lord is the one who fulfills His promises. We can therefore latch our full trust on Him.
The short Gospel also illustrates this truth. The market is a place of confusion. But the confusion acquires a focus when everyone hears about Jesus. They bring to Him all those who are sick and afflicted with disease. We see the scene: order is created when everyone’s attention turns to only one person.
Thus, those who wish to be intimate disciples of Jesus are asked to focus their faith on the only One whose touch can heal them of their brokenness and lack of meaning in their lives.
So gaze on God and God alone. We do hope that even our leaders will do the same.
1 Kings 8, 1-13; Psalm 132; Mark 6, 53-56
The readings today, when meditated well, focus us on God alone.
The first reading is about a promised fulfilled. In 2 Sam 7, Yahweh promises David that his son will sit on the throne and would build a temple for the Lord. In this passage from the first book of Kings, we see the entire community of Israel, together with King Solomon, sacrificing a great number of sheep and oxen to the Lord, while watching a procession with the Ark of the Covenant. They will now bring the ark to the Holy of Holies, its final resting place in the Temple of Jerusalem. The ark contains the two stone tablets, which symbolize the covenant of Yahweh and Israel. By building the Temple, the king connects with Yahweh, showing his fidelity to Him. Because of this, the cloud that hovers in the Temple symbolizes the approval of the Lord.
The whole event focus on the one real King, the Lord Almighty. Even King Solomon bows down to him. The Lord is the one who fulfills His promises. We can therefore latch our full trust on Him.
The short Gospel also illustrates this truth. The market is a place of confusion. But the confusion acquires a focus when everyone hears about Jesus. They bring to Him all those who are sick and afflicted with disease. We see the scene: order is created when everyone’s attention turns to only one person.
Thus, those who wish to be intimate disciples of Jesus are asked to focus their faith on the only One whose touch can heal them of their brokenness and lack of meaning in their lives.
So gaze on God and God alone. We do hope that even our leaders will do the same.
If the Preacher Makes You Sleep
7 February 2010 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Isaiah 6, 1-8; Psalm 138; 1 Cor 15, 1-11; Luke 5, 1-11
Note below is important.
A bus driver and a bishop were standing in line to get into heaven. The bus driver approached the gate, and St. Peter said, “Welcome, I understand you were a bus driver. Since I am in charge of housing, I believe I have found the perfect place for you. See that mansion over the hilltop? It’s yours.”
The bishop heard all this, and began to stand a little taller. He thought to himself, “If a bus driver got a place like that, just think what I’ll get.” The bishop approached the gate, and St. Peter said, “Welcome, I understand you were a bishop. See that shack over there in the valley?” St. Peter had hardly gotten the words out of his mouth when the irate bishop said, “I was a priest, then became bishop. I preached the Gospel, I helped teach people about God. Why does that bus driver get a mansion, and I get a shack?”
Sadly, St. Peter responded, “Well, it seems when you preached, people slept. When the bus driver drove, people prayed.”
I guess the point of the joke is clear: we are all called to holiness. People often believe that the priest or the religious are the ones closer to God. But the truth is: our holiness is determined by how we follow Jesus. In fact, I have met many lay people, like bus drivers, who bring people to God than preachers who torture their flock by having them listen to very long homilies without a clear point or direction. Fr. Joseph Galdon SJ used to say: “You can’t save souls after ten minutes!” [If you’re exciting, then 15 minutes max!] To prepare homilies is a great work of charity. To say it clearly and briefly can prevent people from bad thoughts!
Holiness is to be like Jesus. The Gospel tells us that Jesus used a boat on the shore to preach, and people listened to him. Intently. Eagerly. Hanging on to each word that comes from His mouth. It is the attractiveness of His words, the content of His speech, the relevance of His teaching that first caught the attention of His first disciples. It is to me, the first seduction.
And then Jesus proves that His words are not empty. He asks Simon Peter to throw his net into the deep. After expressing his reservation to do what he did the whole night, Simon obeys. And he catches a large number of fish. Then Jesus suggests that he too would be able catch a large number of people.
However, like Isaiah in the first reading, St. Paul in the second reading, and all of us “bus drivers”, Simon Peter think that he is unworthy. St. Paul acknowledges, “But by the grace of God, I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective.” By God’s grace, we have been given the ability to preach the Word of God. Through the Holy Spirit, we are made worthy by Jesus’ words. We just have to cooperate in the grace: Simon Peter still have to throw the nets!
Our efforts are important. How we are to preach the Gospel depends on us and our sensitivity to the recipients. It’s called the pastoral judgment; it’s called empathy. “If there is any one secret of success,” said Henry Ford, “it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from his angle as well as your own.” For example, if a friend just experienced the death of a loved one, a quote from the bible is not appropriate at that particular moment. But an embrace is. Would you have someone preach to you while your heart is breaking, or would you rather have someone sit quietly beside you with an arm over your shoulders? I prefer the latter.
The same thing with a large number of people: we get to know them and their needs, before we become effective teachers. And that includes the fact that in this day and age, the attention span is short. And the good thing is that scientists have proven that we are wired to be connected. Our mirror neurons (also called, Gandhi’s neurons) function like WiFi to connect to people.
So here is a step-by-step method from Fr. Joseph Galdon SJ. Think TS-DEV-TST. This will do well for your speech, talk, report, seminar, etc. Expand the formula for a paper or a thesis: TS (Thesis Statement) - DEV (Body) - TST (Conclusion).
1. TS (Topic Sentence). Tell the people what you want to say clearly. In one simple sentence. Just one point. You have the whole of your lifetime to explain everything.
The bishop heard all this, and began to stand a little taller. He thought to himself, “If a bus driver got a place like that, just think what I’ll get.” The bishop approached the gate, and St. Peter said, “Welcome, I understand you were a bishop. See that shack over there in the valley?” St. Peter had hardly gotten the words out of his mouth when the irate bishop said, “I was a priest, then became bishop. I preached the Gospel, I helped teach people about God. Why does that bus driver get a mansion, and I get a shack?”
Sadly, St. Peter responded, “Well, it seems when you preached, people slept. When the bus driver drove, people prayed.”
I guess the point of the joke is clear: we are all called to holiness. People often believe that the priest or the religious are the ones closer to God. But the truth is: our holiness is determined by how we follow Jesus. In fact, I have met many lay people, like bus drivers, who bring people to God than preachers who torture their flock by having them listen to very long homilies without a clear point or direction. Fr. Joseph Galdon SJ used to say: “You can’t save souls after ten minutes!” [If you’re exciting, then 15 minutes max!] To prepare homilies is a great work of charity. To say it clearly and briefly can prevent people from bad thoughts!
Holiness is to be like Jesus. The Gospel tells us that Jesus used a boat on the shore to preach, and people listened to him. Intently. Eagerly. Hanging on to each word that comes from His mouth. It is the attractiveness of His words, the content of His speech, the relevance of His teaching that first caught the attention of His first disciples. It is to me, the first seduction.
And then Jesus proves that His words are not empty. He asks Simon Peter to throw his net into the deep. After expressing his reservation to do what he did the whole night, Simon obeys. And he catches a large number of fish. Then Jesus suggests that he too would be able catch a large number of people.
However, like Isaiah in the first reading, St. Paul in the second reading, and all of us “bus drivers”, Simon Peter think that he is unworthy. St. Paul acknowledges, “But by the grace of God, I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective.” By God’s grace, we have been given the ability to preach the Word of God. Through the Holy Spirit, we are made worthy by Jesus’ words. We just have to cooperate in the grace: Simon Peter still have to throw the nets!
Our efforts are important. How we are to preach the Gospel depends on us and our sensitivity to the recipients. It’s called the pastoral judgment; it’s called empathy. “If there is any one secret of success,” said Henry Ford, “it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from his angle as well as your own.” For example, if a friend just experienced the death of a loved one, a quote from the bible is not appropriate at that particular moment. But an embrace is. Would you have someone preach to you while your heart is breaking, or would you rather have someone sit quietly beside you with an arm over your shoulders? I prefer the latter.
The same thing with a large number of people: we get to know them and their needs, before we become effective teachers. And that includes the fact that in this day and age, the attention span is short. And the good thing is that scientists have proven that we are wired to be connected. Our mirror neurons (also called, Gandhi’s neurons) function like WiFi to connect to people.
So here is a step-by-step method from Fr. Joseph Galdon SJ. Think TS-DEV-TST. This will do well for your speech, talk, report, seminar, etc. Expand the formula for a paper or a thesis: TS (Thesis Statement) - DEV (Body) - TST (Conclusion).
1. TS (Topic Sentence). Tell the people what you want to say clearly. In one simple sentence. Just one point. You have the whole of your lifetime to explain everything.
2. DEV (Development). Develop that one point with illustrations, examples, anecdotes, a list, etc. You can have three small subpoints. Don’t swamp them with stacks of stories!
3. TST (Topic Sentence with a Twist). Tell it to them again. Add a little twist like a nice ending or a question for them to answer. That’s the glue so your point will not fall off their brains.
Then exit the podium or the pulpit right away! If you need a boat like Jesus to make things more dramatic, then do so. But don’t let the audience focus on the boat because you babble like a noisy gong without love (1 Cor 13: 1).
Or else, you’ll get a shack than a mansion.
Note: You can give this to your priest if they make you snore. And I'm dead serious.
Exposed Breasts on a Platter
5 February 2010 Memorial of St. Agatha
Sirach 47, 2-11; Psalm 18; Mark 6, 14-29
St. Agatha, the saint of the day, is familiar to many of us who listen to the words of the priest at mass. In the first form of the Eucharistic Prayer, she’s always mentioned together with six other women martyrs (Felicity, Perpetua, Lucy, Agnes, Cecilia and Anastasia). She was born in Catania, Sicily and was martyred around the year 251.
There are many strange things about the cult of the saints. I remember a statue of Agatha in one of our religious processions: she was holding a platter with her breasts on it. Yes: exposed breasts! Sta. Monica, the mother of St. Augustine, also had her breasts exposed with a baby (St. Augustine) suckling one of them. She’s the patron of mothers.
The scientific modern mind like myself (and probably you) will wince at the thought of all these. So, I might as well put everything on the table; and let you wince some more! In the olden days, she was the patron of bell-founders (because of the bell shape of the mammary glands!); and bakers (the prude unartistic people changed what was on her platter into bread loaves!). An eruption of Mt. Etna was attributed to her intercession, so she became the patron of fire. She’s also the patron of other careers as well like miners, Alpine guides and nurses (I don’t know why). However, the age of art restoration brought the glands back on the platter, and (yehey!) rightly so: Today, she is the patron of breast cancer patients.
At the root of all these is a sense of wonder and a tragic love story. She was a rich, beautiful and noble girl during the time of the Roman persecution. A young Roman prefect named, Quintianus, fell madly in love with her. Having vowed herself to Christ and Christ alone, Agatha declined his offer of marriage. She was then arrested and suffered severely many tortures which included the slicing of her breasts. Thus, in art, the breast on the platter, was a symbol of the extent of her love for Christ. This is the same way artists depict graphically the head of John the Baptist on the platter (the Gospel today) and yes, how they paint the gruesomeness of the cross. Today, we are filled with awe and wonder for the depth of her faith.
These are her words: “My courage and my thought be so firmly founded upon the firm stone of Jesus Christ, that for no pain it may not be changed; your words be but wind, your promises be but rain, and your menaces be as rivers that pass, and how well that all these things hurtle at the foundation of my courage, yet for that it shall not move.”
Are you willing to undergo such torture for Christ? Imagine graphically what you will undergo. Now we get the point of all the strangeness! Every attribute as that of fire, or bells, or bakers, or miners has a story. And I can guess that many breast cancer patients also have their stories to tell.
In addition, it is said that St. Peter cured the wounds on her breast. We can only wish and pray that just as St. Agatha’s wounds were cured, those who are sick will also find healing.
There is also this thing about this faith I love: a young martyr in the first century now speaks to the women of the 21st century!
*rightmost picture of St. Agatha in full body by Francisco de Zurbaran.
Why We Need Unceasing Desires
2 February 2010. Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord
Mal 3, 1-4; Psalm 24; Heb 2, 14-18; Luke 2, 22-40
Mary and Joseph were devout Jews, fulfilling the prescriptions of presenting or offering the first-born to the Lord, because the first-born sons ‘belong’ to the Lord. Remember, the Lord saved and spared the first borns of the Israelites, when the first-borns of the Egyptians died at the Passover (Exodus 13, 15). There is another: the ritual purification of the mother forty days after giving birth (Lev 12, 1-8) where she was to offer a lamb and a pigeon or turtledoves. But since Mary and Joseph were poor, they were allowed to offer two pigeons instead. Biblical commentators said that Luke confused these two rituals and placed them into one story.
In the longer form of the Gospel, we encounter two individuals: Simeon and Anna. So for our reflection today, we take our cue from them who have been open to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to recognize Jesus. You see, how can Anna and Simeon recognize Jesus as the Anointed One of Israel among all other babies being presented in the temple? What prepared their hearts to recognize Jesus? I have two points.
First, desire. Their desire was clear: they wanted to see God’s salvation. Simeon and Anna were old. They waited in the Temple for this day. There were humble and faithful Israelites waiting in the temple for the revelation of God’s salvation. They were just, pious and devout. And after years and years of waiting, their desires had been purified. I would not be surprised if they had doubted whether they would be able to see the fulfillment of God’s promise in their lifetime. But the never lost hope. And as Simeon said, he may die in peace after seeing Jesus.
In our lives, we sometimes find ourselves directionless because our desires are unclear. Desires provide the inspiration, meaning and direction in our lives. We can see that in many of our reality talent searches: they know what they want, and so they prepared themselves for that very day --- even if they were not sure if that day would come, like the contestants of American Idol or Pinoy Dream Academy.
Second, unceasing prayer. Simeon and Anna have been praying in the temple faithfully. In their prayers, their hearts have been attuned to the heart of God, that they acquire a certain way of seeing. With the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, their eyes have been opened to recognize Jesus, among all other first-borns in the temple that day.
Constancy forms our hearts: the way lovers who have spent years together recognize each other through a whiff of perfume, the peculiar sound of their voice, even what they need --- without their beloved articulating them. They said, with one look, they know if something is troubling them. So constant prayer makes our hearts receptive to God.
We can find God in everything. We need new eyes and hearts. We can attune our senses to find God in the world today if our desire is clear and our hearts have been attuned to God through unceasing prayer.
Mal 3, 1-4; Psalm 24; Heb 2, 14-18; Luke 2, 22-40
Mary and Joseph were devout Jews, fulfilling the prescriptions of presenting or offering the first-born to the Lord, because the first-born sons ‘belong’ to the Lord. Remember, the Lord saved and spared the first borns of the Israelites, when the first-borns of the Egyptians died at the Passover (Exodus 13, 15). There is another: the ritual purification of the mother forty days after giving birth (Lev 12, 1-8) where she was to offer a lamb and a pigeon or turtledoves. But since Mary and Joseph were poor, they were allowed to offer two pigeons instead. Biblical commentators said that Luke confused these two rituals and placed them into one story.
In the longer form of the Gospel, we encounter two individuals: Simeon and Anna. So for our reflection today, we take our cue from them who have been open to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to recognize Jesus. You see, how can Anna and Simeon recognize Jesus as the Anointed One of Israel among all other babies being presented in the temple? What prepared their hearts to recognize Jesus? I have two points.
First, desire. Their desire was clear: they wanted to see God’s salvation. Simeon and Anna were old. They waited in the Temple for this day. There were humble and faithful Israelites waiting in the temple for the revelation of God’s salvation. They were just, pious and devout. And after years and years of waiting, their desires had been purified. I would not be surprised if they had doubted whether they would be able to see the fulfillment of God’s promise in their lifetime. But the never lost hope. And as Simeon said, he may die in peace after seeing Jesus.
In our lives, we sometimes find ourselves directionless because our desires are unclear. Desires provide the inspiration, meaning and direction in our lives. We can see that in many of our reality talent searches: they know what they want, and so they prepared themselves for that very day --- even if they were not sure if that day would come, like the contestants of American Idol or Pinoy Dream Academy.
Second, unceasing prayer. Simeon and Anna have been praying in the temple faithfully. In their prayers, their hearts have been attuned to the heart of God, that they acquire a certain way of seeing. With the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, their eyes have been opened to recognize Jesus, among all other first-borns in the temple that day.
Constancy forms our hearts: the way lovers who have spent years together recognize each other through a whiff of perfume, the peculiar sound of their voice, even what they need --- without their beloved articulating them. They said, with one look, they know if something is troubling them. So constant prayer makes our hearts receptive to God.
We can find God in everything. We need new eyes and hearts. We can attune our senses to find God in the world today if our desire is clear and our hearts have been attuned to God through unceasing prayer.
How to Make People Listen to Us
31 January 2010. 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jeremiah 1, 4-19; Psalm 70; 1 Cor 13, 4-13; Luke 4, 21-30
It is easy to understand what Jesus means and feels when He says, “No prophet is accepted in his own native place.” Who among us feels that the people closest to us do not listen to what we say? Parents complain that their children do not heed them; and on the other hand, children whine about their parents who do not understand their situation. Friends grumble about not being given the ear when they speak. And yet, when we speak out our opinions or offer an advice among people who are not within our inner circle, we find them attentively hanging on to every word we say.
Especially when what we say is actually true. And the truth hurts.
There are different factors that explain this phenomenon. Let me offer just two.
Foremost is overfamiliarity. We do lose credibility among our families and peers because they know too much about ourselves. They believe that they’ve been to every nook and cranny of our lives that they take us for granted. They know our mischief and our secrets. They know our weaknesses and our sins. They saw us when we were growing up and they were used to treating us like little children, as if we never grew up. And even if we tell the truth, they dismiss it right away. It’s an old habit.
We also believe in the myth that the most credible person to correct us should be perfect and unblemished. A perennial liar cannot convince us that lying is not morally acceptable; a smoker cannot tell us that smoking is dangerous to our health; an alcoholic cannot advise us to control our alcoholic intake.
But the reality is, whatever we are, we have the ability to see what is true and what is right. The liar knows that lying brings harm to a relationship. The smoker experiences the effect of a cigar in his lungs. The alcoholic knows how the chemical controls his life. And thus, the sinner can tell us what is acceptable. All of us can teach others about the truth. To tell people the truth is what prophets do. The thing is, who among us is perfect and unblemished so as to be credible?
How do we make the people closest to us listen to the truth we say? Let me offer just two elements that are also essential to love relationships.
First, we must build good memories. In order for people to listen to us, they must have memories of our kindness. They must be able to remember instances when we fought for the truth, when we did our work well, when we have been more hard-working than hardly working.
This is the same thing in leadership. We vote for the people we have memories of their concern for our welfare. Despite their many failures, we still listen to our parents because we can coax out many instances of them being loving. We listen to our friends whom we’ve experienced genuine friendship.
At least, the good memories overpower whatever faults they have of us. Memories strengthens the loving bond we have.
Second, we must be affectionate. Our affection strengthens every single individual in a relationship because it is how we care.
People listen to us because they can remember our acts of concern. How we visited them when they were sick. How we sent them gifts on their birthdays and anniversaries. How we spent quality time with them on a regular basis. How we listened patiently to their rants and rumblings. How we make ourselves available when they needed us.
By doing this, our loved-ones might lend us their ears when we begin talking to them even if what we have to say is hurting.
Jeremiah 1, 4-19; Psalm 70; 1 Cor 13, 4-13; Luke 4, 21-30
It is easy to understand what Jesus means and feels when He says, “No prophet is accepted in his own native place.” Who among us feels that the people closest to us do not listen to what we say? Parents complain that their children do not heed them; and on the other hand, children whine about their parents who do not understand their situation. Friends grumble about not being given the ear when they speak. And yet, when we speak out our opinions or offer an advice among people who are not within our inner circle, we find them attentively hanging on to every word we say.
Especially when what we say is actually true. And the truth hurts.
There are different factors that explain this phenomenon. Let me offer just two.
Foremost is overfamiliarity. We do lose credibility among our families and peers because they know too much about ourselves. They believe that they’ve been to every nook and cranny of our lives that they take us for granted. They know our mischief and our secrets. They know our weaknesses and our sins. They saw us when we were growing up and they were used to treating us like little children, as if we never grew up. And even if we tell the truth, they dismiss it right away. It’s an old habit.
We also believe in the myth that the most credible person to correct us should be perfect and unblemished. A perennial liar cannot convince us that lying is not morally acceptable; a smoker cannot tell us that smoking is dangerous to our health; an alcoholic cannot advise us to control our alcoholic intake.
But the reality is, whatever we are, we have the ability to see what is true and what is right. The liar knows that lying brings harm to a relationship. The smoker experiences the effect of a cigar in his lungs. The alcoholic knows how the chemical controls his life. And thus, the sinner can tell us what is acceptable. All of us can teach others about the truth. To tell people the truth is what prophets do. The thing is, who among us is perfect and unblemished so as to be credible?
How do we make the people closest to us listen to the truth we say? Let me offer just two elements that are also essential to love relationships.
First, we must build good memories. In order for people to listen to us, they must have memories of our kindness. They must be able to remember instances when we fought for the truth, when we did our work well, when we have been more hard-working than hardly working.
This is the same thing in leadership. We vote for the people we have memories of their concern for our welfare. Despite their many failures, we still listen to our parents because we can coax out many instances of them being loving. We listen to our friends whom we’ve experienced genuine friendship.
At least, the good memories overpower whatever faults they have of us. Memories strengthens the loving bond we have.
Second, we must be affectionate. Our affection strengthens every single individual in a relationship because it is how we care.
People listen to us because they can remember our acts of concern. How we visited them when they were sick. How we sent them gifts on their birthdays and anniversaries. How we spent quality time with them on a regular basis. How we listened patiently to their rants and rumblings. How we make ourselves available when they needed us.
By doing this, our loved-ones might lend us their ears when we begin talking to them even if what we have to say is hurting.
Hey, Don't End it!
29 January 2010. Friday of the 3rd Week in Ordinary Time
2 Sam 11, 1-17; Psalm 51; Mark 4, 26-34
Like the sower in the Gospel who ‘does not know’ how the seeds he planted sprout and grow, or how the land yields fruit, there are many things that make us wonder. The same thing is experienced when we are given another chance. We often hear the tenet that we shouldn’t put a period where God puts only a comma.
There is a tendency to put a period in our lives when bad things happen to us. We end our life story when our heart breaks, when we fail, when we are betrayed, or when we’ve done something really, really bad. We are usually led to think that when we lose something or someone, we lose everything.
Put yourself in the shoes of King David. The God-fearing man becomes a murderer. I will leave the details to your imagination, but I want you to imagine to put the missing pieces in the narrative of the first reading. From the roof of the palace, he sees the beautiful Bathsheba bathing; inquires about her and learns that she’s married to Uriah the armor bearer. Nevertheless, he calls her to court and had sexual relations with her. Upon learning that he impregnated her, David devises plans to cover his sin by inviting Uriah to court parties, gets him drunk, and sends him home to have sex with his wife, so that Uriah will not wonder once the pregnancy shows. But Uriah does not sleep in his house. As the last resort, David has Uriah put into the fiercest part of the battle where he can be surely killed. And Uriah indeed dies. If this happens to us, this can be the end of our life. I will not find it difficult to imagine David also thinking in the same wavelength.
Bad things happen to all of us. Or, we make bad things happen to us. Whether we are good or bad, at one time or another we will break up, break down, go broke, lose a lot. This I am certain and sure. We find ourselves in a relationship where we think we are giving more than what we are receiving. We experience the death of a loved one and we think we ourselves died. Someone dear leaves us, and we think, everyone else left us. We discover scandals in the church, and we think it’s everything about it, and we abandon it. We get hurt, get sick, get lost. It happens. In other words, we put a period, where a comma should be in its place.
The comma helps us set the pace of the text in a sentence. But there are rules in using the comma: just don’t go reckless. Meaning, the sentence is not yet finished. You don’t stop, but you pause; not too much or too long.
So when bad things happen to us, we are asked to pause, to reflect, to look back, to evaluate. But not too long. And hopefully, not recklessly too many. Or else, we lose our time stuck in the past. And if we discover that the amount of our faith in God is too little to overcome our temptations, we give God the benefit of a little trust in what Jesus said that faith can begin like a small mustard seed. That just as the sower wonders how things around him grows, we can also wonder what God can do with our little faith, and our constant falls.
We have to train ourselves to believe that every ending is but a little pause in our lives. Our story is constantly being written by a very creative God. Case in point: David and Bathsheba’s son, Solomon, will build the Temple of Jerusalem. Moreover, God does not withdraw from David His promise of a royal lineage from whom the Messiah will come.
So delete the period. Put a comma. And continue your story.
2 Sam 11, 1-17; Psalm 51; Mark 4, 26-34
Like the sower in the Gospel who ‘does not know’ how the seeds he planted sprout and grow, or how the land yields fruit, there are many things that make us wonder. The same thing is experienced when we are given another chance. We often hear the tenet that we shouldn’t put a period where God puts only a comma.
There is a tendency to put a period in our lives when bad things happen to us. We end our life story when our heart breaks, when we fail, when we are betrayed, or when we’ve done something really, really bad. We are usually led to think that when we lose something or someone, we lose everything.
Put yourself in the shoes of King David. The God-fearing man becomes a murderer. I will leave the details to your imagination, but I want you to imagine to put the missing pieces in the narrative of the first reading. From the roof of the palace, he sees the beautiful Bathsheba bathing; inquires about her and learns that she’s married to Uriah the armor bearer. Nevertheless, he calls her to court and had sexual relations with her. Upon learning that he impregnated her, David devises plans to cover his sin by inviting Uriah to court parties, gets him drunk, and sends him home to have sex with his wife, so that Uriah will not wonder once the pregnancy shows. But Uriah does not sleep in his house. As the last resort, David has Uriah put into the fiercest part of the battle where he can be surely killed. And Uriah indeed dies. If this happens to us, this can be the end of our life. I will not find it difficult to imagine David also thinking in the same wavelength.
Bad things happen to all of us. Or, we make bad things happen to us. Whether we are good or bad, at one time or another we will break up, break down, go broke, lose a lot. This I am certain and sure. We find ourselves in a relationship where we think we are giving more than what we are receiving. We experience the death of a loved one and we think we ourselves died. Someone dear leaves us, and we think, everyone else left us. We discover scandals in the church, and we think it’s everything about it, and we abandon it. We get hurt, get sick, get lost. It happens. In other words, we put a period, where a comma should be in its place.
The comma helps us set the pace of the text in a sentence. But there are rules in using the comma: just don’t go reckless. Meaning, the sentence is not yet finished. You don’t stop, but you pause; not too much or too long.
So when bad things happen to us, we are asked to pause, to reflect, to look back, to evaluate. But not too long. And hopefully, not recklessly too many. Or else, we lose our time stuck in the past. And if we discover that the amount of our faith in God is too little to overcome our temptations, we give God the benefit of a little trust in what Jesus said that faith can begin like a small mustard seed. That just as the sower wonders how things around him grows, we can also wonder what God can do with our little faith, and our constant falls.
We have to train ourselves to believe that every ending is but a little pause in our lives. Our story is constantly being written by a very creative God. Case in point: David and Bathsheba’s son, Solomon, will build the Temple of Jerusalem. Moreover, God does not withdraw from David His promise of a royal lineage from whom the Messiah will come.
So delete the period. Put a comma. And continue your story.
Gospel Tips to Succeed
28 January 2010. Memorial of St. Thomas Aquinas
2 Samuel 7, 18-29; Psalm 132; Mark 4, 21-25
To those who would like to have scripture passages to support your career or interest, the Gospel today precisely does that. The books of the bible did not become canonical or normative for nothing.
1. Practice. Mark 4, 25: To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away." This is a life principle. We usually discover our abilities by starting with one interest. When young, we find ourselves drawn by music. We begin by trying out a simple piece on the keyboard. As we progress, we discover that we can branch out into different musical genres. The same thing with sports. When we practice regularly, we become better and better and better. Eventually, we find ourselves multi-talented. And that is done incrementally; practicing regularly.
2 Samuel 7, 18-29; Psalm 132; Mark 4, 21-25
To those who would like to have scripture passages to support your career or interest, the Gospel today precisely does that. The books of the bible did not become canonical or normative for nothing.
1. Practice. Mark 4, 25: To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away." This is a life principle. We usually discover our abilities by starting with one interest. When young, we find ourselves drawn by music. We begin by trying out a simple piece on the keyboard. As we progress, we discover that we can branch out into different musical genres. The same thing with sports. When we practice regularly, we become better and better and better. Eventually, we find ourselves multi-talented. And that is done incrementally; practicing regularly.
On the other hand, if we don’t practice, whatever innate talent we possess will deteriorate. Eventually, we lose all.
2. Set the standard. Mark 4, 24: “The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you.” In developing our talents, we must set a standard with which we measure our progress. It is used for comparative evaluations. How near or far we are at reaching our goals will depend on the ideals we have.
2. Set the standard. Mark 4, 24: “The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you.” In developing our talents, we must set a standard with which we measure our progress. It is used for comparative evaluations. How near or far we are at reaching our goals will depend on the ideals we have.
It sets the level of quality or attainment. Some of us will have people as their standards like the great masters for painters and artists; the sports legends for athletes; or our parents. Some of us will have a book like a piano collection: the goal is to finish the whole of it. And some will have their own personal expectations like an ideal.
As we progress, we get to have more standards, often better than the first. We always have to up our measure. For example, as beginners, we set the textbook for Grade 1 Piano as the standard. Then we have another textbook for Grade 2 Piano once we’ve accomplished all in the first book, and so on and so forth. We keep on challenging ourselves by having some degree of difficulty as we move towards becoming a pro.
3. Have a purpose. Mark 4, 21: "Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand?” Our life is meaningful if we know for whom our lives belong. Our lives is not meant to be hidden. We have to be influencers: our lives should inspire others. Musicians play for an audience. The athlete for a sports enthusiasts. The blogger for the readers. Thus, we don’t develop our talents, for the sake of just developing them. We don’t live alone. Every single life affects others.
In faith, this is called, witnessing. By being an excellent musician, we witness to the great art called music. By being an exceptional football player, we witness to the exciting world of football. By being a truly good Christian, we witness to the validity of the faith.
In other words, we prove to the world that the Christian faith can be a norm of living, by doing it. So, if asked, “How do you know that your faith is worth living?” You answer, “We have a cloud of witnesses: the saints, the martyrs, the lives of many people who lived it.” We don’t die for something that is worthless.
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