The Message of Angels

29 September 2010. Feast of the Archangels Rafael, Michael and Gabriel
Daniel 7, 9-14 or Revelations 12, 7-12; Psalm 138; John 1, 47-51

Angels fascinate us. They enter into our lives in childhood and they never leave. Popular culture never wants angels to disappear from our consciousness. Well, no wonder because that’s what angels are: they are everywhere. We see them in the movies like the German film, Angels of Desire, and its American remake, City of Angels. We see them also on TV like the soap opera, Pilyang Kerubin (The Mischievous Cherubim) or Supernatural. We hear about them in songs like Carrie Underwood’s Angels Brought Me Here or the Christmas song, Angels We Have Heard on High. We see them in pictures, paintings, statues, cross-stitch patterns and refrigerator magnets. In the last few years until the present, we also see the rising popularity of guardian angels: it is claimed that we can know our guardian angels by birthdate.

Historically, the belief in angels appears in most, if not all religions. We have the kuribu of the Acadian culture, the angels of Assyria (an angel decorates the Assyrian palace, now displayed in the British Museum), Babylon (Nebuchadnezzar’s father believed that a cherub had been sent to make his work succeed) and Persia.

We have the Jewish angels in the Old Testament: the cherubs of Genesis who guard the entrance to Paradise, the angels of Lot who delivered him, the angels of Moses whom God promised to go before him, the cherubim of Ezekiel (angels of fire with the face of animals), the seraphs of Isaiah who sit on the throne of God, Rafael who cures Tobit.

In the New Testament, we hear of Gabriel at the Annunciation. And Michael in the book of Daniel, Revelations and the Catholic Epistle of St. Jude.

Finally, the individual guardian angels who appear during the Middle Ages. Moreover, there are many kinds of angels: the good angels and the evil angels like Lucifer. There are even hierarchies of angels: from the seraphs who sits on the throne of God to the cute little angels we all love in paintings and in Christmas trees.

However, the Church has never defined this belief that every individual soul has a guardian angel; thus, it is not an article of faith. In other words, you will not cease to be Catholic if you do not believe it. The belief has not been declared binding for all Christians or has not been definitively proposed for the assent of the whole Catholic Church. It is, nevertheless, in the mind and tradition of the Church as St. Jerome said, “How great the dignity of the soul, since each one has from his birth an angel commissioned to guard it.”

As many as the kinds of angels, we have various meanings of angels. We see them as attendants to God’s throne. We see them as messengers of God. We see them as divine agents who protect the world. We also see them as our personal bodyguards.

However, the archaic concept or religious imagery of an angel is simple but profound: they are units of the presence of God in the world. Scripture tells us in its portrayal of angels that the world is more than it appears to be. It has a purpose; we’re part of it, and we’re not alone. Angels guide and protect human beings, not just because they’re nice heavenly creatures, but because they are cooperating with God’s will for our salvation. From the Psalms to Revelation, they give glory to God through their praise. They brought news of miraculous births to Sarah, Zechariah and Mary. Angels guided Joseph and the Magi. Angels ministered to Jesus in the desert. They met the women at the tomb and, as Jesus went to heaven, angels pointedly asked the apostles, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky?” (Acts 1, 11)

Today we honor the angels who have been named in Scripture; and all of whose names in Hebrew are centered on God (“El”): Michael (Who is like God), Gabriel (My power is God), and Raphael (God heals). All of them tell us what angels are basically: they help the Lord to bring to fulfillment His plan of salvation. They are part of what we say in the Nicene Creed, “Creater of the seen and unseen....” They interact with human beings, not manipulating us, but simply communicating God’s will.

It is good to note that praying to angels is not worshipping angels. Worship and adoration is rightfully the Trinity's. St. Augustine wrote that angels “...do not desire us to sacrifice to themselves, but to Him whose sacrifice they know themselves to be in common with us. For we and they together are the one City of God....” We communicate to angels because we love them, as we love all of God’s creatures, and because, as Scripture tells us, they’re here to help.

For example, we know St. Michael because of Revelation 12: how he fought in the battle against Satan who was in the form of a dragon. The devotion to St. Michael become intense in the 19th century when Europe was in the midst of revolution and social change. A large part of it was the experience of violence and evil. There are forces that demean our humanity and go against God’s will. In the Philippines, we have many: the Maguindanao massacre, the hostage crisis, and the recent the fraternity-related violence after the bar exams on September 26. We know the struggles against jueteng or gambling lords, and the perpetual battle against graft and corruption. And thus, the battle imagery and the triumph of the angel Michael appeals to us. We experience this struggle between good and evil within ourselves and in the world in general.

And thus angels in the bible reveal to us certain truths: that the world belongs to God and He has a plan for it. He is working mysteriously to redeem this creation which He loves. He wants to carry this plan to fulfillment. Angels enter into human lives to assist us in discerning what that plan is, helping embrace this plan and assisting us in working with God to bring it to fulfillment.

Pop culture angels help us achieve our personal dreams. But the angels of the Judeo-Christian tradition, that which we find in the bible, tell us something that is more awesome and bigger: the whole world as God made it, and as God is re-creating it with our help.

It is simple: just as angels work for the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God. So should we.

Let us end with the prayer we learn in childhood:

Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom His love commits me here. Ever this day be at my side; to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.

Have You Wished the Death of Your Enemy?

28 September 2010 St. Lorenzo Ruiz and companion martyrs
Job 31, 1-23; Psalm 88; Luke 9, 51-56

Have you ever wished you could kill someone who has done you wrong? Or hope that misfortune befall someone who has hurt you? How many times did you imagine how you want punished the corrupt, the criminal or the crooked? These thoughts come naturally to many of us, although we don’t follow-through these plans. Even the good people are not exempt from these thoughts.

Take for example, Job. He was a virtuous and God-fearing man. But he was despoiled of everything. He lost his property and his family. He bitterly lamented his lot. In times of distress and affliction, Israel poured out its lament before the Lord.

Reading Scripture today, lamentations are spontaneous responses to the presence of the realm of death, in whatever manifestation of brokenness in our lives. It is a loud, “Ouch!” or an intense “Aray!” This is something that is found all over Scripture, and we have to return to this type of prayer. It is fine to pour out all your frustrations to the Lord. It is ok to rant and wail in pain to the Lord! In the first reading today, Job cries intensely and pleads for the answer to this existential question: Why do the good suffer?

Job has been faithful to God but he laments that it seems that great fortunes are given to the wicked. Here are his questions: “Why is light given to the toilers, and life to the bitter in spirit? They wait for death, and it comes not; they search for it rather than for hidden treasures.” In other words, Job asks, “Why is it that the corrupt, the criminal and the crooked become lucky and fortunate?” His question, reverberates to all of us. It is humanity’s question: the suffering of the innocent. In the memorial of St. Lorenzo Ruiz and companion martyrs, we can be very sure that they too lamented what Job cried centuries ago!

Take another example, the apostles in today’s Gospel. They plan to journey to Jerusalem. The shortest route is by way of Samaria. But the Samaritans are considered unclean by the Jews. So those who would go to Jerusalem would avoid entering a Samaritan town. Naturally, when the apostles entered a Samaritan town, they were rejected. The apostles took offense, and they would like Jesus to send “fire from heaven” to punish them.

Part of our humanity is our capacity to sense injustice and fight against it. Our feelings of anger, though not a sin yet, are like traffic lights: they tell us that something is not right. That is why we become angry, manifested in different levels or intensity. There are those that slight, irritate, pissed off, or bring us to a fit of rage. We experience something that is unfair and are willing to stand up and say so; we put ourselves on line rather than submit. The book of Job expresses this capacity and such a stand.

During the difficult moments of our lives, we struggle to reconcile the tragedy we experienced and the justice of God. In facing our own brokenness, we question God’s love for us. If He loves me, why did He allow these things to happen? This is called, theodicy. And if we read through the life of Job, we realize that we can identify with him, and thus the voice of Job represents our voices who continue to struggle with this question or advocate for justice.

But what is the response of Jesus? He rebukes the disciples. He turns and takes an alternative route. He does not punish the Samaritans. His answer is not to put Himself at the same level as them.

So what happens now? We know the following:

At the end of the book of Job, Job remains faithful to the Lord. Job’s fortunes are restored and they all live happily ever after.
Jesus becomes a victim of injustices. He becomes one with the innocent who suffers.

I am not proposing an answer to this reflection. In fact, many of my questions in my personal and ministerial life remain unanswered. The book of Job has a general outline. One of them is what we call, Yahweh speeches (38:1 - 42:6). In this segment, God answers Job and overwhelms Him into silence. That is what happens also to us. We do not find answers, but we still remain in awe of God.

In the end, we submit and accept the reality, as Job said (1:21):

“Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I go back again. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord!”

Do You Sin Out of Weakness or Strength?

26 September 2010. 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Amos 6, 1-7; Psalm 146; 1 Tim 6, 11-16; Luke 16, 19-31

Fr. James Keenan SJ has a very insightful look at sin using several examples from the Gospel, including the Gospel today about Lazarus and the rich man.

Many of us attribute our sins to our weakness. We even say that many of our sinfulness have been committed in moments of weakness: the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. When we confess our sins, we have an array of weaknesses: I was angry, I struggled with my patience, I lied, I quarreled my brothers and sisters, I talked back at my mother, I disobeyed my parents, I fell short of my goals, and the frequent confessional matter is in our sexuality. We confess when we are broken and messy and weak. In this state, we believe we sin.

However, many theologians know that the stories in Scripture tells us that sins are committed out of our strength. In the Gospel today, the sin of the rich man is in his neglect of Lazarus who was in need. He knew who Lazarus was: he knew his name. He knew Lazarus waited at his gate, hoping to eat the scraps of bread he threw to the dogs. He could have done something for Lazarus, but he didn’t. That is not about weakness: he was capable of helping, but he just didn’t care. In the story of the Pharisee and the Publican, the sin of the Pharisee is in his consideration of what he has, in comparison with the Publican’s lesser assets. To bloat with one’s gifts is a sin about strength. Arrogance is egotism: we feel superior over others. In the Good Samaritan, the Levite and the priest ignore the wounded Samaritan. They were capable of extending help, but they didn’t because they do not want to mess their lives with long rituals of purification. In the Last Judgment, the goats and sheep will be separated: the goats are damned forever. What did they say to the Lord? “When were you hungry and we didn’t feed you? When were you thirsty, and we didn’t give you drink…” The sin of the ‘goats’ is the refusal to see Christ in each person: they could have done something but they didn’t. Sinning therefore is about our strength: we are capable of it, but we didn’t do it. Omission comes from the word, to omit. Thus we deliberately leave out, pass over, neglect, and exclude. We know it is there, but we decided not to do it.

Thus, Fr. Keenan captures the scope, depth and pervasiveness of sin. He defines it as simply the failure to bother to love. This captures the sins of the people we mentioned in Scripture. It captures the sins of the people in history. It captures our sins. We sin when we are comfortable and complacent, when we do not want to be bothered by the kid in the streets, the people in the slums, and the many victims of violence. In the anniversary of the terrible tragedy of Ondoy and the flood it brought, we have forgotten that help does not only mean during the tragedy but more importantly building their lives anew. When we are comfortable in our big houses, we do not want to shaken by the world’s problems, just as the people who dine and enjoy themselves in the first reading. Ayaw na natin maabala.

Advertising today has a way of shielding or preventing us from seeing the plight of the poor. The billboards sell to us an idea that everything is fine. The poor are moved out of sight and out of site as urban poor demolitions are implemented. By ignoring their plight, we actually sin out of our strength. The Lord says in the first reading, “Woe to the complacent!”

When we attribute our sins to our weakness, we sugar-coat the gravity of our sins and ignore the extent of our personal responsibility. But when we see that our sins is from our strength, we acknowledge that we have not used the power we have: the strength of our will, the existence of our freedom, the authority of our conscience, and the power of our gifts and some, the economic and political power to change our country and our world.

But what is not surprising and thus very alarming is this: Just as many who are embedded into a culture of graft and corruption, we sinners are not also aware how deep and serious our sins are and how many people are gravely affected by it. Ask people. Go around and and they will tell you: if they go against that system, they will starve. So, to hell with values; the system is ok!

Do You Feel Pressured to Mature Ahead of Your Time?

24 September 2010 Friday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time
Ecclesiastes 3, 1-11; Psalm 144; Luke 9, 18-22

The first reading is one of the most popular passages in the book of Qoheleth, also known as Ecclesiastes. It tells us that life has a rhythm and everything has a time. Life has its own natural cycles. The movie, The Lion King, calls this, the Circle of Life. We are asked to respect this process. We have to develop patience with our own gradual growth, the rhythm of the Spirit.

The following is taken from Nikos Kazantzakis’ novel, Zorba, the Greek (1946). It is a story of a young intellectual who wanted to escape his scholarly life and followed a happy and boisterous person, Alexis Zorba. It became a film (1964) and then a musical in 1968. It illustrates what I want to say from Ecclesiastes.

“I dressed and went down to the water’s edge. I walked quickly. I was happy, as if I had escaped from a danger or a sin. My indiscreet desire of that morning to pry into and know the future before it was born suddenly appeared to me a sacrilege.

I remembered one morning, when I discovered a cocoon in the bark of a tree, just as the butterfly was making a hole in its case and preparing to come out. I waited a while, but it was too long appearing and I was impatient.

I bent over it and breathed on it to warm it. I warmed it as quickly as I could and the miracle began to happen before my eyes, faster than life. The case opened, the butterfly started slowly crawling out and I shall never forget my horror when I saw how its wings were folded back and crumpled.

The wretched butterfly tried with its whole trembling body to unfold them. Bending over it, I tried to help it with my breath. In vain. It needed to be hatched out patiently and the unfolding of the wings should be a gradual process in the sun.

Now it was too late. My breath had forced the butterfly to appear, all crumpled before its time. It struggled desperately and, a few seconds later, died in the palm of my hand.

That little body is, I do believe, the greatest weight I have on my conscience. For I realize today that it is a mortal sin to violate the great laws of nature. We should not hurry, we should not be impatient, but we should confidently obey the eternal rhythm.

I sat on a rock to absorb this New Year’s thought. Ah, if only that little butterfly could always flutter before me to show me the way.

The Last Say is Not our Sinfulness

21 September 2010 Feast of St. Matthew, apostle and evangelist
Ephesians 4: 1-7,11-13; Psalm 19; Matthew 9, 9-13

Let me summarize what I want to say in one brief statement: We are sinners yet called to follow Jesus. I have three points that correspond to all the readings today including the readings from the breviary's Morning Prayer.

First, we are sinners. St. Matthew, whose feast we celebrate today, is a sinner. During his time, tax collectors were considered heartless towards their fellow Jews. He was pro-government, thus a supporter of Rome. He collected taxes and we could also imagine how much he got from it. Our present-day experience of our taxes going to some other pockets have been existing generations ago. In those days, tax collectors were suspect to many pious Jews on the grounds of their collaboration with Roman officials and their practice of extorting more than what was owed to the government.

And thus, dining with tax collectors and sinners scandalized many Pharisees for whom ritual purity and table fellowship were important religious practices. But the gesture of Jesus paved the way for acceptance of all kinds of people into the Church.

Second, yet we are called. The Greek word for a call, kadeiv, refers to the host’s invitation to a guest for dinner. And thus we are called by the Lord to a table fellowship; a community of ‘sinful people’ who strive to mend their ways. Jesus says he came not for the righteous but for those who are sick. He came to call sinners to conversion of heart. We are asked therefore to celebrate our renewed status in the eyes of God. In the morning prayer, the reading is taken from the Ephesians which articulates this status: “You are strangers and aliens no longer. No, you are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God. You form a building which rises on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone... In him you are being built into this temple, to become a dwelling place for God in the Spirit.”

Third, to follow Jesus. We are invited to become his disciples. Psalm 19, the responsorial psalm in the liturgy today tells us that our primary task is to evangelize: to share and proclaim the Good News by “helping build the Body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to the extent of the full stature of Christ” (Ephesians 4). The unity is marked by a community at peace. All are “one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4, 4-7)

How? The letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians states that God endowed us with distinct gifts. He gave some as “apostles, others as prophets, as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry.” This means that we will be able to know our roles in building the community of God from the gifts and abilities that we have. By discovering our place in the whole vineyard of God, we will also encounter the uniqueness and distinction of our identity. There is always a place and a distinct work for each person. Thus, we are not to compete, but we are to complement each other, build each other up, until we are able to come to the full stature of Christ.

And so just as St. Matthew’s past was dark and sinful, the last say in our lives is not our sinfulness, but how we respond to God’s call to follow him. The best thing is this: God does not ask us to do what is beyond our capacities. On the contrary, we are invited by God just to look into our own treasure chest and discover that we have more than what it takes to contribute to the task of evangelization and rebuilding communities.
Matthew worked ‘outside of the Jewish circle’ as a tax collector. But he ended up serving a “Christian-Jewish community.” The change is remarkable. And so is the One who made it possible.

How to Hit it Big!

19 September 2010. 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Amos 8, 4-7; Psalm 113; 1 Timothy 2, 1-8; Luke 16, 10-13

Wesley Snipes before becoming famous worked as a parking assistant at Columbia University. Whoopi Goldberg was a bricklayer on a San Diego Zoo construction project in California. Then she become a make-up artist for corpses at a funeral home. She said, “Death puts a lot of things in the right perspective. Race and class cease to matter. And if there is no disfigurement, the face of the dead person often looks very peaceful. It was a kind of privilege to make them look their best for their friends and families.” Before Chris Tucker laughed his way to the bank, he didn’t laugh at his former work: cleaning the floors and restrooms of a fastfood restaurant. Nora Aunor sold water at the train station in Bicol before water became a commodity in bottles. Marvin Agustin and Diether Ocampo were once waiters. Jericho Rosales was an unknown until he joined Mr. Pogi. Pokwang, real name Marietta Subong, was not financially blessed so she became an entertainer in Japan, until she became a contestant in Clown in a Million of Yes!Yes!Show.

These famous artists illustrates the simple yet practical point of the Gospel: Before we are entrusted with bigger things, we have to start small. The maxim is very important for many Filipinos. We like to hit it big right away. Many are called one-time big-time millionaires: once they get their pay check they splurge.

But life teaches us that the best way to the top is the incremental process: hinay-hinay pero kanunay (slowly but surely). Many would like to start a business, but couldn’t because they wait for big-time financing. Small business magazines and books like “Rich Dad Poor Dad” and “The Millionaire Next Door” tell us that small businesses can be started with nothing. The requirement is that we possess a marketable skill, a potential client and the guts to creatively market ourselves. Bravery is key in one’s incremental climb to the top. In other words, it is ok to start from the garage of the house, or for many Filipinos, from our window with a few items for a sari-sari store.

The same thing with building our character. The Gospel tells us, “the person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones.” We are all called to grow, and as St. Paul would say, “to advance”. But any growth is a journey towards God. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) said: “To stand on the way of the Lord is to move backwards.” For Christians, the journey to the top of the ladder is the climb towards God. The journey towards God means choosing the right road or the correct way to get there. Choosing the right way is choosing to live according to a virtuous life. And living the virtues is a process that involves little successes and often big pitfalls. Like forming a habit: all we have to do is practice one virtue at a time for 30 days. Conversely, a vice is practiced 30 consecutive days for it to become a habit. Thus, if one is to build character for greater things, we start building small and slow, brick by brick, one at a time.

You can therefore see with graft and corruption scandals involving top government officials that grace Philippine headlines today: they did not begin to be corrupt a few days ago. I bet they began cheating way before they became famous.

Why Catholics Trace the Sign of the Cross

14 September 2010: The Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross
Num 21, 4-9; Psalm 78; Phil 2, 6-11; John 3, 13-17

The sign of the cross has always marked the Christian, more so the tracing of the sign of the cross marked the Catholic. Who among us make the sign of the cross at every moment in our lives everyday? We make the sign of the cross at the start and beginning of a prayer. We make the sign of the cross when we start and end our meals. We make the sign of the cross when we are afraid. We make the sign of the cross when we mark holy places such as churches and cemeteries.

Why do Catholics trace the sign? Many evangelicals have lambasted us. But little do they know that Martin Luther did not abandon the sign of the cross. In fact, he recommended it in his Small Catechism in an appendix on family prayer. It says, “As soon as you get out of bed in the morning, you should bless yourself with the sign of the Holy Cross and say: “May the will of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be done! Amen.” (Martin Luther, Luther’s Little Instruction Book, trans. Robert E. Smith)

Well, we, Catholics, are doing what the early Christians were doing as early as Paul. It seems it becomes a practice at baptisms. It was a normal, everyday experience of Christians in the first centuries as attested by many Christian writers. Tertullian (160-225 AD) said, “In all our travels and movements, in all our comings and goings, in putting on our shoes, at the bath, at the table, in lighting our candles, in lying down, in sitting down, whatever employment occupies us, we mark our foreheads with the sign of the cross.”

St. John Chrysostom (347-407 AD), the eloquent saint whose memory we celebrated yesterday, was the patriarch of Constantinople (now Baghdad), said, “Never leave your house without making the sign of the cross. It will be to you a staff, a weapon, an impregnable fortress. Neither man nor demon will dare to attack you, seeing you covered with such powerful armor. Let this sign teach you that you are a soldier, ready to combat against the demons, and ready to fight for the crown of justice. Are you ignorant of what the cross has done? It has vanquished death, destroyed sin, emptied hell, dethroned Satan, and restored the universe. Would you then, doubt its power?” Let us see what he meant.

There is a story about Alexander Solzhenitsyn found in the internet. Alexander leaned on his shovel and watched the gray clouds drag sullenly across the sky. A merciless wind tore at him through his prison garb. He felt as though it penetrated to his soul. Every one of his bones and muscles ached. Hunger gnawed his stomach. Years of hard labor in the Siberian work camp had ruined his health and stripped him of hope.

Alexander could endure no longer. He dropped his shovel, left the work gang, and sat on a bench nearby. Soon a guard would command him to return to work. When he would ignore the order, the guard would beat him to death with his own shovel. He had seen it happen to others many times. “A quick, bloody death today,” thought Alexander, “would be better than a slow death in a bleak, empty future.”

He stared at the ground, waiting for the inevitable. Soon he heard footsteps and braced himself in anticipation of the guard’s harsh words. But when he raised his eyes, instead of a guard he saw a gaunt, elderly prisoner standing before him. The old man said nothing but knelt in front of him. With a stick he scratched the sign of the cross in the dirt and then hurried back to work.

He looked at the cross, and as he reflected on it, a ray of light penetrated his dark thoughts. In that moment, his perspective changed radically. He realized that he did not have to face the evil of the gulag and the Soviets on his own diminished strength. With the power of the cross, he could withstand the evil of not one but a thousand Soviet empires.

He got up from the bench and returned to work. Although the record does not say so, I think that he must also have traced the ancient sign of the cross on his breast. None of Solzhenitsyn’s external circumstances changed that day, but internally he had experienced a gentle revolution. The sign of the cross had blessed him with the grace of hope.

Alexander’s experience is not strange to many of us. The sign of the cross has given us hope. Who among us experienced some assurance when we make the sign of the cross before we hurdle a hard exam? Who among us experience some healing when we ask a priest to make the sign of the cross over our heads, or trace with holy oil on the part afflicted with pain? When we travel and our transportation --- land, water or air --- seem unsteady, didn’t we make the sign of the cross to assure us that the Lord will bring us safe to our destination?

When we make the sign of the cross then, we are not doing an empty gesture. The sign of the cross is an opening to God. It is a prayer itself that engages the Trinity to help us live a true Christian life. It is a renewal of Baptism. When we trace it on our body, it stirs up the new life of the Spirit that we received in Baptism and vitalized our prayer drawing us closer to God. It is a mark of discipleship. Making the sign affirms our decision to follow Christ, allowing Him to assume our burdens and free us to live joyfully. It is an acceptance of suffering. The sign of the cross is a practical tool for dealing with problems. It is a defense against the devil and a victory over self-indulgence. It invites Christ to support us in our pain and suffering and works handily to defuse our worst inclinations and sins and to dispel the temptations of the devil. And the sign is much more, for with a slight motion of the hand and a few simple words, it sums up the truth and power of the Christian life.

In other words, when we trace the sign of the cross, we remind ourselves of our identity and our responsibility: I am a Christian! I am a Catholic! We follow what Paul says in the 2nd reading: Put on the mind of Christ! When we trace the sign of the cross in public, we tell them that we are not ashamed to be branded with the cross of Christ.

Just as St. Paul said to the Galatians, “But as for me, it is out of the question that I should boast at all, except of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world... After this, let no one trouble me; I carry branded on my body the marks of Jesus.” (Galatians 6, 14 &17).

The Faith of the Centurion

13 September 2010 St. John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor
1 Corinthians 11, 17-33; Psalm 40; Luke 7, 1-10

Note: This is the reason behind the title of my blog. Almost in its 5th year.

The Gospel today is particularly significant to me because it is the title of my blog. When I decided to put up a blog in 2005, I named it after the centurion who had this great faith on Jesus and at the same time, a deep compassion towards his slave. The centurion believed that Jesus can heal over a distance. Jesus does not need to come to his house since he felt very unworthy. He believed that Jesus was like him. Since the centurion was a man of authority, his slaves will do everything he wishes. Jesus therefore will be able to heal his servant by His very word. It is not surprising that Jesus was amazed by this faith. The centurion is a foreigner, but his faith and his love has brought him to Jesus.

Today, this Gospel has become doubly significant. The blog celebrates its 5th year. I hope that the blog has brought people of different faiths to believe in the Lord, or at least, find that Christianity worth our while. I hope that over physical distance and even internet space, the words printed on my blog has healed many wounds if not the wound of ignorance. I have always emphasized my mission to move our belief towards an informed faith (2nd Plenary Council of the Philippines).

However, this Gospel that affirms that our prayers can heal people from afar has become a palpable belief to me. On the 4th of September 2010, a Saturday, my cousin and my nephew met an accident. Eventually both of them succumb to death. They were in Bicol while I was in Manila. My cousin was very close to us especially to my mom. We were playmates since we were almost of the same age. We were members of a cultural group that sings at mass. He used to say that we adopted him. While in critical condition, I have prayed that the Lord ‘would just say the word and they would be healed.’ I believe that healing is possible from a distance.

From the day they met an accident to the day they died, I was on my knees praying. The prayer was humbling: I was a sinner. I knew I had my shares of shortcomings and weaknesses. I knew I was an unworthy servant as the centurion. But because of my love for my cousin and nephew, I fell on my knees and begged the Lord for His words of healing.

But I did not stop believing in healing from a distance even though God took both of them. Until today, I will not cease praying for the people I love and those who need my prayers.

If there is one thing good about this experience, it is this: I know what the centurion felt when he approached Jesus.

The Way Back

12 September 2010 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Exodus 32, 7-14; Psalm 51; 1 Timothy 1, 12-17; Luke 15, 1-32

The readings today are about how the Lord finds us, the stray and the sinners. The Gospel zeroes in on two parables about finding the lost: the Good Shepherd who seeks out the lost sheep and the Woman who scours her house for her lost coin. In both images of God as Shepherd and as a Woman of the House, God undertakes certain risks and sufferings to find a lone sheep and a single coin. The parables conjure an impractical solution: why would you leave 99 sheep or exert too much effort for a coin? But the point is very clear: God will indeed give up life and limb for every single sinner lost in the wilderness.

These parables are appealing to many of us. In fact, many are devotees of the image of God as a Shepherd who seeks us out. Identification is the reason why a growing number of the faithful tend to pray with this image in mind. We are lost some how and in some way. When we are confused and baffled, when we find ourselves struggling with our own personal problems which we can’t divulge publicly, we are like the lost sheep or the lost coin.

Alienation is a common result of today’s world. Surprisingly, when technology is supposed to bring us closer to each other, it has, however, contributed to isolation. When Facebook has made virtual reunions possible, it has also been the venue for break-ups. It is consoling to know, even romantic, that someone or Someone is willing to give up the multitude to find us. Even more, we are ecstatic to know that a particular has willingly taken the long and arduous journey to look for someone like us. It is indeed a blessing to feel that Someone “owns” us, or that we belong to someone who wants us too.

However, let me take another turn. We have been reflecting on our sinfulness and how we found ourselves part of the lost. We have made our own idols, like the Israelites who made the golden calf in the first reading. We have worshipped images who represents a god who does not exist. We placed on them a power which did not originate from them. Idolatry is indeed worshipping a false god. And thus instead of focusing our minds to the real God, our whole being has focused on the false idols of possession, power and popularity. When we believe that money can buy everything, then we have decided to be controlled by an idol that is not alive. Therefore, when we are habitually and repeatedly distracted by these idols, we find ourselves lost in the wilderness. This the way we stray from the fold.

This is then my point. If we find ourselves lost and we know that the Lord will look for us, I believe, we too have to exert an effort to be found. We have to create ways so that those who are looking for us will find us. Like smoke signals by those stranded on a remote island or caught deep into the woods. Smoke signals make it easier for the search team to discover their exact location.

How do we create venues that would make rescue efforts easy? Spiritual activities generally come to mind. By participating in worship, reflection sessions, retreats and recollections, we make it easier for the Lord to find us. By being committed and consistent members of a religious organization or a civic group that provide venues for altruism, the chance of discovering the Lord again becomes greater. This is the reason why all students are given the opportunity to experience living with the poor and the marginalize.

This is what Advent and Lent as liturgical seasons of preparation do. These seasons prepare the way of the Lord to our hearts. From these seasons we can glean how we can be found. By way of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, by prayerful and meaningful fasting and abstinence, by keeping a general atmosphere of “recollectedness,” we are absolutely certain that the Lord will find us easily.

However, making ourselves found is not just an activity that we do. It is also an attitude of positive anticipation and trust that we WILL be found. It is, first of all, an attitude of hope. Those who have been lost, never lost hope. And they were found.

Second, it is an attitude of trust. The good thing about the Lord is this: you can be certain that He will keep His word. You will experience the Lord with a tug in your heart, a feeling of guilt and shame coupled with a desire to change. In the midst of God’s steadfast love, our response is not commensurate to the Divine love.

Finally, it requires of us deep reflection. When we are able to reflect on our actions that led to our being lost, we will also find the way back to the Father. Often, we know how to return. Since we are God’s Temple and Jesus the Way resides in our hearts, the way back is pretty clear and obvious. The road is paved.

We just have to tame our will to fully decide to return home.

Why We Celebrate the Birth of Mary

8 September 2010 Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Micah 5, 1-4; Psalm 13; Matthew 1, 18-23

At the feast of the Nativity of our Mother Mary, we are surprised that the Gospel is not about Mary’s birth, but her being Mother to Jesus, her son. I guess the celebration of the birthday of Mary is closely connected with her as mother to Jesus, and as mother to us, her children. The importance of her birth is seen in the significance of Jesus in our salvation. Without her, salvation could not have been possible. So today, we ask this question, “What does it mean to be mother?” How is Mary mother to me? We first look at our experiences of our mothers. Here are testimonies of mothers:

Mother 1: “I am reminded of one of the main features of my mothering style. Like my own mother did, I talk to my children a lot! Since they were babies I have instinctively blanketed my three sons with songs, humming, whistling, and words. My mother’s theory went something like this: “You never know when your children are listening or what they will hear. So I say everything in several ways, over and over. Perhaps one of the times or ways I speak will get through.”

Mother 2: “I view my monologues with my children as a big part of my role as transmitter of values, and both general and specific operating instructions for life. I dare say that my children are not in the dark about my views, feelings, opinions, and wishes for them about almost anything from proper table manners to proper sexual conduct.”

Raising moral children, guiding them through their struggles, comes from instruction and teaching. And, as those mothers testifies, it comes from saying the same things over and over again. Wise parents provide this sort of training all the time. They teach their children to act with virtue and thereby develop the ability to do so on a regular basis. Here are some examples of everyday advocacy:

Anak, alam kong mas gusto mong maglaro kasama ng iyong mga kaibigan, pero meron kang assignment. Gawin mo muna ang assignment, pagkatapos, pwede ka nang maglaro. Makikita mo, kong tiis lang, matatapos mo rin yan. (Child, I know you want to play with your friends, but you have an assignment. Do your homework first, then you can play. You will discover that you will be able to finish your school requirement in the nick of time.)

Alam kong ayaw mong isuot ang binigay ng lola mo sa iyo, pero mas mabuti kung pasalamatan mo pa rin siya. (I know you don’t want to wear what grandma gave you; but it will be highly appreciated if you wear it as a token of your gratitude.)

Alam kong may mas exciting na gimmick na gusto mong puntahan kasama ng iyong barkada. Kaya lang, nakapag-commit ka na sa activity mo sa iyong organization. Kailangan pumunta ka doon sa iyong apostolate. Mas mahalaga ang iyong commitment. (Commitments are very important. I know you would rather go with your friends, but since you have given your word to your organization, you should keep your word. It is important that you are a person of principle.)

Would you say things like that to your children? If you don’t, what kind of message are you sending? Is it OK to break your commitments, your word, when something better comes along? Later on, when their marriage breaks up, you will wonder, where did they learn that? Parents don’t have to be perfect in teaching. They can say to their children, “I do the best I can. I don’t know everything. I’ve made my share of mistakes. You’ll make some, too. But I want to tell you what I’ve learned.”

At one time, parents used to try to have all the answers. But children resent and reject that approach. Now a lot of parents, unsure of themselves in a world of diversity and relativism, have lost their confidence and have gone to the other extreme: they don’t give any answers. As a result, kids suffer from a lack of guidance and grow up without any values to live by.

Parents can tell their children what they believe without playing God. They can guide and instruct, listen and advise. Says one mother: “I believe in telling kids what you think is important, what you think can help them in their lives. You have to catch them at the right time, and you can never be sure when that is. You may have to say it a lot before they start taking it in. But they will remember it. They will say, ‘My mother always used to tell me…’”

Here is how people remember what their parents “used to say”:

My mother always said, “Dare to be different. If people are painting themselves yellow and jumping in the pond, feel perfectly free to paint yourself green and walk backwards. Never mind what the rest of the world is doing; you are your own person.” She also taught us that we were sacraments and our lives were a prayer.

My father always emphasized that to help a friend in need was one of the best things you could do in life. This had always been a rewarding experience for him. It has been an equally rewarding experience for me when I have helped friends in need.

Our children don’t know because no one has told them. They are desperate for guidance. When it’s given, consistently and repeatedly, you get someone like Michael Jordan. His father, as you might recall, was murdered in the summer of 1993. Before that happened, Michael said this to columnist Bob Greene:

“My heroes are and were my parents.…It wasn’t that the rest of the world would necessarily think they were heroic. But they were the adults I saw constantly, and I admired what I saw. If you are lucky, you grow up in a house where you can learn what kind of person you should be from your parents. And on that count, I was very lucky. It may have been the luckiest thing that ever happened to me.”

To Michael Jordan, good parents meant as much to him as his incomparable basketball skill. Remember, our children achingly want adults in their lives as they negotiate through the world, someone to teach them the way of righteousness.

This is what Mary does. She leads us to Jesus. She is NOT GOD, but leads us to God. Through her life, she has raised and guided Jesus. How Jesus is to others, reflects her care for him. Mary has been a good parent to us: through her various apparitions, she warns us, tell us what to do, and advise us. It is then up to us, whether to follow or believe.

The birth of Mary therefore is not a sentimental celebration: it reminds us of two things: First, we are never alone. We have parents or those who act as our parents. Second, there are things we have to do --- the reasonable things our mother taught us. In other words, when we are grateful to people, we naturally thank the Lord for giving them to us -- that day is the day of their nativity.

Assessing Our Resources

5 September 2010 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Wisdom 9, 13-18; Psalm 90; Phil 9-10,12-17; Luke 14, 25-33

The Gospel today holds with it two stories: the Tower Builder and the King going to war. In itself, these two parables convey a clear meaning: Before undertaking an important project, a person must consider whether he has sufficient resources to carry it out successfully; otherwise he should abandon the project.

First, this applies to life. It is important not to miss the word, necessary. The tower builder and the king both take the necessary steps in order to ensure success. Gawin ang lahat na makakaya. We are therefore not talking about the person who is a sigurista (someone who wants guaranteed success); and does not move or dare unless he or she is very sure of success. No, the tower builder and the king do not know the outcome, but they have the graphic earnestness to do all they can in order to finish their plan; they are not paralyzed by the fear of the unknown, but face the challenge headlong and dead-set on it.

Many of us plunge into many things before thinking or planning. As our parents and teachers say, pag-isipan mo muna (Think it out first). This is true. In school, many student leaders embark on a huge project at the beginning of the year, without calculating its necessary cost on themselves and their studies, and end up photo-finished, half-done or partially successful.

When we were young, we dreamt of big things for ourselves. However, we lacked the proper and necessary assessment of resources that those dreams remained mere dreams until the present.

In committed relationships, many entered into serious relationships such as marriage without necessary preparations. The relationship either went through rough roads or ended in estrangement, break-ups, and separation. In the marriage ceremony, the minister says that “marriage is not to be entered upon lightly or unadvisedly, but thoughtfully, reverently, and in the fear of God.” Included in the necessary preparation is our emotional and psychological state: are we emotionally ready to commit ourselves to another person for the rest of our lives?

Second, this applies to discipleship. Thus, one should not attempt a plan without having sufficient resources to complete it. We will need to put everything into that goal in order to complete the project. Likewise, the disciple should also be continually ready to give up what he has in order to follow Jesus. This tells us what we should do before we commit ourselves to God: we need to reflect on our lives whether we are indeed willing to take everything it demands of us.

And for most of us who have committed ourselves, we must adopt all necessary measures, be ready to give up everything, and take the risk. We do not want to find ourselves in the ridiculous position of someone who has begun something and is unable to finish it. Is it possible to focus ourselves on the purpose we wish to serve like a plane that is focused on its destination?

Serving anything worthwhile is a commitment to a direction over time and may require us to relinquish many moment-to-moment attachments, to let go of pride, approval, recognition, or even success. This is true whether as parents, researchers, educators, artists, or heads of state. Serving life and God may require necessary preparations and faithfulness to a purpose that lasts over a lifetime. It is less a work of the ego than a choice of the soul.

Turf Wars

1 September 2010 Wednesday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time
1 Corinthians 3, 1-9; Psalm 33; Luke 4, 38-44

It is a common occurrence that parishioners are divided according to their favorite priests. A group prefers Fr. X because he says great homilies and makes them laugh. Another favors Fr. Y because he spends time with them, especially in the most crucial moments of their lives. Another group would rather focus on their organization, proud that they are not like the fans of Fr. X or Y.

In the internal life in a parish, there are often turf wars between the priests assigned there. They are aggravated by the gossip emanating from these groups. Sometimes the tension is not apparent to walk-ins. However, it is blatant to those who are more involved in the parish. Somehow you can decipher hidden meanings or underlying issues if you know how to read between the lines.

This situation is not alien to the religious sector. You can find this in the offices and halls of government. With nepotism, the ‘padrino’ system in the Philippines, one has to have a powerful backer or supporter to retain one’s job. The rationale behind this culture is survival if not a matter of loyalty.

You can also see this culture in the private sector. Business ties will demand faithfulness to one group, and therefore to have relations with a competitor is imprudent. You either lose your present job, or the other side might not trust you since you are easily swayed.

This is the point of the first reading. St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians addresses this issue. The Corinthians were very gifted; and proud of them. But there were cliques among them. One group identified themselves as followers of Paul. Others prefer the eloquence of Apollos while another group loves a certain Cephas (not St. Peter). In addition, there was a group who did not take sides, but called themselves, simply disciples of Christ. Very much like the parish of Frs. X and Y.

Paul reminds the Corinthians that the source of all their gifts is God. We are all His co-workers, and the field is ourselves. We are personally responsible for our formation, as well as responsible for those outside of our worlds. And thus the vineyard of the Lord is much much wider than our own small little nooks. It stretches out, and therefore there is always a place for each one of us.

No need for a turf war, because there are many fields to cover. No need to compete, because there are other parts in the whole kingdom that needs another one. Those who compete in this manner lives in a narrow and tight world.

The same thing with Jesus. The source of His energy is God and so He goes up to the mountain to pray. It is there that He gets His strength and energy. So that when the time comes, He will be able to use His abilities to preach the Good News, cure the sick, and exorcise demons. Including Peter’s mother-in-law.

When you find yourself in a competitive world, think again: there is always a place for you in the Kingdom of God. The harvest is plenty and the vineyard of the Lord is wide. You can always find a vacant lot to work on.

Warning though: once you’re at it, you’ll discover that what you thought was a small lot is actually is a huge golden field.