BEHIND CHRISTIAN SUFFERING

TWENTY SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Jer.20:7-9; Ps.63; Rom.12:1-2; Mt.16:21-27

No one wants to suffer in this world! No one wants to wake up with a heavily burdened day ahead! No one wants to always experience heartaches in relationships! No one wants to forever live on Good Friday!

In our first reading today, Jeremiah, after preaching the Word of God finally reached a point in his life wherein he complains to God that he has been an object of laughter and everyone has been mocking him. “The Word of the Lord has brought me derision and reproach all the day!” He has grown weary and can no longer endure the suffering he has been experiencing.

In our Gospel today, Peter immediately reacted to the prediction of his Master’s passion and death in Jerusalem. “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you!” Peter cannot accept that the Rabbi who has called him to become a fisher of men; the Lord who has entrusted to him the keys of the Kingdom, will undergo human agony and misery.

However, instead of receiving a consolation from Our Lord, he was rebuked! “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do!” These words seem to suggest that Jesus is pro-suffering. Yet, towards the end of the Gospel, Jesus gives us two reasons why the cross, a symbol of suffering, has to be carried by one who is his disciple.

First, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” A decision to follow Christ carries with it the reality of suffering. Suffering here is not a result of one’s own making but because of the person whom we decide to follow. Thus, we ask why Christian discipleship involves suffering. It is because the principles of Jesus Christ always run contrary to ways of the world. The world today tells us that when relationships don’t work well, then, let it go! However, Jesus insists on selfless love and boundless forgiveness. And of course, if we follow the teachings of Our Lord, then like the prophet Jeremiah in our first reading today, we will be laughed at and be mocked! Hence, Christian suffering becomes inevitable!

Second, “For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay all according to his conduct.” These words of Jesus make us realize that suffering is temporary. Like him who was raised from the dead by His Father, on the last day, Jesus would come to console us with the words, “Come, blessed by my Father for you have been a faithful steward!” There is an end to suffering because the love of God illumines all even the darkness of death.

This is therefore our challenge in this twenty second Sunday in Ordinary Time – to remain preachers of the Word like Jeremiah by daily taking up our crosses so that like Paul in our second reading today, we can offer our bodies “as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God!” When people continue to hate us because of our faithfulness to Christ’s principles, then, let us not worry because it goes to show that we are still treading on the narrow road towards Jesus. Let us persevere amidst suffering because in the end of the road lies the fulfilment of his promise that He will be with us until the very end.

Until today, our brothers and sisters in the Middle East continue to suffer because of their decision to follow Christ. I know there were moments when they probably complained to God for their difficult condition. Yet, I also would like to believe that they were able to endure all these things even death because they have always hold on to hope – a hope which is not a lofty idea or a principle, but a person, fully human, fully divine, our Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!

“HUMAN CLOSENESS”
MONDAY OF THE 21st WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
2 Thess.1:1-5,11-12; Ps.96; Matt.23:13-22

I guess most of us have grown up as haters of the Pharisees. We always accused them as the “contra vida” in the story of Jesus. Them being the reason why Jesus was crucified and died on the cross. However, before dying in ignorance about them, let us try to learn a little more about this group of Jews.

The Pharisees were not priests. They were lay people who took charge of the synagogues. The Sadducees were the priests who were in charge of the Jerusalem temple. During the time of Jesus, there were several thousand Pharisees who were led by two main pharisaical schools: the school of Shammai and the school of Hillel. Those who belong to the school of Shammai were the ultra-conservative ones. For them, holiness of life can be achieved by the strict observance of the Law. Those who belong to the school of Hillel were the more liberal ones. For them, the heart of Judaism are the people and justice. Hence, in our Gospel today, probably, the woes were addressed to the former, the Pharisees who were very legalistic and unrealistic in their observance of the Mosaic Law. However, in any case, the Pharisees were woed or cursed by Jesus because they separate their zeal in observing the Law from their dealings with the people. Indeed, they were true to their name. The Hebrew word for Pharisees is Perushim which means separated ones. They separate themselves from the Gentiles, the unrighteous, in order to attain holiness. Because of this, they received a malediction from Jesus.

The exact opposite happened in our First Reading today. Paul thanked the Thessalonians and even boasted about their Church to the other churches because of their flourishing faith, a growing love with one another, and an enduring disposition in persecutions. For these, they received benediction from Paul.

From the two Readings, we are given two choices on how to attain holiness: the way of the Pharisees or the way of the Thessalonians. Should we separate ourselves from the people like the Pharisees? Or should we be with the people like the Thessalonians?

Pope Francis during his airborne press conference after his Pastoral Visit to Korea was asked by one of the journalists. “What did you feel when you met the families of the Sewol ferry disaster? Aren’t you concerned that your action might be misinterpreted politically?” The Pope humbly replied, “I know that the consolation that I can give, my words, are not a remedy. I cannot give new life to those that are dead. But human closeness in these moments give us strength.”

Let this be our challenge as we commence our pastoral exposure this year. Let us be convinced that holiness cannot be simply achieved by decoding the Summa, by reading the Bible, or by memorizing the Canons. Let us achieve holiness by human closeness! Let us not be like the Pharisees who separate themselves from the people. Instead, let us follow the Thessalonians who achieved holiness by being together in faith and by growing together in love, both in good times and in bad. Let us meet God in the face of the street children, the students, the prisoners, those living in shanties, and in the parishioners, both rich and poor.

The skull cap worn by the bishops and the Pope is known as the solideo which means that it has to be removed only before God, soli Deo! In his Mass at the Quirino Grandstand during the 1995 World Youth Day, after seeing the vast young people in front of him, John Paul II removed his solideo, signifying that He saw God in the faces of the people. He was before God!

After all, holiness is not about being pure and unblemished. It is about seeing God in everything we do; finding God in every place we go; meeting God in every person we meet so that God will be all in all.

Amen!

LEARNING TO WAIT FOR THE PROPER SEASON

TWENTY FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Is.22:19-23; Ps.138; Rom.11:33-36; Matt.16:13-20

“Then He strictly ordered His disciples to tell no one that He was the Christ.”

Hearing those words from Jesus would in a way make us think that he was a “kill-joy” on the experience of the disciples. The disciples have just experienced a great revelation. They have come to know through the confession of Peter, that their Rabbi was the Christ, the Son of the Living God! They have witnessed the investiture of Peter’s authority, but at the end of the narrative, they were asked to keep quiet about what they have seen and heard.

Scholars provided us with probable reasons why Jesus ordered such silence. On the part of the disciples,

“…they were not yet sufficiently familiar with the true notion of the Messiah, especially a suffering Messiah, to be competent to preach him to others.”

On the part of the Jews, their leaders might hasten Jesus’ capture, trial, and eventually His death. On the part of the Romans, they might consider Jesus and His company as a group preparing for an uprising against them. And so, Jesus gave His restrictions on the Messianic proclamation.

True enough, the disciples did not understand fully their experience. In the events which followed our narrative today, we learned of the disciples deserting Jesus after the Last Supper, locking themselves in the Upper Room after His death, and eventually deciding to go back to their previous occupation as fishermen. It was only after the sending of the Holy Spirit that the doors of their hearts were opened and filled with zeal proclaimed to the ends of the earth that Jesus is the Messiah!

In our lives, we have also a share of what the disciples experienced. Sometimes, we are overjoyed because of the many bountiful blessings we receive: a graduation of a son, a wedding of a daughter, or a job promotion. However, the opposite also rings true. We, too, become extremely saddened even to the point of desperation when things do not go well: a seriously sick loved one, a loss of job and security, or an end to a well spent relationship. In both cases, we have an outburst of emotions because we cannot fully understand why these things happen. Why did I receive such blessing when in fact I am the greatest sinner? Why did I suffer when in fact I have been faithful to God? Thus, I would like to believe that Our Lord will tell us to keep quiet, to tell no one about our experience. He does this not for us to die in overjoy or sorrow. Rather, He wants us to wait for the proper moment, the opportune time. After all, St. Paul in our Second Reading today reminds us that the Lord’s judgements are inscrutable and His ways irrevocable. “For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been His counsellor?” We cannot directly and fully understand the “Why’s” of our experience.

With this reality, what must we do? How can we joyfully wait for our own Pentecost; for the day when we will come to understand these experiences in life? What should we do so that we will not run away from the Lord and live in fear?

Two things!

First, let us remain focused to who we are and what we are doing. The disciples learned that Jesus was the Messiah during Peter’s confession. However, when Jesus’ dark days commenced, they were out of focus. They began to turn to their own selves. In the end, they left Jesus and locked themselves from the rest. In our lives, there have been and there will be more moments when we cannot understand why things do not turn out the way we expect them to. However, we are challenged to rise above these experiences and stay focused on who we are—the children of God. We are challenged further to always remember that there is more beyond our present concerns because God has destined us for far greater, bigger things.

Second, let us continue to hold on to hope! The disciples lost hope when they saw the Messiah who was supposed to be the Savior become vulnerable before the soldiers and especially the kiss of Judas. When we cannot fully understand the reason of our experiences, sometimes we end up losing hope even to the point of taking away our lives. During these moments, we cannot hold on to anyone or anything else except our hope, our hope in Christ the Lord! We hold on to Christ our hope because He has left us a promise that He is with us until the end of time. He is continuously inviting us to come to Him, to drink from His fount of life and love.

Jesus told the disciples not to tell anyone about their experience because He probably wants them to have a journey first towards themselves – to focus on who and what they really are, and to learn to hold on to hope. Only when these things are in their proper place will God, as mentioned in our First Reading today, “…fix himself like a nail in a sure spot, to be a place of honor for his family.” We no longer fear because we are holding on to a sure spot!

We heard in the news that four OAR Filipino missionaries have decided to stay with the people in the Ebola–stricken Sierra Leone,

“We will remain steadfast here! We cannot leave the children! We do not want them to feel rejected! We believe that God has sent us here to be with them!”

These words best explain to us that despite their unexplainable condition. They have remained focused with their mission, got out of their comfort zones, and held on to the Hope that is Jesus Christ.

SALVATION IS FOR ALL

SALVATION IS FOR ALL
TWENTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME CYCLE A HOMILY


We all want to be saved! We want to be saved from the pile of debts! We want to be saved from the bitterness and anger of people who do not like us. We want to be saved from the pains and heartaches which others inflict upon us. We all want to be saved!

In our First Reading today, we are given an assurance from the prophecy of Isaiah that salvation is near; that one day the Lord will also be ministering to the foreigners; that their offerings and sacrifices will be acceptable to the Lord. Our first reading prefigures the mission of Christ here on earth—that salvation which comes from Him is for all! His ministry will be for all! His message of love and mercy is for all!

Our Gospel today fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah! The "burnt offering and sacrifice" of the Canaanite woman was accepted and granted by Jesus after her insistence. Her daughter received healing from our Lord. Such act of Jesus was a “going beyond” His mission to the Jewish people. Such healing of a daughter of a Gentile woman signals to us the reality of Jesus' universal mission of salvation.

It was not because of political affiliation, race, status, or arguments that made Jesus grant healing to the woman's daughter. It was because of faith!

"O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish."

Indeed, faith spells out the difference. If you remember in our Gospel last Sunday, Peter, who was a disciple, a friend of Jesus, was admonished by our Lord because of his doubt. Peter wasn't able to walk on water because he did not have faith because he feared the tossing waves. But the woman in today's Gospel, who probably met Jesus for the first time, despite being rejected, insisted on her request, and in the end experienced salvation because of her faith.

St. Paul in our Second Reading today explains to us the relationship between universal salvation and faith. He preached to the Gentiles that the gifts and call of God are irrevocable. His salvation is simply irresistible. And it is out of the faith which they once rejected but now have accepted that they will experience the mercy of God.

The salvation of God is like a pool of fresh water. It is simply irresistible. Yet we die of thirst not for lack of water but because we refuse to open our mouth. We refuse to receive God's gift of faith.

Upon realizing that salvation is for all, and that faith is a prerequisite to salvation, let us now apply these realization into our lives.

Since Jesus Christ is our model in Christian living, then we are expected to become like Him. If His offer of salvation is for all regardless of religion, distance and time, then our being Christians should be for all people, in all places and at all times. Let us be Christians not only when we are in churches, instead, let us be "unlimited" Christians. Let us share with the rest of the world the love, mercy, and joy of Christ's salvation. If Christ brought healing to a daughter of a Gentile woman, someone who does not share in the traditions of Jesus, then, let us also bring salvation to other people especially those who are marginalized. Pope Francis has always insisted that he would rather have a Church that is wounded because of helping the poor than a Church which is drowned by her own self-absorption.

In particular, I would like to highlight the genocide happening now in the Middle East especially in Iraq and Syria. Everyday in the news and in social media, I see stories of people walking on the desert notwithstanding the scorching heat to run away from Muslim fundamentalists. I also see pictures and videos of the many innocent Christians and other minorities who are murdered, crucified, beheaded and displayed on public places mercilessly.

We may be very far away from them. But they are Christians still, they are human beings. The question is this, what are we doing now? Are we even aware of what is happening in that part of the world? If the salvation of Christ is for all and we are His followers, then, we have to do something! Like the insistent woman in our Gospel today, let us begin by being incessant for the world to be aware. Let us make some noise that the world will do something about this horrible event in history. Let us be Christians not only on Sundays and on days when we are happy, safe, and secured. Rather, and most importantly, let us be Christians amidst the suffering and trials in the world today.

It was because of faith that the woman was granted salvation. It is also because of faith that our Christian brothers and sisters in Iraq right now are suffering, persecuted, and even killed. By that same faith, they now receive the crown of martyrdom. That very faith has created for them a place in heaven, earning for themselves the salvation which Christ offered for all.

And so we pray,




























Amen.

"AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER"

ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Rev. 11:19a; 12:1–6a, 10ab; Ps.45, 1 Cor. 15:20–27; Luke 1:39–56

“And they lived happily ever after.” These words are the classical ending that we usually hear to end the fairy tales told by our parents or teachers when we were young. However, these words also express our human desire to be victorious in the end; to be able to finish life’s journey not only with flying colors but with inner joy and self-fulfillment. And our readings today invite us to look at victory from another point of view.

In our first reading, John presented us with the image of a woman clothed with the sun, wailing aloud in pain since she was about to give birth, and the dragon standing before the woman waiting to devour her child. Yet the story ended victorious, for after giving birth “the child was caught up to God and his throne. And the woman went to the place prepared for her.”

In our second reading, Paul tells the Corinthians that Christ has been raised from the dead. They must not fear, for Christ will destroy every enemy even death. Thus, every one of us in the end will experience the victory of the Resurrection.

In our Gospel today, Mary sings her Magnificat to the Father. Her poetic outburst echoes the language of victory that she has experienced in her life. “He lifts up the lowly. He fills the hungry with good things. He has remembered his promise of mercy.”

Lumen Gentium, in the chapter on Our Lady, quotes Pope Pius XII’s Apostolic Constitution, Munificentissimus Deus, that proclaimed the Dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, “that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever-virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heaven.” Lumen Gentium continues by again quoting  Pope Pius XII that gives us the reason for Mary’s Assumption: “that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death.” She who was “full of grace” from the first moment of her conception, through whom “the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us,” who “stood at the foot of the Cross,” now shares in the glory of the Resurrection.

Looking at the three readings and our Solemnity today, we realize that true victory comes when we share in the passion, death, and Resurrection of Jesus. Only when we recognize the presence of Christ Crucified and Risen in our lives can we experience the victorious words of Elizabeth to Mary, “Blessed are you among all the other creatures for the Lord is with you!”

Today, it’s no fairy tale to see pictures of headless bodies scattered around the streets of Iraq or to hear the news about the literal “exodus” of Christians walking in the heat of the desert just to seek a safer refuge. From the eyes of the world, it’s never a happy ending. What we can see is pure defeat! However, from the eyes of faith, the suffering of our brothers and sisters in the Middle East right now reminds us that as long as we share in the Passion of Christ and hold on to the victory of His Resurrection “neither persecution, nor death, nor suffering, nor the worries of the present” can prevent us from “fighting a good fight; from finishing the race; from keeping the faith.” After all, real victory happens when at the end of our lives the Lord, the just judge, will award to us the crown of righteousness.

May our seminary formation, our daily “yes” to God and “no” to sin, our day to day living together as a community of joyful stewards of the Gospel—may all these things teach us to live in constant communion with Christ Crucified and Risen and bring us to a victorious end, a victory not borne out of pride and arrogance but out of our humble recognition that God has always been with us in our journey so that we will all live happily ever after. Amen!

GAUDIUM IN CRUCE!

MEMORIAL OF ST. TERESA BENEDICTA OF THE CROSS

Hk.1:12–2:4, Ps. 9, Mt.17:14–20

Gaudium in Cruce! Joy in the Cross! Yet how can joy and suffering exist together? How can we find goodness in the face of suffering? How can bad things happen to good people? These questions have been troubling not only philosophers and theologians of today but even the prophets of the Old and the disciples of the New Testaments.

In the first reading, we heard of the prophet Habakkuk complaining to God why He will execute His vengeance upon Judah by a people even worse than themselves? “Why then do you gaze on the faithless in silence while the wicked man devours one more just than himself?” And God’s answer was simple. He asked Habakkuk to wait! “If it delays, wait for it. The proud man has no integrity but the just man because of faith shall live.”

In our Gospel, we heard of another complaint. The disciples were asking Jesus why they can’t rebuke the demon who possessed the boy. “Why could we not drive it out?” And Jesus’s answer was simple. “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, nothing will be impossible for you.”

Hence from the two readings we realize the importance of faith! Faith enables us to find joy even in the midst of suffering. As the author of the letter to the Hebrews puts it, “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.” In Lumen Fidei, Pope Francis gives us a rich imagery of faith as a lamp. He says, “Faith is not a light which scatters all our darkness, but a lamp which guides our steps in the night and suffices for the journey.” Pope Francis has repeatedly quoted Pope Benedict XVI that faith is an encounter with a person, Jesus Christ, Crucified and Risen. Faith in Him who is Crucified and Risen makes us persevere up to the very end.

St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, whose memorial we celebrate today, once wrote, “We believe that Christ died for us in order to give us life. And so faith in the Crucified—a living faith joined to loving surrender—is for us entrance into life and the beginning of future glory. The cross, therefore, is our only claim to glory” (Science of the Cross 21). Indeed her entire life was a journey of faith: from her falling away from the Jewish faith of her forefathers to her search for truth that ultimately led her back to faith and finally to that encounter with the person of Jesus Christ, Crucified and Risen. After years of struggling and resisting God, she found faith as a “loving surrender.”And in this “loving surrender,” she found lasting joy that even the Nazis could not take away. Witnesses reported that while on the way to Auschwitz, this Carmelite nun tried to comfort those around her especially the children. And when she was stripped of everything and herded into the gas chambers, her “living faith joined to loving surrender” shone forth in that terrible darkness and horror.

Yesterday, we celebrated the feast of St. Dominic, who according to Fr. Aureada in his homily during the Solemn Vespers, was a joyful preacher not because he knew about God but because he knew a person, Our Lord.

Tomorrow, we will celebrate another feast, St. Lawrence, the deacon who was known to be joyful despite being grilled to death, even telling his torturers to turn him on the other side since he was already cooked on one side.

These three saints lived in different times and places, yet they teach us one important lesson: Christian joy that constantly abides, no matter what the circumstances comes from this “living faith joined to loving surrender.”

And so we pray, Lord, give us a “living faith joined to loving surrender.” Grant us that faith that enabled Habakkuk to move from complaining to praising you; that faith which can move mountains; that faith which can make us remain joyful amidst the many toils and crosses in life. Amen!

LORD, INCREASE OUR FAITH!

NINETEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME CYCLE A (ENGLISH)

Kings 19:9,11-13a, Ps.85,Romans 9:1-5, Matthew 14:22-23

What do we usually do when we are in a very difficult situation? What would you do if after your medical check-up, you are diagnosed with Stage 4 Cancer? What would you do if after this Mass, you meet your husband or wife standing right at your door with all his/her bags packed, and ready to go? What if, as you go on a date with your beloved this afternoon, he tells you that he is ending the relationship because he wants to become a priest? Of course, we have a lot of different reactions to these realities. Today, our Gospel gives us some practical suggestions on what to do.

The disciples, after feeding the five thousand went ahead of Jesus to the other side of the lake. While traveling by boat, a very difficult situation dawned upon them—they were caught in the middle of tossing waves. During the fourth watch of the night, Jesus came toward them walking on the water. The disciples saw Him. “It is a ghost!” they cried, terrified.

When confronted by a difficult situation, Practical Suggestion #1 is this, RECOGNIZE THE LORD.

Jesus’ disciples knew it was Him walking towards them, but they were frightened and they thought He was a ghost. Sometimes, we allow fear to control us. That same fear hinders us from recognizing the Lord. Other times, our vision of the Lord is obstructed by Pride, believing that we are the ones solely in control of everything. For us to recognize the Lord, we must overcome both Fear and Pride. In doing so, we gain clarity of sight and acceptance of His presence in our lives.

Further into our Gospel, it was Peter who got the courage to speak first with these words, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on water!”  In this scenario, Peter thinks before acting. He asks for a command before walking on water. This is Practical Suggestion #2, THINK BEFORE YOU ACT.

We call this Discernment. When we discern, do not hurry. We must first contemplate on what our choices are, and which among these would be the best decision to make. Most importantly, discernment is achieved best when done in an atmosphere of prayer.

The Lord then replied to Peter, “Come!”  The boat here signifies the comfort zone of the disciples. It is where they felt safe. In our Gospel, however, Jesus was not inside the boat. He was on the water. Practical Suggestion #3 is to GET OUT OF OUR COMFORT ZONES.

In finding solutions to our problems, let us learn to take risks! Sometimes, Jesus brings us to experiences we do not enjoy, but He is in these experiences. We just have to take courage. Courage to speak for what is right, courage to ask for forgiveness, courage to forgive.

As Peter walked on the water, he began to sink because he was frightened by the strong winds and waves. Here is our Practical Suggestion #4: FOCUS ON JESUS.

In our difficult moments, we easily lose focus because we tend to be more preoccupied by the problem. We have to remember that for us to overcome our trials, we must fix our eyes on Jesus. Always.

Jesus then immediately stretched out his hand to save the sinking Peter and told him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” The first thing that Jesus did was to save Peter before admonishing him. When our relationships with others go through difficult times, what do we do first? Do we help the person before rebuking him/her? Or do we intervene the other way around? Do we even help them at all? As Jesus teaches us through today’s Gospel, let us try to follow what He did. In difficult situations, let us apply Practical Suggestion #5: HELP FIRST, REPRIMAND LATER.

Finally, as we look at the whole story, Jesus ultimately arrived on time, at the precise moment when the disciples where in a difficult situation. This is our Practical Suggestion #6 – TRUST IN GOD’S TIMING. As the saying goes, “God is never too early. Otherwise, we will lose our faith. God is never too late, otherwise we will lose our hope. God always arrives at the precise point when we need him.”

However, our Gospel’s Six Practical Suggestions will only work when practiced with Faith. It is the same Faith which made Elijah in the First Reading recognize God not in the fire, earthquake, or wind but in the tiny whispering sound. It is Faith which made St. Paul in our Second Reading speak about the truth in Christ. In everything we go through, we remember to pray, Lord increase our faith! Lord increase our faith!

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