The Way of Service

            I was surfing on the net for a research on leadership when I found an interesting 2-minute video clip from India entitled “Tree.” The scene opens with a traffic jam caused by a big fallen tree. It caused great inconvenience for the motorists and the commuters. The traffic authorities, however, just ignored the situation thinking it was not their concern. Now a small boy, a passenger from a bus, sees the dead-lock situation. Possibly he was on his way home but got stranded by the heavy traffic. Worse, it began to rain. Faced with this crisis, the boy drops his school bag and begins to push the fallen tree alone with all his might. It was a futile attempt, of course.

          But his action was enough inspiration for the others to help. The first ones to give a hand were the other children about his age playing along the street. And one by one people from all walks of life joined in the pushing – muscled grown-ups, ladies even senior citizens. A miracle of teamwork is created. The fallen tree is removed in no time. It showed the triumph of the human spirit. Everyone felt the joy of the accomplishment. The lesson I got from this episode is this: age and size does not determine who a leader is. It simply requires a great heart for service.

          In this Sunday’s Gospel from Mt 11:29, Jesus is described as having been invited to the home of one of the leading Pharisees. The banquet must have been extravagant because the guests were vying to take places of importance. The scrambling for the priority seats must have been obvious because it drew the attention of Jesus. It is human nature to seek for importance. Basically, man is called to greatness! Yet some people seek greatness in the wrong places.

          The events of these days also drew our attention as to why our nation’s leaders scramble for “political seats” during election. We have seen just the tip of the iceberg. And one of the reasons is because of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). Some of our leaders have allegedly misused and abused this discretionary fund and channeled them to “ghosts projects.” It has angered our people because this “power of the purse” has become the source of corruption in government. While we point out the wrong as part of our prophetic vocation, we also need to look at the mirror and ask ourselves whether we have taken part in continuing the system of corruption.

          It is a wake-up call for all of us. If our leaders can learn, the way of Jesus has always been servant leadership. “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” In coining the phrase “servant-leadership” in 1970, Robert Greenleaf believes that individuals as well as organizations can be servant-leaders. In his essay “The Institution as Servant” he writes:

“This is my thesis: caring for persons, the more able and the less able serving each other, is the rock upon which a good society is built. Whereas, until recently, caring was largely person to person, now most of it is mediated through institutions – often large, complex, powerful, impersonal; not always competent; sometimes corrupt. If a better society is to be built, one that is more just and more loving, one that provides greater creative opportunity for its people, then the most open course is to raise both the capacity to serve and the very performance as servant of existing major institutions by new regenerative forces operating within them.”

          Our Christian faith calls us to renewal and conversion. The way to change is not to expect others to change but it starts from within. The challenge is to open ourselves into a new paradigm, a new way of being and doing. It is the way of service like Jesus. Pope Francis teaches that “faith is not something decorative or for show. To have faith means to put Christ truly at the center of our lives.” If we become a Jesus for our brothers and sisters, perhaps we can have a more caring, loving and better society.

(This article also appears in the Faith Section of Cebu Daily News)

Breed of Heroes and Saints

This morning, I with Bro. Vince and some seminarians, joined the 8 o’clock mass at the Cebu Cathedral in solidarity with the Filipino people to express anger over the abuse and misuse of state funds by the government. About two weeks ago a protest rally organized by ordinary citizens went viral in Facebook to have a “Million People March” in Rizal Park. Others joined in the protest in different parts of the country as a citizen-led democratic exercise in a “picnic style gathering” just to express indignation and disgust. The night before, I was still unsure if I would go. 

My friend Cheryl encouraged me to join and pray for them as they would participate in this protest from Fuente Osmena and walk towards Plaza Independencia. She text me that she was anxious because there had been reports of a bomb scare. So I decided to join the mass as a Filipino and as a priest to pray for our country and the safety of the marchers and the gathering that would ensue.

The mass was organized by the Cebu Clergy headed by Msgr. Romel Kintanar on behalf of Archbishop Jose Palma who is out of the country. The Eucharistic celebration was attended by religious men and women, seminarians, lay church organizations and concerned citizens. Bishop Julito Cortes, Auxiliary Bishop of Cebu, gave a thought-provoking and challenging message in his homily.

I would like to paraphrase some of the ideas in his message. He said that the Mass was a gathering in order to bring to the attention of the Lord this grave injustice over wasted public funds for private gain. As a people of faith we are to discern, to grieve and pray.

We discern because we in Church at times grab “a piece of the pie” by tempting and encouraging government officials to corruption. Thus he emphatically declared:  walay mangayo! (we shall not ask). We grieve over a political system which allowed lack of accountability. We pray for our government leaders who are supposedly our stewards. As a community of faith, we continue to say no to sin! No to the evil one and we need to be anchored in faith.

Bishop Cortes also said something very inspiring by connecting the gathering on the meaning of National Heroes Day. He said that it’s a reminder that we are capable of heroism. We are much more dignified and borrowing from the words of Cardinal Luis Tagle “we can do better than this!” because we are a breed of heroes and saints!

He tells the faithful an episode in Rome when Pope Francis met Cardinal Vidal. The pope asked him where he came from and the old prelate said “I come from the Philippines.” On hearing this, Pope Francis was said to say: “Ah the Philippines. The land of saints!”

At the end of the mass, Msgr. Kintanar invited all church-goers to march to Plaza Independencia. A sizeable number of people from all walks of life were already there. There was music, protests songs, prayer from different religious groups even from a representative of agnostic-atheists. But most of all the crowd was educated of the “why” of the gathering. I felt happy that I was in that event. I felt I did my duty as a Christian and as a Filipino.

Cheryl texted me later in the afternoon: “Glad you and the seminarians from Don Bosco counted in for this noble and significant cause for our country. The weather was great. We had a peaceful walk and gathering. But most of all we made a mark in society.”

Model Disciple

          At the Kidron Valley just at the foot of Mt. Olives in Jerusalem, there is a shrine known to Christians as the Tomb of the Virgin Mary. Pilgrims who visit this place will see a sarcophagus or a stone coffin encased with glass. The interior of which is empty because it does not contain Mary’s remains. Christian tradition teaches that Mary died a natural death like any human being. But after her burial, Jesus resurrected her and assumed her body and soul into heaven.

          This is the feast Catholics celebrate every 15^th of August of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The earliest printed reference to the belief that Mary's body was assumed into heaven dates from the 4^th century, in a document entitled "The Falling Asleep of the Holy Mother of God." The document is written by the Apostle John, to whom Christ on the Cross had entrusted the care of His mother, and recounts the death, laying in the tomb, and her assumption.

        Pope Pius XII on November 1, 1950 declared in his apostolic constitution Munificentissimus Deus (Latin: the most bountiful God) "that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory." This is God’s reward for Mary having lived a life of faith and obedience. She becomes an icon of hope for being a model disciple. She embraced God’s will in every aspect of her life; the perfect disciple who listens to God’s word and puts it into practice.      Mary continues to challenge us today. She invites us to be men and women of faith.

In his first encyclical Lumen Fidei (The Light of Faith), Pope Francis wrote on the topic of faith. Here, he emphasizes lest we forget, that faith is a “guiding light” for a successful and fruitful life inspiring social action, personal devotion to God illuminating every aspect of human existence. This encyclical brings to our awareness that God exists and we need to give first place for Him in our lives! Convinced of his role to strengthen his brothers and sisters in the faith, the Pope encourages Christians to celebrate their faith. “We should not be swallowed by contemporary doubts, skepticism and depression that characterize our world,” he exhorts.

From this encyclical, we can highlight paragraphs focusing on the importance of faith in our lives. First of all, faith can transform our lives.  Paragraph  #4. “Faith is born of an encounter with the living God who calls us and reveals his love, a love which precedes us and upon which we can lean for security and for building our lives. Transformed by this love, we gain fresh vision, new eyes to see; we realize that it contains a great promise of fulfillment, and that a vision of the future opens up before us. Faith, received from God as a supernatural gift, becomes a light for our way, guiding our journey through time.”

Faith makes us see the truth objectively. Paragraph # 3. “Yet in the absence of light everything becomes confused; it is impossible to tell good from evil, or the road to our destination from other roads which take us in endless circles, going nowhere.”

Faith is a light for our society. Paragraph #55. “Faith also helps us to devise models of development which are based not simply on utility and profit, but consider creation as a gift for which we are all indebted; it teaches us to create just forms of government, in the realization that authority comes from God and is meant for the service of the common good.”

Pope Francis ends his encyclical with a prayer to Mary, Mother and Model of our Faith. “Mother help our faith! Sow in our faith the joy of the Risen One… Remind us that those who believe are never alone.” Armed with an active faith, we envision a more just and less corrupt society. 

 (This article also appears in the Faith Section of Cebu Daily News)

Run the Race

I gave a retreat last July to the employees of St. Teresa’s College (STC) at the Schoenstatt Retreat House. In my conversation with them during break, I got to know that two among them were members of the Ultra Runners’ Club. They were preparing to join a 100 kilometers Ultra Marathon Run from Tabuelan, a western Cebu town and end up in Family Park,  in Talamban, Cebu City. It is a tough and grueling run that passes through the Trans-central Highway in Balamban. I met one of them again on the first week of August. I asked him about his run. Enthusiastically he announced in Bisaya: “I made it at the 10^th place!”

Running a race is tiring and exhausting. To join a long distance run, one needs to train and practice. One has to be on the road constantly.

The 2^nd Reading today (Hebrews 12:1-4) likens life to a race. The marathon is used as a metaphor. To put ourselves in context, the Letter to the Hebrews was written on a time when Early Christians were in danger of apostasy. Tired and weary as they were of the demands of Christian life, they were tempted to abandon their faith in Jesus. Thus this letter was meant to encourage them never to give up. It exhorts them to persevere in running the race.

This same Letter continues to teach us 3 things today:

1.     We all have races to run

The fact is, we all have difficulties to endure in our life. We have work to do; projects to make; toil and trouble we need to carry. We will have fears and worries that occupy us; snares to be avoided and temptations to be resisted.

One popular television series on GMA Network is Survior Philippines. It is a reality competition originally based from the show “Expedition Robinson” created in 1997 by Charlie Parsons. The show is currently hosted by Richard Gutierrez. The show gathers a number of contestants stranded on an isolated area for a pre-determined number of days until one remains and is given the title Pinoy Sole Survivor.Aside from the title, the winner also receives P3 Million (around US$65,000), the largest cash prize in the history of Philippine reality game shows.

Life is like a race for survival. At the end of which, a bigger prize awaits those who have endured. In this race there will be obstacles and stumbling blocks along the way. The race is for everybody. Whether young or old, the struggles remain. The cross is a basic reality in our lives which we cannot avoid. As long as we live, the race is on.

2.     We have to run with patience

The challenge is this: we must keep to the course. We have to pray for perseverance and strength. The difficulties and temptations might be so strong that like the Israelites in the desert, we complain from the ordeal we face. The Israelites, in fact, yearned to go back to Egypt as they remembered the “cucumbers, the melons, the garlic and onions” they used to enjoy.

I have experienced joining a 21 kilometer distance run. As the run progresses, I heal my self-talk discouraging me: its too tiresome.. just walk… give up.. you can’t make it. Along the way, a psychological battle rages within me; an inner struggle takes place. I have to motivate myself to endure; to persevere; to stand firm and hang on. This is the same in our life. We need to motivate ourselves by injecting positive thoughts in our minds. We tell ourselves: today is the cross, tomorrow is the crown; today is the sowing, tomorrow is the harvest; today is the battle, tomorrow is the rest.

3.     We fix our gaze on Jesus

Finally, what helps us persevere is looking at Jesus. We make him our inspiration. In Matthew 14, there is an episode of Jesus walking on the sea. The disciples saw him from afar and they were terrified. Jesus assures them: “Do not be afraid. It is I.” At this point, Peter shouts: “Lord, if it is really you, command me to come to you on the water.” Jesus commands: “Come!” Thus Peter steps out of the boat and begins to walk on the water towards Jesus. But then he got distracted by the big waves and the strong wind. He lost his focus on Jesus so he began to sink.

When we fix our eyes on Jesus, we can rise above our troubles and concerns. It is the secret of serenity and peace in our lives amidst the turmoil of the world. It is the secret of enduring hardships.

In writing to Timothy, the Apostle Paul encourages him to be faithful to his task. There is a reward for being faithful up to the end. “Endure hardships.. fulfill your ministry.. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith” (2 Tim 4).

Faith Makes the Difference

Visiting Mt. Sinai was one of my memorable experiences in my life. From the city of Jerusalem, our group took a long travel by bus through the lonely desert sands and dunes to the Sinai Peninsula. We arrived towards the evening at the foot of Mt. Horeb where we lodged at Morgen Hotel. After our dinner we started our climb around 8 o’clock PM towards the mountain top. We were spending the night on Mt. Sinai.

With knapsacks on our backs containing our personal things, food for breakfast and tents for the sleep-over, we ascended the mountain of God. The climb was so dark. There were no street lamps along the way. Some of us carried torches while others brought along flashlights to guide our way. There were also other pilgrims who journeyed with us. Upon reaching the peak, a lot of pilgrims were already there. The mood was festive as we pitched our tents for the night. It was so cold on top. We woke up at dawn to watch the beautiful sunrise in this awesome desert.

In the midst of darkness our torches and our flashlights enabled us to find our way and reached the mountain top.

This Sunday’s Readings speak about Faith. The Gospel (Lk 12:32-48) describes faith as a lamp “burning,” shining in the dark night. The 2^nd Reading from the Letter to the Hebrews (Heb 11:1-2) defines faith as the “assurance of what we hope for;” and “being certain of what we cannot see.”

The Letter to the Hebrews, if we might recall, was written to exhort Christians who began to doubt whether it was really worth believing in Jesus as Messiah especially in a time when they now face persecution because of their faith. As if their lamp was extinguishing, it was an encouragement to keep the faith.

Our Readings teaches us 3 Things that Faith can do to make a difference in our lives:

1.    Faith Shows the Way – it gives light!

Pope Francis wrote his First Encyclical “Lumen Fidei” which means “Light of Faith” on June 29 – Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul - for all of us believer of today. This is a unique letter because it was written by “4 hands” – his and Pope Benedict’s. So it’s a didactic duet of 2 Popes in their duty to strengthen the faith of their brothers and sisters.

In this letter, the Pope insists that faith is a “light to be recovered.” The objection of contemporary man is this: that light (faith) which have been considered sufficient for societies of old, is now felt to be of no use for new times, for a humanity come of age, proud of its rationality and anxious to explore the future in novel ways. Hence faith is irrelevant today, many claim.

Instead he declares: “There is an urgent need, to see once again that faith is a light, for once the flame of faith dies out, all other lights begin to dim. The light of faith is unique, since it is capable of illuminating every aspect of human existence.”

A candle is always relevant at night. You might not need it during day light. But you’d be sorry not to keep one during brown-out! Keep your candle. Light your faith.

2.    Faith gives you Patience in Waiting

The metaphor the Gospel uses to liken our Christian life is “Waiting for the Master’s Return.” The image is clear. We experience how tiring and boring the waiting can be: we wait for a jeep, a taxi or a bus to ride; we fall in line to wait for our turn at the counter, at the cashier in a mall or at the bank.

Last July 26, I was caught in a huge traffic jam at the South Road Properties (SRP). I did not know that there was a gathering of the Iglesia ni Cristo somewhere at the Calungsod Shrine. The movement of vehicles was so slow. It was so congested because of vehicles wrongly parked and the traffic was badly managed. I was in a hurry to get in time to the Lourdes Parish Church for a wedding! I really felt the impatience growing within me. I was not complaining because they had this historic celebration, I just felt it was an unnecessary burden due to poor logistics and crowd control. But I had to keep my cool. I prayed for more patience.

Faith gives us the necessary “oil” to be patient. It enables you to stretch your spiritual muscle; not lose your cool and do something positive like praying or listening to music to lift you up while waiting. Faith supplies us with perseverance to wait patiently.

3.    Faith makes you Fearless

Few days ago, the Reading was about the 12 Scouts Moses sent to Canaan to explore the land. On their return they brought along bountiful fruits from the land. But they also sowed fear among their countrymen. They brought news that they were fierce, very strong, huge men who devoured their inhabitants, veritable giants that they seemed to look like mere grasshoppers! As a result, the Israelites got discouraged. They became afraid and felt inferior. They wailed and grumbled. Suddenly they lost heart and they lost their faith in God!

Faith gives us courage to face our fears, worries, problems and concerns. With faith, we can tell ourselves: we can beat the odds! We believe that God is greater than our fears. We believe that God is mightier than our problems. The Israelites forgot that they were “taller” than the giants they saw because they were standing tall on God’s shoulders!

Last night, I watched the crucial game between our national team Gilas Pilipinas against the taller South Koreans. Korea was a formidable team. It was a team of giants and 3-point sharp shooters. We have never won a top-level Asian Competition against them since 1986. It has dealt our national team countless heartbreaks in the past three decades that it has been dubbed the “South Korean curse.” In 2011 we lost a bronze medal match against them.

But last night our team played with a great heart even without our best player sidelined for injury. They defeated Korea 86-79 that earned them a slot for the 2014 Fiba World Basketball Cup in Spain. Marc Pingris, the 6 ft 5 forward best player of the game, personified the grit of the Filipinos who continued playing despite a sprained leg. His interview in TV5 after the game struck me. He thanked the Lord for the win. He was praying for strength as he was playing with a sprained leg. His faith made his fearless.

Faith can make a difference. It gives light, its supplies more patience and it makes you fearless – giving you more courage. So keep the faith!