Be Watchful

A five-year old boy walks into his parents’ room to kiss them good night. His dad has just finished reading his bible. He asked: “Dad, what are you reading?” His dad replied: “Son, I’m reading the book of Revelation, the last book of the bible.” “And what’s it about” came another curious question. Dad looks at him and explains: “It’s about God’s final battle against evil!” Excitedly, the boy sat beside his dad and inquired: “And who won?” The father stooped down to his boy’s eye level and informed him: “God won!”

We are entering a new season and a new year in the Church: the Season of Advent! We begin a new countdown of Jesus’ historical birth – his first visit on Christmas. But we know the story; we know the outcome – God won. We are saved! We’re simply awaiting the final results.

While waiting, we need these three Christian dispositions:

1.   We wait patiently

Many times, waiting becomes tiresome. There are really times waiting becomes necessary: one waits for traffic to subside; in the airport, you wait for a sister to arrive with a delayed flight; parents wait for their children to grow up; a mother waits for a son to give up his addiction. During the wait, we run out of patience. We even get angry and loose our peace to the point of exasperation and frustration.

In the First Reading (Is 63), the prophet expressed the community lament of the exiled Jews in Babylon. They voice out their regret for being hard headed, for failing to listen to God and wandered away. Yet they are still hopeful because God is their father. They implore God to re-work them and make them new as a potter makes the clay beautiful in his hands.

2.   We wait lovingly

We wait actively by doing good continually. Its not a lazy waiting. Early Christians really thought that Jesus will immediately return during their lifetime. For this reason, some have abandoned their land and their business in order to lazily wait for the Parousia. St. Paul had to write the Thessalonians to counter this slothful attitude by warning them and giving the rule: “those who would not work should not eat.”

While we await the return of the Lord, we continue to work and do our duties. We continue our task of witnessing and striving to make this world a better place. Parents ought to continue their mission of guiding and caring for their children. Leaders dedicate their time in service and selflessness.

When the body of Archbishop Teofilo Camomot was exhumed from his grave in Carcar, Cebu eyewitnesses claimed that his remains decayed except two parts of his body: his hands and his heart. After many decades, he has became a pile of dust. But amazingly his hands and his heart did not rot long after he was buried. It is God’s way of telling us that in the end, what matters most is our love. What matters most is not our competence but our character.

3.   We wait faithfully

Advent challenges us to be faithful. We need to be watchful for the arrival of the master of the house who is in a journey. As servants, we need to do the task entrusted to us. We should be like the gatekeeper continually alert lest the master finds us sleeping.

Through prayer, we remind ourselves of our purpose and God’s plan for us in this world. We live responsible and dedicated lives lest we get distracted by the temptations and pleasures of this passing world. We focus our minds that things are fleeting lest we be overtaken by a consumerist and profit-driven mindset.

As we begin the season of Advent, our readings remind us of the good news that God has won the battle for us. We simply need to wait patiently, lovingly and faithfully. This is how we can be watchful.

Using Our Talents

A dying husband on his death bed makes a request to his wife: “my dear, when I die and you bury me… please do not put R.I.P. on top of my grave.” Surprised, the wife replies: “why not? What would you want us to put instead?” With a solemn voice the husband suggests: “simply put S.Y.S” “And what would that suppose to mean? she inquires. The husband says: “See You Soon!”

St. Paul in the 2^nd Reading (1 Thes 5:1-6) reminds us that the “day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” Therefore, we need to be prepared; to be awake and sober.

Our Sunday Readings have two lessons to teach us:

1.    We need to Prepare. Right now, there are three big events I am preparing for: the Christmas Concert on December 9; the Misa de Gallo and the Loudes Fiesta 2018. We are aware that without preparation many things will not be in order and the event will not be meaningful.

How then should we prepare for the most important day of our life? Surely that is the day of our death! It is the day when we shall meet God face to face; the day we encounter Him. Hence we should look our best. Because I believe after death – the best is yet to come.

It may happen that we may deliberately stay away from Him. I saw in facebook a coffin being carried in church by 6 men. Under it was a caption in Bisaya: “Bisag unsaon nimo’g palayo sa Dios ug sa Simbahan, sa katapusan ibalik ra ka gihapon sa Simbahan.” (No matter how you distance from God and the Church, in the end you will still be returned to the Church). Its something to thinks about.

2.    We need to take responsibility. The gospel reminds us that God is the master and the owner of whatever we have. He gives us talents, gifts and abilities for our use. But he expects us to use them responsibly in order to honor and glorify him.

American writer, Mark Twain said: “there are two most important days in our life: the day when we were born, and the day you discovered why.” One afternoon, I was surprise to see a new name for Ganciang Street – Gabriel Elorde Street. I was more surprise to learn that the promulgation from the City Government was still way back 1985.

Who was Gabriel “Flash” Elorde? He is considered the greatest Filipino boxer of all time. In Asia, he is first to be inducted into the prestigious New York Boxing Hall of Fame in 1993. Looking back at his life, he actually discovered boxing by accident because of an ex-boxer friend, Lucio Laborte. After teaching him how to box, he made history by becoming a champion.

But he is a real champion in and outside the ring. In one of his visits to the clinic after being diagnosed with cancer of the lungs, he met a boy with the same sickness. Feeling compassion, he gave his gold necklace crucifix to the hapless lad who was so grateful of him. Writer Ronnie Nathanielz described Gabriel Elorde as “a champion who feared no man, but humble to all men.” He was indeed a giver. He did not just give punches; he also gave away his heart.

Our talents are God-given. Whatever talent we may have – we use it! God does not wants us to bury them under the ground. It is how we honor and give glory to God. Moreover, It will also serve as our entrance ticket for the banquet of life – the banquet of heaven!

Staying Awake

A tour group was visiting the 102 floors of the Empire State Building. On their way up the elevator, a woman asked the tourist guide: “if this elevator breaks down, where do we go? Are we going up or down?” The guide replied with a smile: “that really depends on how you are living!”

Our Sunday Gospel (Mt 25:1-13) is a lesson on readiness. Jesus narrates the parable of the ten bridesmaids: five were wise, the other five were foolish. The wise once had foresight and brought extra oil; the foolish ones did not prepare for the delay. Only the ones with lamps burning entered the wedding banquet.

This parable is a metaphor of our life. Through this story, Jesus wants to teach us two valuable lessons:

1.    Be ready. Be prepared. 
What the gospel really wants to emphasize is our preparation for the future 2^nd Coming of Jesus. The Greeks call it the “Parousia.” If his first coming was humble and small, the 2^nd coming will be mighty and loud! He will come as king. He will arrive as the final Judge of everyone and everything. He will show his power and glory. The other more immediate preparation is the hour of our death. Thankfully we do not know when will be our end. If we did, it would have been scary. It would absolutely take away our peace.

          I was able to assist a parishioner in his last moments. After suffering a mild stroke, his last request to his family was not to be revived. When asked for the reason, he explained that for him “it was mission accomplished.” He had brought up his children well; he had served the parish; he had done what was needed to do. Moreover, he declared: “I want to see the God whom I have served!” Indeed, it is an inspiring disposition of readiness.

2.    Be wise. Jesus commends that we need “to keep our lamps burning.”

In our journey in life we will need spiritual fuel to keep on moving forward. Without this oil, we cannot persevere. Hence we need four essential elements to keep us always aflame. We need B.E.E.R. in our life.

        Bible: we need to read scriptures to know God’s will. Scriptures will give direction to our life. Jesus himself said: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.”

      Eucharist: we need the sacraments to keep us always spiritually healthy. These are the ordinary means that Jesus provides to nourish our life in the spirit. Through confession, God forgives us and continually gives us hope of a new beginning; the eucharist is food for our earthly pilgrimage.

         Examples: it is not enough just to know God’s will. We also need to act on them. We should be doers of God’s Word. Aided by grace, we need to perform acts of goodness and mercy done with the right intention of giving glory to God; not just for show. Through our examples, we can create ripples of influence that can make a difference in others’ lives.

     Rosary: in other words, we need prayer. Prayer is our personal relationship with God. Through our devotion to our Blessed Mother and our closeness to the saints will remind us that we are not alone in this journey of life. Our prayer provides us of our necessary connection that gives us power in our daily battle.

          Going back to the question: “are we going up or down?” Jesus, the guide of our life’s journey, will respond: that really depends on how you are living! Be ready. Be wise and add BEER in your life!

Saints We Are

When we talk about “saints,” we immediately think of the “canonized ones” – those proclaimed by the Church as blessed because they have lived extraordinary lives beyond that of an average Christian. Here we note that the Church does not make or create saints, but rather recognizes their virtues and present them to the faithful as role models in the practice of the faith.

The first saint I have known is San Antonio of Padua. My mom entrusted me to his care in my childhood. She even added it as my baptismal name. He was known for his persuasive preaching and impressive miracles borne out of his deep faith in God. The saint who inspired me most is St. John Bosco. Having read his life as a boy, his personality captivated me because he was such a talented individual both in nature and in grace. But my favorite saint is John Paul II because he inspired me to be a priest. Most of all, he is the only saint I have seen in my life.

Many times the saints are projected as bigger than life. We think of them as extra-terrestrial beings who lived perfect and pure lives having no struggles and concupiscence. They seem to be so high on their pedestals that they are beyond the reach of ordinary mortals. Moreover, we focus on their miracles and their phenomenal deeds that make them super human beings. They become like “superheroes” whose lives we love to tell but whose lives we simply cannot imitate.

In reality, they were men and women like us who experienced doubts, fears, worries, joy and hope. They cried and felt hurt. They also had to make difficult decisions in life. They were men and women of their times who were affected by the conditions of their surroundings. What made them extraordinary is that they never allowed their darkness to control them. They cooperated in the grace of God to transform them into vessels of light.

In a broad sense, saints are those who follow Jesus and live their lives according to his teachings. In fact, St. Paul in writing to the different Christian communities of his time, he called them “saints.” Indeed, all of us baptized into Christ are potential saints. We have the capacity because we are children of God as well as the means through the sacraments that give us spiritual strength. In the strict sense, real saints are the men and women who have persevered in their earthly pilgrimage. They have reached the finish line and are now receiving the glorious crown of eternal life.

The lives of the saints continue to challenge us. Even today, there are practical ways that the saints are inviting us to do. Every saint prayed well. They endeavored to have a close relationship with God. They believed that man does not live by bread alone but also needs God’s guidance and direction through His Word. While they kept their feet were firmly rooted on the ground, their eyes were fixed on the spiritual home beyond the stars.

Every saint worked well. First of all, they challenged themselves to overcome their laziness and mediocrity. They responded to the deep yearning in their hearts to seek for real happiness which only God can give. Motivated by the spirit of self denial, they made a commitment to follow Jesus and take up their cross daily. They tried to put into practice the lifestyle and attitude of Christ.

Every saint lived well. Love is the most essential quality of a saint. Every saint is a great lover of God and neighbor. They show their love and compassion even to the point of sacrifice because saints are convinced that there can be no love without sacrifice. Even Jesus declared that “there is no greater love than one who lays down his life for his friends.” Saints live the beatitudes practicing meekness and mercy,

The Irish poet and playwright, Oscar Wilde once wrote: “every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future.” Saints are never perfect people. Its inspiring to realize that we all have the potentials to be numbered among them. Every day I encounter simple and ordinary people who work well, pray well and live well. I feel God’s grace working quietly in the world despite its confusion and turmoil. Mysteriously, God inspires every willing heart to strive to a life of godliness.

This article appeared in my Sunday Column “Sharing the Word” at Cebu Daily News on November 05, 2017.

Loving God

A parish priest was giving a conference to a group of parents. In his talk he emphasized the importance of love in action especially in the family because “there can be no love without sacrifice.” After his conference, he distributed crosses to each couple a crucifix with the instruction: “Place this crucifix in your room where you quarrel most of the time. Looking at Jesus, it may help you remember his challenge to love one another.”

A wife came forward with the request: “Father, may I have five instead of one? I need to put a crucifix in every room of our house!”

In today’s gospel (Mt 22:34-40), Jesus reminds of the importance of love. We need to love God and love our neighbor. For Jesus, love is the greatest. Love is the most essential thing. Love is everything! He shows us that our loving has two dimensions:

1.    We need to love God above all. It’s the vertical dimension. It shows our connectedness to God. He should be first and foremost in our lives. For this reason Jesus stresses that we love God with all our heart, all our mind and all our soul. We show this by living God-centered lives. He becomes the center of our striving and our relationships.

2.    We need to love one another. This is the horizontal dimension. In the early Church the story is told about John, the beloved disciple of Jesus who spent the twilight years of his life in Ephesus. Every Sunday he would be carried in the midst of the congregation assembled for worship because though enfeebled with age, he continued preaching. Not being able anymore to deliver any long discourse, without fail he would repeat a five-word sermon over and over again: “My children, love one another.” When a disciple asked him why he kept on repeating the same message, John replied: “Because its from the Lord; and it’s the most important!”

In his younger years, John acted rashly, recklessly, impetuously and aggressively. He had an untamed temper; had an elitist attitude and highly ambitious. But he aged gracefully that in his later years he was called the apostle of love.

He began to understand the need for humility being a witness of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet. Jesus’ selfless sacrifice must have impacted John greatly because from thereon his life was characterized by his willingness to serve others and suffer for the sake of the gospel. He must have realized that the only way to honor the Jesus that he knew and loved was to make him known to as many people he could. His experience of God’s love naturally flowed in his compassion for others.

Indeed as there is truth in the saying: “where love and charity is, God is there.” God reigns.

The Cardinal's Legacy

I felt sad when the news came that the beloved Cebu Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo J. Cardinal Vidal has died. It was the general feeling of the whole Cebuano community having lost a devoted pastor, a shepherd who advocated dialogue and who was a leading voice of sobriety and faith during the troubled and dark times of our country’s history. In his twenty-nine years as the leader of the Catholic Church in Cebu, he showed himself as a reasonable and inspiring guide.

At 86, he is the most senior of the four cardinals in the Philippines. Yet he is so unassuming that he does not act as “a prince” of the Church. Instead, his style of leadership is that of a servant leader who is close to his flock and feels the pulse of his people. His death marks the end of an era.

The first time I met the Cardinal was way back in 1985 during my High School graduation where I received my diploma from his hands. After four years in the Aspirantate of Don Bosco Missionary Seminary in Lawaan,Talisay only 17 graduated. It was an exciting moment to be able to sing our “Alma Mater Song” before the Cardinal that marked the rite of passage from being boys to men. Ten of us would proceed to the College Seminary.

I would again stand in front of him during my presbyteral ordination on December 8, 1997 at the big Church of Lourdes Parish in Punta Princesa. It was from his very hands that I received the priceless gift of the priesthood. When he embraced me as a new priest, I could not forget what he whispered as a fatherly advice: “Do not just be any priest; be a holy Salesian Priest like St. John Bosco!”

Though I was a religious priest, he got to know me personally. Despite his years, his memory was sharp. I realized he was a friend of everyone: priest or lay faithful, the famous or the least, the mighty but also those at the periphery. His heart was that of a father ready to embrace and understand anyone who would come to him.

What amazes me of his character was his simplicity. When the local chapter of the Vocation Directors of the Philippines (DVP) was organizing the Vocation Jamboree, for several years we would invite him for the culminating mass at 4am. He would be there on time. He was concerned for vocations and no wonder the Archdiocese of Cebu is overflowing with priests. Years later, I would also invite him for the “send-off” rites for catechists who graduated from the Evangelium  Program. He was more than willing to support the training and the further enrichment of these educators to the faith. He was affable and cheerful in his simplicity such that it was not difficult to get along. But behind his simplicity I could sense the character of a man with depth and substance.

The Cardinal was spiritual but realistic. He once narrated that his journey to the priesthood started from his devotion to St. Dominic Savio. As a young boy, he revealed that he was inspired by his motto: “death rather than sin.” His love for the Eucharist was also inspired by this young saint. He claimed that he almost did not become a priest because he was sickly as a seminarian. But he prayed to the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament that his health improved. And it did! Not once, I heard that story that his priests could not agree during a meeting. As the story goes, he got the monstrance and placed it in their midst so that Jesus becomes the source of their unity.

Finally, I also admire his sincerity in serving and loving. He disclosed that Pope John Paul II made him a coadjutor archbishop in 1981 and sent him to Cebu. Initially, he refused because he did not know the language. He was not familiar with the people and the Cebuano culture. But all his fears were unfounded because he easily learned the language and tasted the natural goodness and deep faith of the Cebuano people. He fell in love with his assignment that upon retirement in 2011, he did not want to go back to his hometown in Mogpog but chose to remain here until his death. The cities of Cebu and Talisay conferred upon him the honor of being “an adopted son.”

Cardinal Vidal spent most of his life in Cebu as a shepherd and as a spiritual leader. But most of all, like all of us he was simply a steward who reminded us clergy and faithful that life is short. His death is not the end but a stepping stone to heaven. The greatest compliment he will ever receive are God’s assuring words: “Carding, you have been a good and faithful steward, enter the joy of your Master!”

This article appeared in my Column “Sharing the Word” in Cebu Daily News October 22, 2017.

Role of Families in Building Communion of Communities

In a Christian Living Class

The Teacher asked her Grade 3 students: Where is the dwelling place of God? Many hands were raised. Many answers came: In Heaven. In the Church. In the Blessed Sacrament… Little Johnny also raised his hand. His answer surprised everyone: “Teacher God dwells in our CR!” He affirmed.

Teacher: What? Why in your CR? Timidly the boy explains: Because every morning my dad knocks at the CR and says: “My God, are you still there?

Our topic for this Eucharist is: The Role of Families in Building Communion of Communities. I’d like to repeat the Question of the Grade 3 Teacher: “Where is the dwelling place of God? Where do we find Communion and Unity?

My answer: God is found at home! In my home. In your homes. Where there is love and charity: God is home! God is close.

Our Families have a BIG ROLE to play in creating a space for God in our families, in our homes. When Jesus proclaims: The Kingdom of God is at hand..  It begins in the home where we always say: Charity begins at home! Where there is unconditional love and real relationship, God is there! He becomes visible. He becomes present. God lives!

However, there is “crisis in the home” today because God is slowly being pushed away from the center. We are absorbing what the world gives importance. Our present culture is characterized by 3 Prevailing Philosophies that control our culture and our mentalities: Individualism. Hedonism. Consumerism. There are actually creeds. Beliefs. The gospel of our times.

The gospel of Individualism proclaims a Me-First Attitude. It is based on an all-consuming concern for self. The obvious fruits of an individualistic culture are greed and selfishness. We see it at work.

The gospel of Hedonism declares that pleasure and personal gratification are the most important things in life. Its motto is: if it feels good, just do it! It produces men and women who are lazy, lustful and gluttonous.

The gospel of Consumerism professes that happiness is found in having more and accumulating more. It prioritizes our wants rather than our needs. Pope Francis says that consumerism leads people to become greedier, to pursue “frivolous pleasures,” which dull our consciences towards the needs of others. 

These modern gospels are affecting us and our families through our parents. Recently Hugh Hefner or Hef, Playboy Founder died at 91 years old. Who was he? He is hailed as a trailblazer, a man ahead of his time, an entrepreneur and a great American. But in reality he had so many dark sides. He is the face of these prevailing philosophies today.

He led a life that was not only sexually self-indulgent but it objectified women, glamorized sin and caused millions to dive into sin with carefree abandon. He not only hurt women but helped in the breakdown of marriage, the destruction of the family and contributed to the culture of contraception and abortion.

A cartoon pictured him after his death at the gate of heaven being interviewed by an angel. The angel says: Welcome to heaven! Surprised, Hef said: “Heaven?! Are you kidding? I just left heaven.

Indeed he is the ultimate Playboy because his hedonistic lifestyle encouraged millions of men to treat sex as play time and to remain boys – addicted to adolescent fantasies about sex. What brought him to such a lifestyle? In an interview with Hef dropping all his sophisticated façade, he revealed that he was a “lonely child with a distant, unaffectionate mother.”

Beneath the trappings of a celebrity fornicator is a lonely little boy looking for the love.. hungry of the love of a mother. All his life he was looking for it somewhere.. Upon analysis, we have here a scary reality: Hurt people hurt people!

No wonder some parents – using Bo Sanchez’ words - are HORROR Parents. Somewhere along the way, they got hurt. And they started hurting you. Bo in his Book: “How to Deal with Horror Parents, Monster Kids and Freaky Siblings” shares four most common Horror Parents in the world today: Ghosts, Zombies, Werewolves and Vampires.

Our parents may have been one of these kind. Tendency is: we can continue the cycle. We will continue the pain and the hurting unless we decide that the cycle stops with us!

Ghosts are Absentee Parents. In the Philippines there are 14 million solo parents. My parents were Overseas Filipino Workers.  In the past I resented them for not being physically there during the most important events in my life. But I chose to forgive them. I thought they abandoned me but now I want to honor their sacrifice. They were working there because of us, children. I appreciate them and love them for doing this to us.

If your parents abandoned you, left your family or chose another one, you have to decide to move on. You can’t get stuck in your anger. Forgive the parent who abandoned you and move on.

Zombies are Apathetic Parents. These parents are physically present, but emotionally absent. They were busy with other things: their job, or business or friends. They’re passive and uninvolved. They don’t instruct, don’t discipline, don’t engage, and don’t spend time with their kids. They let their kids run wild and they don’t care. Break the cycle. Forgive them. They were ignorant. There are no Parenting Classes then and now. Learn from their mistakes. Move on..

Vampires are Absolute Parents. They are over-acting parents: over-controlling. Over-protective. Over-possessing. Their parenting isn’t age-appropriate. Don’t resent them for over-controlling. It was their way of loving you. Just see the good intentions behind their actions. Forgive them. Love them. Honor them. The cycle stops with you!

Werewolves are Abusive Parents. It might be verbal, emotional, spiritual abuse. Worse – sexual abuse. The same principle applies: forgive and move on. We realize we all have broken past and imperfect parents. No wonder we live a more violent and sex-oriented world. All the more we need to communicate TRUST and HOPE for healing to take place.

An African Proverb said: “It takes a village to raise a child.” The Educational Mission of the Family is all the more imperative today. Our Rector Major, Fr. Angel Fernadez points out that the Family is still the best place for the support, accompaniment and guidance of children.. The Family is the place in which the depth and beauty of the faith are taught and appreciated.

Our families may be broken; our parents are imperfect. Despite our sufferings and traumas, we are still hopeful. We journey on still embracing and lifting our crosses. Because in the midst of our pain and emptiness, God is very much present! 

As Pope Francis beautifully puts it: All family life is a “shepherding of mercy.” Each of us, by our love and care, leaves a mark on the life of others (AL # 322). Let us then, make a mark of mercy and love and our families will be surely God's dwelling place. 

So may I ask again: where is God’s dwelling place? He is not in the CR.. He is in the hearts of those who love and care!

God bless us all!

This Homily was delivered on Day 2 of John Paul II Seminar-Workshop held at Don Bosco Formation Center, Lawaan, Talisay City, Cebu  – October 19, 2017

Promises are Not Enough

Hugh Hefner, founder of Playboy magazine died last September 27 at 91 years old. He brought a lifestyle of promiscuity in the mainstream; glamorized sin; helped in the destruction of marriage and family; supported the culture of contraception and abortion. At his death, one fan wrote: “RIP Hef. The only death in history no one will say: he’s in a better place now.”

But what if at the point of his death, he regretted everything he did and asked sorry? I guess he will have chance. We can only hope. In the end it is a matter of choice.

In today’s Gospel (Mt 21:28-32), Jesus tells the parable of two sons. The first refused but later changed his mind and worked in the vineyard. The second promised to go but never went. The point of the gospel is: good intentions are not enough. That is why the saying goes: “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

We can learn three lessons from our Sunday Readings:

1.    Life is a matter of choice. To obey or disobey; to serve or not to serve – its up to you. Recently, we celebrated the feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. These are the cream of all God’s angels; the very best. But once upon a time, there was an angel brightest of them all – Lucifer. He was the perfect angel created by God. He had wisdom, beauty and extraordinary capacity. He radiated light and glory. Alas, he wanted more! He became jealous of God and he was consumed with pride. He chose to serve no more! He became a rebel angel along with his minions he had influenced. He had fallen from grace!

If we follow God’s logic: God rejects the proud and gives his grace to the humble. St. Paul in the 2^nd Reading invites us to “have the mind of Christ” (Phil 2:5) – he emptied himself and became obedient to God. Jesus made the choice to embrace his Father’s will.

2.    It is never too late to repent. The door for a change of heart is always open. Repentance is God’s grace. For those who are humble, salvation is always an open invitation. St. Augustine once said: “God who created you without your consent will not save you without your cooperation.”

We might be surprise to see him in heaven if he opened his heart to grace. However, I saw a cartoon illustrating Hef being welcome by the angel receptionist in heaven. But they guy retorted: “Heaven? Are you kidding. I just left heaven!”

In her vision, St. Faustina claimed that at the point of death every soul will be visited by the merciful Christ who will ask three times: “Do you love me?” Only souls who refused his love three times will depart into the darkness.

3.    We need to do God’s will every single day. Obedience and humility are virtues – good habits. They are not practiced just once because they are behaviors you repeatedly do. Hence habits are small decisions you make and small actions you perform daily. It becomes part of you. Ultimately it become you!

St. Therese practiced little virtues and little sacrifices as a Carmelite Nun. She described herself as a “little flower” because compared to great saints, she felt small. When annoyed by a sister’s carelessness, she practiced patience; when her personal things would be missing, she chose not to complain. She would be extra kind to a sister she disliked.  It was her way of self emptying in imitation of Christ.

All is Grace

A Nursing Home was celebrating its Thanksgiving Day. Before dinner, the Director invited the Senior Citizens to express their thanks as they gathered around the table. One by one they voiced out their thanks: one for good health, the other for the gift of family and still another for selfless care-givers.

One old little lady got the attention of everyone when she declared: “Lord, thank you for my two good teeth; one on the upper jaw and one on my lower jaw that match perfectly so I can still chew my food. Everything is grace from you even my last remaining teeth!”

The Gospel (Mt 20:1-16) reminds us that all is grace. Jesus’ parable points out God’s generosity. God is magnanimous – big hearted! For this reason, the prophet Isaiah in the First Reading (Is 55:6-9) proclaims that God’s ways is higher than our ways; His thoughts are higher than our thoughts.

I would like stress three Reflections:

1.    God is immensely different. God has a greater vision. He sees the bigger picture. He has immense understanding. For this reason, he tells us: Seek first the Kingdom of God.

2.    God is extraordinarily generous. This parable reminds me of the prophet Jonah. God sent him to preach to the city of Nineveh. But he refused. He escapes from his calling because he felt God will be merciful to the Ninevites who are Israel’s fiercest enemy. True enough, when he preached to them, they repented to Jonah’s disappointment. But we cannot control the way God blesses others – even those we consider “not deserving.”

3.    We should be grateful to Him because all is God’s grace. Magnanimity is God’s character. Hence, the challenge is for us to pass on God’s goodness and generosity to others. God encouraged the Israelites to be generous by reminding them of their roots. Once upon a time they were slaves in Egypt and at the mercy of their captors. Since we have the capacity to share, be generous intentionally. Indeed generosity is also a privilege.

Forgiveness

Yitzak Rabin was Israel’s 5^th Prime Minister. On November 4, 1995 he was assassinated after attending a Peace Rally. Two bullets hit his chest. He was rushed to the hospital but died on the operating table due to loss of blood. Nurses found a blood-stained paper on his chest pocket containing the lyrics of the famous Israeli song of peace.

All his life, Rabin was a soldier and military leader. He was a brilliant planner and strategist. He hated and fought the Arabs all his life. Slowly, he became military Chief of Staff and Prime Minister. But on his 2^nd term as Prime Minister, he realized that hatred and fighting were vain. He got tired of fighting. Hatred only continued the cycle of violence and blood-shed. He saw that the only way to peace was forgiveness!

In 1993, he negotiated with the famous Palestinian Liberation Organization Leader, Yasser Arafat. The year after, in 1994, they made the historic hand-shake. Both leaders began the process of peace. But not everybody was happy. Eventually it brought about his assassination.

The Gospel brings out the lesson on forgiveness. Peter asks Jesus: how many times will he forgive an erring brother, seven times? But Jesus demands: not seven times… but seventy times seven times. This means: many times. Always. Endless!

There are three reasons why forgiveness is important:

1.    Forgiveness is Powerful. By keeping anger, hatred and resentment in your heart, you enemy has power over you. You allow your enemy to control you. But forgiveness sets you free. Forgiveness is power because it can change your life; it can change the world. Jesus broke the cycle of hate and built a civilization of forgiveness and love.

2.    Forgiveness is Healthy. We know Tom Cruise as a very successful actor. He has the looks, money and fame. We think he’s got everything. Yet he also had a sad story to tell. He grew up in poverty with an abusive father dominating the family. Because his mother had three jobs and was too busy providing for her family, he was dyslexic (not able to read). Yet Tom did not let these limitations define his life. He moved on. It is told that when his dad was dying, he asked forgiveness for his past. But he had already forgiven him a long time ago. He chose the way to freedom; he chose the way to peace. Forgiveness allows us to move on without anger or contempt. A writer said: if you have revenge in your heart, you are actually digging two grave – for your enemy and for yourself!

3.    Forgiveness is Divine. We often hear it said: “to err is human; to forgive is divine. Forgiveness makes us noble. It makes us share God’s extraordinary quality – it makes us godly.

Jesus challenges us to become channels and instruments of his mercy and compassion by practicing unconditional forgiveness.

Social Conscience

I used to be naughty as I was growing up. I would tease my young siblings especially my sister to the point of making her angry; many times to the point of tears. She even ran after me with a table fork! I had the liberty to do this because my parents were away. At home, we only had our helper who was also a distant relative to manage the house. But I was beyond her control. At any hint of trouble, I was the culprit.

When dad arrived, my sister would immediately report all my trouble making at home. At first, my dad would call me and advise me to be more kind and respectful. But after several warnings and futile efforts to correct me, he was forced to execute disciplinary measures. I remember my dad spanking me several times. I resented him for that. On hindsight, I realize what my dad did was right. He had the duty to correct me. I believe, I am a better person today because of those “spankings.” Today I understand better that he did what he should do because he truly cared for me.

Our Sunday Gospel (Mt18:15-20) reminds us of our Christian commitment to take care of each other. In the family, it is the parents’ duty to teach and demonstrate to their children Christian values and virtues. These are reinforced in the school community by the teachers and educators. Robert Fulghum, author of the book “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten” enumerates basic lessons he learned “not at the top of the graduate-school mountain, but there in the sandpile at Sunday School.”

Share everything. Play fair. Don’t hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don’t take things that aren’t yours. Say sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands before you eat. Flush. Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together. Be aware of wonder. Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even little seed in the Styrofoam cup – they all die; so we do.

Don’t hit people and saying I’m sorry are basic things in life. They are rudimentary values that bring nobility in the world. They put order in our society and they are the bedrock of a respectful community. When a child forgets all these things, the father or the mother usually repeats the lesson. The child is told. The “spanking” may be necessary as a deterrent. Today, the spanking may not be physical. The principle is to win over the child to learn the lesson of respect and give value the person. The teacher does the same in school.

But when the wrong doing happens in society, who does the correcting? Who teaches the lessons of fair play in order to moderate greed? Israel had a tradition of rightful living. God instituted it by giving them a set of rules as guidelines for their actions. It became a requirement of the covenant for God to make of them a wise people with a noble heritage. Through the years when the people of Israel would forget the demands of the covenant, the prophets were there to remind them.

Prophet Amos, for instance, was just a simple farmer. He lived at a time in Israel when business had never been better. Merchants piled up big profits and luxuries like stone houses, ivory-inlaid furniture, good food and fine wine were readily available. There was peace and prosperity. Yet beyond such surface was a dark side that slowly disintegrated Israelite society. There was oppression of the poor, dishonesty in business, bribery in court, privileges bought with money. Worst of all, God became a mere additive to a convenient lifestyle. God called Amos to leave his job and carry an unwelcomed message to his people.

The Church has a prophetic role today like that of Amos. It is her role to challenge each disciple to be a shepherd to each other. She reminds everyone that one must care for each other as brother or sister. Love requires a commitment to bring a strayed brother or sister on the right path. Hence, we all have the duty to correct each other out of love. It is difficult became the messenger of the message is also targeted.

          The Church has the duty to correct like a mother. She is to be the social conscience of society in order to remind and repeat the fundamental lessons we learned as children: Play fair. Don’t hit people. Don’t take things that aren’t yours. Say sorry when you hit somebody. It is the way to go for a better society that promotes love, respect and forgiveness.

This article appears in Fr. Randy’s Column “Sharing the Word,” Faith Section of Cebu Daily News, September 10, 2017.

Keep Believing

Reading a book one lazy afternoon, I could hear the familiar voice of Arnel Pineda on the neighbor’s radio crooning with his heart “Don’t Stop Believing.” This amazingly powerful song immediately struck a chord inside me. After its release in 1981, it is still topping the charts more than 30 years after its debut. The song is one of the most listened to in iTunes and the most downloaded in the 20^th century. It continues to inspire youth and adults alike to always have hope.

This song has also been the synthesis of Pineda’s life. His mother died when he was 13 leaving their family in debt. He was forced to stop schooling. For two years he spent out on the streets sleeping anywhere; earned money by collecting bottles and newspaper. Sometimes he did not have anything to eat. But he kept on surviving and working hard on his talent.

Born a singer-songwriter, his biggest break came in 2007 when he gained international stardom by being chosen as lead vocals of the American Rock Band “Journey.” He kept believing despite the odds on his side such as poverty, lack of connection or lack of pedigree. He did not make failure define his life. He just kept persisting.

Today’s Gospel Reading (Mt 16:13-20) narrates the dialogue between Jesus and his disciples leading to Peter’s confession of faith. They were journeying in the region of Caesarea Philippi when Peter, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, acknowledged and affirmed Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” It was a turning point for him to be given a mandate “to bind and to lose.” On this rock of faith the Church is born.

The Church is a community borne from our desperate need to form meaningful relationships. Each person is in search for love and companionship. At times we have become strangers to each other that we fear isolation and loneliness. We seek someone like Jesus to understand us despite who we are. Hence we need each other around the person of Jesus to teach us how to make our love real. It was for this purpose that he entered into dialogue with his companions in order to invite them to share in his mission.

Becoming Church today is a great challenge. For some, the Church has become irrelevant with leaders experiencing moral failure. It is tantamount to saying that God is now missing in the Church. There is a prevalent mistrust in authority that there are those who declare: “I have a personal relationship with God; why do I need the Church?” Moreover, the growing epidemic of loneliness is also infiltrating the Church that its members are not finding community in it. This is really most tragic!

In Scriptures, Christ gathered a community through the apostles. This community is in communion with him despite their failings. To know Jesus, then, we need the Church, because it is the Church that authoritatively and reliably preserves and proclaims the truth about who Jesus is. Pope Francis said: “The Church is not a community of perfect people, but disciples on a path who follow the Lord because they recognize themselves as sinners and in need of his forgiveness.”

One model of persistence in faith and prayer is St. Monica. Her son, Augustine was a source of her great pain. Despite his brilliance, he was a wayward son. He followed a path that led him away from Christ. Yet Monica loved him unconditionally offering constant prayers and tears for her son. Her anxiety and concern for him made St. Ambrose, the Bishop of Milan exclaim: “Go on your way, and God bless you, for it is not possible that the son of these tears should be lost.”

There are still many Monica’s today who are struggling and uncertain about the future of their loved ones. They are drifting through life experiencing isolation and discouragement. But I believe God sends us people along the way to give us hope and inspiration. Even the Church is a great sign of hope that the power of darkness can never defeat us. We just keep on believing with an unwavering optimism.

This article appears in Fr. Randy’s Column “Sharing the Word,” Faith Section of Cebu Daily News, August 27, 2017