Staying on Fire - First Sunday of Lent

A new and potentially lethal coronavirus has brought about a pandemic scare and panic to everyone and anywhere in the world. Since its first reported case in Wuhan last December 2019, it has affected 82,756 globally with China having the most number of cases as well as Korea, Italy and Japan. In a short time, this virus has changed our lifestyle dramatically. Even in the Church our bishops suggested to revise our usual practices in communion or Ash Wednesday. The seismic effect is on tourism negatively impacting the Asian market from currencies to oil and air travel. A wore alarming effect is the remarkable increase of prejudice and xenophobia to Asians in the West. Yet we never got scared when Pope Francis reflected recently that “one of the evils of our day is the loss of a sense of sin.” “Sometimes,” the Pope said, “we need life to slap us.” Perhaps this is how life is slapping us in order to wake us from spiritual slumber.

We began the 40-day Lenten Season with Ash Wednesday. It’s a time of introspection and life-revision. The gospel on this 1^st Sunday of Lent presents to us Jesus being tempted by the devil in the desert. We affirm that Satan and evil are spiritual realities. The “father of lies” thrive better in secrecy and denial. The more he is invisible, the more havoc and destruction he effects to the ruin of souls. Jesus had to confront his cunning ways. The devil tempted Jesus in three major forms: power, prestige and prosperity. The liar swayed him to want more of everything and be in control of his destiny. But Jesus rejected these temptations of relying on material wealth, temporal power and worldly fame in order to firmly trust in his heavenly Father. He overcame temptations by anchoring his heart on God’s sincere promises.

Somebody said: “to keep your heart from growing cold, stay on fire for God.” Jesus went into the desert to ignite a new fire for God and embark on a new mission. He had to confront himself in order to live deliberately. This is something we can learn from Jesus in this Lenten Journey – to live deliberately, consciously and sincerely. We can look at temptation as a detour; it will draw us away from our true goals in life. We need to be in focus with a clear plan of action. It is difficult to break free from bad habits leading us to sin. But St. Francis de Sales teaches if we want to lessen the hold of harmful sins on us, we need to trace the root causes that lead us to sin. Many times it is just a matter of small excess or little hastiness in word or action we need to resist to enjoy true freedom. Let God awaken in us the ugliness of sin and the nobility of virtues. 

Prayer: Lord, awaken in me a great horror for sin that enslaves me; stir my heart to experience true freedom and peace. Amen. 

The Power of Real Love - 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Ben & Ben is a folk pop band creating waves today in the country’s music scene. One of their hit songs is “Leaves.” The song is almost five minutes with a simple melody but with value-laden lyrics that hit the soul seriously. One line that is constantly repeated goes: “you never really love someone until you learn to forgive.” This ballad expresses an undying optimism that “all will be alright in time.” We just keep holding on because “as leaves will soon grow from the bareness of trees; from waves overgrown come the calmest of seas; wounds of the past will eventually heal.” Towards the last stanza the song explains the reason for its optimism: “cause all of this comes with a love that is real.” In other words, because of true love, all will be alright in time. It’s a song that asserts of the power of love in action.

Today’s gospel reading continues the teachings of Jesus at the Sermon on the Mount. By his own authority, he commands his disciples to go beyond the teachings of Moses. Jesus articulates that love can be a power in our lives. If we use it, we can become invincible. It is real love that enables us to offer no resistance to one who does us evil; to turn the other cheek or to go the extra mile. Love empowers us to abstain from any form of violence; to forgive our enemies and even pray for our persecutors. Love permits us to act in forgiveness and joyfully accept hardship that goes beyond the lex talionis (law of the equivalent) of the past. It is not a love that is sentimental or romantic. This requires on our part a great love for Jesus.

Our love for Jesus makes it possible for us to imitate him. It is a love the world may not understand because it requires great strength, discipline of character and the grace of God. In fact, for Jesus, this is his way of practicing holiness concretely. It is love beyond words that seeks to imitate our heavenly Father who is kind, merciful and forgiving. By seriously choosing to love in this way, we become children of God. We no longer react to our likes or dislikes; we go beyond our sentiments and whims. Love will give us optimism and strength.

Prayer: Lord, teach me to be kind, loving and forgiving like you so that I may be optimistic and invincible. Amen. 

The Heart of the Beatitudes - 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time

In 2018, Pope Francis wrote his encyclical “Gaudete et Exultate” (Rejoice and Be Glad). Its text is not doctrinal and its style is non-academic because this letter simply wants to “re-propose the call to holiness in a practical way for our own time.” Through it, he emphasizes that following Christ is “a way of life,” not an intellectual exercise. In the third chapter of this encyclical, the Pope presents the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus spoke about the Beatitudes presenting them as “the Christians’ identity card.” These Beatitudes are the secret of how we can follow Jesus concretely and live his gospel even today.

Today’s gospel reading (Mt. 5:17-37) presents to us a portion of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus teaches his disciples the “new commandment.” He makes it clear that he is not abolishing Moses’ Decalogue; in fact, he fulfills them. Moreover, he actually gives God’s commandments a new spirit, a new understanding and a new fervor in applying them in life. For Jesus, obeying the law is not a matter of external observance. There must be the spirit of love and faith as the reason behind its observance. One does not automatically gain God’s favor by fulfilling a set of practices. Instead, we become holy by living our lives with love and witnessing God’s goodness in everything we do. Jesus wants us to live our lives with intentionality.

What makes the commandment pleasing to God is the heart with which we do it. It is in and from the heart that the commandments blossoms and bears fruit. Thus, it is not enough that we do not kill. Jesus wants us to choose the way of peace and compassion by practicing self-control over our anger. Holiness means, forgiving despite the hurt. On the issue of adultery, Jesus wants married persons to choose fidelity in relationships. The challenge is always to be true to God, to ourselves and to others. This is the radical way of life that Jesus invites us.

Prayer: Lord, may I follow your commandments not out of obligation, but with the intention of loving you whole-heartedly. Amen. 

Be Like Salt - Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

I invited Fr. Bobby Ebisa, SVD the Station Manager of DYRF Radio Fuerza to celebrate one of the Novena Masses in honor of Our Lady of Lourdes. He gave an inspiring and insightful homily. Using a simple illustration, he narrated an example of a chocolate that falls on the dining hall. After several minutes it will soon be surrounded by thousands of covetous ants. You would not know where they came from; but from all over, they come, attracted by the sugar-coated content of the chocolate, to take a bite of its sweetness. He, then, challenged the parishioners to be like chocolates. Our goodness must be attractive and delightful. We are to give flavor to life.

Jesus, in today’s gospel, had been challenging us ever since to be “salt of the earth and light of the world.” In chemistry, salt is known as sodium chloride a mineral substance that is of great importance to the health of both human and animals. Salt lends flavor to food items. I remember a parishioner who gave cupcakes for snacks. But they turned out to be so salty because, instead of sugar, much salt was added into them. Moreover, there are more uses of salt than food seasoning. Salt can also be used to eliminate odors of garbage or fish. It can be used to alleviate discomfort from sore throat by gargling salt with warm water several times a day. Salt can also be used as effective antibacterial and antifungal agent.

When Jesus compared his followers to salt, he challenged us to be “seasoned” by the new life which comes from him. Our faith in Jesus should be like salt that lends flavor and seasoning to our life. In a world full of anxiety and worry, we are to give joy and inspire hope. In a story, two men peered through the window. One saw mud, the other saw the stars. As Christians, we should always choose see the stars. We choose to be hopeful, joyful and full of life. We are to be bearers of the good news of Jesus to improve the quality of life of the world.

Prayer: Lord, like salt, may my life be an effective flavoring that will allow those around me to flourish. Amen.