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!