Daily Reflections - October 31,2012

FROM EAST AND WEST, FROM NORTH AND SOUTH

 

For all its humble beginnings, the Kingdom of God, a reality that is now shared albeit partially, by the visible institutional Church on Earth, really is meant to be all-encompassing, all-inclusive, and universal in scope.

During the World Youth Day (WYD) 1995 in Manila, I was so happy to have been a part of the history-making event when Blessed Pope John Paul II presided at the WYD Mass at the Luneta for close to five million people. It was indeed something that only young people could do — up on one’s feet overnight, and a whole day more, squeezed tightly in the midst of an undulating sea of humanity, unable to move about, to even do so much as relieve oneself, or eat or drink.

It was all worth it. I saw people from the east and the west, from the north and the south, all rubbing elbows and shoulders together at one monumental and historical event for three days in a row. It was a memorable, unique and unrepeatable event. It was the epitome of what being Church was all about, a gathering from all corners of the Earth, a convocation by God for all peoples and nations, all proclaiming one faith, one Lord, one Baptism, under the one Shepherd, the Vicar of Christ on earth, the Pope.

We face tough times during our watch. The world, the Church, civil societies and even entire nations are seriously polarized for many reasons. Division mars the evasive unity that was the object of Christ’s High Priestly prayer just before He was led to death.

But time and again, the Lord sends us strong messages that make His vision an achievable reality. Yes, WYD ‘95 was proof positive of this. It is possible, and up to all of us to achieve.Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: Do you pray for the unity of all faithful in the name of Jesus?

 

Jesus, You promised to be with us until the end of time. May Your presence in this life unite all people from all corners of the world.

Daily Reflections - October 30,2012

MIGHT IN MITE

 

I love to cook. I have discovered something that my readers would probably agree with. Not all big and bulbous garlic, tomatoes and onions are necessarily the best. When it comes to flavor, smaller is better. Local garlic from the Ilocos region are almost always more flavor-packed than the imported ones that come in neat packages. Locally-grown wansoy, kinchay and black pepper pack a wallop of pure spicy delight compared to those that come in hermetically sealed plastic wrappers.

Great things began small. Big movements started with just a single person with a vision, a mission and a solid decision to get it going. Remember that tiny shoe store that sold nothing but shoes and bags, and has now become a big conglomerate? Or that apartment-sized university that set off in the crowded world of tertiary education that now opens its doors to tens of thousands of students all over the country?

Greatness was never meant to be equated with size and might. The Church began with but a handful of very ordinary men: fishermen, net menders — individuals who would not be expected to make waves in backwater Galilee. But greatness did not depend on might but perhaps on something akin to the lowly mite. It was premised not on earthly position, but on a divine decision to send His own Son in our midst, to become man like us — from lowly and insignificant Nazareth, from the ranks, not of the ruling class, but of the working class, who eked out a living with their rough and callous hands.

I, too, am an example of this. From the boonies of Cavite to where I am right now. Not much of an achievement on my part, but a gift, a call, and a mission from Him who started the movement called the Church, that He compares to nothing more than a mustard seed or the invisible yeast. Courage, little flock! You are never too small or too insignificant. God counts on you. Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: Do you believe God can bring your small beginning to greatness?

 

Jesus, I am but a grain of sand in the vast ocean of humanity. Grant me the grace to celebrate my smallness that becomes greatness in You.

 

Daily Reflections - October 29,2012

GOD’S TIME

 

One outstanding feature of our postmodern times is the so called “contraction of space and time.” We live in a shrinking globe and what happens halfway around the globe is known by everyone else in “real time.” Delayed telecasts are no longer the norm, unless they are mere replays of an event that most people could see blow by blow as it happens. Time no longer hangs heavy on people who don’t know what to do with it. Time, in fact, seems shorter, and the months and years gallop down history avenue at such a dizzying clip that many people now ask, “Where did all those years go?”

Now, we literally have to “make time” for everything. We need to find time for church when, decades ago, it was simply part of our Sunday, no questions asked. But with so much to do and so much “infotainment” to keep track of, we literally need to squeeze in Mass attendance while we are busy malling, being entertained, or simply spending time productively in the new cathedrals of commerce.

Old Testament culture knew nothing of this. For the ancient Hebrews, time was neatly compartmentalized into categories — work time and God’s time; days of toil and a day of rest, the Sabbath. Christian culture followed suit, with its dedication of Sunday, the day of the resurrection, as the day of the Lord, the day for man, the day for God, and the day for the Church. But that compartmentalization did not mean that all days other than Sunday were not meant to be under the sway of God who is the Lord of all times and seasons and the God of history. This is what today’s Gospel passage reminds us of — that God is Lord of the Sabbath, and that time, all time, belongs to God.

By all means, let us do our work today with dedication and commitment, along with a thousand and one other concerns. They all are God’s concerns, too. For in Him, there is only one time, the time of our salvation. And it is now, not tomorrow. Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: Do you set aside Sunday as a time of resting in the Lord?

 

Father, You rested on the seventh day of creation. Help me realize that I, too, need rest after an entire week’s work. May I seek my true rest in Your presence.

Daily Reflections - October 28,2012

THE COURAGE OF FAITH AND HOPE

 

Today’s Gospel passage reminds me of the blind masseurs I sometimes go to when I feel the need to relax and unwind. Some are rookies, with unsteady and unsure hands, trying as much to locate sore and tense muscles as to find a way to eke out an honest living. Most are good and capable of not just soothing aching backs but restoring sore and tense muscles back to supple newness.

They are experts in what they do. What their eyes cannot see is compensated by what their hands can touch. They feel knotted and sore limbs just as soon as their hands get to work. They are in their best element doing what they trained themselves to do, for as long as they are in familiar territory.

The confidence that they have while plying their trade is often replaced by hesitation and trepidation once they set foot on unfamiliar ground, especially when they have to brave the crowded streets to go back home late into the night.

I greatly admire them. Their courage and grit ought to put people with normal use of all five senses to shame.

This same courage is what the blind Bartimaeus teaches us. When he heard that Jesus was coming to town and felt the growing excitement of the crowds, he mustered the courage and prayed out loud, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” Evident in his faith-filled and trust-filled cry for mercy is his courage and boldness.

The blind man was in his best element. He knew whom he was praying to. He knew Him in whom he believed. He had courage and was bold enough to ask the “Son of David.” His was more than just a plea but a courageous prayer born of faith and hope.Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: Is God asking you to stand up for your faith with boldness and courage?

 

Jesus, give me the courage to cry out to You with faith and trust that You will answer my prayer.

Daily Reflections - October 26,2012

ONE FOR ALL, ALL FOR ONE

 

One of nature’s marvel of oneness despite distinctness is the mighty river Nile. Snaking through nine different countries from Africa to Egypt, the Blue Nile and the White Nile, each originating from two distinct sources in different far-flung places, execute what ancient Arabic poets refer to as the world’s longest kiss somewhere in Khartoum, Sudan. From there, it flows northward, a natural and long-winding testament to the power of unity, the beauty of oneness, and the might of forces gathered as one, through some of the most contested territories on earth, amidst countries and people who belie the natural God-given witnessing power of unity there is in all the world.

We humans have a lot to learn from Mother Nature. No less than the great teacher Himself, our Lord Jesus Christ, alludes to the teaching power that hides in the signs shown us by the natural world. “You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time?”

The river Nile teaches us about the beauty and the power of oneness — oneness that juts right out of both the nature of water and the nature of the water course that is this powerful river. It is a lesson learned by St. Paul, who, in his letter to the Ephesians, makes a plea for the same unity, “to live in a manner worthy of the call [they] have received.”

As one who has traveled quite a bit and seen many other cultures and peoples at close range, I marvel at the unifying power of the one water with which all believers all over the world are baptized. The water of baptism, the same water of oneness signified by the Nile, continue to unite disparate peoples everywhere. The Lord continues to call nations and cultures to be part of and “preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace.” It is a vocation as lovely as it is lofty. And it is ours to share through the waters of baptism — one for all, all for one. Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: What is God asking you to do to help keep the unity in your family, community and the Church?

 

Father, keep us in Your love that we may remain one with You and with one another. Amen.

Daily Reflections - October 25,2012

CAUSE OF DIVISION?

 

There is always something that people disagree on and argue about. People would always feel strongly about something and be passionately engaged about an issue that makes others feel alienated or causes a group to be polarized. In seminaries of old, seminarians in Europe would consider cheese as a valuable, much coveted commodity. Such was the case that at some point, the quip “quesus boli, casus belli” became popular. Queso de bola sort of became the “cause of war” among various classes or groupings where young men were gathered for meals.

But I am being flippant by referring to “quesus boli” as “casus belli.” But on hindsight, it was true — at least for me. An older brother used to like queso de bola more than the rest of us in the family. He would know exactly where my mother hid it or kept it. It was a veritable “casus belli” between him and the rest of us, a battle of wits between him and my mother.

Our recent history brought to the fore an issue that polarized the whole Filipino nation. Both sides were passionate about defending their positions. Both sides vehemently and capably argued in favor of or against the raging issue at hand last year. And the point of contention boiled down to standing up for one’s convictions based on one’s faith and adherence to the timeless teachings of holy Mother Church.

One is hardly surprised at this. The Gospel passage today minces no words in reminding us that the Lord has come “to set the earth on fire” and that He has come, “not to establish peace, but division.” And it all has to do with more than just queso de bola and similar items of little consequence.

We, Christian followers of Jesus who has come to set the earth on fire, stand for something that we believe has enormous consequences. We take up common cause with Him and with His mystical Body, the Church. We consider certain issues as “casus conscientiae,” as a matter of conscience, and we wage a righteous battle in defense of His teachings. Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: What righteous battle do you wage for the Lord?

 

Lord, give us the courage and strength to fight for You and the truth. May we always defend the Church and its teachings.

Daily Reflections - October 24,2012

WHO IS THE FAITHFUL AND PRUDENT STEWARD?

 

Mang Jess did not need to work anymore. He was a retired public school teacher, a man of simple tastes and modest dreams, with all his adult children by then well placed each in their respective pursuits. But one day, 15 years ago, he approached me when I was rector of the college seminary, asking if he could do volunteer work. A teacher by profession but a farmer by avocation and lifelong passion, he wanted to help the seminary make the farm productive.

I did not have a moment’s hesitation. I immediately accepted him. Truth to tell, at that time, he reminded me of my father, who was himself a government employee (accountant) by profession, but also a farmer before anything else. Soon, the campus was abloom not only with vegetables, but with all sorts of trees. He was over 70 years old then, but he went on planting trees even if he knew he would never get to taste their fruits anymore.

Responsible people care even for things that are not their own, and even for stuff they would no longer benefit from. Responsible stewards go beyond what is expected of them and dedicate themselves to pursuits that would redound to the future generations. Reprehensible, instead, are those who worry about nothing else but amassing wealth for themselves.

Today’s liturgy would have us think beyond responsibility as far as stewardship is concerned. The Lord expects more. He wants us, His stewards, to be faithful and prudent, in addition to being responsible. Fidelity  and prudence in stewardship have to do with watchfulness and dedication to duty, even when no one is looking. It has to do with being about our business, even when there is no deadline to meet. And it means applying oneself to duty in view of the future, even if the future is uncertain  Mang Jess, my own father, and everyone like them, were, on that score, faithful and prudent stewards. They worked not for themselves but for the present and future generations. Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: What seeds are you planting today that will benefit not your own but the future generations?

 

Father, You showed us and taught us what real stewardship means. May we learn from Your example.

Daily Reflections - October 23,2012

SEPARATED NO MORE

 

We Filipinos are now the new denizens of the world. We are present in more than a hundred countries all over the world. We form a big chunk of the 175 to 200 million migrants the world over. Most of the readers are likely to have one or more of their close relatives or immediate family members working in some foreign land.

We know what it means to pine for home, to long for the homecoming of loved ones. Those of us who work abroad know what it means to be separated by distance. Our goal is to bridge that gap, so that those who are far off might draw nearer, that separated families might find themselves together again.

I should know. There was a time in my life when half of our family was in Manila, and the other half was left under Grandma’s care in the boonies of Cavite.

God also knows the pain of separation. And He cares enough to bridge that gap between us and Him. This is what Christ did for us. We were effectively “strangers” and “alienated from the community of Israel,” “without hope and without God.”

Even now, on account of sin and other factors, including the seeping migration mentality and culture, we feel the pangs of alienation. How many of the children of migrant workers feel like they belong neither here nor there? How many of them feel like strangers in their own country, while at the same time not feeling fully integrated in their adoptive countries? In addition to that, a culture of consumerism and hedonism has driven a wedge between us and our Catholic faith and traditions. Even here, even now, cafeteria Catholicism has taken firm root.

Today, we are reminded to keep awake, to “gird our loins and light our lamps.” Like excited family members awaiting a homecoming, we pine for the full realization of what St. Paul declares as fact: “We, who were once far off, have become near by the blood of Christ.”Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: What separates you from God right now? What can you do to bridge that gap?

 

Lord Jesus, You have taken the first steps to bridge the gap between God and us. Grant me the grace to avail of the means to reach out to You despite my sinfulness.

 

Daily Reflections - October 22,2012

RICH IN WHAT MATTERS TO GOD

 

No one can tell a better story to illustrate the need to work for true riches other than the Lord Himself in today’s Gospel passage. I dare not spoil any expression or blur any of its crystal clear images. But in my desire to find a parallel story to clinch the moral of the parable, my thoughts immediately drift to individuals who are sterling examples of those who worked for  “riches that matter to God.”

I don’t mean to canonize anyone, but I personally am touched by the life and example of the late former Budget Secretary Emilia Boncodin. Her life, her achievements, her brilliance, capacity and dedication to duty as a public servant, and even as an unknown worker in and out of government, are all worthy of emulation. She was the opposite of those who made it to the Hall of Shame last year in connection with all the talk about systemic corruption at the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

She made it to the national spotlight by accepting the job of budget secretary. She made even more waves when she voluntarily stepped down, following her conscience that told her she had no more role to play in what she believed was a government deeply embroiled in corruption-laden practices and dealings. Although she served the national government, her simple lifestyle remained unchanged, unsullied by any trace or suspicion of corruption.

When she died at a relatively young age, she was materially poor but rich in what matters to God. As I continue to think about her, a little known poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins comes to mind. “Sometimes a lantern wades along the night, whose beauty in mould or mind makes rare....” Emilia Boncodin was a “rara aves,” truly a rare bird. For a short while, she was some kind of a lantern that shone in the night. Not much of a physical beauty (in mould), she was a hands-down winner deep inside (in mind).

Apart from the fact that she was brilliant and competent in her field, she was not one to draw raves, not one to attract attention. She remained simple and poor, but “rich in what matters to God.” Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Who are the people in your milieu that you can say are rich in what matters to God? What keeps you from following their example?

 

Lord Jesus, may I live each day in pursuit of the things that matter to You. May my desire for eternal union with You overshadow every other desire I have in life.

 

Daily Reflections - October 21,2012

DO WE HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?

 

Years ago, I headed what we call a “major climb” to the Philippines’ second highest peak. At the last minute, someone from the US turned up and said he wanted to join. He just planed in and was pretty well stocked with imported and very fine gear. They were impressive, to say the least, during those days when imported products were as rare as they were expensive. He said he was very physically in shape so I waived the usual pre-climb requirements that included resistance-building, long-distance runs and all.

It didn’t take long for us to realize he was not at all prepared. He was as out of shape as a flat tire. At a particularly precipitous and dangerous portion of the climb, he was paralyzed in fear and terror. He wouldn’t budge and was spreading fear to the rest of the team, including myself.

I should have known better to ask, “Do you have what it takes?” I should have taken stock of what he was really prepared to do.

Taking stock of what’s coming — this appears to me as part of what the Lord teaches today. Two upstarts, the brothers James and John, as ambitious as they were pretentious, asked the Lord for the ultimate: a seat at His right and at His left. Those must have been the times when the two youthful would-be disciples didn’t quite know yet what was coming to them, and what the demands were. They simply wanted the rewards without knowing the requirements.

My years in leadership have taught me this. Not everyone who claims he is up to the job is actually ready for it. I have interviewed many teachers who wanted to teach. There were those who claimed they could but eventually could not deliver. They were simply not cut out for the job.

Discipleship is difficult. It is no accident that the word disciple is really related to the word discipline. You need it to become one. We claim to be disciples of the Lord. Do we have what it takes? “Can you drink the cup that I drink?” Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: What discipline do you need to follow Jesus more ardently and faithfully?

 

Lord Jesus, on my own I cannot be Your faithful disciple. Only Your grace can turn me into one. Help me each day to follow You as best as I can.

 

Daily Reflections - October 20,2012

THE ONE WHO FILLS ALL THINGS IN EVERY WAY

 

I am sure you all have experienced feeling drained after meeting certain people. After talking with such individuals, you feel the need to replenish lost energies. You feel depleted. Their negativities, their constant and consistent whining just leave you less than you were prior to the encounter.

Therapists make a distinction between life-enabling and life-disabling persons. The former energize you, push you to greater heights, challenge you, and fill you up. The latter empty you, put you down, and make you less enthusiastic to face a world of challenges. They take, not your breath, but your energy away. You feel like you are less of a person than before.

Two years ago, a certain lunchtime show got into a major controversy. Without going into the juicy details, suffice it to say that it began, precisely for the purported reason of its existence in the first place — to help people, to give them a headstart in life, and to share with them the largesse of wealthy companies and sponsors. But things got a little too far. Its format did not actually help in lifting up the poor and treating them as befits their dignity despite their poverty. Soon, even their poverty and lack of education were capitalized and sacrificed for the sake of the much-coveted “ratings.”

The show glorified the progressive dehumanization of the Filipino people. Contestants went home apparently happy with a few thousand pesos and other goodies. While hundreds seemed to show contentment and utter delight to be in the show, there were thousands of others vying for the same privilege, at the cost of their humiliation and personal degradation.

Paul teaches us today what grace is all about, and what the author of this grace wants for us. Grace is never life-draining but precisely life-enabling. Grace is gift and this gift exalts, uplifts, fulfills and glorifies the recipient. Grace does not make us less, but eminently more, human. Grace enables us to become the best we can be, and it comes from Him “who fills all things in every way.” Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Are you a life-enabling person who lifts up other people? Or are you a life-disabling person who sucks energy from people you encounter?

 

Lord Jesus, mold me into the kind of person after Your own heart — someone who inspires and encourages others to be the best they can be.

 

Daily Reflections - October 19,2012

REDEMPTION AS GOD’S POSSESSION

 

The pastoral counselor Merle Jordan writes that the important question to ask clients who want to grow is not so much “Who are you?” as “Who do you belong to?” As a pastoral counselor myself, I have found this to be sound advice that has many and far-ranging repercussions. The one thing or person or idea that captures our waking and sleeping thoughts, that which fills our minds and hearts a great deal of the time, is the one that wields power over us. And whatever fills our hearts is the one that ultimately controls us.

We all are familiar with the story of Ebenezer Scrooge. He started out as a fine, promising young boy who enjoyed the same things other boys did. But he developed into the world’s most notorious miser. On account of the many little choices he made all through the course of his life, with possessions and profit occupying most of his time, Scrooge became the hated miser of an employer that he was. Soon, possessions possessed him. Money became his idol, and idol is defined as some kind of a false god.

We all have our own little false gods. These are the idols that we turn into demi-gods — every idea, object, or material possession or person that ultimately controls us. They define not so much who we are, as who or what we really belong to.

St. Paul today takes care we get this very important point. We belong to God. We are God’s precious and beloved  possessions. He reminds us how we “were chosen,” and that “we exist for the praise of God’s glory.”

One of the applications in the social networking site, Facebook, would allow us to know how many hours one spent, or how many posts one has done, from day one. Many of my “friends” boasted so many thousands of hours and so many postings since they joined. What they missed is the blatant fact that Facebook has literally become their idol. It has effectively controlled their daily lives. They have become Facebook’s possession. This is a good time as any to remind ourselves: we are called to “redemption as God’s possession, to the praise of His glory.”Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: What possesses you? What is that one thing, idea or person that fills your waking hours?

 

Lord Jesus, I surrender to You my false gods or idols. Instead of spending so much of my time and resources on them, may I learn to use them in building Your Kingdom on earth. Amen.

 

Daily Reflections - October 18,2012

STANDING BY ME, GIVING ME STRENGTH

 

In one of my most trying moments, when the world seemed to have crumbled down on me, when everybody seemed to have deserted me, when nothing made sense, and no amount of good words could make me snap out of the dumps that I felt I had been relegated to, the only thing that sustained me was the realization that there was at least a few who were there, standing by me, refusing to judge or condemn me. They were there, not to tell me anything, nor preach to me, but simply to give me strength.

One memorable retreat where I preached to fellow priests, most of whom were younger than me, was ironically when I was at my lowest point. Close to tears, I was sharing with them my heartaches, which all boiled down to my feeling, rightly or wrongly, that everything I had done for the congregation that I served faithfully, and the Church that I loved, suddenly were not appreciated, let alone recognized. I became an overnight pariah, punished for something that I thought I did in the function of my role and office.

The minister that I was, after that sharing, became the very one ministered to. One of them came up to me after the talk and shared with me his own moving story that reverberated with mine. He did not come up to preach moving, pious words. He just wanted to tell me that he was there, standing by me, giving me strength, from his own story of weakness turned into a moving story of the power of God’s grace.

Paul is one of my favorite saints, along with the reluctant and erstwhile whining prophet, Jeremiah. Even now, a picture of Jeremiah in lamentation by Rembrandt is one that keeps me perpetual company in my study. Both have sad stories to tell. Today, Paul tells us a story of abandonment, with only Luke standing fast. He must have felt alone, like I did at some point, like my brother priest did, leading him even to the point of wishing for sweet death to come.

This is the story I’d like you to remember: “The Lord stood by me and gave me strength.” And it is all that matters. Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: Recall a time when you felt your world crumbled down and you were left with nothing. What helped you rise from it?

 

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for standing by me always and for giving me strength when everyone else has turned his back on me.

Daily Reflections - October 17,2012

ATTACHMENT AND ATTUNEMENT

 

As a priest for 28 years, I have interacted with a whole lot of people and I can safely make some generalizations about character, personalities and certain traits of people everywhere.

One trait I have little tolerance for is that of the perennial critic. For such people, nothing is ever right with anything. They love to attend meetings and they have what sounds like a lot of brilliant ideas, exciting propositions, and earth-shaking analysis about most everything under the heavens. There is, however, a big problem with them. When it comes to execution, when it comes to walking the talk, they are nowhere to be found.

The Pharisees are very much like them. They know all about the rules and they are outspoken about it, but they never lift a finger to do what they taught — just like people who claim they believe yet don’t really belong!

St. Paul’s letter teaches us something about genuine belonging: “Those who belong to Christ have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires.” Belonging entails a corresponding code associated with believing. Handsome is as handsome does, as good old homespun wisdom puts it. He tells us further that there are identifiable signs that show we both believe and belong. He calls them fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

Many people who claim to believe and call themselves Catholics do not really belong. Known as cafeteria Catholics, they choose what to believe, and choose where to belong. Some even claim they belong to the Church while they support abortion, calling it the right to choose for themselves. There are those who insist they are Catolico cerradowhen their attachment to the Church does not show corresponding attunement to her teachings.

Those who claim they believe yet not belong are not necessarily bad people. No, they are not just good enough. The Pharisees did a lot of good things. So did the scholars of the law. We can do better. All of us are expected to believe — and belong! Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: As someone who belongs to the Catholic fold, do you believe what it teaches you and do you practice it in your life?

 

Lord Jesus, may I have the conviction to put into action what I believe in as a Catholic.

Daily Reflections - October 16,2012

AGAINST SUPERFICIALITY AND LEGALISM

 

An incident during a meal made it into a heated discussion between Jesus and His Pharisee-host in today’s Gospel episode. More than just a question of table etiquette, the whole point was on religious hypocrisy.

What’s sad is when we become imprisoned in our pseudo-religious prescriptions and practices just because “that’s the way things are done.” Even worse is when it is against charity and respect for the person. The real purposes of the religious practices are lost, and we substitute it with a legalistic and hypocritical compliance. Plus, there’s also our “obsession with ritual and form at the expense of interiority and substance,” as columnist-critic Conrado de Quiros points out.

Paul’s tirades against the Galatians should therefore apply to us: “Stand firm, and do not take on yourselves the yoke of slavery!” But Jesus gives us a possibility to redeem ourselves, should we be guilty of such pharisaism. After his denunciation in the table incident, he told the Pharisee, “But if you give what you have as alms, all will be wiped clean for you.”

Of course, our Lord is not advocating an instant wiping out of our faults simply by making a charitable donation or two while intending to continue evading taxes. Or by offering a lighted candle or a Mass intention while planning to go back to lying and cheating afterwards. Or still, by flagellating ourselves on Good Friday while continuing to steal on all other Fridays of the year. If it were just so, then we are simply back to exactly what we are combatting: the misuse of religion for vain and selfish purposes, together again with the fetish for form and ritual.

But as the Lord has unmasked for us the “outside of cup and dish” and uncovered the inside “filled with rapaciousness,” we go deep inside our hearts to humbly recognize and acknowledge such a superficiality and our need for repentance. We then plumb the depths of our sinfulness and allow God to liberate us from our slavery. Fr. Martin Macasaet, SDB

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Do you try to know and understand the purposes of your religious rituals? Or do you do them blindly?

 

Lord Jesus, forgive me for sometimes misusing my religion for vain and selfish reasons. May I grow beyond mere rituals and develop a real relationship with You.

Daily Reflections - October 15,2012

JESUS AS THE SIGN

 

The 2002 movie Signs by M. Night Shyamalan was one of that year’s blockbusters, having earned a total of $60,117,080 on its opening weekend in the U.S.A. alone. The creepy, suspenseful story of an alien invasion with a focus on the faith struggles of Rev. Graham Hess (portrayed by Mel Gibson) makes use of the well-known phenomenon of crop circles as purported “signs” of the alien invasion or of UFO landings.

Signs are also what today’s Gospel reading is about — not regarding alien invasions, for sure! Rather, these signs are the indicators of Jesus’ presence and influence. Jesus Himself makes His point by invoking signs from their Jewish past: Jonah and King Solomon. For both, Jesus states bluntly (referring to Himself), “You have something greater than Solomon/ Jonah here.”

Perhaps we ourselves just have to give up our liking for signs — yes, also in our faith, in our relationship with God. Jesus alone is the sign that suffices, and no superstitious beliefs and practices should ever take the place of a genuine faith in Him.

Somehow it seems unusual that we should consider Jesus not only as Savior, Lord, Good Shepherd, and so on — but also as Sign. And we need not worry or be fearful if He as the Sign comes to our lives. For sure He will not invade us or herald bad luck or disaster in our lives. Just as long as we recognize Him and acknowledge His greatness and majesty, just as long as we welcome Him, then the sign will result in a great and wonderful reality for us. Fr. Martin Macasaet, SDB

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: In making decisions, do you pray for visible signs? What keeps you from relying on the Holy Spirit’s leading, with or without visible signs?

 

Holy Spirit, may I learn to listen to Your promptings and trust in Your divine guidance for me.

Daily Reflections - October 14,2012

IS JESUS “BAD” ENOUGH FOR YOU?

 

From today’s Gospel, we notice that here was one basically good guy (“I have kept all these commandments ever since...”), and yet he blew it all — his chance to share in the everlasting life promised by Jesus.

But even then, on the part of Jesus, there was no love lost. He doesn’t force anyone anyway. And He will not dilute His demands just to accommodate us or so as not to lose us. As the Jesuit priest-educator James DiGiacomo puts it, “Jesus is organizing a field trip through the narrow gate and He’s not after numbers. Quality or commitment is the name of the game, not quantity or ‘do-goodiness’” (Morality and Youth: Fostering Christian Identity).

In fact, the question is not whether Jesus is good enough for you, or whether He is pleasing and charismatic enough for you to follow Him. Rather, it is whether Jesus is bad enough — yes, bad enough with His radical demands, bad enough to propose far more than a sugarcoated or “lollipop” Christianity (one that is concerned more with making you feel good and bereft of challenges and trials).

Face-to-face with such a make-or-break choice, we can’t help but identify with the prayer in our First Reading from the Book of Wisdom: “I prayed, and prudence was given me; I pleaded, and the Spirit of wisdom came to me.” Truly, it is in prayer where we recognize and hear best God’s voice, where we discern His will.

Knowing God’s will and fulfilling it, knowing Jesus and following Him — this is no walk in the park. Nobody said it would be easy in the first place. Difficult and challenging as it is, it is nevertheless possible. “With God all things are possible.”

Notice: “With God.” That’s it — the will of God, not our own. He’s the one at the driver’s seat, not us. It will surely be a bumpy, risky ride, but still we’ll be in good hands. And hopefully we won’t back out and refuse to ride. Fr. Martin Macasaet, SDB

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Recall your own faith journey. What have been your struggles and triumphs? Can you honestly say it’s been worth the journey?

 

Lord Jesus, following You isn’t easy, but I believe and trust that You will not leave me as I encounter difficulties in doing so.

 

Daily Reflections - October 13,2012

ARE HUMAN BONDS INSIGNIFICANT?

We would think perhaps that such a short Gospel passage for today might be insignificant or irrelevant, having merely two verses. But such certainly isn’t the case.

As a first insight, these two verses are unique to Luke. To think that they are somehow deprecatory of Mary — since she seems to be the unnamed target of Jesus’ remark — is not possible. This is simply because the Gospel according to St. Luke as a whole is strongly Marian. It would be unthinkable that two verses will undo its entire spirit. Then, aside from this, it should be pointed out that there is a somewhat mistaken sense in the statement, brought about (as is often the case) by inaccurate translation. The bone of contention is the word “rather.” A quick check with the original Greek term, menoun, makes us realize that it should be better rendered with the sense “yes, but even more...”

In other words, it is not at all a negative statement against Mary, the mother of Jesus. It is an affirmation of her motherhood but at the same time it opens up to the greater possibility of “surpassing” blood or maternal ties in the truly greater level of fulfilling God’s Word in one’s life. In the First Reading, in fact, there is a similar downplaying or even a “doing-away-with” human ties (nationality, social status, gender) — because of Christian faith. “Each one of you is a son of God because of your faith in Christ Jesus. All of you who have been baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with him. There does not exist among you Jew or Greek, slave or freeman, male or female. All are one in Christ Jesus.”

And so, too, the length of liturgical readings isn’t at all an issue. If even blood, racial and social ties can be surpassed by a common faith in God and His eternal Word, then so will be a puny detail such as how many verses are there in a liturgical reading. Fr. Martin Macasaet, SDB

REFLECTION QUESTION: Are there human ties in your life that you consider as more important than your faith?

Lord Jesus, You showed us how important it is to follow God’s will more than anything else in life, even at the expense of our human bonds. May we learn from and follow Your example.

Daily Reflections - October 12,2012

 

POSSESSED BY GOD’S POWER

 

Demonic possessions and exorcisms always seem to be fodder for Hollywood productions. Since that landmark 1973 Linda Blair-starrer, The Exorcist, several other movies with the same theme or topic have come out. In fact, there are at least three either “now showing” or “coming soon.”

Today’s Gospel episode can be considered as a complete theology on exorcism. It is an elaborate teaching offered by Jesus, triggered however by provocative questionings on the part of the crowd. Jesus must have seized the opportunity to expound on such a hot topic.

At the center of Jesus’ teaching is His remarkable assertion: “If it is by the finger of God that I cast out devils, then the reign of God is upon you.” We can say that it is not so much a question of the phenomenon itself, with all the horror and gore that go with it (“spinning heads and pea soup,” to use the images from The Exorcist). It is rather the power of God which is above any evil, and which heralds the greater reality of God’s reign. It is a kingdom mightier than any “thrones or dominions or principalities or powers” (Colossians 1:16).

In front of such power of God, we cannot remain indifferent or passive. In fact, we cannot help but take a position either for or against it: “The man who is not with me is against me, and the man who does not gather with me scatters” (Matthew 12:30).

The evil provocateurs at the beginning of the episode were obviously “scattering” against Jesus Christ. And boy, did they get a mouthful from Him. As for us, we simply let ourselves be “possessed” — not by demons, of course, but by God’s almighty power! Fr. Martin Macasaet, SDB

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: What possesses you? What power do you obey?

 

Father in heaven, help me to submit to Your power and surrender my life into Your loving hands.