In what area of your life do you usually “edit” the efficacy of God’s Word? Pray for healing in that area - Daily Reflections September 30, 2016

ALL OF SCRIPTURES

 

I remember one time I was celebrating Mass. The Gospel then was Matthew 18, where Peter asked Jesus whether one should forgive as many as seven times. In response Jesus said, “No, not seven times, but seventy times seven!” I was hurting that time from an offense a trusted friend inflicted on me. I must confess, I didn’t feel like reading Jesus’ response. I even felt like changing Jesus’ words to “forgiving once is enough, Peter.”

       There are days like that when God’s Word hits so close to home, they make real demands and you feel like changing God’s Word altogether. But the Word of God is the Word of God. In today’s First Reading, we are reminded: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (verses 16-17). Notice that it says “all,” not “some parts” of the Scripture. We cannot pick through Scriptures that simply suits us. The Word of God is comforting but it is also meant for rebuking and correcting.

       A temptation for all believers is to domesticate God’s message — to make it convenient, less demanding, non-exacting. The Israelites of Moses’ times complained about the demands Yahweh was expecting from them. What did they do? They carved their own God, a molten calf — a God that they can manipulate, a “mute” God who will not make demands from them.

       We still have that mentality in our day and age. Instead of conforming ourselves to God’s image, we want God to conform into ours. Be it in the area of religion, work, public life or sex life, we manipulate God’s Word to our own convenience. Yes, God became Man. But it did not stop there. God became Man so that man might become like God. Let us not invert the process.

     Jesus is to be trusted. He is our Shepherd and everything He proposes is to our best interest. Fr. Joel Jason

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: In what area of your life do you usually “edit” the efficacy of God’s Word? Pray for healing in that area.

 

Lord Jesus, I believe in Your wisdom and love. Your commands will not enslave. Banish in my heart the fear of Your commandments. Put in its stead trust and confidence. Amen.

Do you aspire for sanctity? Do you aspire for heroism? When was the last time you did a noble thing in anonymity? How did it make you feel? - Daily Reflections September 28, 2016

Memorial of St. Wenceslaus

and St. Lawrence Ruiz and Companions

 

CALLED TO BE SAINTS; CALLED TO BE HOLY

 

If you drive along EDSA in Metro Manila, I’m sure you notice the humongous billboards that assault our senses on a daily basis. I’m sure you notice, too, that almost all of these billboards bear the faces of famous personalities that also assault our senses daily through TV, movies and print.

      One time as I was driving, I was intrigued by this billboard that showed a very unfamiliar face adorned with a very familiar pair of eyeglasses. The ad showed an anonymous face wearing the famous Ninoy Aquino eyeglasses. At the bottom of the ad it says, “I am Ninoy.” The message is clear. Heroism is a call for everyone. Heroism is a call for every Juan (dela Cruz). It means every anonymous citizen can make a difference. Every anonymous common man or woman is called to make a difference. I smiled when I saw that ad. It was a refreshing change in the midst of our celebrity-worshiping culture.

       I have nothing against the entertainment business, but frankly we don’t really need celebrities. Well, at least no more. We already have an oversupply of them — good-looking celebrities who waste our TV viewing time with  their utter lack of talent and their endless tragic affairs of the heart. What we need are heroes. And heroes are not celebrities. In fact, heroes do not want to be celebrities. Their celebrity status is only a by-product of their noble pursuits. If Ninoy is now a “celebrity,” it is only because he was first and foremost a hero.

       Today, we celebrate the feast of the first Filipino saint, San Lorenzo Ruiz and his companion martyrs. He was a virtual unknown until his blood nourished the Christian faith in Japan where he was martyred. He was a common man, an anonymous man who became a hero. In San Lorenzo, the theme of the 2014 Year of the Laity is personified: “Called to Be Saints, Called to Be Heroes.” He did not want to be a celebrity. He was not a celebrity. But he made a difference. We do need another hero, not another celebrity. Fr. Joel Jason

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Do you aspire for sanctity? Do you aspire for heroism? When was the last time you did a noble thing in anonymity? How did it make you feel?

 

Lord Jesus, I dedicate myself today to be “light of the world and salt of the earth.” Help me discover the many little ways I can live up to Your challenge. Amen.

 

Have you transitioned from being a wanderer to being a pilgrim here on earth? - Daily Reflections September 27, 2016

WANDER WITH WONDER

 

Today, Jesus is presented as moving towards Jerusalem, referred to in Christian tradition as the city of destiny. It is in Jerusalem where Jesus will make His final stop as a Messiah. It is also in Jerusalem where Jesus will make plain the kind of Messiah that He is: not the political liberator that the Apostles were expecting, but the Suffering Servant who will redeem God’s people as an expiation for their sins.

       To get to Jerusalem, Jesus and company had to pass by Samaria. When the Samaritans got wind of this, they would not welcome Him (v.53) for Jews look down on Samaritans as half-breeds — products of intermarriage with foreigners. When James and John saw this, they asked Jesus to rain down fire from heaven to consume the town as a little sample of His power (v.54). This power-tripping attitude confirmed that the Apostles have yet to understand the nature of Jesus’ messianic mission and the kind of Kingdom He was to establish. The Apostles were just moving around with Jesus, oblivious of the deep meaning of their journey.

     We can say that the Apostles, up until that time, were merely wanderers — moving about in compulsion, without direction and discernment. They wander without wonder. They were mere wanderlusts. Though they were able to understand snippets of the mystery of Jesus’ person and mission, its full realization will only dawn on them after the resurrection.

       We are not called to merely wander in life. To wander with a deep sense of wonder is to journey, to be a pilgrim. To be a pilgrim is to walk through life with intentionality and purpose, sensitive to the many divine road signs God has put along the way. Fr. Joel Jason

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: Have you transitioned from being a wanderer to being a pilgrim here on earth?

 

Lord, clear my eyes and sharpen my ears that I may perceive the many signposts of Your presence here on earth, that I may journey joyfully and fruitfully to the Kingdom. Amen.

 

Where and how do you search for the truths of the faith and of God? Do you simply go with the flow? - Daily Reflections September 23, 2016

THE TYRANNY OF THE MAJORITY

 

Three priests and a nun were debating on a theological question. The three priests agreed on the matter while the nun was by her lonesome. The sister, a very holy nun, prayed to God for a rainbow as a sign that she was right. Right there and then, a rainbow appeared in the sky. The sister proclaimed, “You see I’m right!” “Not so quick, sister,” one of the priests quickly retorted, “it’s still three against one.” The sister prayed for another sign. This time God Himself spoke through the clouds and with a loud booming voice said, “Sister is right!” “Well?” the sister asked. The three priests looked at one another and glanced around, and finally one says, “OK, so it’s three to two!”

       Today in the Gospel, Jesus asked for an opinion poll. The responses were many and varied — and wrong. Then Peter spoke, “You are the Messiah of God.” He was alone but Peter got it right. Truth is truth even if no one believes it and error is error even if everybody believes it.

      When Pope Benedict XVI visited the UK and Scotland, he spoke many times about the convenient seduction of relativism, i.e., the view that truth is relative, it depends on what I think and feel — to each his own. Relativists  will maintain that “there is no truth!” to which we should reply, “Is that true?” Relativists will counter, “Well, if there is truth, you cannot know it,” to which we should reply, “How do you know?” Finally, the relativists will argue, “Well, if one can know, one can never be sure,” to which we should ask, “Are you sure?”

       Maybe you have heard the phrase that goes, “The Church is not and cannot be democracy.” This does not mean that the Church operates like a tyrant. In the area of faith and morals, truth is determined by the wise use of reason reflecting on the natural moral law. Truth is served by consulting the legitimate sources of moral and doctrinal wisdom like the Scriptures, the sacred tradition, and the works of theologians. Truth is served by the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit, who was promised by Jesus Himself to Peter and the disciples and their legitimate successors. Fr. Joel Jason

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Where and how do you search for the truths of the faith and of God? Do you simply go with the flow?

 

Lord Jesus, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church. You do not wish us to stray from Your truth. Make me a voracious and courageous seeker of Your truth. Amen.

In what way do you imprison the power of God’s message in your life? - Daily Reflections September 22, 2016

THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER

 

A teacher, trying to encourage her students to avoid vices, put a worm in bottles filled with soil, smoke and vodka. The worm inside the bottle filled with smoke and vodka died while the worm inside the bottle filled with soil lived. “What do you conclude class?” asked the teacher. A student stood up and said, “I therefore conclude that when you smoke and drink, you will not have worms in your body.”

         In the Gospel today, Herod is portrayed as someone intrigued by the message of John the Baptist. Luke recounts that every time John preached, Herod felt a certain attraction to John’s words. That is the nature of truth. When it is proclaimed, it never fails to strike a sympathetic chord in the heart. But truth can be threatening for it demands a corresponding action. It either affirms or convicts. Herod was attracted by the message of John but he did not have the courage to give its corresponding demands. What did he do? He put John in prison and beheaded him. In Herod, we see a man wanting to know the truth but could not handle the truth. He was afraid of its consequences and demands.

       God’s truth comes to us in varied ways. Through persons, situations or some sort of religious experience, the truth of God seeks us out. But like Herod, we are afraid of truth’s demands. We do not want the self-denial and conversion it entails. And so we imprison God’s message. We leave God in a corner. We compartmentalize our lives. We confine God and make His message irrelevant to our daily lives. We let the Bible gather dust. We treat the Mass as a once-in-a-while diversion. Remember, God is a “polite” God. He can work in our lives only to the extent that we give Him “permission” to do so. This is what we mean when we say that grace builds on nature.

         Unleash the power of God in your life. Call on Him. Open your heart. Do not be afraid of truth’s demands. As Jesus assures in the Gospel, “You will discover the truth and the truth will set you free” (John 8). Fr. Joel Jason

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: In what way do you imprison the power of God’s message in your life?

 

Lord Jesus, I don’t want to be in prison. I want to be free. Entice my heart with the beauty of Your truth and allow me to rejoice in it. Amen.

Is there anything you feel God is calling you to? Anything you feel you need to do or to be? What is holding you back? - Daily Reflections September 21, 2016

HE IS CALLING YOU

 

Inside the Contrarelli Chapel in the church of the French Congregation San Luigi dei Francesi in Rome, one can find the famous masterpiece of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio entitled “The Call of Matthew” completed in 1599-1600. This oil on canvas shows Jesus’ call of Matthew, the tax collector, as depicted in today’s Gospel.

       The painting shows Matthew dressed in typical gentleman style of Caravaggio’s time, leaning over the counting house table. Beside him is a man also leaning over the table with one hand reaching towards the coins waiting to be counted. Standing at the door dressed in typical first-century garments of Judea is Jesus, and right behind Him is Peter. As Jesus calls Matthew, He points a finger toward him. Anyone familiar with Michelangelo’s famous Creation painting at the Sistine chapel at the Vatican can easily recognize that Jesus’ finger in the Call of Matthew resembles that of the Creator reaching out to Adam in the Sistine Chapel ceiling.

       Incredulous that Jesus would call him, Matthew still had one hand protecting the coins while his other hand pointed to himself as if saying, “Who, me?” Yes, you!

       Jesus calls everyone. Notice the finger of Jesus pointing at Matthew? Caravaggio purposely depicted it to resemble the finger of God the Creator giving life to Adam. Just as God called Adam out of nothingness into existence, Jesus’ call is life-giving, re-creating, renewing.

       Every now and then, I still get comments like, “It must be difficult for you, Father, you gave up so many things for Christ.” Honestly, I did not give up anything. I only exchanged it for something just as good, if not better. Jesus did not take anything away; He just gave me something else.

       Be not afraid of Jesus’ call. When He calls, you will lose nothing. On the contrary, you will gain everything. Yes, you! Jesus calls you. Do not miss out on your life-changing, life-giving opportunity. Fr. Joel Jason

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Is there anything you feel God is calling you to? Anything you feel you need to do or to be? What is holding you back?

 

Lord Jesus, grant me the sensitivity to the many ways, instances and people by which You call me. Grant me the courage not to hold back. Amen.

Is the Word of God an essential part of your family life? - Daily Reflections September 20, 2016

FAMILIES, BE WHO YOU ARE!

 

In His teaching ministry, Jesus shocked not a few people by the new way He presented things. He told the people, who cannot even mention the name of God out of pious reverence, to address God by the most intimate of names, “Abba”, i.e., “Father” or better, “Daddy.” He changed the definition of things.

       In the Gospel today, Jesus changed the definition of family. When told that His mother and brothers were outside waiting for Him, He responded by saying that “those who hear God’s Word and put it into practice” are His mothers and brothers. In essence, Jesus relocated the definition of family from shared consanguinity to shared practice and fidelity to the Word of God. This is a centripetal redefinition. The movement is inward: consistent, complementary and compatible with the Word of God. Furthermore, Jesus’ redefinition is not a destruction of its usual meaning but a deepening of it.

       Today, the culture is also doing a redefinition of the family, but in a way that is contrary to the Word of God. Family is no longer the union of one male and one female, united and committed to one another in a covenant of marriage that is forever. This definition of family is very much rooted in Scripture and is a natural demand of the natural moral law.

       Family today is simply an adult-centered association and whatever they want it to be, whoever and how many those adults are. The change is artificial, whimsical and imposed. The movement is centrifugal, i.e., it moves farther and farther away from the Word of God.

        In his address at the opening of a three-day conference on traditional marriage hosted at the Vatican, Pope Francis reiterated that the family is “an anthropological fact… that cannot be qualified based on ideological notions or concepts important only at one time in history,” and founded on the natural and biblical “complementarity between man and woman in marriage.”

       Let us keep marriage and family rooted in the Word of God! Fr. Joel Jason

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: Is the Word of God an essential part of your family life?

 

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the Holy Family of Nazareth, keep every family under the beacon of Your protection. Amen.

“Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses.” - Daily Reflections September 19, 2016

SHINE BRIGHTLY!

 

When I was still in the seminary, there was always a year-end tribute to the seniors who have finished their seminary formation. Some of them would be ordained, some would opt to take a break prior to ordination, and some would decide to discern continuously for maybe other options in life.

       When it was time to say thanks to the seminary priest formators, I noticed one thing in the thanksgiving speeches they gave. It would usually run something like this: “I thank Father for being a co-journeyer,” “I thank the Fathers for the times they ate, played and prayed with us,” “I thank Father for showing us how to be a priest of Jesus Christ.”

       What do those words mean? It seems that seminarians remember not so much what we said in our homilies, discussed in our lectures, or developed in our conferences and recollections. What they remembered most and left a deep imprint were what we did together with them.

       Today, Jesus reminds the multitude before Him that they are the light of the world, a lamp that is lit not to be hidden but to be brought out in the open to give light and be seen. Besides priests and those in the religious life, all baptized Christians share in the priesthood of Christ. The Catechism of the Catholic Church calls this the common priesthood of the baptized. We proclaim the Gospel of Christ not so much with words as with the conduct of our lives.

       What we say is audible only to several pairs of ears. What we do, however, is visible to innumerable pairs of eyes. Actions evangelize better than words. Fr. Joel Jason

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: In Evangelii Nuntiandi #41, Pope Paul VI wrote: “Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses.” In what category do you belong to?

 

Lord Jesus, I humbly declare, I am not ashamed of the Gospel. Grant me grace to live by it.

When was the last time that you humbled yourself before God and said, “My God, all of these gifts are from You. I offer them back to You”? - Daily Reflections September 18, 2016

STEWARDSHIP

When I was young, I used to play priest, i.e., pari-parian. I would cover a table with curtains and call my friends and cousins. We would buy Coke and Fita biscuits and these would be our bread and wine. You can just imagine how everyone would wish it was communion time already. This got me thinking: Why do we call it pari-parian? Because after the play, I was no longer a priest. It was only temporary. Could this be the reason why in Filipino we call our possessions ari-arian? Everything that we have is temporary. Even the very life we have is simply an ari-arian. A time will come when we have to turn it over to the Lord of Life.

       The Gospel speaks today of a manager entrusted by his master to care for his property. Though focus is usually given to the enterprising way the clever manager wiggled his way out of his troubles, the parable is a reminder for us of the Christian understanding of stewardship. God is the source of everything that we have and are. In a telling line from the Gospel, we are reminded, “If you can trust a man in little things, you can also trust him  in greater; while anyone who is unjust in a slight matter is also unjust in greater” (Luke 16:10).

        The gifts that God has given us are given not for their own sake. God expects us to be fruitful. When we come face to face with the Lord, we will be asked how much we have cultivated everything that God has given us. A dying man told his wife, “When I die, I want you to put in my coffin all of my money. I want to bring all of them with me.” The wife took all of the man’s money, deposited it in her bank account, then issued the man a check, and put the check in the man’s coffin.

       We bring nothing with us when we die. The only thing we can bring with us are the seeds of goodness we have planted in our hearts and in the hearts of others. What would you bring with you when that time comes? Fr. Joel Jason

REFLECTION QUESTION: When was the last time that you humbled yourself before God and said, “My God, all of these gifts are from You. I offer them back to You”?

Lord, teach me to be Your humble servant and let me offer the gifts that I received from You by sharing them with other people. Amen.

When you see the Cross, do you see it as a summons to live rightly, in friendship with God? - Daily Reflections September 14, 2106

OF LOVE AND APPROVAL

 

On the feast of the Triumph of the Cross, the Gospel calls our attention on the unconditional love of God. This so reassuring. The Cross proclaims to us that we are loved. But the unconditional love of God does not mean unconditional approval of God. Let this sink in for a moment. It is easy to confuse the love of God with the approval of God.

       Parents know this. They love their children unconditionally. There is nothing that a child can do that will make a parent love the child any less. But no responsible parent, even as they love their children, will approve of their children when they are clearly in the wrong.

       Today, we have many well-meaning people who are convinced of the unconditional love of God but confuse this with unconditional approval. In the name of a misguided compassion, humility and tolerance, we end up condoning any and all kinds of actions and ideologies. In the name of a misguided notion of freedom and free will, we end up rejecting any and all kinds of interventions from legitimate authority saying, “Who are you to impose your morality on me?”

       If I visit my physician and he gives me a list of prohibitions to maintain my health, do I say, “How dare you impose your morality on me?” No. I accept the “imposition” for the sake of my physical well-being. Why should it be different for our spiritual well-being?

       The call of the moral life is not about justifying and making oneself worthy of God’s love and His Kingdom. Lest we forget, there is nothing we can do that can give us a rightful claim to God’s love and His kingdom. When all is said and done, it is still sheer grace. The moral life and following the commandments is not about justifying and making oneself worthy of God’s love and His Kingdom. The moral life is love’s response to Love, and making oneself less unworthy of God’s love and His Kingdom. Fr. Joel Jason

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: When you see the Cross, do you see it as a summons to live rightly, in friendship with God?

 

We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. For by Your holy Cross, You have redeemed the world. Amen.

When was the last time you went out of your way to be God-like? - Daily Reflections September 13, 2016

BE LIKE THE LORD!

 

A Western Buddhist woman was in India, studying with her teacher. She was riding with another woman friend in a rickshaw-like carriage when they were attacked by a man on the street. In the end, the attacker only succeeded in frightening the women, but the Buddhist woman was quite upset by the event and told her teacher so. She asked him what she should have done — what would have been the appropriate Buddhist response. The teacher said simply, “You should have very mindfully and with great compassion whacked the attacker over the head with your umbrella.”

       Women during the time of Jesus had no legal personality of their own. They had no rank in society and were considered second-class citizens. Their only means of livelihood was the presence of a working husband. The woman in today’s Gospel is described as a widow. Needless to say, she had no means of economic support now that she had also lost her son.

        While carrying the dead boy out of the city, Jesus chanced upon them at the town gate. Jesus was moved with mercy and, immediately, He raised the dead boy back to life and gave him back to her mother.

       Biblical experts observe that this was the first time in the Gospel of Luke that the title “Lord” was ascribed to Jesus: “When the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her and He said, “Don’t cry.” It seems that Luke is telling his readers that compassion for His people is one of the main attributes of the “Lord.” The last line says it most eloquently: “They were all filled with awe and praised God. ‘A great prophet has appeared among us,’ they said. ‘God has come to help His people.’”

       Whenever we practice compassion and help other people, we are often told, “You are God’s angel, you are heaven-sent.” In our heart of hearts, we know that we are most like the “Lord,” most like God, when we practice compassion. Fr. Joel Jason

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: When was the last time you went out of your way to be God-like?

 

Lord, make me Your heart today. Amen.

 

What is your attitude towards others — that of a lover or that of a user? Before God’s mercy, is your disposition one of presumption or trust? - Daily Reflections September 11, 2016

BE A LOVER, NOT A USER

 

During the Lenten season of 2015, Pope Francis, in a Friday penitential service homily, announced an extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy. We are currently in that Year of Mercy, which began on December 8, 2015 and will end on November 20, 2016, the feast of Christ the King. Pope Francis wants the whole Church “to rediscover and make fruitful the mercy of God.”

       Today’s First Reading provides a good opportunity to reflect on the mercy of God. It shows Yahweh relenting in the punishment he had threatened to inflict on His people upon the intervention of Moses. Some interpret this as a divine weakness, a chink in the divine armor. So if a weak man like Moses can overturn God’s decision, what kind of a God is that?

       Some may see this Exodus episode as a failure of sorts but for those attuned to the ways of God, it is not a failure but rather a merciful postponement. It is time given for the possibility of renewal. It is not a divine failure; it is rather a divine mercy.

     Today’s Gospel from Luke 15 is known as the mercy chapter. It contains three beautiful parables showing God’s mercy towards us sinners: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son. Jesus teaches us that God indeed is just, but He is more than just — He is love. Through the loving embrace of the father welcoming the prodigal son, Jesus invites us to have confidence on the Father’s mercy. But let us be reminded that God’s mercy is not to be mocked. We mock God’s mercy when we see the “relented” punishment that we deserve as a failure on God’s part.

       Jesus calls us to trust in the Father’s mercy, not to presume it. Trust is the attitude of a lover. Presumption is the attitude of a user. When we presume something, we become complacent and abusive. A husband who presumes the love of his wife willingly commits infidelity, thinking that “after all, she will take me back.” A Christian who presumes God’s mercy willingly sins, thinking, “after all, I can always go to confession.”

       Be a lover, not a user. Fr. Joel Jason

 

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: What is your attitude towards others — that of a lover or that of a user? Before God’s mercy, is your disposition one of presumption or trust?

 

As I have received mercy, so may I be a dispenser of it, O Lord. Amen.

Whatever race it is that you are running, is intimacy with Christ a part of your goal? - Daily Reflections September 9, 2016

WHAT RACE ARE YOU IN?

 

A man had a dream. In it, he saw an angel holding a torch on his right hand and a pail of water on his left. Curious, he asked the angel what the torch and the pail of water were for. The angel responded, “With this torch, I will burn the mansions of heaven, and with this pail of water, I will put out the fires of hell.” The man asked, “Why?” The angel responded, “Then we will know who it is that really love God.”

          Many Christians endeavor to be good because they fear the fires of  hell. For others, it is for the mansions of heaven. In any endeavor, be it personal, political, economical or spiritual, people are usually driven by two motivations: the fear of punishment and the joy of reward. While both motivations can be legitimate starting points to achieving a goal, in the realm of the spiritual life they do not suffice. In the spiritual life, the person of Jesus is the central goal. Everything else is secondary.

         In today’s First Reading, Paul uses the imagery of an athlete, a runner in a race. He undergoes the rigor, the demand and discipline of training to win a crown. A crown that is, after all, perishable: “Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win. Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown…” That is not enough. Paul reminds the Church in Corinth that a Christian is different. He runs for “a crown that is imperishable.”

       In my last year in the seminary prior to ordination, my spiritual director told me, “Ordination is not the goal of your long formation. It is configuration in Christ. If the imitation of Christ is not your main goal, do not apply for ordination.”

         This year, I will be celebrating my 20th year in the priesthood. I still get distracted by so many things in the race of life. That is why, until now, I constantly remind myself, “If Christ is not the prize you are aiming for, you are running the wrong race.” Fr. Joel Jason

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: Whatever race it is that you are running, is intimacy with Christ a part of your goal?

 

Lord, thank You for the many dreams that inspire me. Thank You for my many successes. May all of them find its finality in You. Amen

WHEN WERE YOU BORN?

Besides Jesus our Lord, only two people have the privilege of having their birthdays commemorated in the Christian calendar: John the Baptist and the Virgin Mary. John is son to Elizabeth and Zechariah, a cousin of Jesus, and the one who prepared the way of the Lord. Of him Jesus said, “I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John” (Luke 7:28).

       Mary, of course, is the mother of Jesus. Because of the singular privilege of being the mother of the Son of God, Scriptures spoke of the perpetual honor to be given her. “From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me — holy is his name” (Luke 1:49).

       Today, Catholic tradition celebrates the feast of Mary’s nativity. The Bible actually records nothing of Mary’s birth. Our knowledge of her parents being Joachim and Anne comes from books that are a part of our pious tradition but not included in the official list of inspired books. But her feast invites us to look into the “birth” of Mary into her mission as the Mother of God.

       In that sense, Mary, the Mother of God and perfect disciple, has many nativities: At the moment of her fiat when she proclaimed, “I am the maid servant of the Lord, let it be done to me according to your word…” (Luke 1:38); at the presentation when Simeon predicted that a sword shall pierce her heart (see Luke 2:33-35); at the wedding of Cana where she led everyone to Jesus (see John 2:1-5); at the foot of the cross, where she stood courageously by her Son when the Apostles (except John) abandoned Him (see John 19:25-27). If the joy of births is always accompanied by the pain of love and commitment, then Mary has been born over and over again.

       Roses will be offered today at Masses commemorating the nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. More than the roses, offer your heart to Mama Mary that she may share with you her courageous embrace of her mission. Fr. Joel Jason

REFLECTION QUESTION: Have you discovered your mission that will lead to your own nativity?

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. Amen.

How is your heart? Is it moved by the pain of another? Do you move to console the isolated? - Daily Reflections September 7, 2016

CONSOLE SOMEONE TODAY

 

One of the most touching moments in the visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines in January 2015 was his encounter with the young people at the University of Sto. Tomas. In that gathering, several testimonies were given by children from different sectors of society. One moving testimony came from a young girl named Glyzelle Palomar. From what I remember, she was an abandoned street child who was eventually sold into prostitution. After enumerating the series of difficulties life has thrown at her, she asked the Holy Father in Filipino, “Why does God allow these things to happen to some people?” At that point, Glyzelle broke down.

           Pope Francis did not really understand what was going on as it was in Filipino. After asking Cardinal Chito Tagle, Pope Francis approached Glyzelle and, without saying a word, enveloped the girl in a compassionate embrace. Later on, in his homily, Pope Francis said, “Certain realities in life we only see through eyes that are cleansed with tears.” As a parting message, the Pope encouraged everyone to ask God for the gift of tears.

      Today’s Gospel is the Beatitudes. One of the beatitudes read: “Blessed are you who are weeping; you shall laugh.” The ability to weep is the ability to be compassionate, to be moved by another person’s pain. The ability to shed tears is a sensitivity to the Gospel call to console the sorrowful.

          The next morning’s headlines showed the Pope in a tender embrace with Glyzelle. The caption read: The Pope consoles Glyzelle Palomar after she delivers a tearful testimony at the Papal encounter with the youth.

       The world console comes from the Latin con, meaning with, and solus, meaning one who is alone and isolated. To console therefore means to be “with one who is alone.” Those who weep have the power to be with one who is alone. Those who weep are willing to be with one who is isolated. That is what the Gospel praises as blessed.

       Do you have that power? Do you have that ability? Fr. Joel Jason

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: How is your heart? Is it moved by the pain of another? Do you move to console the isolated?

 

Soften my heart, O Lord. Cleanse my dry eyes with the gift of compassionate tears. Amen.

Are you quick to resort to justice? Have you ever considered trying the difficult but sanctifying demands of love? - Daily Reflections September 6, 2016

OF JUSTICE AND LOVE

 

Paul in today’s First Reading delivers a scathing criticism to his community in Corinth. He is angry. After hearing that the Christian brothers were suing one another in public courts, Paul was scandalized that the brothers turn immediately to legal means instead of settling disputes in the spirit of charity.

       In Greece of Paul’s time, court hearings were held in public. Hurling at one another in court undoubtedly compromises the Christian community that is supposed to be a community ruled by charity.

       There is really nothing wrong with a community ruled by justice, but it will be terribly wanting. As a principle, we know that justice is the minimum of love. But love is the perfection of justice. And if the Christian community is called to perfection, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48), then charity must be the first option for conflict resolution. Charity should be the primary way for believers: “If you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? (v.4-5). For Paul, immediate resolve through legal means is an indication of an unwillingness to practice the virtues: understanding, forgiveness, patience and sacrifice for the sake of the other. The Christian community is supposed to be “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation” (see 1 Peter 2:9). Conflict resolution therefore must be marked by sanctity, which is the mark of a believing community.

     Justice is founded on arithmetic equality. But certain situations demand going beyond the strict requirements of justice. When a mother distributes food among her children, for example, justice demands that everybody gets the same. But when one of the children is frail, doesn’t he usually get the better portion? On the outside it seems unfair, but really it isn’t. When love permeates justice, arithmetic equality becomes proportionate equality. In such a situation, love has just perfected justice. Fr. Joel Jason

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Are you quick to resort to justice? Have you ever considered trying the difficult but sanctifying demands of love?

 

You have created us out of love, O Lord. Help us to live by the same love. Amen.

What is the quality of your look? What pair of eyes do you have? - Daily Reflections September 5,2016

WHAT PAIR OF EYES DO YOU HAVE?

 

During the time of Jesus, rabbis typically visit the synagogue on a Sabbath to preach. As there are several rabbis, each one is given a turn. When a rabbi preaches, all eyes and ears are glued on him.

       In my experience as a priest who regularly speaks in front of many people, I realize, too, that there are many kinds of eyes that look at me. There are eyes that look for guidance and inspiration. They look upon the priest, minister or preacher as a symbol of God.

       And there are eyes that look with starstruck fascination. They follow the person’s every move and gesture. They hang on to his every word.

       There are also eyes that look with suspicion, resentment, insecurity and malice. Believing that they can do better than what the preacher can do, they look at him as a rival and threat. These are the eyes that watched Jesus today in the Gospel. The first line says it all: “The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched Him closely to see if He would heal on the Sabbath” (v.7).

     They watched Him closely. If looks could kill, this was it. Biblical scholars note that the word used for this look was paratereo. It could be translated as “to spy on” or “to observe with malicious intent out of the corner of one’s eye.” This kind of look is blind to goodness because it is evil by its nature. Sadly, it sees evil only on the other and never on the self. No wonder the Pharisees didn’t see the life-giving miracle Jesus performed. The only thing their look afforded them was a fury that led them to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus at the opportune time.

       To be aware of a single shortcoming within oneself is more useful than to be aware of a thousand in somebody else. Change happens in a family or in a community when I realize that change begins with me, not in always trying to change others. Change happens in a community when the individual realizes that he has to change as well. Otherwise, that community remains to be a finger-pointing community. Fr. Joel Jason

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: What is the quality of your look? What pair of eyes do you have?

 

Lord, today, help me see my faults and recognize the good that is in others. Amen.

Is abstinence and asceticism an occasional or regular part of your spirituality? - Daily Reflections September 2, 2016

A WORD ON FASTING

 

Fasting has always been an essential element of any spirituality. Even before Jesus began His ministry, John the Baptist’s followers have been practicing a kind of fasting. The Jewish religious leaders of Jesus’ time, too, were replete with fasting customs that included meticulous ceremonial washings and sanitation of jars and kettles.

       Last Lenten season, a friend of mine posted on his Facebook wall some rules on the age requirement for fasting and what kind of food to abstain from. In the comment section, I read someone say, “Is that really needed? Isn’t fasting from sin and evil the better kind of fasting Jesus wants during this Lenten season?” The comment received many likes. But, though well intentioned, there is much to correct in that statement.

       First of all, fasting from sin and evil is not to be done only during the Lenten season. We are to fast from all sin and evil all the time. First Thessalonians 5:22 says, “Abstain from every form of evil.” Notice it did not say, “Abstain from some form of evil,” or “during some times.” The real essence of fasting, therefore, is the willpower that abstinence from something good and pleasurable will give us. This is why we are asked to give up pleasurable activities or delicious food. They are not bad in themselves, but the self-mastery that follows from willful abstinence is the goal of all fasting. The occasional fasting from something good empowers us to regularly fast from sin and evil. This is why in Christian tradition, Fridays even outside of Lent are also considered days of penance and abstinence.

       I grew up in this tradition. Ever since, all of my Fridays have been meatless Fridays. So yes, while fasting from sin and evil is a greater intention, it does not cancel out fasting from food and anything that is pleasurable. In fact, it presupposes it.

          Enjoy your fast! Fr. Joel Jason

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: Is abstinence and asceticism an occasional or regular part of your spirituality?

 

“Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls” (Proverbs 25:28). With the discipline of an athlete, help me run the race of holiness. Amen.