Hosea (Come Back to Me)

DO NOT BE ANXIOUS

8^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Mt 6:24-34

There are those who write about our time as the “Age of Anxiety”. They say that ours is an age marked by disquiet and misgiving. Our lives mirror the complex world we live in; and the more complicated our world becomes the more insecure we feel about our future that we cannot take for granted. The systems and structures we create and trust prove too weak under the weigh of our hopes. Thus, three anxieties.

We have social anxiety. Is the world a safe place to live in? When will the next natural or man-made calamity strike us? What will be the next epidemic and where in the world will it begin? How and when will terrorists attack us again? Will the conflict in the Middle East, between North and South Korea, between Jews and Arabs, and between America and its foes end with the dreaded nuclear war? Will we ever live in true and lasting peace? When will there be reconciliation and justice among nations?

We have religious anxiety. Does God really care about us? Why is there suffering in a world created by a very loving God? Is faith in God meaningful? Is not hope in Him, in the midst of all our frustrations, a folly? Why risk everything for the sake of loving Him and our fellow human beings? Why is the Church imperfect and until when can she endure, given all her scandals? Is religion really important after all?

We have personal anxiety. Is my life simply going down the drain? When and how can I truly be free? Will I ever bounce back? Will I lose my job? Will my family, for any reason, end up broken? Will those whom I trust abandon me? When will I get sick? How and when will I die? Why am I despairing? Do I really matter?

Sadly, there are many people who live through quiet anxiety and refuse to speak about what haunts them or troubles them. The truth is we may be one of them.

Jesus speaks to us all today: Do not be anxious. “I am telling you not to worry about your life and what you are to eat, nor about your body and how you are to clothe it,” Jesus says. He continues, “Surely life means more than food, and the body more than clothing.” But, let’s be honest, His words do little to dispel our worries. When a mother has no food or clothes for her children, should she leave them die in hunger and cold? Appreciating the beauty of nature and how God takes care of it, do we now have the right to ignore human misery? When you are poor and hungry, it is not your fault that you are anxious, is it? Praying for our daily bread does not make food fall from heaven, does it?

But Jesus is not saying that being His disciples means that we will live in a care-free world, a world exempted from worries. Jesus Himself will be anxious and afraid about His passion. In the garden, He will sweat blood. What then does Jesus argue about?

Jesus is against the kind of anxiety that consumes us, robbing us of our energy and making us believe that God does not care about us at all. Jesus Himself, in facing His cross does not ignore His own fear but places it within the framework of His faith in God His Father. He trusts God beyond the cross. His fear is not His consuming concern. God is.

As His disciples, Jesus invites us to see beyond our anxieties to a God who cares for us. Of course, that is easier said than done. No one has said it is an easy thing to do anyway. Human nature is such that when we are beset by any problem, we tend to be myopic and focus only on our anxiety. When this happens, we are simply drained to do anything other than coping with our anxiety and we are left with no heart for God because we have no more to give. Jesus does not tell us to ignore our worries. He advises us instead to place them within the framework of our childlike trust in God who is our Father.

Let us set our heart on the Kingdom first and everything will fall into their proper places. We will view things from the perspective of the same Kingdom. We will prioritize our concerns according to the values of the same Kingdom. And no matter what happens, we will still be bigger than all our anxieties combined because God is greater than our hearts.

Yes, easier said than done. That is why we pray each day, and we pray for one another, do we not?

A MORON, AN AVENGER, OR A CHRISTIAN -- THE CHOICE IS YOURS

7^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Mt 5:38-48

One day, a man went to visit the wise man of the village. “Teacher,” the man said, “my brother hit me on both cheeks and so I fled. What should I do?” The wise man looked at him and asked, “Were you able to count how many times he hit you?” “49 times, Master,” the man answered. The wise man smiled at him and said, “Go back and tell him to hit you another time to make it fifty.” “But what for?” the man shouted, surprised by the wise man’s advice. “Well, my friend,” replied the wise man, “the 50^th is for your stupidity, you, moron! Why let your brother hit you 49 times and never do anything about it?”

When Jesus said that we should offer our other cheek if anyone hits us on one cheek, He did not mean that we have to be so stupid to willingly submit our selves to violence. His point was that we should not take revenge for any wrongdoing done to us. Jesus, of course, does not want us to end up mangled and violated. Instead, He wants that we stop the vicious cycle of violence. Taking revenge never ends violence; it aggravates it.

When someone strikes us and aims for another round, would we be morons not to take cover, would we be vengeful and strike him, or would we be Christians enough to take his hand and start a dialogue to understand where he is coming from with the hope that reconciliation could be reached?

We are what we choose to be. We can be morons, avengers, or Christians. The choice is ours. As Spider-Man said in his last movie, “We always have a choice.”

Choose before the next strike. Let it be a loving choice always.

Here are, however, three illusions about love.

The first and greatest illusion is that we really love when we feel like loving. Certainly, loving needs a lot of feeling, but loving is more than just mushy romance. Love is a decision. It is a steady movement of the will, desiring the good of the other – no matter who that “other” is, friend or foe. Love is not an emotional appetite. To love is to decide to love; thus, loving involves more than the hypothalamus (the center of human emotion). It engages the whole person who decides to love, not just his feelings. Because loving does not depend on the one to be loved, but on the one who decides to love no matter what, it is indeed possible to love even the unlovable.

The second illusion is that loving means liking. To unmask the lie behind this illusion, one must understand the first and greatest illusion. To love is not to like because love is not a mere emotional appetite. The person to be loved is not similar with a food that we may like to eat today but no more tomorrow. When Jesus gave us the commandment to love our enemies, He was not out of His mind in admonishing us thus because He knew that loving is not the same as liking. He said, “Love your enemies” and not “Like your enemies”. It is very impossible to like every person that comes our way, much less, our enemies. But it is indeed possible to love anyone we decide to love.

The third illusion is that love begets love. We certainly hope it does, but love does not always beget love. There are many times, we know by experience, when our love is not reciprocated by love. On the contrary, we may suffer for our love. Worse, the people we love may even be the ones who make us suffer the most. Thus, love does not beget love. Well, at least, not always. Loving our enemies may not necessarily make them love us in return. But still, we may love them precisely because we may decide to love no matter what it entails for us.

Let us not be morons. Let us not be avengers. Let us be what we have been called and chosen to be: Christians, disciples of Christ who forgives us even before we forgive others. Let us pray and strive to be like Jesus whose measure of love is love without measure.

A moron, an avenger, or a Christian – the choice is yours. It always is!

HAPPY SALTY LIGHT

5^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Mt 5:13-16

The gospel today comes from the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount. It is a small part of an episode that stretches for three chapters. These three chapters are regarded as the magna carta for every Christian, a disciple of Jesus. The highlight of this sermon is the Beatitudes, revealing not only the secret to true happiness but also who among us all is truly happy.

Happiness is like salt. It purifies, preserves and gives flavor. Happiness purifies our motives. For how can anyone be happy over something evil. Happiness for sin is not happiness – it is evil in itself as well. Happiness preserves our sanity. The tremendously deprived of happiness are sick people. They are called melancholic. Life is about striving to be happy, and keeping the balance between joy and sorrow spells human growth. Happiness gives flavor to life. Without it, life becomes such a drudgery. As salt brings out the essential qualities of every ingredient in a dish, bringing about a symphony of flavor, so too does happiness enhances the essence of every human experience we have.

Happiness is like salt, but, like salt, happiness, too, can lose its taste. When happiness pollutes our mind, destroys our spirit, and robs us of our values, happiness becomes a poison; it kills. When happiness loses its taste, it is not happiness anymore. It turns into folly.

Happiness is like the light. It brightens, warms up, and shows the way. A happy person has more than a face well lit, but also a positive disposition in his life. He also has a warm personality such that people are naturally attracted to him in the right way. Because of his positive disposition in life and his innate warm personality, a happy person is always the best guide to follow. Happiness should be one requirement for a leader. An unhappy person usually lead people astray. Besides, who wants to follow “Mr. Long-Faced?”

Happiness is like the light, but like the light, happiness, too, can dim or even totally lose its brightness. When happiness clouds our ability to think well, manipulates people rather than make them grow, and mislead, a person experiences “brownout”, not happiness, in his life. That is dangerous. Such a happiness is not true happiness at all. It is danger.

From time immemorial, people are searching for happiness. Sadly, from time immemorial too, countless have fallen into the pit of false happiness. Jesus alone can give us true happiness. Just as countless have been victims of their misguided pursuit for happiness, so, too, is numerous those who have found true happiness.

Those who have Jesus for their joy grow from being mere disciples unto apostles of joy and joyful apostles.

MULTO

Biyernes sa Ika-apat na Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon

Mk 6:14-29

Naniniwala po ba kayo sa multo? Ako po, naniniwala ako sa multo. Pero wala pa akong nakikitang multo. Meron po, mukhang multo lang.

Ang multo ay espiritu. Naniniwala po ako sa mga espiritu; samakatuwid, naniniwala ako sa multo. Pero, wala pa nga po akong nakikitang multo. Paano mo nga ba makikita ang espiritu?

Ngayong araw na ito, sa ating Ebanghelyo, nakakita si Haring Herodes ng multo. Si Juan Bautista ang multo niya. Isinasalaysay sa atin ng Ebanghelyong binasa natin kung paanong naging multo si Juan Bautista para kay Haring Herodes. Napakalaki kasi ng kasalanan ni Haring Herodes kay Juan Bautista. Si Juan ay biktima ng tangang kayabangan ni Herodes – maaari naman niya sanang bawiin ang kanyang salita nang ipinangako niya sa anak ni Herodias ang ulo ni Juan Bautista subalit hindi niya ginawa. At ginawa niya iyon sa kabila ng katotohanang kumbinsido siyang si Juan ay isang taong banal ng Diyos.

Pero hindi lang si Haring Herodes ang may multo, hindi ba? Kung makatotohanan tayo, aaminin nating may mga multo rin tayo. Nagkakamali tayo, pumapalpak, at nagkakasala. Sa madalas o minsan, mga biktima rin tayo ng ating katangahan at kayabangan. Nalilikha natin ang sarili nating mga multo. At tutoong-tutoo sila.

May mga taong nagsasabing hindi sila takot sa multo. Pero lahat ng tao ay ginagambala ng kanilang mga multo. Ano nga ba ang solusyon?

Una, tanggapin ang iyong pagkakamali o kasalanan, gaano man kalaki o kaliit ito. Ang pagtanggap sa pagkakamali o kasalanan ang siyang unang hakbang para buong-tapang na harapin ang multo mula sa iyong nakaraan. Sa pagtangging gawin ito, lalo ka lang hahabulin ng multo mo.

Ikalawa, buong-pusong pagsisihan ang katahangan at kayabangang sanhi ng iyong nagawang pagkakamali o kasalanan. Para huwag kang matakot sa multo mo, kaibiganin mo ito, at nagsisimula ito sa kababaang-loob na siyang ina ng tunay na pagsisisi. Tanggapin mo man ang pagkakamali o kasalanan mo hindi pa rin mawawala ang kinatatakutan mong multo kung hindi mo ito pagsisisihan; sa halip, nagiging halimaw lang ang dati mong maliit na multo.

Ikatlo, bumangon at bumawi. Pagpasiyang huwag nang muling gagawin ang maling ginawa. Pero hindi sapat ang pasiyang ito. Madalas nalilimutan nating bumawi. Dapat itama ang minali, ayusin ang ginusot, ibalik ang ninakaw. Hindi ba ninyo napapansin sa mga pelikula tungkol sa mga multo, kaya may multo kasi may hindi pa tapos, may hindi tinapos, may ayaw tapusin.

Lahat tayo ay may mga multo sa buhay. Marami sa kanila ay mula sa ating nakaraan. Bahagi na sila ng kung sino at ano tayo. Maari rin nating sabihing nagmula tayo sa kanila. Walang dahilan para mangatog sa takot, palibhasa ang lahat ay nagkakamali at nagkakasala. Pero maraming dahilan para kaibiganin sila at lumago tayo tungo sa pagiging kung ano tayo dapat maging: mga makasalanan nga ngunit minamahal.

Sa nobela ni Charles Dickenson, ang “A Christmas Story”, may tatlong multo: ang Ghost of Christmas Past, ang Ghost of Christmas Present, at ang Ghost of Christmas Future. Ang pangunahing tauhan sa nobelang iyon ay dumanas ng iba’t ibang mga nakasisindak na karanasan, pero sa katapusan ay nakaibigan niya ang kanyang mga multo. Sa wakas ng kuwento, ibang-ibang tao na siya. Naging mabuting tao siya dahil sa kanyang mga multo.

A-BLASE!

Memorial of St. Blasé, Bishop and Martyr

Mk 16:15-20

We celebrate today the blessed memory of St. Blase, and we celebrate it not only with a feast day, but with a unique ceremony that seems to parallel the practice of anointing the sick. In Masses today blessing of throats are given to those who wish to receive it. The blessing is performed with two white candles that were blessed yesterday, the Feast of the Lord’s Presentation. The white color of the candles symbolizes purity. Often, a red ribbon is draped over the base of the candles. The red drape or ribbon symbolizes the martyrdom of St. Blasé. The two candles are grasped in an X-shape and held up to the throat of the person receiving the blessing, as the priest prays the formula: “Through the intercession of St. Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from every disease of the throat and from every other illness, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." And the person receiving the blessing answers, “Amen.”

Who is St. Blasé? Why is he venerated as patron against throat ailments?

Blasé was born to a wealthy and noble Christian family in the 4^th century. He was a physician before he became a bishop at a young age in Sebaste in Armenia. His rather early elevation into the Order of Bishops is attributed to his outstanding holiness and leadership qualities even as Christians were then persecuted.

During the persecution of Emperor Licinius, Blasé lived as a hermit in a cave where wild animals kept him company. It is said that he even healed those who were sick and wounded among them. There is an account that says that Blasé encountered a woman whose pig was caught by a wolf. Blasé commanded the wolf to release the pig, and, indeed, the wolf freed the pig unhurt. But one day, a group of men who were hunting wild beasts discovered Blasé and seized him. As Christianity was outlawed during his time, Blasé was brought to Agricolaus, governor of Cappadocia and Lesser Armenia.

The woman whose pig Blasé saved from the jaws of a wolf brought him candles so that his prison cell would have some light and he could read the Sacred Scriptures. It was also during then that Blasé, using two of the candles given him by the woman whose pig he saved, miraculously cured a small boy who was choking to death on a fishbone lodged in his throat. Grasping the two candles to form an X-shape, Blasé held them up to the throat of the child and prayed for the boy’s deliverance. The fishbone dislodged by itself and the boy was saved from imminent death.

Eventually, Agricolaus the Governor condemned Blasé because the latter refused to deny his faith in Jesus Christ. He was tortured with the iron comb. An iron comb is an instrument used for combing wool. The skin of Blasé was scrapped with this iron comb and shredded into pieces. This is the reason why Blasé is also invoked as patron of those engaged in the wool-industry. Finally, he was beheaded.

Today, on his feastday, we ask the intercession of St. Blasé not only for deliverance from any throat ailments and other physical illness but also from all that compromises our love for Jesus. We are all called to be martyrs. For some, martyrdom comes as the shedding of blood for the Faith. But for all of us, martyrdom always takes the form of living out day-to-day fidelity to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to Jesus Christ Himself and the Church for whom He was first to have shed blood.

Martyrdom is not about dying. It is about living. The Greek word martyrion means witness. A martyr is a witness. And witnessing does not only happen in death. In fact, it happens even before dying for the Faith.

Let us love Jesus in life and in death. Let us live the Faith before we die for it. May the fire of the Spirit of Jesus keep burning in our hearts and set the world ablaze…a-BLASÉ!

FULFILLED PERSON

Feast of the Lord’s Presentation

Lk 2:22-32

“Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace,” said Simeon. I truly admire him. Who can say with all sincerity, without an iota of hesitation, that he or she is ready to die? It is difficult to find such a person, is it not? We find one today in the gospel.

Simeon is a picture of a fulfilled man indeed. He desires for nothing more, waits for nothing more, and prays for nothing more. He is ready and willing to go from this life to the next. Why?

First, Simeon desires for nothing more because he already received what he desires most. His “eyes have seen the salvation which (God) has prepared for all nations to see, a light to enlighten the gentiles, and the glory of Israel”. Simeon desired for Jesus, the Savior, the Light, and the Glory he refers. Now that he has set his eyes on Him, he is complete.

Second, Simeon waits for nothing more because he trusted in God’s promise to him that he will not see death before he sets his eyes on the Savior, the Light, and the Glory God has ordained to send into the world. Now that that promised is fulfilled, what else should Simeon wait for? Jesus has arrived not only in the general sense of the word “arrive” but also in its particular meaning as Jesus comes into the life of Simeon.

Third, Simeon prays for nothing more because his prayer has already been granted. He has seen Jesus; he has seen peace. Now, he can go in peace as a servant of Him whose promised he has trusted.

What do we desire for? What do we wait for? What do we pray for? No one less than God can satisfy our desire. Nothing less than God’s fidelity to His word can bring about what we wait for. Nothing less than having the disposition of God’s servant can make us realize how God answers our prayers.

Simeon teaches us what it means to be a fulfilled person. A fulfilled person is one who pays attention to God. And only a truly fulfilled person is ready to leave this world so as to enter God’s kingdom.

May the light of the candles we bring to Mass today to be blest by the priest shed light upon our desire, our waiting, and our prayer. Jesus Christ alone, who is THE Light, can show us the truth about “the fulfilled person”.