How do we GIVE?

How do we GIVE? Many times we encounter poor beggars asking money or food from us. How do we respond to them? Have we not experienced times when we only gave a 5-peso coin to a street child, or gave a 50-peso bill hesitantly, or did not give at all because at the back of our minds we say, “Why give?! This man still has the strength to look for decent work; and here he is, making things easy for himself by begging! Perhaps he will just use the money for bad purposes!” But, why don’t we also step back and recall those countless times we have received large sums of money from generous people? Isn’t it that we too do not deserve to receive the money? The fact is that it was just given to us out of their generosity! We too have not labored hard to earn the money. Many times, we are tempted to take advantage of our status as priests and seminarians, and so we sometimes forget how it is to give. We fall into the human tendency like Peter who said, “And what will I, Peter, as first among the 12 get as a reward?” In our first reading, the Lord warns those false shepherds who have been feeding themselves and taking advantage of the vulnerable sheep, but do not even feed the sheep.
Again, I will repeat the question: How do we GIVE? First of all, by humbly acknowledging that we are sinners in the eyes of God. Even though we are priests and seminarians, we are still part of His flock. And because of this, when one of us gets lost, he will leave the 99 to look for that 1. Simply savor what the famous psalm is telling us today: “The Lord is my Shepherd…even though I walk through the darkest valley…his rod and staff they comfort me.” Like those laborers who probably felt hopeless that they could not work and earn money on that day because still no one hired them and it was getting late in the afternoon – we, too, many times feel hopeless and empty because of our failures. But in the eyes of God, the Landowner, calling us at 5 o’ clock in the afternoon is never too late. God, the Landowner, just saw the need for more workers on His wide vineyard, so He calls us to cooperate with Him no matter who we are, no matter what we have done. And see what the Landowner gave us at the end of the day? Unexpectedly, we were all treated equal. In normal economic practices, we know it’s not just and equitable since we have not worked correspondingly for the money we have received. But here, we are treated more than what we expected. “Who am I? I was last but he made me first!” That is how we sinners are loved so much by God; and we see that great manifestation of his generosity in the cross. It was more than the violent “makibaka” type of Messiah that the Jews expected; it was a kenosis -- a self-emptying; more than just giving food to the sheep but giving his very own body and blood for us. So how can we not be consoled by that, especially in times when we get impatient with ourselves because our sins come back again and again and again. God consoles us through a song, “Hindi ka kailangang magbago, kahit ito’y mas ibig ko. At hindi ka kailangang magsikap nang husto upang ika’y ibigin ko. Iniibig kita…ako’y kapiling mo, kahit ikaw pa ma’y mapalayo.”
So my dear brothers, we are challenged today to be generous; just GIVE: whether it is in our human and spiritual formation, in the streets, in our apostolates, or in our studies. And every time we do that, let us always step back and think of the Lord who has given more than we expected, so that when it will be our time to give, we will be able to give much more than what the Church and the society expect from us.
May we always be generous shepherds because “the Lord is our Shepherd; there is nothing we shall want.”

igsuon ko, BULAHAN ta!

Today, we celebrate the Feast or Solemnity of the Assumption of our Blessed Mother Mary into heaven. Just a short summary or catechesis as to what this important dogma is all about. It was on November 1, 1950 that Pope Pius XII proclaimed, declared, and defined as dogma that Mary, after her earthly life, was taken up to heaven body and soul; her body did not go through corruption, but all of her was taken by God to heaven. So, how is this dogma or teaching related to our daily, simple lives? One word: HOPE. This feast gives us hope. Because like Mary, who was also human like us, after experiencing the joys and pains in life, was taken up to heaven to be in the glory of God. Why hope? Because this feast tells us that the pains and sadness of this world that we experience now is passing; is not final; never the end of life; because our true destination is salvation in Heaven. In the Gospel according to John (Chapter 14), Jesus says and assures us “Do not let your hearts be troubled...I am indeed going to prepare a place for you (in my Father’s house), and then I shall come back to take you with me, that where I am you also may be. You know the way that leads where I go.” Isn’t it an assurance of hope my dear brothers? But of course, while we are still on this earth, we experience pain; we can’t prevent it; it’s part of our humanity. We may be sad because of what is happening in our family, in our country, in ourselves; but the challenge is: DILI MAGPALABI SA KAGUOL. Let us not be too serious with our pains. Be hopeful and trust in the Lord. And we see that in Mary. For from the very time she said “YES!” to the Lord until she was on the foot of the cross where her Son was nailed and suffering – she endured. Just imagine how worried she was when her Son was lost in the temple; imagine how painful it was for her when Jesus left home and bid goodbye to mama to follow the Father’s will; imagine how very very painful it was for her to gaze at his Son on the cross begging for her help. But she endured all of these! Because, as what Elizabeth said in the Gospel today, “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to us by the Lord would be fulfilled.” That is why she is worthy to be called BLESSED; she is our model of a person who endured pain ‘till the end! In our Gospel today, when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was so happy upon seeing Mary. Now, how about you? I wish to re-echo this question of Fr. Mike yesterday, “How about you?” Whenever you go home, does your presence make others (your children, your katulongs, etc.) make them happy or make them tremble in fear? Whenever you go to the office, does your presence make your officemates happy or make them sad and angry? Whenever you go to your tindahans, does your presence make your tinderos and tinderas joyful or tremble in fear? Whenever you go to school does your presence make your teacher and classmates feel blessed or cursed? Yes, though we may be good or not-so-good to others, one thing is clear: That when we say YES to the Lord, we also experience the difficulties and pains of being a Christian.
And so let us ask for the grace that we may always long for Heaven; we may always long for the place prepared for us by Jesus in Heaven. And as we live our daily lives, in our joys and pains, let us ask for the grace of endurance, kalahutayan, perseverance, and that we may always bring the truth that the pain we experience is never never permanent; it is passing; God has prepared a place for us. He loves us! And let us ask the intercession of Mama Mary that we may be like her: Milahutay, nahimong kalipay ug panalangin sa uban. Nga unta ang atong presensya makalipay sa uban ug dili makapakurog hinuon nila sa kahadlok. Makaingon unta sila, “Salamat sa imong presensya ha, nalipay kayo ko ug migaan akong pamati.” “Kini maoy tinuod nga Kristyano!”
So, there is cause for rejoicing here my dear brothers and sisters. We must be happy, because the feast today gives us HOPE that in spite of the pains and sufferings we experience, for as long as we trust in the Lord ‘till the end like Mama Mary, we too will be taken up to heaven, to be with God, with Mama Mary nga puno sa kalipay nga walay katapusan! Mama Mary: Pray for us.

WHO IS MY TREASURE? HE IS MY TREASURE!

Please allow me to repeat one of the beautiful themes in our Gospel today: Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. Beautiful isn’t it? What is a treasure? A treasure is a person, thing, event or place that is so valuable and important to us. It could be our loved ones, family, job, face, money, alahas, and many others. The nest question is: When can we consider then a person or thing valuable (or important) to us? When? OK, allow me to present a comparison using a necklace as an example in order for us to understand the question. Compare how you value a necklace (kwintas) that was just found on a street as you happen to pass by AND a necklace that was given to you by your loved one. Which one is valuable? Obviously, the one that was given to you by your loved one is the one we consider as a treasure; as valuable. Why? Because the kwintas did not just fall from the sky; but because there is a relationship behind the necklace. It was given to you; and not only that it was given, but there is a relationship between the two of you. That’s why, you can’t just give it away, because there is a sentimental value on it. And every time we look at it, we smile because we are reminded of the giver and the beautiful memories you had with the person who gave you the kwintas. So, in having a treasure, that is the first element: RELATIONSHIP. Every time we look at the cross, why do we smile? Because we are reminded of the gift of life that God has given us. He is our pinaka-treasure. That is what the 1st reading tells us today. Are you familiar with the Exodus event in the lives of the Israelites? Diba that was the time when God chose Moses to lead His people away from slavery in Egypt; how God helpled them by dividing the Red Sea into two and they were able to pass safely through it. Grabe to impact sa ila. That was their treasure! That is why even after thousands of years had past, they still meet every year (Passover festival) to celebrate those glorious events sa ilang mga ninuno. When they gather and remember what God has done for them, their hearts are filled with praise, joy and thanksgiving.
The second element in dealing with our treasure is FAITH. 5 to 15 years after the death of Jesus on year 33 AD, the early Christians were very hopeful that Jesus will return very very soon during their time; they were really waiting for Him to come the 2nd time. They were so full of FAITH. But 30 years had past already…they started to get discouraged and slowly lost their faith in Jesus. That was one of the reasons why St. Luke wrote this Gospel; he wished to revive the faith of his community, because it was as if they had their faith not so much because of love of what Jesus had done but because they had in mind that Jesus will really appear maybe today or tomorrow, murag nagpasikat. So, St. Luke would have said, “Even if the Lord does not return yet, and we don’t even know when, this is what the Lord says: Have faith in me! Remember what the Lord has done for all of us! He died for us yet he rose from the dead because God loves us so much! That is our treasure! If only we always remember how God showed His love, then even though he has not yet returned, our strong faith in Him will never be affected.” Take for example, when I was still a child, it was already late in the afternoon, and still no one fetched me from school. And so my teacher was already worried, “where is your father? When will he fetch you?” Although I was already crying that time, I still managed to answer her, “Mam, I don’t know when he will fetch me. But I am sure that he WILL fetch me, because I know that my father is a good man, he loves me and he has not abandoned me.” There was a relationship, that is why no matter what happens, I will not lose faith. My faith in my father was my treasure, and where my treasure is, there also will my heart be. If God is our treasure, do we give our whole heart to Him? Or basin when problems come our way, we easily get discouraged. We are invited by Jesus today, “Don’t lose your faith no matter what happens!” Hinumdumi ug guniti ang relasyon.
But, it doesn’t end there yet. There is the third and last element. What is it? After having experienced that RELATIONSHIP, after expressing our FAITH in Him because of that relationship, what follows next are ACTIONS DONE OUT OF LOVE, not out of pasikat. Let me share with you a true story from our very own parish priest, Fr. Perseus. While we were having lunch 2 weeks ago, I heard this moving experience from Him; and I would like to integrate the 3 elements here. The laborers who did this beautiful church we have now was with Fr. Perseus for almost 5 years now, they were already with Him during his past 2 parish assignments. So, there is already a RELATIONSHIP, suod na sila, and they know each other well. What is very moving is that Fr. Perseus cares for them very much. He doesn’t only give them money, but also gifts and incentives. There was no sense of a master-servant relationship image here, but mutual friendship. Imagine, one Christmas, without them expecting it, much to their surprise, they received bugas and pang noche Buena that they were so happy and were able to celebrate Christmas with their families. Dili lang si padre ang naghatag sa bugas, kamo ang naghatag nila sa pagkaon. Very moving! Tan-awa unsa ka-lig-on atong simbahan, because of what you have shown to them. This is a manifestation of their STRONG FAITH. And while Fr. Perseus was away for 1 month, you know what, the laborers still worked hard, with their whole heart. They didn’t know when Fr. Perseus will come back from Europe. But even if he was not around, they still performed their job excellently, even going beyond working time, not because magpasikat, but because out of LOVE. Because of the relationship they experienced, they do not just work for salary but they make it strong and safe for you, sakto sa semento ug balas, because they love Carmen parish. Dili na kinahanglan bantayan o sugoon pa para molihok (there’s no need to guard them or command them).
That is the very reason why we go to Mass every Sunday and pray. Because God wants to show to us the Cross; how He would like us to remember always all the things He has done for us. RELATIONSHIP. So at this very moment, remember the experiences before wherein you received God’s blessings, grace and love. Like the kwintas, hold is as your treasure! When problems come, remember those beautiful memories with the Lord. So the second element, have FAITH in Him. Don’t let problems take that relationship away! (Let us continue hoping in faith that corruption in our country will soon end; that in due time, we will attain peace in Mindanao, walay surrenderay). So, it doesn’t end here, we have to go out of this Church. And as we leave this Church after the Mass, if dala-dala na nato ang FAITH from our RELATIONSHIP with the Lord, then it would be easy for us to do simple things out of LOVE. Dili na ta angay suguon o bantayan pa. We can get rid of cheating and corruption sa atong pag-eskwela ug pag-trabaho. We can show peace and love bisan diha pa lang sulod sa pamilya.
May we always say, “Even though I do not see and touch Jesus physically, even though he has not returned yet for His 2nd coming, there’s nothing to worry about, because I do have so many beautiful experiences with Him that I can say: He will never leave me. And so I will always do what is right, what is good, EVERYDAY…He is my pinaka-TREASURE! And where my treasure is, there also will my heart be…everyday…Amen!

I ASKED AND I RECEIVED

Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find…
Please allow me to share with you a personal experience. I am an asthmatic person. It all started when I was still Grade 5; and that was one of the most difficult and trying moments I and my family experienced. You know what, even at the early age of 12, I already questioned God, “Why am I suffering?” I already begged God, “Lord, I could not bear this pain anymore. I don’t want to stay again in the hospital for 2 months. Sakit na kaayo, dili ko ka-ginhawa. I could not bear seeing Mama and Papa cry and suffer because of me. Lord, please remove this pain away from me right now, immediately!” Well, 14 years had past, 2010 na, but I still have the Asthma (hubak) though not that bad anymore. So, maybe, at first glance, you will probably say, “Jun, it seems that God did not give you what you asked for. What kind of God is He?!” But the question is, “What keeps me smiling now in spite of my sickness? What keeps me going on in life without blaming Him anymore?” Because, gradually, through prayer, through silence, slowly I realized that God ACTUALLY answered my prayer; He actually gave me what I really asked from Him. Only that I wasn’t able to realize that because I always kept on blaming and questioning Him; when in fact He was actually there present with me. I realized that God wanted to touch me, gusto niya mohaplas sa akong likod ug tuba-tuba, mosuksok sa towel sa akong likod, mo-embrace. And in order for God to do that, he used the hands of the people who became so instrumental to my recovery. God was present diay through my Mama, God used her hands to comfort me, “Don’t worry Anak, nia ra ko, ako ang tubag sa imong gipangayo..” Kay without God, through my Mama, I would never survive. Igo na kana nga maka-smile ko bisan taliwala niining mga sakit (That would be enough for me to smile now even in the midst of my sickness). It’s the Holy Spirit who makes me smile and who empowers me right now. Ug diha nako na na-klaro sa akong kanunay nga paggahin ug kahilom diha sa pag-ampo: Nga diay, God answers in so many ways; and my experience with my Mama was just one.
Each of us here really wants that our petitions to God be answered immediately, right now. “Lord, maka-daug unta ko sa lotto o swertres. Makakwarta unta ko. Dili unta magutman akong pamilya. Makapasar unta ko sa test. Madawat unta ko sa trabaho. Mamaayo unta akong bana o asawa o ginikanan o anak o igsuon sa iyang gibati nga sakit.” Sometimes we just couldn’t wait; we become impatient. Mao nay makapasaba sa atong panghunahuna ug mahimo na dayong mabaw (shallow) ang atong panglantaw sa kamanggihatagon sa Ginoo. Because, then, when we feel that way, we easily blame and question God, “Ingon ka Lord ‘ask and you shall receive’? Pero, nganong wala man lagi?”
If only we spend time for SILENCE my dear brothers and sisters; then madunggan nato unsa ang buot niyang isulti kabahin sa atong gipangayo. That is why we are here because we are called today in this Mass to listen to Him; because God really wants to tell us something today. He wants to tell us today that he cannot afford not to listen to His children who persistently call to Him for help. Our 1st reading tells us that even if there will only be 10 good people in a very sinful place Sodom, he will forgive the nation. Imagine! Dili siya ka-ako ug punish sa sinful nation because of the 10! Now, in our Gospel today, the man in the story gives bread to his friend not so much because of their friendship but because of His persistence (pagpamugos). Dili siya ka-agwanta ug pa-bungol-bungol. Mangita gyud siya ug paagi. Ug diha gikinahanglan ang KAHILOM, instead of blaming God, “Ngano? Ngano?...” Kay diha sa kahilom atong mahibaw-an nga gitagaan na diay ta sa Espiritu Santo, maong nia pa ta nagpadayon dinhi karon. And how does He answer us? In so many ways! My experience with Mama was just one. Maybe the answer of your prayer, without you conscious about it, is just beside you, or at your home: Your family, imong pamilya or friend nga wala mohunong pag-atiman nimo. Sila diay ang instrumento sa presenya sa Dios. Sila diay ang atong gipangayo; dili nga mamaayo dayon ta sa problema, kundili nga unta dili ta mag-inusara sa atong problema.

(Story of Smoke Signals to God)

In our Gospel today, the Father assures us, “Never will I give you a snake when you ask for a fish. I am just beside you, whatever happens, in sickness and health.” Let us ask from our hearts. When we pray the Amahan Namo, let us pray from our hearts. And may we always remember this assurance from our Tatay in heaven, “Anak, you asked and I give you my very presence now, so you have nothing to worry about ha. Wala na kay angay kabalak-an…”

HOW IS YOUR PAIR OF EYEGLASSES?

The readings and the feast we celebrate today unite so much on the theme: KNOWING. We celebrate the feast of St. Camillus de Lellis, a priest. Though he is not that known to us, but he is, I believe, one of the patron saints of the sick and suffering. Since his concern is for the care of the sick, please allow me to use the image of the EYEGLASSES (antipara or antyohos). I am sure St. Camillus would highly recommend these glasses to me to help me overcome my poor eyesight.
The purpose of our eyes is to see. We even have two different levels of seeing. On the one hand, we have our physical eyes. We use them to see people, all the material things and events around us. On the other hand, in a deeper level, we have our spiritual eyes. We use them to see how we relate with God, with others, and with the rest of creation, as well as, use them to see our joys or sadness within. Therefore, what does this symbol of eyeglasses mean and how does this apply to us? Please allow me to symbolize these glasses as a way of seeing and knowing GOD; in a context of how we KNOW Him (of course I don’t mean to limit God to this simple created thing, but to hopefully deepen our faith in Him). So, given this symbol, each of us then has a pair of these eyeglasses since we all have God within us. And so the question is: HOW WELL DO WE KNOW GOD? JUST LIKE OUR PAIR OF EYEGLASSES, IS IT CLEAN AND CLEAR for us to see or is it still FULL OF DUST AND DIRT? In other words, how do we see God and others through these glasses? The way I see and know Him is the way I could see others CLEARLY through Him.

There are two things we need to know in using these GLASSES.
1. First is TAKING GOOD CARE OF OUR GLASSES.
Let me share with you a story from the book of the Jesuit priest Mark Link. A test given to astronaut candidates requires them to give 20 answers to the same question, “Who are you?” The former astronaut John Glenn says the first few answers are easy: ‘I am a man. I am a flier. I am an American.’ But as you continue, it gets harder and harder to say who you are.” John Glenn’s observation shows an important point in the light of today‘s reading: We can be too intelligent, we can know too much about the Father, but not really know Him. My dear brothers, before we use these glasses to see others, we have to clean this first. The two readings today will help us on this. Our 1st reading today shows that without these glasses, we can’t see clearly, because without God, we become boastful, arrogant and proud of ourselves, like the King of Assyria. Furthermore, in the Gospel today, Jesus tells us about the wise persons like the self-sufficient scribes and Pharisees who don’t basically know who the Father truly is because, as Leon Morris would say, “their wisdom makes them superior to the foolish and accordingly come to rely on that wisdom”. So Jesus, as the Son, wants to show that he does not only KNOW things and descriptions ABOUT the Father, but REALLY KNOW the Father, and he declares that with conviction because he truly acts what he says, that “no one knows the Father except the Son”. There’s no doubt as to how clear his glasses are. We ourselves know how Jesus see things and he chose to reveal what he knows about the Kingdom to the last, lost and least in the society. This tells us that through Him we see who God truly is!
2. Second, after CLEANING OUR GLASSES, it’s now time to SEE THROUGH THESE GLASSES.
Let me talk again about St. Camillus; a Christian whose glasses were so clear, and thus lived what was revealed to him by Jesus as to who God truly is. Allow me then to quote a few words from the companion of St. Camillus, and I quote: “The mere sight of the sick was enough to soften and melt (St. Camillus’) heart and make him utterly forget all the pleasures and interests of this world. In the sick he saw the person of Christ. He would even beg of them the gift of forgiveness for his sins.” When he was in the military, he thought that life is all about power and pride. But when he got to see and know Jesus, he embraced God with humility and charity to the weak and childlike.
Today, how do we see our brothers and sisters in our different apostolates? Are we just prepared to give them a lecture, only to realize that it’s not so much our lectures that they see and know God, but simply our caring presence; in such caring presence that vulnerable people feel their worth and feel they are loved. Isn’t that what Jesus is saying today in the Gospel? But before we can do that, first we must have that childlike simple trust in Jesus through constant prayer, through the Consciousness Examen, through the Daily Masses, and our regular Spiritual Direction. Second, we must give our commitment to our theological studies so that we can share them among the poorest children such as in Gugma sa Kabataan. We should not be mediocre but rather grow in learning. The more we grow in knowledge of Him, the more we can see things clearly.
Let me end with this prayer by the Jesuit priest Mark Link, and I quote: “Lord, help us realize that knowing our heavenly Father is not a question of opening a book and reading. It is a question of opening our heart and loving. Amen.”