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“‘That’s okay…God still believes in you.”

Posted by junix28 on March 23, 2014 in Homilies, Homilies and Reflections

Homily for 3rd Sunday of Lent year A 2014

Bo SanchezOne of my favourite preachers is a Catholic lay person from the Philippines. He’s popularly known as Brother Bo Sanchez or just ‘Bo’. I just liked his practical and simple ways of spreading the gospel or his ways of evangelizing and touching people’s hearts and souls. In one of his articles Bo shared his experience of an encounter with an atheist. He wrote: “One day, I was talking to an atheist. This young man told me, ‘Bo, I don’t believe in God.’ ‘That’s okay,’ I told him. ‘God still believes in you.’” (cf: http://bosanchez.ph/god-believes-in-you/).

I’m just struck by the optimism of Brother Bo to say: ‘That’s okay, God still believes in you.’ It struck me because this rings true to our readings on this 3rd Sunday of Lent especially in our gospel today.

In the first reading (Exodus 17:3-7), we heard of the Israelites complaining to Moses and in effect to God about the situation they’re in- thirsty and caught up in the desert. We know them as God’s chosen people, formed by God himself for himself, guided by him, provided by him, freed by him from the slavery in Egypt, and led by him through the desert. Yet, they still complained to God about their fate. They even wished they’d remained in Egypt. They even put God to the test.

If God thinks like me, he would have been put off by their ingratitude and murmurings. But NO, instead he still believed in them. No matter how much complaining they have done, God still believed in them by providing them with water from the rock (cf Ex 17:5).

In our second reading today, the same God who believes in us human beings has shown himself to St Paul. We know how Paul persecuted the Christian church, thus in effect persecuted Jesus himself. Paul preached against Jesus by condoning even the terrible act of persecution of Stephen, one of the early Christian converts (Acts 7:57-59). To show that He still believed in Paul’s goodness and capability and still loved him unconditionally, God initiated an encounter with Paul on the road to Damascus (cf Acts 9:1-ff). That encounter changed Paul forever. He underwent a complete turn in his life, from being a strong opponent of Christ to an extraordinary preacher and witness for Christ. We heard of the effect and the power of his personal encounter with Christ and this amazing love of God for him in his  letter to the Romans, our second reading (Romans 5:1-2,5-8) today when he wrote: ‘[W]hat proves that God loves us is that Christ died for us while we were still sinners’ (cf Rom 5:8).

And Jesus in our gospel today (John 4:5-42) Jesus has emphasized this amazing face of our God who believes in us still no matter how sinful we are, how weak we are, and even if we don’t acknowledge him. ‘It is interesting how many times in the life of Jesus’ says Fr Patrick O’Sullivan SJ, ‘his meeting a woman- and quite often a rather shady one!- is the occasion for him to declare his message and reveal the face of a loving and compassionate God.’ (P. O’ Sullivan, SJ, Prayer and Relationships: Staying Connected- An Ignatian Perspective, p.64). And we can clearly see this in Jesus’ encounter with a Samaritan woman, an encounter which has broken two social rules and regulations. Jesus, a Jew, was talking to a Samaritan when Jews and Samaritans had some sort of unholy revulsions or repugnance against one another. The other rule Jesus broke was that He was talking to a woman in a public place. Yet, God  in Jesus is willing to break all social barriers we put up just to create an opportunity of encounter with him (Incarnation).

It is an amazing thing to know that despite our shady life, our weak and sinful humanity, God still believes in us, takes the first move or the initiative to reach out to, creates opportunities for our renewal and even breaks or overcomes any human barrier just to touch our lives in a more real, personal and unique way. The more amazing thing about this is that this encounter with God does NOT only happen in the gospel or in the distant past. It’s actually happening and continually so, everyday around us.

The other day, at the multi-faith forum I went to, I had the privilege to listen to a person, an ex-atheist he proudly called himself, sharing with me his experience as atheist. He said he decided to be atheist for 20 years, during which he did many things he shouldn’t be doing. I asked him how did it feel like having no God. He said nothing much and it left me in a mess. I asked him how come he now believed there is God. He said: ‘I started meditation, and reflecting on my life. I realized God has always been there, sorting out the mess I have done, and keeping me alive.’ It’s just a beautiful example of how God still believes in us, works in us, and walks with us, even if we don’t believe his existence even.

However, for us who believe in God, we must not take our faith for granted. We must not be content by saying: ‘If God believes in me, then I can do everything I want (good or evil) because God still loves me anyway.’ No, this must not be the case for us, because God wants us all to be saved. He wants us all to enjoy eternal life. But if we deliberately choose death, then we’ll end up there if we don’t repent and come back to God. So instead, we need to direct our hearts to respond to God’s invitation for an encounter with him in our lives. In this way, we would know better which way is leading to salvation and life and which way leads to damnation and death. So we need to meet God halfway if we want to enjoy life with him forever. St Augustine puts this rather wisely when he said: “God who created you without you, will not save you without you.”

Perhaps we can learn from the Samaritan woman in the gospel. She responded to the encounter with God by listening to Jesus (sitting down with him- prayer), by opening herself to him (being true to herself or being honest to Jesus), by telling others of her encounter with the messiah (evangelization) and by bringing others to Jesus (come and see).

In this 3rd Sunday of Lent, we are reminded that God always creates opportunities for an encounter with him. It might be through personal issues we have to face, or people needing our help or assistance, someone needing a listening ear, or a quiet and peaceful moment alone. How are we responding to those opportunities? We have to remember always: God believes in us. And so are we to God.

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Transfiguration: Moment of Grace

Posted by junix28 on March 16, 2014 in Homilies, Homilies and Reflections

Homily for 2nd Sunday of Lent 2014 (year A)

downloadPrior to my ordination to the priesthood, I had to write a 25- thousand word ‘synthesis’ of the Catholic faith or a 25,000- word summary of the faith. Then when I finished writing that very long summary I should say, I had to sit down in front of the panel of theologians to make sure I got the theology right or have I written a sound understanding of the Christian faith. It was a nerve-wracking exercise I tell you.

I could still remember praying before the exam that the panel would only be consisting those theologians whom I liked, and who are more ‘merciful’ than the others. By God’s grace, one of the panelists was a Mercy nun and of course she is merciful to me. But to my disappointment the other panelist was the very person I was praying not to be in the panel, because of his reputation to complicate things, to confuse us all the more, or just to find a flaw in what we are saying so I was told. Anyhow, with no say to the matter, I just offered a silent prayer: ‘Lord, help me, I’m not expecting to get a credit or a distinction, just let me pass.’ That was my prayer as I sat for the exam with  trembling knees and heart beating so fast.

To cut the story short I passed the exam and got a distinction. It was amazing but what  amazed me all the more is that the questions they were asking were more or less the same points that I had looked at and studied about the night before. It was by sheer coincidence I thought, and I was really thankful to God for it. But then I was convinced later on: It wasn’t coincidence, it’s only God working anonymously.

I was so happy and proud of myself then because I wasn’t expecting to get more than pass. I felt like  floating in the air as I walked out of the building, smiling, and if ‘selfies’ were popular then I would have taken a selfie with my very big smile on my face. Such was my joy that I was hoping that that feeling of ‘light’ and ‘happiness’ would never end.  I just wanted to remain there. I just wanted to stay up there in that graced moment.

I’m sharing my personal graced moment with you because our gospel in this Second Sunday of Lent is also about ‘graced moment’ wherein the disciples Peter, James and John have the privilege to witness the transfiguration of Jesus. They had a  foretaste of Jesus’ glory, a glimpse of his divinity and they also heard the voice from heaven saying: ‘This is my beloved Son,’ they have seen Moses and Elijah- the Old Testament figures whom they only knew of from the Scriptures. That was such a moment of light and happiness that Peter could only hope it wouldn’t finish as evident in his proposal to pitch three tents for Jesus, for Moses and Elijah. He just seemed not to care anymore about the mountain of transfiguration, the mountain of glory. Well, typical human experience indeed.

Certainly in our lives, we have had graced moments- ‘happy moments’, ‘light moments’ that we don’t create, we don’t expect, we don’t intend. And that is God’s grace. In moments like this, we could utter: ‘I hope this would never end or I hope I am always like this.’ However, human experience would teach us, this is never the case. Light moments fade, happy moments would later on get clouded with worries and anxieties.

However, moments of grace are not just significant moments to be left as an experience that would come and go. Rather, we need to reflect deeper on those moments because God is speaking to us more personally and more intimately through those graced moments. And to listen to God in those moments of grace we need to cooperate with God’s grace.

How can we cooperate with God’s grace?

We can make an analogy of ‘grace’ as the sun. We have the option not to stay under the sun and enjoy its benefits for us, by hiding in the dark. But that doesn’t mean the sun stops shining. It’s always there. But to enjoy it, we need to get out from our dark hiding place to enjoy the light and to let the energy from the sun penetrate into our bodies. Applying this to grace, then we need to get out and let ourselves be enveloped by God’s grace. And for us to experience this we need to walk closer with Jesus Christ and let him be our friend  because He is God’s grace for us. He can also be understood as grace in a sense that He is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense or as St Paul wrote that in him we receive the gift of God which is eternal life (cf Rom 6:23).

To cooperate with God’s grace:  One,  we need to walk closer to Jesus and follow his lead.  This means we allow God to get behind the wheel in the car of life. We need to come up with Jesus to the mountain. This is not just an invitation for Peter, James and John, but it is an invitation for all of us to have a ‘retreat’ of sort with Jesus. We need to have time for God and with God, especially this season of Lent. This is also a call to prayer, a call to friendship with God, a call to be true to ourselves and be personal with our God. (Prayer)

Two,  we have to come down with Jesus from the mountain of glory  and face the cross. This is a call to get out of our comfort zones and reach out to others who don’t have the comfort we are experiencing. This is also call to be courageous for our faith, a call to stand up for Jesus till the end. This is call to deny ourselves, to take up our cross and follow Jesus. (self-denial). This is a call echoes by St Paul to Timothy in our Second Reading today, to bear hardships for the sake of the gospel. This is challenging because there is a saying that goes: ‘Jesus is too liberal for the conservatives and too conservative for  the liberals.’ And more: ‘He may be comfort to the afflicted, he also afflicts the comfortable.’ Yet, we still have to follow Jesus carrying our crosses because in Him we know, we can have rest. In fact, we need to be thankful to Jesus because He changed the meaning of the cross for us. In him the cross is not the end but only the gateway to the resurrection, to eternal glory, to eternal life.

Three, we need to listen to Jesus calling us to live  a life of humility. St Benedict is clear on this, when he said: ‘Humility is the  ladder to heaven.’ This call to humility is one reason why Jesus strictly told his disciples ‘not to tell anyone what they had witnessed until the resurrection takes place.’ Jesus warns this because He doesn’t want that his disciples would think some are more privileged than the others. Can you imagine if Peter, James and John told everyone, the rest of the disciples might be jealous and say: ‘Why didn’t we have that privilege? It’s unfair? Are we not your closest disciples?’ One commentary on this passage says that Jesus didn’t want the disciples tell the experience to others is that they might lead to believe they are more superior than the others, because they had experienced something the others have not, and that might lead them to self-indulgence. By telling them strictly until the resurrection takes place, Jesus is teaching them to be more sensitive to others, to be more careful and prudent in their relationship with one another. So in a way, by keeping the secret for themselves they are meant to be empowered, motivated, strengthened and be courageous to follow Jesus and to proclaim his gospel of love, mercy, forgiveness to all.

As we step up on to the second week of Lent, let us reflect on our graced moments. What is God’s message for us to be and to do through those moments of grace?

How are we cooperating with God’s grace? Let this be a point of our reflection on this Second week of Lent.

 

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The Temptation of Christ

Posted by junix28 on March 9, 2014 in Homilies, Homilies and Reflections

Homily for 1st Sunday of Lent 2014

One of the things we do in Melbourne seminary while in formation is to gather into smaller groups  every Sunday evening after dinner, to reflect and share about the words in the scriptures. One evening, the gospel  being read was the gospel today which is about the temptation of Jesus. Obviously the topic for sharing was about temptation and how to overcome it. An older seminarian, now a priest said in the words to this effect: ‘I think a way to overcome temptation is to give in to temptations and then after we’ve given in, then we no more have temptations. So no more worries.’

I knew that  seminarian was joking of course but that kept me thinking though. I thought, giving into temptation could really work if and only if temptation comes only once. Yet, we know through our experiences that temptations come in many ways and in many different forms. There is a temptation to be self- centred or selfish and we know we are giving in  to this when we think only of ourselves or when we exploit others for our personal gain and glory. There is also a temptation to be self-righteous and when we are judgmental towards others or think of ourselves as superior to others, then we are giving in to the temptation to be self-indulgent.

There is  good news for us though. Temptation in itself is not a sin. Jesus himself was tempted as we heard in the gospel today. What makes temptation a sin is when we succumbed to it, when we give in to it.

And there is even much better news for us. We have the power, the capacity to overcome temptation- not just something in us but someone who according to the Letter to the Hebrews: One who able to empathize with our weaknesses, one “who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet he did not sin.” (cf Heb 4:15 NIV). It is Jesus Christ our Lord.

So we heard in our gospel today an account of how Jesus was tempted and how he overcame all temptations of power, fame, and glory. Being a Christian does not give us immunity from temptations so as followers of Christ, we are to learn from Him,  imitate his ways of overcoming temptations.

First, Jesus knew the scriptures by heart and so are we. Knowing the scriptures by heart doesn’t mean memorizing the Bible word for word, but rather it means ‘personalizing the word’ to borrow the phrase of Pope Francis in his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii gaudium (EG 149). To explain this Pope Francis quoted the late Pope John Paul II’s Exhortation ‘I will give you shepherds’ (Pastores dabo vobis), and this means developing a ‘great personal familiarity with the word of God…[and] to approach the word with a docile and prayerful heart so that it may deeply penetrate [our] thoughts and feelings and bring about a new outlook in [us].’ By personalizing the Word, we become not only knowledgeable of the Word of God but also servants or doers of the Word. This differentiates us from the devil, the tempter who (as can be reflected on the gospel) also knew the Scriptures but not as servant of the Word because he was only using or manipulating the Word of God for his own personal gain and glory.

Moreover, we need to understand the scriptures and take it to heart because it is the Word of God, the ‘word of God [which] is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.’ (Heb 4:12). Furthermore, by knowing and understanding the Scriptures by heart,  we come to know God better, and grow in a more real and personal relationship with Him. Also through understanding the Word of God in the Scriptures we come to encounter Jesus, our Lord and  Savior.

The second way Jesus overcame temptation is to go beyond our material needs and strive for the good of our soul- to strive for holiness. This doesn’t mean that we can just neglect our basic needs. This means however that we look up to God, trust in him, and even be dependent on Him. This is a big challenge for those who are living a luxurious life, those who have got everything they think they need, those who can easily get the things that they want at the press of a button. Jesus would say: “Man does not leave on bread alone, but also on the word of God.” This means no amount of material gain or material possessions can really make us absolutely happy, or absolutely self-sufficient. This goes to show that no matter how much we deny God, or set him aside or not give him role to play in our lives, we still need Him. Thus, we are to strive for holiness- the holiness which ‘consists in not trying to get God to do our will but in trying to get ourselves to do God’s will’, as  Fr Flor McCarthy a Salesian priest put it rightly.

A call to be holy is a big call because we can’t become holy overnight. We need faith, we need hope, we need a lot of patience, and it is hard work to be holy in fact, we can’t be holy on our own, we need God’s grace. Yet, this takes time and it definitely is a test of our perseverance. And we can learn from Jesus on how he handled the temptation to take matters into his own hand immediately. After 40 days of fasting, he was hungry, and the tempter came to him and offered him a quick-fix or a fast-food to appease his hunger by turning stones into scones. To overcome that temptation Jesus made the point that it is not good relying only on our skills, power, abilities and capabilities without God in our lives.

The third way to overcome temptation is to stand on our ground by having Christ as our foundation. This means we are to be convinced and be courageous as a follower of Christ. This also means we have to be that dedicated and committed to our mission as people of God and  as people with God in the world today. Jesus in the gospel knew his mission so well. He was sent by the Father to show the Father’s love, forgiveness, care and concern for everyone. That mission is so real and strong in him that he would face everything just to carry it out, even death. In the gospel he ‘exhausted’ the devil of all his tricks in temptation.  He remained firm and strong because He knew well who he is representing to and what he is sent for. And so must we.

Like Jesus our mission is to be loving as the Father loved us, to be forgiving as the Father forgives us and to be caring as the Father cares for us. This lent is an opportune time for us to make this resolution. When we make this resolve we have to be aware that there is always a temptation to quit, or to ignore or to neglect this noble vocation. But like Jesus we need to stand up for it, against all odds, trials and temptations, and as Jesus showed us, we wouldn’t  have regrets in the end, because there is glory awaiting for us if we endure to the end, there is resurrection beyond the cross.

 

 

 

 

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Searching for the Kingdom of God

Posted by junix28 on March 2, 2014 in Homilies, Homilies and Reflections

Homily for 8th Sunday  in Ordinary time year A 2014

World-Youth-Day-2013-is-hosted-in-Rio-de-Janeiro-in-BrazilMy priestly calling began when I was still in grade three. Drawn by the white vestments of our then parish priest and the way he carried out himself, I just felt within me that I wanted to become a priest. That desire was even intensified when I went to a Benediction for the first time. When the priest blessed us with the Blessed Sacrament I just felt the urge to become a priest because I wanted to be able to hold that Blessed Sacrament myself and bless the people.

However, my desire to become a priest almost always had an accompanying challenge to take and difficulties to overcome. First of all, as a child and being one of eleven, that ambition was just like  howling at the moon, considering the cost of seminary education and the many years needed for priestly formation. Then when my father died I had to step in, being the eldest son to help my mother raise my younger siblings. That wasn’t easy. So I tried to put my personal dream aside. But the more I set it aside, the more it stirred me from within. Yet still, I tried to focus on helping my family because I thought it would be so selfish of me to neglect my duties and responsibilities for my own mother and younger siblings if I followed my personal interest then.

I didn’t lose hope though. I continued to dream. I started taking prayer seriously. I asked God  if he really wanted me to become his priest, to provide me the way, the means and the opportunities to get there. By sheer God’s sense of humour, I had to face another challenge. When I told my sisters about my plan to enter the seminary, some of them thought I was getting away from my responsibilities for my family. I  told them: ‘Let me just go there and respond to God’s call for me. I’m sure He will never let us down. Let’s see, if we all survive amidst all these challenges and difficulties then that means it is really God’s will for me to become a priest. If not, then I’ll take that as a sign that God has something else for me.’ If I could have preached to my older siblings then, I would have used the words of Jesus in the Gospel today. Because my siblings were a bit a concerned about the well-being of my younger siblings like food to eat, clothes and education may be, I could have quoted Jesus’ words in the gospel today: ‘Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?’ (Mt 6:25)

But I didn’t have the courage to do so. And yet eleven years of seminary formation have elapsed, and more than two years now in the priestly ministry, here I am surviving. My family is still there and surviving. I am happy I have realized my dream. For me, I don’t think there is a better option than being a priest. I am happy and felt this is really my life because in this and through I truly felt God’s presence and working in my life. I am also happy that as a priest now I have become instrument of God’s love, compassion, continuing care and support for his people and that includes my family.

I’m sharing you a bit of my vocation story because I just can’t help but share with you the beauty of having God  acting and working so personally in my life. Looking back, I could really feel the hand of God guiding me through all the trials and challenges I had to face. And the words of the Prophet Isaiah (Is 49:14-15) in the first reading today captured it all: Though a mother forgets her child, God couldn’t abandon us. He couldn’t to forget us.

Jesus in our gospel today (Mt 6: 24-34), would also affirm this wonderful and personal  actions of God the Father for our good. But Jesus would add more: That God’s work is not only providing us of our material needs but also of our spiritual needs- in fact He provides us the goal of our Christian journey- eternal life with him in his kingdom.

But  we’ve got work to do. As Jesus would urge us we have to ‘strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness.’ (Mt 6:33)

To seek first the kingdom of God is to look up (to God), look into (our hearts) and to look outside our comfort zones (e.g. to those who are in need).

To look up to God means that God has to be on top of our priorities because it is only through him that we could see things in the bigger picture and in the right perspective. This is a challenge we have to face everyday because as Pope Francis wrote in his Apostolic exhortation Evangelii gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), we have in the modern time created new idols. The Pope said: ‘The worship of the ancient golden calf (Ex 32:1-35) has returned in a new and ruthless guise in the idolatry of money and the dictatorship of an impersonal economy lacking a truly human purpose. The worldwide crisis affecting finance and the economy lays bare their imbalances and above all, their lack of real concern for human beings; man is reduced to one of his needs alone: consumption.’ (EG 55). There is indeed a tendency we have now to use or exploit people to gain more money or profit rather than using money to help people live a decent  human life.

Looking up to God also means constant communication with our God in Jesus through prayers, meditation and contemplation.

To look into our hearts means  constant review or examen of our attitudes, our inner motives, and our beliefs. Then after examination, we need to make a constant resolution to ‘have a heart that loves like Jesus’ as Bishop Joe Grech put it in his prayers, to have a heart ‘that feels like Jesus, understands like Jesus, thinks like Jesus and behaves like Jesus.’ (Bishop Joe Grech Homily, 2010). We need to look into our hearts because it is the field where God plants the seed of the Kingdom in each one of us. We need to look into our hearts and see how are we nurturing or cultivating that seed of the kingdom that God entrusted us to grow.

Finally, to look outside our comfort zones means going out and tending the wounds of the wounded like the Good Samaritan who didn’t just leave the dying person to die by the road of life. It also means welcoming the strangers and the foreigner, and not to turn their boats away or tow them back as if unwanted gifts or sick animals that threaten the integrity of the land.

When we are looking up to God, looking into our hearts constantly, and looking outside our comfort zones, we are on the way to find the Kingdom of God- ‘the eternal and universal kingdom, a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love and peace.’ (Preface of the Feast of Christ the King)

This Wednesday we begin the season of Lent. This is an opportune time for us to search for the kingdom of God by reflecting on our relationship with God (Prayer), on our relationship with others (almsgiving) and by reflecting on who we truly are and where we are now in our Christian journey (fasting)

May we observe this lent by re-visiting the seed of the kingdom of God planted in our hearts and doing something to nurture it, to cherish it, to make it grow  in us and to share them to others.

 

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