“The Lord is Among You” (Christmas Day)

Merry Christmas… God is with you! In this reflection on the mystery of Incarnation, we can safely say that when we greet our brother or sister in Christ a “Merry Christmas!” it can actually mean too that we recognize God's presence in him or her. It's saying, Merry Christmas… God is with you!

Emmanuel… God-with-us. This is at the heart of Christmas celebration. Christmas is not just a birthday celebration of our Lord, it is a fulfillment of God's promise of long ago that God will be with us. As today's gospel (Mt. 1: 18-25) reminds us: “All this happened in order to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and he will be called Emmanuel which means: God-with-us. ” 

Let us dwell on this great “Emmanuel mystery” and ask two significant questions: What did it require to fulfill this great promise? And how does this fulfillment concretely influence our present Christian living? 

Divine-Human Cooperation. God-with-us obviously involves two parties: God, on the one hand, human, on the other. It's helpful to look back into the nine-day simbang-gabi experience. There, no one can miss the fact so clearly proclaimed by our liturgy from day-one to day-nine that God initiates the plan of salvation. The fulfillment of his plan however does not take place as quickly as a snap of God's fingers or perhaps as easily as aiming a magic wand. God works through human beings warts and all. We encountered different personalities through out the "Simbang Gabi:" Zechariah, Elizabeth, John, Joseph, Mary. All have been called by God to take part in the carrying out of his plan. All have some initial feeling of fear or doubt or lack of understanding. But with God's grace, often in terms of the angel's assurance, all have trusted in God and more significantly, have committed to God's will by their "yes." The God-with-us mystery then is made possible by the cooperation of God and human beings. 

This offers us some insight into how God works in fulfilling his promise in our own lives. God is always a faithful God, one who never fails to fulfill his promise. But we need to open our minds and hearts to be able to listen to him. We may not understand what's going on in our lives, but we are invited to trust in His fidelity. More importantly, we need to take a leap of faith and commit wholeheartedly to God by our daily “yes.” It's only then that we truly cooperate with God who wills nothing but our good and the fulfillment of that goodness in each of our own lives. 

Am I ready to listen to God's will, trust in his fidelity, and commit to the task He's entrusting me with? 

Transforming Power of Christmas: The real spirit of Christmas does not wholly rest on the festivities we prepare and the many creative activities we organize to celebrate merrily the season. The real spirit of Christmas rests profoundly on the recognition of God being with us. As such, the spirit of Christmas transforms. When God is with us, everything is seen differently… everything changes… everything gains a deeper meaning. 

A story to illustrate: There was a famous monastery which had fallen on very hard times. Formerly its many buildings had been filled with young monks and its big church had resounded with the singing of the chant, but now it was deserted. People no longer came there to be nourished by prayer. A handful of old monks shuffled through the cloisters and praised God with heavy hearts. One day the Abbot decided to visit the wise rabbi who lived in a little hut on the edge of the monastery woods. The abbot opened his heart to him and asked for his advice about how to revitalize the spirituality and life of the monastery. The rabbi, after listening intently, said, “You and your brothers are serving God with heavy hearts. You have come to ask my advice. I will tell you one thing. ” The rabbi whispered to the Abbot and instructed him to pass it on to his brothers. As the Abbot reached home, he whispered the teaching on a brother who in turn passed on the same teaching to another. And on and on… Because of the teaching, they began to treat one another with utmost reverence and love once again. They lived with one another as men who had finally found something. Visitors began to find themselves deeply moved by the life of these monks. Before long, people once again came from far and wide to be nourished by the prayer life of the monks and young men came to become part of the community. 

What was the teaching whispered by the wise rabbi? "The Lord is among you." 

My dear friends, if only we've truly recognized God among us, if only we've seen God in each of us, we would have treated one another with reverence and loving care. This is the challenge of the true spirit of Christmas beyond the external preparations and celebrations of the festivities. Christmas is an invitation to transform our families and communities from one that cannot care less to one that is sensitive to every need especially of the weaker members. To have the spirit of Christmas is to allow the Emmanuel mystery, the truth that God is with us, to open our eyes of faith to see the presence of God among us and let this vision spur us into respecting the dignity of each and everyone. 

Hence, more than just a season of merry-making, Christmas is a season of celebration of the fulfillment of God's promises in our lives and a challenge towards real transformation of our families and communities into one that is a witness to the presence of God who dwells among us!

Round the Advent Wreath (1st Sunday Advent B)

When Christian families and communities gather round the Advent wreath to light the purple and rose-colored candles, a beautiful story of hope unfolds. It is the story of a people who have had enough of the horror and darkness of sin and are now anticipating the dawning of light—the light of salvation in Christ.

As we begin the new liturgical year with the season of Advent, it is fitting to reflect on the symbolism of the Advent wreath in the light of today’s scriptural readings and hope to open our minds and hearts to this season’s invitation to intensify our longing for the coming of our Lord, our Saviour, our King.

The Advent Wreath. The symbolism of the Advent wreath is beautiful. The Advent wreath is a circular garland of evergreen branches that represents the eternity of God.  On the branches of the wreath, four candles are set to represent the four weeks of Advent.  Three purple candles and one pink candle are normally used. Purple is the color of royalty and penance. Hence, reminding us of the coming of the King and of the penitential aspect of the preparation. The pink candle symbolizes and anticipates the joy of Christmas as this is lit on the third Sunday of Advent, the Gaudete Sunday (Sunday of Rejoicing).  Optionally, a white candle, called the “Christ candle,” is set in the center of the wreath representing Christ, the sinless and spotless Saviour of the world.  This candle is lit on the eve of Christmas.

Taken as a whole, the Advent wreath is a symbol that calls to mind the long period of time when people lived in spiritual darkness, waiting for the promised Messiah, for the dawning of the Light of the world. Each year in Advent, people wait once again in darkness for the coming of the Lord—His historical coming in the mystery of Bethlehem, His final coming at the end of time, and His special coming in every moment of grace.

Period of Spiritual Darkness.  The joy of the anticipation of the break of dawn is greatest when people have had enough of the fear and insecurity of the darkness of the night. 

The period of spiritual darkness represents the life of the people without God or away from God.  The first reading (Is 63:16-17, 19b; 64:2-7) recounts how the Prophet Isaiah calls on God to “rend the heavens and come down” for God is believed to have hidden his face from his sinful and guilt-ridden people. The people of Israel, after having been restored to their homeland from Babylonian captivity, have again reverted to their sins of infidelity to God.

Isaiah has seen the depth of the spiritual darkness that has overtaken the people of Israel because of their sins. Thus, the prophet prays:  “Would that you might meet us doing right, that we were mindful of you in our ways! Behold, you are angry, and we are sinful; all of us have become like unclean men, all our good deeds are like polluted rags; we have all withered like leaves, and our guilt carries us away like the wind” (vv. 4-5)

This state of sinfulness prompted the prophet to invoke God’s intervention in history to change the heart of a senseless people.  God is their only hope. The responsorial psalm expresses this: “Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.” God’s intervention is the people’s only salvation from the darkness of their sins.

We too have some moments of darkness in life.  Even the great saints had to endure some “dark night of the soul.”  Perhaps, God allows this period of doubts, of hopelessness, or of spiritual drought so that we may discover on our own, as we hit the rock bottom of our senselessness, that God is our only salvation. In him alone is our hope. His light is our only way out from the dark pit of the night.  Hence, our hearts long for Him who is our light and salvation as the night yearns for the break of dawn.

Longing for the Light of Christ.  Gathering round the advent wreath to light a candle each day dramatizes our longing for the light of Christ.  We are a people who have had enough of the dark.  But left alone, we are doomed.  We have been enslaved by the power of sin.  We need Jesus Christ to free us from its deadly clutches.  Advent is the season when we knock on heaven’s door with a singular and urgent petition: “Come, Lord Jesus. And do not delay!” “Maranatha!”

Again, each year during the season of Advent we focus our awareness to the coming of our Lord.  We make as our own the expectation and hope of the people that have characterized Jesus’ historical coming in the mystery of Bethlehem, we heighten our anticipation for His final coming at the end of time, and we sensitize our hearts for His special coming in every moment of grace.

Hence, today’s gospel reading (Mk. 13:33-37) is but a practical reminder, as we begin the season of Advent, to be watchful so that we may not be caught sleeping when the Lord comes. 

We light each candle for each of the four weeks of Advent as our gesture of staying awake and watchful, ever mindful of the coming of our Lord-- be it his indwelling in our hearts each day or his final coming as our Judge and Saviour. And of course, for each candle we light, our hearts grow in anticipation of a beautiful celebration of Christmas, the commemoration of the coming our Lord in history.

As families and communities, let us then welcome the Light of our salvation, our only hope, the only power who can dispel the darkness that has shrouded our lives. Let this beautiful story of salvation be the story of our own families and communities.  Let this story of hope unfold once again as we gather round the Advent wreath.

Hawak Kamay sa Paglalakbay (All Saints Day)

A funny story I’ve always enjoyed retelling since my naughty high school years: Two Mr. Suave look-a-likes were bragging about their familiarity with the saints. This happened in such time when sporting a mustache is a fad. In those days, not to have a mustache is tantamount to being considered less a man! To find out who was truly knowledgeable, they agreed to do a contest. Each would have to mention a saint’s name. For every name one uttered, he would pluck a strand of the other’s mustache. (Just imagine what’s at stake, huh.) So the contest began.

Mr. Suave I: “St. Augustine!” He then plucked a strand of the other’s mustache which caused the other to be teary-eyed.

Mr. Suave II: “St. Joseph!” Then he did the same to the other.

“St. Therese!” “St. Magdalene!” “St. Thomas!” “St. Francis!” So on and so forth… They were both shedding tears because of the pain. Then they came to the point that one could no longer recall a saint. Mr. Suave II began to be frantic for he was about to lose, when all of a sudden he grinned and, at the top of his lungs, shouted, “Todos Los Santos!”

Ouuucccchhhh! That ended the mustache era.

All Saints Day Solemnity is honoring not just a favorite saint but all the unsung heroes of outstanding love and dedication to Christian life whom we believed have made it, “without much fanfare,” to heaven. While our devotion to our individual patron saints gives us the opportunity to emulate the exceptional virtues of their lives and maybe rely too on their intercession, the celebration of All Saints Day brings to mind the “communion of saints” and offers us the chance to honor the whole crowd of saints.

John’s vision as proclaimed in the first reading (Rev. 7, 2-4, 9-14) depicts “the great multitude which no one could count from every nation, race, people, and tongue… who have survived the great period of trial.” This reminds us of the communal dimension of our destiny as God’s children. Our journey to God is not the individualist’s I-and-my-savior affair. Instead, today’s solemnity, instructs us that our journey is the path of loving relationship between us, as God’s people, and God, as a Trinity—a community of persons. Our responsorial psalm rightly exclaims our desire as a people: “Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.” Furthermore, the second reading (1 Jn 3, 1-3) reminds us that we are called “God’s children” because of the Father’s love and we shall see him as he is.

Again, we don’t journey as isolated individuals. We journey as a people… as children of God… as a family of God towards a destiny which is nothing but communion with one another, with the whole of creation, and with the Triune God.

This is an invitation to rethink our convenient individualistic spirituality. We are challenge to rise above our propensity towards self-righteousness, our penchant to a holier-than-thou piety that looks down on others whose lives may not measure up to our own standards. We have to correct our anong-pakialam-ko-sa-yo attitude to life. Of course, any spirituality or relationship with God has to be very personal and unique to the individuals. However, it has to find its expression in the market place, its celebration in the community. After all, love, which is at the heart of Christian spirituality, cannot thrive in isolation. It flourishes in relationships. It blossoms in a fertile garden we call community.


So, if our definite future is communion of the saints as promised by what we are celebrating today, our present way of living must, to some degree, already conform to such a vision. We need to stop thinking as an isolated “I” in competition with others. We need to think family. Think community. Hawak-kamay… sa paglalakbay… as the song goes… in good times… in bad times… in the very dry seasons… and in the very wet seasons of this changed climate!

The beatitudes proclaimed once more in the gospel reading (Mt. 5, 1-12) are the key towards our transformation into a holy community not only in that definite future but already in the here and now. To be “poor in spirit,” for instance, can be an invitation to be free from material enslavement and to be free for equitable sharing of possessions so that our poor neighbors may indeed have their share. To “mourn” may be an invitation to empathize with those who are suffering and therefore move beyond our selfish personal whims and caprices to reach out to them. To be “merciful” is to be forgiving to those who have wronged or hurt us. It’s an invitation to reconciliation—a necessity for any imperfect human community. To be single-hearted is to make God our deepest longing and priority in life rather than the misleading materialistic values to which our secular society is helplessly being configured. To be “peacemaker” is a challenge to work for harmony in this fragmented society. To endure persecution and insult because of the Lord’s name is to share in the redemptive suffering of Christ.

We are destined to be a community of saints in heaven. Many of our brothers and sisters, by God’s grace we believe, have gone ahead of us. We honor them today. But while on this earth, we can endeavor to make our families and communities conform to that glorious community of saints we are hoping for. Let us be guided by the path to happiness laid out for us by the Lord’s teachings on the beatitudes. No one journeys in isolation. We journey together as God’s family. Hawak-kamay… sa paglalakbay.

Banquets and the Kingdom (28th Sunday Ordinary A)

Filipinos have an irredeemable penchant for fiesta celebration.  We celebrate feasts at all cost. Just imagine the Sinulog of Cebu. When the feast of the Santo Nino is approaching, all roads lead to Cebu City. Of course, when talking about fiesta celebration, one cannot help but mention one’s experience with the people of Bohol! The whole month of May is an uninterrupted fiesta celebration. This fondness for feasts lends itself to our easy appreciation of the motif of today’s parable of the wedding feast (Mt. 22:1-14).

Right away we would react with disbelief to the parable’s account of the guests’ act of refusal or attitude of indifference to the invitation of the King who gave a wedding feast for his son.  A true-blooded Filipino does not refuse a feast.  Come on! He would travel half of the globe in order to be part of the celebration!  

In the Philippines, when organizing a feast, the organizers’ primary and most thorny concern is not whether or not the guests will come but how to control the onslaught of a horde of mamistahay (those who come ready for the feast) which probably is as devastating as the storm Yolanda.

The Kingdom of God as a banquet. The parable compares the Kingdom of God to a feast, a wedding banquet, to where all peoples are invited. When the intended guests refused to come, (thanks be to God!), the banquet was opened to anyone in the streets, “bad and good alike.”  The Kingdom of God then becomes universal. Everyone can partake of the abundance of the celebration.  This banquet refers to the triumphant celebration of the eschatological fulfilment of time.  This is our destiny. When history shall have come to its fulfilment and finally gives way to the Kingdom of God, all peoples will be together in that joyful celebration as in a banquet hosted by our loving God.  Who would dare choose to be left out?

On the way to that destiny, the Eucharist is the banquet through which we have a foretaste of what is to come. In the Eucharistic celebration, we come together as one family and partake of the meal in the spirit of solidarity or of communion, with hope for the final fulfilment of God’s plan of salvation.  We are a people of hope; every moment of Eucharistic celebration enkindles such hope.  But we have to ask this:  When we celebrate, who are left out? This is a pastoral question of great importance.  My observation is that one significant sector that tends to be left out of our Eucharistic celebrations is the youth of today.  More and more the youth are finding our Eucharistic celebration as strange... and boring!  We’ve got to muster all our remaining creative juices to attract them.

The requirement in the Kingdom. Another point in the parable is the requirement of “proper attire” in the Kingdom of God. The man who came to the banquet without a wedding garment was thrown out to the dark where punishment awaits him (vv.12-13).  The proper garment for the wedding banquet stands for the quality of active Christian life.  This means putting on Jesus Christ.  This is trying on the garb of Christ’s values.  Nominal membership is not enough in the Kingdom just as nominal Catholics do no good to the Church. One can only be worthy of God’s Kingdom when he puts on the cloth of self-giving, leading a life of service and love; when he dons the cloth of forgiveness, letting go of any harboured hatred and desire for vengeance; when he tries on the cloth of truth and justice, correcting the culture of corruption and social inequalities in our communities.  The Kingdom of God is incompatible with the “disvalues” of this sinful world. While, according to God’s plan, all has a place in this Kingdom, those who persist in their sins by rejecting Christ and everything He stands for would naturally find themselves out of place.

Family meals as our daily banquet. Final point, our participation in the feast of God’s Kingdom may well be learned through our faithfulness to our simple family meal each day. There used to be a good advertisement on TV portraying the value of sharing meal as a family. The parents were worried about the prevalent practice of premarital sex among the young generation of today. At table, the parents told their son that during their time, his father waited till they got married. The son said, “Sabi ng tropa, ang tunay na lalaki ay binibinyagan.” The parents were quite alarmed and asked, “Eh, anong sabi mo?”  The son replied, “Ang tunay na lalaki ay marunong maghintay.” The ads showed the parents’ sigh of relief and concluded to this effect:  There’s a good chance of effectively guiding the growing up children to the right values when families share meals together. Amen to that.

We want to bring back the youth to the community of God? We want every Christian to put on the values of Christ? Call me traditional, but I am convinced that the simple gathering of the families each day sharing meals together can still do the trick. The family meal is also a foretaste of the banquet of God’s Kingdom. The family meal is the perfect wholesome gathering where we all learn how to enjoy life and to manifest love for one another. It is where we learn the basics of putting on Christ in our lives. It is the feast to where we are all invited to partake each beautiful day.

A Bright World (Presentation of the Lord)

Perry Como’s rendition of Joseph Maloy Roach’s “One Little Candle” is a joy to sing along with:

It is better to light just one little candle,
Than to stumble in the dark!
Better far that you light just one little candle,
All you need's a tiny spark!

If we'd all say a prayer that the world would be free,
The wonderful dawn of a new day we'll see!
And, if everyone lit just one little candle,
What a bright world this would be!

Lighting a candle represent a lot of things to many people.  But mostly, as a symbolic act, it expresses optimism and hope especially during trying moments. The Chinese proverb, for instance, has it this way: “It is better to a light a candle than to curse the darkness.”  A candle represents a small answer to a serious problem of darkness, but it is a positive step in the right direction, far better than just bemoaning the situation.

For Christians, however, there is a deeper meaning to this practice of lighting a candle. Today’s Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, also known as Candlemas or Candelaria, reminds us of the context wherein this practice draws its meaning.

The gospel reading (Lk 2:22-40) recounts the event when the infant Jesus was presented by Joseph and Mary to the temple in obedience to the Law of Moses.  According to Jewish law, the firstborn male child belonged to God, and the parents had to "buy him back" on the 40th day after his birth, by offering a sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons in the temple. On that same day, the mother would be ritually purified, hence, today’s feast is also known as the Feast of the Purification of Mary.

The event of Jesus’ presentation became a moment of the manifestation of the fulfillment of God’s promise of salvation. The Oracle of Malachi in the first reading (Mal 3:1-4) is fulfilled: “Lo, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me and suddenly there will come to the temple the Lord whom you seek…” (v. 1).  And in the gospel, a righteous and devout man in Jerusalem named Simeon, who had been awaiting the salvation of Israel, came and took the infant Jesus into his arms and blessed God for the fulfillment of His promise:

“Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for the revelation to the gentiles, and glory for your people Israel” (Lk 2:29-32).

Inspired by the words of the canticle—“a light for the revelation to the Gentiles”—by the 11th century, the custom of blessing candles on this feast had developed in the West. The candles were then lit, and while the Canticle of Simeon was sung, a procession took place through the darkened church.  Henceforth, the feast became known as Candlemas.

Hence, for the Church, today’s feast is a day of hope and light. Lighting a candle is, for us, a reminder that the Lord, as the Light of the World, is our salvation from the darkness of sin.

Here, I would like to invite all to make as our own the dispositions of the significant characters present in the event of Jesus’ presentation to the Temple as we light a candle: Simeon’s peaceful confidence, Anna’s thanksgiving, and Joseph and Mary’s amazement. 

Peaceful confidence.  Simeon witnessed with his own eyes the dawn of salvation in Jesus Christ. This prepared him to retire in peaceful confidence that everything was going to be fine. When we are lonely, troubled, anxious, discouraged by our sins, undergoing a trying moment, we may light a candle and be reassured that the Lord is always with us in our trials. Let the lighted candle remind us that Jesus is our salvation. Let this reassure us that everything is going to fine.

Thanksgiving. The prophetess Anna, after years of waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem, came forward already advanced in years and “she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child…” (Lk. 2:38). We have many reasons to thank the Lord. Even those in the worst of situations still find many reasons to give thanks.  And when we have aged, we see the whole of our lives as God’s gift. When our hearts are filled with gratitude, we may light a candle acknowledging the providence of our Lord.

Amazement.  “The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him” (Lk 2:33). Joseph and Mary are our models in terms of expressing awe and amazement over the work of redemption in Jesus Christ. God’s goodness in our life is marvelous. As we praise and worship Him for the marvel He has done, we may light a candle expressing our own amazement for the greatness of His love.

So, today, let us have our candles blessed and light one in peaceful confidence or in gratitude or in amazement over God’s wonderful work of redemption in Jesus.

“And if everyone lit just one little candle, what a bright world this would be!”

Holy Heroes (Baptism of Our Lord A)

HOLY HEROES. This was the title of the formation program for the Year of the Laity in 2014 published by the CBCP’s Commission on the Laity. “Holy Heroes,” we now recall, embodies the theme “Called to be Saints, Sent Forth as Heroes.” All these refer to the vocation of the laity to live holy and heroic lives amid the challenges and opportunities in the Church and in society.

This is, indeed, a far cry from the outmoded pay-pray-and-obey passive view of the laity’s role in the Church. And thanks be to God! We are now outgrowing the highly clericalized Church, dominated by the hierarchy of bishops, priests, and religious where the laity is passive and silent alienated from the real life and mission of the Church.

What is the key to the growing respect for a more active and participative role of the laity? I believe it is the deeper appreciation of the grace of baptism. It is by virtue of our common baptism that we all share in the responsibility of fulfilling the Church’s mission of evangelization.

(picture grabbed from http://joyfulpapist.wordpress.com)

Today’s Feast of the Lord’s Baptism lends itself to our desire to gain deeper insights into our own baptism in Christ.

Why did Jesus Christ submit himself to John’s baptism of repentance? In today’s gospel reading (Mt 3:13-17), John tried to prevent Jesus from being baptized as he felt unworthy and, of course, as he knew that Jesus had no need of repentance.   But the Lord insisted that this must be allowed in order to “fulfill all righteousness” (v. 15). This refers to Jesus’ acceptance of God’s salvific will, i.e. Jesus was to come as Savior in sharing the lot of a sinful people while being recognized as God’s son. Indeed, after Jesus was baptized, the spirit of God descended upon him and a voice came from heaven, saying: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (v.16-17).

In short, Jesus’ baptism was a confirmation of his identity as the beloved Son of God and his mission as the Savior of all nations. 

Similarly, we can understand our own baptism in Christ in terms of this identity-mission paradigm.  We are called to be saints and sent forth as heroes.

Called to be Saints. In baptism, we die in Christ as we immerse in water and rise into new life with Christ as we emerge from the water of baptism.  Hence, we are born into new life, new identity. We become the beloved sons and daughters of God through Jesus Christ.

Indeed, the old life enslaved by sin is no more. In baptism, we are called to be faithful to our identity as adopted sons and daughters of God. Every day, all of us are called to live holy lives. We are called to be saints. I believe, this simply means that we sustain the divine life we share in Christ through baptism.

Many years ago, the call to holiness tended to be understood as directed only to the religious people and priests probably because of their religious vows and ordination to the sacred orders.  While indeed they ought to be effective witnesses and models of holy lives, they do not have the exclusive right to this calling. Now, we have accepted with ease that it is our common baptism that makes this calling to holiness universal.  The laity too is called to live holy lives. They are called to be saints, God’s sons and daughters whom God is well pleased.

Sent Forth as Heroes.  Heroes are those with strong sense of mission.  They go out of their own comfort zones and lay down everything they have even their lives for causes beyond their own personal interest, i.e., for love of others, God and country.

In baptism and confirmation, we all receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. All baptized are enabled by the Spirit to participate in the mission of Christ. With manifold charisms, we all enrich the ministries and apostolate of the Church which are but the expressions of our participation in the threefold missions of Christ—the priestly, prophetic, and kingly missions.

Again, today we have gradually left behind the understanding that the mission of the Church belongs only to the clergy and religious. The lay people also are now recognized as missionaries. By virtue of baptism, they have the empowering gifts of the Holy Spirit which translate into the tasks of participating in the life and mission of the Church.

The lay are sent as heroes. The world needs heroes—heroes who sanctifies families and communities through their prayer and worship, heroes who joyfully proclaim to the world the Good News of God’s love and who firmly denounce the destructive influence of evil, heroes who lay down their lives in service of the poor, the deprived, and the oppressed. They are heroes who are priestly, prophetic, and kingly after the heart of Jesus Christ.

On this Feast of the Lord’s Baptism, we pray for the renewal of the Church's sense of mission through the empowerment of the lay people by virtue of their baptism, activating their charisms from the Spirit, so that they may indeed take up their role as co-responsible agents of evangelization and of social transformation. May the appreciation of the beauty and power of their baptism help them take up their calling to become holy heroes, called to be saints and sent forth as heroes into the world.