Never Cut the Thread (Holy Family B)

A father accompanied his son to fly a kite. The kite easily reached high up in the sky.  After a while, the son observed that the thread seemed to hold the kite from flying higher. So, he asked his father to cut the thread. The father obliged. The kite, to the son's delight, started to go a little higher. But then, slowly, it started to come down and soon fell on the top of a tree. The son, surprised by what just happened, asked his father, “Father, I thought that after cutting off the thread, the kite can freely fly higher. Why did it fall down?”

The Father explained, "Son, the thread was not holding the kite from going higher. It was helping it stay higher when the wind slowed down and when the wind picked up, you helped the kite go up higher in a proper direction through the thread.  When the thread was cut, the kite lost its support.” So it is with the support of our family. Our loved ones edify us and see us through the rough times, sustaining us as we reach higher heights in life. They are not holding us back; they provide us the thread of support for us to fly. So, never cut the thread.

The celebration of the Feast of the Holy Family encourages us to value our own families and to appreciate the "thread of support" our families provide us with. In the light of the scriptural readings for today, let us reflect on three areas of support our families may offer us inspired by the Holy Family: The area of obedience to God's will; of building our trust in God's faithfulness; and of extending our families to the wider family of God.

Obedience to God’s Will. The Gospel describes how Joseph, as the head of the Holy Family of Nazareth, presented Mary and the Baby Jesus in the Temple for the mother’s purification and the Child’s “redemption.” The Law of Moses taught that every Jewish firstborn male child belonged to Yahweh and therefore must be “bought back” by the parents with a lamb or turtledoves as a sacrifice in the Temple. Also, the mother had to be purified after childbirth by prayers and an offering made to God in the Temple. As an act of obedience to God, Joseph kept these laws. Hence, in the gospel reading, we see the Holy Family in the temple obedient to God’s commandments.

Joseph’s obedience to God provided the thread that trained Jesus to be obedient to the Father’s will; so that when his hour came, Jesus faced his harrowing passion and death on the cross, overcoming his agony by praying for strength to do his Father's will: "Father, not my will, but yours be done" (Lk 22:42). Jesus’ total obedience to God the Father reversed the disobedience of Adam, the cause of the downfall of man.  How crucial is obedience to God in the work of redemption!

The Holy Family reminds our families to become schools of this very important virtue, i.e., obedience. Through proper discharge of authority and by way of everyday witnessing of parents as Joseph and Mary did, children are moulded to become persons with deep respect to their parents and with fear of the Lord.  And there is a promise of blessing that await a family that lives in obedience to God’s laws: “How blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commandments” (Ps 112:1). May our families be a school of obedience that leads each one to walk the ways of the Lord.

Building Trust in God's Faithfulness. The Holy Family has been a witness to God’s fidelity to his promise.  As God had been true to his promise to Abraham in the first reading (Gen 15:1-6; 21:1-3) giving him a son, Isaac—who would fulfil the promise of a multitude of descendants, God fulfilled the Emmanuel prophecy through Joseph and Mary by giving them Jesus, the Saviour born of a virgin (Mt 1:23). In today’s gospel, Mary and Joseph presented the child Jesus in the temple; there, they witnessed how the promise made to the righteous and devout Simeon and the prophetess Anna were also fulfilled. The Presentation in the Temple, we can say, was an event in the life of the Holy Family together with Simeon and Anna wherein the fulfilment of God’s promise of salvation for the people was revealed and celebrated.

God is a God of promise and a God of fulfilment. He is a faithful God as witnessed to by the Holy Family. Our families, too, experience the fidelity of God as He abides with us through all the vicissitudes of family life.  May we exclaim at all times what the Psalm proclaims: “The Lord remembers his covenant forever” (Ps 105:6). May the sincerity of the husband and wife to live together with faithful love be their own witnessing to the faithfulness of God.  May we make good of every promise we make to one another in our families; may we be there for one another in good times and in bad; and as we grow in integrity, honouring our every word, may we build the culture of trust—strengthening our trust in one another and in the faithfulness of God. 

Embracing the Wider Family of God.  In Simeon’s prayer of blessing, he prophesied that Jesus was meant to be the glory of Israel and the light of revelation to the Gentiles. And as he blessed Mary, he warned her that her child would be “a sign of contradiction,” and that she would be “pierced with a sword.” Simeon was prophesying both the universal salvation that would be proclaimed by Jesus and the necessity of suffering in the mission of the Messiah.  Right from the very start, the Holy Family was well aware of the mission of Jesus—He was not to be theirs alone. He belonged to the wider family of God. As the child Jesus grew and became strong, filled with wisdom and God’s favour, his family in Nazareth was there to provide all the support He needed for this mission.

Our love for the family must not be exclusive.  Our love should embrace the wider family of God.  The support our family gives to each other must be conscious of our mission to be of service to the wider community.  Families should provide that “thread” of support for each member to respond to God’s call to serve or even face sacrifices for the good of society. May our families be in solidarity with the wider family of God. May we see that the homeless out there in the cold are part of our family; the addict, the broken, and the lonely are members of our family; the sick and the dying, are our brothers and sisters; the persons in the prison cell are also sons and daughters of God, and as such, are members of our family. 

On this Sunday, the Feast of the Holy Family, we lift our families up to God for His blessing, thanking Him for the gift of our parents, our brothers and sisters, our grandpa and grandma. May we always draw our strength and sense of direction from our family who is there to allow us to fly like a kite with the guiding thread which reminds us to fear the Lord and walk in his ways, to trust in God’s promises, and to embrace the wider family of God. And remember, never cut the thread.

We Can’t Always Say Perhaps (4th Sunday Advent B)

Why does it take a lot of courage to say yes? 

Women, unsure of their feelings for their avid suitors who press them to give their answer, have a very convenient reply: “Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps!” (This is with or without a smile).  A variation in Filipino language is “ewan...” which means “Sorry. I don’t know. I’m not sure.”  Songs have been composed along this theme. They sure are amusing and cute.

While this reply is convenient when we find ourselves not ready to commit, a persisting non-committal attitude to life, however, can be disastrous or tragic.  We may lose our opportunity to make our choices and decide what ought we to do in life or what kind of person we want to become.  We may live life, taking our time, as if we’re not going to die and we die as if we have not lived.  Tragic indeed.

Life is a commitment.  So we can’t always say “Perhaps.”  In some life-defining moments, we need to say “Yes!”  Today’s gospel reading (Lk. 1:26-38), we witness once more the courageous fiat (latin for let it be done) of Mary.  This is Mary’s “Yes!” to God’s invitation for her to become the mother of Jesus, the awaited Messiah and Savior of Israel and of the whole creation. Let us allow Mary’s fiat to invite us, as part of our preparation for Christmas, to examine our own attitude to commitments to life and, ultimately, to God. 

Why does it take a lot of courage to say yes? Three ways to show why in the light of Mary’s yes:  Saying yes is a leap of faith.  Saying yes is realizing our destiny.  Saying yes is a commitment to serve humbly.

Leap of Faith. After hearing the angel Gabriel’s greetings and message, Mary “pondered” what this meant.  “How can this be?” She asked. Mary was in the face of something which, in her human reckoning, is impossible.  Yet, she said yes.  She said yes despite the clear danger that her having a child out of wedlock might bring her.

Saying yes to God’s invitation is a leap of faith.  One has to place everything in the hand of God believing that nothing is impossible with him.  To say yes is to trust in a faithful God—a God who fulfils his promise like his promise of a throne for David’s descendants that will last forever.

Like Mary, we say yes to God’s calling not because we are sure that we can deliver and succeed but because we are certain that God always delivers and succeeds through us. We only have to say, “Yes. Let it be done to me.” As the angel reminded Mary, we are reassured too:  Do not be afraid.  Take the leap of faith.

Realization of Destiny.  When God has promised, it is destined to happen in His own time.  Mary was placed at the threshold of the realization of what God has destined to happen and that is the coming of the long-awaited Messiah who will establish God’s Kingdom forever.  For this destiny to be fulfilled, Mary needed to say yes out of her freedom. Her fiat allowed her to participate actively in the fulfilment of God’s design.

We are not puppets.  We are not programmed to mechanically execute a design.  We decide whether to say no or yes.  Hence, we are responsible for the choices we make and their consequences.  Our decisions may thwart what is set by God for us.  To be able to fulfil our own destiny, to be able to become the kind of person we are called to be, we need to be decisive.  We cannot persist in our non-committal attitude to life like a shrivelled leaf adrift the river.  Destiny is not fulfilled this way.  God’s design calls for our active participation as it did for Mary’s fiat.

We say yes to God and allow the realization of God’s design in our lives.  We say yes and we fulfil our destiny.

Commitment to Humble Service.  Mary’s fiat came from a humble posture of a handmaid: “I am the handmaid of the Lord.  May it be done to me according to your word” (v. 38).  This is a decision to place oneself at the disposal of the Lord. This requires humility and readiness to be of service to God.

In this dog-eat-dog society, competition is the name of the game. When you’re into it, you want to show who’s the boss, who calls the shots, who’s the man.  It’s no mean feat to be committed to humble service in such an egoistic milieu.  

Christians who are in leadership positions in society are called to say yes to the ideals of humble service as Mary did.  We can make a difference.  Let us not allow the narcissistic style of this world to shape our way of being.  It’s our commitment to humble service that ought to teach the world.  Let our humble posture of service everyday convert the proud and self-serving inclinations of the world.

When our response to life’s opportunities and God’s invitations is always “perhaps” for wanting to be on safe grounds, we sure end up losing everything instead.  We ought to have the courage to say “Yes!” to life and to God.  In our preparations for Christmas, this last week of advent showcases to us the courage of Mary’s fiat.  With her brave and trusting yes to God, she made all the difference.  She made us all see that indeed nothing is impossible with God.

In this joyful season of Christmas, can we allow our contemplation of the mystery of God’s incarnation to evoke our own fiat?  

Finding Joy in God (Gaudete Sunday B)

Christian life, we have to face it, is quite demanding.  We speak of high cost of discipleship, of carrying our crosses each day, of self-denial and self-sacrificing love among others.  Without the correct disposition, our life in the Lord can end up as listless, unhappy and exhausting commitment of self-giving.  In fact, stern faces and humorless outlook in life are not uncommon among many serious Christians we meet.  Needless to say, this joyless witnessing is a source of discouragement for others to take Christian faith seriously. How can we be attractive when there’s no joy in the life we lead?

Joy is an essential disposition of a true disciple.  The demands of Christian life have to be carried out with a joyful heart.  Gaudete Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent, is meant to remind us of the fact that always God’s presence in our life is a cause for rejoicing.  All Advent biblical figures attest to this. We hear Isaiah exclaims, in the first reading (Is 61:1-2, 10-11): “I rejoice heartily in the Lord, in my God is the joy of my soul…” (v. 10).  Mary’s magnificat, too, is read as the responsorial psalm and we hear Mary exults: “My being proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit finds joy in God my savior” (Lk 1: 46).  We recall too, though not in today’s readings, John the Baptist leaping with joy in her mother’s womb as Elizabeth and Mary greeted each other.

Do we find joy in God? Allow me to offer three ways of finding joy in God—the joy of gratitude, the joy of ministry, the joy of surrender.

The Joy of Gratitude.  There is joy in thanksgiving. No doubt about it.  St. Paul, in our second reading, tells the Thessalonians to rejoice and pray always and give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thes 5: 16). Christian life may be demanding but even before we are faced with the demands of our commitments to the Lord, God has favored us first as “He has looked with favor on his lowly servant”, Mary, that she may be called blessed in all ages.  Isaiah’s joy too is one of gratitude as he attests: “for He has clothed me with a robe of salvation, and wrapped me in a mantle of justice” (Is. 61: 10).

When God asks our commitment, he sees to it first that he endows us with the gifts required for fulfilling what he expects of us.  When we see it this way, gratitude then is our first response to God’s goodness.  Whatever we do for God, we do it with the joy of a grateful heart.    

How often, deep in our hearts, we demand from God our reward for being good in this life! This we expect with a stern sense of entitlement oblivious of the fundamental fact that we have been blessed already prior to our achievements and that we are good only because God has been good to us first.  

Advent allows us to rejoice because of the goodness of God in our lives.  An important Advent preparation then is cultivating a grateful heart, one that truly brings forth joy, as it recognizes God’s favor on us.

The Joy of Ministry.  There is joy in serving.  We sure feel physically tired after serving, yet at the end of the day, we wonder why a serene sense of deep satisfaction invigorates us from within.  I believe it is the quiet and gentle power of joy that revitalizes us.

I once worked in a rural and mountainous parish with an aging missionary as my parish priest.  Because I was young, nimble and quick, all ministering that involved going through the rough roads and dangerous trails of the countryside were understandably left to my care.  Always upon my return from these difficult areas, the kind old missionary would come to me with much concern in his face making sure I was fine.  Sometimes, for one reason or another, I could not make it to the barrio, he would volunteer to go as we were left with no choice.  As he returned home, I would meet him to see if he was fine.  On those days, he surely looked tired and older but, to my amazement, a lot happier.  He would look at me beaming with a joyful smile and say, “I’m back and I’m great!”

Such is the joy of serving.  This I believe is the same joy that exudes and makes the face of Mother Teresa beautiful—more beautiful than the fresh and pampered faces of those hailed Miss Universe.

Do we find joy as we serve in our ministry?  In our professions?

The Joy of Surrender.  There is joy in trusting and in believing in the faithfulness of God.  This is the joy of placing our lives at the hands of the faithful God. 

Sometimes, in this result-oriented society we are living now, we can become control freaks.  We spend a lot of our energy making sure that everything goes according to our wishes and plans.  We begin to become strict, intolerant, stiff, unbending.  We lose our flexibility and spontaneity.  All because we want to see our design successfully materialized, our set goals met and our plans well-executed.  Failures and adversities have no place in our lives.  Yet, the fact is, they do happen.  Not everything goes according to our design.  Hence, our contemporary life is marked by stress and anxiety.

To surrender to God is liberating.  Filipinos are said to be the happiest people despite formidable adversities.  I suspect this is because we know how to place our lives into the hands of God.  “Bahala na!” in its positive sense expresses our trust in God’s providential care.  We trust that in God’s wisdom, everything will fit together, everything will make sense.  So we learn how to let go and let God and get a life.

In our Christian life it is not our own will but God’s will that matters most, not our own design but God’s design.  Advent reminds us that like the prophets and Mary who listened to God’s will and trusted in God’s fidelity, we too may do well to surrender to God.  There’s so much joy in it.  Promise.

Somebody’s Coming to Town (2nd Sunday Advent B)

I could still remember my delight when I was chosen among others to be part of the concelebration of the Mass with Pope Francis when he came to Manila in January of 2015.

There was so much preparation in all parts of the country because Pope Francis was coming. All over the nation a prayer was said in every mass in all our Churches that Pope Francis’ visit may bless us and that it may turn us into a people of compassion and mercy especially in our dealing with the poor in our society. In Pampanga a musical entitled “I Love Pope Francis” had been shown to help Catholics know more about the awaited Pope. In Palo, Leyte, Ground Zero of the world’s strongest typhoon ever, the construction of Pope Francis’ Center for the Poor was completed and Pope Francis himself was to bless it for the use of orphans and the elderly.  

A real sense of anticipation and preparation can animate people. It can evoke creativity and commitment. It can challenge the people to embrace the values that represent that which they are waiting for. It can indeed transform a people. The season of Advent is a season of anticipation and preparation. Someone mightier than John the Baptist, and than anyone else, is coming. We await the coming of our Lord, the Messiah. And our readings today instruct us on how we ought to prepare. Let us examine then the message of John the Baptist, a very important Advent figure, and second, the exhortation of Peter in the second reading.

John’s call for Repentance and Acceptance of the Messiah.  As a voice crying out in the desert, John echoes Isaiah’s call for the preparation of the way of the Lord: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” In the gospel reading (Mk 1:1-8), John offers two ways of a meaningful preparation—repentance and acceptance of the Mighty One.

John the Baptist knows what is needed in preparing the way of the Lord. He calls for repentance.  He invites people to change their hearts by submitting themselves to baptism, wherein the symbol of the water effects an interior cleansing.  An integral part of John’s baptism is the acknowledgement of sins. Hence, we read that “the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins” (v. 5).  When one confesses his/her sins, the person names his/her sins thus gaining control over its power while at the same time accepting the responsibility. 

Personal conversion involves our decision to be open to God’s power to cleanse us of our sins through his mercy so that we gain the strength to turn away from the ways of this world.

John’s message though is not just about turning away from sins and from the ways of this world. More important perhaps is where he points us to. John the Baptist, despite his growing fame and the admiration of his followers, never sees himself as greater than Jesus, the One who is to come.  He assumes a posture of a humble servant or even lower than a servant as he claims unworthiness even to untie the Lord’s sandals. He steadfastly fulfils his mission, which is to prepare for the coming of Christ and to point people to Him. So as he baptizes them and exhorts them to turn away from sin, he points them to Jesus that they may turn towards him and accept Jesus as their saviour.

In this Advent season, we ask the grace to be brave enough to turn away from our sinfulness and turn towards Jesus our Saviour. Repentance and loving acceptance of our Lord ought to be our advent aspirations.

Peter’s exhortation towards Holiness and Devotion.  In the second reading (2 Pt 3:8-14), Peter writes about the coming of the Day of the Lord like a thief. As the disciples await the Day of the Lord, Peter exhorts them in these words: “Since everything is to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought (you) to be, conducting yourselves in holiness and devotion, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God...”

Our lives ought to be marked by holiness. For Peter, the Greek word "anastrophe" refers directly to the way we act, our behavior.  Hence holiness is about how we follow the example of the goodness of Christ relating and treating other people with respect and love. It is about how we accept every opportunity to serve and to do what is good to those who are in need around us.

The second quality St. Peter exhorts us to have is devotion. The Greek word is "eusebia” which refers not so much to our actions as to the attitude underlying our actions. It’s the disposition of our hearts like the joyful reverence towards our Lord and our God. As such, devotion is not about saying a lot of prayers. It is more a matter of a consistent personal and intimate relationship with the Lord. To be devoted to the Lord is to joyfully and lovingly offer ourselves in relationship with Jesus whom we await.

Hence, in this season of Advent we aspire to grow in holiness in our dealings with others and to deepen our devotion to the Lord.

Again, real anticipation animates us. Let us be animated by the anticipation of the Lord’s coming in Christmas.  In this season of Advent, let us heed John’s call to turn away from our sins and turn towards the Mighty One, Jesus. Or in the words of Peter, let our lives be characterized by “holiness” in all that we do and marked by “devotion” to our Lord.

God Never Gives Up On Us (Immaculate Conception)

There’s so much brokenness in this world... in our communities... in our families... my family... in ourselves...  my self... that somehow sin and its effects become more apparent to us than the grace of God.  

Lest we succumb to the hopelessness of being forever subjected to the universal curse of sin, today’s Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception reminds us that God has never given up on us.  We gather to reflect upon the profound mystery of God's plan for the salvation of humanity. This feast reminds us of the consequences of sin and brokenness in our lives, but also of the immense love and graciousness of our Heavenly Father, who never gives up on us.

Sin has marred our existence as presented to us by the first reading from the Book of Genesis (Gen 3:9-15, 20) where we are reminded of the sin of humanity's first parents-- disobedience to God.  It has fractured our relationship with God and with one another. It has caused pain, suffering, and division in our world. We experience the effects of sin in our daily lives, in our thoughts, words, and actions. We fall short, we stumble, and we feel the weight of our own helplessness in the face of temptations and struggles.

But in this darkness, we find a glimmer of hope, a ray of divine light. God, in His infinite wisdom and mercy, chose a woman named Mary and favoured her with “fullness of grace” since her conception so that, having been saved from the vicious clout of sin, she may bring forth the spotless saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ, into this world... to heal it, to make it whole again, to re-create it.   

Mary, immaculately conceived, stands before us as a sign of hope and a source of inspiration. She is the exemplar of God's graciousness and His unwavering love for humanity. While we may feel helpless in the face of sin, God never abandons us. He chose Mary to be the vessel through which His Son would enter our world, to redeem us and offer us the gift of salvation.

In the gospel reading today, Mary inspires us with her response to God's grace: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word" (Lk. 1: 37). Through Mary's fiat, her "yes" to God's plan, she embodies our own response to God's call for redemption. In her obedience, humility, and faith, she becomes a model for us to imitate. Mary's life teaches us that, despite our brokenness, God's grace can transform us into vessels of His love and mercy.

As we celebrate this solemnity, let us reflect on the depth of God's love for us. Let us acknowledge our own sinfulness, brokenness, and helplessness. But let us also embrace the hope that Mary represents, recognizing that God's grace has the power to heal, restore, and transform us.

Today, we ask for the intercession of the Immaculate Conception, the ever-virgin Mary, to help us on our journey towards holiness. May she guide us, inspire us, and teach us how to surrender ourselves completely to God's will. Through her prayers, may we experience the graciousness of God, who never abandons us, but continually calls us to newness of life.

May the feast of the Immaculate Conception remind us of the precious gift of God's grace and the transformative power it holds. Let us strive to live lives worthy of this grace, allowing Mary's example to guide us to our ultimate destination, eternal union with God.

* * *

Today, as I fix my eyes on Mary, I let my tears flow for I am humbled by my brokenness but I am lifted up by the confidence that God has not given up on me and He will never ever give up on me.

Vigilance for Peace (1st Sunday Advent B)

(An Advent message for the celebration of the Mindanao Week of Peace 2023)

We gather here on the first Sunday of Advent, a time of joyful anticipation and preparation for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Today's Gospel reading from the Book of Mark (Mk. 13: 33-37) gives us important lessons about vigilance and being prepared. Jesus said, "Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come."

As we reflect on this message, we also find ourselves in the midst of the celebration of the Mindanao Week of Peace which started on November 30 and ends on December 6. Let us take this opportunity to be reminded of our Christian commitment in building a culture of dialogue among the diversity of cultures in Mindanao and, particularly to us, in the province of Lanao del Norte.  We ardently pray for peace especially as we witness with anxiety the rise of violence and conflicts in the world today. This week serves as a call for vigilance in actively praying and working for peace through harmony and acts of solidarity.

In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to his disciples about being vigilant, always ready for the coming of the Son of Man: "Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come." But vigilance must go beyond watching for the second coming of Christ. Vigilance applies to the challenges of our everyday lives, and extends to our relationships and interactions with others. Vigilance means being present and engaged with those around us, and being watchful for the presence of Christ among us every day.

The celebration of the Mindanao Week of Peace calls us to be vigilant for peace—vigilant in guarding the culture of dialogue which we have endeavored for many years already. Let us not allow misunderstandings, hateful sentiments, and forms of conflicts from within and from the different parts of the world to weaken our commitment to live in harmonious co-existence as children of God. This week of peace invites us to strengthen even more our continuing commitment of building the culture of dialogue whereby we actively seek to understand one another, to respect and embrace the richness of diversity, and to foster unity amidst our differences. Let us dearly hold our conviction that this culture of dialogue is an antidote to the conflicts and violence that plague our world today.

Dialogue requires humility, openness, and a genuine desire to listen. It is only when we truly listen to one another that we can bridge the gaps that divide us. It is through dialogue that we can find common ground, build relationships, and work towards genuine peace.

As we light the first Advent candle, let it remind us of the light of Christ that shines in our lives, illuminating the path towards peace. Let it also remind us of our shared responsibility to be watchful and vigilant, not just for Christ's second coming but also for everyday opportunities to build peace and foster dialogue in our communities.

May this Advent season be a time of deep reflection and renewal for each one of us. Let us commit ourselves to be agents of peace, builders of dialogue, and true witnesses of solidarity. May we work tirelessly to create a world that celebrates diversity, welcomes harmonious co-existence, and rejects violence and war. In doing so, we become living examples of God's love and mercy, living in peace together as His beloved children.

As we journey through this season of Advent and continue to celebrate the Mindanao Week of Peace, let us remember Jesus' words: "What I say to you, I say to all: Watch!" Together, through our collective vigilance and commitment, may our beloved Mindanao truly grow in peace and harmony.

May God bless you all abundantly in this Advent season, and may you anticipate the coming of our Lord as you allow His peace and love to dwell in your hearts now and forever.