A Family that Journeys Towards Jerusalem

The mystery of Christmas is the mystery of God becoming man... the invisible God becoming visible. And God became man in a family, in the family formed by Mary and Joseph. Thus, Blessed John Paul II asserts: “The divine mystery of the Incarnation of the Word… has an intimate connection with the human family.”

Yes, Christmas is a celebration of faith, but our celebration today, the Feast of the Holy Family, reminds us that Christmas will always be a celebration of the family.

And so, we ask: what can every family learn from the family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph?

The gospel today talks about the story of the Lost and Finding of Jesus in the Temple. We can learn a lot from this experience of the Holy Family but allow me to focus on one.

The gospel tells us that each year Jesus, Mary and Joseph went up to Jerusalem for the Feast of Passover. Jerusalem is where the temple is. Jerusalem is the center of Jewish faith

If we are to imitate the Holy Family, then we must be a family ever willing to journey towards our own Jerusalem; the journey to Jerusalem is a journey of faith. We must be a family willing to enter into the path of faith. We must become a family willing to know more about our Catholic Faith. We must become a family that longs to grow into friendship and intimacy with God.

Later on, Jerusalem too, is where Jesus met his fatal condemnation. It is a place where he suffered and just outside its walls, it is where he died on the cross.

Oftentimes, it is through the cross that faith grows and matures. Dealing with conflicts and issues in the family is not always easy; asking and giving forgiveness in the family are not always pleasant; working for family reconciliation is always a demanding task. But it is precisely in facing these with openness, honesty and faith that families grow in unity, in genuine love and true friendship with God.

My dear friends, it is still Christmas, but lest we forget, a re-reading of the Story of Christmas reveals to us the shadow of the cross. In the story of Christmas, we hear about the rejection from the inn keeper, the poverty of the manger, the killing of the innocents, the escape into Egypt. All these reveals that from the very beginning, the family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph has always known trials and difficulties but these did not stop them to be united and persistent in fulfilling the will of the Father

Let us not be afraid for our families. Let us not be afraid to journey into our own Jerusalem - a place where demands for sacrifice will be found, but it is also a place where a renewal of love and faith in the family awaits.

Let us allow the family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph to lead us. Let us allow the Holy Family to transform us to become holy, Christian, Catholic, families. Amen.

Here is where the Lord is: My first pilgirmage to the Holy Land

In the grotto believed to be the place where the Annunciation occurred, the Latin inscription reads: verbum caro hic factum est (the word became flesh here). The gospel of St. John only says, et verbum caro factum est (and the word became flesh) but in that grotto at Nazareth, in that very place where the angel appeared to Mary, it proclaims HIC verbum caro factum est – HERE the word became flesh.

HIC practically characterized my pilgrimage in the Holy Land. In every place we visited, I cannot but say to myself HIC, “Here is where the Lord lived.” In Jericho, “Here is where Jesus changed the life of Zaccheus.” In Nazareth, “Here is where the Lord lived with Mary and Joseph.” In Mt. Tabor, “Here is where the Transfiguration happened.” In the Sea of Galilee, “Here is where Jesus walked on water.” In Jerusalem, “Here is where the Lord cast away the traders from the Temple.” In Calvary, “Here is where Jesus was crucified.”

Here is where the word became flesh, where God humbled himself to become like us in all things but in sin, where Jesus died, was buried and rose again. In the Holy Land, one cannot but be overwhelmed by the Divine Presence, the story of salvation and the mystery of God’s love.

But HIC is not an exclusive privilege of the Holy Land. By conquering death and sin, Jesus promised to be with his people until the end of time. Who can forget these assuring words of Jesus, “Whenever two or three are gathered in my name I am in the midst of them.” He promised to be the vine, where the branches will continue to have life. He promised to be the good shepherd, who knows his sheep and leads them with his voice. He is the bread of life, our nourishment and strength. He sent the Holy Spirit, the light and life of the Church.

My first pilgrimage to Holy Land is now a cherished memory, beautiful and unforgettable, inspiring and over the top. But the fruits of the pilgrimage remains real – the depth of God’s love, the lowliness of God becoming man, the dignity of humanity, the mystery of God’s will and ways. Now more than ever, wherever I am (even as far as 8,795 kilometers from the Holy Land) I say more confidently HIC – “Here is where God is.”

The urge that no one can refuse.

When Jesus ascended into heaven it was not the first time Jesus left his disciples. The first time was at Calvary. When Jesus allowed himself to be taken by the leaders of the Jews, to be crucified and died on the cross, the disciples were left behind. They were so afraid that they runaway and scattered. They thought it was the end.

But the story of the Ascension is different. When Jesus was taken up to heaven and the disciples were left behind, the disciples begun preaching boldly about the Lord, about the forgiveness of sins, about mission, about salvation. It was only the beginning.

What happened in between? What made the difference?

Resurrection made the difference – the truth and the conviction that Jesus did not remain dead, did not remain in the tomb, that he rose again, appeared to them and promised to be always with them. That is enough to impel the disciples to remain in Jesus, to support each other, to “go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.”

It is not enough that every time we go to Mass we say we believe in Jesus Christ; we believe that he was crucified, died and was buried and on the third day rose again, and do nothing about it. Our faith in the Risen Christ should impel us to imitate him, to talk about him and to fight for him.

Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel; proclaim the good news that our God is a living God. He is alive. He is here. He is with us. We must be convinced of the presence of the living God to the point that we find in ourselves a compelling urge that we cannot refuse, to make him known wherever we are.

I am not familiar with the music of Lady Gaga, but we hear critics decrying her promotion of “godlessness,” that is, living a life without any belief in a supreme being and worse with disrespect towards the divine. If this is true, then Lady Gaga is only one of many in the secular world that promotes a kind of lifestyle that refuses any form of regard for a supreme being. In such a situation, we feel the urgency of letting the world know about the living God. We recognize the imperative of proclaiming our faith in Jesus the Christ.

As Christians we should ask ourselves: Do we talk about Jesus? His word? His commands? His life? May be not in front of a crowd, but to your children, to your grandchildren, to your spouse, to your friends. Do we talk about our faith? If not, then may be we are not convinced enough that He is truly alive! Because if we are convinced to the bone of the truth of the living God, then, like the disciples at the time of the Ascention, nothing can stop the urge to follow the Lord, to fight for him, and to talk about him. Amen.

Resurrection is for real.

The risen Christ appeared to his disciples many times.

Jesus wanted to assure his disciples that resurrection is for real. More than words, Jesus showed them his wounded hands, his wounded feet. Jesus showed them his pierced side. Jesus ate with them. Jesus wanted them to touch him, to touch his body scarred by the crucifixion. The risen Lord is the crucified Lord. Resurrection is more than news. It is not rumor. Resurrection is  for real.  Our God is a living God.

And so we ask ourselves:

How real is resurrection for us today? How do we see resurrection? Are we able to touch resurrection?

I know of a parish volunteer who lost both of her parents in a span of two years. While mourning for the loss of her parents, she was diagnosed with cancer. She had to undergo chemotherapy. And as if this is not enough, while undergoing chemo, their house got burned. What a tragedy? I could have understood her if she began to question God, to question her faith. I could have understood her if she asked for a leave in her parish work. Mag-lay low muna. Hindi muna magserve. Maglaan muna ng panahon para sa sarili.

But, no, I never heard her complain. I never heard her question God. She never stopped serving the parish, spending time in prayer and offering her time to help the needy. Every time I asked her how is everything she would always say: May awa ang Diyos, Father.

Resurrection is our refusal to give in to despair and hopelessness even when we are faced with burdens that seem too heavy to carry. Resurrection is our rejection of cynicism, negativity and bitterness even when illness, loss and separation beset us. Resurrection is our continued trust in goodness and grace even when things happen not according to our plans and expectations. Resurrection is our persistence to remain warm, kind and hospitable even when we have a just cause for hatred.

The living God is for real. Resurrection is for real. Look at your heart. Look at your life. Do you see resurrection?

We trust in the Lord.

2nd Sunday of Lent

As a priest, many people come to us seeking answers to their questions.

Questions that are difficult to answer.

A mother came to me once and said,

Father, I loved my husband and my children with all my heart.

Ibinigay ko naman lahat para sa kanila.

Why is it that after all the things I did,

my husband still left me for another woman?

A young man came to me and said,

Father, all my life, I have never given trouble to my parents.

Mabait naman ako. Hindi naman ako masamang tao. Masipag naman ako.

I have been working hard. Why am I not getting the break that I want?

A father once approached me and said,

Father, my wife and I did all we could to give our child a good education.

Hindi kami nagkulang sa patuturo, sa pagpapaalala, sa pangangaral.

Why is his life a mess now?

It seems we are losing him. Why?

Difficult questions.

And we are not alone in asking these questions.

Abraham, in the first reading today, I’m sure asked the same difficult questions.

Why would God ask that I sacrifice Isaac, my only son, his gift to me? Why?

The disciples of Jesus could have asked the same questions on Calvary.

If Jesus is the Messiah, the savior, why is he crucified on the cross?

If his mission is God-sent why does it seem that he is a failure?

We all have our questions in life.

And the gospel today does not give us a clear answer.

What the Lord gives us is an invitation.

“This is my beloved son, listen to him.”

Open your heart to Jesus.

Believe in him.

Trust him.

Trust in the Lord.

Trust in his love.

St. Paul in the second reading reminds us that

If God can give up his only begotten Son for us

Will He not give everything else to us.

Kung hindi ipinagkait ng Diyos ang kanyang anak sa atin

Ipagkakait ba nang Diyos ang iba pang makabubuti sa aitn.

God is trustworthy.

We may not fully understand how.

We may not find all the answers to our questions.

But we listen to the Lord.

We open our hearts to him.

We trust in him.

Most basic yet most powerful sign

Monday, 16th Week, Ordinary Time

There is nothing wrong in asking for signs from the Lord. But there is a need to be watchful. When asking for a sign becomes a permanent part of our relationship with God, it could mean a weakening of trust or confidence in the enduring goodnes of God. Wala namang problema kung hihinga tayo ng palatandaan mula sa Diyos, pero sa kahit anong relasyon kung sa bawat ugnayan ay kailangan me palatandaan, puedeng maging sintomas ng kawalan ng tiwala o pananalig.

The gospel today explicitly points to the resurrection of Jesus Christ as the sign par excellence of God's goodness and love. It should be enough. There shouldn't be any necessity for other signs. Asking for signs should ultimately lead us back to the most basic and yet most powerful sign of salvation - the Paschal Mystery [the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ].

Let us pray that we may be confident enough in the resurrection of Jesus, as not to seek any other signs beside. May the sign of the Paschal Mystery be enough for us.

Greater than the pain of illness

Today is the feast of St. Camillus de Lellis, patron of hospitals, of the sick and of those who take care of the sick. By the grace of providence the gospel for today, Saturday of the 14th week of Ordinary time, exhorts us not to be afraid of those that kill only the body, rather be afraid of those that destroy both the soul and the body.

Sickness kills the body. If we allow it, it can also affect the soul. But in faith we can decide not to. Oftentimes we are helpless in the face of the fact that sickness weakens our body. But we can decide not to let sickness weaken our soul. Be not afraid of sickness. But be afraid of sin.

Sickness is part of the natural course of the material world. It can be very freigthening. But St. Camillus reminds us today that we should not let the fear of sickness paralyze us, for the pain of illness can never be greater than the comfort of the love of God. Like St. Camillus we are called to be ministers to the sick.

We pray to St. Camillus that through our concern and care for the sick - our family, our friends and neighbours - that they may never give in to fear and despair; through us may they experience the consolation of the gentle mercy of the Lord.

Let us not be afraid of sickness, for it can only destroy our bodies. Let us be afraid of sin, for it destroys not only our body but also our soul. Sickness separates us from the rest of the world, while sin separates us from God. What can be sicker than that?

Where does your faith live?

Here's a crass but accurate way of putting the real challenge of love from D. Berrigan.

"Where does your faith live? In the head? In the heart? Your faith is rarely where your head is at, just as it is rarely where your heart is at. Your faith is where your ass is at! Where are you living? What are you doing? These things - our actions, our charity, our morality - are what determine whether we belive or not."

True love is not measured by the amount of knowledge stored in our minds, or by the passion contained in our hearts. It is in the doing, relating, trying, helping, communicating and sharing. What use is the knowledge of faith if they are not shared? What use is passion if not translated into action? Genuine loving is in the doing.

Seeing Goodness

Looking at a white paper with a single black dot at the center, people often see the dot more than the paper. When people look at each other people often see what is not so beautiful. People remember mistakes. People recognize imperfections. People talk about weaknesses.

This is exactly the opposite of how God looks at us. Yes, God sees imperfections. God sees weaknesses. But he sees so much more. God sees beauty in his creation and in humanity because he has created us in his image and likeness.

It is not easy to look at suffering and see goodness. It is not easy to look at poverty and see goodness. It is not easy to look at crime and see goodness. It is not easy to look at destructions and see goodness. But that is how God looks at his creation.

And so when we look at the world and at one another, let us not look only with our physical eyes. Let us look with the eyes of faith. For with the eyes of faith when we look at weaknesses and imperfections we also see what the grace of God can do in the world and in our lives.

The Sacred Heart of Jesus

Today is the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The first reading and the gospel presents the image of a good shepherd as a way to understand how much Jesus loves us. The first reading states: “I myself will pasture my sheep; I myself will give them rest, says the Lord God. The lost I will seek out, the strayed I will bring back the injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal…”

Akala natin tayo ang naghahanap sa Diyos, pero sa totoo ang Diyos ang naghahanap sa atin. Hind ang Diyos ang nakakalimut. Hindi ang Diyos ang tumatalikod. Hindi ang Diyos ang nawawalan ng katapatan. Tayo po ang nakakalimot. Tayo po ang tumatalikod. Tayo po ang hindi nagiging tapat. Kaya sa totoo lang, hindi tayo ang naghahanap sa Diyos. Ang Diyos ang naghahanap sa atin.

The message of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is quite simple: God is always there for us – ready to love, to forgive, to give another chance, to enlighten, to correct, to remind, to inspire, to strengthen, to heal. He is always there and he will always make his presence felt.

Sa araw na ito ng Kamahal-mahalang Puso ni Jesus maging lumalim nawa at tumibay ang pagtitiwala natin sa Diyos. Huwag po tayong magpatalo sa anumang sakit, karamdaman, problema o pagsubok. Patuloy po tayong magtiwala sa Diyos dahil nanjan siya at tayo’y kanyang hinahanap.