ONE WITH GOD

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. It all reminds us of our own baptism. As we start this New Year, we are being challenged to renew our commitment to God as baptized Catholics. Two important figures in the Gospel serve as our guides: John the Baptist and Jesus Christ Himself.

The first is John the Baptist. And we ask ourselves whether we are like John the Baptist who prepared the way of the Lord. He is the forerunner of Jesus Christ who did his best to prepare the people for Jesus’ coming. He even recognized the greatness of Jesus Christ and placed himself far from the limelight. People thought he was the Messiah but he humbly replied to the people: “I am baptizing you with water but one mightier than I is coming…”

The second figure is Jesus himself. Are we like him who is united with the Father and the Holy Spirit? Jesus Christ’s baptism comes before his public ministry. This event tells us that whatever he will do is in accordance with the Father and the Holy Spirit, as the Son of God. This obedience leads to God the Father saying to Jesus, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Doing the Father’s Will is the challenge for us in the beginning of this year. We are called to constantly discern God’s will for us. Given our present situation, our faith is being tested and to stand for it now becomes more difficult. However, God continuously calls us to follow Him in our own little ways. We just need to listen carefully to Him and find time to be with Him. As a Dominican brother in formation, I find solace in His comforting words: that He will always be with me in my vocation to the priesthood. The same is true with our respective vocations. He called us first. He invited us to be one with Him through Baptism. Let us hold firmly to His Words for He will never leave us alone.

Father, your words are true and eternal. Teach us to follow your will that we may not be led astray by today’s worldly allurements and illusions. Keep us in your bosom; protect us from sins and temptations. Give us the grace we need to face all our struggles and tribulations that we may always be one with you, in words and deeds. We ask this through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

PAGPAPAKITA NG DIYOS

Sinasabing ang misteryo daw ng pasko ay ang pagkakatawang tao ng Salita, ang Pangalawang Persona ng Santisima Trinidad. Ito ay ng niyakap at inangkin ni Hesus, na isang Diyos, ang ating pagkatao at pagiging tao. Kaya nga ba sa sabsaban kung saan siya nahimlay, waring sinasabi ng batang Kristo na ang kanyang pagkatao ay para sa lahat ng tao, ang kanyang pagiging tao ay para sa kaligtasan ng sangkatauhan. Di nakapagtataka na ang kanyang mga unang bisita ay ang tatlong paganong Mago, mga hentil. Sa salaysay na ito, sinasabing ang Kristo ay di lamang sa mga Hudeo, o sa kung ano mang piling tao, kundi para sa lahat. Ang pagpapahayag niya sa katotohanang ito ay siyang ating pinagdiriwang ngayon.

Ginamit ng mga mago ang kanilang talino at buhayupang hinanap si Kristo, masulyapan at masamba lamang Siya. Kung iisipin natin, kung ang mga “paganong” ito ay pilit na hinanap si Kristo, bakit tayo kung minsan hindi? O di kaya, kaisa na nga natin Siya, minsan hirap pa rin tayong makita Siya. Ang di nakikitang Diyos ay nagkatawang-tao para lang makita natin, naging bata para mahaplos, umiyak para marinig, at naging isang tinapay para malasap. Sa pag-yakap niya sa ating katauhan, ninais niyang siya’y makita sa bawat aspeto ng pagiging tao.

Ito siguro ang hangad ng Dyos sa ating lahat. Sa pagkatawang-tao, sinamahan at sinaluhan niya tayo, katuwang at karamay, kaisa at kasangga sa bawat pagharap natin sa buhay. Dasal natin na sana sa bawat saya, lungkot, problema, tagumpay, trabaho, pahinga, iyak o tawa – sa bawat karanasang ating pinagdaanan at pagdadaanan, makita natin si Kristo. At pagmalas, gaya ng mga mago, purihin, sambahin at sundan ang kanyang yapak. Ito ang dakilang katotohanang pinagdiriwang natin. Maligayang Kapistahan ng Pagpapakita ng Panginoon!

THEIR FAITH LIVES ON IN US

The world has just lost thousands of good Filipinos. The newspaper images of wrecked homes, wrapped corpses and hysterical grievers are just heart breaking. The Philippines is shown in global news almost every hour. Many of those shown are in churches and chapels, sheltering and praying there. The world looks on us and falls silent.

Some of our brothers’ families were among those affected by the recent calamities. Some have damages in their homes. Some lost contact with their loved ones. These are difficult times and we are called to be of help and comfort to them.

In the midst of this darkness, the gospel for today (Luke 17:1-16) is speaking to us. It is composed of three aphorisms spoken by Jesus in three different occasions. The last is very striking. It speaks of faith, even of little faith and the great wonder with which the Lord can work through it. These times are faith shaking but it is as if the Lord is telling us to hang on and keep the little faith, perhaps the remaining faith that we have and see the wonders that he will work. It is certain that it would be difficult for the nation to rise again but the Lord, our faithful God, will surely bring us through all these.

The world has just lost thousands of good Filipinos. We honour them and mourn the loss of the good they could have been to make our nation, our world, our Church better. They died in faith but their faith lives on in us.

CLUTCH QUARTER

In a basketball game, the fourth quarter, among the four quarters, is considered as the “clutch quarter.” [Some would say that the last five minutes of the fourth quarter is the clutch period.] Because even if a team is down or up by thirty points, the players should play consistent offense and defense so as to avoid an upset loss from the opposing team. And usually during this “clutch time,” there is a player or there are players whom the coach trusts most to deliver the offense or the defense needed by the team. These clutch players are usually the most experienced ones, the talented ones, the courageous ones and those who take the necessary risks. They are the best players that can handle the pressure and can deliver the necessary plays needed by the team. And during this “clutch quarter,” this last quarter, only the courageous and resilient players can stand and play for the team.

The recent events in the Philippines would give us an idea of an apocalypse, seriously. War in Zamboanga. Earthquake in Bohol and Cebu. And, just recently, the super typhoon in the Visayas. We might think that these events maybe signs of the end of the world. We might think that these events are signs of the Armageddon. We might, just might. But in a second glance, these are not actually signs of the last things [As I reflect on it. I am not Nostradamus, anyway.]. These are just phenomena in our human life that test our resiliency, our capability for survival, our unity as one nation, our faith and trust in God, and our hope for a better tomorrow. We might think of the last things and last days in life but as we think of them, we actually become more hopeful, more strong, more faithful, more united. This is evident with the people joining together to help the victims of the war, earthquake and typhoon. This is evident with the same prayers offered by people who belong from different religions and denominations. This is evident with the promotions and campaigns for help in different social networking sites. And this is also evident with the amount of support our nation gets from other nations. In these events, there seems to be a change in our hearts. Isn’t it we become more charitable to each other? Isn’t it we become more prayerful? Isn’t it we become more hopeful? Well, I am not saying that these events should always happen so that those latter good things would surface from us. What I am actually saying is that we should be more optimistic and more hopeful during these events. We come to realized that people know how to love and how to express that love.        

Also, during these events our resiliency to pressure is deepened. We become more experienced, more courageous and more willing to take all the necessary risks. Thus, we can say that during these events, we become “clutch persons,” or the last persons who can still deliver a good fight. We become the trusted persons who can still play a good game under pressure during the last quarter, during the clutch time.

Thus, this is the challenge of Jesus that we become more courageous, more learned and more willing to take the risks in the challenges that face us. Well, even if it is not the last quarter, we still try to do our best, to play our best because even if without the pressure, we can still learn. We become more “clutch persons,” in the end.

ALL SAINTS' DAY

Lord, we celebrate the feast of your saints: your martyrs, virgins, holy men and women, from all walks of life. Many of them suffered, but they rose above their difficulties and remained faithful to you. They teach us Lord, that holiness is not limited to priests and nuns, but to all people; that we are free to choose you regardless of our station in life. Help me to aspire to holiness just as they did, for only in this will I attain true happiness.