THERE IS HOPE

I grew up in a farming community. My father is a farmer. To save money from hiring tenants to help in the rice fields, my father would ask us, his sons, to help him in cultivating the farm. We would carry the seeds from the storage house to the farm and prepare them for sowing. After days of preparation of the paddies and the seeds, he would carefully sow them in the paddies. He was cautious not to sow them outside the paddies for the seeds are too precious. Once when he was taking a break, with his permission, I took the basket of seeds and tried to sow the seeds. In the beginning, I was doing quite well. As I gained confidence in sowing the seeds, I scattered them further and further. without noticing it, I was already sowing them up to the field of our neighbor. And my father shouted at me: "Focus on our field. Don't waste the seeds." And so I tried again but to no avail. I could not control myself from scattering the seeds too far to the other fields. Upon seeing my inability, my father rose from the pilapil where he was resting, toke the basket from me and said: "You cannot be a farmer." Now you know why I did not become a farmer, like my father.

In the gospel, Jesus shares to us the parable of a sower who sowed seeds on the path, rocky ground, among thorns, and only some on the rich soil. By the manner of his sowing, this sower can be considered inexperienced, if not negligent, as he puts into waste the precious seeds that fell on undesirable surfaces. If my father was there, he could have shouted at this sower and said "Focus on the rich soil. Sow the seeds on the rich ground alone." In other gospel passage, it would be explained to us that the sower is the Lord. Thus, can we conclude that the Lord is being negligent in sowing and giving His Word even to those who could not nurture it?

More than being negligent, God is being hopeful to us, as he sows His words and graces to us generously.  God makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust (Mt. 5:45), with the hope that by doing so, even paths, rocky and thorny fields may produce a harvest of a hundredfold. The Lord never loses hope in us. The Lord saw hope among the Israelites even with their seeming faithlessness in the plan of God. He gave them bread from heaven, the manna. Thus, even in the desert, the Lord sustained them (Ex. 16:1-5, 9-15). The Lord gave them bread for them to live; to be alive. Even in our stubbornness, God sees the possibility of change and growth in us. 

In Letran-Calamba, I am assigned as a Chaplain of the Basic Education department. I don't know why I am assigned to such office. I did not have any inclination towards youth ministry. In the name of obedience, I accepted the office, believing it is from the Lord. From one who never had an inclination towards the young, now I enjoy accompanying young people on their journey to become good Christians. I never felt so alive today, with the contagious dynamism of grade school students (Now I enjoy doing action songs!).    

The living Christ hopes one thing from us: to be alive as He is. Thus, he affects not only those who are rich soil, those who are already alive, but those who are dying, that they may fully experience the life-giving Spirit of the Lord. He gave us more than manna, more than His words. He offers to us the bread of life, and the chalice of salvation, that we may be sustained and be alive through Him. Christ desires that we may be alive, that we may give life to others. Christ hopes, that like Him, you will grow to be hopeful sower who sows hope and life to the people you encounter.   

How are we to nurture the seeds entrusted to us? How are we to fulfill the hope God sees in us? Those who have ears ought to her and should listen.

Huwag magbingi-bingihan sa tawag ng Dios sa isang buhay na banal.

Huwag lang makinig sa Salita ng Dios. Pakinggan ito! Dinggin ito,

Nang matupad ang pag-asang batid ng Dios sa atin,

Nang magkaroon tayo ng buhay kay Hesus, maging buhay tayo sa ngalan Niya, at makapagbigay buhay tayo tulad Niya.