REMAIN IN JESUS

Do you believe in the existence of the wind; gravity; brain; the universe? Do you believe you have a soul? We believe in these things but has anyone seen any of them? Who saw the gravity? Who saw the universe in its entirety? It is easy to believe in the things and people we see. It is difficult to be persuaded by those we have not seen, but it is not impossible.

Fear of the unknown prevents us from seeking to know such unclear things in our life. We are too afraid of what we may discover. Consequently, because of our fear, we end up more afraid and uninformed of the truth of things unknown to us. Courage can bring us to realities we never thought of before. Fear keeps us in darkness. If the sixteenth-century voyagers did not take courage and sailed to the unknown, would the Americas be found? If Magellan remained in the Iberian peninsula, would he be able to discover the route to the Philippines and prove that the world is round (and not flat)?  Thus, in our life, Christ brings peace to us that fear may be removed from us. As fear blocks our minds from seeing the truth, the peace and assurance brought by Christ encourage us to face the truth in our lives: the victory of God over sin and death; the victory He had won for us. With peace among us, with truth among us, we cease to be afraid to believe things that may be unbelievable; we begin to proclaim the truth no matter how difficult it may be proclaimed; though how unbelievable it may be.

If ever we remain in darkness and fear and we miss the presence of Christ, it is because we are absent in His presence, we grow afraid, and consequently, the truth becomes unknown to us. We doubt like Thomas, who was missing in action from the upper room where the apostles were. Thus, we should not be missing in action and miss the acts of God. Christ manifests Himself to us in many ways. Do we recognize Him as our Lord and God; as the one in control of everything though how difficult the situation may be? Remain in Jesus. Be in His presence; that we may constantly believe and have faith in Him always as our Lord, as one greater than anything and anyone else in our life.

Jesus as Lord is greater than our sin. His mercy is more than enough to cleanse us from our sins. Are we at peace in this? Do we believe this? Unless we are at peace and believe this, we will constantly be afraid and be enslaved by sins, lies, and deceptions.  Have you seen the boundless mercy of God? Be at peace.  Jesus is our Lord and God. Believe and you shall see! 

FROM THE BOAT TO THE SHORE

Have you worried or been in despair?

In the final years of my masteral studies, I was preparing for my thesis writing. I had an initial discussion on my thesis with a foremost historian in our Order. He was willing to be my adviser and was ready to assist me to complete the requirements for the degree. Everything was set until he received his appointment from the Curia as the new rector of our university in Rome. He would be away from the country for years. That jeopardized our plan. I knew the difficulties of long-distance mentoring. To aggravate the situation, he was no tech savvy. Communicating via emails would be problematic, if not impossible for us. As he left for Rome, I was worried about how I would be able to finish my studies. I could not think of another person who can assist me in my studies. After sending some emails to him, I received no replies. I was in despair. I prayed to God that I might be assisted in my studies. And suddenly, the news came that my would-be adviser could not assume the post abroad due to health reasons. Few weeks after, he went home. Though surprised by his condition, I was relieved of my worries. I gained back my adviser.    

We have worries in life. We worry about things that are unclear to us. We worry when we are in darkness. The apostles were in despair as to how to manage their growing number and demands of their ministry, so much so that widows and orphans had been left unattended (Acts 6:1-7). In that crisis, God enabled to identify a new ministry in the Church: the ministry of the diaconate. The disciples, on their way to Capernaum via boat, where tossed and buffeted by a storm. Jesus went to them, walking on water. He did not simply calm the storm. He brought them to the safety of the shore.  We may have thousands of reasons to worry in life but we are not to succumb to despair. We have a merciful God. He will deliver us from darkness to light; from worries to certainty. If only we trust in Him, our worries will be made clear, in His perfect time, in His seamless way.

As we embark in our missions where God is sending us, we would experience storms. Our boats we so patiently built, and with which we have relied so much on, will be buffeted by raging winds. The boats we built will prove to be useless in the face of challenges greater than ourselves. We can only reach our destination with God's help and mercy, which is greatest among us, greater than any problem.

From the boat to the shore; more than calming the storms, God brings us to more certain grounds; to the completion of our mission. 

OUR PRAYER

Praying is our way of communicating with God. As we enter into prayer, we engage in a dialogue and conversation with God. We express to Him the deepest desires and longings of hearts. But most of the time, praying as a conversation with God is about listening to Him more than as doing the talking.  As Mother Teresa said “Prayer is not asking. Prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God, at this disposition, and listening to his voice in the depths of our hearts.” In praying, we long to understand His will in our lives and not to dictate our personal will to God. Through prayers, we can be strengthened to face any difficulties and challenges in our life as God enlightens us whenever we are in darkness and fear.

In January of 2014, I thought of leaving the seminary. We had a problem in our family. I thought if I left the seminary, I can be of help to them since I will be present in their midst and perhaps be able to add some financial assistance to them should I start a lucrative business. For several nights, after dinner, I walked around the church courtyard in Santo Domingo. It was a simple silent walk. And suddenly it dawned on me that I could not give financial assistance to my parents (even now as a priest), as my siblings do. But I can give or do something for them. I can pray for them. That made me realize the value of prayer in my life; the capacity to beg for graces and mercy from God for my family and friends. From that time on, I took my prayer life seriously. I cannot give money, food or shelter, but I can pray that God may provide whatever we need. And so, I continue my religious and clerical formation. Five years after, our problem remains unsolved but we are still here, strengthened and made resilient by God. We continue to pray.                       

Praying leads us to the realization of the will of God in our life. "Not my will, but Your will be done." Thus, in our traditions and rituals, we employ things that can help us focus in meditating upon the will of God: rosary, psalms. Through these, we encounter God in silence and stillness of our hearts, the God who only speaks in silence. We come face to face with the TRUTH about our lives about God. And it is this truth that we are to bring to the people to whom we administer.

Prayer always has a social dimension. It can never be a personal one. If the Lord's Prayer is our model, we realize that it is not about "I" but "Our, We." Our lives and prayers as Christians are imitations of Christ's. The Holy Trinity never kept the love they have for one another only for themselves. They go ad extra, which is going outside or beyond their relationship as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Thus, God created us, redeemed us, and sustains us. When we pray, we always pray for others more than for ourselves; for the persons with whom we are in a relationship with. A mother prays for her children. A husband prays for his wife. A teacher prays for her students. A friend prays for his friend. Even for your persecutors and enemies, you can pray for them. As the letter of James (5:16) says: “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” Our prayers are always communal and for others, as God is towards us.

In the 16th century translation of the Lord's Prayer in Baybayin, the phrase "And lead us not into temptation" is translated as "Huwág mo kamí iwan || nang  dî kamí matalo nang tuksó." Prayer for us is about the accompaniment of God, to be secured in His presence; to be always present in Him. And God makes Himself present through the company of a friend praying for you. Di ka nag-iisa. You can be the answer to the prayers of others, as you accompany them in their prayers.  

BECOMING A SHEPHERD

Once I received a puppy as a gift from my brother-in-law. He knew I love dogs. I named him Johan and took care of it. I bought dog food and vitamins for Johan and regularly brought him to the vets. I even studied dog psychology and behavior so that I can provide whatever Johan may need. I gave my best in taking care of Johan. After all, he was mine. I felt responsible for his welfare.  Indeed, we do and give everything we can to the things and persons entrusted to us, as they become ours.

Jesus declares, “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11). And we are the sheep of His flock, for whom He lays down His life. He feeds us with His words. He binds our wounds. He saves us from the snares of death. He gives and leads us to eternal life, and we shall never perish. Jesus does all this for He has adopted (nilingap) us out of His infinite love for mankind. He does His best, he gives His best, His very own life, that everyone, not only the Jews but people of all nations (cf. Acts 13:14, 43-52), may be brought to the Father; to be sharers with the divine life. But what do we give in return? As sheep of His flock, how do we behave?

Jesus is the Shepherd and the Lamb of God. "I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my sheep, and mine know me (JN 10:14)." Our Shepherd is gentle for He Himself is a sheep; He knows what it means to be a human person. He is not detached from our condition. He is a Shepherd who is in the midst of His flock; not ahead of His flock nor at their back. He is truly a Shepherd who smells like His sheep. If Jesus demands one thing from us, He knows we can fulfill it for He knows us, His sheep. But have we recognized Him as our Shepherd?

Sheep have the tendency to flock and to stay together to compensate for the natural defense they lack against possible attackers. They are always together, looking for each other as they graze to maintain their positions. Sheep may follow other sheep but only the shepherd can bring them to safety. Like the sheep, we may have the propensity to listen to one another; to human opinions; to world-pieces of advice; to other shepherds, and we perish for listening in futility to these other shepherds. Only the counsel of the Good Shepherd can bring us to our life goals; only the voice of the Good Shepherd can direct us towards heaven, our homeland; only through the guidance of the Good Shepherd can we establish a relationship with the Father.

There are lost sheep among us. It so not because the Shepherd is negligent in attending to his flock but rather because of the sheep’s personal choice to move away from the flock and away from the shepherd. Probably, sheep move away from the flock because it is tempted to the other side where there seems to be a greener pasture. Lured by wolves clothed as sheep, they leave the flock thinking they can defend themselves only to expose themselves to great dangers. Away from the Good Shepherd, sheep’s coat grows unattended and unsheared, parasites abound on its skin.  Remember the story of Shrek the renegade New Zealander sheep who hid away from its shepherd for six years in a cave to avoid shearing. When it was found, one can hardly recognize it as a sheep. Its coat has grown so thick that it was able to produce twenty suits for men. It had fleece that weigh twenty-seven kilos. It could barely see, for its eyes were covered by its overgrown coat and fleece. Shrek and other sheep disdained sheering by their shepherds not because the process is painful, but rather because it is something unfamiliar to them, though something beneficial. The Good Shepherd desires only good things for us. But often we find our own plans and will far better than His (Sa tingin natin, mas magaling tayo; mas mainam ang plano natin). We are mistaken. For that, we are lost. Away from our Shepherd, we become black sheep because of the darkness brought about by sin.

When in danger, sheep knows they need help. Sheep welcome a shepherd when in pain and danger. A female sheep giving birth welcomes the assistance of the shepherd. Suddenly it is unafraid of the shepherd. In the midst of suffering, a sheep expresses its docility to the shepherd. Such can be rendered as an act of humility on that part of the sheep who usually depends on its self and its fellow sheep.

We as sheep of God's flock have Jesus as our Good Shepherd who is constantly present in our midst, ready to tend us especially when we are in pain and in danger; the Good Shepherd who is willing to search for us whenever we are lost. Such care of the good shepherd is given to all; Jews and Gentiles alike (cf. Acts 13:14, 43-52). The love of God and the eternal life He offers to us is for all; Jews and Gentiles alike. Thus, Paul and Barnabas preached the good news to even to the pagans. Though rejected by others, they were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit, for they were heeding the call of the Good Shepherd to be shepherds of His flock; for brothers to shepherd their brothers.

Jesus is our Good Shepherd who has embraced all of us as His own. Can we be good sheep by recognizing His voice; by obeying His commandments; away from muds that can turn us into black sheep? As we become His good sheep, we are transformed to being shepherds also, after the heart of Jesus the Good Shepherd, leading our brothers and sisters to heed His voice.