20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Last Thursday, August 15, 2013, after our vesper mass in honor of San Roque at sitio Agsam, Camaligan, Batan, Aklan, three Altar Knights went to "binaylehan". They danced there together with their peers. At 2:00 A.M. of August 16, they went home to sleep. I thought they could not serve during the mass on that day as they were exhausted dancing the whole time they were in "binaylehan". Surprisingly, they were there actively assisting me in the mass while their peers were all sleeping. The values of these three Altar Knights are far different from their peers'. After giving them seminars for months what an Altar Knight should be, they learned to inculcate Christian values which are in conflict with their former values. They used to smoke and drink liquor excessively. They did not even go to church during Sundays. They were unruly. Actually it was not easy to introduce to them the values which they were not familiar with and unpopular at their age. There were some who quit attending the seminars. They laughed at those who became Altar Knights. They teased them that it is unmanly for a teenager who does not smoke or drink liquor. They also called them cowards as Altar Knights refused to engage in a fistfight. I myself witnessed how difficult to live with Christian values in a place with unchristian values. As a parish priest, I have to smile even when irreligious people insult me. I have to be patient with parishioners who spend their money for liquor and cigars while they do not contribute for the parish. I have to keep my temper even I know I have the right to be mad. With these experiences, I begin to understand why Jesus said in the Gospel of Luke 12:49-53, "Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth?" Jesus simply reminds us that Christian life is not a comfortable life. We are not called to be hypocrites, acting as if we are good though we are not. Rather, we are called to adhere to the values of Christ even if others do not like it. We are called to be Christlike to those who hate Christ. Through these, we become a living witness that Christianity is not just a noble ideal but a way of life. Amen.