1st Day of Simbang Gabi 2013

One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out a way to get him out. Finally he decided it was probably impossible and the animal was old and the well was dry anyway, so it just wasn’t worth it to try and retrieve the donkey. So the farmer asked his neighbors to come over and help him cover up the well. They all grabbed shovels and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, when the donkey realized what was happening he cried horribly. Then, to everyone’s amazement, he quieted down and let out some happy brays. A few shovel loads later, the farmer looked down the well to see what was happening and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was shaking it off and taking a step up. As the farmer’s neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he continued to shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, to everyone’s amazement, the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off! My dear friends, in life, there are people who try to shovel dirt on us. We somehow experienced being maligned or being accused of evil things which we did not even do. Just like the donkey in the story we have to shake the dirt off and try to step up. Yet we cannot deny that we feel exhausted sometimes of proving our innocence. We think of giving up. We think we better cover ourselves with dirt so that people can't see us anymore except dirt. But let us not succumb to such temptation. We have to remember that God is not concerned with our dirt or the dirt which people shovel on us. Rather, God is concerned of seeing His image and likeness in us. This is why on our first day of Simbang Gabi, our Gospel makes us realize this plan of God who cleanses us with the water of baptism. God even sent John the Baptist to make us clean. In our Gospel (Luke 7:27), it is clearly stated why He sent John: "This is the one about whom it is written, 'Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.'" My dear friends, no matter what people say about us is not as important as what God says to us. We are meant to reflect His image and likeness. Amen.