30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

When Fr. Jerry Orbos and his companions first donned their cassocks, their novice master reminded them to make sure to wear a smile along with them. Also, he taught them a very simple lesson –that if they missed one button, they would have to go back and button it up and do the rest all over again.

This shared experience of Fr. Orbos reminds us that whatever is made wrong must be corrected or else the wrongful doing will continue. Eventually, it shall be shown. Just like in our Gospel of Luke 18: 9-14, Jesus said that the Pharisee prayed to God believing that he did not commit any wrong. He did not notice that he was too self-righteous amounting to his commission of sin. He was over-confident to attain salvation through his own effort and merits. Nobody attempted to correct him his ways. So Jesus said, the Pharisee was not justified unlike the tax collector in his parable. The tax collector was justified because he knew he had done wrong and he asked for God’s mercy to correct him. It is better for us to be like the tax collector who admitted before God our shortcomings so that we will not perpetuate a wrong and be saved not according to our efforts but according to God’s mercy. Amen.

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

In the Book, Moments of Fr. Orbos, there is this story of a sibling rivalry between Michelle and Michael. Their mother thought they would outgrow it, but it got worse as the years went by. She said the greatest pain in their hearts as parents is to see their children not getting along. All they could do was pray, and pray they did.

Then one day, in a retreat, her daughter broke down and lamented having everything in this world except the love and care of her Kuya Michael. That broke ice. Michael went to his sister and embraced her, telling her how much he loved her though he never expressed it.

For their mother, she believed prayers work. Prayer can melt the hardest of hearts.

This too is the message conveyed by the Gospel of Luke 18: 1-8. Prayer pays off. This is true for those who trust in God. Instead of losing one’s heart, Jesus reminds us to have faith, that kind of faith which does not give up praying and believing until we get what we pray for. Like the widow in the Gospel, we are called to pray unceasingly.

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Fr. Jerry M. Orbos once revealed his encounter with the late Speaker Ramon Mitra who faced cancer before his death. He said Ramon Mitra told him, “I cannot ask for more. I have been blessed much. I have done my very best. I have forgiven all who hurt me, and I have asked for forgiveness for my offenses. I’m ready to face my God. I shall be with Him soon…”

This experience of Fr. Orbos with Mitra would remind us of the Gospel of Luke 17: 11-19. Among the ten lepers whom Jesus healed, only one went back to give him thanks while praising God. Jesus wondered then where were the other nine. It seems gratitude or giving thanks is very difficult to do for most people who have received favor from God or their fellowmen. For people who show ingratitude, they think it is important that they already get what they want. If they cannot get what they want for free, they may offer to pay the price for it. They forget there are things which money cannot buy, and for things freely given only a word of thanks can satisfy.

Gratitude is an act of recognition that one cannot depend solely on himself/herself and he/she needs the help or favor from someone. Proud people do not do this. They think they deserve everything that is good, they seldom ask for help and so they are not used to give thanks to people or even to God.

Being grateful is a virtue. Only a humble person who believes that everything is grace can give thanks. Only a person who receives kindness which he/she thought he/she does not deserve though he/she needs it, can give thanks to God. Now, can we give God our thanks?

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Fr. Jerry M. Orbos once told a story about one of those “Walk with God” pilgrimages he did on foot to Manaoag, Pangasinan every first Saturday in May and October. He saw among the walking pilgrims a couple carrying a frail and really tiny baby grasping for breath. Faith, simple and pure, was written on the face of the father as he asked him to bless the child. The priest learned that the hospital had given up on the child and told them to take the child home, but instead they had joined the 3 ½ hour walk to Manaoag. Orbos’ friend Sonny Sison told him that the child was healed. That was some six years ago, and the parents continued to join the walk every May and October, with the child walking with them.

This story tells us about how faith works. There will be miracles for a man who has faith. But how does faith really work? In the Gospel of Luke 17: 5-10, the apostles said to Jesus to increase their faith. But Jesus did not directly answer them, rather he told them that even with a small faith, miracles may happen to a person who believes in God. But what is equally important is that faith leads one to listen and obey God. Even if the person with faith cannot see miracles, it is important that he listens and obeys the will of God whatever that means. Jesus had these words at the end, “So you also, when you have done all that is commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’” Therefore, faith is not only good when people see miracles, but also when people yield to the will of God.