God and the Bar Part I

I was grade six when Lola Mary, my mom and I went to Iloilo to meet uncle Tony Acevedo. We had to ask for my uncle's financial support as I was planning to enter the seminary after graduation. My mom, a widow could not afford to spend all her salary just for me, the youngest among her six little children. So, Lola Mary and mama advised her to seek uncle Tony's financial assistance. At uncle Tony's house in Iloilo, he initially asked me to choose between priesthood and the legal profession. I chose priesthood. Thirteen years later, I was ordained priest inspired by four signifcant persons in my life. 

During those times I was studying in the seminary, Mama, Lola Mary and my mom would always give me an option to take the legal profession if I would decide to leave the seminary. They would always tell me stories about Uncle Tony as a lawyer in the family. Though they inspired me to be a child like my uncle Tony, they had not awaken my interest to take the legal profession. I loved priesthood the most though this love for priesthood was tested many times by various circumstances and instances. It took a miracle that I was ordained priest in 2001.

Even when I was newly ordained as priest, my mom continued to encourage me to use my available time for studies. She would tell me that life is a continuous  learning process; that education does not stop as long as I want to learn. I listened and followed her motherly advise except for one i.e., to take the legal profession. I found out later that she once studied in law school but she never had the chance to finish her studies as she gave priority to her role as a wife to our father and as a mother to us their children. I also found out how uncle Tony influenced her to consider legal profession as a noble profession. Both of them, uncle Tony and my mom always wanted to have another lawyer in the family. It was their dream for the family but which I never dreamed for myself. Years had passed, being a lawyer had not occured into my mind until on one occasion when I visited Atty. Olen Gonzales in his home. He told me that I have to save a huge amount to pay for a lawyer. My family he said is engaged in politics and as a priest, I need a lawyer to defend my rights because I am not expected to speak something beyond the boundary of my vocation. I pondered upon his words but I took no action to hire any lawyer for my behalf. I believe I am blessed that Atty. Olen's son, Atty. Chris Gonzales who is now a fiscal in our province is a very dear friend of mine and he is always ready to help me in any legal battle as long as I have not done any wrong. Fiscal Chris and I have been good friends since we were in the minor seminary though he was one year senior to me. With his legal knowledge and expertise, I have been confident that he can set me free as he sets the truth free. 

But much to my surprise, Jhoanna Gonzales Guarin, the fiscal's sister and Atty. Olen's daughter, who happened to be my close friend invited me to join her in enrolling at Aklan Catholic College to take up Law. Without hesitation, I agreed. I took the entrance exam, passed the said exam and enrolled in Law School. It was my first day in Law School that I learned Jhoanna did not enroll. So, I planned to back out. But our professor in Civil Code and Perfam on that day reminded me of my seminary days as she was strict in handling our class. She asked us to stand up and recite the first few articles of the Civil Code. If one could not recite those articles, he or she would remain standing until the class ends. This is what we did in the seminary when we were in high school! This classroom experience awakened my interest to stay in Law School. I loved standing in the class with a smile every time I could not memorize, recite or answer the professor's question in Civil Code and Perfam. From this I learned to enjoy our class in Law School especially with the growing camaraderie within our batch. 

5th Sunday of Easter 2016

A Sikh called Singh and a friend were travelling through the mountains of northern India. A winter storm was howling around them. In the midst of the blizzard they found a man lying by the roadside, apparently dead. The Sikh wanted to stay and give help, but his friend refused to even slow down.

The Sikh massaged the hands and feet of the man very briskly, rubbed snow on them, and then took the man onto his back and trudged along slowly. The warmth of the man’s body added to that of his own, had a reviving and sustaining effect on both of them.

After a mile of painful progress, he found another body lying by the wayside. It was that of his late companion, frozen to death. He did not have enough warmth to fight the storm.

This story gives us an analogy that in life there is a journey and a destination. The Sikh and his friend journeyed together to reach their destination. For the Sikh, the journey is as important as the destination; but for his friend, the destination only matters. So the story ends with the Sikh’s friend never reached his destination as he never made his journey worthwhile while the Sikh who saved a man during their journey had finally arrived at his destination.

My dear friends, in our Christian life there is a journey and a destination too. Our destination is heaven. God created us to share His life and love with us. He even sent us His only Son to secure us of our final destination i.e., heaven. Moreover, the Holy Spirit guides us towards this destination. If heaven is our Christian destination, what then comprises our journey? Well, our Gospel reminds us that our life here on earth is a journey. Therefore, we have to make this journey worthwhile. Our journey matters in order to reach our destination which is heaven. Just like the Sikh, we have to do something for the other. Jesus made this clear in our Gospel that we have to love one another as God loves us. If we are only busy thinking about heaven but we never love one another while we are here on earth, then we end up like the Sikh’s friend who never reached his destination. Yet, when we are busy loving one another while we are here on earth, we surely shall reach heaven even though we are not aware of it. My dear friends, we are all in this journey. Let us love one another as Jesus loves us (John 13: 31-35). Amen.

 

 

 

 

   

Homily on the Burial Day of Dr. Boy Bernabe

Today is the Feast of Epiphany. This feast reminds us how the three magi would use their expertise and experience to find Jesus. Yet their human effort seemed to be worthless until there was a divine intervention; A star appeared to guide them on their way to Jesus (Matthew 2:2). It was only when God allows to reveal His glory that man can find Him. It was only when God revealed His glory using the signs of the times that a man can realize how God works in a mysterious way. My dear friends, when I visited Dr. Boy Bernabe at Asian Hospital, I could not afford to see him suffering. I prayed to God that if ever He has to take Dr. Boy away from his family, I prayed that it should be on December 8 and if not then it must be after Christmas, and the date must be significant and memorable so that I could take it as a sign that Dr. Boy will be in heaven. Verily, Dr. Boy passed away on December 27, on the Feast of the Holy Family. I take this as a sign from God. I believe that God recognizes the quality of Dr. Boy as a family man. Dr. Boy told me before how he lived as rich and famous during his younger years. But when he got married, he changed his ways and showed much affection to protect his family. I remember how many times he would call me up early in the morning to have his confession and asked for family blessings before their trip abroad. I remember how he sacrificed himself to keep his siblings united as one family. I witnessed how much he loved his wife and their children. Even how he treated his friends, it was like his brother or sister or a family. Yes, it is painful for the family that Dr. Boy is now gone but their consolation comes from God. God, in taking up Dr. Boy to heaven works through the signs of the times. He wants us especially the family to know that Dr. Boy now belongs to the family of all holies as he died on the Feast of the Holy Family. Therefore as we say our last farewell to him, I know in heaven God says to Dr. Boy, "Welcome to the Holy Family!" Farewell Dr. Boy and let the light of God shine on you. Amen.

3rd Sunday of Advent 2015

Luke 3: 10-18

My dear friends, let me share to you at least three points based on my reflection on today’s Gospel (Luke 3: 10-18) First point, “even bad people realize their need to change their ways and become a better person.” Our Gospel says that the multitudes, the tax collectors and soldiers approached John the Baptist and asked him what they should do. These people, though how bad they are depicted in some passages of the Bible, expressed their willingness to change their ways. This is possible because even if they are sinners, still their bodies are temple of the Holy Spirit and the same Spirit leads them to take the path of conversion.

Second point, “these bad people usually turn away from their sinful life when they meet someone who inspires them to take a virtuous life.” Our Gospel says that the multitudes, the tax collectors and the soldiers approached John the Baptist to consult him. This situation is not always easy for some people. There are those who are reluctant to seek some advice because they do not want to appear to others as incompetent or they refuse to consult others because of their pride. How many time we have heard stories about some children who are hardheaded and they never listen to what their parents tell them to do. Yet when these children become teenagers and fall in love, they learn to change their ways without being told to do so. This is because they are inspired. In our Gospel, it was John the Baptist who inspired those people to change their ways. Without him as their inspiration, it was difficult to initiate changes from them.  

Third point, “people consult or seek some advice from someone not just because of the latter’s competence to make a sound judgment but more so on the values he made manifest before them.”  In our Gospel, the multitudes, the tax collectors and soldiers sought John’s advice because of the values they had seen from him. John the Baptizer though popular as he was remained humble before them. He never usurped the title of Christ. He exhorted them and preached good news to them. He never destroyed those people by dwelling on their weakness and failures. Rather, he raised them up from their weakness and failures. He brought them a message of hope that no person is born bad and therefore it is a matter of choice to choose good or evil. Most of all, he led them to recognize Jesus as the Christ.

My dear friends, on this third Sunday of Advent, we are reminded to confess our sins and turn away from them. But this is not enough. Like John the Baptist, we need to inspire our fellow Catholics to confess their sins and turn away from them. We do not dictate those people to do what is right. We do not force them to change their ways. We only need to show them our Christian values so that they too would inculcate the same values. We do not lose our hope that even bad people shall change and become better persons. As long as one lives, there is a chance to undergo conversion and sometimes such person needs only someone to inspire him/her to do so. Let us therefore be the first one to inspire our fellow Catholics. Amen.         

Feast of the Immaculate Conception 2015

December 8, 2015

Today we celebrate the Feast of Mary, the Immaculate Conception. In celebrating this feast, we are reminded of the Catholic teaching that Mary was conceived without sin. But this teaching is very difficult for some Christians to accept. Let me quote one Bible verse which is being used to oppose this teaching. It is a passage from the letter of Paul to the Romans 3: 22-23 saying, “For there is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” With this, it is clear that “all” without exception have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. So how come that we in the Catholic Church teaches that Mary was conceived without sin if it is clear that “all” have sinned?

My dear friends, to answer this, let me lead you back to the Gospel which we have read today. Our Gospel is taken from Luke 1: 26-38 which says that an angel came to Mary and said, “Greetings, favored one, the Lord is with you” and “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God!” These verses reveal that Mary is sinless because the angel personally declared that she is full of grace as the “Lord is with her”. These verses reveal too that Mary does not fall short of the glory of God because the angel personally declared that she has “found favor” with God.

As a personal note, if we based our faith on the Scripture alone, then these verses are sufficient to establish the special status of Mary among the faithful. Would you then choose to believe a pastor who disregards Mary or the angel who announced that Mary is highly esteemed by God?

Now, how do we settle the conflict between the verses from the Gospel of Luke and from the letters to the Romans? The letter to the Romans refers to a general application i.e., for all the people of the earth while the Gospel of Luke is for particular application i.e., for Mary only. In other words, “all have sinned” refers to us, while being conceived without sin refers to Mary.  Moreover, it is not impossible that Mary was conceived without sin because even Adam and Eve were created without sin. So a pure state of grace is possible because of God. Mary then as immaculate is actually God’s work which the Catholic Church only declares and promulgates. The Catholic Church does not invent this teaching, she just acknowledges the amazing work of God through Mary as written in the Scripture.

This is why other Christians have no reason to accuse the Catholic Church of giving importance to Mary because it was God who first made Mary important in the history of salvation. The Catholic Church merely affirms and confirms what God did to Mary as being a favored one. This is why other Christians have no reason also to deny the Catholic teaching that Mary is the mother of God because it was the angel of God himself declared, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called the Son of God” (with emphasis on the Son of God). Indeed, it is by necessary implication that Mary was immaculately conceived because she would bear the Son of God. The Son of God shall not just be placed in anybody’s womb but in a womb made holy by God. To say this in another way; Mary would become the mother of Jesus the Son of God, it is therefore necessary that she should have no sin. This said necessary implication may be fully understood quoting a Biblical passage stating, “Do not give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls before pigs; otherwise they will trample them under their feet and turn around and tear you to pieces.”

To end, we Catholics should continue to give our special devotion to Mary not only today on the feast of Immaculate Conception, but every day. If God Himself gave favor to Mary, who are we to refuse acknowledging her in her special role in the history of salvation? Moreover, if there are still questions as well as doubts on the holiness or immaculateness of Mary, just read Luke 1: 37 –For nothing is impossible with God. Amen.     

2nd Sunday of Advent 2015

Luke 3:1-6

One afternoon at Starbucks in BF Homes, a guy approached me and told me that he recognized me as a priest assigned at their parish in 2005. Then he asked me a question about baptism. He asked me why Catholics allow children to be baptized though they could not yet have faith in God. He immediately mentioned about John the Baptist who baptized adults like Jesus. I just listened to him and never gave any answer to his question. I was at Starbucks to enjoy drinking my coffee while giving myself a break so I did not entertain his question. When he could not elicit any response from me, he politely left me as he returned to his table.

My dear friends, today allow me to go back to the guy’s question as we reflect on today’s gospel. We, Catholics do baptize children because it was Jesus himself who commanded his disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit… (Matthew 28: 19) Jesus never said that only adults should be baptized and ignore the children. Therefore, what Jesus did not prohibit, no man should prohibit it.   

If we also read the Gospel of Mark 16:16, it is said, “The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who does not believe will be condemned,” this phrase does not say that a child is not allowed for baptism. If the problem is the faith of the child in order to receive baptism, then the status of the child shall fall into the second sentence which states, “the one who does not believe will be condemned.” Does this sound Godly that a child who cannot yet believe just because he is a child and dies will go to hell because he is not baptized?

Moreover, is it not more problematic for an adult who would just say he believes in Christ as his savior in order to fulfill the condition of his baptism? Is it not more conflicting when we can see those who claim they believe in Christ and were baptized yet they are experts in the art of criticizing us Catholics?  Is it an act of faith to compare their religious belief with the Catholic faith and claim religious superiority? If their faith in Christ has saved them already, why do they act as if they were not yet saved? Their actions speak louder than their words.

Now, many of us trace the origin of our baptism from the baptism of John. This is also what other Christians think that is why they said that baptism is for adults as Jesus received baptism as an adult. Well, sorry to say but this (the baptism of John) is not the origin of our baptism in the Catholic Church. Try to take a look at Luke 3: 1-6. It says, “John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” Here it is clear that the objective of the baptism of John is repentance for the forgiveness of sins. It is not the kind of baptism that Christianizes us. Why? If we are baptized with the baptism of John, then we are called followers of John. But we are called Christians! This is because we are baptized with the baptism of Jesus the Christ. There is a difference between the baptism which John conferred and that of Jesus. John himself even acknowledged the difference saying in Matthew 3: 11, “I baptize you with water, for repentance, but the one coming after me is more powerful than I am –I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Thereof even if John’s baptism are for adults only, his baptism is not the standard of our baptism. One can also look into the details of the difference between the baptism of John and Jesus in John 3:22-30.

What then is the significance of John’s baptism for us Catholics? Well, the baptism of John is important for us Catholics to remind ourselves the need for repentance especially for the forgiveness of sins which we commit after our baptism. We are reminded that in order to meet the Lord with gladness, we are free from any obstacle: mountains and hills shall be made low; make the winding path straight. The mountain and hill as obstacles may be the occasions of sins, the effects of sins or sins themselves. We are called to decide to free ourselves from sins and choose to live in Christ. We have to give up our addictions which blur our vision to see Jesus clearly as to love Him dearly. We have to cleanse ourselves by immersing in the water of repentance. It means that after we have been made clean, we come out of the water leaving behind our sins. No longer shall those sins stop us in meeting Jesus and living with Him. We shall do this daily and not only during Advent Season. The struggle against sin does not happen only during Christmas, so we must see to it before we sleep at night, we have asked forgiveness from God for both big and small sins. Amen.

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2015

Scripture: Mark 10:2-16

2 And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" 3 He answered them, "What did Moses command you?" 4 They said, "Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to put her away." 5 But Jesus said to them, "For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of creation, `God made them male and female.' 7 `For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder." 10 And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. 11 And he said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her; 12 and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."

What did Moses command you? -this question reminds us of two important things in marriage. First that marriage is based on the consent or will of the persons as represented by the pronoun YOU and second, that marriage is based on law which supposedly protect the choice which one made in favor of marriage which here is represented by the word MOSES as he is considered the lawgiver. But even with these two, marriage cannot sustain without its third important element i.e., marriage is something spiritual, a vocation from God. This is why Jesus said that what God has joined together let no man put asunder because He knows that one's will or consent may change from time to time and even law could be amended to suit in the whims of those who live in lust. But with the spiritual nature of marriage, we are all bound to protect it and make it work for the glory of God. Amen.