5th Easter Sunday -Year B -John 15:1-8

A man approached his parish priest and volunteered to join the parish team. He said he is a doctor of Philosophy and one of the best professors in one of the best universities in the country. The priest smiled and warmly welcomed him. The man asked what would be his position in the team. He said he could be the president of the team as he is highly qualified for any higher position. The priest smiled and gave him a broom instead. He asked the man to clean the church. The man became mad because of this. “I am a distinguished professor in a well known university and you want me to clean the church”, he said. “No way. I will serve the church no more”, he added. When the man left the church, the priest said to himself, “Oh Jesus, we do not need unchristian workers in the church. My dear friends, we are all Catholics here. But sometimes we do not know the essence of our being catholic. Some of us think that being a Catholic is being a member of one of the many religions. What we somehow overlook is that we are all followers of Christ. This is the truth why we are called Christians –we are nothing but only followers of Christ. And being a Christian, we have nothing to boast against the others. What capacity do we have to build a Christian community? The fact is we are in the church not because we can offer our superior intelligence or mega achievements. Our church is not founded on merely human strength or power. Rather, we are in the church to listen to God. In our first reading, Acts 9:26-31 our church is organized not by the power of men. It is said, “It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit it grew in numbers.” Our church does not depend on the greatness of man but on the guidance of God. If one is trying to build a community due to his own strength and power, then such community is not built by Christ. For the followers of Karl Marx, their community is known as the Marxist. For the followers of Mao Zedong, they are called the Communist Party of China. Vladimir Lenin called his followers the Bolsheviks while Julius Martov formed the Mensheviks. These are all man-made communities and if communities are founded on human strength, time will come that the human weakness will try to corrupt the said strength. Now, what kind of a community do we suppose to have if we are guided by God? What is the identity of our community when it is founded by Christ? Our second reading says, “Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth” (1 John 3:18-24). It means that are community is incorruptible or invincible because our strength is neither our intelligence nor social skills but love. Love and no other is what our community is made up of. Our church is known not because we have great men or intelligent priests but because we can show our love to one another in word and in deed. It is by the power of love that we can do great things. Without love, the community will not last. Our power, our strength is love and this kind of love comes from our faith in Christ. Jesus said, “Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:1-8) This means that we do not need great men in the church but only those who can be humble before God and allow God’s love to be their strength and power in serving the church. If there is one requirement for being a priest, a catholic, a lector, commentator, catechist, etc. it must be love. If one does not know how to love in word and in deed, then he/she is deemed disqualified. Love makes a difference in serving and building the church. The absence or presence of love makes a difference in the community. In a little church in a small village in Yugoslavia, an altar boy serving the priest at Sunday Mass accidentally dropped the cruet of wine. The village priest struck the altar boy sharply on the cheek and in a gruff voice shouted, "Leave the sanctuary and don't come back!" That boy became Marshall Tito, the antichristian communist president of Yugoslavia in 1953 till his death in 1980. In the cathedral of Peoria, Illinois another altar boy serving the bishop at Sunday Mass also accidentally dropped the cruet of wine. With a warm twinkle in his eyes, the bishop gently whispered, "Someday you will be a priest." Do you know who that boy was? Archbishop Fulton Sheen. So how do we serve our church? Jesus has the answer in today’s gospel: With humility, abiding in him but most of all, with love. Let us serve the church with love and be great because we excel in the art of loving.

4th Easter Sunday -Year B -John 10:11-18

A Filipino nurse Jonathan Aquino was sentenced to 18 months in jail for mauling his patient Maria Worroll almost a year ago in Kentish Town, North London. Jonathan Aquino’s violent acts were caught in a video when Jane Carroll, Maria’s daughter, hid a camera in the bedroom after suspecting a maltreatment of her mother. The video showed Aquino hitting the 80-year-old Alzheimer’s patient in the face and then slapping her arms several times. He then hit her abdomen four times. Sentencing Aquino to 18 months in jail, Judge Henry Blacksell QC told the nurse he was guilty of a ‘dreadful breach of trust’. ‘It is distressing for anybody to have to watch what’s contained on the footage,’ he said at Blackfriars Crown Court, central London. ‘This poor woman had been transferred to this institution in the hope that she should receive proper care and attention. ‘Quite rightly, society in general is extremely concerned about the treatment of the elderly and vulnerable in institutions such as this. 'They should be able to expect better, and I am afraid those who are caught misusing their responsibility should be held to account.’ This is a sad story of a caregiver. Today's gospel, on the other hand, gives us a very different picture of caregiving. The gospel talks of Jesus as the good shepherd, a caregiver. The life of the shepherd in biblical times was one of personal self-giving and sacrifice –a great caregiver. His work was that of watchful care and closeness to the flock. There were two kinds of shepherds, caregivers. There was the hired hand for whom keeping the sheep was just the available job. He moved from flock to flock depending on the conditions of service and he would not risk his life for them. Jesus said that he is not that kind of shepherd. Then there is the shepherd-owner of the flock who grows up with the flock and stays with the same flock all his life. He calls each one by name and could tell you the personal story of each one of the sheep, when and where it was born, the problems it has had in life, its personal characteristics, etc. He is the good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep. Jesus is the good shepherd, a caregiver. He laid down his life for the flock, that is, we the church. In a general way he invites all of us to share in the work of care-giving for the flock in our own little ways. Parents are shepherds or caregivers of their children. A good spouse is a shepherd of his/her prodigal spouse. Doctors are shepherds of the sick. Lawyers are shepherds of the victims of unjust system. Teachers are shepherds of their students. Do we give our all for our sheep even if it is beyond our duty? Do we give care to others just like Jesus has taken care of us? Can we give more than what our job description requires?

Good Friday -Year B

It was a Good Friday in the year 2007, that after a long procession, some of my friends in the parish would like to take pictures with me. It was a significant event because I would be leaving the parish after Easter to go back to our diocese (in Kalibo, Aklan) for good. While we were busy taking some pictures, one of them received an emergency call from a relative. We learned that her son met an accident. But she did not believe it because she knew that before she left home her son stayed there to rest. In order to verify the information, she immediately went home with her friends accompanying her. There they learned that her son was fetched by his cousins. Although he initially refused to join them, he gave in to their persuasion and had a joy ride with them going to Tagaytay. They were along their way to Tagaytay that they met an accident. Among the four in the car, he was the only one who got injured and immediately died. The other three suffered neither injury nor wounds. The following day, I visited her in the funeral home where the body of her son was laid for the wake. I could neither say nor do something for her. I could not even say a mass on that day as it was Black Saturday. I was even dumbfounded when she started asking me, “Why is this happening to us? Where is God? Why this has to happen when I am starting to participate actively in our parish activities?” To be honest, I did not say anything. I was totally silent.
I realized there and then that in life, there are questions which we can answer. There are also some questions which are difficult to answer though we can give a try to answer it. There are questions which we do not need to answer. But most of all, there are really some questions which have no answer. One of these is the question of an innocent man who suffers –Why Lord? Why me?
Jesus Himself had this kind of question while he was hanging on the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mt 27:46). Jesus did no wrong. Rather, he brought glad tidings to the poor. He proclaimed liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, he cured the sick and proclaimed a year acceptable to the Lord (Luke 4: 18-19). And yet he was betrayed by one of his chosen ones –Judas Iscariot. Peter denied him three times. His other disciples hid themselves from him while he was facing the harsh judgment of the people. He was sentenced to death without due process, without even invoking his rights. He alone carried his cross. He was then crucified. What did he do to deserve these? And in the height of intense pain and suffering, he asked “Why?” and there was no answer. As there was no answer, Jesus did not ask again why to God instead he cried out in a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit" (Luke 23:46) and then he died. Jesus showed us through his suffering and death that instead of asking “why”, better ask “what can I do now with my suffering”. Jesus himself gave us the answer: to lift up everything to God. Suffering and death must not separate us from God. Suffering and death are not reasons to abandon or blame God. Suffering and death cannot get hold an innocent or good man to die in vain because he can still do something and that is to die in faith.
Today, we are going to venerate, kiss or touch Jesus on the cross. Our veneration is not only on Jesus but Jesus on the cross. Our kiss is an act of resignation to God just like what Jesus did on the cross. It is like saying that even in the worst times of our life, even if everything is beyond our understanding, we leave everything to God. In our suffering, we let God be glorified. Though this is difficult to do so, it is not impossible to do. Allow me to end with a true story. In one of the parishes where I was assigned, there was this woman who would go to the church early in the morning and she would wake us up by shouting outside our convent telling us to open the church. She would even make several calls or use the doorbell to tell us priests that we have to be at the entrance of the church some minutes before the mass. She was a prayerful person. She never missed mass or community prayers until she went to abroad sometime in August. When she arrived on November 18, 2007 she was waiting for her favorite son to fetch her at the international airport. Her son who supposed to fetch her was Melvin, who was newly married and whose wife gave birth to their first baby on October 20, 2007. Unfortunately, Melvin did not show up at the airport. So she decided to go home by riding a taxi. It was already late in the afternoon of the same day when someone called her up on her phone and told her to watch the news on a television. She was terribly shocked to watch on television that her son Melvin was treacherously killed in his car by some unidentified persons. On the next day, I was requested to say mass for Melvin. When I arrived at the funeral home, I heard her say to me, “Father, si Melvin.” Then she cried. She spent the whole week at the wake crying for Melvin until the burial. I thought the event would weaken her faith. I thought after the burial, she would stop praying. I thought she would ask me “why”. But I was wrong. After the burial, she even prayed more than she used to do. She remained strong in her faith despite what happened. Last year, I happened to say mass for Melvin’s death anniversary in the cemetery, I found no signs of anger on her face. She kept her faith. Suffering and death have no power over her. Suffering and death cannot drive her away from God. She kissed Jesus on the cross.

Palm Sunday -Year B -Mark 15:1-39

A ship was wrecked during a storm at sea and only two of the men on it were able to swim to a small desert like island. The two survivors, not knowing what else to do, agreed that they have no other recourse but to pray to God for help.
However, to find out whose prayer was more powerful, they decided to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite sides of the island.
The first man prayed for a ship, so that he could leave the island. In the morning, he found a ship docked on his side of the island. The first man boarded the ship and decided to leave the second man on the island. He considered the other man unworthy to receive God's blessings, since his prayers had not been answered.
As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice from heaven boom-out, "Why are you leaving your companion on the island?"
"My blessings are mine alone, since I was the one who prayed for this," the first man answered. "His prayer was unanswered and so he does not deserve anything."

"You are mistaken!" the voice rebuked him. "He had only one prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you would not have received my blessings."
"Tell me," the first man asked the voice, "what did he pray for that I should owe him anything?"
"He prayed that your prayer would be answered."
In our Gospel, people ridiculed Jesus shouting, “He saved others; He cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the king of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” They thought Jesus was unfortunate as he was helpless being crucified on the cross. They thought God never heard the prayers of Jesus who claimed to be the son of God. They never realized that Jesus suffered not because His prayers were not answered by God; rather Jesus suffered to answer God’s call to save all men. He endured everything to teach us what the word “sacrifice” means. It is making one’s suffering an offering to God for the sake of men’s salvation. When he died on the cross, His sacrifice did not end there. It was transformed into a “sacrament” where everybody has an access to meet and receive Him (Jesus) who died for us. Now, all of us have an access to God, our prayers will be answered by God because Jesus Himself is on our side. We can say that through the passion of Christ, God hears our prayer. Today, we are reminded in this Holy Eucharist to offer too all our pains for the purification of mankind, an act of sacrifice on our part and encourage us to help people in their suffering. We are called to be wounded healers in our community. We look after the spiritual needs of others being their intercessors before God that their prayers as well as our prayers for them would be answered. Amen.

5th Sunday of Lent -Year B -John 12:20-33

Archbishop Romero was an Archbishop of San Salvador. His appointment wasn’t exactly welcomed because those aligned with Marxism or with liberation theology felt that he was too much an “establishment” man. He was seen to be supportive of the government simply because he was a safe Bishop; a kind of a “yes” man. However, one of his personal friends, a Jesuit priest, was assassinated and his death had a profound impact on Romero. Whilst looking at his dead friend lying in the coffin, he thought to himself, “If they killed him for doing the right thing, then I must walk the path as well”. He asked the government to investigate the death but they ignored his request and the censored media also remained silent. Because of this, he was like a man coming alive as he found his voice in speaking up against injustice and for irregularity in governance. For that, he was also assassinated. He sacrificed himself for the sake of his flock. His death opened the way to freedom of his people.
In life, sometimes there is a need to sacrifice in order to promote something better. Jesus Himself said something like this in our Gospel, "Truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” To sacrifice in order to bear much fruit is easier said than done. Our instinct has taught us to avoid what is painful. We even prefer to take the chance to get some things done without using more of our time and energy. We would rather clamor when things do not go the way we want it to be than to consider it an occasion for us to sacrifice something. Time will come for us to give up something to gain a better thing.
On this fifth Sunday of Lent, we are being reminded by the church to sacrifice. This is a season for fasting and penance. We have to leave behind our comfort zones so as to achieve something better –our spiritual wellness. Our sacrifice gives way to our freedom from sin. Our sacrifice leads us to a better life –a spiritual being.

4th Sunday of Lent -Year B -John 3:14-21

Old Mcdonald had a farm, and on that farm he had a chicken. He asked the chicken if she loved him. The chicken said yes. Then old Mcdonald said prove it. The chicken said, “Here are my eggs. They are all yours.” Old Mcdonald said, “Indeed you love me.” Old Mcdonald had also a cow. He asked the cow if she loved him. The cow said yes. Then old Mcdonald said prove it. The cow said, “I have milk. It is all yours.”Old Mcdonald said, “Indeed you love me.” Old Mcdonald had also a pig. He asked the pig if she loved him. The pig said yes. Then old Mcdonald said prove it. The pig said, “I neither have eggs nor milk to give you. Let me give you myself, take my life. I am all yours.” Old Mcdonald said, “Indeed you love me the most.”
Human as we are, we usually look for an evidence to prove one’s love. We know how easy it is to say I love you but it takes so much difficulty to show it through our actions. We cannot just simply fake love by using kind words. When we love, we learn to express it by giving up ourselves for the sake of others. In our Gospel, we learn that God is love. But His love is not an abstract thing which is hard to grasp at. He manifests His love not only by giving up Himself but also by sending us His only Son –For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. God is willing to go down in order to raise us up. If this is how God has loved us, are we not thankful of Him? God has loved us and if we also love Him we have to show it in our actions. The proof of our love is evidenced by loving others. If God sent His Son not to condemn us, so must we not condemn others. As God has loved us, we too can give up ourselves for others to show what it means to love and being loved.

Feast of St. Joseph -Year B -Matthew 1: 18-21, 24

Little do we know about St. Joseph from the Bible. But we can make use of this little knowledge that we have of him in recovering his character. In the Gospel of Matthew (1:18-24), it is said that Mary and Joseph were engaged. Joseph chose Mary to be his wife. Yet in this same Gospel, it is said that God has chosen Mary to be the mother of His son (Jesus Christ). Joseph then upon realizing that Mary was chosen and called to be the mother of Jesus, he decided to let go of Mary. He would protect Mary even from himself. He could not afford to take Mary as his wife when he knew very well that she was consecrated by God, and dedicated to God. He had a plan but he gave it up because of God’s plan for Mary. It was on this moment that an angel appeared to him in a dream. He was told to take Mary as his wife. St. Joseph’s plan to marry Mary was confirmed that such was also part of God’s plan. And aside from this, he was chosen to give a name to the son of God –Jesus. In the Bible, we can notice that Judaism placed great importance in giving a name. The first mention of naming is in Genesis 2 when God brought the animals to the man to see what he would call them. Whatever the man called each of them would be its name. Here the act of giving names is an exercise of power or dominion. At the same time, God made Eve, and the man said, “This one shall be called woman, for this one has been taken out of “her man”. In giving the woman her name, the man exercises his power or dominion over her. But this power or dominion is not that kind which a master exercises over his slaves. Rather, the woman put herself under her man, to place herself in a lower position to receive the care and protection of her husband. Now, going back to St. Joseph, his act of giving name to Jesus was an exercise of power or dominion. But such power or dominion is not that kind which a master exercises over his slaves. Rather, such power or dominion means to put the other under one’s care and protection. It means St. Joseph has to take care and protect the child Jesus. St. Joseph was not called to protect only Mary but also Jesus –the son of God. In the last scene where Joseph was mentioned in the Bible, particularly in Luke 2: 49-52, St. Joseph fulfilled what was expected of him. Jesus was twelve years old then, when Joseph and Mary brought him to Jerusalem for the Festival of Passover. (While Joseph and Mary were returning home, Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. After three days of looking for him, Joseph and Mary found Jesus in the temple courts. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” Here Jesus revealed his essence.) This particular Bible passage prepared its conclusion with, “And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them.” This reveals that Jesus was under the care and protection of St. Joseph and Mary. St. Joseph took care and protected Jesus as a real father so much so that Jesus was known in Nazareth as the son of the carpenter, the son of Joseph. St. Joseph took care and protected Mary by making himself available as her husband so as not to leave Mary alone as an unwed mother. St. Joseph took care and protected both Mary and Jesus by living together as a family. If St. Joseph could do this to his family, he could also do it for the good of our own families. And today, we say St. Joseph is the protector of our family.

"St. Joseph, protect our home. Pour forth heaven's blessing on our family. Remain in our midst. Help us to live in love and harmony, in peace and joy. May the wholesome fear of God strengthen us that virtue may adorn what we do and our way may lead to heaven.

"To you this day I give the key to our dwelling place. Lock out all things that could do us harm. Lock my home and my loved ones with me in the hearts of Jesus and Mary. This I beg of you that our days may be like your days in the holy home at Nazareth. Amen."