21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

I remember a case against a Court Stenographer II (Calingasan), of a Municipal Trial Court in Cities, Sta. Rosa City, Laguna who was reprimanded for her habitual tardiness with a stern warning that a repitition of a similar offense in the future will be dealt with more severely. In the said case, the excuses offered by respondent are not the kind that would justify her tardiness. The court held that moral obligations, the performance of household chores, traffic problems, health conditions, and domestic and financial concerns are not sufficient causes to excuse habitual tardiness. But what is striking in this case was this quote: "Public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to the people... Inherent in this mandate is the observance of prescribed office hours and the efficient use of every moment thereof for public service, if only to recompense the Government, and ultimately, the people who shoulder the cost of maintaining the Judiciary. Thus, to inspire public respect for the justice system, court officials and employees are at all times behooved to strictly observe official time. As punctuality is a virtue, absenteeism and tardiness are impermissible."

My dear friends, our Gospel (Luke 13:22-30), speaks of the same thing, that tardiness is impermissible. In other words, it is not good to risk being shut out especially when we set our feet for a spiritual journey. In the said Gospel, Jesus made it clear that each one of us must strive to enter heaven. Heaven is already open for all. Yet, Jesus made it also clear that not all would be able to enter heaven. Why? Jesus said that time would come for the householder to rise up and shut the door. The door of heaven would be shut to those who would come too late. It is like a door closed by the teacher on tardy students. At its best, this is a particular Gospel that gives us one instance why some people could not enter heaven i.e., they come late. We are therefore reminded to efficiently use every hour, every minute, every second, every moment of our life to serve God and His people. We have to do this as early as possible while alive. We must not waste any time. While still young and able, we must be good. When we are old and weakened by age, we must remain good. And when death comes, we are not afraid going to heaven. Because by that time, we know our right foot has already entered heaven waiting for our left foot to step inside too. To end, our Gospel reminds us that it is not good to always say it is better late than never. We are rather called to do good as early as we can. It is like saying then, early bird catches worms. Amen.

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

A young man who aspired to become a priest someday entered a seminary. All his family, relatives and friends were happy with his decision except for one person, the young man's father. His father never wanted him to become a priest. At his father's deathbed, he was asked to leave the seminary to follow the dream of his father i.e., to perpetuate their family name. When his father died, he finally left the seminary to give in to his father's last request. 

My dear friends, our Gospel, Luke 12:49-53 confirms as a matter of fact that in following Jesus, conflict arises even between or among family members. Jesus Himself declared that He came to cast fire upon the earth, to give not peace but division. Just like what I said in the story, a son's decision to follow Jesus as a priest was in conflict with his father's wish for him. If the son really would stand for Jesus, he would find himself going against his father as his father would go against him. There would be division between them. Here, instead of making his father understand his love for priesthood, the son gave up his love for priesthood just to have peace between them. In a father and son relationship, the decision of the young man was noble. But in relationship with Jesus, the young man's decision was ignoble. In short, our Gospel reminds us that we rather have rest with Jesus than have peace without Him. This is not an easy choice but we must choose for the love of Jesus. Amen.

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

All things are vanity according to our first reading taken from Ecclesiastes 1. It means that at the end of our life here on earth, everything we do, everything we have, everything we are, are vanity.  The one who has many achievements in life in comparison with one who has not achieved anything, dies without bringing anything. Both end up with worms in their decaying bodies. The question is, what is the difference between being good and being bad in this life if both suffer the same consequences in death? 

Well, as Psalm 90 states, "You turn man back to dust, saying, 'Return, O children of men.' For a thousand years in your sight are as yesterday, now that it is past, or as a watch of the night", it reveals that the end of our life here on earth is not an end in vain. The Psalm reminds us that there is God who knows when our life shall end and even how it shall end. If therefore there is God, then whatever we do, whatever we have, whoever we are matters as we are accountable to Him with what He has given us while here on earth. Yes, we cannot bring what we have here on earth when we face death. But whatever we do with what we have is important for our life after death. This is made clear when we read the Letter of St. Paul to the Colossians 3:1-11 as it says, "If you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God." So what we do, what we have and who we are here on earth is given weight for our life after death. When we do good things, though our body lies in death just like those bodies of bad people who die, we have this hope that we shall rise again and gain our eternal reward in heaven. By this, we do not share the same consequence with those bad people.

In Luke 12:13-21, Jesus reminds us not to lay up treasure for ourselves for such act does not make us rich toward God. It means we have to consider that everything we do, everything we have, everything we are is from God and for God. Our happiness lies in living, in being and in doing what is pleasing to God. Our life here on earth points towards our life in heaven as we use our life for a divine purpose. Life is in vain only when no God is in our vein. Amen.

SNS Intrams 2016

Last July 25, 2016, I was invited by Sem. Rome to celebrate this mass today with you so as to signal the opening of your Intramural. I was invited not because I was one of the Mythical Five during the 1995 Intramural in this seminary. I was invited not because I was the champion in chess during the 1995 Intramural in this seminary. I was invited not because my team, our Base group San Miguel, was the back to back Champion in basketball before I graduated from this seminary. I was invited not because I initiated that the two Class A basketball courts be painted with the seminary's logo in 1995.  I was invited not because I used to be the chairman of Sports Committee which I called Sportscom during the 1995-1996 Academic Year. 

Rather, I was invited to say this mass with you today because of so many priests who were invited prior to me, they all refused to accept the invitation. (To refuse an offer is an insult) In short, I was the only one left, the last choice. To make this sounds better, I am your only hope because you have no more choice. (To offer a reject is an insult)

Nevertheless, I accepted the invitation to say this mass today because Sem. Rome is a good friend of mine. Aside from just being a good friend, there is a bond of brotherhood that I forge with Sem. Rome as well as with Sem. Rollo which started when we met some few years back in my very poor parish. I cannot afford to say NO to any of them especially if this is the only way I can convince them to become a priest; I do not have any reason to reject their invitation. Above all, I convey to you today that my presence here makes our brotherhood authentic. 

Now, Sem. Rome, Sem. Rollo as well as to all seminarians who are here, hopefully you know what it means to state "Flourishing Authentic Brotherhood" as the theme for this year's Intramural. I shall not explain what "brotherhood" is as it is obvious that all of you are physically male and therefore you call each other as brother (unless you prefer to call each other in a different way).  I shall not also explain to you what the verb "flourish" is as you already know it connotes that something is at the height of fame. But let me ask you why you use the adjective "authentic" in describing your brotherhood. Does this mean there is among you an experience of "false brotherhood?" 

False brotherhood is nothing but a relationship established with the purpose of handing over a person to his enemies. To understand this, look at our Gospel which is taken from Matthew 14:1-12. Although the verb used in verse 3 is "had arrested" or "had laid hold", it is not the exact translation of the greek word "paradedomei" which means to hand over a person to his enemies by a pretense of friendship. To have a better picture of the word "paradedomei" look at the Gospel of Mark 14: 43-45 which tells us about how Jesus was arrested. It is said that Judas handed Him over to His enemies by a kiss. "Paradedomei" is also seen among brothers as the Gospels of Matthew 10:21 and Mark 13:12 state, "Brother will hand over brother to death." This is "false brotherhood" as one leads another to his destruction. So in having a theme, "Flourishing Authentic Brotherhood" during your intramural, it is but right that each one of you must wish for the best of another.

To dwell with the theme, "Flourishing Authentic Brotherhood", just let me tell you something about the First Intramural by Base Group at least in the College Level. In 1993 Intramural, our Base group Saint Michael was the toughest team among the seven teams in basketball. Our team captain was Stephen Bolivar of Nabas, the best among his classmates in terms of basketball skills. Our pointguard was Brechyl Rapio of Banga who was also one of the best in their class in terms of basketball skills. Our shooting guard was Ian Gubatina of Madalag who was also one of the best in his class in terms of basketball skills. Fr. Ike Temporaza of Tangalan was our power forward and I was there just to complete the list of the first five. I could still remember how we won every game during the elimination round to reach the championship game. We were sure that our Base group St. Michael would be the champion in basketball as we defeated all the six teams with scores you do not want to know. We were the Dream Team. We were proud and we aimed to get the title of the Overall Champion for the 1993 Intramural. 

But during the championship game against the Base group of Saint Gabriel; anybody might imagine it was an epic battle between San Miguel and San Gabriel. We were leading the scores quarter by quarter against the Base group of St. Gabriel. When the last quarter began, the tone of the game changed. All the other teams cheered for the Base group of St. Gabriel. Everyone wished for our defeat. With the joint forces of the six teams, we were demoralized. We panicked. Stephen Bolivar was even fouled out. It became a close fight. The game ended with our hearts broken. The Base group of St. Gabriel won. 

The players of St. Gabriel Base group at that time were too small for us but they won over us because almost all seminarians gave their moral support to them. The six base groups had something in common against us. They all lost against us. Their individual defeat made them sympathetic from one base group to another base group. Their experience of defeat created in them a unique brand of brotherhood. The brand of their brotherhood was not confined to their base group but was extended to those who tasted defeat against us. The authenticity of their brotherhood flourished when all the six teams joined together during the basketball championship. We were not just playing against the St. Gabriel base group but with all the other base groups as their allied forces. We were dealing with a band of brothers.

On that day, we realized we were defeated not because we lacked skills. Rather, we were defeated due to our failure to show some good attitude with the other base groups. Perhaps, we failed to treat them as brothers during the game. In every game, we were like roaring lions looking for someone to devour. We somehow forgot that Intramural, which literally means "within the walls" is an exclusive activity involving ONLY brothers of the same seminary. We somehow neglected to show a kind of brotherhood which the late Fr. Victor Hugo I. Martelino instilled in our hearts and minds known as the "Igmaeanghoran Spirit". It is a brotherhood that goes beyond the four walls of this seminary.

With all these realizations, our team, the St. Michael Base group finally became the champion in basketball not only in 1994 but also in 1995 Intramurals. We played every game with respect for other base groups. We remained humble whenever we won. We faced defeat with a hope for a fighting chance for the next game. Above all, we treated every seminarian, skilled or unskilled, as a real brother. We experienced the "Igmaeanghoran Spirit" among us.

My dear friends in Christ, intramural is one venue that allows everyone to experience authentic brotherhood within one's base group extending to other base groups. We can say there is authentic brotherhood among you when you play every game with an attitude of a real brother. Just like in basketball, those who are skilled encourage their base group members who are unskilled to dribble and shoot the ball. In playing with the other base group, play with them just like a big brother playing gently with his little brother. No matter how good one dribbles the ball or shoots the ball, if he does not know how to play calmly like a caring big brother, the risk of losing the ball while he dribbles or the risk of missing the shots is highly probable. To develop one's skills during intramural is good but remember it is the brotherly attitude that defines how good he is with his skills. 

To end, I wish you seminarians bear this in your mind, that today is the day for you to show there is indeed a flourishing authentic brotherhood among you. You must have that desire to play every game for the good of the other. And if there is this brotherhood among you, then bring it on!

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

In our Gospel, it is said that Jesus prayed in a certain place. Afterwards, one of His disciples asked Him, "Lord, teach us to pray as John taught his disciples". There is nothing wrong with what the disciple asked from Jesus i.e., to teach them to pray. But let me ask, why did the disciple say "as John taught his disciples" if he could only say, "as how You (Jesus) pray"? Well, the answer may be obvious as they could not pray the way Jesus prayed. So when the disciple asked Him to teach them how to pray as John taught his disciples, this is a direct statement from the disciple that they could not pray the way Jesus prayed but they could pray the way a follower of Jesus should pray.

In praying as a disciple of Jesus, one is privileged to address God as a Father. Apostasy is never an option whenever painful events happen in his life. In other words, he has to glorify the Holy Name of God whatever comes his way. He also treats everybody as his equal because in the Kingdom of God, only God is above all. As a disciple, he believes in the Divine Providence. Everything that he needs, God will provide him. If it is not good for his soul, he is deprived of it. When he falls into sin, he asks for forgiveness. If he has not yet sinned, he has to pray for protection against temptation. 

My dear friends in Christ, we are led to realize with our Gospel that Jesus taught His disciples not only how to pray but also how to be a man of prayer. We are also invited to do the same. So, everytime we pray the Lord's Prayer we condition ourselves that all in all we must submit our will to God. We pray not to impose our will to God but to attune our will with His will. We pray the Lord's Prayer as we know how to live as disciples of Jesus. Moreover, we pray the Lord's Prayer, so our hearts and minds are formed to be authentic diciples of Jesus. Amen.

Thanksgiving of Rev. Fr. Eubert Sarabia 7/18/2016

Our Gospel, Matthew 12: 38-42 narrates that some scribes and Pharisees asked Jesus to work for a sign. The sign here refers to a proof perceptible to the senses that would clearly reveal the authority of Jesus, which includes His words and deeds, is all from God. A sign is asked for the purpose of converting unbelievers like the scribes and Pharisees in our Gospel to a belief in Jesus as the Son of God. A sign is asked to know the will of God. A sign is asked to confirm that what is said and done is in accord with God's plan.

Jesus answered the only sign that will be given them is that of the prophet Jonah. What is this sign of Jonah? Who is Jonah? 

Jonah was a prophet sent by God to Nineveh to preach repentance but he rose up to flee by ship unto Tarshish instead of going to the said city of Nineveh. God then sent out a great wind upon the sea so that the ship was like to be broken. In order to save the rest of the people in the ship, Jonah  was thrown overboard from it and swallowed by a large fish, remaining in its belly for three days before being cast up onto the shore unharmed. This is the sign of Jonah: that God rescued Jonah from death by means of the "great fish" to go to Nineveh and preach repentance there. The sign of Jonah revealed the will of God. The sign of Jonah confirmed that everything should be in accord with God's plan. The purpose of the sign of Jonah is to convert unbelievers to a belief in God. 

Rev. Fr. Eubert Sarabia keep in your mind and heart the day of your ordination as the sign of Jonah. After your four years in High School, you decided to leave the seminary despite the advice of your Prefect of Discipline that you are called to the priesthood. You rose up to flee unto Las Pinas to study at Perpetual Help wanting to be a nurse instead of becoming a priest. More than three days and three nights, you experienced restlessness. I remember in 2005, we met in my former parish at the Resurrection of Our Lord Parish in BF Homes Paranaque and I was happy that you were looking for a priest to guide you back on your sacred vocation. Finally, after two years outside the seminary, you went back to Aklan, you went back to the seminary, you went back to become a priest. 

As the sign of Jonah revealed the will of God, so your ordination reveals the will of God for you -that you belong indeed to the Community of Priests. As the sign of Jonah confirmed that everything should be in accord with God's plan, so your ordination confirms that you have done everything in accord with God's plan. As the purpose of the sign of Jonah is to convert unbelievers to a belief in God, so your ordination can bring unbelievers to a belief in God. 

Rev. Fr. Eubert Sarabia remember that you were given the sign of Jonah. Do not look for any sign anymore. Do not say you will remain a priest as long as you are assigned in a financially-established parish. Do not say you will remain a priest as long as you can collect some best toys for the big boys like my pajero and montero sports or my Delica and Grandia. Do not say you will remain a priest as long as you are loved by many and enjoy a good reputation. Do not say you will remain a priest if you can visit the Pope in Rome. Rev. Fr. Eubert Sarabia, just remember the day of your ordination. You have realized what it means to say that it is God's will and not yours is done. You have personally witnessed how God has worked in some mysterious ways to make you a priest today. Let your ordination be the most memorable experience in your ministry. Let your ordination be the sign of Jonah for you. Let your ordination be enough as a sign from God to embrace your priesthood.

Nevertheless, though you keep your ordination as a sign from God, never forget your personal encounter with Jesus everyday as a priest. Signs are just signs. Signs are nothing without Jesus. In our Gospel, Jesus Himself declared that there is something greater than Jonah. It means there is greater than the signs you are asking fom God: He is Jesus Himself. Your ordination is not just your personal story but above all it is the story of Jesus in your personal life.

Sometimes you might think your ordination is a sign that God needs you to do something. Well, Rev. Fr. Eubert Sarabia think otherwise. Your ordination is a sign that Jesus does something special for you. Sometimes you might think your ordination is a sign that you have done your best before God. Well, Rev. Fr. Eubert Sarabia think otherwise. Your ordination is a sign that Jesus loves you even in your worst. In short, your ordination as well as our ordination is a sign for the whole Christian community of how Jesus loves us. Jesus has called us; He has chosen us despite our weakness, our sinfulness, our defective personality and frailty. Who can love us the way we are except for Jesus? 

Rev. Fr. Eubert Sarabia, without Jesus, our ordination is nothing, our priesthood is nothing. Signs are just signs. Signs are nothing without Jesus. This is why in our Gospel when Jesus mentioned about the sign of Jonah, He immediately mentioned something about Himself: "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of  the earth." Signs are just signs. Signs are nothing without Jesus. 

Moreover, Rev. Fr. Eubert Sarabia, during your ordination, remember that you prostrated before the altar of the Lord. Such act of prostrating oneself before the altar of the Lord happens only twice in your life as a priest. The first one, as I have said it, was at your ordination and the second one shall be on Good Friday. On both occasions, the act of prostrating yourself before the altar of the Lord is an admission of your guilt, that you are sinful and weak. On your ordination, you prostrated and thanked Jesus for choosing you to the priesthood. On Good Friday, you shall prostrate and thank Jesus for sustaining you to the priesthood. On your ordination, the act of prostrating before the altar of the Lord is a sign that despite your human limitation, Jesus loves you. On Good Friday, the act of prostrating before the altar of the Lord makes you a sign that despite your human limitation, you must love God's people as Jesus has loved you.

Therefore, Rev. Fr. Eubert Sarabia, your ordination is a sign from Jesus. It is a sign of the love of Jesus. No doubt about it. Jesus has already given you a sign. Jesus loves you. Do not look for any sign anymore. Rather, as a newly-ordained priest, be a SIGN of the love of Jesus in His Church. Live as a priest. Die as a priest. May Jesus bless you and keep you. May Jesus make His face shine on you. Amen.

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our Gospel from Luke 10:38-42 presents to us the two sisters, Martha and Mary who both did their best for the Lord when He visited them. Martha was busy by herself to do the serving while Mary was busy listening to Jesus. Both were doing the right thing. But only one of them did things right. It was Mary according to Jesus who chose the better part. Why was it so? Well, the twist here was that the Gospel scene happened at the home of the two sisters. 
Home is a different place to visit. Let us put it this way. If there is a visitor in our home, it is being hospitable that we serve him or her food and drinks. As we do this, we know that our visitor is not after the food or drinks we serve. Rather, he or she is there for us, to know our current situation or our predicaments. It is about us not about our food or drinks that they want to hear about. To be more hospitable, we have to give attention to the heart of our visitor more than his or her stomach. 
Home is a different place to visit. If we visit Jollibee, Mcdonald, etc. we do not expect the managers or store owners themselves shall serve us and sit with us to have some personal conversations. But if we visit a home, we expect the homeowner to invite us to take a seat and converse with him or her. If not, then either he/she does not want to see us or he/she is not hospitable. What shall we do with the food or drinks if the homeowners themselves make us uncomfortable by not facing us?
Now, going back to the Gospel, the lesson Jesus wanted us to learn from the situation is that in our home, we need to listen to Jesus. We have to make our home a prayer zone too. Of course, our home is like other homes where members of the family are sleeping, eating, drinking, etc. But our Gospel reminds us that though all these activities are good, we have to include praying as a family in our home as part of the daily activities. Some of us do not pray the prayer before or after meals. Some of us never think of God when at home. This is not good. We have to welcome Jesus, be hospitable to Him by giving Him a special space in our home. Amen.