Saturday, February 27, 2010

Ika-2 nga Domingo sa Kwaresma (C)

Gen 15:5-12, 17-18; Phil 3:17-4:1; Lk 9:28-36

Usa ka 50 anyos nga babaye ang gidala sa ospital aron maoperahan ang daot nga kasingkasing. Samtang siya gipakatulog pinaagi sa anesthesia, ang anghel sa kamatayon mipakita kaniya. Sa tumang kahadlok, gipangutana niya ang anghel kon panahon na ba sa iyang kamatayon. Apan ang anghel sa kamatayon miingon kaniya, “Relax lang misis kay duna ka pay 30 anyos sa imong kinabuhi ning kalibutan.” Nalipay kaayo ang babaye.

Nagmalamposon ang operasyon sa kasingkasing sa babaye. Apan wala dayon siya mogawas sa ospital. Nagpatawag siyag doctor nga mopataas sa iyang ilong, mopakuha sa bilbil sa iyang lawas ug mopaputi sa iyang panit. Sa iyang hunahuna, puslan man nga duna pa siyay 30 anyos ning kalibutanan, magpa-sexy lang una siya.

Human sa duha ka semana, pwerte nang gwapaha sa maong babaye ug andam na siya mogawas sa ospital. Apan sa unsa bang pagkahitaboa nga samtang nagpaabot siya sa iyang driver didto sa may gate sa ospital, naligsan man siya sa ambulansya ug namatay.

Didto sa langit nakita niya ang anghel sa kamatayon. Iya dayon kining gisukmatan sa pag-ingon: “Nganong namatay man ko nga nag-ingon ka man nga duna pa koy 30 anyos sa kalibutan?” Ug mitubag ang anghel sa kamatayon, “Unsaon man nga sa sobra nimong kagwapa, wala nako makabantay nga ikaw diay tong naligsan sa ambulansya!”

Asa man nato gipasikad ang atong “self-worth”? Daghang kanato nagbase sa atong tawhanong bili diha sa panagway o panggawas nga porma. Kon makaporma kita, nindot kaayo ang atong pamati ug ganahan ta makig-atubang sa mga tawo. Pero og dili gani ta makailis o dili makapang-arte, ikaulaw nato ang atong kaugalingon. Tungod niini, ang uban kanato mogasto og dako aron lang magpabilin ang kaanyag o kaambongan. Adunay magparetoke sa ilong, lawas, kolor sa panit ug uban pang parte sa lawas aron mogwapa o mogwapo.

Apan dili baya maayo nga isandig nato ang atong “self-regard” diha sa atong panagway tungod kay ang atong kaambong o kagwapa lumalabay lang. Unsa naman unya ang mahitabo kon kita masakit o matigulang na? Mawala naba ang atong dignidad kon kita manimaho nang yuta o mangunot na?

Ang uban kanato mobase sa “self-esteem” diha sa bahandi ug kabtangan; ang uban diha sa achievements o nakab-ot nga dungog. Pero, sama sa kaanyag, kining tanan usab lumalabay lang. Unsa naman lay mahitabo kon mapobre ta o mapakyas ta sa atong gimbuhaton? Nagpasabut ba kini nga wala na kitay hinungdan?

Diha sa ebanghelyo, atong nasayran nga ang “self-worth” ni Kristo gibase sa usa lamang ka kamatuoran: Ang iyang pagka-Anak sa Dios! Sa dihang siya gibunyagan ni Juan sa suba sa Jordan, nadungog ni Hesus ang tingog gikan sa langit nga nag-ingon, “Ikaw ang akong Anak, nalipay ako pag-ayo kanimo.” Kining mga pulonga maoy naghatag ni Kristo og kusog nga mosugod, mopadayon ug motiwas sa iyang misyon sa kalibutan.

Niadtong miaging Domingo, ang ebanghelyo nagsaysay kanato giunsa pagtental sa Yawa si Hesus. “Kon ikaw anak sa Dios, buhata kining bato nga pan…” “Kon ikaw anak sa Dios, lukso niining hataas nga pangpang…” Klaro kaayo nga gusto sa Yawa nga hagiton ang pagtoo ni Jesus. Gusto niya nga magduda si Jesus sa iyang pagka-Anak sa Dios. Daw sama niini ang hagit: Kon tinuod ka nga anak sa Dios, ngano nga gigutum ka man o nag-antos? Ngano nga wala ka may gahum ug dili inila? Sa iyang pagdumili sa mga tentasyon sa Yawa, gipakita ni Jesus nga ang iyang pagka-Anak sa Dios wala magdepende sa kalibutanong bahandi, gahum ug dungog.

Karong domingoha, atong nadungog nga didto sa usa ka bukid, samtang si Hesus nag-ampo, nausab ang iyang panagway atubangan sa iyang mga suod nga higala, ug diha na usay tingog nga gikan sa langit nga nagkanayon, “Kini mao ang akong Anak, paminawa ninyo siya.” Sa makausa pa, kining mga pulonga maoy naghatag ni Kristo sa kusog sa pagtiwas sa iyang misyon, bisan tuod nameligro pag-ayo ang iyang kinabuhi.

Unsa man ang kalambigitan ning maong mensahe sa atong kinabuhi karon?

Sa dihang kita gibunyagan sa Simbahan, kita nahimo usab nga mga sinagop nga anak sa Dios. Ang atong pagka-anak sa Dios usa ka grasya tungod kay wala nato kini bayri o trabahoi. Gihimo kita sa Dios nga iyang mga anak bisan wala pa kita magpakita nga kita angayan sa maong dungog. Ug kini mao ang atong pinakadakong bili. Dinhi nato angay ibarog ang atong “self-worth” tungod kay kini ra ang butang nga dili gayud mawala kanato o makawat sa uban. Bisan mawala na kanato ang atong bahandi, kaanyag, gahum o kusog, magpabilin gayud kitang mga pinanggang mga anak sa Dios.

Ang Yawa dili gusto nga kita motoo sa atong pagka-anak sa Dios. Matag karon ug unya, mohimo siyag mga lakang aron kita magduda sa atong pagka-anak sa Ginoo. Buhaton niya kini pinaagi sa pagpasulod ning mga pangutana sa atong hunahuna: “Kon tinuod ka nga anak sa Dios, ngano nga nag-antos ka man o gigutum?” “Ngano nga aduna ka may kapakyasan o kapildihan?” “Ngano nga aduna ka may sakit o kamatayon?” “Ngano nga mitugot man ang Ginoo nga mamatay o mawala ang imong minahal sa kinabuhi?” Kon dili kita magmabinantayon o magmalig-on, molampos ang Yawa sa pagpatoo kanato nga dili gayud kita pinalanggang mga anak sa Ginoo.

Niining panahon sa Kwaresma, ang Simbahan magpahinumdum sa dakong gugma sa Dios kanato nga Iyang gipakita pinaagi sa Iyang Anak nga si Jesucristo. Diha sa makaluwas nga buhat ni Jesus, kita gipabati sa Dios sa Iyang gugma nga walay makatupong ug walay katapusan. Ang panahon sa Kwaresma gihatag kanato aron kita makapamalandong sa kadaogan nga nagpaabut kanato human sa mga pag-antos ug kamatayon ning kalibutan. Haloyo sa mga problema ug pagsulay sa kinabuhi, adunay nagpaabot kanato nga kadaogan ug kinabuhing dayon uban sa Ginoo.

Ang dakong misteryo sa “Transfiguration” maoy Diosnong pamaagi sa pagpalig-on sa mga sumusunod ni Kristo. Niadtong tungora, mouban sila ni Jesus sa Jerusalem ug didto ila unyang masaksihan ang makalilisang nga pag-antos ug kamatayon ni Kristo, nga makapatay-og, kondili gani makapagun-ob, sa ilang pagtoo. Niadtong higayona, ang mga tinun-an nanginahanglan og inspirasyon nga kasandigan ug kalaoman. Ug kini mao ang dakong bili sa misteryo sa Transfiguration. Kadtong talagsaong nahitabo sa hataas nga bukid maoy usa ka pasiunang pagpakita sa umaabot nga pagkabanhaw ni Kristo ug sa Iyang kadaogan batok sa gahom sa kangitngit, sala ug kamatayon. Ang Transfiguration maoy naghatag og kusog ug kaisog sa mga tinun-an sa pag-atubang sa nagsingabot nilang pagsulay, katalagman ug kamatayon.

Sa kinabuhi, makasinati usab kita og lainlaing mga krus ug pagsulay, ug ang uban niini lisod kaayo nga pas-anon. Apan bisan pa man niini, kita nagatoo sa Pagkabanhaw ug sa kinabuhing dayon. Sama sa mga unang tinun-an ni Jesus, nagasalig kita nga muabot ang adlaw sa atong kadaogan uban kang Kristo. Ug sa takna sa kamatayon, kini nga pagtoo gihapon ang maghatag kanato og kusog ug kaisog. Ang tanan dili matapos sa kamatayon, kondili sa kinabuhing dayon; dili sa kaulawan, kondili sa kahimayaan. Kon kita pagasakiton uban kang Kristo, kita mabanhaw uban kaniya. Ang ikaduhang pagbasa nagpahinumdum: “Ang atong lugar tua sa langit, ug didto nato mahimamat ang atong Manunubos, si Jesucristo atong Ginoo. Usbon niya ang atong lawas, hinimo nga sama niya, sanag tungod sa himaya, pinaagi sa iyang gahom nga nagbuntog sa tanan” (Fil 3:20-21).

2nd Sunday of Lent (C)

Gen 15:5-12, 17-18; Phil 3:17-4:1; Lk 9:28-36

During his baptism by John at the Jordan River, Jesus heard a voice from heaven, saying “You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased” (Lk 2:22). The declaration of his Divine Sonship was crucial for Jesus to begin, persevere and complete his earthly ministry. When Jesus was praying and fasting for forty days in preparation for his ministerial work, the devil tried to challenge his adored status as God’s Son: “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to turn into a loaf (Lk 4:3) . . . . If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here . . .” (Lk 4:9). Obviously, the devil had the intention of casting a doubt in the mind and heart of Jesus concerning his Divine Sonship. “How could you be the Son of God when you are starving, weak, powerless and insignificant?” By refusing the enticements of the devil, Jesus showed that his Sonship was not relative to material abundance, power, honor, or fame. In today’s gospel, while Jesus was praying on a high mountain, he was transfigured before his three closest friends, and a familiar voice from the cloud declared, “This is my Son, my Chosen One, listen to him” (Lk 9:35). That reassurance was the thing that Jesus needed to finalize his decision to go up to Jerusalem, even with the high risk of being ridiculed, persecuted and killed.

When we were baptized, we also were granted the privileged status of being adopted children of God and heirs of the kingdom of heaven. Our dignity as God’s children is an unmerited gift – something that we do not deserve; something that we do not acquire. God loves us unconditionally and we do not need to prove our worth. The devil, however, would not like us to believe the benevolence of God. Every now and then, the devil would do something to make us doubt or question our special relationship with God. “If you really are God’s favored children, why are you deprived of many things?” “Why are you hungry or malnourished?” “Why are you working hard with little success?” “Why are you failing from many relationships and endeavors?” “Why are you sick and dying?” If we are not careful or strong, the devil might succeed in convincing us that God doesn’t care and that we really are not His beloved children. We might forget all that God has already accomplished for us and the eternal joy in the future that He promises.

Bible commentators are one in saying that the mystery of the Transfiguration was not only for Jesus but also for his disciples. The disciples were about to journey with Jesus to Jerusalem and they were to witness the passion and death of their Lord, something that would be too much for them to see. The disciples needed something to hold on, to hope for, or to look forward to. Such was the value of the Transfiguration. The mysterious mountaintop experience would give the disciples courage and strength to face future trials and persecutions. It was a prefiguration of the Resurrection, of the Lord’s ultimate victory over the power of evil, sin and death.

In this Lenten season, the Church would like us to reflect and appreciate the relevance of the mystery of the Transfiguration in our life today. We have our crosses and trials, some of which are difficult for us to carry and handle. Nevertheless, we are believers of the Resurrection, and like the first disciples of Jesus, we have hope that someday we all will shine in glory as the Lord did. When the moment of our dying and death comes, the same kind of hope will sustain us in the darkest hours. The Transfiguration scene shall be for us a constant reminder that our journey will not end in death, but in life; not in humiliation, but in glory. If we suffer with Christ, we also can expect to live with him in everlasting glory. In the second reading, Saint Paul wrote, “For our homeland is in heaven and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transfigure the wretched body of ours into the mould of his glorious body. . .” (Phil 3:20-21).

Before she succumbed to cancer, my older sister Florenda shared with me her near-death experience which happened while she was being surgically operated of ectopic pregnancy in the hospital. She told me that during the operation, she experienced some kind of a release from her body and, all of a sudden, she found herself floating on the air. From above, she saw the doctors and nurses working on her on the operating table. What she can hardly describe was the beautiful feeling that she experienced during the release. She told me that the last thing she wanted during that moment was to go back to her body. Then, she also experienced passing thru a very long tunnel with a bright light at the end. Coming to the end of the tunnel was more than rewarding because there she saw the most loveable person she had ever seen in her life, Jesus our Lord. People might easily dismiss it as hallucination, a side effect of the heavy anesthesia. But for my sister, it was a meaningful experience, something that gave her a foretaste of the indescribable feeling of meeting Christ at the end of our earthly life. I believe it was a God-given experience that had prepared my sister to face with courage, if not, joyful expectation, her ultimate dying and death.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

1st Sunday of Lent (C)

Deut 26:4-10; Rom 10:8-13; Lk 4:1-13

A young seminarian, struggling over lustful thoughts and desire, came to his spiritual director and asked, “At what age do you think all these go?” The eighty-year old priest confidently replied, “Eighty, son, at age eighty.” “Eighty?” the seminarian gasped desperately and started to leave. Suddenly, a young sexy lady crossed the street and the priest’ eyes were glued to the crossing beauty. Still gazing at the lady, he called back the seminarian and said, “Son, did I say eighty? Well, make that eighty-five.”

(The story is from Lessons We Laugh to Learn by Larry Faraon)

The story of the temptation of Jesus in the desert is appropriate as we enter the season of Lent. The Church invites us to go into the desert ourselves and spend forty days to know the will of God in our lives, to understand the ugly schemes of the devil and to gather spiritual strength through prayer and self-discipline. The desert might be any place or moment where and when we can be by ourselves in silent prayer and reflection.

Saint Thomas Aquinas said that God allowed Jesus to be tempted by the devil for four reasons, namely: to strengthen us against temptation, to remind us that no one is free from temptation, to teach us how to overcome temptation and to fill us with greater confidence in his mercy. Because Jesus had been tempted in every respect as we are, we become confident that he would sympathize with our weaknesses and provide us with the needed strength in times of temptations (Heb 4:15-16).

The gospel helps us to see the value of “facing temptations”. After his baptism by John at the Jordan River, Jesus had to understand what his Father really wanted him to be and to do. An essential part of this discernment process required him to face his individual temptations. In their book entitled Journey of the Spirit: Meditations for the Spiritual Seeker, T. Hudson and M. Kelsey point out how Jesus faced the tempter and listened to what he had to say. Jesus knew that in order to resist the evil one he had to know his dirty tricks. Only then was he able to ascertain that his life was not like that of the devil and that he lived according to the ways of his Father in heaven.

Facing temptations is a disquieting process, and this perhaps explains why we don’t normally do it. We prefer to see ourselves as well-meaning individuals, free from any kind of interior conflict. Yet, we know that all of us have our share of evil thoughts, dark passions, selfish desires and motivations that could harm our relationship with God and with others. Hudson and Kelsey insist that it is better to acknowledge our inner struggles rather than to deny them. We cannot get rid of things within ourselves unless we confront them. We cannot renounce what we do not recognize. Jesus himself found this kind of confrontation necessary. It must also be for us.

How are we going to face our temptations? First of all, we have to find some time alone; we need to have our own little “desert experience”. If we are always on the move, we can hardly challenge the tempter and his enticements. The devil would like to keep people busy because he doesn’t want us to pause and address our inner struggles. In contrast, the Holy Spirit would like to lead us into solitude and into our interior selves because this is the arena where the evil one could be faced and defeated.

After we have achieved some kind of stillness, we need to identify our temptations, name them just as Jesus did. His temptations were three, namely: to focus on material things at the expense of the spiritual; to become an instant religious celebrity; and to exchange his fidelity to God for worldly power. Like Jesus, we need to know clearly the nature of our temptations. Hudson and Kelsey suggest that it would be helpful if we can write them down on paper. This process may be annoying because we would know how the devil often has succeeded to trick us. And yet, this is an important beginning in our journey to Christian maturity.

Our temptations may not be exactly the same with those of Jesus. Some of us may be tempted to be choosy with friends, biased against superiors, thoughtless toward co-workers, possessive of associates and insensitive to the feelings of others. Others may be enticed to earn money and prestige at the expense of personal integrity. Whatever they may be, the principle remains constant: “What we don’t face, we cannot deal with, and what we will not deal with, we will never control.”

After having clearly identified our temptations, we must realize that we cannot deal with the power of the evil one alone. We need the grace of the Risen Lord who has proven his superiority over the powers of darkness. As we turn to him, he comes and stands by us in order to protect and guide us along our spiritual path.

On examination day Mark was stumped by many difficult words. Softly the tempter whispered, “Look at Jane’s paper; she’s an honor student and always gets them right.” Mark heeded the suggestion and copied several answers. The teacher noticed his actions and was greatly surprised, for she had always thought of him as an honest boy. When it came time to collect the completed work, she observed that Mark was having an inner struggle. After bowing his head for a moment, he suddenly tore up his paper. Although at first he had yielded to temptation, he finally decided to take a zero rather than be dishonest. Calling the boy to her desk, she told him, “I was watching you, Mark, and I want you to know that I’m very proud of you for what you did just now. Today you really passed a much greater examination than your spelling test.”

(The story is from The Storyteller’s Minute by Frank Mihalic)

Saturday, February 13, 2010

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Jer 17:5-8; 1 Cor 15:12, 16-20; Lk 6:17, 20-26

Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God” (Lk 6:20).

For a materialist and consumerist mind, the words of Jesus would hardly make any sense. What is blessed in having little? What is good in suffering from hunger and want? In order to understand the meaning of the “Beatitudes,” it is crucial to clarify some points.

First, material poverty, in itself, is not good and has to be eradicated. Like a good Father, God wills that all His children would enjoy material blessings and prosperity. Jesus Himself feeds the hungry (Mt 14:19) and asks the rich to share their wealth to the less fortunate ones (Mt 19:21). The Lord would condemn those who are insensitive to the needs of others (Lk 16:19-31) and those who choose to trust in the abundance of their possessions or those who seek refuge in their wealth rather than in God (Lk 9:25).

Second, scholars would tell us that the word “poor” in Biblical culture primarily refers to a social reality rather than an economic one. In olden times, a person was considered rich if that individual had the influence or the power to take the property of the poor who were incapable of protecting themselves. The poor were the powerless or those who had no voice in society. No wonder in the Bible, the word “poor” often is associated with the widows and orphans, people whose circumstances were easily manipulated by the rich. Thus, the more accurate translation of “rich” and “poor” in the Bible would be the words “greedy” and “socially unfortunate” (J. Pilch). The “woes” pronounced by the Lord were meant for the greedy, not for all rich people of His time. In fact, Jesus did have some rich people among His friends (Lk 7:36; Jn 3:1).

And third, we need to underline the fact that Jesus considered “fortunate” those who were suffering from injustices and manipulation “on account of His name.” Remember that the first followers of Jesus were persecuted and considered outcast by many in Jewish society. As a consequence of their discipleship, they had to suffer from all sorts of deprivation and dispossession. One can just imagine how the words of the Beatitudes had consoled them during their moments of trial and persecution.

What is the relevance of the Beatitudes for us today? First and foremost, the Beatitudes inspires all of us, rich and poor, to put our trust primarily in the goodness of the Lord, not in human beings, not in things. Because of material abundance and connections with powerful people, the rich among us would tend to forget easily the need of God. The first reading warns: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. . . Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord . . . He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit” (Jer 17:5-8).

Moreover, the Beatitudes challenges us to always take the side of the poor. If necessary, we have to be poor so as to feel how they feel and to see things from their point of view. What it means to experience the life of the poor is well-explained by John Harriott: “It is not just occasionally missing a meal or not being able to afford a packet of cigarettes . . . but every snub, every deprivation, every time we suffer rejection, every occasion on which we are ignored or contradicted. It is that experience of poverty which will give us some share in the condition of the poor, and spark the emotion which is needed for their defence.”

Those of us who have the influence are encouraged to do things that would empower the poor. Some of my Filipino friends, for instance, would encourage their housemaids to go to school so that they will not remain domestic helpers for life. By providing time and financial assistance for the schooling of their housemaids, my friends are practically fulfilling a Christian duty. It is also nice to know some rich entrepreneurs who support the provision of just wages and humane working conditions for their employees. Surely, because of their good heart for the poor workers, they will be among the blessed ones in the kingdom of God.

Finally, the Beatitudes provides us with the needed impetus to keep following the Lord no matter what the cost. Nowadays, it remains difficult to witness truly the values of the kingdom. We continue to encounter strong opposition, at times violent harassment, as we try to fulfill our shepherding, sanctifying and prophetic roles in the world. May the Beatitudes keep us going and strong in our resolve to remain faithful disciples of Jesus! “Happy are we when people hate us, drive us out, abuse us, denounce our name as criminal, on account of Jesus our Lord” (Lk 6:23).

Saturday, February 6, 2010

ika-5 nga Domingo sa Ordinaryong Panahon (C)

Is 6:1-2, 3-8; 1 Cor 15:1-11; Lk 5:1-11

Karong Domingoha gipahinumduman kita mahitungod sa atong papel diha sa plano sa Ginoo para sa kalibutan. Kitang tanang mga sumusunod ni Kristo, bisan unsa ang atong kahimtang o trabaho, adunay bahin sa ministeryo sa atong Ginoo.

Kasagaran sa mga tawo nga hagiton sa pag-alagad sa Simbahan moingon dayon, “Kamo lang ana brod kay dili ko takos nga mahimong alagad”. Kinsa man gud ang angayan kanato nga mahimong alagad sa Dios? Sa pagkatinuod lang, walay bisan usa kanato nga angayan tungod kay kitang tanan makasasala man. Diha sa unang pagbasa, si propeta Isaias nakakita sa iyang kahugaw ug gusto siya nga mobalibad sa tawag sa Ginoo. Si Pablo usab, sa ikaduhang pagbasa, nasayod nga dili siya angay nga tawgon og apostoles tungod kay gilutos niya ang mga Kristiyano kaniadto. Unya, diha sa ebanghelyo, si Pedro naulaw pag-ayo ug midawat sa iyang pagkamakasasala atubangan ni Kristo. Apan, haloyo sa pagkamakasasala niining tulo, ang Dios naghimo kanila nga magsasangyaw sa gugma sa Dios ngadto sa mga tawo. Pinaagi niini kita gipasabot nga ang grasya sa Dios mas dako pa kaysa atong pagkamakasasala. Si Pablo miingon, “Pinaagi sa grasya ako nahimong ingon ani; ug ang grasya sa Dios dili gayod magkulang o mapakyas.”

Ayaw nag kabalaka”, si Jesus miingon kang Pedro, “Sugod karon ikaw managat na og mga tawo.” Ang trabaho nga gisangon kanato ni Kristo mao ang pagpanigop og mga tawo para sa Ginoo. Ang pagpanagat dili sayon nga trabaho. Usahay makakuha ka og daghang isda; usahay usab wala. Ang mangingisda kinahanglan adunay dako nga pasensya; kinahanglan makamao siya nga maghulat. Ingon usab niini ang pagpanagat og mga tawo para sa Dios. Malisod ang pagdala sa mga tawo ngadto sa Simbahan. Dili sayon ang pagkabig kanila ngadto sa Ginoo. Kinahanglan kini og dako nga pasensya. Bisan gani sa atong mga anak maglisod kita sa pagtudlo sa unsay maayo. Kinahanglan nato nga maghatag kanila og igong panahon aron sila makat-on.

Usa ka epektibo nga pamaagi sa mga mangingisda sa ilang pagpanagat mao ang pagdala og mahayag nga lampara. Ang kusog nga kahayag sa lampara mao ang makadani sa mga isda padulong sa pukot sa mananagat. Diha sa pagpanagat og mga tawo, importante usab ang kahayag nga atong dalhon sa atong kinabuhi. Ang kahayag sa maayong binuhatan maoy makadani sa mga tawo sa pagsunod kanato diha sa dalan nga magdala ngadto kang Kristo. Kon wala kanato ang kahayag, kon wala kitay maayong ehemplo, wala usab kitay madala nga tawo ngadto sa Ginoo.

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Is 6:1-2, 3-8; 1 Cor 15:1-11; Lk 5:1-11

What would make you decide to abandon your job and get another? A higher salary? A more civilized kind of work? An office closer to home? A friendlier or healthier working atmosphere? A more affable employer? Or all of the above? The Bible commentator John Pilch suggests that the Lord’s invitation to some fishermen to leave their livelihood and to follow him is rightly understood in the context of this question.

From the gospel, we learn that Peter and his brother Andrew had a fishing business partnership with another pair of brothers, namely, James and John (Lk 5:10). They owned and managed two boats (5:2). During the time of Jesus, fish was a popular commodity in the Mediterranean world, and it is realistic to presuppose that the business partnership of Peter and company flourished. But what prompted them to leave everything and follow Jesus (5:11)?

We are sure that Jesus did not offer a better earning livelihood to Peter and the other fishermen. He did not also promise them a more sanitized kind of work, not even a nearby working place because they were supposed to do missionary work. Most likely, it was only the person of Jesus that had greatly attracted the fishermen.

The miraculous catch of fish deeply jolted Peter. Before this event, he already had witness the Lord’s exorcisms and healing miracles (including the healing of his mother-in-law). But the big haul of fish that came on a day following a whole night of unsuccessful fishing was simply too much for a veteran fisherman to take for granted. Close to Jesus, Peter could not tolerate his own unworthiness. “Depart from me for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Lk 5:8). The feelings of fear and shame are a natural reaction of a human being in the presence of the divine. The same thing was felt by the prophet Isaiah in our first reading: he was filled with fear and overwhelming recognition of his sinfulness (Is 6:5).

Instead of condemnation, Peter and the other disciples received from the Lord an invitation to discipleship and ministry. “Do not be afraid; from now on it is men you will catch” (Lk 5:10). Jesus was like telling the fishermen: “Don’t feel bad about yourself. Come and be my co-worker. Together, let us catch people for the kingdom of my Father.”

In a Church, a sign is posted which says, “Jesus does not call the qualified; he qualifies the called.” This message should inspire us all to follow the Lord and to work for him and with him. The Lord’s invitation to Peter and company is now our invitation. Jesus needs us because the “harvest is plenty, but the laborers are few” (Mt 9:37). Let us not be discouraged by our own weaknesses and shortcomings; rather, we have to remain trustful in the graciousness and kindness of the Lord who calls us.

Who among us is worthy to serve the Lord? Nobody, not even the pope! But who are we to question the ways of God?

Somebody sent this message from an unknown author via email:

The next time you feel like God can’t use you, just remember:

Noah was a drunk,

Abraham was too old,

Isaac was a daydreamer,

Jacob was a liar,

Leah was ugly,

Joseph was abused,

Moses had a stuttering problem,

Gideon was afraid,

Samson had long hair and was a womanizer,

Rahab was a prostitute,

Jeremiah and Timothy were too young,

David had an affair and was a murderer,

Elijah was suicidal,

Isaiah preached naked,

Jonah ran from God,

Naomi was a widow,

Job went bankrupt,

John the Baptist ate bugs,

Peter denied Christ,

the Disciples fell asleep while praying,

Martha worried about everything,

the Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once,

Zaccheus was too small,

Paul was a religious fanatic,

Timothy had an ulcer, and,

Lazarus was dead!

No more excuses now. God can use you to your full potential. Besides you aren’t the message, you are just the messenger.