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“Conversion: Being Shaken To Our Authentic Identity In God,” by Fr. Robert Manansala

Conversion is a journey towards who we really are before the Lord, to our authentic identity in God: Sinful yet Beloved!

The German Jesuit priest Fr. Alfred Delp, who wrote powerful meditations from prison on “the spiritual meaning and lessons of Advent” before being martyred by the Nazis in a Nazi death camp in 1945, said that it is only when we experience being shaken and awaken that we begin to become capable of Advent. The experience of being shaken to awakening makes us realize that “all of life is Advent,” a journey towards encountering God.

On this Second Sunday of Advent, the Old Testament prophet Isaiah and John the Baptist are our Advent figures who try to shake us to conversion in preparation for the coming of the Lord. John’s call to conversion is based on an earlier summons made by Isaiah “to prepare the way of the Lord.” However, Isaiah’s original line, “A herald’s voice that cries: in the desert prepare the way,” is changed to “A herald’s voice that cries in the desert: prepare the way,” making John the voice of God calling us into the desert of conversion.

In Hebrew, the word “shubh” for conversion indicates that one has taken a wrong direction and is summoned to return to God. In Greek, the word metanoia (“change of heart”) connotes not just a static compunction but a dynamic and determined turn-around and a commitment to a new way of life in God. In both cases, conversion is not purely a human decision or endeavor but a human response to God’s prior initiative. In the New Testament, conversion is a response to Jesus in whose person, words and deeds God’s Kingdom becomes an emerging reality.

Advent is intended to shake us to conversion or on-going conversion as our response to the new dawn that Jesus Christ has brought into the world. And this cannot be a half-baked conversion. Matthew tells us that many of the Pharisees and adducees come to listen to John and to be baptized by him. But John attacks them with his strong words: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” Perhaps these Pharisees and Sadducees are toying with a change of heart, but not to the point of completely making a turn-around and committing themselves to God and to a new way of life. “Bearing fruit worth of repentance” is the only indicator of an experience of real and authentic conversion.

Fr. Delp, in his reflection on Advent on December 7, 1941, considered that one of the challenges of Advent is the call to authenticity. He said: “Someone who encounters the Ultimate, who knows about the end, must let go of every compromise. In the presence of the Ultimate the only thing that survives is what is authentic. All compromise shatters this. All cheap negotiating shatters this. All half-truths, and all double meanings, and all masks, and all poses shatter this. The only thing that stands the test is what is authentic.”

To embrace the Advent challenge of conversion is to embrace authenticity. John the Baptist shows the way to authenticity by knowing who he is before Jesus. He is not the Messiah; Jesus is the Messiah. Thus, he points to Jesus as the one who is stronger than he, the one who baptizes with the Spirit and the one who separates the wheat from the chaff.

Conversion is a journey towards who we really are before the Lord, to our authentic identity in God: Sinful yet Beloved! It is also a journey towards meeting others as we truly are in relation to one another: Brothers and Sisters in God! When we are finally shaken to our authentic identity in God and in relation to others, then we become capable of truly encountering the Lord in Himself and in others. Only when we are shaken to our true selves that we begin to become Advent people who are awake and ready for the Lord and his manifold visitations.

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“Solemnity of Christ The King: The King Who Saves”, By Fr. Joel Sulse, OFM

The underlying spirituality here is despite our wickedness and misgivings, the love of Christ will always be overflowing in us. But like the repentant thief in the gospel, we need to recognize in faith the kingship of Jesus and His holy operations and intents.

We celebrate this Sunday the Solemnity of Christ the King. The gospel during this celebration bears a royal motif narrative. It relates the political charges against Jesus that he puts influence against the Jewish nation, advocates a revolt against Rome through its tax imposition and personally claims himself as the “Messiah and King.” These claims are like provisions to a death certificate that he has signed.

Following through the words of the leaders (v.35), the soldiers (v.36- 37), and the unrepentant criminal (v. 39) as well as the inscription on Jesus’ cross (v.38), one can comprehend the very nature of the kingship of Jesus. And this kingship is being challenged by the very words of the criminal “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”(v.39) Such challenges call for Jesus to change his vocational identity. Such is a temptation to him to become a different sort of a King (a political one) very much distinct from the call that His Father wants him to do and live.

But it is good to dwell on how Jesus agonizes on the cross. He did not think of himself alone. He rather offered salvation to the repentant thief. We see here a God who suffered much, yet, still had that capacity to save others.

The current situation in the Visayas mirrors the many faces of the suffering Christ. Despite the difficulties they have encountered and the loss of loved ones, their faith remained strong. It helped them keep their sanity. It is nice seeing victims themselves sharing the relief goods in order for their families to survive. It is good to see the “rebuilding” spirit in them, helping their families build their “makeshift” or temporary shelter. It is so nice to see smiles on their faces despite the difficulties they have encountered during the typhoon. It feels good that despite the tribulations experienced, they remain committed to start once again; to give hope to others. We can see here the face of the suffering Christ, who “in his helplessness has that power to save!” He even asked the Father to forgive those who have crucified and tormented him, even promising the repentant thief that he will be with him in Paradise (v.43).

The continuation of this gospel text tells us that “when all the people who have gathered saw what had happened, they all returned home beating their breast.” Such is an indicator of a faith inside a person who realized that there is really something in Jesus. It is a clear and evident sign of a repentant spirit who recognized the compassionate and forgiving heart of Jesus. And for sure, their story will not stop from there.

“Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise (v.43)!” The verse is a clear indication of a forgiveness granted exceeding the prayers of the repentant thief. Jesus granted him what he asked for. The underlying spirituality here is despite our wickedness and misgivings, the love of Christ will always be overflowing in us. But like the repentant thief in the gospel, we need to recognize in faith the kingship of Jesus and His holy operations and intents. May the compassionate and forgiving heart of Jesus, the King reign in our hearts as well. Onwards to the Paradise assured us by Jesus. Amen.

As published on November 24, 2013, Parish Bulletin
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“Sustaining Hope in Time of Terrible Loss”, by Fr. Efren Jimenez, OFM

Sustaining hope in time of terrible loss is a great virtue. It directs our attention that there is greater truth in God, creation must be respected and awed and must be seen as sustainers of life.

Vivid images of tragedy come crossing my mind as I write this reflection – powerful wind, uprooting trees, wiping out homes and buildings, unleashing rampaging sea water into the city, killing thousands! ‘Yolanda’ sounds like “yoledet” a Hebrew word which means holiday! Yes! Nature went berserk and ‘feasted’ without mercy! It did not only waste lives and meagre properties of the ordinary people, but destroyed their hope and their future! It was a waste of spirit, a waste of hope and confidence – it seemed it was sacred loot – “these things you’re staring at … everything will be destroyed.”

Sustaining hope in time of terrible loss is a great virtue. It directs our attention that there is greater truth in God, creation must be respected and awed and must be seen as sustainers of life. This God is alive not only in himself but in the life of every human being.

Our readings this Sunday, as we move towards the end of the Liturgical year, suggest these thoughts for reflection.

(1) The “day of the Lord”, a frequent theme in the scriptures, is portrayed (couched) in cosmic imagery. It is a day of clouds and fire, recalling the past intervention of God in which Divine presence avert before Israel as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. It is a time of upheaval in the Heavens when the Earth trembles. People are terrified, but it is a time of purification and preparation for the end; God is doing battle for His people, and all who have placed their faith in God can be full of confidence in the middle of confusion and disaster, not because God has no control of the world, but guiding all of history to its fulfilment.

In the New Testament, the day of the Lord, which is the moment of God’s judgment and saving intervention, become also the day of Jesus Christ. It is time to reveal His glory and fullness of creation, a term for judgment and end of oppression and injustice.

As this super typhoon came suddenly and swiftly the day of the Lord will come upon as swiftly like a warrior completing his victory to the accompaniment of cosmic power and wonder. Is this not an image of God revealing his power over the world’s struggle in the grip of evil?

(2) These texts of our readings touch the present reality of our historical situation. The ways we live our lives now, and the disposition we make in our society and its resources and opportunities in economic and political spheres, unfold the events that make up the day of Lord within our history.

We are reminded that today amidst massive destruction of Mother Earth, there is inherent sacredness of creation itself, and in this context salvation means working to bring about the transformation of creation so that it would vividly show the Divine Sacredness.

We must bring ourselves to greater consciousness that nature, ourselves, and the whole created world is groaning for God’s act of redemption.

as published on November 17, 2013, Parish Bulletin
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“God of The Living: A challenge to re-frame our humanity”, by Fr. Reu Galoy, OFM

Enhance your life every day by pondering that life shares God’s life. Place your hope on immortality, not on fears your ego has over extinction, but on an understanding of your true inner being.– Michael R. Kent

Fear of the unknown is something we have to reckon with. The easy way to cope with this is either to deny it or negotiate the existence of the afterlife. It all depends on how we view our life in relation to God and the way we value our humanity. Yet, both are expressions of our crafted meaning and the relevance of God’s gift of freedom. This Sunday’s readings provide us with a faith- response to the question of the resurrection of the dead which for us Christians is a fundamental tenet of our faith. Let us take a look at the Gospel reading.

The Sadducees and Pharisees are often mentioned together, but in their beliefs they are poles apart. The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection because they believed only what was revealed in the written Torah. They totally rejected the oral Torah or the traditions held by the Pharisees.

The hypothetical question of the Sadducees on whose wife the woman will be at the resurrection since all seven brothers have been married to her is primarily intended to know on whose side Jesus is – is Jesus on their side or the Pharisees’? On the other hand, the practice of Pharisees that a man takes the widow of his brother is demanded by the law that seeks to guarantee family continuity (Dt. 25:5-10). John J. Pilch claims that this pattern of thinking is family-centered and this-worldly. In consideration of the Middle-Eastern culture, it means continuity of the lineage of the husband and in a male dominated culture, the woman-wife’s role was subjected to this law.

It appears at first glance that the issue at stake is about the resurrection of the dead. But if we take a closer look at the conversation, the primary concern is to push Jesus to take sides – either of the power-brokers that made use of the written or oral tradition or of the law to perpetuate their influence on the lives of other people. In short, they were trying to religiously manipulate Jesus.

In response, Jesus took their argument or question from the point of the God of the living. He pointed out that Moses himself had heard God say, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (Ex. 3:1-6), and that it was impossible that God is the God of the dead. Filch pointed out that Jesus explains that immortal beings (angels) do not need to reproduce, only human beings do so in order to ensure the continuity of the race. He identifies these immortals as “children of God,” a favourite Old Testament name for angels (Gen. 6:2; Job 1:6) since they share in the resurrection, a life-giving act of God.

Apart from the content of their argument, the process Jesus applied is something to learn from pastorally. Jesus used arguments that people he was arguing with could understand. He talked to them in their own language, he met them on their own ground and with their own ideas, and that is precisely why the common people understood his point. We will be far better teachers of Christianity and far better witnesses for Christ when we learn to do the same, says William Barclay.

For our daily meditation and Christo-praxis, Michael R. Kent made a very challenging invitation for us to consider:
One of the most important, and rewarding, reflections you can make is about your spiritual nature. Spend some time reflecting on who you are. Enhance your life every day by pondering that life shares God’s life. Place your hope on immortality, not on fears your ego has over extinction, but on an understanding of your true inner being. Sharing God’s life, you live eternally as God lives eternally. It is all one life! Take heart and enjoy that the one life you share from God makes you immortal.

Our faith in the resurrection modifies our whole way of looking at human existence and the way we relate to people and nature.

as published on November 10, 2013, Parish Bulletin
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“Money Fills Your Pocket But Empties Your Heart”, Fr. Jesus Galindo, OFM

As long as we are ruled by greed and selfishness, we only think of ourselves and our welfare. But as soon as Jesus takes hold of our life, we begin to think about the needs of others.

Luke’s gospel can very well be called the “Gospel of the Underdog.” Jesus consistently shows his love and preference for the outcasts and the little ones: In the gospel, three Sundays ago, it was the Samaritan leper, an outcast, who was praised by Jesus – not the nine Jewish lepers. Two Sundays ago, it was a little old widow who won over the corrupt judge and got her demand. Last Sunday, it was the tax collector who was justified in the temple, not the self-righteous Pharisee. Today, it is Zacchaeus, another tax collector, who welcomed Jesus in his house, not the self-righteous critics.

Zacchaeus (his name means “just” or “clean”) is described by St. Luke as “a chief tax collector, a wealthy man, but short in stature.” He wanted very badly to see Jesus; and he did not stop at anything to have his wish come true, to the point of forgetting his social standing and making a fool of himself by climbing on a tree like a little monkey. Why did he want so badly to see Jesus? Was it plain curiosity? Was it remorse? Was it dissatisfaction with his wealth and with his way of life? Author J. Oswald Sanders, is his book entitled Facing Loneliness, says: “The millionaire is usually a lonely man, and the comedian is often more unhappy than his audience.” Money can fill your pockets but it empties your heart.

Zacchaeus’ act of childish abandon amply paid off. He got a lot more than what he was looking for or had expected. He not only got a glimpse of Jesus from his advantage point; he had the immense privilege of bringing Jesus right into his house. It looks like Jesus was just as eager to meet him as he was to meet Jesus. We can always find the Lord, if we really want to. He is always eager to meet us; in fact, he often takes the initiative. But then, we have to come out of ourselves, like Zacchaeus. Jesus will never find us if we remain enclosed in the bunker of our selfish, sinful ways.

Zacchaeus found salvation when he let go, not only of his social status but also of the wealth that enslaved him. He was a wealthy man but he was not happy; he was not really free. Money and power, especially if they are ill-gotten, enslave us. Ours may look like a golden cage, but it is a cage nonetheless. We must let go of it in order to be free.

Once Zacchaeus welcomed Jesus into his house and into his life, his heart was filled with grace and boundless generosity: “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor.” As long as we are ruled by greed and selfishness, we only think of ourselves and our welfare. But as soon as Jesus takes hold of our life, we begin to think about the needs of others.

Zacchaeus’ story tells us that we cannot reconcile ourselves with God without reconciling with our fellowmen. We cannot seek forgiveness from God in the sacrament of reconciliation and then go on committing injustice and abuse against our workers and household help. It tells us further that restitution and reparation are necessary ingredients of true repentance: “If I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.”

Lastly, Zacchaeus’ story shows that, just as our wrongdoings often hurt the people around us (e.g., irresponsible parents bring shame and embarrassment to their children), so also our conversion brings about blessing and grace to the entire family: “Salvation has come to this house.” Not just to Zacchaeus but to his entire household as well.

May our encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist transform our life and that of the people around us, as it did transform the life of Zacchaeus and of his household!

as published on November 3, 2013, Parish Bulletin
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“Self-Idolatry And Humble Repentance” by Fr. Robert Manansala, OFM

“One achieves uprightness before God not by one’s activity but by a contrite and humble recognition of one’s own sinfulness.” – J. A. Fitzmeyer

The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector is a story of divine reversal that challenges us to reexamine our value systems and the way we evaluate ourselves and other people. We find in it the two characters’ contrasting interior attitudes, external behaviors and their respective self evaluations.

On the one hand, the Pharisees were known for their strict religious observance. The man in the story is a model of Pharisaic practice. Religiously speaking, he is beyond reproach. Dianne Bergant says that he is perhaps accurate in his self-description and in his negative evaluation of the tax collector.

On the other hand, tax collectors were despised as traitors by the Jewish people for being part of the economic system put in place by the Roman occupiers. They were also considered corrupt for often helping themselves with their tax collections. It is significant to note that the tax collector in the parable does not deny his involvement in such common practices. In fact, his prayer for mercy can be interpreted as an admission of his culpability.

The contrast in the internal disposition of the tax collector and the Pharisee is also very evident in their respective demeanor. The tax collector stands at a distance while the Pharisee may either be standing in front or in the midst of those in the Temple. He does not raise his eyes to heaven while the Pharisee easily does this. He beats his breast while the Pharisee’s arms are highly outstretched to the heaven. His demeanor is that of a repentant sinner while that of the Pharisee shows exaggerated self-confidence and even self-righteousness.

The two characters of the parable, according to Bergant, have described themselves correctly. However, the surprise in the development of the parable is when Jesus’ evaluation turns the story upside down. The Pharisee’s self-assessment is really a self-eulogy. Some commentators say that he is actually praying to himself and not to God. While he may be living an upright life, he takes credit for this and claims superiority over others by comparing himself with the tax collector. He is making himself justified before the Lord. The repentant tax collector, on the other hand, acknowledges that justification comes only from God. He prays that his sins be forgiven and his prayer is answered. The Pharisee does not need God for anything. He is sufficient by himself and so he receives nothing from God.

According to Patricia Datchuck Sanchez, Jesus’ parable, which is directed toward “those who believed in their self-righteousness,” returns the prerogative of judgment to God. By judging himself and others, the Pharisee is not only doing self-eulogy; he is also guilty of some sort of self-idolatry. J. A. Fitzmeyer says that “one achieves uprightness before God not by one’s activity but by a contrite and humble recognition of one’s own sinfulness.” Between the two characters in the story, it is the tax collector who has been given such righteousness before God. Sanchez is definitely correct in saying that “forgiveness, reconciliation and redemption are gifts from God that only the humble will recognize and only the needy will receive.”

as published on October 27, 2013, Parish Bulletin
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“Faith: The Key to a Real Thanksgiving”, by Fr. Joel Sulse, OFM

St. Paul in his letter to Timothy tells us that God will never deny us, and He remains faithful no matter how unfaithful we are as human persons. Therefore, let it be an encouragement for all of us on how we can follow the spirit of God.

“Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God? Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you!” (v.18-19) I always remember this text because it reminds me of one of the advices I often received from my parents:” Be thankful to God for whatever may come along your way…” Thinking of he same advice as I was growing up, it dawned on me that it has a deeper meaning which I was not aware of. But finally making the same as my mantra, I discovered that the advice my parents told me is to “put my full trust and faith in God in everything I do and live.” I believe that the spirit hidden behind this is the faith that Jesus is reminding us of in our gospel text: “Stand up and go. Your faith has saved you!”

For years, I have kept the same in my heart. Even in moments of personal difficulties and trials, I always thank God for the same. It may seem abnormal but it makes me feel lighter anyway. And it helped me a lot actually. I always remember the words of Scott Peck about delaying gratification. I believe that it is the faith that we put into something that makes us become more patient in life. It helps us recognize the real value of self-giving, and the authentic value of Christian sacrifice.

Looking deeply into the spirit of the text, one can find that it is not only about good breeding. It is not only about sending “thank you notes” as one writer suffices. It is more than showing one’s gratitude for a favor given. True, the texts have very rich themes and they provide rich tones of conversion as well. Previous to this narrative is the reminder of Jesus to his disciples not to be a stumbling block to others, and to forgive repentant persons as many times as possible. When they asked Him to “increase their faith”, he advised them to learn from the mustard seed. The point here is, Jesus has offered to them as a model the Samaritan leper, a foreigner, one who doesn’t belong to the Jewish circle. The leper was singled out by Jesus for commendation because he went beyond his physical healing. He went back to Jesus because the leper knew very well that without Jesus’ divine power, he cannot be healed. The beautiful part in this scene however is the humanized divine spirit coming from Jesus himself which was given as a gift but affirmed to be coming from within the person- “YOUR FAITH HAS SAVED YOU!”

The dramatic healing that transpired reminds us of our capacity as human beings to become healers ourselves. When we deviate therefore from this scenario, we allow ourselves to be released or imprisoned from the possible divine nature that is in us. Again, we have to remind ourselves that we have been created in God’s image and likeness. And this scenario of the story between Jesus and the healed leper is a timeless challenge on how we can maintain a spiritual composure in accord to God’s divine will and nature. So let us be possessed therefore by this beautiful “spiritual keepsake” coming from Jesus himself.

The presence of the nine lepers in the gospel may not be an issue about the “Jewishness” of Jesus’ question having singled out the Samaritan leper. It is about the absence or lack of gratitude to God, and their failure to praise Him. Which camp do we belong to? We are reminded that we who received healing from God should follow the ways of the faithful leper. If we believe that we have been restored to the very image of Christ, we should therefore go back to God consistently, and keep the faith that He has gratuitously given us. Through this faith, we can open more possibilities in enveloping our world with that “deep gratitude” coming from God.

Our first reading tells us of the story of the gratitude Naaman gave back to God. He acknowledged Him as the one who healed him from his leprosy. Of course, he was very thankful to Elisha for the instructions given him on how he can be healed. He was thankful also to Elisha. But both of them gave back to God their complete gratitude. The responsibility on how we can give back our deep gratitude to God lies on the faith that He has given us. St. Paul in his letter to Timothy tells us that God will never deny us, and He remains faithful no matter how unfaithful we are as human persons. Therefore, let it be an encouragement for all of us on how we can follow the spirit of God. The alleluia verse summarized it: “In all circumstances, give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.”

As we celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Sunday, I was reminded by my experience with the Agtas in Aurora. One time we were hiking with them going to their village. On our way, we experienced hunger. We passed by a guava tree bowing to the grounds with ripe fruits. We were so excited to pick the fruits with our mouths juicing with excitement. Suddenly, the tribal leader told us: “Ay bago magpitas, tayo ay magpasalamat kay Makidyapet!” (Before we pick the fruits, let us offer our thanksgiving to Makidyapet (their God and our God too)!” We were all dumbfounded!

as published on October 13, 2013, Parish Bulletin
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“We have done no more than our duty”, Fr. Efren Jimenez, OFM

The person of faith becomes so much part of the world of God that even God is one of the family, a person whom one can address in perfect familiarity, even to the point of complaining. In faith, this is the expected, the ordinary, and the “natural.”

One of the fascinating characteristics of the scriptures is the constancy with which they come up with provocative statements. The reader, on reflection, has to ask hard questions. Is this really what God is saying? Howcan He allow the inspired author to make that statement? How can I possibly make this a part of my own life?

We have especially good examples of provocative statements in our first and third readings for this Sunday. The second reading contains a more sober observation that can serve as a summary response to the other two.

The prophet Habakkuk lived at a precarious time in Judah’s history. The mighty Assyrian empire had collapsed before the Babylonians in 609 B.C. and a new enemy had arisen to threaten God’s desperate people (the “Chaldea” of 1:6 refers to Babylon). The prophet was writing at a time when this threat loomed large. The first part of the reading reflects his anguish.

What is most provocative in these verses is the manner in which the prophet challenges God. “How long, O Lord? I cry for help but you do not listen!” Our traditional notion of piety would hardly recommend this kind of prayer. But there it is in the sacred scriptures, an accusation against God!

We do find examples of this kind of human questioning of divine wisdom in other books of the Bible. The most notable, of course, is the Book of Job, where the human protagonist challenges God to appear in a court of law with him. As far as we know, Habakkuk was the first to utter words of this kind to the God of Israel.

The saying about the power of faith is clearly provocative. While Jesus does not expect us to go around commanding sycamore trees to drown themselves in the ocean, one has to admit that it is a striking illustration.

Even more provocative but in a subtler way, is the parable about the servants. They are expected to go about their ordinary tasks in an unostentatious way. They are not to expect a handsome reward every time they pour their master a cup of coffee. Jesus’ disciples are to serve him in the same way: “We have done no more than our duty.”

This is provocative because, in a sense, serving Jesus is quite extraordinary. The total dedication to him, the acceptance of the cross, the serving of others in his name – these have always caught the attention of the world. How can they be said to be no more than duty?

The answer is faith. When one makes that total surrender to the Lord, the all else follows “naturally”. The extraordinary becomes ordinary. The unexpected becomes the completely expected. Saying “of course” to the difficult is the mark of the Christian disciple, the person of faith. Thus the joining of the saying of faith’s power to the parable of the servant-disciples is no accident.

The same explanation applies to the first reading. The person of faith becomes so much part of the world of God that even God is one of the family, a person whom one can address in perfect familiarity, even to the point of complaining. In faith, this is the expected, the ordinary, and the “natural.”

The Pauline author of the second reading had this kind of faith in mind when he tells Timothy to “stir into flame the gift of God…” We are to recognize our rich heritage whereby we can address God as our Father in a familiar way and can serve Jesus as easily and as readily as children of light.

as published on October 6, 2013 Parish Bulletin
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“Make Friends with Dishonest Wealth” by Fr. Jesus Galindo

Make friends with those who, when one day you find yourself in trouble, that is, before God’s throne of justice, will defend and welcome you. These friends, we know, are the poor.

This Sunday’s Gospel presents us with a parable that in some respects has important contemporary relevance: the parable of the dishonest steward. The central character of the parable is the farm manager of a landowner, a well-known figure in our countryside when the sharecropping system was still in existence. Like all good parables, this one is like a miniature play, full of movement and scene changes. The actors in the first scene are the steward and the master and the scene ends with the master firing the steward: “You can no longer be my steward.” The steward does not even try to defend himself. He knows that he is guilty of what the master has discovered.

The second scene is a soliloquy of the steward, who is now alone. He has not yet accepted defeat. He immediately thinks about what he can do to get himself out of this situation and save his future.

The third scene — steward and tenant farmers — reveals to us the plan that the steward has devised. He asks the tenants, “How much do you owe?” “One hundred measures of wheat,” is one reply. “Here is your promissory note,” he says, “take it and write down eighty.” A classic case of corruption and falsehood that makes us think of similar situations in our own society, often on a much larger scale.

The conclusion may seem disconcerting: “The master praised the dishonest steward for acting prudently.” It is the master, not Jesus, who praises the steward’s shrewdness. We need to recall the particular nature of teaching in parables. The moral doctrine that is aimed at is not in the parable taken as a whole, in every detail, but only in that aspect of the parable that the narrator wishes to pick out. And the idea that Jesus intended to bring out with this parable is clear. The master praises the steward for his resourcefulness and for nothing else. It is not said that the master changed his mind about his decision to fire the man.

Indeed, given the initial conduct of the master and the quickness with which he discovers the new scam we can easily imagine the outcome, which the parable does not report. After having praised the steward for his astuteness, the master orders him to immediately restore the fruit of his dishonest transactions or pay it off in prison if he lacks the means.

It is cleverness that Jesus also praises, outside the parable. In fact, he adds: “The children of this world are more clever in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.” That man, when he was faced with an emergency situation in which his whole future was at stake, showed a capacity for radical decision making and great resourcefulness. He acted quickly and intelligently — even if dishonestly — to save himself. This, Jesus observes to his disciples, is what you too must do, to save yourselves, not for a worldly future but for an eternal future.

Jesus is telling us Christians to be as quick and intelligent and resourceful in doing good as the “children of this world” (the corrupt) are in doing wrong. We are all God’s “stewards,” so we have to act wisely like the man in the parable.

The Gospel itself makes different practical applications of this teaching of Christ. The one that it insists the most on is the one regarding the use of wealth and money: “I tell you, make friends with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.” In other words, do as that steward did; make friends with those who, when one day you find yourself in trouble, that is, before God’s throne of justice, will defend and welcome you. These friends, we know, are the poor.

We know this from what Christ says about his being the recipient of what we do for them. The poor, St. Augustine said, are, so to speak, our couriers and porters: They allow us to begin transferring our belongings now to the house that is being built for us in the hereafter. (R. Cantalamessa, ofm cap).

as published on September 22, 2013, Parish Bulletin

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“The Parable of the Prodigal Father and The Two Lost Sons”, by Fr. Robert Manansala, OFM

All of us are in need of continuous homecoming to God who is unconditional in his love and who alone can lead us to proper relationships with him and with one another.

Today’s gospel pericope (Luke 15:1-32) is considered by many Biblical scholars as the heart of the gospel of Luke. If one gets the message of this passage, he gets not only the entire message of the Lukan gospel but also the entire message of Jesus Christ. The message is that God does not only love sinners or the lost unconditionally; he persistently seeks after them and welcomes them with joy.

Consisting of a trio of parables (the parable of the lost sheep, the parable of the lost coin and the parable of the lost son), the pericope is regarded as Jesus’ response to the criticism of the scribes and the Pharisees that those who are considered worthless and lost are actually the predilect of the Kingdom of God. The lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son would have been judged not worth searching for by the scribes and the Pharisees. Patricia Datchuck Sanchez comments: “After all, what logical person would leave a herd of 99 sheep to search for a stray? And who would actually sweep clean a house to find one coin when they had nine others? And who would open him/herself to greater misery by seeking out a prodigal child who had disgraced the family name and disassociated himself from the sacred heritage when you have another fine and upright son at home?”

While the first two parables are given to set the stage for the increase of the pathos of the message of the pericope, all the three of them are actually intended to show the “illogical” ways of God and to challenge the readers to similarly open themselves to an unconditional and forgiving acceptance of and care for others, especially those considered the lost as well as the last and the least by the society.

The third parable has been traditionally called the parable of the prodigal son. This may not be a very appropriate title. The lost son in the story is only recklessly extravagant in wasting his inheritance, but the father is actually the one who shows limitless prodigality in his love for, forgiveness of and patience with both sons. Thus, the story, as some commentators say, may be better renamed as the parable of the prodigal father.

In this reflection, we prefer to call the third story the parable of the prodigal father and the two lost sons. The father’s unconditional love is never diminished by the faults of both sons. His love for his younger son remains despite his going wayward. It is a love that waits for, seeks, welcomes and rejoices at the homecoming of his lost son. His love for his elder son is appreciative and patient. While he recognizes his elder son’s fidelity for always being with him, he tries to lead him to a relationship with him that goes beyond the sense of filial duties and to a relationship with his younger brother that is more embracing, welcoming, forgiving and unconditional. “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.”

An in-depth reflection on the story reveals that both sons are actually lost and in need of conversion and that both need to return to their father and to one another. The younger son’s faults include leaving his father and brother and their home, asking for his inheritance prematurely as his father is still alive, squandering his inheritance and living a disrepute life away from home. The elder son’s faults include seeing himself more as a servant of his father rather than as a son, not truly recognizing his younger brother as his brother (“When this son of yours…”), harboring resentment against his younger brother and his return, and failing to rejoice with his father at the return of his brother.

In the story, the homecoming of the younger son to the welcoming embrace of his prodigal father is accomplished. He gets reconciled with his father who unconditionally and lavishly forgives, welcomes and reinstates him to his status as one of his two sons. We do not really know what happens to the elder son in relation to his father and to his younger brother. The parable is open-ended and is still being told. It continues to be a reminder of the need for everyone to always return to the compassionate God, as represented by the father, and to our brothers and sisters, as represented by the younger son. All of us are in need of continuous homecoming to God who is unconditional in his love and who alone can lead us to proper relationships with him and with one another.

as published on September 15, 2013, Parish Bulletin
About Fr. Robert and his reflections

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