Pagdating ng Panahon

May isang bata na nagpunta sa simbahan para magdasal dahil gusto niyang humiling sa Diyos na bigyan siya ng bisikleta. "Papa Jesus, sana bilhan po ako ni papa ng bike sa isang linggo." Lumipas ang isang linggo, bumalik ulit ang bata para magdasal, "Papa Jesus," sabi niya, "bakit wala pa po akong bike? Kung naririnig niyo po ako sana magka-bike po ako next week." Nagdaan ulit ang isang linggo. Wala pa rin siyang natanggap na bike. Isang araw, nag-iikot ang pari sa simbahan nang napansin niyang nawawala ang imahen ng Mahal na Birhen at mayroong sulat sa dating kinaglalagyan nito. Kinuha niya ang sulat at ito ang nakalagay, "Papa Jesus, kung gusto mo pang makita ang nanay mo, ibigay mo sa akin ang bike ko." Katulad ng bata, nais nating makuha sa Diyos ang ating mga minimithi agad-agad pero ang ebanghelyo para sa araw na ito ay nagpapaalala sa atin na hindi ganito kumikilos ang Panginoon sa ating buhay (Mk. 8:22-26).

Hindi natin arok ang kaalaman at kaisipan ng Diyos. Tayo ay mga hamak na tao lamang na mayroong limitadong kakayahan na pag-aralan ang katotohanan ng buhay. Hindi natin kayang makipagsabayan sa kanya. Marami pa rin tayong mga tanong na hindi masagot, mga misteryo na patuloy nating pinagninilayan, at mga pangyayari na hindi natin maunawaan ang mga dahilan. Alam ito ng ating Panginoong Hesukristo kaya nga nang pagalingin niya ang bulag sa Bethsaida, hindi niya ito ginawa nang biglaan kundi unti-unti, dahan-dahan. Ito'y pagpapakita lamang na kinakailangan ng tao ng panahon upang maintindihan ang mga bagay-bagay. Sa mundong kinagisnan nang makuha ang lahat sa mabilisan, inaanyayahan tayo ni Hesus na maghinay-hinay upang makita natin ang kahalagahan ng oras at ang kakayahan nitong mapanibago tayo.

Nilikha ng Diyos ang oras upang gamitin ng tao sa pagpapakabuti at pahalagahan ang bawat sandali ng kanyang buhay. Dahil sa oras, nagiging disiplanado tayo at inuuna natin kung ano ang importante. May kakayahan itong dalisayin ang ating kalooban. Sa unang pagbasa (Gen. 8:6-13, 20-22) ay nakita natin kung paanong naghintay si Noe na humupa ang baha. Hindi lamang ang mundo ang naging dalisay dahil sa baha kundi pati na rin ang kalooban ni Noe at ng kanyang pamilya dahil sa hinaba-haba ng kanilang pananatili sa arko ay lalong tumibay ang kanilang pananalig sa Diyos. Kaya nga nang mag-alay siya ng handog sa Panginoon, sinumpa ng Diyos na hindi na niya muling wawasakin ang mundo dahil sa tao. Ito ang nais ni Hesus na ibigay natin sa kanya: isang pagpupuri na nagmumula sa dalisay na kalooban.

Isa pang aspeto ng oras ay ang kakayahan nitong pagalingin ang ating mga sakit, pisikal man o espirituwal. Ginagamit ng Panginoon ang oras upang lunasan ang ating mga karamdaman at hilumin ang ating mga pusong sugatan. Hindi madadaan sa madalian ang paggaling. Kinakailangang lumipas ang ilang araw, linggo, o taon bago tuluyang bumalik tayo sa dati. Katulad ng mga galos na nagsasara at mga luha na nagbibigay ng kaginhawaan, ang oras ay nakapagdudulot sa atin ng panibagong kalakasan upang harapin ang mga hamon ng buhay. Ganito kumilos ang Diyos. Hindi siya nag-aapura o nagmamadali. Ibinibigay niya ang makabubuti para sa atin sa kanyang takdang panahon, sa tamang panahon.

Marami man tayong hindi maintindihan sa ngayon, mayroon naman tayong pinanghahawakan: nariyan ang Diyos na gagabay sa atin upang ituro sa atin ang katotohanan, dalisayin ang ating mga kalooban, at pagalingin ang ating mga sakit. Hindi natin kailangan magmadali. Mauunawaan din natin ang lahat pagdating ng panahon. Ang mahalaga ay inilalaan natin ang bawat taon, buwan, linggo, araw, oras, minuto, at segundo ng ating mga buhay kay Hesus na ating Panginoon. Magtiwala lang tayo sa kanya sapagkat sasamahan niya tayo kahit napakabagal natin. Kailanman ay hindi niya tayo iiwan.

Buksan ang Puso

Isang araw, si Pedro ay inutusan ng kanyang ama na bumili ng Sprite sa tindahan. "Mamili mo ng smithe," sabi niya pagdating sa tindahan, Bulol si Pedro kaya ganun ang pagkakasabi niya. "Anong bibilhin mo?" tanong ng tindera. "Smithe mo!," sabi ni Pedro. "Niloloko mo lang ata ako eh!" sambit ng tindera sabay sakal kay Pedro. "KKKKKKOOOOOOOOKKKKK!" sabi ni Pedro habang sinasakal siya. "Yun! Coke lang pala ang bibilhin mo!" sabi ng tindera. Inabot sa kanya ang Coke at pag-uwi ay pinagalitan siya ng kanyang ama. Nabanggit ko ang kwentong ito sapagkat sa araw na ito ang ating ebanghelyo ay patungkol sa pag-unawa sa kalooban ng Diyos (Mk. 8:14-21).

Marahil ay naranasan na ninyo na mapagalitan dahil sa hindi ninyo nasunod ang iniutos sa inyo ng inyong magulang. Dalawa lamang ang pwedeng sanhi nito: katamaran, o ang hindi pag-unawa sa iniutos. Nakita natin sa ebanghelyo na binalaan ni Hesus ang mga alagad laban sa "pampaalsa na ginagamit ng mga Pariseo at ni Herodes" na sumasagisag sa masamang impluwensiya na makapagdudulot ng kapahamakan sa iba. Ngunit ang pagka-intindi ng mga alagad ay nasabi ito ng Panginoon dahil sa wala silang nadalang tinapay sa kanilang paglalayag. Kulang sila sa pag-unawa. Hindi nila pinagnilayan ang mga sinabi ni Hesus. Tulad ng mga apostol, hindi rin natin nauunawaan ang sinasabi sa atin ng Panginoon kaya madalas hindi natin masunod ang kanyang kalooban. Kaya tayo nalilito at naguguluhan sapagkat hindi natin alam ang ating gagawin. Paano nga ba natin mauunawaan ang nais ng Diyos?

MAKINIG. Kailangan nating makinig. Matuto tayong tumahimik at makinig. Lahat ay gustong magsalita, wala nang gustong makinig. Ito ang kasalukuyang suliranin natin. Kaya ang resulta, maraming nag-aaway, at maraming hindi nagkakaintindihan. Kung tayo'y makikinig, magkakaroon tayo ng kapayapaan at mauunawaan natin ang ating kapwa lalong higit ang Diyos. Paano naman natin mapapakinggan ang Diyos? Kinakailangan nating maging bukas, magnilay, at magmahal.

Sa unang pagbasa (Gen.6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10) ay nasaksihan natin na kinalugdan ng Diyos si Noe dahil siya ay sumusunod sa kanyang mga alituntunin at hindi nagpaapekto sa kasamaan ng mundo. Kahit na mahirap ang iniutos ng Panginoon, siya'y tumalima sapagkat siya ay bukas sa pagtanggap ng kalooban ng Diyos. Hindi siya nagreklamo at buong puso niyang tinupad ang iniatas sa kanya. Kung tayo ay magiging bukas, hinahayaan nating pangunahan tayo ng Diyos at masunod ang kanyang naisin. Sa ganitong paraan ay mapapakinggan nating maigi ang kanyang tinig.

Para maunawaan natin ang isang bagay, mahalaga na pagnilayan natin ito. Dapat masusi nating inaalam, sinusuri, pinag-aaralan, at pinagdarasalan. Hindi sapat na narinig lamang natin ang Salita ng Diyos. Magkaiba ang narinig sa pinakinggan. Yung una ay ang kakayahan nating malaman ang tunog at ingay ng isang bagay, samantala ang pangalawa ay ang pagnamnam sa tunog at iniintindi ang mensahe. Sa madaling sabi, may kasamang pagkilos ang pakikinig. Hindi lamang pumasok sa isang tenga at lumabas sa kabila ang Mabuting Balita bagkus inunawa at isinabuhay. Kaya hindi naintindihan ng mga alagad ang sinabi ni Hesus ay sapagkat hindi nila ito pinagnilayan, katulad ng tindera na hindi naunawaan ang sinabi ng bulol.

Lahat ng gawain natin ay walang saysay kung hindi tayo nagmamahal. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit tayo nagiging bukas at pinagninilayan ang kalooban ng Diyos: dahil mahal natin siya at minamahal niya tayo. Kaya tayo nakakagawa ng mabuti sa kapwa sapagkat nagmamahal tayo at minamahal tayo ng Diyos. Magpasalamat tayo at dahil sa pag-ibig, nakakayanan nating sundin ang loob ng Panginoon  tulad nina San Cyril at Methodius na ipinangaral ang paghahari ng Diyos sa mga Slavs. Hindi ito madali pero dahil sa pag-ibig ay naisakatuparan nila ito.

Ngayong araw ng mga puso ay pinapaalalahanan tayo na buksan ang ating mga puso upang matanggap natin ang kalooban ng Diyos nang may pag-unawa at maisagawa nang may pagmamahal katulad ni Kristo na nagpaubaya at tinupad ang mithiin ng Ama na iligtas ang sangkatauhan sa pamamagitan ng kanyang pagpapakasakit, pagkamatay sa Krus, at muling pagkabuhay. Hindi tayo matatakot na sumunod sa kanya kung nauunawaan natin ang nais niya.

Cleanliness is next to Godliness

I was set to accompany Fr. Gelo at Barangay Tarican for the Holy Mass. It was raining and I already wore my cassock for we were in a hurry. Carefully, I went inside the tricycle. At first, all was well, however cautious to keep my cassock clean, until we got off and saw my white cassock with rust stains! Just the other day, my surplice got grease stains as well! After the Mass, I hastily asked Google how to remove the rust stains, just like I did with my surplice. Removing the stain was difficult but if I want it to be worthy for the Mass, I need to exert effort. Keeping my cassock and surplice neat is a tough challenge, considering both are white which makes it prone of dirt and stains. In life, we also experience the same struggles in our aspiration to lead holy lives. We all aspire for holiness. But to become holy, one must pass through the eye of a needle; it is not an easy way of living. What must we do to achieve this goal?

Holiness requires one to be clean physically and spiritually. Yes, it is REQUIRED. We must be reminded that for us to be able to see God, we must have a pure and clean heart lest we become like the Scribes and the Pharisees who "clean the outside of the cup while the inside is covered in dirt" (Mt. 23:26). After the fall of Adam and Eve, we became vulnerable to evil. Keeping ourselves unblemished from sin is a struggle, just like my experience of keeping sotana clean from mud and rust. However, if we want to see God, we must have a pure heart, a pure soul free from the corruption of sin.

When one succumbs to the cravings of the flesh, he must rise up. The struggle is real but it is the ONLY WAY towards holiness. It is given that we are made in the "image and likeness of God." The challenge however is to keep ourselves aligned with what God has intended us to be: His children. Cleaning my sotana was difficult, but that is the only way to remove the stains that makes it undignified and unfit for service. It is the same with us. We must exert our efforts to make ourselves pure again to become worthy of God's mercy, to be with Him in His kingdom.

Recently, Mother Teresa of Calcutta was canonized for her exemplary way of life that inspired the modern world. Her whole life was dedicated at the service of the poorest of the poor, offering sacrifices for their sake. In spite of the struggles she faced head-on, we learn from her that the key to leading a holy life is perseverance. To persevere in serving the Lord, to persevere in our vocation, to persevere in doing works of mercy, to persevere in prayer and, to persevere in humility, accepting our frailty and asking the Lord for pardon and strength. We don't become saints overnight. It is a lifetime challenge to be accepted wholeheartedly. With perseverance, one can become like St. Teresa of Calcutta.

As I continue my journey towards the priesthood, God reminds me that a pure heart is significant and inextricable part of my vocation. How am I able to become an alter Christus if I do not have a close relationship with Him? How can I have a close relationship with Him if I keep myself away from Him by wallowing in sin? Truly, cleanliness is next to Godliness. Just like my cassock and surplice, I, too, must be clean to be of service to Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Best and the Least

"He must increase; I must decrease."

- John 3:30 NABRE

Nowadays, we seek fame and glory. We seek attention from everyone. Every move that we make must be affirmed and talked about especially when one has done something that is good. We tend to sensationalize the goodness of a person. Looking at this scenario which is prevalent in our society, a question arises: Does being good entitle us the attribution of greatness?

"I" MUST INCREASE
It is very tempting for us to be credited for our charitable works. In whatever we do, the spotlight is focused on us, gaining the admiration of others. When we demand this, we fall to the sin of pride. In a generation of "Me, Myself, and I," one must be reminded of our Lord's instruction pertaining in doing acts of charity, "But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing" (Matthew 6:3 NABRE). It will prevent us from placing ourselves on the pedestal and focus ourselves on the plight of our needy brothers and sisters.

"HE" MUST INCREASE
If we should not be the one credited for our good works, then who is? The one who must be acknowledged and be thanked for is none other than the Creator of man, God. Isn't it that we congratulate the parents every time their child performs well? It is in gratitude for the parents who raised their child to become a better person. It is the same with God. We congratulate Him for His creature (man) has done his mission well. Every time that we do what we're supposed to do (being good), God is praised, not us. It's not about us, it's all about Him! If we learn to acknowledge that we are just mere instruments of God's plan, we'll be constantly reminded to keep our feet on the ground.

DECREASE TO INCREASE
So, does being good entitle us the attribution of greatness? Yes, but with a condition: We must be humble enough to accept that we are nothing without God. We need Him. The problem with pride is that it removes God in our lives and making us "lords" and "gods," just like Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:4-5 NABRE). Humility, on the other hand, keeps us grounded and direct our actions to the Almighty. In this way, we say that the Lord is the BEST and we are the LEAST, not the other way around. By this virtue, we become great, just as our Lord Jesus Christ assures us, "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted" (Matthew 23:12 NABRE).

Dealing with the Present

Time flies. It seems it was just yesterday when I received my evaluation from the priest formators that I have to undergo a 2-year regency program. Now, the first year is almost over!  What happened during those months when my batchmates were too busy inside the seminary while I was outside? Did I lose hope? Did I lose the drive to continue my formation? Have I decided to take another path?

I spent the first three months “consoling” myself over what happened. At first, I was disappointed since I have to endure TWO YEARS outside the seminary. I accept the decision but the question is how I am going to deal with it, knowing that I am not graduating with my batchmates. Thankfully, my spiritual director, our parish priest, my family, friends and all the people who knew me were there to support and pray for me. Did I lose hope? No.

My family who are my first supporters

Since the first part of my regency program is “unguided,” I decided that I have to do something other than serving at the parish, helping our parish priest, and staying at home. At first, it was tempting to go on a grand vacation. However, I opted to teach catechism in a school. I was blessed to teach the whole high school department of a private non-sectarian school and the grades 5 and 6 of a public school. It was a challenging task: the making of lesson plans, waking up early, checking of papers, and dealing with mischievous kids! All of these I have accomplished through the help and mercy of God. Here, I have realized why I was so easily distracted, lazy and stubborn: I was too baffled with the activities that I forgot the reason why I am doing all these things: it is for God. I had neglected my prayer life from which I discovered that I forgot to put Jesus at the center of everything I do. Knowing this, I need to re-focus myself. But two years seemed too long. One had suggested that I should study in a different seminary. Another even offered to send me to another country and continue my studies there! All of these, I politely refused because I know that it was my fault in the first place and I need to accept the consequences, not to escape from it. Did I lose the drive to continue my formation? No.

Striking a pose with my students

The vocation to the priesthood is not an easy one. You are expected to be a good and holy priest, an exemplary model to the community and an inspirational person. I’m just a seminarian yet I was exposed to the demanding life of a parish priest. Having a busy and hectic schedule is one of them. I always assist every time our parish priest celebrates funeral masses as late as 10:30 in the evening! Exhausting, right? Another concern is the people who are depressed and with problems. They wanted someone to listen and pay attention to what they say and would understand and give them some pieces of advice. This is not what I had wanted in the first place but God calls me to serve His people unreservedly, to take care of His flock and not to be a selfish person. Have I decided to take another path? No.

At the service of God and His Church

“We do not need to know what will happen to the future because we do not hold it. The past already happened. What is important is that we do something for Jesus today because we hold the present,” said Rev. Fr. Jessie Somosierra in his homily. I believe that there is much more to be done but what is essential is that I put Christ at the center of my formation. Change does not happen overnight but the thing that matters most is that I must improve every day, learning from the past, dealing with the present, and hoping in the future.

Through the help and mercy of God, I CAN!