Christmas Day- That awesome baby

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Once there was a king who would from time to time dress up like a regular person.  Then he would go out and walk around his city. When he was dressed like everyone else, no one recognized him as the king.  His ministers were worried that he could get robbed, beaten up or worse even get killed out there. And the good king answered: “How can I know my people if I don’t know who they are and how they truly live?”

And that is exactly what Jesus, the son of God, did for all of us today.  He wanted to know what we are like and so he was born a baby just like all of us.  That my friends is Christmas- that awesome baby being born to us.

But why a baby? You see a baby can bring out the best in all of us.

You find yourself in a mall all strangers to each other, and you see a baby and people flock around the cute baby and they start talking to each other like they've known each other for a long time. You see a little baby could unite strangers.

Rough athletes who are very rugged and tough- you know they are not allowed to show any signs of weakness, right? Now bring a baby in their midst and they become gentle as lambs.  A baby could tame the wildest "beast."

Business minded finanzial wizards, stock brokers who would not even lift their gaze off the rise and fall of stocks in Wall street monitors. But in the presence of a baby they will watch Sesame street with the baby for hours instead. A baby could change the mindset of busy people.

Arrogant intellectual polyglots who would speak to you in different languages. Yet only a baby could make an intellectual humble and speak to the baby in cooing baby sounds. A baby could make those in high places come down to his/her level.

Perhaps that is why Jesus came to us as a baby to bring out the best in us. We have seen this in Luke’s account of the Nativity – the birth of Jesus brought together, Jospeph and Mary, shepherds and kings, angels and even lowly animals. This Christmas story of a child a baby being born in a manger every year continues to inspire us.

But let us not forget another version of the Christmas story – that of  St John. This less sentimental version brings us into a mystery that forces us to view not only the cute little baby Jesus in a crib, but the reality that one day this baby will grow up and eventually be nailed in a not so cute cross.

John’s version gives greater meaning to that of Luke. St John’s story of the birth of Jesus does not begin in Bethlehem, rather it begins with eternity. Before time. A mystery without beginning or an end.  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” This tells the story of a God who chose to go outside of Himself, to relate beyond, Himself, to transcend Himself.

And then follows: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”   The literal translation is; The Word became flesh and pitches his tent among us. He makes his home among us. He lives with us.  He stays with us.  His name is Emmanuel – God now lives, stays, and breathes among us ordinary people.  That my friends is Christmas.

It’s that baby whose cuteness we could not refuse- has started living with us and staying with us. That for me is Christmas. And that’s the way Jesus would like it for all of us. That today we share our presence not just presents with our loved ones and even with those we encounter along the way who would be less fortunate. In that way, we see in each and everyone the reason for the season – the baby that comes down to us and brings us together.

 Merry Christmas.

 

Reference:

Bushell, S. (2013). Christmas Day homily 2013. St John the Baptist Parish. Sjb.org

33rd Sunday Ordinary C - The Bucket List

What is a bucket list? The Urban dictionary defines it as: A list of things you would like to do before you die (that is before “kicking the bucket”) or before your world ends.

Today being the 33^rd Sunday is the second to the last week before the Liturgical calendar ends. Next week will be the last and it will be celebrated with the feast of Christ the King. And so we are reminded during these last two weeks of the shortness of our life and that the world as we know it will end sooner than later.

Today’s first reading from the prophet Malachi: The day is coming now, burning like a furnace; all the arrogant and evil-doers will be like stubble.  The day that is coming is going to burn them up, says the Lord of hosts. But for those who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will shine out with healing in its rays. The world or our world will definitely come to an end… even Jesus in the gospel says: All these things you are staring at now, the time will come when not a single stone will be left on another: everything will be destroyed.

And so if the world would end in two weeks…. What will you write on your bucket list? How would you like to spend the remaining two weeks of your life here on earth? 

A survey of 2000 people in the UK in 2012 had these results:

51 percent of respondents would spend this time with family.

22 percent wanted to travel and see the world

7 percent will quit their jobs and relax

6 percent will spend their time on parties

1 percent will spend their time being charitable

5 percent on other things

On Spending time with Family. A priest one Sunday was giving this homily about the end of the world. He said to the group, “What would you do if you knew you only had 2 weeks of life remaining before the Great Judgment Day?”

A gentleman said, ” I would go out into my community and with my money, feed the hungry and the homeless and give my clothes to them. That they may realize God is good to them also. “Very good!” said the priest, and all the parishioners agreed, that would be a very good thing to do.

One lady spoke up and said enthusiastically, “I would dedicate all of my remaining time to God, by staying in Church and praying.” “That’s wonderful!” the priest commented, and all the others agreed.

But one gentleman in the back finally spoke up loudly and said, “I will leave my wife and children in my house and go to my mother-in-laws house for those 2 weeks.”(Pope Francis once commented: “Families quarrel… Sometimes plates can fly. Children give headaches. I won’t speak about mothers-in-law.”) Everyone was puzzled by this answer, and the priest asks, “Why your mother-in-law’s home?”   

“Because that will make it the longest 2 weeks of my life!”

On Quitting jobs and relaxing. During the time of St. Paul, he won many converts in the city of Thessalonica by speaking of 'the end of the world.' He seriously believed that it was coming soon and talked a lot to his listeners about this point.  And they started making their bucket lists. However many of his followers misunderstood him. They thought that since the end was coming soon, they should spend their last days in prayer. Hence they quit their jobs and focused on meditation. Why build and plant if this world is about to be destroyed, they asked themselves. This won Christians a bad reputation as lazy people.

So St Paul told the Thessalonians: We order and call on people to go on quietly working and earning the food that they eat.

He further adds if they are unwilling to work, they should not eat.

So don’t stop working, and also don’t stop eating. Maybe something in your bucket list could be about eating something delicious you have never eaten before because you were scrimping on the money.

The Filipinos have an interesting expression after they have eaten a very delightful and delicious meal especially if they have never tasted this before. After eating they rub their tummies and say: “Haay pwede na akong mamatay.” (Now I can die peacefully already).  It’s like saying I have completed my bucket list and I’m ready for the end of life.

I think it’s good to have a bucket list because it makes you think of the things you would have missed if your life passes by and you would not have been able to do certain things that are worth living for.

For me the bucket list is not about awaiting death or the end of the world with fear but rather it’s about trying to live life to the full and continually appreciating what God has given us.  Whenever I officiate a funeral, I always wonder why when a person dies she receives so many flowers when she can no longer smell or appreciate this. I just wonder how many she received in her lifetime. And I also wonder why so many good things are told of this person when she can no longer hear what people are saying. On the contrary was she able to hear these beautiful words about her when she was alive from the people she loved?

So don’t miss out on those things that are still there – That is the message of the bucket list – that’s the reason you make one.  People say: There is no table of contents in the book called life. We do not know if we are at the beginning of a new chapter or at the end of the story. That is why we must be grateful everytime the page turns – it’s another day, another chance to tick off something from our bucket list or to be excited about doing one. And fear not, Jesus will always be there with us even after our book of life ends.

References:

First Choice – Blog. “The end of the world bucket list”

http://www.firstchoice.co.uk/blog/the-end-of-the-world-travel-bucket-list-infographic/

Father Albert Lakra’s Blog. 33^rd Ordinary Sunday (year c)

http://albee2012.blogspot.com/2013/11/homily-33rd-ordinary-sunday-year-c.html

26th Sunday Ordinary year C – The Lazarus Riddle

Is the story Jesus told about the Rich man and Lazarus a strightforward parable or is it an enigmatic riddle?

A Parable is a straightforward story which may be fictional but leaves us with a moral lesson which is obvious.  On the other hand a Riddle is a story with a velied meaning told in a metaphorical language with an enigma for us to solve or discover.

As a straightforward moral parable- ‘The rich man and Lazarus’ it is a Reversal of Fortune story. If you’re poor now, you’ll be rich later, if you are rich now then you’ll be poor later. A well known example of this is “Cendrillon” written in 1697 by the French writer Charles Perrault (Little Red Riding Hood, Puss in Boots, Sleeping Beauty). Grimm’s and Anderson Fairy tales will be written 100 years later. Cendrillon is “Cinderella” much like we know the story from our kiddie years.

Now Cinderella and Lazarus were both having a poor and suffering life but they will then enjoy a rich and heavenly existence later.  Both were the only ones who had names in their story, others didn’t have, plus their names had meanings. Strange because in real life, the names of the rich and famous are well known, whereas the poor and homeless are unknown. Perhaps it’s because God sees things differently. In fact Lazarus which in hebrew is Eleazar (El Azar) literally means: “God helps.” But is it enough to be poor to be helped by God?

In the Cinderella fairy tale she was persecuted by her evil stepmother and mean sisters even though she did good things and therefore merited the reversal of fortune.  However, Lazarus was not really persecuted by the rich man who might not have even done anything wrong. Nor was there anything told about the good things Lazarus might have done. So why the reversal of fortune? There must be something more to the parable, it must be a riddle.

You see the rich man in the parable ignored Lazarus. It was not about something he did, but rather about something he did not do. Ignoring the reality…. The Ostritch Mentality.

When an ostrich is scared, it will bury its head in the ground. The ostritch is assuming that because it cannot see, it cannot be seen. Interestingly it is a way to avoid the problem. The 'ostrich mentality' is when a person refuses to confront the issues that are facing him, whatever they may be. In the case of the rich man, he ignored the plight of the poor Lazarus. This is why we are reminded of the danger of this mentality by the readings of today.

From the prophet Amos, God warns us: Woe to the complacent, lying upon their beds, stretched comfortably eating, improvising to the music, and yet they are not made ill by the collapse of Joseph! Now they shall be the first to go into exile.

Even today, this Ostritch mentality is further seen in the Ten Sins against Humanity

1)   Politics without principles

2)   Wealth without Work

3)   Enjoyment without a Conscience

4)   Knowledge without Character

5)   Business without Morality

6)   Science without Humanity

7)   Religion without Compassion

8)   Rights without Responsibility

9)   Power without Accountability

10)                 Development without Sustainability

*based on Mahatma Gandi’s “Seven Social sins.” Adapted and expanded by Anwar Fazal (Malaysia)

To counteract this let us remember Paul as he advises Timothy not just to enjoy life but also to “pursue righteousness, devotion, love, gentleness. Compete well for the faith. Lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called.”

21st Sunday Ordinary C – The Entitlement Virus

What is common with these three situations?

·       Here is Junior, just graduated from college which mom and dad paid for. But he refuses to find a stable job. Bumming around, anyway nariyan naman ang parents house to live in. But he doesn’t even contribute to the home’s upkeep; di tumutulong maglinis or magluto or run errands. Dakilang palamuning di makuntento sa lutong chowking kasi dapat raw Saisaki pero wala man siyang pangtip.

·       Tide commercial: Ako si Mister Payong. Walang takot sa putik. Astig ako di mahuhuli. Kaya damit ay laging puti. Then mud (putik) splashes on his all-white outfit. And he cries like a baby. Puti ang suot ko, di dapat nila puputikan.

·       Then there’s Belle – a very outgoing and friendly sales manager. The company had done a good job in setting her up for success since she shows a lot of promise. But Belle and her team could not close the deals… they perform always below their quota. Belle complains: “But I’m a good and caring person naman.  Everyone in my team loves and respects me. Lahat naman kami nag-put ng effort ah. I deserve to be appreciated by the company for these things that I do.

These people have what we call the Entitlement virus.

Entitlement is the belief that I am special, and I am exempt from responsibility and I deserve special treatment, you have to roll out the red carpet. But excuse me, you are not special… there’ll always be someone ahead of you, someone better than you. No one gets to be No. 1 forever.

Entitlement is the person who thinks he is above all the rules.  Excuse me, you are not God. It is He who makes the rules…. Ex. Gravity (dagsin) – what goes up must come down. Alam ko gusto mong lumipad gaya ng mga superheroes o gaya ng mga airbender, pero di mangyayari noh! Kasi may gravity. You are not above the law of nature.

Entitlement is the person who feels mistreated and therefore all others have to make it up to her. In the movie Camp Sawi: Maganda ka naman, sexy, talented, malaki ang sweldo mo. So if you’re so wonderful, bakit hindi sya nagrereply? Hindi na siya nagpapakita.  Hindi na kayo!

Sabi ni Yassie: “You look horrible.” Sagot ni Bella: “Talaga pangit ba ako?” Yassie: “Medj! (a little)”  Bella: “Sino ba kasi ang broken hearted na maganda, sasaksakin ko.” Now that’s entitlement. Miserable ka, you want others to be miserable too, di bah!

Entitlement is a person who is actually capable of taking care of himself, but then he still expects others to do that for him, because we all owe him that.

We all have that sense of entitlement; this virus exists in us -some have it in small doses and others with a very extra large dose of it. So what is the cure for it?

In Luke (13:24) today, Jesus tells us the cure: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.” The narrow gate, the narrow way, the hard way – that is the only path to undo the negative effects of the entitlement virus.  Dr. John Townsend in his book:”The Entitlement Cure” explains that:  The narrow gate or the narrow way is the habit of doing what is best, rather than what is comfortable, to achieve a worthwhile outcome.  Hebrews (12:12) adds: “So strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees… that what is lame in you may not be disjointed but healed.”

When you strive for something worthwhile, be it career or family, or a financial dream, you have two ways to go about this.  Entitlement directs you to give the minimum, find the shortcut, and think only of yourself. The narrow way directs you to the opposite, it focuses on doing what is best for you to reach the goal, even if it is difficult or uncomfortable, even if it takes longer, and spends more of your energy.

After all, the narrow way originates from God. He had to do six days of creation instead of completing it in one (which of course he could if he wanted). Then he sent down his own Son Jesus to become human like us.  Then Jesus suffers and dies just to prove his love to a world who didn’t like him and instead crucified him.  Now that was a more difficult way, but then it was the best way – the narrow way, the hard way.

Many times we complain to God: “How hard this life is! Bakit ba ako laging pinahihirapan ni Lord?”  Hebrews (12:5) reminds us of how God exhorts his children: “My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord or lose heart when reproved by Him. For whom the Lord loves, he disciplines. Kung sino pa yung mahal Niya, yun pa ang pinahihirapan  niya.  So endure your trials as discipline.”

O convinced na ba kayo, that for God, the narrow gate, the narrow and hard way is better? And it is the only way to cure the entitlement virus.

Now if you do choose to undertake the narrow way or enter through the narrow gate, there are certain life principles that make this journey possible. These principles cannot be violated or ignored forever. You may disagree with them, deny their existence, insist that these principles are not fair, but that will not change their impact and power. They are larger than we are for they come from God.  The first principle will be in next week’s gospel.  See you then.

Reference:

Adapted, taken and quoted from:  Townsend, J. (2015). The Entitlement Cure.

http://www.boundariesbooks.com/the-entitlement-cure/

Camp Sawi. (2016). Camp Sawi Official Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMl9A5vCe-g

Tide (2016) ‘Wag matakot sa putik ngayong tag-ulan! Todong kaputian mula sa Tide! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DPBxmBLRYA