reLENT this LENT

Feb. 28,2016
EX 3:1-8A, 13-15 PS 103: 1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 11
1 COR 10:1-6, 10-12 LK 13:1-9
God reveals himself in different ways— in ways people can grasp him. Even in dreams, God reveals himself to us. The first reading reminds us of the theophany of God through the burning bush to Moses in the mountain of God (Mount Sinai/Horeb). And Moses hid his face because he was afraid to see God. God heard the affliction of his people and He came down to rescue them from the land of Egypt and lead them out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing of milk and honey. Abraham, however, was commissioned by God to introduce Him to His people but unaware of the name he’s going to say. God said, “I am who I am.”

 

 
In the second reading, Paul reminds the Corinthians to be aware that their ancestors were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea, and all of them were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. But they were struck down in the dessert. Paul reminds them that even those who were called by God can be condemned because of their infidelity. Therefore, Paul challenges them not to desire evil things and let the experiences of their ancestors be a warning for them not to indulge in any form of grumbling or evil.
Last Wednesday (February 24, 2016), we heard and learned about the arson (torching) of evacuation Center provided by United Church of Christ in the Philippines for the Lumad. Whoever is behind this occurrence needs to repent be accountable of the offense made against the vulnerable ones.

 

 
Brothers and sisters, we are now on the third week of Lent. During the first week, we heard about the temptations of Jesus in which the devil did not succeed. Last Sunday second week) we heard about the transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ. We were then challenged to listen to Him, “this is my chosen Son; listen to him.” In today’s gospel, we are called to CHANGE—to reform while there is time.

 

 
Jesus uses three different scenes to repentance. The first two incitements are based on recent occurrences and the third is a parable. The first two events are catastrophic in nature. “The first involves the massacre of a group of protesters, at least some of whom were Galileans. Galilean zealots were notoriously turbulent and Pilate was ruthlessly cruel in dealing with each uprising. The second event, mentioned only in Luke’s gospel, refers to an accident involving the collapse of a tower near to or connected with the Siloam tunnel built by King Hezekiah. Eighteen persons were killed in the collapse.” The question that arises from both incidents is that: “Are the ones who suffer more criminal in their offenses than those who do not suffer?”

 

 
The parable of the Fig Tree gives us the image of a loving, merciful and compassionate God. “Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down” (v.8-9). As we can see from the gospel, the vinedresser even bargained with the owner of the land to give the tree a second chance to be fruitful. In our lives, we are like the fig tree on the gospel that even when we do not bear fruit, we are still given the opportunity to be cultivated in order for us to bear fruit. However, if it so happened that we do not still bear good fruit after all the cultivation of the vinedresser, he don’t have the other option but to agree with the owner that is to cut the tree.

 

 
God as loving Father always extends his loving arms and ready to embrace humanity any time they repent. It also reminds me of the parable given by Jesus in the Gospel of Luke, “Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? 5 When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance (15:3-7).
The church has always proclaimed mercy. However, mercy and compassion must be affiliated with repentance.. There must be the desire for forgiveness so that indulgence may be given. The church teaches us to pray, fast and give alms for the expiation of sins. As one of my favorite lines of Mahatma Gandhi, let us “Be the change you want to see in the world” let us give every CHANCE a moment to CHANGE. Be sorry for our sins— reLENT this season of LENT.##

Bro. Ariel Bulan, MJ
Feb. 28 , 2016

Lenten Reflection on the Transfiguration

 

GN 15:5-12, 17-18	PHIL 3:17—4:1
PS 27:1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14	LK 9:28B-36

Today, we reflect in awe at this event in Jesus’ life and ask what it means for us, Christians.The Gospel Reading for today invites us to reflect on the Transfiguration. Jesus Christ was transfigured. Transfiguration, simply defined, signifies a change in form or appearance. In this life-event of Jesus, His clothes became luminously white, His appearance changed and became glorious.

Jesus, in today’s gospel, invites us to share the power of His transfiguration. Why would Jesus share His power of transformation manifested in the Transfiguration?

First, let us remember that the Transfiguration was a significant event wherein God allowed a few apostles to have the privilege of spiritual experience that was meant to strengthen their faith and prepare them for many challenges they would face in the near future. In the same manner, today, God gives us special and unique experiences of His grace to strengthen our faith today to endure the daily grind and challenges.

Second, because Jesus is the vine and we are the branches, and He promised that He will be with us until the end of time, we share in God’s grand mission of transforming the society now.

Transformed, we share Jesus’ plan of salvation for humanity.

Transformed, we become stewards of His creation.

Transformed, we become advocates of social justice and peace.

Transformed, we become co-bearers of the Good News.

All of these things mean the same, for if we profess to we follow Christ, we become co-transformers   towards  the full reign of God’s love and justice   here on earth.

Following Him, though, does not give us the right or excuse to give in to messianic complex. For if we are transformed, we begin our life-long journey with Him to desire to be more Christ-like every day; doing things in ways pleasing to God.

But, when the things we cannot change end up changing us, we affirm the status-quo. We agree to what have been culturally and socially accepted even these are not consistent with the values of God’s reign    for humanity. We cease to grow to be Christ-like in our thoughts, words and actions.

How do we then follow God and share in His transforming plan for His kingdom today?

As co-transformers, we shall not condone acts, norms, policy, and systems that promote structural violence  and injustice.

As co-transformers, we become agents that bring forth awareness and deeper understanding of social realities.

As co-transformers, we commit to eliminate forms of human suffering that contradict God’s plan of fullness of life.

As co-transformers, we work in solidarity with peoples, church and other institutions that share our conviction.

Pursuing justice and peace is an expression of living-out our faith. As we say and pray in our community: Live, Jesus, in our hearts forever!##

Levi Viloria Albania,

The Lord Almighty United Methodist Church

Asst. Professor,  De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde

 

Feb. 21,2016

 

Photo grab from http://www.leblogdelabergerie.com/prayers/Transfiguration.htm

Pinagdaanan ni Hesus ang ilang

DT 26:4-10	ROM 10:8-13
PS 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15	LK 4:1-13

Luke 4:1-2 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted[a] by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. (NIV)

 

Lukas 4:1-2 Si Jesus na puspos ng Banal na Espiritu ay bumalik mula sa Jordan. Pinatnubayan siya ng Espiritu sa ilang. 2 Doon ay tinukso siya ng diyablo sa loob ng apatnapung araw. Sa mga araw na iyon ay wala siyang kinaing anuman. Pagkatapos ng mga ito, nagutom siya. (SND)

 

Si Hesus ay pinatnubayan ng Banal na Diwa (patungo) sa ilang o wilderness!

 

Ang ilang ay sumasalarawan ng kawalan:

 

• kawalan ng taong makakasama, makakaramay, kakampi o nagpapahalaga
• kawalan ng seguridad o mapagtataguan mula sa mga unos o di kaya’y sobrang init o lamig ng panahon
• kawalan ng pagkukunan ng pagkain o inumin
• kawalan ng pag-asa o kinabukasan

 

Bagamat marami sa atin marahil ay hindi pa nararanasan ang makapunta sa ilang gaya ng tinutukoy sa ating aralin, hindi naman maikakaila na danas na danas ng marami sa atin ang mga bagay na sumasalarawan dito.

 

Sa gitna ng mga masisikip na lansangan, pagawaan, tanggapan, paaralan o pamilihan, marami sa atin ang nag-iisa. Walang kasama, walang karamay, walang kakampi, walang nagpapahalaga.

 

Tulad ng ilang, ang mga lungsod na puno ng mga matitibay at matatayog na gusali at magagarang kabahayan ay wala ring maiaalok na matutuluyan para sa mga pamilyang nakatira sa lansangan. Kanino tatakbo ang mga putang pinandidirihan o minamaliit ng lipunan? Sapat ba ang tibay at tayog ng mga naggagandahang mga gusali upang protektahan ang mga bakla o dayuhang sinasaktan gamit ang kabaitan ng simbahan at kulturang kanilang kinabibilangan?

 

Sa kabila ng kasaganahan ng bansa at kahit na ng buong daigdig sa pagkain at tubig, hindi ba’t marami ang namamatay at nagkakasakit sa gutom at uhaw?

 

At kahit ano pa ang kayang ialok ng mga makabagong kagamitan at tuklas na naglalayong pagaangin at pasayahin ang ating pamumuhay, hindi sumasapat ito upang bigyan ng pag-asa at mabuting bukas ang nakararami.

 

Pinagdaanan ni Hesus ang ilang. Naranasan n’ya kung paano ang mabuhay sa gitna ng kawalan. Naranasan n’ya tulad natin kung paanong pagkaitan o malayo sa mga bagay na nakapagbibigay sa atin ng kasiguruhan.

 

Ngunit sa karanasan ni Hesus, mapapansin natin na hindi lang ang kanyang kahinaan ang ginamit upang siya ay linlangin. Alam natin ayon sa kwento na gutom si Hesus at mahina ang kanyang pisikal na pangangatawan. Ngunit bukod sa kahinaan ni niya, ginamit din ng Diyablo ang kalakasan o kapangyarihan ni Hesus sa kanyang pagtatangkang masilo siya. Maaari namang gamitin na lang ng Diyablo ang gutom ni Hesus upang panamlayin ang kanyang paniniwala o pananampalataya. Kagaya ng ibang tao na nawawalan ng tiwala sa Diyos dahil sa kanilang kakulangan sa buhay, maaari namang turuan na lang ng manunukso si Hesus na sumbatan ang Diyos dahil sa kanyang tila kawalan o kakulangan ng malasakit. Ngunit imbes na gawin ito ng Diyablo, sinubukan niyang kumbinsihin si Hesus na gamitin ang kanyang kapangyarihan upang mapawi ang kanyang gutom.

 

Hindi ba’t marami sa ating lipunan ay ganito ang karaniwang solusyon – ang gamitin ang lakas at kapangyarihan? Halimbawa, maaaring ang isang taong nagugutom ay gamitin niya ang kanyang lakas upang magnakaw ng pagkain. Ngunit, hindi lahat ng nagugutom ay nagnanakaw at hindi rin lahat ng magnanakaw ay nagugutom. Ang totoo, ang mga big time na magnanakaw ng ating lipunan ay hindi nagnanakaw dahil sa gutom – nagnanakaw sila dahil sa kanilang kasakiman at kapangyarihan! Malakas sila at kaya nila, kaya ginagawa nila ang pananamantala at pangangamkam ng biyayang dapat sana ay makakasapat na sa pangangailangan ng lahat.

 

Batid ni Hesus na hindi kapangyarihan ang sagot sa kanyang problema. Alam ni Hesus na hindi sapat na gamitin ang kapangyarihan upang talunin n’ya ang kanyang kahinaan. Ang Salita ng Diyos ang kanyang naging sandigan. Salita ng Diyos na nagpapatotoo na mapagmahal, mapa
gkalinga, makatarungan at maawain ang dakilang Maylikha.##

 

 

Floyd Castro

United Methodist Church

ON THE DEVIL’S OPPORTUNE TIME/S

DT 26:4-10	ROM 10:8-13
PS 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15	LK 4:1-13

 

The Gospel reading for today invites us to reflect on the phenomenon of temptation.

 

What is temptation? It is a lure, and enticement, to do something which ought not to be thought of or not to be done because it is prohibited to do so — by law/s of nature, or by law/s of man, or by law/s of anyone chosen as God. It appears to be good for me, or my family, or my community, or my church, or my nation, or all creation but in reality, not so. It is also a test for discernment of  the quality of character, personal and/or social, and ability to choose correctly or incorrectly among options with regard to what is authentically true, good, and beautiful, or apparently so. The purpose of temptation is to derail one from doing what is right, from what ought to be done.

 

  The content of temptation appears not to be prohibited. It rationalizes itself to seem reasonable by reasons of body, mind, heart, and even of spirit. And there are attractive benefits if one surrenders to temptation. But in reality this is disobedience to truly rational and reasonable standards of governance to the detriment of self, neighbor, creation, and, for believers, God and the values of the kingdom. Individuals are tempted, and so too are families, communities, nations, governments and churches.

 

Consider Jesus. He wasn’t spared temptations. As man like unto us of flesh and blood except sin, he was tempted, and not only in the desert but also in town and country, on land at sea, plain and hilltop. In the desert after his forty-day retreat before his ministry he was tempted by the devil three times with very attractive promises, realized if he would simply follow instructions, harmless by populist standards. Satan tempted Jesus to stop him from establishing his Kingdom of total salvation and liberation.

 

Transform stone into bread and prove that you are the Son of God, the devil said. I imagine Jesus saying to himself: Why, that’s easy to do; with this special ID, I can speed up my ministry. All the kingdoms of the world can be yours for the asking; no interventions from me; just kneel and feel the tap of my trident on your head,  said the devil. How hard is it for a young Jesus to genuflect? Prove to me that you are the Son of God; hurl yourself from this  temple pinnacle, and if angels save you, I will kneel before you, said the devil. Did Jesus think, Hmmm, this powerful devil will be under my authority?

 

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit said NO to all attractions!  No debating or negotiating with the devil he simply quotes Scripture against the devil’s wiles.  “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone’. ” “It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him’ “.  “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test’ “.   The word of God, the law of God, articulated  by Moses, silences the devil. Temporarily. He departed from Jesus until an opportune time.

 

When was the opportune time, or when were the opportune times? The devil had new tactics after his desert failures. Never again did the devil openly tempt Jesus. But the pattern remained the same. The new temptations were still to illegitimate pleasure, pride and self-righteousness, wealth, power. fame, and to despair. Was he tempted to be a bread king after he multiplied few loaves of bread for a hungry crowd, and twice at that?  Was he tempted to glory in his fame in his teaching and  healing ministry that drew thousands, Jews and gentiles alike,  to  his presence?  Was he tempted to self-righteous pride when he singlehandedly instilled fear in the hearts of the Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes and Priests, and denounced their hypocrisy?  Was he tempted to consider relations with Magdalene? In the garden of Gethsemane was he tempted not to drink the cup of suffering? On the cross, he was tempted by Gestas. Was there temptation when he cried out,  Eloi, Eloi, why have you abandoned me?

 

To whatever temptations, Jesus said NO. Our Father, your will be done, he prayed.  Into your hands, I commend my spirit, he said. So  Paul was able to write: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested {Or [tempted]} as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb. 4:15, 16).

 

Jesus experienced temptations. We too are tempted in many ways and experience difficulties of all sorts in resisting temptations. What choices present themselves?

                 

            So, have people been tempted, in the devil’s opportune time, perhaps:

 

            — to entertain pleasurable but lustful thoughts, or gleeful planning of acts of revenge;

            — to enjoyable last bites, last rounds shots of “double black”;

            — to manipulate deals for fat commissions allegedly for personal vested interests;

            — to work for promotions at the expense of more qualified candidates;

            — to kill in the name  “national security”;

            — to engage in ecologically unfriendly mining and  logging for elitist profit;

            — to promote  nationalist ideals and  social behavior at the expense of international  

                solidarity;

            — to engage in profitable human trafficking and smuggling of money, drugs, technology,

               arms;

            — to instigate wars, military or  business, for selfish gain in wealth and power allegedly

               for  greater human development;

            — to assert in theory and praxis that outside my church denomination there is no

               salvation;

            — to commit suicide and obtain freedom from despair?    

           

These are some temptations by devils in disguise leading us ultimately to worship idols of village, temple, market, and state, and the idol of self. But the commandment is clear: “It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him’. “

 

           We have  archived lists of falls into the temptation. One can recall his/her own all sorts of responses to temptations — resistance and falls and corresponsing consequences, some  revealed to confidantes, counselors, pastors and priests. How do I/you/we score on the matter of temptations? How am I  judged by natural law, the ten commandments, the UN declaration of human rights, by the nature of the internal contradictions of the temptations themselves, or  by simple common sense? Is the devil involved? And my guardian angel too? How do I compare with Jesus?

 

            The key to NO to temptation? My grace is sufficient for you, says the Lord. Grace: the  Jesus Story, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, love of neighbor and community for me,  nature for me, the Church for me, example of heroes and martyrs for me. All the treasures of faith, hope, and love are angels suggesting NO to Mammon, and YES to God. #

Rev. Fr. Paco Albano

Diocese of Isabela

Gospel reflection fo First Sunday of Lent, 14 February

Luke 4:1-13

Modern life has taught us to be control freaks! We want everything to be under our control. If things do not go as planned, we are rattled. We make well-calculated plans in order to achieve our goals.We see that the devil’s temptation to Jesus is very much present in our context today. First, the devil continuously convinces us that what matters are material things that directly affect our daily lives. The bread that makes us satisfy our hunger is what is important, and not the Word of God. Second, temptation also exists even to those who have been hearing the Word of God. What is unique in the second temptation, I guess, is the ability of the devil to even use the Scripture to forward his temptation. Thus, temptation exists even to those who already know the Scriptures. Analogically, temptation could be strongest to those who strive to be holy. When we face our temptation every day, may we not forget to keep our faith strong by holding on to Jesus. Jesus himself was tempted. But he shunned away evil by prayer andsacrifice. May we remain strong to overcome the temptations we face every day

Commentary by Maria Pauline P De CastroTaken from p. 95 of ‘Living with Christ’ February 2016 edition

 

 

Reflection on Luke 10:25-37

Luke 10:25-37

Normally, Christians uphold social norms and conventions that serve to maintain order and just relations among nations.  They see these things as in line with the values of their faith.  Hence, they support international law and other actions by the United Nations.  They also oppose colonization, apartheid, ethnic cleansing and the killing of civilians, especially children, in times of war, that all violate international conventions and agreements on those issues.  But something happens when the state of Israel is the one guilty of violating those norms, which victimize Palestinians.  Suddenly, those norms no longer apply. These Christians commit one of the most glaring instance of double standard.

Their reason? Israel is God’s chosen nation and that Palestine is the biblical Canaan that God promised to Abraham. It goes without saying that the privileges of being God’s chosen people includes exemption from human judgement and punishment.  Such a view of course is hardly biblical.  One may take pride in being labeled as God’s chosen, but it certainly does not entitle one to privileges.  It’s actually more like the other way around.  Being God’s chosen means one is given responsibilities to be carried out according to God’s will. Being God chosen means being held to standards higher than those expected of other human beings. Since these standards are expected to be upheld according to a covenant entered into with God, then one can only imagine what happens when one disobeys such a covenant.  We all know what happened to the kingdoms of Israel and Judah in the Old Testament.  If we look at the actuations of the modern state of Israel towards the Palestinians they very much resemble the actions of King Ahab and Jezebel towards Naboth and his vineyard.  Prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah and Amos would be fulminating at the injustice being done to the Palestinians.

It seems that many Christians have gotten the Old Testament all wrong when they see modern Israel as the continuation of the ancient one.  But is that really how Christians deal with today’s Israel?  The problem is that in dealing with Israel, Christians have forgotten that after the Old Testament came Jesus and the New Testament.

Christians too have forgotten that the basis for inter-acting with other people is what is found in these verses, Mark 12:30-31 and Luke 10:27.  It’s about loving God and neighbor.  That’s how Jesus sums up God’s commandments to the faithful.

The version in Luke is even more illustrative, as the verse takes on life through the parable of the Good Samaritan.  In our kindergarten Sunday school we were taught that the parable is about being kind to our neighbor, that we help them to the best we can when they are in need.  Perhaps not so emphasized in our childhood learning is the inadequacy of piety and rituals, as represented by the priest and the Levite, as an expression of our faith.  We are also expected to behave exemplarily in the bigger society.  There is no denigration of worship here, but rather what is called for is a deepening of our understanding about faithfulness to God’s commandments.  We worship because we remind ourselves of our dependence on God as well as express our gratitude to God.  When we see somebody in distress we see in that person God through the crucified Christ.  What we do that person, or people, is what we do to Christ.  That’s why loving God and neighbor are inseparable. The priest and the Levite believe they love God by prioritizing their services at the temple.  The act of the Good Samaritan shows what the Levite or the priest should have done.

In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus’ choice of characters is not arbitrary.  The Levite and the priest represent the Jews, who are supposed to behave exemplarily as God’s chosen people.  On the other hand, people that Jews reject as one of their own, as represented by the Samaritan, can themselves be ‘chosen’, i.e. do things that fulfill God’s commandments.  To put it bluntly, anybody, any people, can be God’s chosen if their behavior is in keeping with God’s commandments.  In Christ, no one, no nation, has the monopoly any more, if ever, of being God’s chosen.

We note too that the Good Samaritan does not even bother to know the race, ethnicity or religion of the wounded man he chanced upon on the road to Jericho.  That person could have been a criminal, racist, bigot, sexist, mean, cruel, etc. (remember ‘love your enemies?’), or could also be a good and just person. The non-descript character of the wounded man is deliberate. We are supposed to help everyone because they are a creature, a child, of God.

Whether that person is a Jewish Israeli or Palestinian, whether Muslim, Christian, or Druze, we must help.

Perhaps it is not a problem per se if we attach certain labels on people, because it helps us identify them for easier recognition.  The problem is when the labels themselves acquire a life of their own, with stereotypes attached to them, often bad traits of one member of a group that is applied to all in that group. When we attach the wrong meaning to the label, like ‘God’s chosen’ the problem becomes even more serious.

If people have to be treated generically as being equal in God’s sight then so should nations or peoples. The state of Israel should be treated like any other nation and not given special status, and certainly not privileges. Violence is committed by both Palestinians and Israelis, but the root cause of the conflict is Israel’s colonial occupation of Palestine and its attendant oppressive policies on the latter.  Between the two, it is clear who is the wounded man on the road to Jericho and who should Christians associate with in the parable?

 

Haniel Garibay,

United Methodist Church (UMC