Jan. 29 4th Sunday of Ordinary Time 4th Sunday After Epiphany THE BEATITUDES: REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE AND TRANSFORMING LIVES

Zephaniah 2:2, 3:12-13

Psalm 146: 6-10

1Corinthians 1:26-31

Matthew 5:1-12

 INTRODUCTION

Our lectionary reading falls in an ordinary time, for it is during the ordinary times of life that you need direction to know what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. In Matthew 5:1-12, Christ blesses the hearers.

The Beatitudes emphasize the character that God called us to grow through our active participation in the life-work of our communities. It could be the church, organization or the place where we live.

OUR CALLING

Our calling is to fulfill the Great Commission by proclaiming the good news of God’s salvation wherever we may be. We are witnesses to the resurrected Christ based on our faith in Jesus.

THE WORLD AS CORRUPT AND SELFISH

We live in a world that teaches us how to be selfish and corrupt. According to the Aljazeera’s Business and Economy section that was published in 16 January 2017 (www.aljazeera.com/indepth/interactive/2017/01/men-rich-world-170116171226406.html)

“8 men are as rich as half of the world” they are – Bill Gates, Microsoft founder ($75B); Amancio Ortega, founder of fashion house Inditex ($67B); Warren Buffet, financier ($60.8B); Carlos Slim Helu,, Mexican business magnate ($50B); Jeff Bezos, Amazon boss ($45.2B); Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook creator ($44.6B); Larry Elison (43.6B) Oracle founder; and, Michael Bloomberg, former mayor of New York ($40B). Aljazeera says that, “the gap between the super-rich and the poorest half of the world’s population is starker than previously thought with just eight men owning as much wealth as 3.6 billion people, according to an analysis by Oxfam.”

We are facing an economic and financial crisis worldwide because of greed. The text reminds me that as we face the “world” that is selfish and corrupt, we are to lay our life for God and others – daily laying aside our own desires to follow Jesus.

The beatitudes offer us different values that go even deeper than the level of behavior and customs. It is possible to avoid most worldly customs and still be proud, covetous, selfish, stubborn and arrogant. Our minds need to be reeducated, renewed and redirected through this message of Jesus on the mount. Reaching out to people and transform lives involves change.

CHANGE STARTS FROM WITHIN US

“The Man in the Mirror, one of the hit songs of Michael Jackson tells about a dialogue of the self through a mirror, the song says “I’m staring with the man in the mirror. I’m asking him to change his ways. No message could have been any clearer. If you wanna make the world a better place. Take a look at yourself and then make a change.”  This change needs a change of heart,  it is a determination to change oneself so that we can be more considerate and loving to people, our determination to change is a reflection of  our desire to be acceptable in front of God.

COMMITTED TO FULFILL OUR CALLING

If we are to reach out to people and transform lives, we should commit wholeheartedly to it. Ang buhay Kristiyano ay may responsibilidad na ginagampanan sa mundo. Pinapahayag natin ang ebanghelyo ng kaligtasan ng Diyos sa sanlibutan. Lahat ay gagampan sa misyon na ibinigay ng Diyos. Ang pagsunod kay Cristo ay pakikibahagi sa misyon ni Diyos.

Your attitude in doing the ministry must reflect our affirmation of our commitment to Jesus.  If we are faithful partners in Jesus’ ministry, then we will make full use of God’s resources entrusted to us to meet the needs of the community.

Let me conclude this reflection by telling you a story, that I forgot where I took it (credit to the writer of this story) about Sikh, a guru from India:

In the cold mountainous regions of north India, travelers are helped to keep warm in a special way. They take a small earthenware pot, put a burning coal into it and cover it up. They weave strings around it and wrapping it with cloth, carry it under their arms.

Three men were travelling that way toward a sacred shrine. When they stopped for a rest, one of the travelers saw that some other people were cold, so he took the fire out of his little vessel and lit a fire so they could all get warm. In that way he saved them from freezing to death in the cold.

When they wanted to walk on, it was already dark. So the second man took the fire out of his pot and lighted a torch with it and helped all three of them to walk in safety.

The third member of the group laughed at them and said, “You are a bunch of fools. You have wasted your fire for the sake of others.”

So they said to him, “show us your fire.”

When he opened his vessel, there was no fire, but only ashes and embers.

With his fire, one of the travelers had given warmth and another had given light. But the third man who kept his fire for himself found that his fire had gone out. Now he had none at all.

CHALLENGE

If you are to reach out to people to transform lives, who among the three men are you? Are you the one who gave warmth to save others from freezing? Are you the one who lighted a torch to help others walk in safety? Are you the one who laughed at unselfish acts of other people and what was left inside the vessel are ashes and embers?##

 

Rev. Homar Rubert R. Distajo,

United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP)

 

photo grab from    http://www.annecbrink.com/galleries/bigcityspirit/GallerySermon/index.html

 

Proclaiming the Gospel Jan. 22 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time 3rd Sunday After Epiphany

 

Isaiah 8:23-9:3

Psalm 27:1,4,13-14

1Corinthians 1:10-13, 17

Matthew 4:12-23

Our history as a country is a rich history. Our nation is built on stories of hope, stories of struggle and stories of simplicity; just like that of the gospel – stories rich of learnings and inspiration. One of our nature as human being  is to draw inspiration from what is freely, easily accessible. Personally, I like drawing inspiration from things, people and experiences that may seem trivial to some. Going back to stories on how our nation was built, how we are enjoying a relatively free society, we tend to forget how the dark ages of the past is a part of what we experience today.

What I’ve picked up from the gospel readings were stories of hope, struggle, defiance and taking action. We cannot simply do nothing and dwell in fear in times where courage and defiance is called for. Putting trust in something and being hopeful while taking action will surely result to a great outcome.

As a rights advocate since my college days (which is not so long ago), I believed in something: that all people, regardless of their state in life and regardless of their belief should live a free and full life – free from abuse and exploitation and full as in abundant. Oppressive systems have reduced human life to mere objects, even something lower, some have lost respect to human life. At first, I wasn’t comfortable in expressing this belief I had. But, having something stronger than fear and going beyond being ashamed took me to the streets, took me to places beyond school walls where I was able to do something about making change.

In Mendiola, 1987, farmers marched those streets to call for land reform – something that they should have been enjoying a long time ago. Instead of heeding that call, a valid call, those farmers faced a rain of bullets. Relating this to the scripture, the farmers is the spirit of defiance, something that drove them to take courage and stand up for their life. We can draw inspiration from the farmers of Mendiola Massacre in 1987, how they did not remain silent in times of injustice, how they took action against something or even someone whom robbed them an abundant life intended to be lived by all.

A dark chapter of peasants’ history as demonstrated in  the Mendiola Massacre is a concrete face of proclaiming the gospel. By letting the people know of the plight of the farmers, this should lead to healing the disease called injustice. By letting people know of these plights, collectively, as a people, taking action to heal this disease.

In the commemoration of the 30^th anniversary of the Mendiola Massacre, let us be reminded of the lessons not only from the bible but also the lessons taught to us by our fellow Filipinos. Together we learn as a nation, together we love as a people of faith. This gospel reading shows us that in faith, there is hope and from there, we draw inspiration to take action and carry on to love.

The Gospel reading reminds us about that darkness is greater than light. The dark episode  of Mendiola massacre  is the LIGHT that would bring out   the truth about greediness guarded , tended  and ensured by the feudal bondage that benefited only the landlord and the class it represents. Jesus is calling us today, to become fishers of people.  The discipleship  that would    have a definite bias for TRUTH and LIGHT.

It is quite uncomfortable to speak about oppression, exploitation and land grabbing when tempted to be identified with the power who impose those. When we follow Jesus, it would be uncomfortable not to speak about  structures and systems that  made oppression, exploitation and greediness a matter of norm.    Staying safe, being safe is a  privilege.  Jesus summons us,      to proclaim the good news of the kingdom, and to join him in healing every disease and sickness among the people. ##

 

Em  Mijares, Roman Catholic youth

Staff, National  Council of Churches in the Philippines(NCCP

 

 

Photo grab from http://www.artbible.net/3JC/-Mat-04,18-First%20disciples%20_Premiers%20disciples/slides/21%20HE%20QI%20NATIVITY%20CALLING%20DISCIPLES.html

January 8, 2017, Baptism of the Lord The Baptism of the Lord

Psalm 29:1-4

Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7

Acts 10:34-38

Matthew 3:13-17

Baptism is an old practice and tradition, it is a cleansing ritual where one is washed by water in order that he or she may be clean and pure, and hence, the person is dedicated to God. John was known as the baptizer at the Jordan River. He baptized those who heard his call, those who repented and had decided to follow the way of the Lord.

In the gospel account, Jesus himself the Son of God had submitted himself to John for baptism. But that was not a baptism of repentance but of affirmation. And a voice from the heavens as heard saying: “this is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased.”

 

God the Father is very much pleased at His Son who humbled himself to be baptized to present to us a model of discipleship.  A good disciple is one who follows the way of the Lord and listens to his voice. And Jesus had asked John to baptize him so the people may follow what John has been preaching. That John was from God. John the Baptist was the voice in the wilderness at that time who was referred by the prophesy and had been announcing the coming of the kingdom. The kingdom is at hand and after Jesus’ baptism, the Spirit of God had descended affirming Jesus and affirming his act of submission to the will of God.

 

Based on the Gospel, John the Baptist, the son of Elizabeth and Zechariah is Jesus’ cousin.  John had recognized Jesus but he obeyed Jesus’ wish to be baptized and John did perform the baptism following the will of the Lord. But how about us? Do we obey Jesus when he addresses us every time we hear and listen to his words?  If we have not heard John who the voice in the wilderness reminding us to reform our lives, how much more to Jesus when we encounter Him every day in the Scriptures, in the holy and living traditions  and in the daily events of our lives.  God talks to us in every moment of our lives.

Since the time of Peter and the apostles until today, the Church has instituted Baptism as the sacrament of initiation and dedication to God, marking the believer as God’s own. Along the years, Baptism was instituted as one of the seven sacraments as the sign of the Church. Baptism is the sacrament of initiation. When one is baptized, one becomes a member of the Church with full rights, responsibilities and obligations. When one is baptized then he or she belongs to the body of Christ, the Church. That person becomes a member of the Christian family and thereby is asked to live out his or her Christian life faithfully. Every baptized member enjoys the graces of his or her faith and lives in God’s blessings as God resides in the hearts of those who receive the Lord.

One is baptized with water and the Holy Spirit through immersion in the water or through the washing of the head by water. In extraordinary cases and situations, baptism may be permitted by the Church provided that the officiating person follows the basic principle and rite. The age is adaptable; one can be baptized at any age, an infant or an adult. When we are baptized, we are to make and declare promises and duties. We are asked to profess our faith and stand on our promises and fulfill our duties. The Christian community supports the Christian parents who will be assisted by Christian godparents; they will guide and assist in the deepening and growth of Christian faith of the newly baptized individual. Parents and godparents will guide the baptized person in the deepening of their faith and meanings as a Christian.

Let us remember and pray for all baptized persons, the Christians all over the world that they may really live out the Christian tenets and teachings so that they become real witnesses of the Christ in the world today.

Let us be inspired and guided by our Baptismal promises so we can also share and inspire other people walking through the way to God, and celebrate holiness and righteousness.

Let us remember and pray those who are sick: physically, emotionally, psychologically, mentally, and spiritually; that through the grace of their baptism, they may recover and get well in the mercy and goodness of God.

Let us reflect and pray on our own baptism and ask ourselves:

Do I value my being a Christian?  Am I proud of my faith?

As a baptized person, have I really embraced Christ and followed His commandments?

Do I sincerely live out my Christian faith?

Do I fulfil my Christian duties seriously?

Have I shared the fruits of my Christian faith?  If yes, how?

 

Prepared by Felics Ombis B. Balangui

Volunteer, PCPR

 

Photo grab from:http://clipart-library.com/clipart/180611.htm