October 30, 2022 * Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time* Affirmation of God’s Abounding Kindness Whenever We Missed the Point

                                                             Sr. Lhen Casas, NDS

Ps 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13, 14

Wis 11:22-12:2 2

 Thes 1:11-2:2

 Lk 19:1-1

The Biblical texts for today’s reading are affirmations of who God is and who we are as human beings in the eyes of God. In the book of Wisdom God is described as powerful, merciful, creator, provider, overlooking people’s sinfulness so that it may lead to repentance, loving all things that exist. God’s spirit is in all creation, restoring the balance upon the earth as also lover of souls.

“For it is always in your power to show great strength, and who can withstand the might of your arm? Because the whole world before you is like a speck that tips the scales. And like a drop of morning dew that falls on the ground. But you are merciful to all, for you can do all things, and you overlook people’s sins, so that they may repent.For you love all things that exist, and detest none of the things that you have made, for you would not have made anything if you had hated it. For your immortal spirit is in all things.Therefore, you correct little by little those who trespass, and you remind and warn them of the things through which they sin, so that they may be freed from wickedness and put their trust in you, O Lord” (Wisdom 11: 21-2:2).

In the book of Psalms, we are reminded of the attributes of God. God is good to all, gracious and merciful, abounding in steadfast love, compassionate to all and slow to anger. Recognizing God’s splendor and mighty deeds we are instructed to give praise and thanksgiving to God daily, to bless God’s name in all that we do and to make known to all people that indeed God’s love endures throughout all generation.

 “I will exalt You, my God the King, and I will bless your name forever and ever. Everyday I will bless You, and I will laud your Name forever and ever. Gracious and merciful is Hashem, slow to anger, and great in (bestowing) kindness. Hashem is good to all; His mercies are on all His works. All Your works shall thank You, Hashem, and Your devout ones will bless You. Of the glory of Your Kingdom they will speak, and Your power they will tell. Your Kingdom is a kingdom spanning all eternities, and Your dominion is through out every generation. Hashem supports all the fallen ones and straightens all bents” (Psalm 145: 1-2; 8-9; 10-11; 13, 14 TANACH -The Stone Edition).

Paul fully aware of our nature as human beings, wrote to his community in Thessalonians. In his letter he encouraged them to keep their faith and to keep asking God to make them worthy of their calling so that Jesus may be glorified through them (2 Thes 1:11-2:2).

The story of Zacchaeus is one of the many narratives in the Bible that concretizes our human limitations and our need for God’s abounding kindness whenever we miss the point of return. In the story, we know that Jesus went to Jericho. As he was passing by Jesus looked up and saw Zacchaeus in the sycamore tree. In the story, Zacchaeus is described as short in stature, rich, and curious about who Jesus is. He was the chief tax collector and therefore considered by his fellow Jews as sinners. Zacchaeus belongs to the most hated group in his community. As a chief tax collector working for the Romans, he was corrupt. Therefore, although wealthy he was looked down on and considered an enemy. Despite this, Jesus stopped, looked up to see Zacchaeus, spoke to him, and told him that he wanted to stay at Zacchaeus’ house at that moment. Surprisingly, Zacchaeus without hesitation came down immediately and graciously welcomed Jesus into his home. Not only that, but Zacchaeus make amends for his sins, and as retribution was willing to give half of his possessions to the poor. For anyone he had defrauded, Zacchaeus was going to pay back four times the amount he had taken from them. At the end of the story, we can read that Jesus responded positively to Zacchaeus retribution. Jesus uttered that salvation comes to the house of Zacchaeus and that he was also a son of Abraham. The last word of Jesus was, “the Son of Man came to seek out and save the lost” (Luke 19:1-10). This phrase reminds us of another passage in the book of Hosea that says, “My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender. I will not execute my fierce anger. I will not again destroy Ephraim, for I am God and no mortal, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath” (11: 8-9).

Jesus action towards Zacchaeus was indeed a concrete examples of God’s abounding love, kindness, mercy, tenderness, overlooking people’s sinfulness so that they may repent, goodness, and slow to anger. Despite the fact that Zacchaeus missed the point by engaging in corruption and partnering with the Romans, Jesus stopped what he was doing, instead of looking down and mocking Zacchaeus he looked up to speak to him and told him that he wants to stay in his house. Jesus in his actions showed us that God’s heart is full of compassion, warmth, tenderness, and desires to free us from our own wickedness.

The Modern-Day Zacchaeus: The Challenge of Conversion of Hearts and Genuine Restitution

The story of Zacchaeus in our own context has many faces and varied stories. We do not have sycamore tree but we have towering building around the world owned by wealthy investors and business persons. Some of them belongs to the group of Zacchaeus. They are working to gain wealthy in the wrong way. We have plenty of tax collectors as well in a globalized world.  Corruption is rampant which cause a lot of people to live in poverty and homelessness. Many of our neighbors are exploited and living on the margins. We heard of some corrupt officials engaging in dirty business, there are several Entrepreneurs of different corporations exploiting and oppressing their workers in order to have surplus of profits. Looking more closely, we realized that even in our own backyard there are traces of social sins, communal and personal sinfulness that does not enables us to be worthy of God’s unconditional love and mercy.

We live in a world where social and personal sins mirror the story of Zacchaeus however asking forgiveness and to make genuine amends or restitution is easier said than done. Perhaps it is for this reason that going deeper to the story of Zacchaeus and to the Biblical passages for today readings it is God who keeps on reaching out to us, offering forgiveness, steadfast love, and mercy even before we ask for forgiveness. We can resonate with Paul in his letter to the Thessalonians to keep asking God to help us become worthy of God’s unconditional love and free us from our wickedness. In special we may be able to be like Jesus to seek the lost, the least and lead them to experience God’s abounding love whenever they missed the point. Hoping that we may become an instrument of their personal and social conversion. Likewise, we are challenged to listen to God who is not only initiating to be close to us but also correcting us little by little, admonishing us from our sinfulness and teaching us the ways that we can be free from our own wickedness. The Book of Wisdom reminded us that God rebuke the offenders little by little, “O LORD and lover of souls, for your imperishable spirit is in all things! Therefore, you rebuke offenders little by little, warn them and remind them of the sins they are committing, that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you, O LORD!” (Wisdom 12: 1-2).  

Lastly, may we not forget the importance of making amends, retribution, and restitution to the people or persons that we had wronged with. May we not forget that the story of Zacchaeus did not just end in repentance or admittance of his sins. The story concludes with giving half of his wealth to the poor and payback four times over of what he had stolen to anyone. Only then, that Jesus makes his closing remarks by saying, “today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19: 10).

Finally, in affirmation that God is great, powerful, support and strengthen the weak. Let us praise and bless God in all we do, giving glory, praise and honor to or God who fashion us and continuously bestowing kindness in all creation, let us sing with the Psalmist,

“The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all and compassionate toward all his works” (Ps 145:8-9).

23 October 2022 – 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time* Sinner and Sinned

Rev. Fr. Terry J. Revollido, IFI

https://puzzlefactory.pl/en/puzzle/play/people/216265-pharisee-and-tax-collector#14×12

Sirach 35: 12-14, 16-18

Ps 34:2-3, 17-18, 19, 23

2 Tim. 4: 6-8, 16-18

Lk. 18: 9-14

All have sinned and all have fallen short of the glory of God. However, the ways in which people fall into sin and blemish God’s image in them are markedly different. There are two broad categories of sinner. One group is openly labelled as sinners by all those who consider themselves to be decent and clean. Among these labelled sinners are people who are caught in the web of crime because of poverty, unfortunate women who get pushed into prostitution to make a living, juvenile delinquent, corruption because of inequality and want, and so on. The second category of sinners are those who are not recognized as such by society, nor are they ready to admit that they are sinners. Almost all of them wield power; political leaders, those who control the market, military officials, and to include here religious leaders who, claiming to be the custodians of truth, provide the rationalization and justification of the existing unjust state of affair.  

We have heard of a poor old man in Pangasinan who robbed the mangoes of his neighbor to ease his hunger was immediately put into prison and condemned a guilty sinner. We also have experienced a rich politician with decent and clean appearance though found guilty of high-end corruption yet exonerated and re-elected to continue holding juicy position in the government. Both are sinners, one forced by poverty and societal circumstances, the other, sinned in relation to the power they yield and enjoy with extravagance. How will they face God in prayer?   

   

The Pharisee and the Tax- Collector

The Gospel today is a parable told by Jesus about a Pharisee and a tax-collector addressing themselves to the duty of prayer at the same place and time. One was a good and decent man following a strict religious life, the other known as a corrupt person working to collect taxes for the Roman occupying forces. The good and the bad go to pray, but in the end the good ended sinning and the bad after being looked down as sinner was justified.

Here is the Pharisee who stood and prayed about himself, not God’s glory. He was confident of his own righteousness, not a robber nor an adulterer and giving a tenth of all he got. He boasts as if all his business in the temple was to tell God how very good, he was. He did not say, “the Lord stood by me and gave me strength” (2 Tim. 4:17) as Paul did, after claiming that, “he fought a good fight, have finished the race and have kept the faith” (4:7). He went to the house of prayer yet not one word of prayer was said as if he had need of nothing from God. Then, he despised the tax collector as he was much pleased with the tax-collector’s sinfulness as with his own goodness.

Here is the tax-collector’s address to God, which was the opposite of the Pharisee’s, as full of humility, full of repentance for sin, and desire towards God, of confidence not in himself but to the God of mercy. He stood at a distance under a sense of unworthiness to draw near to God. He did not even look up to heaven but he lifts his heart to God in holy confidence and courage. He beat his breast, his prayer was short but what he said was to the purpose: “God, have mercy on me, a sinner” (Lk. 18:13). This humble act was emphasized in our first reading from the book of Sirach declaring that the prayers of the humble have a way of claiming God’s attention. (Sir. 35:16).

The tax-collector confesses himself a sinner by nature, by practice, guilty before God. The Pharisee denies that he is a sinner. The tax-collector has no dependence but on the mercy of God while the Pharisee had insisted on the merit of his fasting and tithes. The proud Pharisee goes away rejected by God. He is not accepted as righteous in God’s sight, because he is so righteous in his own sight. Proud men who exalt themselves, are rivals to God, and therefore they shall be humiliated.  Humble men, who abase themselves, are subject to God, and they shall be exalted. It was good that the Pharisee was no robber, nor an evildoer; but the devil made him proud of this, to his ruin.

Pride and the Beloved Sinners

In the Seven Deadly Sins, the head of the list is pride. Pride is the ground in which all the other sins grow, and the parent from which all the other sins come. It is exaltation of self. It is the setting of too high a value of oneself, even denying they never commit sin, therefore, no need of any repentance. Self-importance is pride. The trouble is that, if we allow ourselves to begin to think that we are indispensable in all sorts of things, we can in the end, render ourselves unable to do the things in which we really are indispensable. This reality is very much true in the current Philippine society either in politics or in religion.

In the Gospel, Jesus is described as the friend of tax-collectors and sinners. For him they are beloved sinners that deserve love and mercy not violence, humiliation and oppression. The beloved sinner humbled himself for humility really means the extinction of self. It is only when self is extinguished that a man can learn, for the first condition of learning is the admission of our own ignorance. Above all, it is only when self is extinguished that a man can really see the beauty and the necessity of service, and that he can discover that the essence of life is not in being served by others but in serving others.

October 16, 2022 Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time* Thank You Persistent Widow!

   Dss. Norma P. Dollaga , KASIMBAYAN

https://www.biblecartoons.co.uk/cartoons/luke-18-parable-of-persistent-widow-scene-02-judge-version-03-broken-jug

Ps 121:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

Ps 121:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

Ex 17:8-13

2 Tm 3:14-4:2

Lk 18:1-8

WARNING:  THE UNJUST JUDGE IS NOT THE IMAGE OF GOD.

FURTHER WARNING: JESUS CRITIQUED AND EXPOSED THE QUALITIES OF UNJUST JUDGE AND THE CORRUPT COURT THAT ENABLED HIM TO BE UNJUST.  DO NOT RED TAG JESUS FOR SPEAKING LIKE THIS! TO SPEAK THE TRUTH IS NOT AN ACT OF TERRORISM. HE HAS ALREADY BEEN PERSECUTED, SLAPPED WITH TRUMPED-UP CHARGES, AND EXECUTED. THE INTENTION TO SHAME HIM , TO MAKE HIM IRRELEVANT AND TO JUDICIALLY KILL HIM WERE APPARENT. IF JESUS WAS WITH US TODAY, ANY VOLUNTEER CHURCH FOR HIS WAKE AND COMMEMORATION? 

***  

In Luke, a widow’s persistence, vigilance, and militancy were characteristics that challenged even the most heartless, unfeeling, and callous of judge. She banged the walls of a court dominated by men of power and influence. She raised her voice so loudly that they could do nothing to make her quiet.

Who would not be afraid of such a widow? The first impression she gives is that of a woman full of rage and anger. In a patriarchal-fascist set-up, those are negative emotions that would have been suppressed and met with antagonism. But looking deeply into the story, we can see that her life was filled with love and hope. What she fought for was right and just. Her rage and anger were rooted in love and life. One cannot fight for life and justice without hope and love.

Patriarchy has taught women to be meek and patient, virtuous and plain. And when confronted with crisis and contradiction, they are taught that the best thing to do is to wait and be passive.

The widow in Luke’s story contravened and subverted the tradition and role assigned to women. She became dangerous and subversive, but by her being dangerous and subversive, justice was served.

The tradition of women who subvert the patriarchal mold is an important reminder to women today. The ability to resist and defy patriarchy shows that a woman’s place is not only in the kitchen, the bedroom, and the market–a woman’s place is in the struggle! Only those who struggle can hope, and those who hope can struggle.

I see Jesus’ parable on the WIDOW’S  POWER in the  unapologetic, courageous women in our country: 

• Women did not have the right to suffrage then. In the Philippines, as early as the 1900s, women started to fight and work to claim their right to vote. The historic day was April 30, 1937, when women gained victory as they claimed their right to suffrage and to run for public office. It was the product of women’s courage and political will to participate in the political life of the country. It was not the “prim and proper” ways expected by a patriarchal system from women that gained this political right; it was a hard-earned triumph.
  
• Rise Up  for Life and For Rights is an organization composed of mothers and families who keep on hoping and fighting for justice. Poor as they are, and while poverty is their almost-daily companion, they feel that they need to rise up and seek for justice. 

“The waiting could be long and protracted, but I am willing to proceed. My dead husband can no longer speak, so I am here to speak for him,” said one Rise Up leader. 

“I have lost my son, I cannot afford to lose  justice,”  said one Rise Up mother.

“ I have no legal evidence to prove that my son was killed by police. I must do this vigilante-style. I know I cannot win my battle in the court. My tricycle driver son was killed in cold-blood. Nothing had been done to investigate the case of my son. One thing is clear to me: he was a victim of the war on drugs. If even one of the victims wins in court, I can say that this is my victory and my son’s. That is why I am active in joining the call for JUSTICE. It is as if  the voice of my son runs through my voice, ”    said another  Rise UP mother. 

• Remembering Nanay Mameng, an Urban Poor Leader

In a letter to Nanay Mameng, I wrote: “We do not know each other personally. But I am one of those who admire you. You do not have the glamour of an urbanized woman who ‘shops ’til she drops.’ You are a woman who has been bent over for many years and yet has found transformation through an organized will of the people to liberate themselves. Coming from an urban poor community and having suffered violence and extreme poverty, you have gained much character, an eagle-like strength, wisdom, unselfish love, and commitment to build–for coming generations–a future with peace and justice.

“Rather than passively watching events unfold in demolition and militarization of communities, you have stood firm and emerged as an empowered woman blaming neither God nor fate for the suffering you and the rest of our people are now experiencing. You have aptly and sharply analyzed that our situation represents the injustices inflicted by an oppressive system. You have articulated well that there will be poverty as long as powerful blocks of very few people and a small number of nations hold monopolies and control the vast resources of the earth–a human practice that undermines the agenda of equality, justice, and abundance for all.”  

Nanay Mameng Deunida has embraced the Gift of Eternal Life  on  July 19, 2021 at the age of 93. May she rest in power.

 For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’(Luke 18:4-5) 

October 9, 2022 *Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time*Look to the Outsider!

Dss.  Sharon David McCart, UMC

https://altusfineart.com/products/jorge-cocco-the-ten-lepers-jesus-gratitude-leper

Ps 98:1, 2-3, 3-4

2 Kgs 5:14-17

2 Tm 2:8-13

Lk 17:11-19

The psalmist tells us, “Sing to God a new song! God has revealed righteousness in the eyes of all the nations! Every corner of the earth has seen our God’s salvation!” (Psalm 98, CEB) God’s grace is given to everyone, everywhere.

And yet some reject it, as Naaman did. He was an outsider from another country with enough money to buy a leprosy cure from Elisha. He didn’t believe washing seven times in the Jordan would work. And he was too arrogant to do as he was told by a prophet of a different God, a man who refused to even talk to him in person.

He gave in and waded into the Jordan after his servant pointed out that he was being asked to do a simple thing, not a hard thing.  When he finally did, his leprosy cleared up.

He returned to Elisha filled with gratitude to God. He tried again to give the prophet a wagonload of treasure and again Elisha turned it down. God’s care and grace is free for the asking.

In return for God’s mercy, Naaman, the Aramean, the outsider, took home a small amount of the holy ground of Israel so that he could set up an altar and worship God for the rest of his life.

Another outsider was also grateful to be cured of leprosy, one of the ten men restored to health by Jesus. He did not touch them. He only said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.”

As they went, their skin became healthy. They didn’t have to wash in the Jordan or anything else. They headed down the road to go see the priests, who would certify that they no longer had leprosy. As they went, one noticed that his skin was becoming healthy. He turned back to Jesus, praising God and falling on his face at Jesus’ feet. As a Samaritan, he wouldn’t have been welcome in the temple. He worshiped God in a different place in a different way. At this moment, he worshiped God in the road, flat on his face in front of Jesus.

Two outsiders, cured by Jesus. But why are these two stories in the Bible? Why did anyone think that stories about outsiders were important enough to preserve so that we can read them today?

To remind us, as we read in Psalm 98, God’s salvation and grace are for everyone and everything all around the world, not only for the Jewish people, who were “inside,” but for the outsiders, too. In 2 Timothy 2: 9, we read that “God’s word cannot be imprisoned,” that it cannot be kept out of any place. God’s word crosses all borders and boundaries.

We see these two outsiders, Naaman and the Samaritan leper, as examples of what the psalmist and Timothy are saying, as proof that their words are true. Elisha didn’t refuse to help Naaman. Jesus didn’t help the nine and refuse help to the Samaritan. They were included.

But more than including them, in these two stories, they are the role models, the ones who have something to teach all of us.

Outsiders are not to be overlooked or looked down on. These two outsiders show us that there is more than one way to worship and serve God, there is enough grace to go around, and that being grateful to God results in a change in the way we live.

The outsiders—the poor, those who worship and serve God in different ways, those who live differently, who speak a different language, even those who want to buy God’s provision, and more—are worth our notice. No one knows everything about God, so we all need each other so that we can know God more.

So that we can love God better. And love each other better. And be healed of whatever weakness and injury is in our spirit.

And then we can turn around (which is what “repent” means) in gratitude and praise, coming to the living God who makes us whole so that we will worship with all that we are.