Seeing how difficult it was to establish a business of his own, the second man decided to wait instead for his father to let him inherit a well-established family business. He thought that this will be easier for him than taking a risk of launching his own industry.

After 10 years, both of them became successful in life. One day, a publisher invited them to write an inspirational book. Which of them do you think will give a more moving story?

Sometimes, it is not the success itself which makes us really happy but the realization that we have achieved our goal amidst trials and difficulties.  It is because our pains and failures in the past give more meaning to the triumph we experience at present. Without these trials, we will not be able to appreciate fully our accomplishments in life.

Through the Resurrection Story of Jesus, we find out that God never abandon us in suffering.  Though problems in life seem to be pointless, we will find meaning someday when we, ourselves, experience a kind of “resurrection” which resembles that of Christ Jesus—a triumph over sufferings and pain. When this time comes, we will be able to value how our painful past transformed us into something God wants us to become. We may call this point as our own resurrection experience. This is not just a moment of success after enduring tribulations. It is a moment that is so transforming that it does not change only one’s life but that of others as well.

Anxiety and preoccupation are entirely different in meaning. However, it is very likely that these happen to a person together. An anxious one may probably be preoccupied with the things which he is afraid to come; while a preoccupied mind is anxious of so much things to be done. Anxiety makes a person worried that he tends to forget the things he should consider most (for example, a young man who neglects his studies over a broken relationship). A preoccupied man has so many concerns that he would mistakenly overlook the basic things he need (a busy employee who does not mind to skip meals during breaktime).

Whatever it is, there is one thing that they share in common. Unnecessary anxieties and preoccupations sometimes cause confusion to people’s priorities. It forces them to live in schedule and dwell on their ambition to power, success and self-seeking contentment while sacrificing their time with the people around them. They are inclined to become cold, passive and unlovable, keeping themselves aloof from everyone else. These are the basic things to do if one would dream of becoming a zombie, a dead who lives amidst of people who need attention and love. Useless preoccupations and anxieties transform us into a living dead.

The gospel offers a liberating message to the zombies who live their days with anxieties and worries. Here, Christ tells his disciple to “let the dead bury the dead”.  Seeing that our worries bring us a hard time to settle on what we should do, he invites us to let go of our concerns and decide now of what would certainly bring us to real happiness. He observes that our anxieties and preoccupations in life delay our response to this invitation. So he challenges us to deal more on the things that would bring us the right disposition and not to mull over mere obsession that causes pointless distress.

To put in simpler words: “Let yourself bury what makes you look dead”.

How come that I know all about this? My experience taught me this lesson. Yes, I was a zombie before. In Christ’s mercy I was redeemed, fully alive in his grace.

A student refrains from reciting because he was afraid to commit mistakes. For him, it was better to remain silent than to risk raising his hand, calling his teacher’s and classmates’ attention, and at the end may just give a wrong answer. One morning during their Algebra class, he was asked to answer the given problem on Quadratic Equation written on the board. His teacher encouraged him, telling the student all the sort of words that would persuade him to stand up and give it a try.

“Timothy, there is no harm in trying,” the teacher said. “How will you learn the lesson if you don’t even attempt to work on it?”

All eyes were on him, their faces affirmative. Even his best friend who was sitting nearby his seat gave him a you-can-do-it look. The “negotiation” was dramatic, like that of any hostage crisis shown in TV. After thirty minutes of persuasion, the teacher was fed-up because Timothy would still refuse. The Math period was over yet he did not learn anything from the day’s lesson.

The gospel text above speaks about the Parable of the Talents. Before leaving, the Master entrusted different amount of money to his servants, who in turn trade with it and earn twice over.  However, one of the servants decided not to invest, keeping it for himself until the time when the Master would return. He was just afraid of losing it so he held it in reserve. The servants pleased the Master except the lone servant who did the otherwise. All was because he was playing safe.

There’s a point in our lives that we don’t take risks.  We dwell only in our comfort zones, seeing that it is better than taking an endeavour which we are not sure of.  Like the playing safe servant, we refuse to invest any effort to improve our work and even ourselves. For some, it is better to keep what is given than to bring improvements out of it. We tend sometimes to “play safe”.

God does not like us to always play safe. He wants us to grab the chance he has given to us to improve ourselves. He does not want us to miss our life’s lessons just because we’re afraid of raising our hands like Timothy. The gospel is clear: improvement comes from taking up the risk.

“…but there is one among you who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” (John 1:26-27)

We used to describe the world as competitive and I think it has gone too far. Among TV stations alone, everyone’s claiming to be the best. All products assert their excellence. Employees work hard to surpass others and be the first to get promoted. Nothing is wrong about aspiring to become the greatest.  However, an inordinate desire of becoming one may lead to denial of one’s own limitations.

Relating to life situations, this can become very alarming. Pretending beyond of who we are is basically self-deception. Not acknowledging that someone may do greater than that of what we do is, in one way or another, a form of pride. Obviously, other than it would lead us to sin, not owning our limitations would hinder our growth as a person. The great people are not those who deny their imperfections but the ones who made themselves strong in their limitations.

It takes great humility to master this. Humility acknowledges all the true things about us including our strengths as well as their limits. Once we knew this, we may be able to realize how to become the best person we could be. In the gospel, St. John the Baptist exemplified this perfectly. He may not be indeed the Messiah whom the people were anxiously waiting for. But he became the best person God could trust to prepare the way of the Lord.

Ningas kugon describes our attitude of being inconsistent to what we have devoted ourselves to do. Like a cogon grass that burns tremendously only for a while, our passion towards a certain commitment sometimes is not sustained. Most likely, this happens because some of us lack the right motivation that would keep them going. For example, some students engage themselves in school activities only because of rewards and punishments. Some do outreach programs because they just feel doing it. However, if this feeling was not sustained, the intention of helping would easily last.  Some work for charity just because they look at it merely as an obligation. If they were not praised or affirmed, they will feel bad and no longer continue doing it.  These kind motivations usually end up with ningas kugon.

A Canaanite woman once approached Jesus and desperately begged his help to cure her daughter (Mt. 15:21-28). Jesus was so moved in her persistence that he immediately granted the request of the woman. What was her motivation in asking Jesus? Was it because she looked for reward? Definitely, she was begging for help not for personal gain but for the cure of her daughter. Was it because she just had the feeling of doing it? She still persisted even the disciples hurt her feelings when she tried to call out for help from their Master. Obviously, she was neither moved by obligation!

Jesus himself revealed the inspiration of the woman’s persistence when He said to her: “O woman, great is your faith!” We learn from her that when asking for something, we should do it in faith. Moreover, we learn also that faith sustains our determination especially in the course of fulfilling our commitment in life. Faith gives direction and encouragement in times of frustration. In faith also where we can find that sense of fulfillment every time we engage ourselves in service.

It is always important to have a good start. However, one must be inspired, motivated, in order to continue what he has begun. When we commit ourselves to a certain task, we have to carry it out in faith. In other words, the one who finishes the journey is not those who do it for nothing, but those who believe that this is what God want him to pursue.

 Pope Paul VI’s Evangelii Nuntiandi (EN) mentions preaching as always essential in transmitting the faith. I find this true because it was in the very same manner that the apostles proclaimed the good news. The form of preaching which the Filipinos are most familiar with today is the homily. Church goers always look forward for what they are going to hear during this part of the Mass.  EN even encourages the pastors of the church to deliver a homily every time the faithful are assembled together in any liturgical services. Sadly, misunderstanding arises today as the homily is reduced to a mere avenue to share personal reflection by lay people. I experience the similar incidence when I was in a remote parish in Mt. Province. I was surprised to see the celebrant to step down from the ambo and ask any of the parishioners to come forward and share their own understanding of the gospel. Homilies are good opportunity to guide the people’s understanding of the gospel in the light of church teachings to lead the people in a Christian way of life. Unfortunately, the priest missed that chance.

Another means EN referred to is catechetical instruction. There is no doubt that the Church has been working so arduously for the growth of the ministry of catechesis. The Filipino Catholic bishops have its Episcopal Commission on Catechesis and Catholic Education (ECCE) to look after the needs and concerns of the ministry in the Philippines. Moreover, catechetical centres established by dioceses and religious congregations became helpful in the holistic training of religion teachers and catechists. However, as improvements keep up, new concerns arise. While EN suggests the use of media for religious instruction, some parishes, especially those in the remote areas, find it hard to have access to it. The problem in relating the gospel to the life of the young people still persist, probably because there are still catechists in some parishes who need more catechetical formation in doing this task. This reminds me of an incident when I heard a catechist who talks about, in detail, the Vatican City, succession of popes, St. Peter’s Basilica, even Michaelangelo’s fresco inside of the Sistine Chapel to 9-year old kids in preparation to their First Holy Communion!

It is said that the Spanish Christian missionaries developed practices that would attract the native Filipinos to the faith. They had arranged colourful fiestas and religious activities to let the people understand the gospel. These practices came down to our times as popular religiosity. Pope Paul VI sees that it expresses the faith of the people and “may be productive of great good” if motivated by the goal of evangelization. The pope yet reminds about its careful practice because it may open “the way to many false forms of religion… [and] superstition” that would “not lead souls to a generous adherence to the faith” [EN 48].

Misguided practices in some parishes make a great impact in the minds of the people. For example, the Marian aspect of Mayflower is not so emphasized because some confuses this with Santacruzan, another May-time celebration. The latter was even sometimes reduced to a popularity contest or a fund raising activity. Today, it is no longer strange to hear people who worry about money envelopes while forgetting the very essence of these two occasions! But the pope seems to encourage these practices even they are fraught with danger because he realizes that they may develop a deeper sense of longing for God. EN says that popular piety, as the pope prefers to call it, will surely manifest good fruits as long as it is guided by the people who are responsible in the Christian community.

After 36 years of Evangelii Nuntiandi, the church still confronts the same challenges that embattled the world during Pope Paul VI’s pontificate. Unbelief, secularization, and “dechristianization” are still present despite of the sincere efforts of “renewed evangelization” by the pastors of the Church in the Philippines. But among all those methods of evangelization, Pope Paul VI sees the life of faithful Christians as the best means to bring the secular world to conversion. “Witness of this kind constitutes in itself a proclamation of the good news, silent, but strong and effective” [EN 21]. This is a challenge for every Christians nowadays. A fellow catechist told me once about this: The best visual aid in teaching Christian Living Education is yourself, your way of life.

Some people find the New Age Movement as a “new path” to spirituality while ignoring the fact that it endangers their religiosity.

The term “New Age” may not be much familiar to everybody. But the fact remains that this term can be seen in many places today especially in malls. In some stores, you will see items like horoscope magazines, crystal balls and tarot cards under the label “New Age”. In bookstores you will see some shelves under the category under the same name. Clearly “New Age” is everywhere but only a few really know what it means.

A dictionary defines the term new age as “a broad movement characterized by alternative approaches to traditional western culture with interest in holistic ideas etc.” But New Age seemingly have more impact on religious ideals and philosophies. As Christians, we are truly concerned about these “alternative approaches” of the so-called New Age for it challenges not just our traditional beliefs but threatens what is really Christian and of course, Catholic in us.

The so-called New Age Movement becomes more a religious phenomenon than a movement of alternative approaches to western culture. The New Age Movement (NAM) appears to be focusing more on every individual’s spirituality to reform its ideology and beliefs, and so changing his society. Monsignor Sabino Vengco, Jr. tells that the NAM is presented “as an alternative to institutional religion and prevalent culture”. Thus, we can say that NAM can certainly distort the ideals of a society by reinterpreting its culture that is deeply rooted in his spirituality.

NAM became a popular response to those people who are discovering “new paths” to spirituality. But the problem is, these new paths endanger the person’s established religiosity. NAM appears to be promoting the kind of beatific vision achieved only by man without regarding any contact with the transcendent God. This idea then lessens the importance of God in human life and leads its practitioners towards self-mastered realizations.

Many of us do not realize that NAM is already in contact with us; most of the times, unnoticed. The self-mastered realizations promoted by NAM are seen in various procedures or techniques like oriental meditations (yogas), pseudo-sciences like Alchemy, Astrology (in contrast to the REAL science called Astronomy); esoteric cults like Gnosticism, Jewish Cabbala and other mystery religions; Occultism like witchcraft, wicca, crystal therapy and magic; and even Neo-Paganism. This only implies that consulting horoscopes in newspapers, believing in shamans (like albularyo’s), decorating houses with crystal stones, and even approaching fortune-tellers are guises of New Age Movement.

With these practices, we are unconsciously falling to the movement’s gradual influence that might result to abandonment of Christian truths. Some people become so self-centered “that they tend to elect themselves free from all dependence and become the only author of their destiny”. The NAM also offers a different “Jesus Christ”, reducing Him from being the Son of God to a mere prophet or guru. This belief about Jesus resembles to an ancient heresy condemned by the Catholic Church in the early years of Christianity. Pope John Paul II confirmed the return of Gnostic ideas through the NAM. The late pope said that its ideas have conflicts of what is truly Christian.

Though attractive and popular, “New Age procedures and beliefs” should not be thought as an alternative to spirituality. NAM may appear as a reconciliation of Christianity and esoteric philosophies, but it would distort our Christian faith. The Bible explicitly warns us against practices promoted by NAM for it is an abomination against the Lord:

Let there not be found among you anyone who immolates his son or daughter in the fire, nor a fortune-teller, soothsayer, charmer, diviner, or caster of spells, nor one who consults ghosts and spirits or seeks oracles from the dead.

-Deut. 18:10-11

People who are thinking to complement their Christian spirituality with New Age practices should be reminded about its danger to their faith. Let us sincerely protect in our hearts what is truly Christian and expose to others the threat imposed against us by the New Age Movement (05/25/2011).

Reference:

Msgr. Vengco, S. (2004, June-July). “What is the New Age Movement?”.Youth Today, Vol. 8 No. 1, p.12

Kahit ang walang muwang na mga pusa ay minsang nagiging paksa ng ilang pamahiin. Kapag tumawid daw ang isang itim na pusa sa nilalakaran mo, nagbabadya daw ito ng masamang pangyayari sa pupuntahan.

Hindi lang naman ang mga katutubo ang may pamahiin. Parte na yata ng buhay-Pilipino ang mga ganitong paniniwala. Kaya nga kahit anong okasyon o sitwasyon, may mga ganito tayong sinusunod. Mapa-kaarawan (bawal umalis-alis ng bahay dahil malapit sa disgracia), kasal (ang walang kamatayang ‘bawal isukat ang traje de boda’) o maging kapag may namayapa (ang maligo sa bahay ng namatayan ay ikamamalas ng taong naligo), hindi pinalalampas na gawin ng ilan ang mga namanang paniniwala sa takot ng maaaring hindi suwertehin o baka malasin.

Sinasabing ang pagiging mapamahiin ay hindi naaayon sa Diyos. Pinakikita kasing nawawalan tayo ng tiwala sa mga inilaan Niyang plano sa hinaharap. Ipinahihiwatig din natin sa Kanya na mas kampante tayo sa mga mangyayari kapag sumunod tayo sa pamahiin kaysa kapag ipinaubaya natin ang kinabukasan natin sa Kanya. Ang masama pa minsan dito, nakakaapekto ito sa tamang pagsamba sa Diyos (cf. KSK 2111). Minsan, sinisira ng pamahiin ang tamang pag-intindi sa mga selebrasyon natin sa Simbahan.

Isang araw, dumalo ako sa isang binyag. Tulad sa maraming parokya, magkakasabay na nabibinyagan ang mga sanggol habang tangan-tangan sila ng kani-kanilang magulang. Matapos ng seremonya, nagulat na lang ako nang makita kong biglang nagtakbuhan papalabas ang mga magulang! May pamahiin pala silang hahaba ang buhay  ng sanggol kapag ito ang unang nakalabas ng simbahan. Sa mga kinakasal naman, malas lang kung namatayan ng kandila ang isa sa kanila dahil malalaman kung sino ang unang mamamatay sa kanilang dalawa.  Nalala ko tuloy ang kwento ng isang pari na halos namutla daw ang mga naroon sa takot sa isang kasalan. Kahit anong sindi daw nila sa kandila ng bride, namamatay at namamatay ito. Ayun pala, nakatutok sa kanya ang electric fan.

Hindi nakakaligtas ang Banal na Misa. Natatandaan ko nung bata pa ako na kapag dumikit daw sa itaas ng bunganga ang ostia, marami ka raw kasalanan. Kaya naman, kabang-kaba ako sa tuwing ito ang nangyayari sa akin. Kapag tinatanong ako, pinipilit kong madikit ito sa dila ko at sinasabing “Belat, ako hindi makasalanan” (Ngayon, alam ko na ang tunay na makasalanan—pagsisinungaling). Dahil din sa pamahiin, ang Biyernes Santo ay naging araw ng paghahanap ng anting-anting at ang Sabado de Gloria ay naging Araw ng Pagtutuli.

Papaano naman ang ibang Kristiyanong nagpapahid ng mga panyo sa mga imahen? Mas naiintindihan kasi itong pagpapamalas ng pananampalataya kaysa isang pamahiin. Hindi rin naman ito nakakasira sa pagkakakilanlan nila sa Diyos. Sa katunayan, isa nga itong pagpapakita ng matinding pananalig (tulad nung sa babaeng dinurugo na nabanggit sa Lucas 8:43-48). Ito ay pagpapakita ng mapagkumbabang paghingi ng tulong sa Diyos, taliwas sa gawaing pamahiin na nagpapamalas ng pagsasarili’t hindi pagdepende sa Panginoon.

Ang pamahiin ay bahagi na marahil ng kulturang Pilipino. Bagama’t minsan, nakakalimutan ng ilan na tayo ri’y Katoliko. Pinaaalalahanan tayo lagi ng Simbahan na ang Diyos ay maawain, makapangyarihan. Kaya naman, kung may pag-aalinlangan tayo sa hinaharap, tanging panalangin ang saklolo natin. Ang lahat ay nangyayari ayon sa Kanyang plano  kaya bakit tayo matatakot? Kung hindi natin susuriin ang mga pamahiin, baka ito pa ang maging hadlang sa tamang pagsamba at pagkilala sa Panginoon. Kaso nga lang, ito rin ang pwedeng magligaw sa ating pananampalaya at dahilan ng paghina ng pagtitiwala sa Kanya.

“Wala namang mawawala kapag sumunod sa pamahiin”, ito ang rason ng ilan. Pero sa aking pananaw, ngayon pa lang ay tinuturuan na nila ang sarili na magduda sa kabutihan ng Diyos.  (Ika-25 ng Mayo 2011, sa Kapistahan ni San Beda, Pari at Doktor ng Iglesia Katolika)

But in times, we arrive at the point wherein we begin to feel pains and sorrows, problems and trials which cause us to doubt, if not, lose faith. We begin to ask the question we considered before an absurd one. With the course of our struggle in life, we find realizations which challenge our belief and trust.

These questions are answered by our own hearts. Our answers may not be supported by secular reason and principles handed down to us by our human mind, nor tested by organized thought we believe, but these may be answers to quench our thirst to understand, but not fully, the things that surrounds God.

Since God himself is a mystery, everything that is close to him is unanswerable. But the term mystery doesn’t mean possibilities of falsity. We knew that God is real but we cannot explain how he came into being. But through the things he let us feel we come to know that He is not very afar from us. He is real. He is alive.

My theology classes tell me that God is God of History. He reveals Himself through human events way back since the time of Adam and Eve. The Bible tells us rich stories about His encounter with patriarchs, prophets, disciples and the people of God.

We are writers of our own history. Experiences are the letters we draw on our own papers. Whatever word we have come up with, whether it spells out SADNESS or JOY, in a wider reading, it expresses a single idea—GOD.

Experiences tell about God. It is with our experiences that God reveals Himself. He may let us feel His presence through a comfort from a friend, bitterness of discipline from a father, and a gentle care from a mother. God allows things to happen in order for us to learn things. A feud with a younger brother might teach us consideration; quarrels with a friend might teach us healing and forgiveness. As long as we know the proper things we must do, whatever experiences it may be, we feel something good within ourselves.  If we do charity to other people, there is something within which makes us feeling comfortable and affirmative as if we have received reward immediately from somebody. God is a transcendent Being who uses experiences to show us that He is real and He acts in our lives.

God sends experiences for us to realize something. The challenge that is left for us is to discern his presence and his great plans behind these happenings. The intelligence that God gave us renders to man the responsibility of discovering these things for him.

Over and over again, the Catholic hierarchy in the Philippines would remind us what the essentials are during Holy Week.

During the earliest times, Holy Week is called the Greater Week or the “Week of all Weeks”. For Christians, it is the great time to remind ourselves about the ultimate sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross for the salvation of men. The Filipino term ‘Mahal na Araw’ grasped well how Christians regard this week special, precious, and sacred.

However, some people regard these days as refreshment getaway. Some go to Bora, or to the cool mountains of the Philippine’s Summer Capital. “Kaya siguro wala sa ere ang ibang TV shows kasi marami sa mga artista, nasa Boracay”, someone on the net remarked.

There are some people on the other hand would regard this week as an opportune time to go to Mt. Banahaw. It is not for a sort of sacrifice or pilgrimage but to look for objects that could be possibly an “anting-anting” or amulet. An old man once corrected me, “hindi lang kami naghahanap ng anting-anting. Kung meron na kami niyan, nagcha-charge na lang kami doon.” I came to know that “anting-anting” is like a cellphone.

Some have gone too obsessed over superstitions: Taking a bath during Viernes Santo is forbidden because bad things might befall to someone; travel is not advisable from Jueves Santo until Sabado de Gloria because people are prone to accidents during these days; and any injury that happened during Semana Santa would heal slowly. Some superstitions shifted our focus from the real reason why we are doing less work, being quiet and meditative. Also, because of these superstitions Sabado de Gloria turned out to be a Circumcision Day for boys.

Over and over again, the Catholic hierarchy in the Philippines would remind us what the essentials are. Starting from the days of Lent—marked by Ash Wednesday, we are encouraged to pray more, abstain from meat and observe fasting during Fridays and practice charity. During Holy Week, we are asked more to do these things, in addition of receiving the Sacrament of Confession and more frequently, the Holy Eucharist.

Every parish in our dioceses has its own activities, making the “madlang faithful” experience what we truly call “Holy Week”. If until now, we don’t know yet what to do during these days, our parishes are very willing to help us. We have Holy Week Liturgies that are being practiced around the world: Blessing of Palms during Domingo Ramos, Chrism Mass and Mass of the Lord’s Supper during Maundy Thursday, and Veneration of the Cross during Good Friday. Popular Devotions too help us to deepen more our Faith in harmony with the official liturgies of the Church: the old practice of Pabasa, Cenaculo, Salubong, Santo Entierro (procession of the image of the “Dead Christ”) and others.

Anonther important thing to remember is that Holy Week does not end on Good Friday. A priest once remarked: “Buhay na buhay ang mga Kristiyano tuwing patay si Kristo.” He is referring to the attitude of some who no longer go to churches after Good Friday for erroneously thinking that Semana Santa culminates on that day. Some are absent during the most important day of all—yes, more important than December 25—Easter Sunday. Semana Santa actually is a celebration of the Paschal Mystery, which CLE students memorize well as “Christ’s Passion, Death and RESURRECTION”. So it just follows this reflection: We are with Him during his sufferings, so we too should be with Him during his resurrection, the theme of Easter.

A real experience of Holy Week in our parishes would turn away all those practices and attitude that does not fit with the Week of Weeks. With the grace of God, these experiences would lead us to conversion. Hope that we’ll have a meaningful encounter with the Risen Christ this Holy Week.