Curiosity Strikes!

Gian Adrian Crisostomo

For a curious mind there is no word but why. And who has this type? They are the scientists, philosophers, theologians and artists. But I say a child growing up. As grown ups we may find ourselves in one or all or not even among the disciplines I mentioned but we have one commonality: we were once children and we had that thirst for knowing. The environment we were exposed to plays a major and essential factor to the development of our inquisitive mind. Either we progress or digress. One thing is important to consider though, there is always limit to what we can know.

Mark, in today’s Gospel presented and greatly emphasized the disciples’ limitation in knowing and understanding. Jesus spoke the words, ‘do you not understand?’ twice. Interestingly, Mark put the words understanding, heart and remembering as key points for a genuine and comprehensive understanding. How the disciples did not understand, still with a hardened hearts, and failed to remember only accentuate their limitedness. Jesus seemingly sounded already fed up.

But here’s the wisdom behind. Mark’s emphasis of the disciples’ limited knowledge and understanding: "Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember?..."Do you not yet understand?" (Mk 8: 14-21), greatly emphasized how patient and loving Teacher and Master Jesus is.

c/o obitpatrol.blogspot.com

When a child asks too many whys and we ran out of answers and explanations, we just stopped, maybe a bit annoyed but never holding a grudge. But when a grown up someone keeps on asking whys, even after your hundred times explanations it could only have two reasons: 1. the person’s ability to understand already reached its limit 2. the person is ABnormal (A for angry, B for bitter or in layman’s term A-hole and B****. excuse me for the words). I see you smiling because you know its true and are surrounded by many.

To deal with it (or them) is to draw out the lesson Jesus taught his disciples, and the lesson Jesus is educating us today: the virtue of Patience. The Greek word μακροθυμία or long suffering entails: a description of a spirit which never gives in and endures in the end, and a spirit which stomachs injury and insult but refuses to take revenge or retaliate. If we can challenge ourselves to possess such ability, then even when we’re at the brink of “Do you not yet understand?", we can still accept, love and stay with that someone. After all, God has been patient and loving with you and me a long time ago, and He still continues to do so.

You ask me why?...Oh, you’re cute and I just love you!!

Heartless

Valentine’s Day is always about love, and always accompanied with chocolates, flowers, dates and gifts. Flower shops, chocolate stores and restaurants must be the luckiest businesses around, maybe even grossing sales higher than movies and music, and winning big time than those on stock marketing. This is not to exaggerate the celebration because it is really a big thing – for ‘lovers’.

But if Valentine’s Day is all about love then today must be the best day to live life. If love is what makes this day a celebration fantastic to the maximum level, then everything contrary must be absent. You know today is crime free, forgive and forget, no induced abortion, divorce and suicide cases day. Newspapers and news telecast must talk nothing but good, true and happy stories. You may think it’s too superlative but it is supposed to be like that, ideal but possible.

But we know it is not the case. From dragging one self to get up, to coming late to work, to getting too inquisitive about other people’s business, then saddened by crimes and injustices reported on news, increasingly being diluted by the economic and political pressures, battling with confused and addictive behaviors, the many sour and bitter relationships around, we know they continue to exist and happening still, even today. How come on Valentine’s or hearts’ day, the ‘all about love’ day, could we still face and accommodate bad (evil) happenings? Something is missing here.

Is it about the definition of love or understanding love? Or maybe it’s all the time about us? The ancient Greeks adeptly scrutinized and classified love. For them there are four words for love. “There is erōs, which is love between a man and a woman, and which definitely involves sexual passion. There is philia which is the warm affection exists between those who are very near and very dear to each other. There is storgē which is characteristically the word for family affection. And there is this word agapē which is translated either love or charity. The real meaning of agapē is unconquerable benevolence. If we regard a person with agapē, it means nothing that that person can or will ever do will make us seek anything but that person’s highest good.” (William Barclay)

And the answer is loud and clear.

Happy V Day everyone!

A 'Boxed' Decision

for the sake of artistry I used a rather different box

Two nights ago I watched The Box with Cameron Diaz, James Marsden and Frank Langella as lead actors.  The story is a suspense thriller depicted in 1976 America. I should be enjoying watching movies, like this one, but with these reflections, realizations and questions lingering in my mind I can help but to write and involve you.

1. The Choice

They were offered one million dollars tax free, over a death of someone unknown to them, somewhere. All they have to do is to press the button in a little box. Are the Lewises in dire need of money? The story presented us with factors which predisposed the couple to choose for the prize: Arthur’s application to become astronaut was rejected, while Norma’s tuition benefit was cancelled. The couple was left with one question: Do we need that one million dollar?

Norma had found out of her husband’s rejected application and it only augmented the complexity of their trouble. Arthur is positive about getting through the financial burden they have to face but since Norma did not mention to Arthur her difficulty, she was left with the ‘only choice’.

 

2. The Fall

Pushing the button is very similar to eating the forbidden fruit. In the Bible’s creation story, the woman has to endure the multiple pains of giving birth, and of being a wife. Again, the woman is depicted as the ‘culprit’. The man consented but it was she who pushed the button. In the end the woman has to die to save their son’s impairment. To amplify the claim, it was the wives who pushed the button before the box reached and after it was taken from the Lewises.

Is this to present the woman is always at fault? That she deserved to endure multiple pains? Is this to justify enmity and cruelty to women?

3. Redemption 

The wife could not bear to stay alive and see their son in miserable condition. The man was left with a dilemma: to be a father or to be a husband. He chose the former only to realize and end up losing both. He could have convinced his wife to look at the positive side but emotions overshadowed him.

Would this mean the woman’s decision always influences if not completes man’s decision? That man’s EQ is dependent on women? That being emotional hinders rationalization?

To answer these questions would require a lot of arguments and counter arguments, prayerful reflections, philosophical and theological discussions. I guess I will just content and submit myself to such requirements, that answers are processes enclosed in time. 

However, it might help to know three factors which have substantial effect in our lives: 1. how a ‘succulent’ offer can change lives. 2. how with a ‘push of a button’ can one’s life be judged and ended. 3. how sacrifice is always indispensable for salvation.

Glued!

(Mk 6:30-34)

Change is inevitable. Actually, as many philosophers would argue change is the only permanent thing in this world. But for someone to be able to adapt to change, the person needs to make a decision. Whatever choice there is available, one has to choose. People cannot have everything so they say but actually one can have everything by his/her choice. That’s the beauty in exercising our freedom to choose. It is liberating. It should be liberating.

But why many people unhappy and seemingly unfulfilled? Is it the product of a wrong decision or is it because of the fact a person cannot have everything and is limited with his/her choice? Again, one can get everything with one’s free and willing decision. I believe the greatest challenge lies not on how to possess every opportunity life presents but it is when the time the person stretches his/her limit to stick to his/her choice.

(from a 2011 calendar)

Jesus has a choice. He could have said no to everyone, “Sorry, we’re closed! Come back tomorrow.” But his choice was pushed to its edge by ‘and when He saw the crowd, he took pity on them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd.’ His choice was challenged by a more noble purpose. This is one among the many instances that invites Jesus’ followers to exercise the power to choose and fueled by that dignified cause, glued to make it happen no matter what.

This leaves us two truths about life, or in particular about making a choice:

1. Choice is the very foundation of our destiny.
2. Life is a series of choices. Nobility bridges the gap.

Finally, as St Agatha, virgin and martyr, and whose memorial we celebrate today aptly and beautifully uttered: "My courage and my thought be so firmly founded upon the firm stone of Jesus Christ, that for no pain it may not be changed; your words be but wind, your promises be but rain, and your menaces be as rivers that pass, and how well that all these things hurtle at the foundement of my courage, yet for that it shall not move."