Counter Argument Rules! (Lk 11: 14-23)

c/o istockphoto.com

Slander is a false accusation against someone. And how slander destroyed a lot of people – dressed them out with career opportunities and success only proved that the devil is at work. But Jesus’ fulfilling His mission was never hindered by this. He didn't allow it by exposing their malicious intent through his counter arguments. From here, we can deduce certain truths:

1. Honest people need not panic when someone falsely accused him/her of something. Because in the end the false accusation will fall back on the accuser. However, this is not to treat it as complacency but calls for self-examination. After all, we’re all guilty.
2. Jesus’ mission shows that He is not only interested in the salvation of soul but of the "whole" salvation, the total human person: in the case of the sick returning to full health (body and spirit), sufferers finding comfort and strength.
3. Luke highlighted the words of Jesus, saying: “He who is not with me is against me; and he who does not gather with me scatters.” It leads us to one conclusion: there is no place for neutrality (or being lukewarm) in the Christian life. Either you’re in or out; with or against; on the way or in the way.

Bottom line: Actus Reus

Human act is a crucial factor in morality. I am not here to lecture about morality but to just emphasize how our action plays an important role in the understanding of Jesus’ message in today’s Gospel (Mt 7:7-11). So for the sake of elaboration let me explain that an act is termed human when they are proper to man, while when performed by man, but not proper to him as a rational agent, they are called acts of man.

Ex. Breathing or the blinking of eyes are acts of man since these actions are unavoidably determined by his nature and environment. On the other hand, human acts are voluntary acts which proceeds from the will with the apprehension of the end sought: I exercise because I want to lose weight, I speak because I want to communicate something, I eat ice cream because it looks good.

Jesus said, “keep on asking and it will be given to you, keep on seeking and you will find, keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you.” Jesus’ argument is simple and clear, “keep on the determination until it happens”.

God always answers prayers in three ways: Affirmative, No, and not yet. It goes to say God answers prayers in His ways: as William Barclay puts it, “the way of perfect wisdom and love.”

c/o bouldermapgallery.com

Here is the stretch:

1. Know to Whom we pray
2. Know our prayer
3. Know that persistence tests our sincerity



c/o eknives.wordpress.com

4. Repeat from the start

It is not yet over…

The disaster is not yet over for Japan and so is the suffering for the Japanese people. Another 6.0 magnitude quake hits Tokyo, although there were no reported casualties but strong enough to shake its buildings. It is true that they are highly trained to such a disaster but what is really exemplary is the way Japanese people handle the situation. They continue to exhibit courage, unity and uncomplaining attitude, lessons we should all learn and imitate.

Sharing with you is a video from Youtube (c/o allegiancebway), a song entitled “Gaman”, words and music by Jay Kuo and sung by Lea Salonga and Telly Leung. Gaman in Japanese means the ability to have patience and dignified spirit in times of adversity. May they continue to exhibit gaman as they face the tremor of tomorrow. Let us continue to support each cause to help, in whatever way. 

The World is Changing, So Am I

The world was shocked by the recent disaster that hit Japan. Even the Japanese who are highly trained for earthquake disaster were taken aback by what took place – earthquake, tsunami, oil-pipe explosion and nuclear plant leaked – disaster after disaster. People who watched the news regardless of religion, ethnicity and language shared the same sentiments of sorrow and fear and perhaps also having the same question in mind: Is it the end of the world?

Some astrologers predicted disasters and interpreted them as ‘the day after tomorrow’ even giving the exact date and time. Faithful of world’s religions may have different interpretations and the geniuses of science may call it absurd but everyone settled on the fact that the world is changing. Unfortunately such change is not in our control. It is just a matter of acceptance and submission – accepting that ‘change is the only permanent thing in this world’ (Heraclitus) and submit to the truth it reveals.

I find it personally fascinating how when a disaster devastates a certain place or nation, we immediately feel the sense to stretch our hands and gather for a cause without beseeching. Small or great, everybody is in the mood to help. And we don’t see this happening everyday. Because we don’t see disaster as everyday occurrence or perhaps we categorize disaster as not yet worth the effort and so wait for the perfect timing.

But to help takes sensitivity (compassion) and NOT perfect timing. Between the two is a huge difference. While we do not have power over world disasters like natural calamities, we have power over disasters caused by us like killing, hating and profaning. Disasters like these ensue everyday and are worse than earthquake and tsunami combined. I believe instead of asking if it is the end of the world, it would be more sensible and constructive to raise the question – what can I do to delay its coming? 

Japan needs not so much of our material help but our genuine care, moral support and changed self. If you believe in (a) God, pray, otherwise, be humane. 

(While this video was meant for the 2003 SARS victims in Taiwan and other countries, it echoes the same message: courage, unity and compassion)











(video c/o yampoo9)

The World is Changing, So Am

The world was shocked by the recent disaster that hit Japan. Even the Japanese who are highly trained for earthquake disaster were taken aback by what took place – earthquake, tsunami, oil-pipe explosion and nuclear plant leaked – disaster after disaster. People who watched the news regardless of religion, ethnicity and language shared the same sentiments of sorrow and fear and perhaps also having the same question in mind: Is it the end of the world?

Some astrologers predicted disasters and interpreted them as ‘the day after tomorrow’ even giving the exact date and time. Faithful of world’s religions may have different interpretations and the geniuses of science may call it absurd but everyone settled on the fact that the world is changing. Unfortunately such change is not in our control. It is just a matter of acceptance and submission – accepting that ‘change is the only permanent thing in this world’ (Heraclitus) and submit to the truth it reveals.

I find it personally fascinating how when a disaster devastates a certain place or nation, we immediately feel the sense to stretch our hands and gather for a cause without beseeching. Small or great, everybody is in the mood to help. And we don’t see this happening everyday. Because we don’t see disaster as everyday occurrence or perhaps we categorize disaster as not yet worth the effort and so wait for the perfect timing.

But to help takes sensitivity (compassion) and NOT perfect timing. Between the two is a huge difference. While we do not have power over world disasters like natural calamities, we have power over disasters caused by us like killing, hating and profaning. Disasters like these ensue everyday and are worse than earthquake and tsunami combined. I believe instead of asking if it is the end of the world, it would be more sensible and constructive to raise the question – what can I do to delay its coming? 

Japan needs not so much of our material help but our genuine care, moral support and changed self. If you believe in (a) God, pray, otherwise, be humane. 

Hated and Loved

c/o walkwitheu.blogspot.com

(Lk 5: 27-32)

Have you ever experienced being hated by someone? It must be like the end of the world, or an old building being taken down by dynamite or TNT. And why not since being hated is not in our nature, or is it?

Today’s Gospel speak of Levi (or Matthew), a tax-collector by profession, Palestinian by nationality, and Jewish by religion. He was a tax-collector for the government of Rome. He was hated for his profession and for his submission.

Tax evasion is one of the root causes of graft and corruption and eventually the fall of one nation’s or a group’s economy. The problem today is not that tax-collectors are charging beyond what the law requires but tax-payers are not paying their taxes. In Jesus’ time, it is the contrary.

The tax-collectors are hated for being greedy by imposing all kinds of duties in order to collect money. They seem to be generous by lending money to those who cannot pay but only to demand an exuberant rate of interest in return. It is no wonder why tax-collectors are categorized with robbers and murderers. For that, they were barred from the Synagogue.

It must have been a very sad state of life being a tax-collector, less friends and a cemented social lifestyle. Worse, hated and condemned.

Yet, Jesus called the hated, the one considered dirty, the one people condemned.

It is no accidental that the Scribes and Pharisees were there to witness this bewildering act of justice and love. Their objection only highlighted and heightened Jesus’ Gospel, and in His answer we heard: “those who are healthy have no need of a doctor but those who are ill have. I did not come to invite the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

c/o news.nationalgeographic.com

Was Jesus referring to the Scribes and Pharisees as healthy and righteous? Absolutely not. The only difference they’ve got with tax-collectors is their religious garb. They are even worse, because of their hardened heart and the dirt of their unbelief. They refused to be cleansed.

Only Jesus can truly cleanse the hated part in our humanity. And only Jesus can love us, dirty as we are.

We Remember, We Celebrate, We Believe!

Remembering entails recollection and identification. We recollect the happenings that occurred in the past and identify ourselves with them. We recall how on that day, at that particular place and with the familiar faces we had experienced a new dimension of life. Normally, we prefer to only remember the great happenings in life which brought us joy and fulfillment. Our selective memory almost immediately abrogates the bad happenings and experiences which brought us pain, sorrow and disappointment. And how is that impossible to do when obviously there is nothing to celebrate about?

c/o fr Felix Hernandez Mariano, OP

Ash Wednesday is the start of the season of Lent for Roman Catholics. Lent in the Christian tradition, is the preparation of the faithful — through prayer, penitence, alms giving and self-denial — for the annual commemoration of Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection. It calls us to repentance and it could be done in many forms like placing ashes on the foreheads of the adherents. Ashes were used in ancient times to express grief or sorrow, and dusting oneself with it signifies repentance – an expression of grief for sins and faults. There are many verses in the Bible which attest to its practice. (Job 42: 3-6; Jr 6:26; Dn 9:3, 1Mc 3:47; 4:39, Jonah 3:6, Mt 11:21, Lk 10:13, Hb 9:13)

Our celebration is always accompanied by past events and by remembering them we then put meaning to the celebration: remembering is one of the important reasons why we hold celebrations like celebrating Independence Day, Birthday, Wedding Anniversary, and School Foundation Day. In the Catholic tradition, the celebration of the Holy Eucharist is the “source and summit of the Christian life…for in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch” (CCC 1324). We remember and by remembering, we come into the knowledge and realization of God’s love.

c/o fr Felix Hernandez Mariano, OP

And today is the celebration of God’s love. We celebrate by remembering who we are: how our humanity is tainted by sin and corruption, our need of God, and our dependence on God for our salvation. We are like the prodigal son in the Gospel of Luke, who came into his senses by remembering the love of his father, and how his wickedness led him to that difficult state. He decided to reform his life through repentance, admission and surrender. What followed next was a great jubilation, a celebration of victory and life. As we remember our defeat and victory, our death and resurrection, our humanity and the Divine love we receive, we should also celebrate. Our celebration brings hope for a new beginning, brings praise and gratitude, and brings joy and excitement. 

It is the same reason why the celebration of the Ash Wednesday, Via Crucis, fasting and abstinence, self purification and alms giving still make sense today. There is no celebration without remembering, and there is no remembering when there is no personal participation. The story of the two disciples of Jesus going to Emmaus is a classical example of recollection, identification and celebration; how they were able to recognize the risen Lord in the breaking of the bread. I believe that today’s celebration and that of the whole season of Lent is not so much a matter of obligation but of personal conviction – that we “remember that thou art dust, and to dust thou shall return”. (Gen 3:19).