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).

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."