Sparkles of Light (Lk 16:19-31)

8 March 2012, Thursday of 2^nd Week of Lent

 THE POOR ARE STILL AT THE GATE

Jesus said to the Pharisees: "There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day.  And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.' Abraham replied, 'My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.' He said, 'Then I beg you, father, send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.' But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.' He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' Then Abraham said, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'"

Luke 16:19-31

            In the Gospel for today, we can see the story of about the rich man and Lazarus.  There is the great divide between rich and poor which is clearly illustrated in the gospel. The rich man feasted lavishly every day. On his gate lays a poor man named Lazarus who was full with sores, who was content on eating whatever crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table.  After a period of time both the rich man and Lazarus died and ironically there was a reversal of fortunes. Lazarus was carried by angels to be with Abraham while the rich man went to the netherworld.  Jesus told the parable of the rich man and Lazarus to a group of money-loving religious leaders who believed that they too could be close to God while ignoring the poor at the gate. In fact, they most probably believed that their wealth was a sign of God’s favor, while poverty was a sign of God’s curse. 

            The story about the rich man and Lazarus sounds very familiar to us isn’t it?  Perhaps we have seen this same scenario in our parish Church where the beggars are waiting outside for us the parishioners to come out after mass; or some poor kids knocking on our car doors at the stop light; or a woman carrying a child at a nearby mall patiently waiting for the sound of coins falling inside an empty can.  There are many poor people everywhere.   The poor are still at our gates.  Though the Gospel sounds like a direct warning for those who are rich and who doesn’t know how to share their wealth, Jesus invites us to take our part in helping the poor.  Being rich is not bad.  Many rich people earn their living in an honesty and hard work.  It becomes our failing when we are so enamoured with our money that it becomes our master!  We must learn to share our blessings to others.

            However, the problem of poverty in our country is so complicated and complex.  It takes good services and programs from both the government and civil society. But despite of this, Jesus’ message is clear.  We must do our share.  As Jesus ministered among the poor, and so should we.  And this is not always easy. Working with the poor can be a threatening experience.  Sometimes, the poor are not easy to deal with.  But somehow, in the power of God’s Spirit, it is possible to overcome our fears.  There are many ways of helping the poor and not only through “dole-outs.”  We empower them in our unique way so that they may have hope and learn to stand on their own.

During this Lenten season, we are encouraged to do prayers, fasting, penance, and to give alms to the poor.  The poor is always part of our Christian life.  Jesus himself always ministered to the poor and sick.  May we always learn to give and make sacrifices for the sake of our poor brothers and sisters.  As the Beatitudes say, “Blessed are the poor for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”  It is through giving our hearts to the poor that we may enter truly the “gate” of Kingdom of God.

Sparkles of Light (Lk 9:22-25)

23 February 2012, Thursday after Ash Wednesday

 TAKE UP YOUR DAILY CROSS

Jesus said to his disciples: "The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised."

Then he said to all, "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?"

Lk 9:22-25

In today’s Gospel we hear Jesus giving us a paradoxical statement: "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?" This statement seems to be odd for those who were listening to Jesus.  How can someone save his life if he looses it?  And those who lose their life will save it?  What does Jesus mean by this statement?  Moreover, Jesus was telling them that he “must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”  Is he going crazy?  Perhaps those who have “shallow” faith in Jesus might be thinking like this.  However, Jesus’ words are really filled with priceless wisdom.  Jesus is showing us the true way of living our Christian lives.

Perhaps if we ask around from our family and friends what they want in their lives, most of them I think will say that they want to be healthy, happy, enjoy good relationships, have happy healthy children, and have enough money to live comfortably, so they can afford to go on holiday, have a nice home, and so forth.  Who doesn’t want to have these, right?  However, Jesus is challenging us.  He invites us to follow his path that we deny ourselves with the inducement of this world and carry courageously our cross and follow him.  Jesus is not also saying that we should turn and leave everything, our dreams, our wishes, and our desires.  No.  Definitely not.  Jesus is simply saying that we should learn to deny ourselves by learning to go beyond ourselves, to be contented with what we receive, and to give ourselves for Jesus and others.  However, for many of us denying ourselves is difficult to do like as big as forgiving somebody who has wronged you or abstaining from the little things you enjoy in life.  Yet this is the meaning of carrying our cross daily.           

By carrying our cross, despite that it may be difficult or heavy, Jesus promised us that he is with us.  Jesus is helping us carry whatever cross that we have.  When Jesus was carrying the cross towards Calvary his cross became a sign of suffering and intense pain.  However, it is the same cross that became the sign of Triumph and Salvation for all of us.  What is the cross that you are carrying right now?  Open your hearts and humbly ask Jesus to help you carry your Cross.

The Lenten season is a good opportunity for us to grow in our relationship with Jesus as well as learning to carry our daily cross and deny ourselves.  That is why many of our brothers and sisters will usually have their Lenten plans and resolutions. Some give up sweets or alcohol, others may forgo watching TV. Some will do almsgiving like donating food, toys, and other means to charity, becoming involved in charitable work with the Church, or helping out at the home for the aged or a children’s hospital.

But, through God’s grace, hopefully we can truly even slowly deny ourselves for it is only when we are truly prepared to stop living life for ourselves, and start living it for Jesus that we truly find life.  That is at the heart of what I think Jesus is calling us to do in this passage.  His call is to stop living life our way, and living it his way, following Jesus by imitating his life and give our lives to others.  May the next days of Lent be a meaningful and fruitful journey of finding oneself and giving oneself as Christ did.

Sparkles of Light (Lk 5:22-32)

2 February 2012, Thursday, 4^th Week of the Year

 WAITING IS THE HARDEST PART OF LOVING

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:

"Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel."

Lk 5:22-32

            Today we celebrate the Presentation of Jesus in the temple.  What is this celebration all about?  This reminds us that from Christmas, it is forty days after.  Hence, we celebrate the Presentation of Jesus in the temple.  The presentation of Jesus in the temple served two purposes; the first is the redemption of the first-born and the second is the purification of Mary.  The purification was normally performed in the local synagogue but Mary and Joseph decided it should take place in the temple. If the family could afford they would offer a one year old lamb, but if not they would offer two young pigeons.  This was the law during Jesus’ time and this is the background of what we are celebrating today.

            But I would like to focus on the person of Simeon.  God made a promise to Simeon that he will see the messiah. God told Simeon that his life would not end until he sees the Saviour.  In my contemplation of this part of Luke, I imagine how Simeon was so astounded and emotionally happy when Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple that day. I imagine that he was waiting for a long time for this and he never gave up waiting.  Simeon then prayed after having seen Jesus.  He started off by establishing the fact that he recognizes that God is completely sovereign. He then told God that he's all set and that he can now die happy because God fulfilled his promise to him.

            Simeon was a righteous and devout man, “awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.”  Simeon was faithful in his waiting.  What are you waiting for?  Are you faithful in your waiting?  We are a people in waiting.  We are waiting for something in our lives, may it be something petty or something extravagant.  We are all waiting.  Perhaps we are waiting for a visit or a call from a friend or a family.  And sometimes we give up waiting because it seems that visit or call will never come.  Perhaps we are waiting for an opportunity or a chance that would make us happy or make our problems go away.  And sometimes we give up waiting because that opportunity or chance will never come.  God promises us that he would never leave us, that he would never abandon us.  But there are times in our lives that we give up waiting for this promise of God.  When troubles, problems, and even tragedy in our lives come, God seems to be fair.  God promises us that he would never leave us, but perhaps there are some moments in our lives we felt that God left us.  

God will never leave us as long as we wait for him lovingly just like Simeon.  The story of Simeon perfectly exemplifies God's characteristics of promise-keeping and rewarding faithfulness.  Waiting is the hardest part of loving.  If we wait for someone we love and it takes a very long time for that someone to come, it is hard, it is difficult, it is painful.  But the Gospel for today reminds us that this is the way of true loving.  If our waiting is built on love, then that waiting has already been answered since very start.  Continue to wait loving and have faith, God is always there with you.

Sparkles of Light (Lk 10:1-9)

26 January 2012, Thursday, 3^rd Week of the Year

 

IT IS HARD, IT IS DIFFICULT

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you."

Lk 10:1-9

            Today’s Gospel Jesus appointed seventy-two of his disciples to go to every town which he intends to visit.  He even gave specific instructions, even difficult ones, on how to fulfil these tasks like what to do in entering the house, what to say, what to eat and drink, and Jesus even asked them to cure the sick.  All of these are part of being a disciple of Jesus.  It is hard.  It is difficult.  The task was daunting, yet only few were willing to do the task.

            Let me tell you a little story.  One Saturday morning, my single-parent-dad-friend asked his three children to help out with the laundry.  And mind you, it was a lot.  Since their house help went home to the province for a short home visit, the father reminded them that no one will do these things except them.  The children then were willing to do their laundry.  But before they even started, their father added, “However, I am sorry, there is this other thing… our washing machine is broken so we need to do hand washing.”  Then there was a long pause.  By the looks on the children’s faces, it was not that inspiring or motivating thing to hear at that time.  After a while the youngest, with such innocence spoke out, “Dad, I love you, even you say we don’t have soap, I will still wash our clothes.”                       

            This is what it means to be a disciple of Christ.  Perhaps in our parishes, there are so many who wanted to serve as catechists, readers, lay ministers, servers, choir members or other tasks in the church.  However, once they know that it will entail time, resources, some difficulties and challenges, and even perhaps working with some people they don’t like or got angry with, they would rather stay in the peripherals.  Now is this wrong?  Absolutely not.  There are many saints and holy persons who did not do great and difficult things yet still has been blessed with a fulfilling and sanctifying life.  Yet the Gospel for today invites us to go beyond ourselves if we want to follow Christ.  To go the extra mine, to take a leap, to journey the road less travelled.  And if you are willing to do this, Jesus reminds us that it will not be easy and smooth.      

           

            That is why today, it is apt that we also celebrate the memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus, to remind us what discipleship is all about.  Timothy, for example, spent 15 years working with Paul, and Timothy became one of his most faithful and trusted friends.  He was sent on difficult missions by Paul—often in the face of great disturbance in local Churches which Paul had founded.  Titus is also a friend of Paul and when Paul was having trouble with the community at Corinth, Titus was the bearer of Paul’s severe letter and was successful in smoothing things out.  These two first followers of Paul gave their lives and even done difficult tasks for the Church.  It was difficult.  It was hard.  They don’t need to do it.  But they did it because they love Jesus.  May we continue to heed the call of Jesus, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few.”

            Sts. Timothy and Titus, pray for us.