When a good samaritan came

Doing my usual course and an "apostolate" for seminarians I drove for the evening recolletion to and fro the cathedral. After two  short drives, I decided to have my dinner and take a break before commencing on my reviews (oh, I'm still a student by the way and it really is hard when you have a lot of things to manage and do plus two major philosophy exams coming on the next day... and I still took the time to blog this out).

After I parked the vehicle, I alighted and guess what, the gate of the entrance is locked. I waited there for almost 5 minutes until a seminarian saw me. I waved at him hoping that he notices me and call the gatekeeper to have it opened. No. He just laughed at me. Another came and I also called his attention. Unlike the first one, he waved, then left. After almost 10 minutes, someone passed by and seeing me just seemed to ignored my presence. I took a chair and sat down. Looking around, I thought, WHO WOULD BE A GOOD SAMARITAN THIS EVENING?

Much like the story of the man beaten by robbers on his way to Jerusalem, many passed by and saw him but none responded generously. Is this selfishness that we think of our own benefits, of what is good only for ourselves? It is as if saying that being generous now entails something coming back to me after I do it. Well, one could say, "I am busy and I am doing a lot of things so I wasn't able to call the gatekeeper." Couldn't we give a short time for someone in need? This demands a heart of compassion, one that is sensitive to the needs of others.

There are just people who remember you when they need something from you but forgets you or not even remembers how you are doing when they are already happy and contented. Waiting was not a problem for me but it saddens me to see how insensitive others are especially when they call you their own brother, or do they? After 15 minutes, someone came and seeing me called the gatekeeper. Thank God there is still one who cares and I pray he makes a difference. This is more than a locked gate, when our hearts are locked and we do not open them for others. When our hearts have grown cold and selfish, we fail to see that there are others who like us, are in need of love.  What is in the heart of an apostolic work is not work per se. It is the heart open to one another as if seeing Christ in every person we encounter.

I don't like being used

Have you experienced waking up one morning and suddenly a person you have been treating as a friend just turns out not talking to you anymore? Whether you have or not, it is saddening. It is sad when people make friends, or in proper words, befriend you because they just need something from you. It is injustice to friendship. It is immature. It is selfish.

One aspect of insensitivity is utilitarianism. This attitude lacks the proper virtues necessary to see that each person is not merely an object of one's pleasure but as subjects of relationships. The great John Paul II while still a prelate of Poland once wrote in a book he entitled Love and Responsibility (1960) commented how persons should not be treated as things which we just use and leave away afterwards; sounds like saying, no strings attached. He pointed out that “A person's rightful due is to be treated as an object of love, not as an object for use.” People are meant to be loved and not used.

Care, trust, and love - these are some of the essential parts in keeping a good friendship alive. They are not ideas floating in thin air but attitudes and expressions that needed to be acted upon. The insensitivity of utilitarianism stems from a frightening ego, one that devours even the wholeness of the person. When we allow ourselves to be pampered so much, when we always think we can get what we want, when we feel that all eyes are on us as if we are always the star of the show - this is ego.

This morning His Excellency Bishop Famadico celebrated Mass for us in honor of Sts. Cosmas and Damian. He reiterated the value and essence of having a relationship with Jesus. He repeatedly challenged us to know the Lord through a meditative question, "Who are You, Jesus?" It is a challenge because this question can be answered by academic research, by reading the scriptures, articles, books, etc. but the key to knowing who He really is is through a personal encounter, a relationship. The Bishop also reminded us of our commitment to the Lord. He said, "How could you commit to someone you do not know?" and this ignited our hearts to really encounter the Lord. Friendship is a person to person relationship and unless we know nothing of the other person, we would not have a real commitment because "friendship is not developed from information from others." Lastly he noted that will power to create friendship is not enough, it also requires the grace of God and one's openness and trust.

We meet different people daily and everyone is not expected to be a close friend of us. The challenge is how we look at them and deal with them. A smile is not bad. A simple "Hi!" or "Good morning" would not be a burden.

Facing wayward members like a Mother

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis said the church should approach its members with the face of a patient, merciful and understanding mother, who always forgives her erring children and never ceases to pray that they resume the path of Christian living.

The pope made his remarks Sept. 18 at his weekly public audience in St. Peter's Square, where he elaborated on his previous week's talk on the subject of the "church as mother."

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"Dear Brothers and Sisters: today I wish to return to the image of the Church as our Mother, by reflecting on all that our earthly mothers do, live and suffer for their children. First, our mothers show us, through their tenderness and love, the correct path to follow in life, so that we may grow into adulthood. So too the Church orients us on the path of life, indicating the way that leads to maturity. Second, our mothers know how and when to accompany us with understanding through life and to help lead us back when we wonder off the right path. The Church also accompanies us in mercy, in understanding, never judging us or closing the door, but offering forgiveness to help us return to the right course. Third, as our mothers never grow tired of interceding for us, no matter our failings, so too the Church stays with us always and, through prayer, puts into the hands of the Lord all our situations, difficulties and needs. And so we see in the Church a good Mother who indicates the path to walk in life, who always accompanies us in patience, mercy and understanding, and who places us in God’s hands."

Can we achieve a "great fraternity"?

"The globalization of indifference must give way to a globalization of fraternity..."

Pope Francis

World Day of Peace 2014

I just thought, can we really achieve such a great fraternity?

"Fraternity" was the key theme of Pope Francis' message during the World Day of Peace. Again here is a voice of Christ's Vicar echoing in the midst of a confusing age resounding for unity among men. Everyone is challenged by a great individualism, a relativistic culture, and skepticism that draws man away from his identity and destiny. This vision towards a great fraternity is a call to rekindle and restore the once fraternal relationship of Christians in the early centuries.

Why was it that the growth of Christianity was spreading rapidly in the early centuries? Ironic it may be, there were more and more converts as more and more blood of martyrs spilled from persecutions. In an age where the Church is very much uncomfortable, there she produces many saints. Faith is lived. That is basically the reason. The heart and the devotion for the Lord is explicitly and apparently alive. Christianity is not a position or a title that one can just abandon when he feels not liking it. It neither is a party (like a political one) nor an organization where one's ideas and needs must jive otherwise he will disband. No. Christianity is not based on feelings or one's personal perspective but a decision to follow. It is a lifestyle.

Christianity is not about doctrines. Over and above all the Church's teachings, the focal point is always a person, that of Jesus Christ. All else are only extensions. What Christianity preach and teach is about a WHO and not a 'what.' Being in the Church is not just being a member but adhering to a Person wherein we submit ourselves in order to adopt a certain lifestyle- the lifestyle of Christ. Jesus taught us to love one another and that is just it. Love summarizes the whole Christian tradition- the love of God and the love of neighbor. Fraternity can only be achieved if we ourselves know how to love, that is, to pardon others in their mishaps, to forgive them in their wrong doings, to pray for them even if they hurt us, to provide for their needs to the extent that we can whether or not we are close to them, and to be a family to those who have none. Love is the summit of all relationships. It must be the root of every action. In the end, we are only to be judged by how we have loved.

So with the question whether we can achieve it or not, I say yes we can. The early disciples and Christian communities had this and that is why they were able to attract more converts. Christians attract more when they are able to emulate Christ through their daily living. Love was that key which many asked, "How could they do such things?" Love amazed the gentiles. Love was the binding force for every Christian. It was love that paved for a great fraternity. Selfishness and personal motives had no room. True enough, Pope Francis also noted that "The culture of personal well-being leads to a loss of the sense of responsibility and fraternal relationships." We need to be sensitive to the needs of others. We need to rekindle a fraternal bond. Yes we can.