In God’s love, no one is ever cancelled out!

Homily: The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
7 June 2020

John 3:16-18

Do you know what many people consider the most useless purchase of 2019? It is a 2020 planner! And why not? After all, most of our plans for this year, if not postponed, have been scrapped! The Covid 19 pandemic rescheduled weddings organized years in advance, forfeited travel plans, replaced public masses with “virtual masses”, and ruined preparations for major events like the Summer Olympics in Tokyo which has been postponed to 2021. You must agree with me, that so much effort had just gone to waste! In social media I encountered the rampant use of the term ‘cancel culture’ referring to how netizens exclude and completely cut their virtual connection from people for various reasons, most frequently for having different political views and opinions. I was shocked that cancellations were not just for events but it is now even applied to people! In a way, this is also waste, because people are rejected as though they were garbage (rubbish). This bothered me so much. Later on, I found some comfort in this post by someone I gauge to be a very hopeful and optimistic person. It reads… “Not everything is cancelled. Sunshine is not cancelled. Spring is not cancelled. Love is not cancelled. Relationships are not cancelled. Reading is not cancelled. Naps are not cancelled. Devotion is not cancelled. Music is not cancelled. Dancing is not cancelled. Imagination is not cancelled. Kindness is not cancelled. Conversations are not cancelled. Hope is not cancelled.” Beautiful, isn’t it?

In today’s readings for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, we are presented with a Triune God who refuses to cancel anyone in need who turns to Him for mercy. In Exodus when God appears to Moses on Mount Sinai, to impart the commandments a second time, God offers a description of Himself as “merciful and gracious…, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity.” (Exodus 34:6) Notwithstanding the obstinacy, ingratitude and unfaithfulness of the Israelites, God renews His covenant with His people. He does not turn away from them but rather remains faithful to his promises. In a book entitled “The Name of God is Mercy”, co-authored by Pope Francis, the Holy Father says: “God is likely more quickly to let go of anger than he is to let go of mercy.” How fortunate we are to have a God who looks kindly on us, despite all the reasons we have given Him to smite us.

There is a Hebrew word “hesed”, which resembles other biblical words that mean mercy, compassion, love, grace and faithfulness. This encapsulates the love God has for His people — a love that is merciful and does not shy away from suffering for the sake of His beloved. God’s “hesed” gives us confidence to trust in His love for us. This graciousness of God the Father finds fullness in the person of Jesus Christ. Throughout His life on earth he lovingly gave to anyone and everyone the means to salvation, excluding no one from his saving work. St. John tells us: “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life.” (John 3:16) God the Father gives Jesus to humanity, so that Jesus could reconcile us with Him.

In Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians 13:13, he writes how the fellowship of Father, Son and Holy Spirit is an essential part of God’s character. We are all baptized in this truth and constantly acclaim this during the welcome greetings at every mass as we are continually called to share in the communion of persons — Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

God’s “hesed”, by all means, surpasses all human capacity for love but we have the potential to express such a love to one another by the power of God, the Holy Spirit that rests in the hearts of believers. We become an embodiment of God’s graciousness to people through gratuitous acts of mercy and compassion to those in most need. I have three stories for you today that show people manifesting this faithful love of God at work in our world today. The first story is about a vegetable vendor, Nanay Emma Abucay Monta, who saved up her P20-P50 daily earnings to buy a cellphone for her ‘apo’ (grandson), in anticipation of classes going online this school year. Who would have guessed that this year, young school children would be required to obtain their education via the internet? This certainly was not part of the Department of Education’s (DepEd’s) plan for 2020. For someone like Lola Emma we can imagine the sacrifices she must have made and the hardships she endured to make enough money to ensure her ‘apo’ could continue his education. Her love for her apo resembles Jesus’ selfless love…. a love willing to forget oneself to benefit those in need. The second story is about a bicycle shop owner in Pasay who was so moved by the spirit of generosity to give an 87-year-old candy vendor a brand-new bike for free! Lolo Carlos Samonte had been enquiring for days about a bicycle worth P2,000 that would help him with his livelihood. For shop owner, Fe Carandang, giving merchandise for free is not part of the plan for her business but seeing that the old man appeared to have worked so hard to just barely save up the cash, she was moved with compassion to gift him with an even better bicycle worth P4,500. The shop owner’s kind-heartedness expresses in volumes God’s generous love for all of us who are undeserving of His love. Lastly, I am happy to share with you news of Renz Abelita, a security guard, who patiently taught basic reading and writing to street children during these days of the lockdown. He had no plans to be a teacher but he seized the opportunity and made the effort knowing in some little way, he was uplifting the lives of these children.

Like Nanay Emma, Fe Carandang and Renz Abelita, may we abound in the grace of our Lord Jesus, the love of God the Father and the communion of the Holy Spirit. We don’t need to wait for a plan. Sometimes, we just have to recognize the opportunity before us and not waste it. May our baptism in the Trinity transform us into the leaven of God’s steadfast love (“hesed”) for all our brothers and sisters. Let us allow the love of God to materialize our potential to be messengers of His love and mercy such that our words and actions may assure people we meet that with God everyone matters. In His eyes, we are all welcome, wanted and valued. In God’s love, no one is ever refused or cancelled out!

• 

For prayer requests, click the link below:

Prayer Request