Seeing Beyond Our Pains and Not Being Okay

Homily: Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

Matthew 16:21-27

30 August 2020

The national government recently called on religious leaders to counsel and guide the members of their flock in order to halt the increasing suicide cases in the country during this pandemic. Echoing the national government’s call, a DOH official was quoted as saying: “We are highly religious. We turn to prayers when things go bad. Maaring maibsan ang kanilang nararamdaman dahil tinitingala sila ng ating kababayan.” (They might be able to help ease whatever it is that our fellow Filipinos are going through because they look up to their religious leaders.) People now are so worried, anxious and stressed over a whole range of issues from contracting the virus, losing jobs, failing businesses and the general uncertainty of our situation for the next year or so. One thing is undeniable—we are not okay! 

In today’s First Reading, Jeremiah is seen in his most desperate moment. In misery, he laments to God that people made fun of him and looked upon him with disgust and disappointment because in being faithful to God’s call he had to proclaim unpopular and ridiculous-sounding messages. “You have duped me, O Lord, and I let myself be duped; you were too strong for me, and you triumphed. All day I am an object of laughter; everyone mocks me.” (Jeremiah 20:7) Jeremiah is not okay. He further resents the feeling that God is not comforting him and acknowledging the suffering he endures. Dejected, Jeremiah does the unthinkable—he considers refusing the responsibility of delivering the hard message of warning the people of God’s chastisement. I think, now more than ever, we know this feeling of simply wanting to give up.

In today’s Gospel passage from Matthew Jesus exposes His most vulnerable self to His disciples as He predicts His cruel fate in the hands of the religious authorities in Jerusalem. It reads “Jesus began to show his disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.” (Matthew 16:21) In obedience to God’s will, Jesus would suffer severely and be killed. Through it all, Jesus would not falter but rather remain resolute in the face of this bitter end. This resignation to fate, did not sit well with Peter who was still expecting that Jesus would still become a kingly, warrior Messiah who would save them all in a glorious display of power. “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” (Matthew 16:22) Not getting it quite yet, Peter reacts (as did Jeremiah who questioned the ways of the Lord) to the idea of a suffering Messiah that Jesus presents. At this instant Jesus rebuffs Peter. He reminds him of the cost of being His disciple, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24) This message is the same for all Christians throughout the centuries—-suffering is ultimately part and parcel of every Christian’s life. It is not something that we desire for its own sake. Rather, we deal with it knowing that it is not the end of the story. God’s power transforms suffering.

For both Jeremiah and Peter the prospect of pain and suffering in the life of the faithful servants of God is unacceptable. Isn’t this what our own instincts would tell us? “I have been really trying to be good Lord. So why do I have to suffer this way?” “Why would you allow this pandemic? Do we deserve all this suffering?” Jesus reminds us that we cannot attribute to God our human logic. “You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” (Matthew 16:23) Sometimes, the overwhelming difficulties obscure the good that can yet come out of it. Take note that Jesus ends his prediction with His being raised from the dead. It is an invitation to His disciples to see beyond the immediate pain and suffering of this life to a promise of fullness of life with God. 

Our Christian vocation entails a readiness to accept sufferings in this life, perhaps even an untimely death if that is our lot. As Paul says in today’s Epistle, “Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1) We understand that conforming to the ways of the Lord opens us up to pain and suffering because it is a consequence of going against the ideals of the world and pursuing the ideals of heaven. Instead of shrinking back in the face of trials, we have to try to serenely accept our share in the passion of Christ for the sake of our edification as persons and as Christians. 

Like some of you, I also finished watching this KDrama with a simple but very telling title. “It’s Okay To Not Be Okay!” I realized that this TV series offers quite a number of valuable insights that can help us cope with the mental stress brought about by this pandemic. Allow me to share briefly some of them. 

The first step towards becoming OK always begins in admitting that everyone struggles. We may have different problems or similar ones to varying degrees but no one is exempt, because it is part of being human. To be vulnerable is to be human. To be human is to allow yourself to feel and show emotions when you’re happy, sad, or even angry. Moon Gang Tae may appear to be a strong person, but deep down is full of hurts, resentments and anger that he suppressed through the years. A step further from acknowledging the reality of difficulty is acceptance. It’s Okay To Not Be Okay! It is only through this recognition that we are to some degree all broken people and that we need one another to be able to get through all life’s pains and hurts. If you’re not okay, there is no shame in asking for help. The results may not be immediate but have faith that soon enough you will be okay bit by bit. Only the ones who acknowledge their need to be saved can call for a Saviour. 

In the series, the character of Ko Mun-yeung is an author who pens the book “The Boy Who Fed on Nightmares”. Moon Gang Tae reads it and learns that hurtful & painful memories, such as those of deep regrets, of hurting others and being hurt, of being abandoned — such memories buried in the heart of a person can make one stronger, more passionate and emotionally flexible. And only those with such an experience can attain happiness. No pain is for nothing. Every hurt has a future value. 

Lastly, the character of Nam Ju-Ri declares that “each of us has a set amount of misfortunes and happiness assigned to us. When things are bad now, it will only get better in the future.” No matter how bleak the outlook, we have to believe that we will get through it. 

As Christians, we are taught that God is the ideal of all that is good and perfect and that He wants the same fullness of life for us. He does not create moments of suffering for humanity. It is what we in our weakness and selfishness have caused one another. However, that is not the end for us because God does not condemn us for being human and making mistakes. He is always there to extend a helping hand. In our suffering, we simply have to blink through our tears, take His hand and not let go because eventually our God, in His generous and unconditional love for us, makes everything OK.