Sunday Gospel Reflections

Homily: Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

Matthew 10:26-33

June 21, 2020

I miss our public masses so much! Through my years as a priest I know that people come to mass to thank God for blessings received, and to lay their concerns at the feet of our Lord. When I heard the IATF had relaxed the restrictions, my joy was short lived. The guidelines read: “While adhering to the prescribed minimum health standards, religious gatherings are not encouraged but, in any case, should be not more than ten (10) persons,”. My heart sank. Together with the faithful I asked, why only ten? I found an answer in a post by a Filipino friend in the UK. It said: “This coronavirus is the strangest virus I’ve heard of. It’s very dangerous the way it spreads. It is so smart. It won’t bother the first ten (10) people but it knows when the 11th person shows up. So be careful if that’s you. Whoever heard of such a smart sneaky virus!?!” Ridiculous, isn’t it? If I’m not mistaken, other establishments not yet open are gyms, movie theatres and spas… The church was deemed a “non-essential” together with places of entertainment and recreation! In fact, health experts have assigned a risk level 8 to church activities for possibility of contracting the virus. The level is even higher than movie theatres that scored a 6 and ‘Eating outside in a restaurant’ rated at 4. Government campaigns emphasize proper hygiene and boosting one’s immune system to keep the populace Covid-free… But isn’t it necessary to also boost one’s spiritual immune system at a time like this?

There is a 9-year-old boy in Cebu infected by the virus. He was the only one in his family to have tested positive to the virus so he was taken to live by himself in an isolation centre with one hundred other patients. Can you imagine the fear of a child who is taken from his family and forced to live with strangers? It wouldn’t be unusual for children to become withdrawn. But this boy is different. He eats quietly on his cot, bathes himself, plays by himself and obeys the older patients who help him with his medications and steam inhalation. What’s his secret? Every night his cousin calls him and they pray together and sing hymns to the Lord! His voice is nowhere near TNT levels but he sings loudly and in earnest, with tears in his eyes, praising God for His goodness and asking the Lord for healing. The faith of this small child is what strengthens his parents who worry endlessly for him. His parents relate how their son, despite their own lukewarmness to their church, has always been prayerful and filled with faith. Now his mother unceasingly prays to God to spare his life, in light of their other family tragedies such as the burning down of their house and the death of the boy’s older sister. His grandfather also claims that the boy’s prayers have helped him to kick his gambling, alcohol and drug addictions. The other patients in the centre were also inspired to pray and trust in God more. With this revitalization of faith, they began to look beyond their own affliction and help the weaker ones among them… like the little boy! Together they look forward to recovering and returning to their loved ones.

In our readings this Sunday, we hear the cries of those who find themselves in great agony and distress. Alone and attacked on every side, Jeremiah complains to God about his miserable state. “I hear the whisperings of many: ‘Terror on every side! Denounce! Let us denounce him’” (Jeremiah 20:10). Similarly, the psalmist also laments his sad predicament – “I have become an outcast to my brethren and a stranger to my children.” (Psalm 69:8) Does this not remind you of Jesus— who in his utter helplessness cries out in agony and desperation from the cross: “My God, my God why have you abandoned me?” (Matthew 27:46) Many are not comfortable with these kinds of prayer in Scriptures because they find them disrespectful to God. However, it is these prayers that allow us to put to words how we feel and acknowledge before God our anxieties, fears, and longings. Remember that God’s mercy is independent of our worthiness so there is nothing wrong with baring our frustrated hearts to God even when we feel unsure whether He will come to our aid. This manner of conversing with God can only be borne of a deep relationship with a God whom we can count on as our Abba, Father. Jesus has changed our understanding of God from the distant omnipotent being of the Old Testament into a Father that knows us individually and cares deeply for us as His children. No matter the state we are in, we simply have to trust and keep the conversation going. 

Difficult as it may be, we have to trust that God hears and He will deliver His children from their suffering. Jeremiah, in today’s reading is confident of God’s deliverance and protection despite his misery. He expresses this firm confidence in the “Lord of Hosts”, “the triumphant, mighty Warrior-God” who is with him in a prayer-song: “Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord, for he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!” (Jeremiah 20:13) The prophet calls on lowly ones to be glad for their vindication is at hand. We can also take inspiration from today’s psalm which is a prayer of lament. “See, you lowly ones, and be glad; you who seek God, may your hearts revive! For the Lord hears the poor, and his own who are in bonds he spurns not.” (Psalm 69:32-33)

The disciples were no different. The burdens and uncertainties of life must have been weighing on them, so Jesus allays their fears, telling them — three (3) times in this short passage — not to be afraid because they are precious to God. If God cares for the sparrows, how much more is He concerned with his faithful ones? If God knows us so well that every strand of our hair has been numbered, how much more is He aware of our every need before we can even ask for them? From the very lips of Jesus, we are assured that we need not be afraid because we are valuable in the sight of God. St. Paul declares God’s providential care to the Christian community in Rome by telling them God has sent the most marvellous gift of all in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. “For if by the transgression of the one the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ overflow for the many.” (Romans 5:5) Time and again, in the Bible and in our personal experiences, God has proven faithful so there is no reason for us to lose heart in the face of adversity.

A friend of mine told me yesterday that she was getting “sooooo tired of this pandemic”. I get that. There are just so many things today that cause us anxiety and fear in terms of health, finances, job security, failed business and death. On top of that we are deluged daily by local and international news stories that evoke alarm and worry with the continued rise in Covid cases and casualties. All this negativity is bound to make anyone’s head spin. What can we do? We grab on to something sturdy and steady ourselves, lest we collapse to the ground. Turn to the Lord! There is none more steadfast. In the face of this colossal world crisis, we should not allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by our fears. Now, more than ever, fix your gaze on our God, and hold on to Him tightly. He is our deliverer and refuge in this time of need.

Pope Francis teaches us… “In our daily journey, especially in difficulties, in the fight against evil outside of ourselves and within us, the Lord is not far away, He is at our side; we fight with Him beside us, and our weapon is prayer, which makes us feel His presence alongside of us, His mercy, even His help.” I hope that very soon, we will be blessed with the opportunity to worship together again. God willing.

Homily: The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
14 June 2020
John 6: 51-58

I am very fond of my nieces and nephews. When they were much younger, I would bring them little gifts and delight in seeing their eyes widen with surprise and their lips break out in wide grins as they excitedly squeal their ‘thank yous’. They are always grateful for whatever I give them… but these days, for all my effort, I would occasionally receive a smiley emoji by text. Millenials! 🙂

Thank you — two words that carry a lot of significance in our lives. Did you realize that when a child learns to speak, these are among the first words they are taught? I read that ‘giving thanks’ is taught early on in life to condition young minds to recognise that there is a special relationship between the giver and the receiver. Do we all still remember this valuable lesson? Or have we become so full of ourselves, being critical of what we receive and always demanding more? 

I recently came across this social media meme that said: “Sa three months na pandemic nakaligtas ka! Isang ‘thank you’ naman diyan kay Lord at hindi ka niya ginutom o hinayaang magkasakit.” (You have survived 3 months of the pandemic. Perhaps it would not hurt to say ‘Thank You Lord’ for keeping you fed and healthy.) I was reminded that despite our difficulties during this pandemic, it was important to count our blessings.

In the passage from Deuteronomy, we are told that as the Israelites experienced hardships in their journey they began to grumble against God, forgetting all that He had done for them. Moses exhorts the people to remember God’s bountiful blessings to them in the past—how God delivered them from their bondage and slavery in Egypt; how God guided them and protected them from all dangers in the wilderness as they journeyed towards the Promised Land; how God miraculously provided them with food from the skies and water from the rocks when they needed nourishment. Moses scolds them for their self-centeredness and exposes them as a people unworthy of God’s protection and love. However, we are told that God chooses not to abandon them to perish in their wickedness. Psalm 147 also highlights this divine protection and providence in the fortification of the City of Jerusalem and the abundance of blessings heaped upon her children. It reads “For God has strengthened the bars of your gates and He has blessed the children within you…with the best of wheat he fills you.” (Psalm 147:13, 14) 

Today is the solemnity of CORPUS CHRISTI. We are invited to acknowledge that the spiritual sustenance we receive in the Body and Blood of Jesus, is very much an act of God’s providence. It is very easy to take this mystery for granted but we have to learn to be grateful for this wonderful gift. To give thanks is to acknowledge the graciousness of another, and to understand that the gift is more a reflection of the generosity of the giver, than a measure of what we deserve. God gives from the wealth of His grace and He cannot be outdone in generosity. He goes as far as sending us His only beloved Son to suffer at the hands of men, that He may, in turn give us His Body and Blood in a continuing act of redemption. In the Gospel, Jesus foretells how He would offer Himself— His body and blood to give fullness of life to all those who believe in Him. He repeatedly declares (4 times to be exact) his flesh is food and his blood is drink. We receive of this spiritual nourishment in the bread and wine offered on the altar at every mass. Regrettably, this pandemic has prevented majority of the faithful from receiving Holy Communion. Although we trust that our merciful God sends us nourishment supernaturally when we pray the act of spiritual communion, we are confident that soon we may be privileged again to partake of the gift of the Eucharist, and benefit from this indelible sign of God’s generosity to us!

If you have been to Greece, you must have heard people say very often: Ευχαριστώ πολύ (Efcharistó polý), which is how you say ‘Thank you very much!’ in modern Greek. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church #1328, “Eucharistein and eulogein are Greek words that recall —- most especially during a meal — the Jewish blessings that proclaim God’s works of creation, redemption, and sanctification.” In essence, the Eucharist is “an act of thanksgiving to God.” (CCC #1328) This illustrates how the Eucharist is a privileged moment for all of us Christians to express our gratitude to God for all favours received from His goodness. At every Eucharistic celebration the priest invites the people, “Let us give thanks to the Lord our God’, and the assembly replies “it is right and just (the proper thing to do)”, recognizing that we are dependent on God and that there is so much in life to be thankful for.

With all our problems mounting from the continued scourge of this Covid-19 pandemic, God becomes less of a priority and we easily lose sight of all the blessings we have received through His graciousness. These feelings of hopelessness and helplessness can be overwhelming and the tears in our eyes prevent us from seeing the many ways God has been faithful to us in our lives. We are constantly beset with bad news of businesses closing, hunger escalating, unemployment rising and COVID cases increasing and we wonder if God still cares about us. Perhaps, we just need to step back and breathe deeply, each time acknowledging that every breath we take is already a gift! Let that be the starting point for counting our blessings. Moreover, by participation in the live streaming of the eucharistic meal we can be reminded of the abiding presence of God in our lives through the spiritual nourishment He gives to sustain us in such difficult times. 

Having established earlier that a gift reflects the generosity of the giver, we affirm that GOD’s generosity can never be surpassed because His giving is fully motivated by a pure and ardent love for us. Through the Eucharist, we are given the opportunity to participate in the self-giving love of Christ when we manifest love to our brothers and sisters in Christ. St. Paul asks: “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?” (2 Corinthians 10:16) The word thanksgiving in itself contains two powerful words: ‘thanks’ and ‘giving’. Thanksgiving then draws us out of ourselves and forces us to look towards another and see their miseries. When we are grateful and aware of how blessed we are, we must make the effort to share our blessings in an attempt to ease the suffering of others. The experience of the eucharist inspires us to take our thanksgiving a step further and address the needs and concerns of others that we may be a blessing to them. 

Lastly, may I emphasize that thanksgiving is a way of life! It is not simply devoting an hour of Sunday worship to express gratitude for the rest of the week. The popular phrase… “adopt an attitude of gratitude” encourages us to look at life with the eyes of humility, acknowledging that every moment, every opportunity, every person is a gift from the bounty of our great and loving God. And in case, I have not said this often enough, thank you to all of you. You have blessed my life with your presence and I thank God for you. 🙂

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

Homily: Solemnity of Pentecost

31 May 2020

John 20: 19-23

Metro Manila is set to be on General Community Quarantine starting June 1. When the news broke, reactions were divided. Some heaved a sigh of relief while others took to social media to express their fears that the city had inadequately prepared for the transition to GCQ. In Twitter, #Survivor Philippines trended, another comic jab at our experience such as the MMGCQ or Matira Matibay General Community Quarantine. Yet others joked that after making it through nearly 3 months of a large scale ‘Pinoy Big Brother’ (PBB) scenario, we are now being hurled into the Endgame where we are teased: “May the best immune system win!”

They may seem funny to us but if you think about it, it subtly reveals that society is actually scared for its safety! Filipinos are rather known for making light of difficult situations. In fact a British friend of mine recently remarked: “As if the coronavirus crisis were not enough, you now battle a strong typhoon! And yet I see smiles on the faces of suffering Filipinos in the news.” We make jokes but it does not mean we do not worry. Sometimes it merely veils our fears. 

In the early stages of the pandemic, we have seen and heard countless accounts of panic buying and rude behavior in grocery stores. Sometimes, even the educated and the wealthy, from whom you would expect more civility, displayed impatience, irritabiliy and selfishness because fear had gotten the better of them. Remember the toilet paper crisis and the hoarding of alcohol and disinfectant? Who would have thought it would come to the point of rationing these items? While this pandemic has been an occasion to show the best of humanity, it has also exposed their unpleasant side. 

As we go into GCQ, the excitement of finally being free of our home prisons is diluted by yet another fear. Under stricter circumstances, the protocols to keep society safe were easier to implement but as the public surges back into the world, one wonders how to ensure everyone practices social distancing and proper hygiene. There is even a newly-coined term for people who misbehave or act with abandon, oblivious of their own safety or of those around them. These “covidiots” ignore warnings for public health and safety, and who hoard goods, thus denying access to those who also need them. To be honest, it is this reprehensible behavior that scares even me! I can not imagine how I can reintegrate myself into the world burdened with these fears. People often tell me, that as much as possible, they’d rather stay home till a vaccine is available or a permanent solution to the pandemic has been found. Till that time comes, are we just supposed to hide?

The Gospel of John relates to us a similar atmosphere of paralyzing fear experienced by the disciples after the crucifixion of Jesus. They all gathered in the Upper Room and locked their doors for fear that they would be arrested and they may meet the same fate as Jesus. They were afraid that they would no longer be free to do the simple things that they used to do or move about as they pleased because they could be identified as followers of Jesus. This crippling fear even led them to doubt what Jesus had revealed to them that he would rise after suffering a painful death. In their fear, they allowed the darkness of Jesus’ death to cloud their minds and hearts, preventing the light of Jesus’ resurrection to break forth. Then, Jesus appears!!! We imagine that the sight of Jesus, alive and well would by itself, dispel their darkness and fill them with a renewed sense of courage. However, the gospel confirms that even this marvelous moment of truth, was insufficient to embolden them. Courage only came to them upon receiving the Holy Spirit, a gift that Jesus promised them as he ascended into heaven. Jesus encouraged his fearful disciples with a greeting of peace and an invitation to take courage: “I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but I have conquered the world.” (John 16:33) In the Pentecost account in the Book of Acts we see these disciples, once gathered behind locked doors, have found the guts to get out into the open and speak in a public place proclaiming that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead, and all other such wondrous things God has done through Him. They do this now without fear of the danger to their lives.

This Pentecost, let us ask the Holy Spirit to come to us and bestow on us the gift of courage. Courage we will need as we transition into GCQ and adjust to the changes and inconveniences of the new normal. We ask the Holy Spirit to fill us with a fearlessness that is not arrogant (“maangas”) but one characterized by mindfulness of actions, knowing that our personal choices affect others. St. Paul reminds us in the Second Reading: “As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body.” If we read further in this letter, Paul would say: “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it, if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it.” (1 Cor 12:26). Having been brought together as one in the Risen Lord, we strive to look after one another. We choose always to act with compassion and consideration not just for the benefit of our loved ones but also for the people around us because we bear in mind that they too are treasured and cherished by their loved ones. As we pray the words of the Sequence, we ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen us inwardly… “to bend our stubborn heart and will, to melt the frozen, warm the chill and guide the wayward home once more!”

Do I seem to advocate that we all dare to go out into the world tomorrow? Don’t get me wrong. I am merely saying, our fears should not keep us from doing what is necessary. We, as individuals, have unique gifts that we share with one another, contributing to the collective of society, in the hopes of elevating humanity. We all have a mission in life, that we strive to accomplish as we live and breathe. We are fathers, mothers, workers, students, employers, law enforcers, media practitioners, medical workers, leaders, etc…. We still have a role to play in society. The gift of fortitude from the Holy Spirit helps us realize that although the threat of Covid 19 is real, life has not come to an end and we should not be paralyzed by our fears. St. Paul reminds us that we who have been filled by the Spirit of Jesus are not to live in fear but rather in hope. We believe that the One who raised Jesus from the dead will also make us rise above our present woes and lead us toward fullness of life.

Tomorrow, the government allows us to unlock our doors. As we assimilate back into the world, let us invite the Holy Spirit into our hearts, to fill us with the courage we need to discover our place in the new normal with people who have suffered with us in this pandemic. May we become brave enough to continue the pursuit of our mission in life all for the glory of God!

Photo of Taize stained glass on the Descent of the Holy Spirit from http://www.pinterest.com

Homily: The Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

24 May 2020
Matthew 28:16-20

There is a man named Dodong. He is a 58-year old fish vendor from Caloocan. He was among 400 apprehended quarantine violators. On May 7th he was detained by Navotas authorities after he attempted to cross the city border from Caloocan without a travel pass.

A week had gone by before his family was able to locate him. Despite raising the P3,500 bail money, he remained in detention because his family failed to comply with other requirements. They had been asked to produce a photo of their house, four sets of coloured profile pictures of the accused with each photo bearing his signature, a certificate of detention, Barangay Residence Certificate, and a location sketch of their home certified by the Barangay Captain.

These requirements are crazy over-the-top to be true, wouldnt you say? But it’s all true. “Mang Dodong’s plight was documented in the Facebook post of photojournalist Vincent Go which has been shared 30,800 times, received 727 comments, and 50,800 reactions.”

I can only guess that Mang Dodong, the fish vendor, desperately needed to go to Navotas because he had to make a living so his family could eat but sadly he only ended up suffering more indignities. Isn’t it a stark contrast to how other more prominent ECQ violators are treated during the lockdown? They, too cross borders to get to where they want to go but only need their “face value” as a travel pass.

Going into lockdown, our first priority was to secure our needs. Those who could afford to, filled several carts at the grocery with more than their necessities while others barely had enough to fill their basket with cans of sardines and a bag of rice. The socio-economic gap in our society became even more apparent when people started posting about their activities in lockdown. Paul Meim illustrates this disparity among us in his article saying we may be in the same storm and yet, not in the same boat. He says further: “For some, this is a desperate crisis. For others it is facing loneliness. For some, a period of peace, rest time, vacation. For others, torture. Some are concerned about a brand of chocolate or coffee. Others are concerned about rice for the weekend, if the noodles and sardines will last for a few more days.” May I go a bit further to say that while others among us are comfortably working from home, many have already lost their jobs and many still are going to be laid off. Same storm, but not in the same boat.

Our readings this Sunday remind us of our interconnectedness as a community of believers. We have been baptised into one faith — a community of persons of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Because of our baptism we are meant to live a divine fellowship with one another. So even if this lockdown has forced most of us into isolation, we should be able to take comfort knowing we are not alone because we have each other. In fact, we belong to one another. St. Paul tells us: “None of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone.” (Romans 14:7). As we continue to wage war against Covid 19 we come to realize that this is not a battle for personal survival but rather a collective one. For instance, when I make the effort to stay home and leave only when necessary it is not just for the protection of the family I love but for the safety of others. In Christ the King, our parishioners continue to contribute generously to OPLAN COVID that helps provide the needs of the less fortunate and assistance to our overworked medical frontliners. I was personally amazed after reading that rival schools Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University called a truce to provide joint support to the most vulnerable sectors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. On a larger scale, we can look to countries with women leaders who have fared better in addressing the Covid-19 crisis. Observers attribute this to the capacity of female leaders to be more collaborative in their approach. They know how to listen and seek help from others and do not pretend to have all the answers. I am sure each of you listening can tell us your own examples of compassion and generosity during this lockdown. Truly, if we want to emerge triumphant from this battle, we have to keep our act together. As we rally together to fight our common enemy, we cry out: “We heal as one!”

In today’s account of the Ascension, Jesus calls the disciples, not as individuals but as a group forming the nucleus of the People of God. As the new Body of Christ, together they are commissioned to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations.” We too, like them, are empowered to be ministers of communion for all peoples and places where life brings us. This begins in a special way in our most immediate community —our family. This lockdown has been a moment of grace for families because it has given them the opportunity to rediscover each other, to appreciate one another and to learn to live peacefully with each other. In the rectory, Fr. Steve, Fr. Jojo and I live as “family” but before the lockdown, weekends were so busy that we could hardly sit together for meals. Since the quarantine, we always eat together and over these meals we have had the chance to get to know each other and work together to become more effective pastors in the parish.

The task of fostering communion among peoples isn’t easy. It is a tremendous mission for us and back then even the early church was daunted. St. Paul prays for the disciples at Ephesus that they may be provided with all they need to carry forth this mission of bringing all peoples together in the Lord. Of course, it is inevitable that our differences as people tend to cause discord but we need to remind ourselves that the Holy Spirit has given us the power to be the unifying presence of Christ for others. As we ask the Lord to strengthen our resolve to be witnesses of His love, we join St. Paul in praying “May the eyes of our hearts be enlightened that we may know what is the hope that belongs to His call, what are the riches of His glory in His inheritance among the holy ones.”

We may be in different boats in this storm of the Corona virus pandemic but let us not allow this virus to further divide us as a people. We simply need to invite Jesus into the boat with us to give us courage and hope, to guide us and inspire us to help other boats alongside us navigate these stormy waters toward safer lands!

Illustration by Laura Carlin used in the article of Paul Meim