Long before it happened

Jesus knows.

16 Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger[a] greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it. 18 I am not speaking of all of you. I know those whom I have chosen. But so that the scripture might be fulfilled, ‘The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me.’ 19 From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I AM. 20 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”-John13:16-20

Jesus said, "I know those whom I have chosen." Despite Peter's denial of Jesus, His Majesty still chose him as His disciple. Despite the other disciples' abandonment of Jesus, His Majesty still chose them as His disciples. And despite Judas' betrayal, the truth is, Jesus still chose him as His disciple. If I were to see my future, and if I found out that this or that person will betray me later on, as early as now I am going to distance myself or avoid that person. But Jesus never sent Judas away because He knew that every body can change. Jesus said, "From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I AM." Jesus is preparing His disciples of what's going to happen. Perhaps this is also Jesus' way of saying to them all not to lose heart, not to despair, to be strong and to believe that He has forgiven them all long before the Passion and Crucifixion happened. Long before our miseries came to be, Jesus has a ready solution at hand. All we have to do is accept the outstretched hand He is offering to us.

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The right thing

Believe

44 Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me, 45 and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. 46 I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness. 47 And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. 48 Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day, 49 because I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. So what I say, I say as the Father told me.”-John12:44-50

Jesus is inviting us all to believe Him. Jesus is so full of love that He does not condemn nor judge. It will be our very own actions, our very heart, that will judge us. True that sometimes we are victims of injustice. Jesus knows how to make it right. But most of the time, we invite injustice and condemnation into our very own lives through our decisions. Why cry over imprisonment if indeed we committed a criminal act? Everything is grace. Jesus knows how to make things right.

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Belonging to Jesus

Believe.

22 The feast of the Dedication[a] was then taking place in Jerusalem. It was winter. 23 [b]And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense?[c] If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you[d] and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me. 26 But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all,[e] and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. 30 [f]The Father and I are one.”-John10:22-30

When a person's heart is close, it is difficult to open. When a person believes in something, no one or nothing can dissuade him/her from believing. Jesus' actions and words are so obvious. Many saw Jesus make miracles and extraordinary feats - healing incurable diseases, driving out demons, miracles, teaching with authority, etc. And yet, despite the obvious, the people do not want to believe. Today, there are still many people who try to discredit Jesus. But a true sheep that truly belongs to Jesus hears His voice, believes in Him even if others will not, follows Him even if others will not. To whom do we belong - to Jesus or to a godless world?

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The Gate

Jesus is the Gate.

1 [a]“Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold[b] through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. 2 But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 [c]When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. 5 But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.” 6 Although Jesus used this figure of speech,[d] they did not realize what he was trying to tell them.7 [e]So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 [f]All who came [before me] are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.-John10:1-10

Yesterday, Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Today, Jesus is the Gate. Let's pretend we do not yet know that He is the Good Shepherd. If Jesus is the Gate in today's Gospel, then who is the shepherd that went through the gate? Or who are the shepherds that He opened the gate for? Or how can He identify the true shepherd? The true shepherds who went through the gate are the many people who possess the heart and identity of Jesus - the Good Shepherd. Thus Jesus knew them because they are like Him too! Although these shepherds are mostly identified with priests, for me, I identify them also with the men and women who possess the heart and mind of Jesus, and also helps in their own capacity in shepherding the flock - spreading the Good News, catechism especially for the young, pastoral work in poor areas, spiritual counseling, etc.

Jesus said, "... I am the gate for the sheep." Here, Jesus speaks lovingly to us, His flock. As the Gate, Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Jesus is the Way to eternal life. Jesus is the Truth and speaks the Truth. Jesus gives Life and Meaning to our own existence.

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The Sheep and the Shepherd

Jesus is the Good Shepherd.

11 I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. 13 This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep[a] that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again.[b] This command I have received from my Father.”-John10:11-18

Jesus is the Good Shepherd and He truly loves each and every sheep. When a 'wolf' comes, He doesn't abandon the flock. If even one leaves the flock, He searches for the lost one. Some say what foolishness to leave the 99 for just a single lost sheep! What if the wolf comes along in His absence? Jesus loves us so much that no one is too small or too trivial to ignore, each is important and well-loved by Him. He searches for the lost one - whoever or whatever it may be - because He loves it so much. But leaving the 99 doesn't mean He doesn't love them (perhaps He knows that the 99 will stay and remain where He left them, are safe, and can possibly defend themselves if needed). He looks for the lost one because it needs help the most. We are the sheep and Jesus is our Good Shepherd. He will never allow that harm or evil will come upon us. He will never allow that we get lost. Should we find ourselves harmed, lost or in the midst of evil around us, Jesus will come to give justice, peace and love. The question is, do we hide, run away or come to Jesus when He calls?

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Spreading the Good News

God is with us.

15 He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. 18 They will pick up serpents [with their hands], and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. 20 But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.-Mark16:15-20

As followers of Jesus, we too are given the task to "go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature." There are many ways to do this - preach, teach, evangelize, catechize, spreading the Word in print or online, newsletters, verbally quoting a Gospel text, etc. Sometimes we cannot see the effect of our actions, and sometimes we do. Sometimes there are signs, sometimes we cannot see the signs. But one thing is certain, Jesus is working with us and guiding us every step of the way as we fulfill our duty of helping proclaim the Gospel to all creatures.

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True Meal

True bread.

52 The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us [his] flesh to eat?” 53 Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. 54 Whoever eats[a] my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.” 59 These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.-John6:52-59

In the gospel reading, Jesus specifically mentioned that His flesh and blood are true food and drink. It is saddening that some take the Eucharist for granted, not knowing how much grace it gives to any person who takes it. However, the Eucharist, the Word and the Church must go hand in hand. What we learn from the Church, what we contemplated and meditated on the Word, and partaking of the Eucharist must abound and exist in our life. We have to cooperate with God, His will and plan so that our life will be meaningful.

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The Living Bread

True Bread.

44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets:‘They shall all be taught by God.’Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; 50 this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”-John6:44-51

Some Christian groups say that the 'bread' that Jesus mentioned here is metaphorical or symbolic only. However, the last line in today's Gospel clearly states that the 'bread' Jesus speaks of is His flesh. But Jesus never said cannibalism here. In fact, if there is one or two who probed deeper and asked Jesus what He truly meant, His Majesty might just have mentioned transubstantiation here. Later on, Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist in the Last Supper making His body and blood true bread and wine. Not only are we doing it in memory of Jesus, but it is through this Holy Meal that we become truly alive because Jesus lives in our own life.

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Welcomed!

I will not reject anyone.

35 [a]Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst. 36 But I told you that although you have seen [me], you do not believe. 37 Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, 38 because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. 39 And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it [on] the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him [on] the last day.”-John6:35-40

I am truly touched by Jesus' words, "...I will not reject anyone who comes to me..." I am trying to be Christ-like. I want to be another Christ to others. I want to live and imitate Christ. To be Christ-like, one has to be like Him, of course. To be like Him, one has to be Love. And Love asks that we do not reject anybody. Sigh. Easier said than done, but, through the grace of God, we can and we can try and try. They said that rejection has its benefits too. However, must we resort always to rejection even if we have a choice to be open and accepting especially to the many blessings of God?

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True food.

30 So they said to him, “What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do? 31 [a]Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written:‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”32 So Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”34 So they said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” 35 [b]Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.-John6:30-35

Whoever comes to Jesus will never hunger, and whoever believes in Him will never thirst. Yes, Jesus quenches all thirst and satisfies all hunger physically, emotionally, mentally, etc. However, Jesus speaks more of the spiritual hunger and thirst that we have in our lives. So many wonder why their lives seem empty. They work in a good company, earn money, travel, spend even beyond their limit, buy, stock up their houses, but in the end, still feel empty. If somebody will say, "God is knocking in your heart," they would flinch and deny that God has something to do with it. "Beach outing is what I need," some would say. Though we surround ourselves with material things, nothing can truly satisfy except God. Perhaps this is why there is preference for the poor because they respond easily to God, whereas the rich look for other ways, faraway things. Jesus is calling us to come and believe in Him. It is only in Jesus that life can be truly meaningful.

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The Bread that Gives Life

True food and true work.

22 [a]The next day, the crowd that remained across the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not gone along with his disciples in the boat, but only his disciples had left. 23 [b]Other boats came from Tiberias near the place where they had eaten the bread when the Lord gave thanks. 24 When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus. 25 And when they found him across the sea they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” 26 Jesus answered them and said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life,[c] which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.” 28 So they said to him, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”-John6:22-29

The food that endures for eternal life comes from Jesus. It is through the Eucharist that we receive this very food that endures eternal life, comes from Jesus, Jesus Himself is the food, and a daily remembrance of Jesus' memory. And as Jesus said, '... work for food... that endures for eternal life.' What work then? To believe in Him, the One sent by God the Father. Jesus truly simplified everything. We need not do much work, rather, to simply believe in Him. We need not toil much for the food that will bring eternal life for it is right in our very midst - the Eucharist. Taking communion truly brings much blessings and graces!

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Better Alternative

Do not be afraid.

16 When it was evening, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 embarked in a boat, and went across the sea to Capernaum. It had already grown dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea was stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea[a] and coming near the boat, and they began to be afraid. 20 But he said to them, “It is I.[b] Do not be afraid.” 21 They wanted to take him into the boat, but the boat immediately arrived at the shore to which they were heading.-John6:16-21

This is the first time I'm reading this version of Jesus walking in the water. But what struck me the most is the last line in the gospel - 'They wanted to take him into the boat, but the boat immediately arrived at the shore to which they were heading.' I was touched by it because there are many times in my life when I made many plans, many proposals, many promises to God but in the end, He has another plan for me. I tried to make God give me what I want at a certain point in my life, but it was never granted. Though my request was not granted, God gave me a much better gift - I know and still learning Love. It is indeed true that God knows what is best for us.

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Grounded in Truth

Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.

35 Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
36 [a]While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37 But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. 38 Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? 39 [b]Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” 40 And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of baked fish; 43 he took it and ate it in front of them.
44 He said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. 46 [c]And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day 47 and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.-Luke24:35-48

To be a credible witness, one must be at the very heart of a scene or a situation. If a person makes a story out of lies, sooner or later s/he cracks to pressure as questions come pouring in. One government official is publicly making himself known as part of his preparation for the national election next year. I thought that he was a good leader. But, accusations of corruption come pouring in left and right to such an extent that I cannot possibly believe easily that he's innocent anymore. When one is grounded in lies, the path out of it is always restricted and very difficult.

Jesus personally showed Himself to His disciples. The disciples saw, interacted and touched the resurrected Jesus Himself. Thus, the disciples and us - Christians - through living Jesus' life in our very own existence are credible witness that He is the Messiah, the fulfillment of the Law and the prophets' testimonies. We are credible witnesses because our testimony that Jesus is the Messiah is grounded in pure truth.

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Walk away

Test... Withdraw from certain situations...

1 After this, Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee [of Tiberias].[b] 2 A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish feast of Passover was near. 5 [c]When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” 6 [d]He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred days’ wages[e] worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little [bit].” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves[f] and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people recline.” Now there was a great deal of grass[g] in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. 12 When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.” 13 So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets[h] with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat. 14 When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, “This is truly the Prophet,[i] the one who is to come into the world.” 15 Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone.-John6:1-15

It is indeed true that God sometimes would deliberately put us to the test. But it is not for us to suffer, not for us to fail, not for us to be pained. Rather, to test our virtues. And should we fail or give a wrong answer, God will work out something for our betterment. Remember, a gold will never be a work of beauty and art without exposing it to high degrees of fire. In the gospel, Jesus is so close to becoming a king but He faced the situation by withdrawing and being by Himself alone in the mountain. How will it be for us? What are we going to do if instant fame, money and power are thrust to us in the next hour? Can we walk away from it? Yes, we can! Jesus, the first of Mankind, did it. But again, fame, money and power are not evil in itself. How we deal with it will define its effect in our lives. "But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness,[a] and all these things will be given you besides.-Matthew6:33"

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Spirit + Body

Where did we come from?

31 The one who comes from above is above all. The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things. But the one who comes from heaven [is above all]. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy. 34 For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God. He does not ration his gift[a] of the Spirit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him.-John3:31-36

Some say that each person is gifted with a body and a spirit. The wisdom evolved. They say we have a spirited body, meaning - a body with a spirit. Then the wisdom still evolved. They say we have a bodied spirit, meaning - a spirit with a body. With these premises, we acknowledge that before we are born, a Mighty Hand was behind our creation. Whether we were created as a spirit first or a body first, one thing is certain, God has given us both body and spirit. Therefore, we are never created primarily to be earthly beings. Rather, beings on a pilgrimage here on earth. It is so sad that the path to our true Home - Jesus Himself - is so taken for granted or twisted to satisfy our earthly needs. But all is not lost for Jesus never gives up to search and find His sheep.

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An Endless River

There is no fear in a life of Godliness, goodness and righteousness. There is no fear in Love.

16 For God so loved the world that he gave[a] his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn[b] the world, but that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 [c]And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. 21 But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.-John3:16-21

As I read the Gospel reading, I remember Judas Iscariot and Peter. Because of Judas' betrayal, he fell into extreme guilt and possibly believed that he would never be forgiven no matter what. Perhaps he really blamed himself as he witnessed the brutality done to Jesus. Peter, a good friend of Jesus, denied Him before the cock crowed. Talk about dying with Jesus! Perhaps Peter also felt guilt for adding misery to Jesus by deserting and denying his master at the time that He needed His 'Rock' the most. Their stories are somewhat the same to me because each turned away from Jesus. The difference is, Peter believed that he would be forgiven and be shown mercy, whereas Judas despaired and believed that he would be condemned for all eternity. For me, Judas condemned and judged himself, and refused to believe in Jesus' mercy.

We are sometimes slaves of our imaginary fears. Sometimes we don't believe in second chances. Sometimes we think, 'I failed once, I'll fail again' or 'I was hurt once, I will never love again.' But Jesus is a river of overflowing love, mercy, compassion and forgiveness. 'Come to the water, you who are thirsty,' He says (as in Is55:1). No matter how much or how little we drink, Jesus' water never runs dry and never fails to comfort. We need not be afraid to try and try again. We need not be afraid to love again, to start again, to stand again. For every adventure, Jesus will always be there to accompany and help us. Though we stumble, we will never fall because He is there for us.

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Nicodemuses

A deeper understanding.

7 Do not marvel that I said to you, `You must be born anew.'
8 The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit."
9 Nicode'mus said to him, "How can this be?"
10 Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand this?
11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen; but you do not receive our testimony.
12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
13 No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up,
15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."-John3:7-15

The Nicodemuses of this world seek for something, for knowledge or for truth that can be tangibly seen, heard or touched. Sometimes, if an answer is given to them but contrary to their expectations, either they turn away or go deeper down 'the rabbit hole.' Jesus is inviting us all to accept one truth - He is the Lord and Savior. Why, then, is this truth so difficult for some? What are they seeking exactly?

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Born of the Spirit

Born of the Spirit.

1 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.[b] 2 He came to Jesus at night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you are doing unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born[c] from above.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a person once grown old be born again? Surely he cannot reenter his mother’s womb and be born again, can he?” 5 Jesus answered, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 6 What is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I told you, ‘You must be born from above.’ 8 The wind[d] blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”-John3:1-8

To be born of the Spirit, one must be incorruptible. But our nature is corruptible. How then can we be born of the Spirit. It is by believing in Jesus and accepting Him as our Lord and Savior. But it doesn't end there. I have known some people who believes in Jesus, accepts Him as Lord and Savior but actually lives a dissipated life. Jesus is constantly inviting us to live out the promises of our baptism as God's children. These promises do not make us slaves of Do's and Don'ts, rather, it is the only way to live a beautiful and fulfilling life.

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Doubting Thomas

Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.

19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples[a] were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.[b] The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 [c][Jesus] said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 [d]And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit. 23 [e]Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”24 Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” 26 Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” 28 [f]Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 [g]Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of [his] disciples that are not written in this book. 31 But these are written that you may [come to] believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.-John20:19-35

Thomas' reaction is possibly normal. Though personally, if I am Thomas, I would have believed since some women and other disciples apart from the 12 have already testified to this truth. Yet, despite so many witnesses, Thomas refused to believe possibly because he is the type who will only believe in something he has seen, heard, tasted, smelled and touched.

Today, we cannot see Jesus physically albeit indirectly and in spirit only. But His invitation to Thomas is extended to us - Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed. We belong to the post-glorification disciples, meaning, we believe in Jesus though we have not experienced Him in history and for real. However, because of the testimonies from one generation to the next, we have come to believe. Jesus is empowering us to proclaim the Good News through many means - witnessing, proclaiming, evangelizing, teaching, etc.

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Credible Witnesses

Believe!

9 When he had risen, early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. 10 She went and told his companions who were mourning and weeping. 11 When they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.
12 After this he appeared in another form to two of them walking along on their way to the country. 13 They returned and told the others; but they did not believe them either.
14 [But] later, as the eleven were at table, he appeared to them and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed those who saw him after he had been raised. 15 He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.-Mark16:9-15

There are things that are too good to be true, too good that it cannot be true. And there are things that are too good to be false, too good to be false. In the gospel reading, the disciples have trouble accepting the beautiful testimonies that Jesus is alive. After all, resurrection is something unproven during their time. But in succeeding readings, we can all see their transformation as their minds and hearts are opened to the truth - that Jesus is what the Law and the prophets are talking about, and He rose from the dead. Yes, the first of mankind resurrected and shared with us the promised eternal life. Seeing with their own eyes and experiencing Jesus concretely made the disciples true and credible witnesses to the truth.

Sometimes, we need to believe in something though it may seem impossible and unrealistic at all, for everything is possible with God.

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An Impasse

Jesus showed Himself again.

1 [a]After this, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way. 2 Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons,[b] and two others of his disciples. 3 [c]Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We also will come with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4 When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.” 6 So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish. 7 So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea. 8 The other disciples came in the boat, for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards, dragging the net with the fish. 9 [d]When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three[e] large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.” And none of the disciples dared to ask him,[f] “Who are you?” because they realized it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish. 14 [g]This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead.-John21:1-14

'I am going fishing' can also be interpreted as going back to the old life. When Jesus did His active ministry, He and His disciples have something to do all the time - teach, preach, heal, drive out demons, etc. But things changed when Jesus died and resurrected. It seems He was not around all the time. 'What must we do?' or 'What will happen now?' is possibly some questions that each disciple asked. The feeling is similar to a flock of sheep losing their shepherd. Perhaps, it is natural to go back to familiar ways. But God has a different plan. Jesus steps into the void and leads the way. At a time of not knowing what to do, Jesus comes and guides. Above all, Jesus remained true to His promise when He called Peter and the other disciples. Their vocation and their role do not stop, rather, it continues and reaches another level. As Jesus said in John14:18, 'I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.'

There are times that we face an impasse, a void; seemingly, life stopped and there is nowhere to go. But, it is in this very moments that Jesus is all the more knocking in our hearts. He is calling us. Jesus is reaching out to us and wanting to guide us. All we have to do is simply to take His hand.

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Witnesses

Peace be with you.

35 Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.36 [a]While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37 But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. 38 Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? 39 [b]Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” 40 And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of baked fish; 43 he took it and ate it in front of them.44 He said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. 46 [c]And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day 47 and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.-Luke24:35-48

Jesus truly showed that He resurrected from the dead by showing Himself to Mary Magdalene, the other women, the two disciples who went to Emmaus, Peter and the other disciples. From one generation to the next, each disciple and follower bore witness to this truth. Today, as we spread Jesus' triumph over death and sin, and His fulfillment of the Law and what the prophets and psalms say, we are witnesses of His in our time.

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Everything is Grace

Stay with us.

13 Now that very day two of them were going to a village seven miles[a] from Jerusalem called Emmaus, 14 and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. 15 And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, 16 [b]but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?”
... They said to him, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. 21 But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place. 22 Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning 23 and did not find his body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive. 24 Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but him they did not see.” 25 And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! 26 Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer[c] these things and enter into his glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the scriptures. 28 As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. 29 But they urged him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. 31 With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. 32 Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning [within us] while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?” 33 So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and those with them 34 who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.-Luke24:13-35

Everything is grace. It begins with grace. It ends with grace. Seemingly, it is the disciples who invited Jesus to stay with them. But the truth, Jesus is the one who invited them to Him. Without the disciples knowledge, Jesus secretly knocks in their hearts as He interpreted the Scriptures to them. Surely, something is stirred within them as they listened. And they responded to this 'hidden grace' by inviting Jesus - a stranger in their eyes at the moment - to stay with them. With the breaking of the bread, their eyes were opened making them witnesses too.

It is true that Jesus knocks in our hearts always. How then should we respond? Are we going to open? Or, are we going to ignore. Remember, the disciples who went to Emmaus seemingly struck gold when they asked Jesus to stay with them. What could Jesus be bringing along as He knocks in our hearts?

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Blinded

Our God and Father.

11 But Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the body of Jesus had been. 13 And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,”[a] which means Teacher. 17 Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me,[b] for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and what he told her.-John20:11-18

Jesus accomplished His mission for we are now God's children. God is now our Father through our holy adoption when we are baptized. It is comforting to know that God is not distant to us. (I fully disagree with the song 'From a Distance,' where it said, 'God is watching us from a distance) Unfortunately, just like Mary, we cannot recognize the presence of God in our midst all the time or perhaps we chose to be blind to His presence, or we cannot see Him because His will is not what we want. God is never distant because He is faithful to His promise of never abandoning us. Jesus is inviting us all to live as true children of God - a child of His that loves.

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Truth Beknown

Two encounters.

8 Then they went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce[a] this to his disciples. 9 [b]And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”[c] 11 While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had happened. 12 They assembled with the elders and took counsel; then they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him while we were asleep.’ 14 And if this gets to the ears of the governor, we will satisfy [him] and keep you out of trouble.” 15 The soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has circulated among the Jews to the present [day].-Matthew28:8-15

Roman soldiers are really soldiers by profession. Each soldier is already a formidable unit. Surely a single soldier can bring down men who never knew serious battle in their entire lives. Some say that if a soldier is caught sleeping, he will be punished by death. And yet, the soldiers agreed to all these. They agreed to spread stories that Jesus' disciples came by night and stole him while they were sleep. That is, they risk facing death and shaming themselves for being outwitted by unseasoned men. Not really a good choice.

Jesus is inviting us to rejoice in the truth that He triumphed over death and sin. Despite the lies that the soldiers and elders have spread, the truth was never quenched. So let us spread this truth especially to those who are in need of Christ's Light.

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Alive!

The Lord is risen! Alleluia!

1 On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark,[c] and saw the stone removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran[d] and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” 3 [e]So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. 4 They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; 5 he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. 6 When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths[f] there, 7 and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. 8 Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. 9 [g]For they did not yet understand the scripture that he had to rise from the dead.

As we remember Jesus' sufferings during Holy Week, today we remember and celebrate His resurrection - the new hope and life it has given to us. Jesus' sacrifice has washed our sins and has triumphed over death. We are saved! As Jesus rose from the dead, the first of mankind to do so, we too will rise again when we die to join Him in Heaven forever.

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A brand new life

Bright morning has come at last.

1 When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go and anoint him. 2 Very early when the sun had risen, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb. 3 They were saying to one another, “Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” 4 When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back; it was very large. 5 On entering the tomb they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe, and they were utterly amazed. 6 He said to them, “Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Behold, the place where they laid him. 7 But go and tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you.’”-Mark16:1-7

If the past days are marked by anticipation and sobriety as we relive Jesus' Passion, Crucifixion and Death, now is the beginning of a series of Celebrations as we relive Jesus' Resurrection and Triumph over death and sin. Darkness will give way to Light. Sadness and sorrow will give way to Happiness and Joy. Death will give way to Life. But take note, despite Peter's denial, the white-robed young man (assumed to be a messenger of God) specifically mentioned the name of Peter as one of those who must go to Galilee to meet Jesus. Yes, despite what happened, indeed God remains faithful to us. God does not want us to be disheartened and discouraged if ever we have committed mistakes in life because He will always forgive us and show us His infinite mercy and compassion. The question is, are we willing to ask forgiveness? Are we willing to return to Him?

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The Pilates of the World

It is done.

... [s]Then Pilate took Jesus and had him scourged. 2 And the soldiers wove a crown out of thorns and placed it on his head, and clothed him in a purple cloak, 3 and they came to him and said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck him repeatedly. 4 Once more Pilate went out and said to them, “Look, I am bringing him out to you, so that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” 5 So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple cloak. And he said to them, “Behold, the man!” 6 When the chief priests and the guards saw him they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him. I find no guilt in him.” 7 [t]The Jews answered, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.” 8 Now when Pilate heard this statement, he became even more afraid, 9 and went back into the praetorium and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” Jesus did not answer him. 10 So Pilate said to him, “Do you not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you and I have power to crucify you?” 11 Jesus answered [him], “You would have no power over me if it had not been given to you from above. For this reason the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.” 12 Consequently, Pilate tried to release him; but the Jews cried out, “If you release him, you are not a Friend of Caesar.[u] Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.”
13 When Pilate heard these words he brought Jesus out and seated him[v] on the judge’s bench in the place called Stone Pavement, in Hebrew, Gabbatha. 14 It was preparation day for Passover, and it was about noon.[w] And he said to the Jews, “Behold, your king!” 15 They cried out, “Take him away, take him away! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your king?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” 16 Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.[x] ...
23 [aa]When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four shares, a share for each soldier. They also took his tunic, but the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top down. 24 So they said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it will be,” in order that the passage of scripture might be fulfilled [that says]:
“They divided my garments among them,
and for my vesture they cast lots.”
... 28 After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled,[ad] Jesus said, “I thirst.” 29 There was a vessel filled with common wine.[ae] So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth. 30 [af]When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, “It is finished.” And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.
... 40 They took the body of Jesus and bound it with burial cloths along with the spices, according to the Jewish burial custom. 41 Now in the place where he had been crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had yet been buried. 42 So they laid Jesus there because of the Jewish preparation day; for the tomb was close by.-John18-19:42

As I read and listened to the Passion of Jesus, I was struck also by the person of Pontius Pilate. A powerful man, yet he did not exercise his real authority, feared his subjects (though he can pulverize Jerusalem easily at that time), and would rather send an innocent man to a shameful death when pressured. I cannot help but remember the many Pilates in our world. Men and women who would rather put the blame to others; made faulty decisions when pressured; would not stand to what is right and true if confronted by so many. Jesus, in His great love for us, also died for the Pilates of our world. Perhaps we are like Pilate too at certain points in our life. But Jesus is here and has saved us. Jesus died and rose again so that we can share everlasting life with Him as well, so that there is always hope for us, so that we will 'resurrect' daily with Him as we continue our earthly existence, and so that we are perpetually washed clean of our sins.

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True Leadership

True leadership is true service especially to the lowliest of all.

1 Before the feast of Passover,[c] Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end. 2 The devil had already induced[d] Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over. So, during supper, 3 fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, 4 he rose from supper and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. 5 [e]Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel around his waist. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Master, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later.” 8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Whoever has bathed[f] has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over; so you are clean, but not all.” 11 For he knew who would betray him; for this reason, he said, “Not all of you are clean.”12 So when he had washed their feet [and] put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you? 13 You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. 14 If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.-John13:1-15

Anywhere in time, we can always read and see kings, queens and leaders live in palaces, beautiful gardens, soldiers and servants at their disposal, in short a comfortable life. In Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities, he perfectly illustrated the life of the aristocracy and that of the peasantry. The aristocrats, nobles and royals live in palaces, with good food and wine, and flowing money. Life is good for them. But the peasantry lived poorly and sometimes with nothing at all. Those who are powerful and rich expects to be served and looked up to all the time. But Jesus is the most unique of all powerful leaders. He lives poorly, simply, humbly, above all, loves and serves all especially the poor, the lost, the last and the least. Jesus taught a new and better way of leadership - service with love and humility. For me, all leaders are supposed to be shepherds. A shepherd's work is supposed to care, look after, and protect the sheep, and not the other way around (that is, the sheep caring for the shepherd). Jesus is once more inviting us to be servant-leaders. If we want to be a leader, we have to give our life to service. A true leader must never seek his/her own comforts, luxury and needs.

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