Bravery today

Braveheart.

1 When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. 2 And then a leper[b] approached, did him homage, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” 3 He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I will do it. Be made clean.” His leprosy was cleansed immediately. 4 [c]Then Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”-Matthew8:1-4

And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” Wow! Lepers are not supposed to approach anybody during the time of Jesus. They must make noise when they are around or yell, "Unclean! Unclean!" to keep the people away. Here, the leper approached, did homage to Jesus and asked to be healed; perhaps he no longer thought of the consequences of approaching a crowd with his condition. For the leper, it is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be near Jesus whom he knows is the only One who can heal him. Perhaps an inner voice is telling him, "Grab it! Grab the opportunity to be healed! Ask Jesus! Be brave! " Bravery is what we need now. Courage to make things right. Courage to change for our betterment. Courage to love again. Courage to start all over again. Courage to ask help. Courage to forgive. Courage to let go. Courage to be healed. Courage to return to God. Courage to testify that there is God. The list continues endlessly. What do you have to be brave today?

Image courtesy: God's Not Dead

Not Alone

Jesus has conquered the world.

29 His disciples said, “Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech. 30 Now we realize that you know everything and that you do not need to have anyone question you. Because of this we believe that you came from God.”[a] 31 Jesus answered them, “Do you believe now? 32 Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered[b] to his own home and you will leave me alone. But I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 33 I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.”-John16:29-33

It is easy to make promises when we are in our comfort zones. But sometimes our words, promises, oaths, vows, alliances and relationships are put to test through trials and difficulties. What we promised in one hour, can be broken in the next. In the Gospel, the disciples' statement truly manifest their faith in Jesus. But Jesus slams it by telling them that they will leave Him alone. And yet, despite this, Jesus is still the One who comforts them. In fact, Jesus who will suffer in the Passion, is the One strengthening them, preparing them and still blessing them with peace. Like His disciples, we, too, are always in the heart of Jesus. No matter what we failed to do, Jesus still beckons us to Himself. He will forgive and welcome us despite the weight of our sins.

Image courtesy: artist

A Kind of Peace

The peace of Jesus.

27 Peace[a] I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. 28 [b]You heard me tell you, ‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father; for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you this before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe. 30 I will no longer speak much with you, for the ruler of the world[c] is coming. He has no power over me, 31 but the world must know that I love the Father and that I do just as the Father has commanded me. Get up, let us go.-John14:27-31

Some people say that peace is the absence of war. Well, Jesus lived at the time when His country is conquered by the Romans. Yet, Jesus gave His followers 'Peace.' Can one live and feel in peace in the middle of war and oppression? "Not as the world gives do I give it to you." Jesus' peace is not the same as the peace that the world gives. What kind of peace? The peace that comes from the confidence and faith that Jesus is with us and has never abandoned us. This peace gives hope and courage. This peace makes one rise up and try again. This peace lets go and forgives.

Image courtesy: artist

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.

Image courtesy: artist

No partiality

Something good comes out from seemingly negative circumstances.

24 From that place he went off to the district of Tyre.[a] He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it, but he could not escape notice. 25 Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him. She came and fell at his feet. 26 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. 27 He said to her, “Let the children be fed first.[b] For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” 28 She replied and said to him, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.” 29 Then he said to her, “For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.” 30 When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.-Mark7:24-30

During the time of Jesus, the Jews have a very low regard for Gentiles, even calling them 'dogs.' This name-calling is known to the Gentiles, still, they continued with their lives. In the Gospel reading, Jesus in some way indirectly addressed the Syrophoenician woman [and possibly her child and all Gentiles] as 'dogs.' How can this be? Jesus' approach for each and every person is different regardless of one's status or affiliations in life. He was like a teacher to the Samaritan woman by the well. He was a healer to the Samaritan leper. Jesus knows how to weave Himself into our lives. Here, perhaps it is Jesus' intention to put the Syrophoenician woman's faith and love to the test. How far is she willing to go in the name of faith? in her faith in Jesus to cure her child? in her love for her child? Yes, there is a shadow of truth that perhaps a different person would have slapped His Majesty for saying, "Let the children be fed first.[b] For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs." Dogs?! Women are considered weak at that time, and second class citizens. All the more worse if she happens to be a Gentile. But here, the woman has shown much courage,grace and faith while undergoing the test. Her faith is coupled with dauntless sincerity, hope, firm resolution that she will not return home with empty hands, and humility that truly touched Jesus' heart. Her story continues to live on to inspire and touch the hearts of many. But her story is not just about the miraculous healing of her child, but in some way, it is also a story of conversion and a testimony that Jesus does not show partiality at all. He comes to save and help us regardless of our religion, race, status, etc.

Image courtesy: artist 

Don't be afraid

Jesus will be there for us.

45 Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.

47 Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. 48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified.

Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, 52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.-Mark6:45-52

The Gospel reading today is a continuation of yesterday's reading. Jesus gave a bigger-than-life challenge to His disciples - feed five thousand men (not counting the women and children) right on the spot. It was not His disciples who solved it, it was Jesus Himself who did the wonderful miracle of feeding thousands of men, women and children out of five loaves and two fishes only. Not only that, there were twelve wicker baskets of leftover, enough for Jesus and His disciples' journey ahead. Today, another challenge came to Jesus' disciples - fear. I am not sure if they were fearful of the wind and the waves, but they were definitely afraid of a ghost (it was actually Jesus walking at them). We all face many fears - fear of getting old, fear of being poor, fear of being alone, fear of failures, fear of making a new start, fear of new relationships, fear of getting hurt again, and so forth. But Jesus' words continue to ring today and until the end of time. "Take courage. It is I. Don't be afraid." Jesus is inviting us all not to be afraid. What is past belongs to the past. New beginnings do not have the same ending. Adventures are always new and they are never the same. Every venture has a different story and a different ending. Let not our hearts be troubled by fears and problems. Jesus will always be there to help us. He will even be the One to solve it for us.

Image courtesy: artist

Grace under Pressure

In times of trouble, be not afraid. God will be there to help us out.

12 But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake.

13 This will be a time for you to bear testimony.

14 Settle it therefore in your minds, not to meditate beforehand how to answer;

15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.

16 You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and kinsmen and friends, and some of you they will put to death;

17 you will be hated by all for my name's sake.

18 But not a hair of your head will perish.

19 By your endurance you will gain your lives.-Luke21:12-19

How could I know that my "end" is near? With all the pain and sorrow that I went through, life seems to be taken out of me. But looking back, I saw that my journey to recovery and healing is one of Faith, Hope, Trust and Simply Believing that God is merciful and compassionate. As what Job said, "The Lord has given. The Lord has taken away." And with my own experience, I want to add, "The Lord restores, and it is overflowing."

Did you not have an experience when you practiced something to perfection, and yet when the day to perform or do it finally arrived, nothing came out of you? Perhaps this is the reason that Jesus warns His followers and disciples not to meditate or to prepare a kind of defense. To do so, meant trust in one's own capacity. And sometimes, man can find a loophole in another man's defense. But God's wisdom are pure and irrefutable; and this is what He will give to those whom He tasked to defend the Faith.

Our troubles in life are sometimes enough to eat us alive. Sometimes we just want to end it all, to run away, to hide, to be left alone, to wallow in self pity or regret, to drown in sorrow and pain. Jesus is encouraging us to be brave and strong. To be brave and strong doesn't have to be bold acts. Most of the time, strength and courage are shown through silence, gentleness, grace-under-pressure and calmness despite the harsh turbulence around us. As the song says, "Be not afraid. I go before you always. Come, follow Me. And I will give you rest."

Image courtesy: Bartolomé Esteban Perez Murillo (Martyrdom of St. Andrew), Lifehack Qoutes

Give it a try!

Conquer your fear and you will see victory with God.

35 As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging;

36 and hearing a multitude going by, he inquired what this meant.

37 They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by."

38 And he cried, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

39 And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

40 And Jesus stopped, and commanded him to be brought to him; and when he came near, he asked him,

41 "What do you want me to do for you?" He said, "Lord, let me receive my sight."

42 And Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well."

43 And immediately he received his sight and followed him, glorifying God; and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.-Luke18:35-43

The previous Gospel reading spoke of the fear of the third servant. Because of his fear of his demanding master, he hid the talent. Because of that, what he had was taken from him. Worse, he was thrown "outside in the darkness, where there is wailing and grinding of teeth."

In contrast, the blind man conquered all his fears just to be healed. Perhaps there was a tug-of-war between asking help from Jesus or not. But he conquered the possibility of rejection by crying out loud, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" The blind knew that he had nothing to lose when he asked for help. He knew that it is much better to try, than not try at all and regret it for the rest of his life. Yes, one of his fears came true because instead of the people helping him and encouraging him to call on to Jesus, they shushed him, rebuked him, told him to be quiet. Talk about empathy! But all his efforts paid off because Jesus heard him and healed him right then and there.

The things that we ask from God are actually granted already. Sometimes we just have to be bold enough to give it a try, or be bold enough to ask. Sometimes Jesus is asking us to be brave for Him.

Image courtesy: El Greco (Healing of the Blind), Dreamstime

Walk in the Light!

Fear Him who has power over heaven, hell and earth.

12 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be[a] on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 3 What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.

4 “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. 7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.-Luke12:1-7

For me, the Gospel reading is divided into three parts: secrets will be made known one way or another, fear of God, and to be fearless because we are with God.

Secrets will be made known one way or another. If we do good things in secret, such as being an anonymous benefactor of a charity, these acts will be made known eventually. Maybe a common friend or the beneficiaries themselves will spill the beans. Sometimes we are surprised to know that unlikely persons are benefactors of a promising athlete, a promising scientist, or of orphanages. When these acts are exposed, it brings happiness to the generous person as well as to the persons surrounding him/her.

But woe to the one who does wicked things in secret for it will be made known, and what terrible shame it will give to the one who commits it as well as to the people close to him/her. So many politicians and supposed "well-meaning" persons are put to shame and incarceration for secretly stealing from the country's treasury. So many pretentious and vile persons are imprisoned for doing things that destroy people's lives.

Fear of God. With all the atrocities we hear everyday, sometimes we just can't help but ask, "Where is God?" or "Why is there so much evil in the world?"

Those who do evil things did those vile acts without actually thinking of the ramifications of their actions. While others believe that they can get away with it anyway since they have money and power. But, one way or another, God knows how to make things right. If it will not be in this world, then it will definitely be in another 'world' in another time. If justice is not served now, it will be later on. Yes, there is hell. If some people celebrate "hell" here, it is not and never close to reality. As one mystic said, "What horror! Indescribable pain and such a horrific place!"

The Gospel reading may be a bit "dark" but Jesus' words are meant to strengthen us. We should not be afraid if what we do is according to God's plan and will. We have nothing to fear if God is by our side. We should cast away our evil inclinations. We should strive to walk in the light, that is according to the ways of Jesus.

Photo courtesy: Dante's Inferno, Alan Sherwood (Dante's Inferno), Platinum Hospital, unknown artist