CLEAR VISION OF LIFE WILL TAKE YOU TO SUCCESS!

Gen 8:6-13,20-22. Mk 8:22-26.

 

BE PATIENT FOR A CLEAR AND COMPLETE VISION OF LIFE!

 

Today’s readings bring before us two persons who see everything clearly. In the first reading, Noah sees the dry land; in the gospel reading, the blind man sees everything clearly. Though the verb ‘to see’ is used metaphorically in the Bible, referring to the internal eyes we mean, eyes of faith, in today’s reading it is used directly to refer to people's perfect sight to see God and earth.

The first reading narrates the immediate events that follow the Great Flood. Three events happen here: (i) after many years, Noah removed the covering of the ark, and it is written that the surface of the ground was drying up. What a miracle! Instead of seeing the sky, Noah sees the surface of the ground dried up. Noah insists on the necessity to look down; In fact, he sees with the eyes of God; (ii) Noah offers sacrifices to God. In pre-historic times every individual – Cain, Abel, Noah - was offering sacrifices to God; in the patriarchal era it was the fathers of the family or the clan who offered sacrifices (priesthood was developed later in this context) (iii) God is pleased with Noah’s offering and he promises that he would never harm humanity again. (remember God of Noah’s time is not a God of theology). 

 

In the gospel reading Jesus heals a blind man. Only in Mark do we listen to the healing of a blind man that happened in two stages. Both times, Jesus was on his ‘way’ to Jerusalem. These two instances serve as parables to explain the nature of Jesus’ disciples. Jesus is not able to give complete healing to the blind (they used to call ‘embarrassment texts’ of Mark.). Why Jesus did not cure him the first time? Blind man needs to do it for the second time. A blind man is brought to Jesus. Jesus takes him away from the village. So, when Jesus was healing him it was just he and Jesus. When he was able to see partially it was Jesus whom he saw. He says, ‘I am able to see men, but they look like trees, but they walk.’ These words reflect the nature of the disciples. Even though they were close to Jesus, they were not able to recognize him. Later when Jesus touched the man again he became totally alright. 

 

What are the lessons that we draw from today’s readings?

 

(i) Be patient during trials:  The floods in our life will also become dry one day. One cannot be sure that the flood will never appear in his life. Sometimes, God may send it purposedly into your life. So, it is possible in our life, the moments of the flood: the great destruction. As the neighboring people of Noah made fun of Noah building an ark in the desert, so some people around you, might frustrate you. Be patient, as Noah was patient for a number of years inside the ark. It takes a lot of courage to see the dry land.

 

(ii) Wait for Jesus to be touched for complete healing: It is not easy to get a good and perfect vision all the time. God allows us gradual healing of truth. Since evil is intrinsic in our hearts, we need to be carefully watchful. The Book of Proverbs beautifully says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it" (Prov 4:23). We will be able to see Jesus, the people, and the creation (trees) in truth, only if we allow Jesus to touch us.

 

VALENTINES DAY, MATTHEW 5:38-48

 (Lev 19:1-2, 17-18 1 Cor 3:16-23 Mat 5:38-48)

Sino ang binigyan mo ng regalo noong nakaraang Valentines Day?

Lahat naman siguro kayo nagbigay ng bulaklak sa inyong "inday". Siguro nagbigay kayo ng cake sa inyong mga magulang. Maybe you gave a simple card to your beloved friends. Siguro nagbigay ka ng rosas, rosas na may bubuyog! Siguro nagbigay ka ng pagkain, pagkaing panis na! Siguro nagbigay ka ng ice cream, ice cream na tunaw at puwede ng gawing juice! Have you given anything to your enemy? It’s true… mahirap mahalin ang kaaway (it’s hard to love the enemy).

Jesus’ message on this 7th Sunday is about Love of God/neighbor/forgiveness/loving one’s enemy. But loving an enemy is not easy. How can you forgive an unfaithful partner? Someone who is gossiping about you but smiles in front of your face? or has caused a serious injury to a family member? mahirap mahalin ang kaaway. Mahirap magpakita ng pagmamahal sa taong nagbibigay sa iyo ng sama ng loob! (It's hard to show love to someone who gives you a hard time!) sabi ni Jesus through todays readings…

sino ang pinagmulan ng pag-ibig? Who is the origin of love? First reading says it is God. Magpakabanal kayo, sapagkat akong panginoon ay banal. Diyos ay pagibig. Yet love proposed in the OT was different. “Mata sa mata at ngipin sa ngipin” was the Old testament formula, cannot be used today. Ang sabi ng namayapang si Mahatma Gandhi: “Kung paiiralin natin ang batas na mata sa mata at ngipin sa ngipin, darating ang araw na ang ating mundo ay punong-puno ng mga bulag at bungi!” Totoo nga naman. (if we do like OT, the day will come when our world will be full of blind and deaf!" It's true. Hindi kapayapaan ang iiral kundi paghihiganti! There will be no peace but vengeance!) 

That's why Jesus is universalizing the love of OT, when he said, “ibigin Ninyo ang inyong mga kaaway, at idalangin Ninyo ang mga umuusig saiyo” Maari bang ibigin ang kaaway? Mahirap ngunit posible! Is it possible to love the enemy? Difficult but possible! It is possible because true love is not a feeling. A book I read said: “Loving is willing not feeling!” You love to love! You love someone not because you "feel" that you love him/he loves you. 

Why do we need to forgive? 1. Because we are Christians, Forgiving our enemy is a command of the Lord and a CONDITION of our own forgiveness. “If you don’t forgive your enemy, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you.”  The nature of our God is love. 

2. To be happy we need to forgive. Hatred is a destructive emotion. It poisons our moments of peace and contentment, it causes stress, and affects the nervous system, sleep patterns, heart and circulatory system. There is a group called “No love, no stress”. When you forgive there is no stres

3. The nature of our God is love: Jesus gave a perfect example, that is God the father, “sapagkat pinasisikat niya ang araw sa masasama at sa mabubuti, at pinapapatak niya ang ulan sa mga banal at sa mga makasalanan.” Subukan mong magmahal katulad ng pagmamahal sa iyo ng Diyos. Magmahal ka hindi lamang sa mga taong mahal mo ngunit maging sa mga kaaway mo.

Sometimes we need to educate our hearts. Many of us are brokenhearted because our love is only at the feeling level. Try to love as God loves you, be generous, do not be possessive, do not be rigid in love. Love not only the people you love but also your enemies.

St. Josemaria Escriva, the founder of Opus Dei, reminds us that, “The way to love has a name: it is sacrifice.” Love is above all, the gift of oneself. That’s what Jesus did: Jesus loved each one of us so much that he sacrificed His life for us. When we think of the great sacrifice that God Himself made for us, can we not make small sacrifices throughout our day for Him? Some people used to say: “Father, I’ve forgiven her already, but I don’t want to see her face!” I have forgiven but I cannot love like the old times,  Is there someone you cannot forgive? Or you’re not in talking terms with for months and years?

1. The first is to avoid revenge. Don’t think of retaliation. Be patient! Give time! We should never let ill feelings reside in our hearts. But we should open our hearts to understanding and forgiveness. Our hearts should never be closed to them – available for listening. Jesus is teaching us to avoid biases and prejudices. He urges to get rid of the “likes and dislikes” attitude.

2. The second is to pray for them. “idalangin Ninyo ang inyong mga umuusig sa inyo”. What Jesus wants here is to wish them good. Bless them. It is to see goodness in them. We should still think of their well-being. People believe in black spirits and superstitions, they wish them to curse them. We should still believe in their goodness. Best way to love is to remember them in the Eucharist. The second reading tells, “tayo na tayoy bumubuo ng isa lamang katawan at ang ating mga pamayanan ay mga templo ng Diyos. The division is like breaking God’s temple. Like the body of Christ is one, parts many. 

3. Performing small acts of kindness: I love you means nothing without action. Anyone can say these words, but the only one who cares about you, will show it. Jesus says: “Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow (vv. 41-42). Love is to do good things at all times and for everyone. Love is to give the best and to the maximum.

Choose to be brave: Ang kabaliktaran ng LOVE ay hindi HATE kundi… FEAR! Totoo ito, takot lang tayong magmahal kung kaya’t poot at pag-aalinlangan ang namamayani sa ating mga puso.  Brave ones will fight fear. There is a saying, “do not be afraid to love again. Everyone isyou’re your ex”. Someone will say, “I will never fall in love, I experienced great failures” Huwag tayong matakot na mahalin ang ating sarili.  Huwag tayong matakot na mahalin ang ating kapwa.  HUwag tayong matakot na mahalin ang Diyos. Tandaan natin na tayong ay kanyang “inamorata” (beloved). Minamahal Niya tayong lahat. (The opposite of LOVE is not HATE but… FEAR! It's true, we are only afraid to love that's why hatred and doubt prevail in our hearts. Let's not be afraid to love ourselves. Let's not be afraid to love our neighbor. Let's not be afraid to love God. Let's remember that we are his "inamorata". loves all.)

• Is there someone you cannot forgive?

• Or one you’re not on talking terms with for months and years?

Pope John Paul II forgave the assassin Mehmet Ali who was arrested for shooting the pontiff in St. Peter's Square. The pope publicly forgave his assailant. Many other saints nearby your homes are examples of forgiveness. 

All you need is love. Love is all we need. 

Two blind men (Mt 9:27-31)

The man was narrating how he lost his job. “I just gave up my seat to a blind person on the bus. And then I lost my job”. 

“Why? What was your job?”

That’s how I lost my job as a bus driver.

Jesus cured two blind men in today's Gospel. There is a strange thing that happened in this miracle; Jesus allowed them to follow him on the way until he reached his house and only then he healed them. They cried out all the way saying, "Son of God, Have mercy on us!" Why? 

Why did he wait for so long, the whole journey, to heal them?

Why is he asking the question, "Do you believe that I can do this"? 

There are three lessons from this Gospel. 

• Sometimes the Lord invites us to make a long journey of testimony in order to have an ultimate Messiah experience. During this journey, we may have to follow Christ without knowing clearly what is our destination. Things are not clear because of our blindness. But we need to make this long journey only by having faith in his mercy. 
• We need to pronounce these words very often within ourselves, Yes, I can, I will. If human beings did not believe in these words, we would still be monkeys. You need to believe in yourself for success. Jesus asked an important question to them; Do you believe that I can do this? Do you believe in Messianic power? We need to believe in the Man whom we are following. Sometimes we may follow him simply, but we need to pose this question; Is it worth following him? Is it meaningful to follow Him? I follow him because I inherit eternal life. 
• The responsorial Psalm says like this; the Lord is my light and salvation. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The Lord is my life's refuge; of whom should I be afraid?  Lord is the true light and a way for salvation. There is no doubt about this. Those who follow him shall not walk in darkness.