Penance not Punishment

I grew up in a Catholic School thinking that if I would die immediately after receiving the Sacrament of Confession, I would go straight to heaven.

But then I realized that the Sacrament of Confession cannot erase the consequence of sin because the penitent will still receive temporal punishment in purgatory for the sins committed even if they were already forgiven.

This means that if Purgatory would be a prison facility, it is filled with incarcerated souls being punished for their sins that they were already forgiven.

From my humble understanding, if we pray for the souls in purgatory, we slowly relieve them from their temporal punishment or make there sentence shorter. The Souls in Purgatory cannot pray for themselves but can help those who pray for them. Some even believe that the scary visions of ghosts are actually visions of the tormented souls of relatives who are in purgatory asking for prayers.

Personally, I have lots of experience praying to the souls in purgatory asking simple favors like waking me up at dawn or helping me pass an exam. Nevertheless, if a particular soul would be able to go to Heaven because of your prayers, this Soul becomes a Saint and will be praying for you for the rest of your life and even after your life such as the time that you will be in purgatory if you get pass hell.

However, there is a way to avoid purgatory and this is where INDULGENCE becomes relevant to the picture. The Church actually accords a remission of the temporal punishment (due on account of sin) through an INDULGENCE granted by the Pope and the Bishops in their diocese.

Simply put, if the President or Prime Minister of a country can afford pardon of  sentence, the Pope and the Bishops can afford remission of Purgatory.

To make things more interesting, the Church actually allows you to waive that indulgence, in favor of a soul in purgatory.

The Conditions in order to get an indulgence are as follows:

1) Person must be in the state of grace by the completion of the indulgence.

2) The person must also want to gain the indulgence.

The Conditions for plenary indulgences:

1) Person must be in the state of grace by the completion of the indulgence.

2) The person must also want to gain the indulgence.

3) One is free from all attachment from sin, even venial sins

4) One receives the Sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist (Within 7 days of the indulgence)

5) One prays for the intentions of the Pope (Apostles Creed, 1 Our Father, and any other prayers)

If a person does not meet the plenary criteria but meets the criteria for a partial indulgence, the individual will obtain the partial indulgence. A plenary indulgence can be gained only once a day unless the person is in danger of death.

  The Catechism of St. Pius X states the following:

124 Q. What is an Indulgence?

A. An Indulgence is the remission of the temporal punishment due on account of our sins which have been already pardoned as far as their guilt is concerned — a remission accorded by the Church outside the sacrament of Penance.

125 Q. From whom has the Church received the power to grant Indulgences?

A. The Church has received the power to grant Indulgences from Jesus Christ.

126 Q. In what way does the Church by means of Indulgences remit this temporal punishment?

A. The Church by means of Indulgences remits this temporal punishment by applying to us the superabundant merits of Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Virgin and of the Saints, which constitute what is known as the Treasure of the Church.

127 Q. Who has the power to grant Indulgences?

A. The Pope alone has the power to grant Indulgences in the whole Church, and the Bishop in his own diocese, according to the faculty given him by the Pope.

128 Q. How many kinds of Indulgences are there?

A. Indulgences are of two kinds: plenary and partial.

129 Q. What is a plenary Indulgence?

A. A plenary Indulgence is that by which the whole temporal punishment due to our sins is remitted. Hence, if one were to die after having gained such an Indulgence, he would go straight to Heaven, being, as he is, perfectly exempt from the pains of Purgatory.

130 Q. What is a partial Indulgence?

A. A partial Indulgence is that by which is remitted only a part of the temporal punishment due to our sins.

131 Q. Why does the Church grant Indulgences?

A. In granting Indulgences the Church intends to aid our incapacity to expiate all the temporal punishment in this world, by enabling us to obtain by means of works of piety and Christian charity that which in the first ages Christians gained by the rigour of Canonical penances.

132 Q. What is meant by an Indulgence of forty or a hundred days or of seven years, and the like?

A. By an Indulgence of forty or a hundred days, or of seven years and the like, is meant the remission of so much of the temporal punishment as would have been paid by penances of forty or a hundred days, or seven years, anciently prescribed in the Church.

133 Q. What value should we set on Indulgences?

A. We should set the greatest value on Indulgences because by them we satisfy the justice of God and obtain possession of Heaven sooner and more easily.

134 Q. Which are the conditions necessary to gain Indulgences?

A. The conditions necessary to gain Indulgences are: (1) The state of grace (at least at the final completion of the work), and freedom from those venial faults, the punishment of which we wish to cancel; (2) The fulfilment of all the works the Church enjoins in order to gain the Indulgence; (3) The intention to gain it.

135 Q. Can Indulgences be applied also to the souls in Purgatory?

A. Yes, Indulgences can be applied also to the souls in Purgatory, when he who grants them says that they may be so applied.

136 Q. What is a Jubilee?

A. A Jubilee, which as a rule is granted every twenty-five years, is a Plenary Indulgence to which are attached many privileges and special concessions, such as that of being able to obtain absolution from certain reserved sins and from censures, and the commutation of certain vows.

To be worth one's SALT

Salt and Light- two essential things needed to survive in the ancient world and are still part and parcel for survival in our present world. I am struck on the analogy of salt in today’s Gospel.

Jesus tells us that we are the salt of the earth and losing our saltiness would make us only good to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. To gauge our “saltiness”, I found it good to compare what salt can do, vis-à-vis, what we can do.

Like salt that adds flavor to the food we eat, we do not lose our saltiness if we can make the mundane lives of the people around us better;

Like salt that has curative properties, we do not lose our saltiness if we can heal people as well as relationships;

Like salt that has preservative properties, we do not lose our saltiness if we can prevent corruption;

Like salt that was used for trading and commerce, we do not lose our saltiness if we can be a medium of goodwill;

Like the little quantity of salt that is used to fertilize an acidic land, we do not lose our saltiness if we can make our country fruitful in our little way;

Like salt that is used for cleansing and beautification, we do not lose our saltiness if we could be part of the solution for change and improvement.

We are the salt of the earth. Let us bear in mind that it does not matter whether we are more salty than the others but whether we have been put to good use.

 After all, saltiness, to be worthy, is meant to be experience.

Matthew 5:13-16 

Salt and Light

    ¹³ “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

   ¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Following without Leaving

Several years ago, I had the chance to immerse in an ecumenical community in Taize, France. A community composed of Christian pilgrims from different denominations, mostly young people, backpackers, professionals, teenagers and young adults who came from different parts of the world and from different walks of life.

It was the “Woodstock” for the Christian youth, there was singing, praying, and even partying. We were living in tents and bunkers and everyone was welcome. We were a community and everyone had a share in the work to run the place.

Some of us stayed there for years, others for days. Regardless thereof, it was long enough to give you an insight of it was like to follow the community of the disciples of Jesus. It was not only composed of twelve men, but an entire community of believers composed of men and women. They were not living on charity but also working for their own sustenance.

In this Sunday's Gospel, Mathew tells us about Discipleship. He describes to us how some of the newly recruited disciples, who happened to be fishermen, followed Jesus. 

I used to think that Jesus purposely called fishermen since they would be the "Fishers of men." But I believe that the real intent of the Gospel is to show that the call is given to everyone regardless of your profession -that even ordinary fishermen are being called for a greater purpose.

Discipleship likewise requires leaving one's present state. Peter and Andrew left their nets and followed Jesus.  James and John left their father to follow Jesus. But leaving does not mean abandonment, rather it means detaching oneself so that one could transcend higher.

Peter, Andrew, James and John did not stop working when they followed Jesus, nor did they abandon their families. The disciples were not living on charity, rather they continued to work, but this time for a different reason. They were no longer working for the salvation of their flesh but for the salvation of souls. They were no longer working only for themselves or for their immediate family members but for the cause that Jesus taught them. This is what separates a pilgrim from a "disciple" - the sense of purpose.

  

Today Jesus is calling us once again, but he is not asking us to quit our jobs and abandon our families but to transcend higher. He is calling us to be "the Christ" in our jobs and in our families and in whatever we do. A higher calling for a greater purpose.

Matthew 4: 12 - 23
12	Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee;
13	and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Caper'na-um by the sea, in the territory of Zeb'ulun and Naph'tali,
14	that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
15	"The land of Zeb'ulun and the land of Naph'tali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles --
16	the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned."
17	From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
18	As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
19	And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
20	Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
21	And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zeb'edee and John his brother, in the boat with Zeb'edee their father, mending their nets, and he called them.
22	Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
23	And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people.

EDUCATED to be WISE

"The pregnancy of a virgin" and "The birth of "the Christ" in Bethlehem, who would save the chosen people" were all foretold by the prophets hundreds of years before it happened. Even Mary heard of it when she was young.

It was a prophecy so great that even non-jews or "gentiles" believed it as well. It was an event that was certain to happen, unfortunately  ordinary people had no way to determine when exactly it would happen.

Some shepherds were fortunate because they heard the news about Christ's birth and got directions directly from an angel in finding Jesus. But for the rest of the ordinary people, they waited passively, hoping that they could live long enough to witness the event. 

Aside from the ordinary people, there were also educated people at that time who studied different disciplines of astronomy, philosophy, medicine, law and even magic or sorcery. 

These people, if they were coming from the East, were called the "magi," because they studied what the ordinary men could not fathom. Believe it or not, this is where the word "magic" comes from. But to call them magicians would be demeaning because they were the best at what they do, so the title "King" ( not referring to royalty) would be more appropriate, after all they were "Kings"in their own right.

But being educated does not necessarily make one wise, so why did Mathew label the latter as "wise men." 

They were wise  because instead of passively waiting for the coming of Jesus Christ, they used their intelligence, education, resources and whatever they had to find Christ. Some of them had to chart the movement of the stars or employed astronomers to locate Christ in Bethlehem. They would have used the GPS if it was available then.

They were wise because even if they were not Jews or part of the so-called "chosen people to be saved", they still paid homage to Jesus Christ our Lord.

They were wise because they likewise prepared gifts for Jesus Christ so that they could perhaps be remembered when they would ask for his help.

What's interesting is the fact that the bible never mentioned that they were limited to three wise men.

As a matter of fact, some of these wise men are still living among us today, inviting us to join them, to use our time, education, intelligence, resources and whatever we have to find Christ and to pay homage to him.

So if ever you happen to be invited to join them, make a wise decision to accept the invitation.

Gospel  Mt. 2: 1-12

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.”
When King Herod heard this,
he was greatly troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,
He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus it has been written through the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel.”
Then Herod called the magi secretly
and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.
He sent them to Bethlehem and said,
“Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word,
that I too may go and do him homage.”
After their audience with the king they set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed for their country by another way.

Beginning to start the New Year

Compared to Christmas Day , January 1 is an International Public Holiday! Different countries composed of different people with different cultures, beliefs, educational levels, ages and religions all agree and accept that today is the reference point of this year.

That means that  January 1, 0001 was the beginning of the first New Year. But how did it come to be?  How could everyone agree that such was the reference point in history? It must have been difficult considering the different  opinions, beliefs, religions, cultures, languages, educational level among the people in the different countries and governments of the world. These were the questions that puzzled me when I was in high school.

So I asked my science teacher about it and  found his answer fascinating.

He told me that for different countries to agree of the reference point of the calendar, it had to be an event that had the greatest impact in the world, and the only person or event that was able to do this was no other than our savior JESUS CHRIST. 

I really didn't expect that kind of answer from my science teacher, but it did make sense.  This explains why our first year which is "0001" is also referred to as "1 AD" ( Anno Domini ,which is the estimated time that Christ was born) and before it is referred as BC ( Before Christ). Different countries eventually accepted this and re calibrated their timeline with our Christian calendar. China officially  accepted our calendar in 1949 but still celebrate their Chinese New Year for tradition purposes only.

Today, our New Year's day  also happens to be the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. Let us begin this new year with CHRIST by hearing mass.

JESUS CHRIST is the center of the universal timeline. History is based before and during his lifetime which extends today and forever. I guess, thats why we call it "HISTORY" because our timeline is based on the story of the life of Jesus Christ, who has unified all countries together and people of different walks of life. This  fact has been undisputed for the last 2011 years and still counting. This only proves that even today, the impact of Jesus Christ is very real even affects our everyday lives.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!




Gospel Lk 2: 16-21

The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph,
and the infant lying in the manger.
When they saw this,
they made known the message
that had been told them about this child.
All who heard it were amazed
by what had been told them by the shepherds.
And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.
Then the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen,
just as it had been told to them.

When eight days were completed for his circumcision,
he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel
before he was conceived in the womb.

Technically Married, but not legally

I just had a small reunion with my friends from highschool. Most of them were married, some of them plan to get married while others had no plans of marrying at all.

One of them even joked to me and said “Di pa ko minyo, pero minyo na ang binuhatan” [I’m not yet married but I am already doing what married guys do ] Relating this to today’s Gospel, St. Joseph could probably say the same, but in a different context.

Joseph was betrothed to Mary. Betrothal is not just a mere engagement but a public ceremony known as the “Kidushin.” Jewish law required Joseph and Mary to conduct themselves as already married to each other even if they not yet sleeping together or have not yet been living together in one house. Technically, they were considered as a married couple, hence they could be convicted of adultery if they engage in sexual relations with other persons. The period of betrothal is also for the husband to look for a home for them to live on.

The Kidushin would more or less last for a year which allows a lot of things that can happen. Although the couple are technically married, it can still be severed by death or divorce. After that would be the stage called the"Nissuin", it is at that time that St. Joseph would finally "take Mary to his house" and they would live together. This is when they become legally married under Jewish law.

In our Gospel story, Mary got pregnant during the Kidushin,  and we all know that Joseph was not the biological father. Who would believe it was the Holy Spirit who was responsible? So Joseph had a real problem at hand because Mary would be convicted of adultery and she would have been stoned to death.

St. Joseph was no lawyer, but his plan of not taking Mary into his house was brilliant enough to spare her from being accused of adultery, which under Jewish law could be proven by mere circumstantial evidence. Mary would appear to be legally married to Joseph even if he is not around. All that St. Joseph wanted was to be the husband of Mary, and he worked very hard for it, but ironically there he was thinking of divorcing her because he could not understand what was happening.

The Gospel story shows us that God did not allow St. Joseph to leave Mary, instead, God revealed to him that he had even a better and a bigger plan for St. Joseph.  He gave St. Joseph the privilege of becoming the father figure of his only begotten son and to name him Jesus. What more could a just man asked when what is given to him is more than what is due. Consequently, St. Joseph was convinced to bring Mary to his house ( Nissuin) and they became legally married to each other. History shows the rest of the story.

We work  very hard for what we want to achieve in our life and we want things to happen exactly the way we want it. Unfortunately, not everything happens according to our plans, leaving us frustrated. This is so when it would appear that everything that we worked hard for would end up for nothing.  When we find this hard to accept, our psychological defense mechanism compels us to give up and blame everything to God. Why didn't things go according to plan? 

The Gospel story urges us to be like St. Joseph, who instead of abandoning his plan, allowed God to be part of the plan. Things turned out to be better than what was planned originally.

So let us continue to plan, and execute it accordingly, but let us always put some space to allow God to be part of the plan. We have to be open to him because he  has a better and bigger plan for us, that is why we have to LET GO and LET GOD work his plan through us.If we succeed in doing so, we will find out that we will not only get what we wanted but even so much more. 

Mt 1:18-24

Gospel

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel, 
which means “God is with us.”
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home.

THE RIGHT SOLUTION TO THE WRONG PROBLEM

Have you ever been given the right key but mistakenly used it for the wrong door knob?  Even if you manage to put the key inside, no matter how you twist it, the door will remain locked and closed.This experience is very common especially if your door has several locks.

The same experience likewise applies even in our life. Often than not, we already have solution to the problems that we have yet to encounter. Our common mistake however, is when we apply the right solution to the wrong problem.

God is not the (direct) solution to all our problems. It may sound disturbing, especially for people like me who grew up throwing all my problems to God. But my basis in saying so, is grounded on my realization that most of us share a distorted vision of what our Lord Jesus Christ.


Our vision of Jesus is distorted when we see God as our personal trouble shooter or see him to be like a genie in the bottle who would grant us our wish. As a matter of fact, it is for this reason that most of our prayers remain unanswered.  You cannot expect Jesus to hand you the money you need to pay off your mortgage, nor can you expect him to give you the medicine to cure your sickness. We should stop expecting Jesus to show us the number combinations for the lottery.


Miracles still happen, but If we do not work hard for what we want to achieve, we cannot expect God to do everything for us.  We should still work as if everything depends on us, and pray as if everything depends on God.

Sometimes our frustrations get the best of us that we begin to doubt if Jesus is the  Messiah, or "shall we look for another?"  


Frustrations are perfectly normal and even healthy. But our doubts should only  bring us to the realization to the absolute truth that Jesus is our savior. Doubts should lead us to strengthen our relationship with Jesus even when all the odds are against us.


In the Sunday Gospel, we hear about "the" John the Baptist, who likewise became frustrated because of his distorted vision of Jesus Christ as a political messiah.  It must have been very frustrating for him to remain imprisoned. He is the cousin of Jesus, and a great prophet with several disciples. He devoted his entire life in preparing the way for the Lord and is even mistaken to be the messiah. But despite these, he is imprisoned by King Herod and Jesus doesn't  do anything about it. 


I am sure Jesus likewise felt bad about the incarceration of John, and Jesus might have even thought of getting him out.


Jesus did not rescue John the Baptist from his prison cell, not because that he could not do it, but because it was not what Jesus came for.  Instead Jesus corrects the distorted vision of John the Baptist by telling John's disciples to relay to him what they saw and heard. Jesus assures John that his efforts are not put to waste because he is the Messiah. Through him the blind can see, the lame can walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf can hear, the dead are raised and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.


Today, Jesus is also telling us the same thing. Jesus cannot live our lives for us, because that is not the reason why he came. This is aside from the fact that if Jesus would live our lives for us, then there will be no point in giving us free will in the first place.


But Jesus assures us that he is our savior.  Jesus may not directly give us the money we need to pay our debts, but he gives us light to see what we need to do or whom to ask for help when everything seems to be dark; He  may not be present to cure the lame and make him walk, but he has made several persons stand up and  go out of their way to help others.

Jesus may not be physically present to cleanse lepers, but he has brought back several persons who were once outcasts back into society and in their respective communities. He may not be physically present to make the deaf hear, but he has made several persons to hear the Gospel not only with their ears but with their hearts.

In this season of Advent, while we prepare ourselves to welcome Christ, let us remove our distorted vision of Jesus Christ and  prepare to accept him as he truly is- Our Savior. Like the right key, we should learn to  put him in the proper place which is in our hearts.

Matthew 11:2-11

When John the Baptist heard in prison of the works of the Christ,
he sent his disciples to Jesus with this question,
“Are you the one who is to come,
or should we look for another?”
Jesus said to them in reply,
“Go and tell John what you hear and see:
the blind regain their sight,
the lame walk,
lepers are cleansed,
the deaf hear,
the dead are raised,
and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.
And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”

As they were going off,
Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John,
“What did you go out to the desert to see?
A reed swayed by the wind?
Then what did you go out to see?
Someone dressed in fine clothing?
Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces.
Then why did you go out? To see a prophet?
Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
This is the one about whom it is written:
Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way before you.
Amen, I say to you,
among those born of women
there has been none greater than John the Baptist;
yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”