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.”

PROVING BY DOING

Gospel Reflection 

2^nd Sunday of Advent(A)

December 5, 2010

I was a working student when I went into Law School.  I used to teach kids in the elementary level and I teach them to “Tell the Truth.”

Now as a lawyer, I still teach my clients to tell the truth, but there is a difference between simply telling the truth and proving the truth.  So I tell them “This is how you will tell the Truth.”

In this Sunday’s Gospel, St. John the Baptist is not only telling us to Repent, but teaching us how to PROVE REPENTANCE by bringing the fruits thereof. He tells us that a tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown in the fire.

We have heard it before - REPENTANCE, but what does it exactly mean.

When I was a school boy, there was a time when I found myself crying in the confessional because I felt that I killed Jesus all over again because of my sins. I thought that crying made things better, but then I realized that I was only making a fool of myself since I was committing the same set of sins.

REPENTANCE is not only REMORSE from sin but REFORMATION.

Confession is an act for repentance, but it is not proof of repentance. Neither are the guilt, the tears and remorse considered fruits of repentance.

The fruit of repentance is not for us to become sinless. That’s impossible, and God does not require us to do the impossible. We will always fall to SIN because we are human. God does not expect us to be perfect and sinless.

The Proof of repentance is a changed way of life, a life centered on Christ. If there is no change in behavior, there can be no fruits of repentance, because repentance never happened in the first place.

The Fruit of Repentance does not happen overnight such as a tree does not bear fruit overnight. Repentance requires the Spirit to work on us, for some it may be prevalent, for others it may be subtle.

The only way to accomplish this is through Jesus Christ, because he is THE WAY, THE TRUTH and THE LIFE.

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Matthew 3:1-12 (King James Version)

 ¹In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

 ²And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
 ³For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
 ⁴And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
 ⁵Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,
 ⁶And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
 ⁷But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
 ⁸Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
 ⁹And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
 ¹⁰And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
 ¹¹I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
 ¹²Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.