Thursday, March 29, 2007

What Holy Week is Not?

God does not die yearly in any day of the holy week, as many unevangelized Filipinos naively believe it to be so on Fridays. Jesus, although God, die only as a man—that is, his body alone died, not his soul and divinity; and it happened only once, not every Good Friday. Jesus is victorious over death; he is ever-living, and that is the essence of Holy Week and of Christianity.
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Holy week is about meditation on the love of God through Jesus Christ. It is not about having yourself crucified as if crucifixion or even death will save your soul. The meaning of “penitensya” is not scourging your body or doing a show for spectators, but being sorrowful and repentant for your sins and wrongdoings. True penitence leads to conversion, and that is a change of heart. To be a Christian is to follow Christ, not as a superstitious fanatic but as a man who lives in reality. We are commanded to bear our everyday crosses—that is to accept without complaints all the things that are beyond our control, and to keep in mind the desire of others more than one’s own—not to make any exhibition of suffering. Jesus said, “Pag mag-aayuno kayo, huwag magpakita ng lungkot sa mukha gaya ng mga mapagkunwari. Nagpapakita sila ng lungkot sa mukha para makita ng tao na nag-aayuno sila. Talagang sinasabi ko sa inyo na nagantimpalaan na sila ng husto. Kung ikaw naman ang mag-aayuno, maghilamos at ayusin ang sarili sapagkat hindi ka nag-aayuno para pakitang-tao lamang kundi para sa Amang nakakakita sa lahat. At gagantimpalaan ka ng iyong Amang nakakakita sa lahat ng lihim.” It is the same thing with praying, almsgiving, or doing any good things; Jesus taught us that what you did in secret will be rewarded by your Father who sees all secrets; on the other hand, the things that you are displaying are already rewarded by your audience.

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“Christ is risen!” It is not the same as what many Filipinos say “Buhay na ulit ang Diyos,” as if God died. Some will say that it is more grammatically appropriate to declare that one “has risen” than one “is risen”. But it is not the case with Jesus. True, Christ has risen from the dead almost 2,000 years ago; but now, we use “risen” more as an adjective than a verb. We describe Jesus as the Risen One—the only one that was resurrected. It is both correct to say, “Si Cristo ay muling nabuhay,” and “Si Cristo ang muling nabuhay”. That is why Christian Paschal celebration is the feast of all feasts; it is the center of Christian Faith—the reason behind all Christian martyrdoms—to proclaim that Christ is risen.

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Let us live our lives with what Holy Week is, and leave behind what Holy Week is not.

 

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Pray for Us!

Last Monday night, my ex-girlfriend whom I have not talked to for the last 4 months, sent me a text message saying that she hopes that I still pray for her because that’s what she needs most then. I offered a sacrifice for her intention and for the fulfillment of God’s will. Just after 6 hours, she sent another message thanking for the prayer that I said for her. 

What’s ironic here is that she is one of those “evangelical Christians” who don’t believe in intercessory prayer of the saints. How can a Christian rely and have faith in the efficaciousness of a sinner’s prayer, yet mock the idea of asking favor of intercessory prayer from the holy souls who are before God, praying eternally! How sure are these people that their “co-sinners” will be favored by God? Is anyone here on earth worthy to be heard by God? No one is worthy; however, as the Scripture said, effective is a righteous man’s prayer. If it is so, how much more effective are the prayers of those who are with God, seeing him as he is—face to face!


If these holy souls loved the sinners and all the earth-dwellers while they, as we are, were still in this vessel, now, they love us infinitely more, looking through the eyes of the Father who is the source of love, and is love himself. Their love has no more boundary, no reservation, and absolutely not indifferent to our needs. They pray for us now more than they did here on earth. Would someone firmly believe that a king’s beloved will find less favor than his transgressors? It’s not even worthy of comparison! A sinner deserves punishment; yet, if God does favor to us, sinners, how much favor will he grant those who are eternally faithful to him? You can’t imagine!

I hope this may clear the mind of the readers and see the grace and goodness of God in granting favors to mankind through the intercession of the holy souls.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Communion by Hands

 


The sacrament of the Eucharist is a true feast where Jesus Christ, the God-Man, is being offered and eaten in the form of bread. The Sacred Host is indeed both physical and spiritual food. Early Christians hold this Holy Bread with reverence as if it is the self-same body of Christ—as the case really is.


 


Within 2000 years of Church history, Jesus Christ in the Sacrament was profaned thousands of times in many different ways by the ignorant and arrogant people who put God to the test. There was a case where a gambler took the communion by hands but did not put it to his mouth, instead his plan is to take it home and feed his rooster by it to win the fight. There are also reports where some groups of persons gather to stab the sacred Bread (stolen from the church) with a knife to blaspheme the Body of Christ. The Church appropriately responded to this by adopting a way of communication that is more fitting for the present situation. That is the one which is commonly used in almost all parishes in the world: from the hand of the minister directly to the tongue of the communicant. This way, sacrileges may be prevented. Secondary benefit is hygienic. We come from different places and we travel from our home to the parish; we touch money, wallets, bags, or the vehicles where we ride on. Putting in mind both the spiritual and physical factors, we may suppose that it is more preferable that we just leave the handling of the Host to the ministers, and to focus ourselves in receiving Jesus worthily.

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Pananalangin sa mga Banal

Bilang mga relihiyosong tao, ang mga Filipino ay sanay na sa iisang kahulugan ng salitang “panalangin”. Ito ay tumutukoy sa pakikipag-usap ng tao sa Diyos, maging sa paghingi man ng tawad, pagpupuri, pasasalamat, o paghingi ng tulong. Ngunit ang “panalangin” ay transliterasyon ng salitang Ingles na “prayer”, na hindi lamang nangangahulugan ng pakikipag-usap sa Diyos, kundi ng isang buong-pusong paghingi, o mas kilala sa katagang “pakikiusap”. Ang mga salita ni Shakespeare na “I know not how to pray your patience,” ay maaaring isalin na “Hindi ko alam kung paano hihingin ang iyong pasensya (o “pagpapatawad”, sa kontekstong ito). Ang pangungusap na “Pray, pass the sauce,” ay hindi marapat na isalin na “Dasal, iabot ang sarsa,” kundi “Pakiusap, iabot ang sarsa,” o kung paiikliin “Paki-abot ang sarsa”. Kung ang panggagalingan naman ay ang mga salitang “Pakiusap, ipagdasal mo ako,” at gagamitin sa Inglatera (salitang Ingles), maaari itong isalin na “I pray you, pray for me”—sa literal na salin sa Filipino, “Dalangin ko sa’yo, ipagdasal mo ako”. Hindi kailanman naipagkakamali ng Simbahan ang dalawang kahulugan ng salitang “panalangin”, yayamang mahigit 2000 taon na itong ginagamit ng mga Cristiano sa tama nilang aplikasyon. Iba ang pananalangin sa Diyos, at iba ang pananalangin sa tao. Kapag sinabi ko sa isang hari, “Dalangin ko sa Inyong Kamahalan na pakinggan ang aming mga hinaing,” nangangahulugan ba ito na itinuturing kong Diyos ang hari? Bagamat sinasabi ni Jesus na igalang ang isang hari tulad ng paggalang sa Panginoon, at kahit na sinasabi ni Pablo na paglingkuran ng mga alipin ang kanilang mga panginoon na parang si Jesus ang pinaglilingkuran, hindi ito nangangahulugan na kinikilala ng mga Cristiano ang mga taong ito bilang Diyos.


Kordero ng Diyos

Lamb of GodSi Jesus ang Kordero ng Diyos na nag-aalis ng mga kasalanan ng sanlibutan, hindi sa sanlibutan. Ang salitang “sanlibutan” sa kontekstong ito ay tumutukoy sa sangkatauhan at hindi sa lugar o planeta. Kung inaalis ni Jesus ang mga kasalanan sa mundo, bukas-bukas lang, wala nang magkakasala dahil hindi na umiiral ang kasalanan sa mundo. Sa halip, inaalis ni Jesus ang mga kasalanan ng mga tao. Hindi ibig sabihin ay hindi na magkakasala ang mga tao kundi inaako niya ang ating mga kasalanan upang bilang Kordero ay mamamatay na kasama niya ang mga ito, at mangangahulugan naman ng kapatawaran sa atin.



Sana ay maunawaan natin ang pagkakaibang ito at iisang tinig nating aawitin ang misteryong si Jesus ang Kordero ng Diyos na nag-aalis ng mga kasalanan ng mundo.

Monday, March 12, 2007

Pananampalatayang Katoliko

Ano nga ba ang pinaniniwalaan ng mga Katoliko? Totoo ba ang ibinibintang ng mga miyembro ng iba’t-ibang denominasyong Cristiano tungkol sa paniniwala ng Simbahan? May matibay bang panghahawakan ang mga relihiyong nagsasabing sila’y Cristiano at ang Simbahan ay lumalakad sa kamalian?

Una sa lahat, dapat malaman ng mga anti-Catholic, at maging ng mga Katoliko na magkaiba ang ibig sabihin ng pananampalatayang Katoliko at pananampalataya ng mga “katoliko”. Si Judas ay apostol, pero hindi nangangahulugan na ang pinaniniwalaan niya ay tulad ng pinaniniwalaan ng labing-isa. Lalo namang hindi ito nangangahulugan na itinuro sa kanya ni Jesus ang mga pinaniniwalaan niya. Ngayon, kung si Judas ay apostol, at ang labing-isa ay mga apostol, sino ang tunay na taga-sunod ni Jesus? Sasabihin ba nating nasa maling daan si Judas dahil nag-iisa siya at panalo ang marami? O kaya ay dahil siya ang naging dahilan ng kamatayan ni Jesus? Ang kamatayan ng Cristo ay nakatakda para tayo ay maligtas; kung walang kamatayan, walang kaligtasan. Ibig sabihin, ang ginawa ni Judas ay nagtulak sa katuparan ng misyon ni Jesus. Ibig din bang sabihin ay mabuti at kapuri-puri ang ginawa ni Judas?

Ang pamumuhay ng maraming mga Katoliko ay hindi laging sumasalamin sa Pananampalataya ng Simbahan. Mas marami ang nag-aakalang sila’y mga Cristiano samantalang may sari-sariling diyos, pamantayan ng moralidad, at mga paniniwalang pangrelihiyon—hindi pa kasama dito ang sari-saring mga pamahiin. Ang isang miyembro ng Simbahan ay matatawag lang ng totoong Katoliko kung ang pananampalataya niya ang nakasalig sa opisyal na katuruan ng Simbahan. Matatawag ka na bang boy scout kung mayroon kang green neckerchief at kumpleto sa paraphernalia? Malibang naging bahagi ka ng isang boy scout investiture at sumusunod sa mga panuntunan ng pagiging boy scout, hindi ka matatawag na isa. The point is you are not a follower of anyone or anything unless you really are. Buddhist ka bang matatawag kung ang pamumuhay mo ay tulad ng isang Hindu; o matatawag ka bang Platonist kung ang sinusundan mo ay si Socrates? Sino mang nagsasabing siya ay Cristiano, Katoliko man o hindi, samantalang ang sinusunod naman at pinaniniwalaan ay ang kanyang sariling mga haka-haka o mga sabi-sabi ng ibang tao, linoloko niya lang ang kanyang sarili. Mayroon siyang sariling diyos na pinaniniwalaan pero siguradong hindi ang tunay na Diyos.


Humigit-kumulang tatlong taon tinuruan ni Jesus ang mga apostol at ang mga disipulo pero hindi pa rin nila lubos na naunawaan ang kanyang mga salita hanggang dumating ang Espiritu Santo. Hindi pa rin doon natapos ang pagkatuto nila dahil habang lumilipas ang mga panahon ay patuloy silang nagkakaroon ng pagkatuklas tungkol sa kalikasan ng Simbahan, sa kanilang misyon, at sa mga itinuro ni Jesus. Hindi rin natin matututunan sa loob lang ng tatlong taon ang pananampalatayang Katoliko, at lalong hindi ito magagawa ng pag-aaral lamang kundi ng pagranas sa mga katotohanang itinuturo nito.