THE story is told about a man with a strong body odor. Asked by his friend if he was not bothered or ashamed of it, his confident reply was: ?Why should I? I sweated for it (Pinagpawisan ko ito, no)!?

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In today?s Gospel (Jn. 18, 33-37) Jesus confidently answers all the questions hurled at him by Pontius Pilate. What made him so cool and confident through it all? Truth. Truth was on his side, so he had no fears and nothing to hide. A truthful person is confident and free. A person full of lies is fearful and trembling deep inside.

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?Face the light, and the shadow is behind you. Turn your back to the light, and the shadow will always be in front of you.? Knowing the truth and accepting the truth is the best road toward true confidence and freedom.

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With the elections coming, notice how many people are suddenly changing their colors, blending into whatever is beneficial and convenient? Notice how many people are climbing over the fence to go to the other side for safety and survival? For some people, truth and principles are gone as soon as the prospect of money and power are dangled before their eyes. Cheap.

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How many of us take the road of compromise and spend our whole lifetime vacillating between half and full commitment, ready to mouth our convictions for anyone and everyone to hear, but fold up and do otherwise when no one is looking or listening? The seat of our values must be deeper than what this world offers. We are not saints, but at least, we can be, and should be, truthful.

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Speaking of confidence, there is a story I heard about a guy who was so shy that when he would be asked at the elevator, ?What floor?? he would shyly respond, ?Ah, 6th floor please? if it?s not out of the way!? Come to think of it: how many of us are so crippled by what others think or say about us? How many of us are so focused on our ?image?? The bottom line is what and who we are to God, and what God says about us.

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I was a very shy boy when I was growing up. I was so self-conscious, and lacked self-confidence. Somewhere along the way, I realized the need for self-improvement, so I tried everything. The turning point came when I stopped trying so hard, and I just began to enjoy myself. It was when I focused more on the needs of others that I began to forget my own needs. In trying to make others happy, my life found new direction and meaning. I found myself, so to say, when I lost myself. But it did not end with self-realization. It had to continue to a sense of mission. Without mission, life and all its blessings can be awfully selfish and boring. So, what gives us confidence? That our lives, thoughts, words and actions are at the disposal and for the service of something or someone greater than ourselves. For some, it is a cause. For us, it is our King, Christ the King.

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We all will face our King someday. What will we tell Him then? What will He tell us then? Yes, we all have a mission to accomplish in life. The mission is non-transferable and non-negotiable. And the mission is not indefinite. We all have a mission to accomplish and this cannot be bypassed nor postponed.

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I received this text message from Nenne Bartolome yesterday: ?It?s the 56th anniversary of my first Holy Communion today. Please pray for my holiness and gentleness of heart like that of Mama Mary!? Wow. We remember birthday, wedding and death anniversaries, but how many of us remember the day we first received Jesus in Holy Communion, and the mission that went along with it?

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Inviting you to the 22nd Eucharistic Congress with the theme ?Celebrating the Eucharist in the Year of the Priests,? on Nov. 28, 2009, Saturday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the St. Joseph Adoration Convent of the Pink Sisters in 71 Hemady Ave., Quezon City. This year?s speakers are Fr. Apolinario Ty, SSS, and Fr. Rolando dela Rosa, OP. Bishop Leopoldo Jaucian, SVD, DD, will lead the procession of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction at 2 p.m. and will also talk about the Eucharist as the pledge and sign of hope for a priestly people. The holy sacrifice of the Mass will be at 4:30 p.m. to be presided over by Bishop Honesto Ongtioco, DD, of the Diocese of Cubao. Free registration, snacks and lunch. For details call 722-8828/0926-6869348. Come, let us adore our Eucharistic King!

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Bantay Matanda invites you to a lay forum on ?How to handle patients with behavioral problems? on Nov. 28 at Janssen Hall, Christ the King Seminary, from 9 a.m. till 12 noon. Free FBS and cholesterol screening after the lecture. Please call 373-2262, 331-6846 or 0917-4167849.

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A moment with the Lord:

Lord, remind me that you are the source of all the confidence I need in life. Amen.