Vigilance and joy

The story is told about three men in full gear who went to rob a bank. To their surprise and delight, there was no guard in sight. Access through the front door was fast and easy.

Security was minimal. They soon found out why. The bank they had broken into was a blood bank!

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Today is the first Sunday of Advent, the time for preparation for the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. In today’s Gospel (Mk. 13, 33-37), Jesus reminds us of the need to be watchful and vigilant. “Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.” Life is short, and death is certain. May we not be caught off guard. May we not be filled with much regret that we did not live well and did not love enough when death finally comes.

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Understandably, we want to live long and stay on earth as long as we can. However, we need to ask ourselves: Why, and what for? To enjoy life? To have more blessings? If so, then life is still all about I, me and myself, and that is a very shallow and narrow way of looking at life. But if we look at life as a mission and as one big preparation to meet our God, then life becomes authentic and meaningful.

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In humility, let us pray for the grace of living meaningful lives, and for the grace of a happy death. May we not live a life that is vain and empty. When our life ends, may we be ready to face God who will then say to us: “Welcome, inherit the Kingdom!”

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Sharing with you a prayer that I made and that I say in all humility every day: Lord, may my life be thine, may my exit be kind, and may eternity be mine, through Your mercy divine. Amen.

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Christmas is just around the corner.

For us who have lost a loved one, Christmas won’t be the same this year. It will never be the same. It was Mama who brought us together as a family on special occasions. Needless to say, her presence will be terribly missed. But let us not forget that Christ is the reason for the Christmas season, and precisely because of Him and the Resurrection, we are confident that we will meet again our loved ones who have gone ahead of us. Until we meet again, in the Resurrection!

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“You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I’m telling you why: Santa Claus is coming to town!” If only we could elevate the level of this song beyond Santa Claus, to Christ, then we have the right Advent spirit in our hearts. Precisely, Advent is the time for vigilance, and for joy, a time for preparation and hope! Instead of singing “Santa Claus is coming to town,” perhaps we should be singing “Jesus Christ is coming to town!”

Sing it now!

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When I asked the young people whose retreat I supervised recently, I was surprised at their level of hope for our country. Most of them said they were discouraged by and often disappointed with our government, but they believe that there is a bright future up ahead. In other words, hopelessness, cynicism and despair have not eaten them up. Let us learn from the young. Let us be inspired by their lively Advent spirit of hope and joy, in spite of everything.

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Rev. Allan Jose Manaois, Rev. Napoleon Molano, and Rev. Amiel Christian Oineza were ordained priests yesterday, Nov. 29, in Alaminos City, Pangasinan, by Most Rev. Marlo Peralta, DD, the archbishop of Nueva Segovia. What a great blessing for the Diocese of Alaminos, and for the Church. Personally, I praise God for Reverend Oineza, who is our town mate from Bani, Pangasinan. He is a grandnephew of Fr. Constante Montero, one of the first Filipino priests to become a Trappist monk in Guimaras, Iloilo. From the Montero family is also a Benedictine religious, Sr. Trining Montero. Praise God for the gift of priestly and religious vocation.

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The Catholic Church and the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) announce with great joy the ordination of five young men and their respective mission assignments:

Rev. Narciso P. Amoro, missionary to Portugal; Rev. Hazer P. Cango, missionary to Brazil-Amazon; Rev. George B. de Castro, missionary to Philippines North; Rev. Mark Angelo M. Ramos, missionary to Spain; Rev. Norman P. Labutan, missionary to Kenya. They will be ordained on Dec. 6 starting at 9 a.m. at the Divine Word Seminary in Tagaytay City, by Most Rev. Pablo Virgilio S. David, DD. Praise God for the gift of priesthood. Praise God for our Filipino missionaries, our gift to the world.

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In the spirit of Advent, think about this: “Be silent when our words would hurt; be patient when being hurt; be deaf when scandal flows; share whatever little we have; be kind all the time, instead of being right most of the time.”

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A moment with the Lord:

Lord, help me to prepare for your coming with vigilance and joy. Amen.