Be still

The story is told about a group of media people shocked to hear a high Church official casually declare that he was “anti-Pope”. When asked what he meant, his answer was: “Yes, like you, I am eagerly waiting (antay) for the Pope!”

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In today’s Gospel (John 1, 6-8, 19-28), we read that there were many people who were anti-John the Baptist, who was proclaiming the coming of the Messiah. These people had many questions as to his identity, his message, and his mission. All their questions showed how threatened and how insecure they were. On the other hand, all the answers of John the Baptist showed how clear and how sure he was of himself. In the face of opposition and persecution, may we, as the “Desiderata” says, “learn to speak our truth quietly and clearly.”

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We encounter all kinds of people in our lives. There are good and there are bad people. There are angels, and there are monsters. Bo Sanchez wrote an interesting book titled “How to Deal with Difficult People” (www.kerygmabooks.com), wherein he talks about the different kinds of “Vampires—controlling Vampires, criticizing Vampires, complaining Vampires, clinging Vampires, contradicting Vampires—people who suck out joy and freedom from our lives, and who hurt us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Such people usually have deep hurts, personal issues or insecurities, and in turn end up hurting or abusing others.” Are there “Vampires” in your life? Are you that “Vampire” to other people?

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John the Baptist reminds us that in the face of opposition, oppression, and even persecution, we must stand firm and not lose heart, for it is in such moments that our light and goodness must shine forth. When we are weak and defenseless, the glory and the power of God become evident in our lives. At such moments, we hold on to Psalm 46, 10: “Be still and know that I am God.”

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Today, the third Sunday of Advent, is also called Laetare Sunday. Our waiting for the Lord should be joyful and full of hope. Yes, we must learn to joyfully trust in the Lord, and believe that there is something better up ahead. As we go on, we must believe in our hearts that the best is yet to come!

As we go on, too, may God become bigger and we, smaller. Indeed, He must increase, and we must decrease. Again, humility is the key to a peaceful and meaningful life. We must learn to let go, let God, fade away, and slow down. Now, more than ever, I want to follow the road that my Mama had taken in this life. My wish is to become more humble, more prayerful, and more loving, like Mama Conching.

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A beautiful picture of a peaceful retirement and a graceful fading away is that of Aurelio “Piok” and Auring Bautista. They are blessed with many years behind them and the presence of loved ones around them. They go to Mass in the early morning with Papa Piok driving. Their only health issue, according to Papa Piok, is E.D.A.D. (old age!).

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Now that we have been spared by Typhoon “Ruby,” let us turn our focus on the coming of Christ Our Savior. Sad to say, there are still a lot of people who are more focused on the coming of Santa Claus on Christmas. May the trimmings of Christmas not blind us and the holiday rush not weary us to the point of not feeling the presence and the love of God, as well as our mission to love others, especially the poor and the needy, especially during Christmas.

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Ruby has come and gone leaving us lessons in life: that every storm will pass, sooner or later; that vigilance and preparedness pay; that prayer really works; and that life goes on in spite of typhoons
or storms.

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Last Dec. 12 the Inquirer came out with an interesting article by Daxim L. Lucas regarding the use of smartphones by Filipinos. He says that almost one-fifth of an average Filipino’s waking hours (about 174 minutes) is spent staring at his/her mobile device, and most of it revolves mainly around entertainment, primarily Facebook. That says a lot about how we spend our day, and again, it’s mostly all about I, me and myself. Christmas is all about a God who reached out to us in love, remember?

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One with you as we begin our nine-day dawn Masses and Simbang Gabi in preparation for the birthday of Jesus. It involves sacrifice on our part, but all done in gratitude to the Lord who went out of His way to become one of us. Let us pray that all our Christmas preparations are done with joy and gratitude. Let us collectively offer the novena Masses this Christmas for the coming of Pope Francis and for a better Philippines, in all aspects, in Jesus’ name. Amen!

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In line with the Advent spirit of joy and hope, think about this: “There’s always the promise of a new day; there’s always something better to happen; there’s always a star much brighter than the darkest night; there’s always a moment when the impossible becomes possible… all because we believe.”

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A moment with the Lord:

Lord, in the face of trials and oppression, help me to keep a joyful and cheerful disposition. Amen.