As long as …

The story is told about a man who went to a bank with his big dog. He asked the guard if it was all right for him to bring the dog inside the bank. The guard looked at the dog, and said: “It is all right, as long as he does not make a deposit.”

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In today’s Gospel (Lk. 4, 21-30), we learn of how Jesus was allowed to come into the lives of the townspeople as long as He spoke gracious words, and did not, so to speak, make a “deposit” that would disturb their comfort zone and traditions. In fact, He was popular with the crowds as long as He spoke words that they wanted to hear. But when He spoke what they needed to hear, they were infuriated; they even threw Him out of their town, and attempted to banish Him forever. Such is the fate of prophets—those people who speak the truth come what may. Persecution is part of a prophet’s daily toil, and martyrdom is often the end of a prophet’s life.

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As we come closer to the May elections and choose our local and national leaders, let us listen hard to what they are saying and what they are not saying. Let us choose prophets who are not afraid to speak the truth. Let us not choose false prophets who are just out for profit.

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Public opinion is public opinion. We value what people say about us, naturally. But if we live our lives according to what people think or say about us, then something is very wrong. Life is too short to be spent on merely pleasing others. Let us focus on pleasing God, not others. Remember that in the end, we will face God, and what matters then is what He thinks and says about us.

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We all value our good name. However, let us not make our good name our god. If people destroy our good name, it is not, so to speak, the end of the world. When we are persecuted in any way, let us take it as an opportunity to suffer and be purified. It is also a chance for us to gain merits and make reparation for our sins. In the end, the painful experience can bring us closer to God, make us more humble to others, and more at peace with ourselves. It is better to have been hurt than to have hurt others.

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How do we deal with our detractors? How do we deal with our stalkers? We don’t. We simply ignore them, and let God deal with them in His own way, in His own time. Pity such people who have so little self-worth and have so much insecurities. We pray for them to focus more on God and less on other people whom they consider their gods.

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The breviary, the official prayer book of the Church, is full of psalms that speak of how one who is oppressed can find refuge and comfort in God, as the Great Provider and Protector. It is very comforting to know that those who trust in God, no matter what, will be ultimately vindicated and rewarded. Yes, prophets will not be forsaken or forgotten. Yes, there is divine justice. There is heaven.

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As long as we hold on to righteousness and truthfulness, as long as we trust God and hold on to His loving presence, we should not give up, or be discouraged. We should take comfort in the words of St. Teresa of Avila: “Let nothing frighten you; all things are passing; God never changes; patience obtains all things; whoever has God lacks nothing; God alone suffices.”

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Think about this: “God never ignores the hardships, sacrifices and pains we endure, the compassion we share, the kindness we give, and the prayers we offer; He sees, He knows, He understands, and He never leaves our side.”

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We praise and thank the Lord for the tremendous grace and blessings poured upon the 51st International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu City. To God be the glory! May the Eucharistic Lord live in our hearts and in the hearts of all. “O sacrament Most Holy, O sacrament Divine, all praise and all thanksgiving be every moment thine.” May we learn to love the Eucharist, really live the Eucharist, and ourselves become the living Eucharist.  Yes, may the Eucharist really become a “dine-in” and a “take-out” experience.

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It is better to end our lives as a gem that has been polished than an edifice that has been furnished. The person who has been tried and tested, who has gone through trials, pains and sufferings, is someone who has been “polished by the Lord.” In the eyes of the world, such a person may be considered as someone who has failed or who did not make good by worldly standards. However, in the eyes of God, it is not those who lived “successful lives,” but those who lived meaningful lives, that are pleasing to Him. A polished gem lasts forever. A furnished building may collapse after some time, at any time.

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A moment with the Lord:

Lord, as long as You are near, we need not fear. Amen.