‘Bullet day’

The story is told about a Pinoy who was hemmed in and held up in a New York subway by three men who shoved him down before they alighted from the train. In anger, he shouted at them: “No shame you! Bullet day, I will giant you!” (Mga walanghiya! Balang araw, maghihiganti rin ako!)

Today is the Solemnity of Christ, the King of the Universe. In today’s Gospel (Mt. 25, 31-46), we hear that the Son of man will hand over final and definite justice, separating the sheep from the goats, rewarding the good, and punishing the bad. Today’s gospel is a clear warning to those who think that their evil deeds will go unpunished, and a consolation to those who believe that goodness pays. Someday, God Himself will do the revenge and restore justice.

God knows everything. God sees everything. God does not sleep, and as our Shepherd, He tells us in today’s first reading: “I will seek the lost, I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice” (Ez. 34, 16).

The parish priest of Our Lady of Lourdes in Mangato, Laoag City, Fr. Vards Lorenzo, reminded us during our Mass in his parish that Nov. 22 was “Red Wednesday,” during which we prayed for all the innocent and helpless people who were killed or martyred, or who suffered injustice. The killings go on, but the blood of martyrs is not unnoticed by God, the Creator of life itself.

Today is the last Sunday of the liturgical year. Today is also the last Sunday of the bar examinations for our aspiring lawyers. One of them is my nephew, Luke Orbos, who has prepared long and hard for this life-changing event. We, too, should all be preparing for our final examinations before God, which could bring us to eternal punishment or to eternal life.

Good news! We have a “leakage” as to the questions that will be asked in our final exams! Please check out these questions: 1) Did you feed the hungry? 2) Did you give drink to the thirsty? 3) Did you clothe the naked?  4) Did you give shelter to the homeless? 5) Did you visit those in prison? 6) Did you care for the sick? 7) Did you bury the dead?

Please do not disregard or belittle the road signs along the way of our journey. There is a story about a man by the road who was frantically waving a sign that read: “The End is Near.” A driver saw him and said to himself: “One of those religious nuts!” and sped on. And then there was a loud crashing sound. It was the end of the road where a bridge had collapsed. The most basic reminder in our journey is: “Do good, avoid evil.”

“The rest of my life, the best of my life.” This is what each one of us should be saying to ourselves at any age because we do not know the day or the hour when God will call us. Let us focus more on quality and not so much on quantity time, more on payback and not so much on hoarding time. In the end, what matters most are not the numbers or the figures attached to your name, but the goodness in your heart that you have shared.

Christ is our King. Let us listen to Him. Worldly kings and leaders come and go. Let us serve Christ, our King, not presidents, dictators, and bullies, who are so full of themselves, and so fixated on their personal agenda and illusions. Let us serve fully our worthy Leader and King.

Let us pray this prayer today to Christ, our King: “O Christ, You are my Lord and King. I am your sinful servant. In Your name, I forgive all people who have hurt me. In Your name, I ask for forgiveness from all people whom I have hurt. I renounce Satan, and I put myself under Your guidance and protection. You are the King of my heart, my life, my family, my country. You are the King of the world, and of the whole universe. Amen.

For the service of Christ, the King, the following will be ordained on Dec. 2 at the Divine Word Seminary, Tagaytay City: Rev. Dennis Ryan Varquez, SVD (missionary to Zimbabwe), Rev. Jhun Joel Templa, SVD (missionary to Philippine Northern Province), Rev. Godofredo Abaya, SVD (missionary to Germany), Rev. Marlon Atendido, SVD (missionary to Central America Province), and  Rev. Ronie Baleli, SVD (missionary to Ghana province).

A moment with the Lord:

Lord, our God and King, help us to serve You in the lost, the last, the least in our midst. Amen.