Loving back our God

The story is told about a lawyer who asked the witness in a loud voice: “Who stabbed you?” The witness could not understand English, so, a translator was called, and also with a loud voice asked: “Sino si Tabio?”

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In today’s Gospel (Mark 8:27-35), Jesus asked the disciples: “Who do people say that I am?” He went on to ask them: “But who do you say that I am?” Today, He asks us the same question about His identity: Who am I to you? Do you know Me personally? Are you willing to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Me?

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The question Jesus asks each one of us today is not only “Who am I to you?” but also, “Are you willing to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me?” The world teaches us self-fulfillment and self-preservation. Jesus teaches us self-effacement and self-abnegation. The world tells us: Go get it! Jesus teaches us: Leave, give it. Whose voice are you listening to?

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We are all called not only to profess our allegiance but also to accept discipleship which involves suffering, rejection, and persecution. Beyond lip service, Jesus calls us to true, real, life service.

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When we come before the Lord at the end of our lives, may we be able to say that somehow, we loved Him, too, and sacrificed for Him, in all humility. May we be able to say that we did some hard work and heart work for Him, somehow, in our small way!

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Today, let us make sure that our life measure is not about what people say who we are, or what we are. Rather, may we measure our worth on what the Lord says who we are to him, and who He is to us. Indeed, worldly success is measured by what others say, but a meaningful life is measured by what God says.

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At 70, I have seen a lot of people come and go, and one thing for sure is that we all will go, some sooner, some later. Yes, we all will go, someday. We carry nothing with us when we leave this world, except the love we have shared with others. May we not leave our trash behind. One life. One chance to do something worthwhile. Think about this: “I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good thing, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.” (Stephen Grellet)

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We all are “fools” for something or someone in this life, but the greatest “fools” are those who are fools for themselves. I have chosen to be a “fool” for Christ. The folly of the cross for me is the “pulley” of the cross that lifts me up with joy which this world cannot give nor take away.

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May we, like Mama Mary, learn to endure, to be patient, and to persevere as we journey through this “valley of fears.” May we, like Mama Mary, keep magnifying the Lord, make Him bigger than our sickness, pain, deprivations, and suffering, and make Him bigger than our worldly possessions and so-called achievements!

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“Love and practice simplicity and humility and don’t worry about the opinion of the world because if this world had nothing to say against us, we would not be real servants of God.” (St. Padre Pio)

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Sharing with you the lyrics of this beautiful song by Jose Mari Chan entitled “A Love to Last a Lifetime”: “We’re all merely passing through; doing what we can do for a lifetime; We have more than one adventure to take, more than one dream to make in our lifetime; As for me there’s only one dream, and that’s to love you my love, with a love to last a lifetime … If we all could leave something to be remembered by, just a song for me and then at least I would have tried; All my love I would give for as long as I may live; with a love, true love, to last a lifetime.” Indeed, may we all be able to say, Lord, I loved you, in my lifetime. Amen.

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A moment with the Lord.

Lord, you have loved us so much. May we, too, love You back, somehow. Amen.

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