Sermon Title: “Into the Cup of Life”
Text: I Corinthians 10:14-22
By Rev. Frank J. Hernando
World-wide Communion Sunday
02 October 2005 Seoul, Korea
I Corinthians 10: 14-22
/14/ Therefore, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols. /15/ I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. /16/ The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? /17/ Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. /18/ Consider the people of Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar? /19/ What do I imply then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? /20/ No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons. /21/ You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. /22/ Or are we provoking the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
INTRODUCTION
I am thankful indeed for the invitation of your pastor to share with you the message on this World-wide Communion Sunday. For the ten (10) long years of pastoring a local church in my Presbytery in central Philippines, my wife Gloria and I always ensure that World-wide Communion Sunday would be a meaningful experience for the members. Even here in South Korea, my wife and I normally prepare a special kind of worship service for this very important Sunday in the life of the Church.
In our migrant workers community in Kang Nam Presbyterian Church we are celebrating World-wide Communion Sunday as well. In the light of this occasion let me share with you insights into the text written by Paul for the first century Christians in Corinth.
ONE
Into the cup of life, believers are poured in as catalysts for transforming the character of life in society. There are many people including Christians who are indifferent to the plight of the suffering ones. Thus it is not wise for Christians to maintain its bystander attitude or go on with their sheer indifference towards actual life situations in society.
Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians thinks that the worship of idols is irreconcilable with the worship of God in Jesus Christ. The idols that Paul refers to are those which demand obedience and replace God in the life of believers. These gods are not represented as sculpted images or icons in temples. These are things, spiritual and moral values that oppose God. The attitude of Corinthian Christians toward these gods is one which competes and even displaces belief in God in Jesus Christ. This is disgusting before the community of faith in the church in Corinth. Christian unity was disrupted in the Church in Corinth.
It is within this purview that Paul admonishes the Corinthian Christians to stay away from idolatry or the paying allegiance to things such as wealth, money, prestige and icons of power and politics. It is not right for Christians to be enslaved by idols, rather their life as community of faith must show forth the life of Jesus Christ. He asked them, “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? “(v.16).
The point of unity of among Christians is the sharing in the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Thus, every time we bless the cup and break the bread, we are reminded that we had been redeemed by the life of Jesus Christ. In drinking from the cup of blessing that we bless is sharing in the sufferings and death of many people in our world today. We bleed with those who are wounded of the wars of aggression. We are in solidarity with those who are hungry and sick in our world today, because we are all poured into the cup of life. The bread that we break today is participation in the life of Christ—the life that anticipates the realization of a peaceful and abundant life for all.
I had the chance to participate in the 90th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea (PROK) in Gwangju, Jeolanamdo. Gloria and I had the chance to chat with the Rev. Samuel Muriguh, general secretary of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa. We asked him about the extent of HIV-AIDS infection in his country and other nearby countries in Africa. He mentioned that in Kenya alone 400 people die of HIV-AIDS everyday. Life expectancy in his country is only 45 years old. He is personally saddened by the reality of this pandemic disease which has infected even his relatives.
There are many people in our world today who feel the dread of this disease, yet unable to do something to help. Rev. Samuel Muriguh has best hopes that someday healing will surely come to his own people. He believes that God has a plan for the healing of peoples. While listening to this young church leader, I was challenged. My hope is reinvigorated in the saving power of God in Christ. But neither I can hope alone nor act by myself for I need the great number of committed Christians like you to hope and act in synchronized manner to overcome difficult situations. You are part of this. If we can act for the poor family next door, we can as well act for the hungry, sick and dying in other parts of the world.
TWO
Furthermore, from the cup of life we are being poured out. We who have received the power of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are expected to serve at our best. This means that, as Paul has reminded the Corinthian Christians we are not to participate in idolatry whether to offer sacrifices to gods or to act in a ways that violate the Spirit of Christ in us.
Inasmuch that we profess the Lordship of Jesus Christ in society we are expected to live out our monotheistic belief and initiate community oriented programs that enhance our faith and witness. By giving allegiance to gods of modern times such as wealth, power, prestige and comfort we are in fact making sacrifices to them. The only possible means of restoring our affinity and identity with God in Christ is by being poured out. When our lives are poured out, we become means of inspiration to live an exemplary Christian life.
Working with migrant workers coming from different countries in Asia has given me a deeper understanding of my faith in the context of Korean society. I am saddened by the experiences of many migrants workers who have worked in factories but their wages are not paid by their employers. The phenomenon of migration is a result of uneven economic development in the world. For many migrant workers their lives are being poured out or sacrificed for the sake of their families and relatives. They continue to endure long hours of work in the factories. They let pass the demeaning remarks of their Korean managers and supervisors. There are times of homesickness but they resist it. There are many other types of unexpected circumstances like arrest and deportation which I as a pastoral counselor can only assure migrant workers that there is life after South Korea. Migrant workers’ identity is so molded by their struggle for abundant life and not by the amount of money they have earned in working abroad.
People’s identity is formed by culture and the political economy of a family, tribe or nation. For Christians their identity is grounded on their faith in Jesus Christ. This means that human constructs such as culture and political economy can be transcended when Christians live in love and unity. When Christians pour out their lives not just for their own selves but for those who are in dire need, Christian unity is not far from reality. While there remain distinct cultural heritages, we strive to live in solidarity with struggling peoples in the world.
THREE
Finally, Christians all over the world ought to have the collective consciousness of being part of the one loaf—the body of Christ. Paul said, “Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread” (v.17). The broken bread and the poured wine are the rich theological Christian symbolism that must be never oversimplified in the nice pictures of freshly baked bread or by the advertisement of gentlemanly effect of expensive wines. What I’m saying is that even our theological symbolism such as bread and wine and the unity of the Body had been co-opted and used by the market place—and clichés of capitalist advertisements. Thus our community life has become captive of the consumerist values. I even heard people measuring love for the other person or loved ones in terms of monetary value. It is not only awkward, but shameful for Christians to think that way.
There is one loaf—the Body of Christ. As members of Christian communities we participate in the life of Christ in the world. Christian unity is expressed in various ways. Prior to my appointment as UCCP mission co-worker to PROK 2004 I was teaching the Old Testament and Contemporary Theology at Saint Paul’s Theological Seminary of the Philippine Independent Church in Iloilo City. This Christian Church has a type of Anglican tradition. Our dean Rev. Father Larry Herrera would complain to me when I would skip the Eucharist. He would remind me that I have missed half of the service because I did not take the communion. I would reply to him saying, “That’s my concern Fr. Larry, because as one coming from the Presbyterian tradition, I would only take communion once a month and not as frequent as you do.”
My dear sisters and brother in Christ: our lives are poured out for the healing of those who are sick and dying. We are poured as a balm that not only soothes the pain, but cures the disease. Our lives can truly be the cup of passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, where our lives are joined together with the Spirit. Our lives reach out to hundreds and thousands of people near or far because of the enduring faith and committed service we have to the struggling and suffering peoples. We should never take for granted our witness and service to the life of God in Christ. In doing of our Christian witness we are in forefront of the overcoming the demonic powers of our times. May God bless you all. Amen.
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Monday, July 18, 2005
YOU SEARCHED ME AND KNOWN ME
“YOU SEARCHED ME AND KNOWN ME”
Psalm 139
17 July 2005
1. In so many ways we are confronted by the question “why is God so powerful that even my inmost thoughts he knew?” For sure it’s not good to be scrutinized all the time by someone who is not even human, a God who is spirit and it looks like there is no escape from God’s confronting presence in our lives. Alam ko na nakakatakot ang ganitong sitwasyon na walang kang mapagtagu-an sa pagsusuri ng Diyos.
2. Psalm 139 gives a vivid description of God’s omnipresence in our lives and that whatever we do and will do God knows. This Psalm has body imagery and that it is one of the Old Testament meaningful presentations of the human body as one coherent and interrelated body. In having this, it is important that we should miss the prerequisite theological understanding, namely to understand the body as a psychosomatic unit, can help to qualify the sometimes dualistic concept of humankind in the Christian tradition. It can thus counteract a devaluation and disdain of the body on the one hand, and its spiritless fragmentation on the other hand.
3. In so many ways the human body is described in the Bible both the OT and NT as a weaker part of the human being. The soul/spirit is the higher part that animates the body. This kind of dualism is very prevalent in the NT especially in St. Paul’s theology. But this body imagery in our text shows that our human body is an integrated one and thus it is a total whole in relation to God. Thus, the Psalmist believes that God searches and knows every human being not just as spirit or soul but as a psycho—mind and soma-body unit. God is well acquainted with our mind, heart, body. That makes God’s concern overwhelming and God’s care and love empowering. On other hand many people would tremble at the though that ever second of the day, he/she is being judged by God and that an act of disobedience or the thing we call sin is absolutely known by God.
4. Cristl Maier a woman German theologian has this to say about 1-5 of Psalm 139:
Up to the present, verses 1-5 have been interpreted in two opposite ways. Does the close relationship between the person praying and God express a feeling of security and divine protection? Or is it proof of a fundamental despair of God which provokes thoughts of escape? Due to the parallel with Deuteronomy 6 and the use of the adjective “wonderful” in verse 6, the psalm is very often interpreted as a hymn celebrating God’s closeness. However, the evaluation of a life which is completely open to God’s scrutiny is negative from the point of view of the person praying: the phrase “you hemmed me” used in verse 5 is normally only used for warlike surrounding and besieging, the “behind and before” makes it impossible for the psalmist to move horizontally, renders him incapable of going on, to go on his way, and to rest as he sees fit. The laying on of hands in this context is not a gesture conveying blessing, but prevents the psalmist’s movement in vertical direction: YHWH’s hand rests heavily on him, even presses him down. Human as well as divine actions are concentrated in the hands.
They can be creative and destructive, powerful and violent. In the Old Testament the hand is thus very often a symbol for power and its literally shattering effect is clearly emphasised in verse 5.
It thus becomes inevitable that we think that God’s hand is always here with us.
3. Moreover, Psalm 139 shows that it is not just the body as such that matters, but that relationships are described with the help of physical phenomena. On the one hand, a person is determined by his or her situation in place and time. Our human existence can be very significant because of the place we occupy and the kind of life we live. Relatively speaking those who are acclaimed leaders and “stars” both in the context of cinema and politics have gained their prominence because of the physical existence.
On the other hand, one’s bodily existence is defined by a person’s relationship with God and with fellow human beings. In the relationship with God, one’s physical, sensible and sensitive side cannot be excluded, for how else can we praise God but with a body and reference to our affections? We cannot separate our physical body from what we do in worship. Our emotions and physical movement such the clapping of hands, swaying in praises to God and other meaningful movements are in concrete relationship with the one we worship—God. Perhaps I am saying this self-critically as a person who grew up with much formality in Protestant attitude which, due to its stress on listening to God and the intellectual debate about God, is in danger of neglecting essential dimensions of human existence. Meaning there is a tendency that we intellectualize our faith rather than live as integrated human beings.
3. Finally, body imagery can be an intermediary with regard to the concept of God. In the psalm, God is presented – with the help of physical aspects – as a living force, and at the same time as an acting personality and the dynamism in this concept of God cannot be overestimated. By stressing God’s omnipresence, Psalm 139 also shows that speaking of God in relation to human activity has its limitations. We know that God in relations to us human beings maintain God’s unique qualities in contrast to human beings. God’s mind is not like our mind, God’s thoughts are unreachable.
Verses 13-17 of Psalm 139 gives us a clearer picture of the Psalmist belief that even when we were still in our mothers’ wombs God has already known us and even knitted our bodies as they are.
13 For it was you who formed my kidneys,
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works; that I myself know very well.
15 My bones were not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.
In your book were written all the days that were formed for me,
when none of them as yet existed.
17 How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Cristl Maeir has this explanation:
By verse 13 at the latest we notice a change of mood: mentioning the kidneys of all organs – which to us today seems very strange and which is unique in the Old Testament – makes sense if we look at the relational function of this organ. The kidneys, whose existence as a pair was familiar from the slaughter of animals are the seat of affections (Psalm 73:21; Proverbs 23:16) and of conscience (Psalm 16:7; Jeremiah 12:2). This association is based on the experience that the area around the kidneys is particularly sensitive to heat and cold. As the creator of the kidneys, God is described in verse 13 metaphorically as the one who makes his people’s affections and their ability to relate with one another possible. The idea often found in other prayers, namely that God tests hearts and kidneys (Psalm 26:2; Jeremiah 11:20; 20:11; Revelation 2:23) – most translations speak of “heart and mind”, omitting the concrete organ – shows that the relationship between those praying and the deity is being comprehensively tested.
Psalm 139 combines the formation of a human body in the womb, which can be physically experienced, with the theological tradition of God’s primeval creation known from Genesis 1-2. The divine creation of an individual here is defined metaphorically as weaving; the parallel metaphor of being woven in the depths of the earth (verse 15) contributes a variant of this idea that has a cosmological and even mythical background. The verbs “creating” and “weaving” also denote divine actions in the primeval creation of Lady Wisdom in Proverbs 8. The reference to the psalmist’s bones (Mc() again links the mythical concept with the individual’s body.
Through its communication structure Psalm 139 expresses the close relationship between the psalmist and God and this is emphasized by its body-related language. The body imagery stresses the fact that the psalmist is a creature, i.e. created by somebody else and in this respect the prayer is related to many other psalms. The emphasis on the individual, on the other hand, is un-typical since the majority of Old Testament texts stressed the social integration of the individual. However, physicality, being a created body, is a prerequisite for social relationships even in Old Testament thinking and in a biblical context the relationship with God is part of this.
We are integrated human beings and that our being creatures of God, we are endowed with great possibilities of wholesome life lived in peace. The very consciousness of God’s omnipresence assists us in our faith and action towards a renewed understanding of total existence under the reign of God in Jesus Christ.
Psalm 139
17 July 2005
1. In so many ways we are confronted by the question “why is God so powerful that even my inmost thoughts he knew?” For sure it’s not good to be scrutinized all the time by someone who is not even human, a God who is spirit and it looks like there is no escape from God’s confronting presence in our lives. Alam ko na nakakatakot ang ganitong sitwasyon na walang kang mapagtagu-an sa pagsusuri ng Diyos.
2. Psalm 139 gives a vivid description of God’s omnipresence in our lives and that whatever we do and will do God knows. This Psalm has body imagery and that it is one of the Old Testament meaningful presentations of the human body as one coherent and interrelated body. In having this, it is important that we should miss the prerequisite theological understanding, namely to understand the body as a psychosomatic unit, can help to qualify the sometimes dualistic concept of humankind in the Christian tradition. It can thus counteract a devaluation and disdain of the body on the one hand, and its spiritless fragmentation on the other hand.
3. In so many ways the human body is described in the Bible both the OT and NT as a weaker part of the human being. The soul/spirit is the higher part that animates the body. This kind of dualism is very prevalent in the NT especially in St. Paul’s theology. But this body imagery in our text shows that our human body is an integrated one and thus it is a total whole in relation to God. Thus, the Psalmist believes that God searches and knows every human being not just as spirit or soul but as a psycho—mind and soma-body unit. God is well acquainted with our mind, heart, body. That makes God’s concern overwhelming and God’s care and love empowering. On other hand many people would tremble at the though that ever second of the day, he/she is being judged by God and that an act of disobedience or the thing we call sin is absolutely known by God.
4. Cristl Maier a woman German theologian has this to say about 1-5 of Psalm 139:
Up to the present, verses 1-5 have been interpreted in two opposite ways. Does the close relationship between the person praying and God express a feeling of security and divine protection? Or is it proof of a fundamental despair of God which provokes thoughts of escape? Due to the parallel with Deuteronomy 6 and the use of the adjective “wonderful” in verse 6, the psalm is very often interpreted as a hymn celebrating God’s closeness. However, the evaluation of a life which is completely open to God’s scrutiny is negative from the point of view of the person praying: the phrase “you hemmed me” used in verse 5 is normally only used for warlike surrounding and besieging, the “behind and before” makes it impossible for the psalmist to move horizontally, renders him incapable of going on, to go on his way, and to rest as he sees fit. The laying on of hands in this context is not a gesture conveying blessing, but prevents the psalmist’s movement in vertical direction: YHWH’s hand rests heavily on him, even presses him down. Human as well as divine actions are concentrated in the hands.
They can be creative and destructive, powerful and violent. In the Old Testament the hand is thus very often a symbol for power and its literally shattering effect is clearly emphasised in verse 5.
It thus becomes inevitable that we think that God’s hand is always here with us.
3. Moreover, Psalm 139 shows that it is not just the body as such that matters, but that relationships are described with the help of physical phenomena. On the one hand, a person is determined by his or her situation in place and time. Our human existence can be very significant because of the place we occupy and the kind of life we live. Relatively speaking those who are acclaimed leaders and “stars” both in the context of cinema and politics have gained their prominence because of the physical existence.
On the other hand, one’s bodily existence is defined by a person’s relationship with God and with fellow human beings. In the relationship with God, one’s physical, sensible and sensitive side cannot be excluded, for how else can we praise God but with a body and reference to our affections? We cannot separate our physical body from what we do in worship. Our emotions and physical movement such the clapping of hands, swaying in praises to God and other meaningful movements are in concrete relationship with the one we worship—God. Perhaps I am saying this self-critically as a person who grew up with much formality in Protestant attitude which, due to its stress on listening to God and the intellectual debate about God, is in danger of neglecting essential dimensions of human existence. Meaning there is a tendency that we intellectualize our faith rather than live as integrated human beings.
3. Finally, body imagery can be an intermediary with regard to the concept of God. In the psalm, God is presented – with the help of physical aspects – as a living force, and at the same time as an acting personality and the dynamism in this concept of God cannot be overestimated. By stressing God’s omnipresence, Psalm 139 also shows that speaking of God in relation to human activity has its limitations. We know that God in relations to us human beings maintain God’s unique qualities in contrast to human beings. God’s mind is not like our mind, God’s thoughts are unreachable.
Verses 13-17 of Psalm 139 gives us a clearer picture of the Psalmist belief that even when we were still in our mothers’ wombs God has already known us and even knitted our bodies as they are.
13 For it was you who formed my kidneys,
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works; that I myself know very well.
15 My bones were not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.
In your book were written all the days that were formed for me,
when none of them as yet existed.
17 How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Cristl Maeir has this explanation:
By verse 13 at the latest we notice a change of mood: mentioning the kidneys of all organs – which to us today seems very strange and which is unique in the Old Testament – makes sense if we look at the relational function of this organ. The kidneys, whose existence as a pair was familiar from the slaughter of animals are the seat of affections (Psalm 73:21; Proverbs 23:16) and of conscience (Psalm 16:7; Jeremiah 12:2). This association is based on the experience that the area around the kidneys is particularly sensitive to heat and cold. As the creator of the kidneys, God is described in verse 13 metaphorically as the one who makes his people’s affections and their ability to relate with one another possible. The idea often found in other prayers, namely that God tests hearts and kidneys (Psalm 26:2; Jeremiah 11:20; 20:11; Revelation 2:23) – most translations speak of “heart and mind”, omitting the concrete organ – shows that the relationship between those praying and the deity is being comprehensively tested.
Psalm 139 combines the formation of a human body in the womb, which can be physically experienced, with the theological tradition of God’s primeval creation known from Genesis 1-2. The divine creation of an individual here is defined metaphorically as weaving; the parallel metaphor of being woven in the depths of the earth (verse 15) contributes a variant of this idea that has a cosmological and even mythical background. The verbs “creating” and “weaving” also denote divine actions in the primeval creation of Lady Wisdom in Proverbs 8. The reference to the psalmist’s bones (Mc() again links the mythical concept with the individual’s body.
Through its communication structure Psalm 139 expresses the close relationship between the psalmist and God and this is emphasized by its body-related language. The body imagery stresses the fact that the psalmist is a creature, i.e. created by somebody else and in this respect the prayer is related to many other psalms. The emphasis on the individual, on the other hand, is un-typical since the majority of Old Testament texts stressed the social integration of the individual. However, physicality, being a created body, is a prerequisite for social relationships even in Old Testament thinking and in a biblical context the relationship with God is part of this.
We are integrated human beings and that our being creatures of God, we are endowed with great possibilities of wholesome life lived in peace. The very consciousness of God’s omnipresence assists us in our faith and action towards a renewed understanding of total existence under the reign of God in Jesus Christ.
Sunday, July 10, 2005
Embattled Good Soil
EMBATTLED GOOD SOIL
Matthew 13:1-8; 18-23
July 10, 2005
1. Every time rainy season comes to the Philippines, I am reminded of the planting season in the rural areas. In the many years that I have worked as pastor in the island of Panay and Guimaras, I viewed agriculture—plowing the fields, sowing rice seeds, and harvesting crops as God’s own way of sustaining Cod’s creation especially human beings who depend on the good soil for life. In human history, the fertile soil had been coveted by individuals, tribes and classes in society. There have been situations where fertile and arable lands are embattled—that is, the land is the object of conflict.
Out text in the Gospel of Matthew is a parable the sower who went out and sows seeds in the field. In his attempt to harvest double and triple from what he sowed, he sowed abundantly on every square meter of the field. The parable as interpreted is about the characterization of receivers of the message of the Kingdom of God. The seeds that fell on rocky ground, those that fell along the road, are those that fell among the thorns are the receivers of the message of the Kingdom who somehow due to prevailing situations, fail to hear, accept and live out the message of the Kingdom of God. While the seeds that fell on good soil had delivered plentiful harvest. The good soil is known as those who willingly and openly received the message of the Kingdom of God. They have heard of it, understood it and produced crops yielding a hundred, sixty of thirty.
2. The good soil can be inferred as those who followed Jesus’ message of the Kingdom of God or the Christians, while those who did not listen, accept and live with it are considered indifferent people who refuse to listen and do something of the message of the Kingdom of God. Christians who are considered the “good soil” is now embattled, that is, they live in social situations which confuse their minds and twist their Christian values. We live in situations where there are ambiguities in our claims as Christians. And oftentimes these ambiguities have semblances of the work of the indifferent ones.
Russel Pregeant in his meditations on Matthew 13 says that:
The interpretation of The Sower in 18-23 makes clear that the various seeds in the parable itself represent varying responses to the “word of the kingdom,” and the image of the harvest in both The Parable of the Weeds and its explanation make clear that wrong responses are subject to God’s eschatological judgment. Both the Parable of the Net and the identification of the sower with Jesus in vs. 37 show that the judgment involves not only the world at large but the church itself. Thus the seeds treated negatively in the Parable of the Sower include members of the church, and the parable and explanation serve as a warning to Christians and encouragement to hold fast to their commitment to the word. Even those who once received it with joy can fall away in the face of trouble, persecution, worldly cares, and “the lure of wealth.”
(Cite instances when Christians are too busy to hear the message of God’s kingdom, when they can’t accept the truth about God and about life in its fullness)
3. Moreover, the good soil has been differentiated from the barren soil. The latter is referred to as those whose hearts have become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. However, in our modern tines, this characterization can’t be limited to those who are considered “bad apples” but may also refer to the Christians themselves. In this situation Paul in his letter to the Romans chapter 11 tells of the difference between “life in the flesh” and “life in the spirit” which gives a better understanding of the life of Christians in contemporary society. Russel Pregeant has this point:
For an examination of Paul’s usage of the Spirit/flesh dichotomy shows that the latter term does not refer to sheer material reality. Both flesh and spirit are powers according to which one can live. To live according to the flesh is to live within the field of force of an alien power, a power that denies the realm of the Spirit altogether. It is to live as if material reality were the only dimension of existence. To live according the Spirit is, by contrast, to live within the sphere of influence of God’s empowering presence. Thus, if we think of the action of the Spirit in process terms, we can envision it as the agent of God’s luring us toward the good in every moment of our lives. We can interpret it as God’s persuasive influence in every decision we have to make. And this insight can help us with the Parable of the Sower. It is not easy to resist the desire to seek safety in a time of persecution or the seductive lure of material comforts and luxuries. Paul’s image of the Spirit, however, encourages us to be attentive to another set of lures and another field of force that offers a fundamentally different mode of fulfilling our human nature.
4. Finally, Jesus mentioned that those who listen to his words, those accept it willingly and live up to the expectations of the Kingdom of God are called “blessed”. For they have continued in the life which God intends for God’s children. And even if they live in difficult situations, they are able to hear, see, accept and bear witness to the power of God in the world. Amen.
Matthew 13:1-8; 18-23
July 10, 2005
1. Every time rainy season comes to the Philippines, I am reminded of the planting season in the rural areas. In the many years that I have worked as pastor in the island of Panay and Guimaras, I viewed agriculture—plowing the fields, sowing rice seeds, and harvesting crops as God’s own way of sustaining Cod’s creation especially human beings who depend on the good soil for life. In human history, the fertile soil had been coveted by individuals, tribes and classes in society. There have been situations where fertile and arable lands are embattled—that is, the land is the object of conflict.
Out text in the Gospel of Matthew is a parable the sower who went out and sows seeds in the field. In his attempt to harvest double and triple from what he sowed, he sowed abundantly on every square meter of the field. The parable as interpreted is about the characterization of receivers of the message of the Kingdom of God. The seeds that fell on rocky ground, those that fell along the road, are those that fell among the thorns are the receivers of the message of the Kingdom who somehow due to prevailing situations, fail to hear, accept and live out the message of the Kingdom of God. While the seeds that fell on good soil had delivered plentiful harvest. The good soil is known as those who willingly and openly received the message of the Kingdom of God. They have heard of it, understood it and produced crops yielding a hundred, sixty of thirty.
2. The good soil can be inferred as those who followed Jesus’ message of the Kingdom of God or the Christians, while those who did not listen, accept and live with it are considered indifferent people who refuse to listen and do something of the message of the Kingdom of God. Christians who are considered the “good soil” is now embattled, that is, they live in social situations which confuse their minds and twist their Christian values. We live in situations where there are ambiguities in our claims as Christians. And oftentimes these ambiguities have semblances of the work of the indifferent ones.
Russel Pregeant in his meditations on Matthew 13 says that:
The interpretation of The Sower in 18-23 makes clear that the various seeds in the parable itself represent varying responses to the “word of the kingdom,” and the image of the harvest in both The Parable of the Weeds and its explanation make clear that wrong responses are subject to God’s eschatological judgment. Both the Parable of the Net and the identification of the sower with Jesus in vs. 37 show that the judgment involves not only the world at large but the church itself. Thus the seeds treated negatively in the Parable of the Sower include members of the church, and the parable and explanation serve as a warning to Christians and encouragement to hold fast to their commitment to the word. Even those who once received it with joy can fall away in the face of trouble, persecution, worldly cares, and “the lure of wealth.”
(Cite instances when Christians are too busy to hear the message of God’s kingdom, when they can’t accept the truth about God and about life in its fullness)
3. Moreover, the good soil has been differentiated from the barren soil. The latter is referred to as those whose hearts have become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. However, in our modern tines, this characterization can’t be limited to those who are considered “bad apples” but may also refer to the Christians themselves. In this situation Paul in his letter to the Romans chapter 11 tells of the difference between “life in the flesh” and “life in the spirit” which gives a better understanding of the life of Christians in contemporary society. Russel Pregeant has this point:
For an examination of Paul’s usage of the Spirit/flesh dichotomy shows that the latter term does not refer to sheer material reality. Both flesh and spirit are powers according to which one can live. To live according to the flesh is to live within the field of force of an alien power, a power that denies the realm of the Spirit altogether. It is to live as if material reality were the only dimension of existence. To live according the Spirit is, by contrast, to live within the sphere of influence of God’s empowering presence. Thus, if we think of the action of the Spirit in process terms, we can envision it as the agent of God’s luring us toward the good in every moment of our lives. We can interpret it as God’s persuasive influence in every decision we have to make. And this insight can help us with the Parable of the Sower. It is not easy to resist the desire to seek safety in a time of persecution or the seductive lure of material comforts and luxuries. Paul’s image of the Spirit, however, encourages us to be attentive to another set of lures and another field of force that offers a fundamentally different mode of fulfilling our human nature.
4. Finally, Jesus mentioned that those who listen to his words, those accept it willingly and live up to the expectations of the Kingdom of God are called “blessed”. For they have continued in the life which God intends for God’s children. And even if they live in difficult situations, they are able to hear, see, accept and bear witness to the power of God in the world. Amen.
Friday, July 08, 2005
GIVE ME LIGHT IN MY SOUL
JUNE 26, 2005
A MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR EDISON LAPUZ
Texts: Genesis 22:1 -14; Psalm 13
“Give me Light in my soul”
1. A life threatening situation will not find you sitting back and relaxing in the comfort of your home, it gives quivers and sleepless night and groping in the dark corners of life questioning your faith and even your philosophy in life. Then in the process of reflection you see a spark of consciousness and you say “give me light in my soul or I will sleep in death.”
2. We do not know exactly what troubled the Psalmist when he wrote the 13th Psalm which captures the immensity of the trauma he’d been going through. In many circumstances in life we have had inquiries into the divine will, “how long must I wrestle with my thoughts and everyday have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?
3. Since childhood I have not know an enemy worst than institutionalized violence, poverty cause by unequal distribution of wealth and oppression brought about by those who wield power in society. Those I can consider enemies were actually bits and pieces of the larger social evil in the world. Yes, these institutionalized violence cause deep emotional distress, person can even kill another person because one can not longer think and see clearly. For one who has this, persons become things and things are objects adulation for the owner.
4. Persons of faith turn to God for help, appeal for God’s justice and asks for light in his/her soul. The very consciousness of the divine will of God for life assists persons of faith in their unreserved service to people whom they considered as underdogs of society. However those who remain in their emotional distress and social alienation go down to the dark pit of selfishness and godlessness. Those who experience this depravity has the tendency to appeal to God as well, but in the process, distorts the ethical and moral meaning of faith in and obedience to God.
5.Distortion of faith can be seen in the co-optation of the religious symbols and rituals such as in the case of sacrificial blood offering. They who distort the message and co-opt the Gospel with their selfish interests think that it is possible to manipulate the divine will, like siding on them even if what they are doing are morally absurd.
6.The story about Abraham offering his son Isaac as the sacrificial offering is an anthropological evidence that blood sacrifice was practiced by the tribes during that time. The substitution of Isaac with a ram preludes that Yahweh would no longer require human sacrifice as proof of obedience and faith, rather, moral and ethical values are far more important than sacrifice.
7. In Christian Theology, the initiative for redemption of humanity from sin was taken over by God. It used to be that human beings make sacrifices to God, now God has willfully offered the Son as the living sacrifice for the redemption of the world. Thus the once and for all sacrifice of the Son of God on the cross is enough for the world. It is there for our taking, it is there for our commitment and obedience. With this, we therefore resolve that human sacrifices should never be used to please one’s God or deity. If ever there is we should exert our effort to stop them.
8. Even yet, in our world today, there are persons like the Rev. Edison Lapuz who was made a human sacrifice for the well pronounced “Strong Republic” of the Philippine government. Because of the inability of the agricultural, export oriented and import dependent Philippine economy to substantiate equality, opportunity and stability, the Arroyo government in connivance with the military name their “enemies”. Unfortunately, the UCCP the CBCP and other churches and peoples organizations were tagged as “enemies of the state”.
9. Edison Lapuz and I were contemporaries at Silliman University Divinity School in the Philippines. I was a year senior of him, yet we shared common interests like music, theatre arts and activism. While attending the seminary in the late from 1986 to 1991, I realized that this young man from the Island of Leyte was gifted, the moment he take hold of a guitar, he will sing for not just a song but would hold a concert, in which other students would love to sing with him. I thought he will not become of good pastor because he was too jolly and not so formal in so many ways.
10. Tell story about our attendance to the inauguration of the Center for Development Education and Training.
11. Edison and I did not know that he’s dear friend Pastor Dikoy will die of cardiac arrest two weeks after our cabinet meeting in Tacloban city in Leyte, which showed the sorrowful Edison Lapuz.
12. The Bishops of the UCCP know Edison so well, not just as an activist pastor, but is more well known for his singing talent.
Like the Plsamist….(refer to Psalm 13)
Friday, July 01, 2005
A MEMORIAL FOR EDISON LAPUZ
Rev. Edison C. Lapuz was brutally assassinated on the evening of May 12, 2005. The whole United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) is horrified that a respected pastor and church leader, an ardent supporter of the poor and oppressed, who at the time of his murder was serving as Conference Minister of the North Eastern Leyte Conference of the UCCP became the target of State persecution. Rev. Lapuz was loved and respected by his colleagues, parishioners, and the communities where he served. His slaying has proclaimed him a prophet and a martyr.
Rev. Lapuz was calculatingly outspoken, unflinching, principled, and yet, a humble man. His words against corruption in the government, exploitation by the rich and big business, impending environmental degradation and displacement of those economically poor by large-scale mines, the government’s agrarian reform program that is not redistributing land to the landless tillers, and most recently, summary executions and State repression in Samar and Leyte earned him the ire of evil. Edison’s body was destroyed by henchmen’s bullets, but his spirit lives on in the work of God’s people.
Why must there be human sacrifices? Whether we understand the present phenomenon of war and violence in the world today in the moral ethical perspective or not, we are convinced that human life should never be sacrificed for whatever purpose on earth or heaven.
Our lectionary text in Genesis 22: 1-14 is a story of an attempted human sacrifice—Abraham was summoned by Yahweh to offer his only son Isaac as a sacrifice. The story is a tribal legend and as its stands now Abraham and Isaac are mere supporting actors to the central actor who is Yahweh. It emphasizes three fundamental elements of Israel’s tradition: revelation of the divine will and purpose by means of an epiphany; the trust and obedience of the patriarch as the representative of the whole people of God, and the provision of the ritual needs for true worship. There is an anthropological necessity in the practice of human sacrifice in which tribes had receive revelation of the divine or were practiced as a means of resolving conflicts. In the Genesis story of Abraham offering Isaac as a sacrifice to Yahweh, human sacrifice has come to an end, because God decided to have a ram instead of Isaac. The very objective of the human sacrifice was to test the faith and obedience of Abraham and he finally passed it.
In our contemporary times human sacrifice has not ended or eradicated. The recent developments in the Philippines where priests, pastors, lawyers and journalists were killed in the name of national security—or in the name of a “strong republic” shows that human persons are sacrificed for the interest of government. The political killings in the Philippines must be put to a stop. A government that kills people will not stand the test of genuine democracy, more so of the quality of life, liberty and equality. The present government under President Arroyo due to its inability to alleviate the plight of the poor and its preoccupation of gaining more wealth for itself, not to mention the election fraud and other anomalies in governance is now on its collapse.
Organized people’s movements and even the professional and middle class sectors have called for the ouster of President Arroyo. We anticipate that soon the death of prophets like Rev. Lapuz will be vindicated in the downfall of this unfit regime in the country. Migrant workers and all expatriates can work and pray for new economic and political systems in the Philippines.**
Rev. Lapuz was calculatingly outspoken, unflinching, principled, and yet, a humble man. His words against corruption in the government, exploitation by the rich and big business, impending environmental degradation and displacement of those economically poor by large-scale mines, the government’s agrarian reform program that is not redistributing land to the landless tillers, and most recently, summary executions and State repression in Samar and Leyte earned him the ire of evil. Edison’s body was destroyed by henchmen’s bullets, but his spirit lives on in the work of God’s people.
“Why Must There Be Sacrifices?”
Why must there be human sacrifices? Whether we understand the present phenomenon of war and violence in the world today in the moral ethical perspective or not, we are convinced that human life should never be sacrificed for whatever purpose on earth or heaven.
Our lectionary text in Genesis 22: 1-14 is a story of an attempted human sacrifice—Abraham was summoned by Yahweh to offer his only son Isaac as a sacrifice. The story is a tribal legend and as its stands now Abraham and Isaac are mere supporting actors to the central actor who is Yahweh. It emphasizes three fundamental elements of Israel’s tradition: revelation of the divine will and purpose by means of an epiphany; the trust and obedience of the patriarch as the representative of the whole people of God, and the provision of the ritual needs for true worship. There is an anthropological necessity in the practice of human sacrifice in which tribes had receive revelation of the divine or were practiced as a means of resolving conflicts. In the Genesis story of Abraham offering Isaac as a sacrifice to Yahweh, human sacrifice has come to an end, because God decided to have a ram instead of Isaac. The very objective of the human sacrifice was to test the faith and obedience of Abraham and he finally passed it.
In our contemporary times human sacrifice has not ended or eradicated. The recent developments in the Philippines where priests, pastors, lawyers and journalists were killed in the name of national security—or in the name of a “strong republic” shows that human persons are sacrificed for the interest of government. The political killings in the Philippines must be put to a stop. A government that kills people will not stand the test of genuine democracy, more so of the quality of life, liberty and equality. The present government under President Arroyo due to its inability to alleviate the plight of the poor and its preoccupation of gaining more wealth for itself, not to mention the election fraud and other anomalies in governance is now on its collapse.
Organized people’s movements and even the professional and middle class sectors have called for the ouster of President Arroyo. We anticipate that soon the death of prophets like Rev. Lapuz will be vindicated in the downfall of this unfit regime in the country. Migrant workers and all expatriates can work and pray for new economic and political systems in the Philippines.**
Monday, May 23, 2005
A MOTHER'S PRAYER
by Juliet Tudence
Heavenly Mother-Father God:
We thank you for all the blessings that you have given to us.
Thank you for your guidance and protection
We feel completely secure because you are with us,
Bless each and every one of us today
While we celebrate mothers and mothering
and children of their childhood,
We implore you to bless all mothers for their encounters with pain and sacrifices
for the sake of their children
Lead them O God, on the right path and never let them depart from you
May the sacrifices of all mothers bear good and lasting fruits
Watch over all children, O God
Especially those whose mothers left them for jobs abroad
for their sake and their future
Let their homes be safe and secured places for growing up
Watch over us, mothers and fathers who are away from home
We pray for family reunions,
when we can touch and talk with our children and family members
and enjoy the graces that you have given to us.
Bless and keep all mothers in your care
Remind us always of our true home
Keep all mothers and children from sickness and accidents
O God, bless our families in the Philippines
as well as the families of our brothers and sisters in Korea
Protect us from all dangers while we are here in Korea
To do the work which you have given us
Shelter us and bring us back safely to our families
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Heavenly Mother-Father God:
We thank you for all the blessings that you have given to us.
Thank you for your guidance and protection
We feel completely secure because you are with us,
Bless each and every one of us today
While we celebrate mothers and mothering
and children of their childhood,
We implore you to bless all mothers for their encounters with pain and sacrifices
for the sake of their children
Lead them O God, on the right path and never let them depart from you
May the sacrifices of all mothers bear good and lasting fruits
Watch over all children, O God
Especially those whose mothers left them for jobs abroad
for their sake and their future
Let their homes be safe and secured places for growing up
Watch over us, mothers and fathers who are away from home
We pray for family reunions,
when we can touch and talk with our children and family members
and enjoy the graces that you have given to us.
Bless and keep all mothers in your care
Remind us always of our true home
Keep all mothers and children from sickness and accidents
O God, bless our families in the Philippines
as well as the families of our brothers and sisters in Korea
Protect us from all dangers while we are here in Korea
To do the work which you have given us
Shelter us and bring us back safely to our families
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Saturday, May 21, 2005
They Killed Him!
A STATEMENT ON THE KILLING OF REV. EDISON LAPUZ
Early in his theological formation he sang:
“Dili sayon ang pagsunod kang Kristo. Daghang tunok ang dalan nga agian ta
Bug-at ang krus nga pagapas-anon ta, Ug kamatayon naa gahulat kanato.”
“To follow Christ is not an easy choice. The thorns are many in the pathways of struggles
Heavy the cross on our shoulders we must hoist and agonizing death ever waits to get us.”
(From the song “Ang Hagit sa Ebanghelyo” -The Challenge of the Gospel)
He is a person filled with joy and goodness never tired of doing well for poor peasants and mobilized resources to assist the struggling and oppressed.
We are saddened by the untimely death of The Rev. Edison Lapuz, Conference Minister of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) in Northern-Eastern Leyte Conference, central Philippines. He was brutally murdered on May 12, 2005, in San Isidro Leyte, together with Mr. Alfredo Malinao, a peasant leader, by suspected military officers The slaying happened in front of his house and was witnessed by his eldest child. In that day, Rev. Lapuz had just arrived from the burial of his father-in-law. His sudden death left orphaned his two children and his wife, Emma.
He unceasingly challenged the powers and principalities in his country and the world at large with the Gospel of love in Christ.
The Rev. Edison Lapuz is one of the many contemporary committed and concerned Filipino prophets who in the midst of escalating political repression and worsening poverty situation has always been in the forefront of protecting people’s human rights but was considered threat to society by the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo government. The slaying of Rev. Lapuz and Alfredo Malinao has brought to five (5) the number of people’s organizations’ leaders killed in Eastern Visayas, central Philippines by assailants associated with the government’s military establishment since the month of March, while three (3) others escaped slay attempts.
We strongly condemn the ongoing political repression in the Philippines targeting priests, pastors, and other church workers as part of the evil design to stifle prophets and legitimate political dissenters of the morally bankrupt Macapagal-Arroyo government. It is deplorable that the Philippine government has unreservedly made public exposure of the military list of the enemies of the state entitled: “Knowing your Enemy” that includes, the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP), the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), Association of Major Religious Superiors (AMRSP), Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR), Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI), and National Union of Journalist in the Philippines (NUJP) among others.
We call on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to act immediately to give justice for the Rev. Edison Lapuz and the other Church workers who were murdered in the service of the people and God. Let justice be the value in governing the Filipino people, respect human rights and institute social justice to improve living conditions of the poor and oppressed in society.
Early in his theological formation he sang:
“Dili sayon ang pagsunod kang Kristo. Daghang tunok ang dalan nga agian ta
Bug-at ang krus nga pagapas-anon ta, Ug kamatayon naa gahulat kanato.”
“To follow Christ is not an easy choice. The thorns are many in the pathways of struggles
Heavy the cross on our shoulders we must hoist and agonizing death ever waits to get us.”
(From the song “Ang Hagit sa Ebanghelyo” -The Challenge of the Gospel)
He is a person filled with joy and goodness never tired of doing well for poor peasants and mobilized resources to assist the struggling and oppressed.
We are saddened by the untimely death of The Rev. Edison Lapuz, Conference Minister of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) in Northern-Eastern Leyte Conference, central Philippines. He was brutally murdered on May 12, 2005, in San Isidro Leyte, together with Mr. Alfredo Malinao, a peasant leader, by suspected military officers The slaying happened in front of his house and was witnessed by his eldest child. In that day, Rev. Lapuz had just arrived from the burial of his father-in-law. His sudden death left orphaned his two children and his wife, Emma.
He unceasingly challenged the powers and principalities in his country and the world at large with the Gospel of love in Christ.
The Rev. Edison Lapuz is one of the many contemporary committed and concerned Filipino prophets who in the midst of escalating political repression and worsening poverty situation has always been in the forefront of protecting people’s human rights but was considered threat to society by the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo government. The slaying of Rev. Lapuz and Alfredo Malinao has brought to five (5) the number of people’s organizations’ leaders killed in Eastern Visayas, central Philippines by assailants associated with the government’s military establishment since the month of March, while three (3) others escaped slay attempts.
We strongly condemn the ongoing political repression in the Philippines targeting priests, pastors, and other church workers as part of the evil design to stifle prophets and legitimate political dissenters of the morally bankrupt Macapagal-Arroyo government. It is deplorable that the Philippine government has unreservedly made public exposure of the military list of the enemies of the state entitled: “Knowing your Enemy” that includes, the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP), the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), Association of Major Religious Superiors (AMRSP), Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR), Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI), and National Union of Journalist in the Philippines (NUJP) among others.
We call on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to act immediately to give justice for the Rev. Edison Lapuz and the other Church workers who were murdered in the service of the people and God. Let justice be the value in governing the Filipino people, respect human rights and institute social justice to improve living conditions of the poor and oppressed in society.
Monday, May 02, 2005
I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU AS ORPHANS
Last year a Canadian friend asked me if I was stopped anywhere in Seoul by Korean immigration officers for visa spot check and I told her that I haven't experienced that yet. Jokingly, I told her that probably I looked too formal wearing coat and tie or decent clothes, or I'm handsome enough to be checked. Well, last week I experienced it not in Seoul but in Suwon station.
Wednesday, April 28 I attended the overnight seminar-workshop in the Korean Exchange Bank Seminar House in Yongin, Kyonggi-do sponsored by the Migrant Workers in Korea office under the Ministry of Labor. After the long inputs and discussion on various topics we were on our way home on Thursday afternoon April 29. The good pastor from Songnam Migrant Workers House patiently gave us a lift from the seminar venue to Suwon station which was around 20 minutes ride. In front of Suwon station we disembark and after saying goodbye to moksanim I hurried to ward the subway entrance. Before reaching the entrance three plainclothes men approached me showing their ID, which I didn't bother to see, introduced themselves as immigration officers. One of them asked for my passport, I said well, maybe you want to see my alien ID. He said, yes, so I got it from my wallet and showed it to them. He could not identify what a D6 visa is and he saked me. I told him it is a missionary visa. He may not have heard me right so he asked again and I said, missionary. Third time he asked and I said "missionary."
Wow, now I have that experience in Suwon. The question is what did the immigration officers saw in me that gave them an idea I am an undocumented worker in Korea? My best guess is my my looks. I was wearing a denim jacket, carries a back pack and unshaved for a day--which emphasized my non-korean profile. This experience is alarming for many undocumented workers.
In one occasion Jesus said tohis disciples, "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you" (John 14:18). This is a fulfilled promise through the presence of the Holy Spirit. We are never alone because we have someone who listens to us. We have someone who is able to lift us out of our loneliness, anxiety and even in desperate situations. May we have the faith that transcends what human beings can do.
Wednesday, April 28 I attended the overnight seminar-workshop in the Korean Exchange Bank Seminar House in Yongin, Kyonggi-do sponsored by the Migrant Workers in Korea office under the Ministry of Labor. After the long inputs and discussion on various topics we were on our way home on Thursday afternoon April 29. The good pastor from Songnam Migrant Workers House patiently gave us a lift from the seminar venue to Suwon station which was around 20 minutes ride. In front of Suwon station we disembark and after saying goodbye to moksanim I hurried to ward the subway entrance. Before reaching the entrance three plainclothes men approached me showing their ID, which I didn't bother to see, introduced themselves as immigration officers. One of them asked for my passport, I said well, maybe you want to see my alien ID. He said, yes, so I got it from my wallet and showed it to them. He could not identify what a D6 visa is and he saked me. I told him it is a missionary visa. He may not have heard me right so he asked again and I said, missionary. Third time he asked and I said "missionary."
Wow, now I have that experience in Suwon. The question is what did the immigration officers saw in me that gave them an idea I am an undocumented worker in Korea? My best guess is my my looks. I was wearing a denim jacket, carries a back pack and unshaved for a day--which emphasized my non-korean profile. This experience is alarming for many undocumented workers.
In one occasion Jesus said tohis disciples, "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you" (John 14:18). This is a fulfilled promise through the presence of the Holy Spirit. We are never alone because we have someone who listens to us. We have someone who is able to lift us out of our loneliness, anxiety and even in desperate situations. May we have the faith that transcends what human beings can do.
Sunday, April 24, 2005
Assurance or Anxiety
Assurance or Anxiety? Is the question we're asking when we are confronted with divine images of heaven opening or of divine vengeance. There are so many aspects of our Christian faith that provide assurances about a better future or freedom, justice or peace and most of all eternal life. Many Christians know what it means to be assured by the love of God in Christ but inevitably we are driven to anxiety because of the unexpected which may fall on us and we are scared of the consequences of our actions. In this kind of uncertainty we ask ourselves does our faith provide assurance or anxiety?
Our biblical texts both from the Book of Acts of the Apostles and the Gospel of John are two contrasting texts that declare what God’s love means both for the disciples and for those who cause bad things to happen to good people. In the Book of Acts we can read that Stephen one of the apostles was filled with the Spirit and spoke with the Jewish elders and that he spoke well of the Scripture and they were caught off-guard, thus they persuaded some men to plot against him and they successfully carried their intention. Stephen witnessed to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He proclaimed to them that Jesus Christ is the Son of God whom they crucified but victoriously rose from the dead. On that moment, when Stephen was stoned to death, he saw the heavens opened and saw Jesus standing on the right hand of God. While he was on the point of death, he said, “Lord, Jesus receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he said this, he fell asleep.
James Alison,( Raising Abel, pp. 79-80.) observes that there are additional stories in the Bible with the image of the heavens opening (bumubukas ang langit): Jesus' baptism in John (1:51), this passage about the stoning of Stephen, and the new heaven and earth in Rev. 21. He said:
Look at the progression in our three stories of the open heaven: first we saw the witness chosen to see heaven open, one of Jesus' companions chosen to be able to bear witness to everything lived and worked by him; then we saw the 'ordinary Christian', that is, someone who was not an apostolic witness, who learns to create his own diverse story in the light of the risen victim; and finally we understand that the whole project which Jesus initiated is the coming down of a new, collective, story, woven out of the many stories of those who have allowed themselves to be illuminated by the God who gives himself to be mediated by the slaughtered lamb. That is, the stories of those who, in the superlative language of the seer, have washed white their garments in the blood of the lamb. (p. 81)
Meron mga tawo na dahil sa kanilang pananampalataya ay nagbuhis ng buhay upang mapakita ang wagas na kalooban ng Diyos para sa mga naghihirap at nanganga-ilangan. Ito ang pagpapahayag ng kalooban ng Diyos sa buhay ni Jesu-Kristo na siyang nag-alay ng kanyang buhay para sa karamihan na nanganga-ilangan nga kaligtasan at masaganang buhay.
In the Gospel of John 14: 1-12, Jesus assured his disciples that in God's house or abode there are many rooms and those who believe in him will find rest. This is an assurance that whenever the mythical ingredients are removed from the text shows that God has places for various kinds of people. This is ecumenicity and unity. I am glad to hear what John has to say in his Gospel because it is written to give assurance to Christians that the future is now, and nothing in anticipation can be greater than the promise of the present. I love to hear and listen to this realized escathology--what is to come is now here with us!
Our biblical texts both from the Book of Acts of the Apostles and the Gospel of John are two contrasting texts that declare what God’s love means both for the disciples and for those who cause bad things to happen to good people. In the Book of Acts we can read that Stephen one of the apostles was filled with the Spirit and spoke with the Jewish elders and that he spoke well of the Scripture and they were caught off-guard, thus they persuaded some men to plot against him and they successfully carried their intention. Stephen witnessed to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He proclaimed to them that Jesus Christ is the Son of God whom they crucified but victoriously rose from the dead. On that moment, when Stephen was stoned to death, he saw the heavens opened and saw Jesus standing on the right hand of God. While he was on the point of death, he said, “Lord, Jesus receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he said this, he fell asleep.
James Alison,( Raising Abel, pp. 79-80.) observes that there are additional stories in the Bible with the image of the heavens opening (bumubukas ang langit): Jesus' baptism in John (1:51), this passage about the stoning of Stephen, and the new heaven and earth in Rev. 21. He said:
Look at the progression in our three stories of the open heaven: first we saw the witness chosen to see heaven open, one of Jesus' companions chosen to be able to bear witness to everything lived and worked by him; then we saw the 'ordinary Christian', that is, someone who was not an apostolic witness, who learns to create his own diverse story in the light of the risen victim; and finally we understand that the whole project which Jesus initiated is the coming down of a new, collective, story, woven out of the many stories of those who have allowed themselves to be illuminated by the God who gives himself to be mediated by the slaughtered lamb. That is, the stories of those who, in the superlative language of the seer, have washed white their garments in the blood of the lamb. (p. 81)
Meron mga tawo na dahil sa kanilang pananampalataya ay nagbuhis ng buhay upang mapakita ang wagas na kalooban ng Diyos para sa mga naghihirap at nanganga-ilangan. Ito ang pagpapahayag ng kalooban ng Diyos sa buhay ni Jesu-Kristo na siyang nag-alay ng kanyang buhay para sa karamihan na nanganga-ilangan nga kaligtasan at masaganang buhay.
In the Gospel of John 14: 1-12, Jesus assured his disciples that in God's house or abode there are many rooms and those who believe in him will find rest. This is an assurance that whenever the mythical ingredients are removed from the text shows that God has places for various kinds of people. This is ecumenicity and unity. I am glad to hear what John has to say in his Gospel because it is written to give assurance to Christians that the future is now, and nothing in anticipation can be greater than the promise of the present. I love to hear and listen to this realized escathology--what is to come is now here with us!
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will in the house of the Lord forever (Psalm 23:6). Seldom can we speak of goodness and mercy/love that will abide with us through life. Why is that? Regardless of culture, Christians can’t proclaim to other people that they are sure that goodness and love will be with them every day of their lives. It is because of the immensity of the challenges and struggles in life, and in the complexity of contemporary life, we are not sure of anything. Because of the lack of a happy and blissful future, Christians are prone to resign to whatever fortune or luck will befall on them (Bahala na ang kapalaran ko).
Culturally speaking Filipinos are very religious and even to the point having unquestioning attitude with whatever is religious. This kind of religious life is a great challenge to all of us especially when we talk about God in Christ in our Shepherd. In Psalm in 23 as in John 10:1-10, God in Christ is the Shepherd who watches over the sheep in the fold. More specifically Jesus tells people that he is the gate for the sheep. A very unique imagery for one who is also considered the good shepherd.
Jenee Woodard tells about the biblical shepherd: Shepherds had a hard life, since they faced all of the hardships of the hostile landscape through which they herded their sheep. Being with the flock, they faced all of the dangers and difficulties that the flock faced, and they were just as vulnerable -- to heat in the day, to cold at night, and to human and animal predators at all times. They slept with their flocks on nights when there were few enough predators for them to sleep at all; they were seen as poor prospects as husbands and fathers, since they had to leave their families alone and vulnerable at night as well.
That's the kind of life Jesus lives for and with us. Jesus journeys with the most vulnerable, and takes on all of their vulnerability. He knows what it's like to be out in the cold. He knows what he's saying when he calls people to leave their homes and villages, and even their families, since he had done the same himself. He knows what it's like to have people think that you're crazy or irresponsible because of what you leave behind and let go of, because people said the same things about him.
And he knows something else, too: this crazy life he lived, and calls us to live, is abundant life (John 14:10). It's THE abundant life, to be precise.How could that be? Jesus of all people knows the risks and the hardships, the cost of the life he's leading. But Jesus is the shepherd, and he knows that as hard as it can be to follow the shepherd, it's much better than being prey for the others, thieves and bandits.
Raymund Schwager has this to say about abundant life: This passage be a companion to the John 10:1-10 conclusion of receiving life more abundantly? Life lived in mimetic rivalry is one in which the basic experience is that of scarcity. In that well-used Girardian example of the children fighting over one toy in the midst of a room full of toys, the children experience that toy they are fighting over as scarce. In the midst of what is actually an abundance, their basic experience is that of scarcity.
New community in Christ begins to melt away the mimetic rivalry such that we can truly begin to experience the abundance that has been there all the time. Christ the Lamb of God who lays down his life for us, only to receive it graciously back from God, is the gate to entering a new life in community, one that operates out of such grace. It is a life of sharing with others the abundance of the Creator which has been here all the time ... except that our being trapped in mimetic rivalry made us blind to it.
Culturally speaking Filipinos are very religious and even to the point having unquestioning attitude with whatever is religious. This kind of religious life is a great challenge to all of us especially when we talk about God in Christ in our Shepherd. In Psalm in 23 as in John 10:1-10, God in Christ is the Shepherd who watches over the sheep in the fold. More specifically Jesus tells people that he is the gate for the sheep. A very unique imagery for one who is also considered the good shepherd.
Jenee Woodard tells about the biblical shepherd: Shepherds had a hard life, since they faced all of the hardships of the hostile landscape through which they herded their sheep. Being with the flock, they faced all of the dangers and difficulties that the flock faced, and they were just as vulnerable -- to heat in the day, to cold at night, and to human and animal predators at all times. They slept with their flocks on nights when there were few enough predators for them to sleep at all; they were seen as poor prospects as husbands and fathers, since they had to leave their families alone and vulnerable at night as well.
That's the kind of life Jesus lives for and with us. Jesus journeys with the most vulnerable, and takes on all of their vulnerability. He knows what it's like to be out in the cold. He knows what he's saying when he calls people to leave their homes and villages, and even their families, since he had done the same himself. He knows what it's like to have people think that you're crazy or irresponsible because of what you leave behind and let go of, because people said the same things about him.
And he knows something else, too: this crazy life he lived, and calls us to live, is abundant life (John 14:10). It's THE abundant life, to be precise.How could that be? Jesus of all people knows the risks and the hardships, the cost of the life he's leading. But Jesus is the shepherd, and he knows that as hard as it can be to follow the shepherd, it's much better than being prey for the others, thieves and bandits.
Raymund Schwager has this to say about abundant life: This passage be a companion to the John 10:1-10 conclusion of receiving life more abundantly? Life lived in mimetic rivalry is one in which the basic experience is that of scarcity. In that well-used Girardian example of the children fighting over one toy in the midst of a room full of toys, the children experience that toy they are fighting over as scarce. In the midst of what is actually an abundance, their basic experience is that of scarcity.
New community in Christ begins to melt away the mimetic rivalry such that we can truly begin to experience the abundance that has been there all the time. Christ the Lamb of God who lays down his life for us, only to receive it graciously back from God, is the gate to entering a new life in community, one that operates out of such grace. It is a life of sharing with others the abundance of the Creator which has been here all the time ... except that our being trapped in mimetic rivalry made us blind to it.
Saturday, April 16, 2005
Of bandits, thieves and hired men
In contrast to the role and function of the Good Shepherd, there are persons and functions mentioned in the Gospel of John 10:1-10, they are the bandits, thieves and the hired man. Listen to what Jesus said:
"I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep" (John 10:1-2).
Who are the thieves and bandits who come in a different way?
The word "bandit" or robber has the connotation of being a revolutionary, or insurrectionist in the context of the Jewish religion. A revolutionary is one who turns the direction of the sacrificial system. He doesn't transform it; he simply redirects it. The system reovlves, but doesn't transform. A genuine revolutionary can be characterized as those who are willing to die to radically transform the system. There's a truth to this in our contemporary life because there are people who wish to be categorized as "revolutionaries" but are not resolved to radically transform whether sacrificial system of religions or the socio-political systems. Jesus stressed here the difference in intention between the Good shepherd and the bandits and robbers in relation to the flock.
Moreover, thieves are categorized together with the bandits or robbers. The flock knows their shepherd and can easily identify the thieves, therefore they refuse to follow the latter. In fact they run away from the thieves because they don't know his voice. True to every relationship in the world. A familiar voice gives assurance and can be a head turner. For those who knows a particular voice would wait patiently to hear what that voice would say to them. The moment the words are spoken by the familiar and respected voice, the flock listens. The voice of the stranger or thief is easily discriminated and the flock run away upon hearing the voice. Interesting but true. Similarly the hired man would be recognized easily by the flock.
By contrast, Jesus says, (John 10:14-15) "I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep." Here Jesus identified himself with the flock--who are victims of various forms of oppression. So shepherding is being in solidarity with the victims of the empire and work with them towards the reversal of system.
"I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep" (John 10:1-2).
Who are the thieves and bandits who come in a different way?
The word "bandit" or robber has the connotation of being a revolutionary, or insurrectionist in the context of the Jewish religion. A revolutionary is one who turns the direction of the sacrificial system. He doesn't transform it; he simply redirects it. The system reovlves, but doesn't transform. A genuine revolutionary can be characterized as those who are willing to die to radically transform the system. There's a truth to this in our contemporary life because there are people who wish to be categorized as "revolutionaries" but are not resolved to radically transform whether sacrificial system of religions or the socio-political systems. Jesus stressed here the difference in intention between the Good shepherd and the bandits and robbers in relation to the flock.
Moreover, thieves are categorized together with the bandits or robbers. The flock knows their shepherd and can easily identify the thieves, therefore they refuse to follow the latter. In fact they run away from the thieves because they don't know his voice. True to every relationship in the world. A familiar voice gives assurance and can be a head turner. For those who knows a particular voice would wait patiently to hear what that voice would say to them. The moment the words are spoken by the familiar and respected voice, the flock listens. The voice of the stranger or thief is easily discriminated and the flock run away upon hearing the voice. Interesting but true. Similarly the hired man would be recognized easily by the flock.
By contrast, Jesus says, (John 10:14-15) "I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep." Here Jesus identified himself with the flock--who are victims of various forms of oppression. So shepherding is being in solidarity with the victims of the empire and work with them towards the reversal of system.
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Shepherds in Distress
In both Roman Catholic and Protestant churches the office of the priest and pastor is the best expression of the shepherding role. In recent world history as in the case of the death of Pope John Paul II, many issues came out into the open. The whole Christian church is on fire! This is because many of our shepherds are in distress--they face tremendous stress in their vocation. The shepherds are trying to swim in the church's moral and ethical landscape which, prohibits them to do certain moral acts because these are contrary to the Gospel which they preach. The many experiences of violations of moral norms and Christian ethical standards have come to the point where the members have already come out and indict their shepherds of their immoral acts. In the U.S. itself there are a good number of cases of shepherds priests, pastors, and bishops in distress. It is high time that the laity members should pray for their shepherds.
The Lord is my Shepherd, I will not be in want (Psalm 23:1).
The Lord is my Shepherd, I will not be in want (Psalm 23:1).
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Speaking of the time and place of distress
Tonight as I draw close to the day's end, that is, I'm about to sleep I am bothered about the incidents that took place last Sunday. I remember the Bible Study session we had in Itaewon which was focused on Psalm 116. Although the materials I had from exegetes gave me a somewhat morbid picture, it is however balanced by the resounding praise and thanksgiving. Listen to some of the lines:
The cords of death entanged me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: "O Lord save me! Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you." (Ps. 116: 3, 7)
Considering that all human beings are created in God's image, the abnormal behavior of human beings are caused either by genetic or social defects. In the past family life is considered a safe haven for persons, especially the young. It has change a lot in modern times. That is the very reason why a house can be home but a home cannot be a house. The very foundation of a home is love, respect and peace. When there is a lack of love whether romantic, philial or agape, it is a miserable family life. If there is a growing commoditization of human relationships, we have no one to blame but ourselves who have fell into the trap of capitalist value system. I believe that international marriages can succeed if there is love and respect, but it cannot survive if at the very beginning it was not motivated by love or the willingness to love.
Filipino women married to Korean men who are in disturbed psychological situation are in one way or the other verbally, physically or sexually abused. The cultural differences is heightened when a man would think that "he bought a wife". A kind of investment and that must give a man joy and satisfaction at his own terms. This kind of mentality will not bring about a happy marriage. Frequent quarrel will result from this, and eventual separation, when one of the partner's tolerance has run out.
Women in this kind of situation is having an existential death--as in having a difficult time with adjusting and understanding their abusive husbands. It is my hope, as we all hope that our friends who are undergoing this "death experiences" will one day rise above it and victoriously praise saying:
In the courts of the house of the Lord--in your midst, O Jerusalem Praise the Lord.(Ps. 116:19)
The cords of death entanged me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: "O Lord save me! Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you." (Ps. 116: 3, 7)
Considering that all human beings are created in God's image, the abnormal behavior of human beings are caused either by genetic or social defects. In the past family life is considered a safe haven for persons, especially the young. It has change a lot in modern times. That is the very reason why a house can be home but a home cannot be a house. The very foundation of a home is love, respect and peace. When there is a lack of love whether romantic, philial or agape, it is a miserable family life. If there is a growing commoditization of human relationships, we have no one to blame but ourselves who have fell into the trap of capitalist value system. I believe that international marriages can succeed if there is love and respect, but it cannot survive if at the very beginning it was not motivated by love or the willingness to love.
Filipino women married to Korean men who are in disturbed psychological situation are in one way or the other verbally, physically or sexually abused. The cultural differences is heightened when a man would think that "he bought a wife". A kind of investment and that must give a man joy and satisfaction at his own terms. This kind of mentality will not bring about a happy marriage. Frequent quarrel will result from this, and eventual separation, when one of the partner's tolerance has run out.
Women in this kind of situation is having an existential death--as in having a difficult time with adjusting and understanding their abusive husbands. It is my hope, as we all hope that our friends who are undergoing this "death experiences" will one day rise above it and victoriously praise saying:
In the courts of the house of the Lord--in your midst, O Jerusalem Praise the Lord.(Ps. 116:19)
Monday, April 11, 2005
Unidentified Company
Walking alone in the rural areas especially embarking on mountain climbing in the Philippines can be a dangerous pursuit. It is important that whenever you go to the countrysides you must have a company preferably local natives who know the terrain and the political situation in the area.
Last week there were two important events that catch the attention of the world--the death and funeral service for Pope John Paul II and last Saturday the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles the Duchess of Cornwall. These are prominent people in our world and that they can never be mistaken as somebody else. It looks like our Lord Jesus Christ in his resurrected body was incognito even among his disciples. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24: 13-25) did not know they were talking to Jesus. Why is this incognito presence of Christ among his people?
The disciples were in a state of shock. They were scared to talk to strangers and especially to those whom they have no association whatsoever. Walking to Emmaus was a kind of escape from the fear-laden experiences of the past few days. Perhaps going to the suburb was a respite for some of his disciples. But an unidentified presence of the Risen Christ was unexpected. His voice and conjectures seem odd to the disciples as they talk about the Law and the Prophets. Was his voice changed because of the resurrection? or the disciples had the slightest idea who that was. The sheep knows the shepherd's voice! Indeed the person talking to them on the road was more than human, because it has the inflection that is characteristically confident and assuring.
John Kavanaugh, S.J. in his meditation The Word Embodied said: The story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus presents a strange state of affairs indeed. Jesus was more with them on their journey, even in their doubt and unbelief, than they actually saw and recognized him and finally believed. And it was only in retrospect that they could see that their hearts were enkindled as they were walking and talkling on the road--even though they did not know that it was he who was explaining to them.
Truth about a person can be veiled by layers of personal commitments and arrangements. This fact encourages us to talk it out with a known or identified company, but God in Christ can also be our unrecognized and unidentified company who longs to be listened to and waits for our company. Try walking the road to Emmaus.
Last week there were two important events that catch the attention of the world--the death and funeral service for Pope John Paul II and last Saturday the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles the Duchess of Cornwall. These are prominent people in our world and that they can never be mistaken as somebody else. It looks like our Lord Jesus Christ in his resurrected body was incognito even among his disciples. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24: 13-25) did not know they were talking to Jesus. Why is this incognito presence of Christ among his people?
The disciples were in a state of shock. They were scared to talk to strangers and especially to those whom they have no association whatsoever. Walking to Emmaus was a kind of escape from the fear-laden experiences of the past few days. Perhaps going to the suburb was a respite for some of his disciples. But an unidentified presence of the Risen Christ was unexpected. His voice and conjectures seem odd to the disciples as they talk about the Law and the Prophets. Was his voice changed because of the resurrection? or the disciples had the slightest idea who that was. The sheep knows the shepherd's voice! Indeed the person talking to them on the road was more than human, because it has the inflection that is characteristically confident and assuring.
John Kavanaugh, S.J. in his meditation The Word Embodied said: The story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus presents a strange state of affairs indeed. Jesus was more with them on their journey, even in their doubt and unbelief, than they actually saw and recognized him and finally believed. And it was only in retrospect that they could see that their hearts were enkindled as they were walking and talkling on the road--even though they did not know that it was he who was explaining to them.
Truth about a person can be veiled by layers of personal commitments and arrangements. This fact encourages us to talk it out with a known or identified company, but God in Christ can also be our unrecognized and unidentified company who longs to be listened to and waits for our company. Try walking the road to Emmaus.
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Flipping Earth and Carl Jung
While resting for two days after my Monday's appointment with my dentist, I learned from the Discovery channel that there are time when the magnetic fields of the earth which determine the four directional poles: north, south, east and west lessen their magnetic flux in the evolutionary processes of the globe. In the past it was observed that the magnetic north variates from the true north at significant degrees, although it continues to variates every year. However, the loss of magnetic flux from the western magnetic field may cause the earth to flip, that is the magnetic north may tilt to the east and even further south--or simply the globe is turned sideward and finaly flips upside down.
Scientists believe that this can happen in thousands of years. It may not happen in our life time but as one of them said, by the time it happens humanity has already prepared how to cope with the new situation--those who life in colder countries will live in the tropics, those in the tropics will live in the cold climate. This scientific fact brings us close to the apocalyptic understanding of a new eon or time. Who knows the new eon will be ushered in when the earth flips and that will be the realization of the reversal of values and truly peace will be experienced after chaos--cosmic and social upheavals.
* * * * *
Every Wednesday since I bought Carl Jung's book on Dreams, I pour my attention to the various dreams and Jung's interpretation mentioned in the book. Inside the crammed sub-way train I read about dreams until my brain is numbed and get a short nap until I reach my destination. I'd like to quote this dream here because it is very brief.
Dream: An actor smashes his hat against the wall, where it looks like a circle divided into eight (8) slices from the black circular center botton.
Jung's interpretation: As certain material not included here shows, the "actor" refers to a definite fact in the dreamer's personal life. Up to now he had maintained a certain fiction about himself which prevented him from taking himself seriously. This fiction has become incompatible with the serious attitude he has now attained. He must give up the actor, for it was the actor in him who rejected the self. The hat refers to the first dream of all, where he put the stranger's hat. The actor throws the hat against the wall, and the hat proves to be a mandala. So the "strange" hat was the self, which at that time--while he was still playing a fictitious role--seemed like a stranger to him (Jung:1974,p.264).
It is very hard to know oneself especially the unconscious part of it. It is only by seeing ourselves from a distance that we get to know who we really are. Our true selves are revealed in how we act out our human will and values. Our true selves are revealed in the way we show agape love to others.
Scientists believe that this can happen in thousands of years. It may not happen in our life time but as one of them said, by the time it happens humanity has already prepared how to cope with the new situation--those who life in colder countries will live in the tropics, those in the tropics will live in the cold climate. This scientific fact brings us close to the apocalyptic understanding of a new eon or time. Who knows the new eon will be ushered in when the earth flips and that will be the realization of the reversal of values and truly peace will be experienced after chaos--cosmic and social upheavals.
* * * * *
Every Wednesday since I bought Carl Jung's book on Dreams, I pour my attention to the various dreams and Jung's interpretation mentioned in the book. Inside the crammed sub-way train I read about dreams until my brain is numbed and get a short nap until I reach my destination. I'd like to quote this dream here because it is very brief.
Dream: An actor smashes his hat against the wall, where it looks like a circle divided into eight (8) slices from the black circular center botton.
Jung's interpretation: As certain material not included here shows, the "actor" refers to a definite fact in the dreamer's personal life. Up to now he had maintained a certain fiction about himself which prevented him from taking himself seriously. This fiction has become incompatible with the serious attitude he has now attained. He must give up the actor, for it was the actor in him who rejected the self. The hat refers to the first dream of all, where he put the stranger's hat. The actor throws the hat against the wall, and the hat proves to be a mandala. So the "strange" hat was the self, which at that time--while he was still playing a fictitious role--seemed like a stranger to him (Jung:1974,p.264).
It is very hard to know oneself especially the unconscious part of it. It is only by seeing ourselves from a distance that we get to know who we really are. Our true selves are revealed in how we act out our human will and values. Our true selves are revealed in the way we show agape love to others.
Sunday, April 03, 2005
Eastertide, Terri and John Paul
Today is the second Sunday in Eastertide. Few days ago the parents of Terri Schaivo lost their case of putting back the life saving tubes on their daughter and Terri passed away. In Terri Schaivo's case the main issue was whether or not to prolong the life of a patient who has suffered irreversible brain damage. The U.S courts ruled that there are no basis in prolonging the life of Terri Schaivo. Sixteen years of being attached to the life support systems and without any prospect of recovery is long enough. The question of longevity or quality of life was also put to the fore. In my perspective both should be an experience for all people.
The basic ethical standard used in our contemporary world is premised on beneficiality--this means that if a person acts what amount of good will his/her action bring. On the one hand it is calculating the good an action may bring and on the other having in mind the evil that it may bring. Ethical decisions are influenced by many factors. The family members of a Filipino woman a mother of 7 children who was in coma decided to let go of life support systems because the doctors pronounced that the impact of her cardiac arrest was irreversible. It takes a fortune to sustain the woman with life support system. In a matter of two weeks, the woman died. Terri Schaivo live for 16 years on life support system, but the Filipino woman live for two weeks only.
The news of the ailing Pope John Paul II finally covered the Terri Schaivo's case. Last night he died in his room in Vatican. He's 82 years old when he died and he served the Roman Catholic Church for a long time. For centuries the attitude of the people about the pope especially the Reformed Christians has changed a lot. The pontificate which is the highest post in the Roman Catholic Church is seen as an exemplar of Christian values and advocate for peace, love and unity among peoples and nations. I doubt if Pope John Paul II was really a stunch anti-communist advocate, as what Bill Clinton and George Bush (father) former U.S. presidents had mentioned in their tribute to the demised pope.
It is approriate to talk about death in the context of Christ's resurrection. I believe that the reality of the Risen Christ is in the world today. The tremors of people's struggle for emancipation from traditional coercive systems are indications that soon the victory against the powers of evil will come to fulfillment. The Christian faith articulated by the poor and oppressed will one day bear fruit and justice will roll down life waters and the young men and women will be filled with the spirit and will prophesy of the coming of the new age.
The basic ethical standard used in our contemporary world is premised on beneficiality--this means that if a person acts what amount of good will his/her action bring. On the one hand it is calculating the good an action may bring and on the other having in mind the evil that it may bring. Ethical decisions are influenced by many factors. The family members of a Filipino woman a mother of 7 children who was in coma decided to let go of life support systems because the doctors pronounced that the impact of her cardiac arrest was irreversible. It takes a fortune to sustain the woman with life support system. In a matter of two weeks, the woman died. Terri Schaivo live for 16 years on life support system, but the Filipino woman live for two weeks only.
The news of the ailing Pope John Paul II finally covered the Terri Schaivo's case. Last night he died in his room in Vatican. He's 82 years old when he died and he served the Roman Catholic Church for a long time. For centuries the attitude of the people about the pope especially the Reformed Christians has changed a lot. The pontificate which is the highest post in the Roman Catholic Church is seen as an exemplar of Christian values and advocate for peace, love and unity among peoples and nations. I doubt if Pope John Paul II was really a stunch anti-communist advocate, as what Bill Clinton and George Bush (father) former U.S. presidents had mentioned in their tribute to the demised pope.
It is approriate to talk about death in the context of Christ's resurrection. I believe that the reality of the Risen Christ is in the world today. The tremors of people's struggle for emancipation from traditional coercive systems are indications that soon the victory against the powers of evil will come to fulfillment. The Christian faith articulated by the poor and oppressed will one day bear fruit and justice will roll down life waters and the young men and women will be filled with the spirit and will prophesy of the coming of the new age.
Friday, April 01, 2005
In utter confidence
As we move on to another weekend we anticipate rest and recreation to enhance our well-being as persons. There are many people and I for one would have preferred to work five days a week that is from Monday to Friday and rest on Saturday and Sunday. For some people spending weekends at home is a kind of respite and taking refuge in the shelter of their home. It seems that our work places have become too crowded and very demanding and we lost ourselves in what we do--just like having no identity inside an assembly plant, and what is more important is the product.
Psalm 16 is a prayer of one who is in grave threat from external forces. This is also considered as a resurrection psalm because of its theological significance with the risen Christ. There is no other Psalm that mentions about the rest of body, but this one has given it a special attention: "Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body will also rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay" (16:9-10). Here we can understand that the Psalmist believes in immortality as characteristic of Ancient Near East religions. In Christianity the resurrection of Jesus has given us the assurance of eternal life.
Another interesting statement the Psalmist mentions is that "The sorrow of those will increase who run after other gods"(16:4a). Running after other gods means replacing Yahweh with somebody or something else in one's life. The Psalmist must have known what it is to run after other gods, such as those that gives momentary pleasures or things that assume important functions and roles in life. Being lured and hooked with these gods increases sorrow. They cannot give security and peace.
Howard Wallace has this thought on the Psalm:
These statements of confidence could easily be taken out of context and read as a kind of prosperity theology, where faith and well-being or security go hand in hand, where faithfulness is the key to pleasant places, a goodly heritage, and pleasures forevermore. But the psalmist is talking about a deeper security than that. Note the context of the psalm. The psalmist seeks protection (v. 1). They speak out of the context of some kind of threat or insecurity. For the psalmist, trust in the Lord is neither an easy thing entertained only in times of relative ease, nor a general statement covering all of life. It is an attitude or position that is truly tested and refined in times of darkness. So if we do read Ps 16:10 in the light of Jesus’ resurrection, as many will this day, it is never out of the shadows of the cross. The psalmist knows fear and insecurity, even possibly the fear of death, and in that context recognizes that their ‘welfare indeed rests on (the Lord)’ (v. 2b as one commentator translates this difficult clause).
In utter confidence we ask God to keep us safe.
Psalm 16 is a prayer of one who is in grave threat from external forces. This is also considered as a resurrection psalm because of its theological significance with the risen Christ. There is no other Psalm that mentions about the rest of body, but this one has given it a special attention: "Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body will also rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay" (16:9-10). Here we can understand that the Psalmist believes in immortality as characteristic of Ancient Near East religions. In Christianity the resurrection of Jesus has given us the assurance of eternal life.
Another interesting statement the Psalmist mentions is that "The sorrow of those will increase who run after other gods"(16:4a). Running after other gods means replacing Yahweh with somebody or something else in one's life. The Psalmist must have known what it is to run after other gods, such as those that gives momentary pleasures or things that assume important functions and roles in life. Being lured and hooked with these gods increases sorrow. They cannot give security and peace.
Howard Wallace has this thought on the Psalm:
These statements of confidence could easily be taken out of context and read as a kind of prosperity theology, where faith and well-being or security go hand in hand, where faithfulness is the key to pleasant places, a goodly heritage, and pleasures forevermore. But the psalmist is talking about a deeper security than that. Note the context of the psalm. The psalmist seeks protection (v. 1). They speak out of the context of some kind of threat or insecurity. For the psalmist, trust in the Lord is neither an easy thing entertained only in times of relative ease, nor a general statement covering all of life. It is an attitude or position that is truly tested and refined in times of darkness. So if we do read Ps 16:10 in the light of Jesus’ resurrection, as many will this day, it is never out of the shadows of the cross. The psalmist knows fear and insecurity, even possibly the fear of death, and in that context recognizes that their ‘welfare indeed rests on (the Lord)’ (v. 2b as one commentator translates this difficult clause).
In utter confidence we ask God to keep us safe.
Thursday, March 31, 2005
Reading without understanding
I am reminded of my lessons in biblical studies that in order to understand the printed Scripture, you have to consider the various obstacles or barriers in comprehending the printed text. One on the barriers is culture, that includes the original languages on which the Bible were originally written, values, norms and mores of the writers and their intended audience. There is always the possibility of reading the Bible without understanding.
I have resisted several times taking my part in reading the Bible in Korean language in the daily office devotional-meeting. My justification is that I don't want to read the Bible without understanding it. Being integrated into a particular culture is to be able to speak their language. I agree with this fact of life. Not speaking fluently the language of the people where you work does not necessarily mean you don't like their culture. It is rather attributed to the lack of skill and the lack of opportunity to learn it systematically.
Today the bank teller facilitated my transaction. All the while she thought I am transacting a some kind of Korean currency to U.S. dollar money exchange or what. Then I told her this transaction is for a person living in Kyonggi province. She realized that what she's telling me to do was not correct. The transaction was simpler than she thought. What a pity, oftentimes our well-focused attention to all things Korean or all things English can complicate matters.
This reminds me of Isaiah's statement on the possibility of Israel to go back to their own land because the time has come when God will restore them to their land and many had doubted it. He says "Who has understood the mind of the Lord, or instructed him as his counselor?" (Isa. 40:13ff). While it is important to be literate, it is extremely important as well to comprehend and be understanding, for nobody knows what is in the mind of a person.
I have resisted several times taking my part in reading the Bible in Korean language in the daily office devotional-meeting. My justification is that I don't want to read the Bible without understanding it. Being integrated into a particular culture is to be able to speak their language. I agree with this fact of life. Not speaking fluently the language of the people where you work does not necessarily mean you don't like their culture. It is rather attributed to the lack of skill and the lack of opportunity to learn it systematically.
Today the bank teller facilitated my transaction. All the while she thought I am transacting a some kind of Korean currency to U.S. dollar money exchange or what. Then I told her this transaction is for a person living in Kyonggi province. She realized that what she's telling me to do was not correct. The transaction was simpler than she thought. What a pity, oftentimes our well-focused attention to all things Korean or all things English can complicate matters.
This reminds me of Isaiah's statement on the possibility of Israel to go back to their own land because the time has come when God will restore them to their land and many had doubted it. He says "Who has understood the mind of the Lord, or instructed him as his counselor?" (Isa. 40:13ff). While it is important to be literate, it is extremely important as well to comprehend and be understanding, for nobody knows what is in the mind of a person.
"Feed My Lambs"
Jesus and the disciples meet again by the shore of the Sea of Galilee. There was a miraculous catch of fish that morning and Jesus had breakfast with them. After breakfast, they talked. Jesus asked Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord he said, you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." This was followed by two more questions of the same content and intention and Peter said, "Lord you know all things; you know that I love you"(John 21:15-17).
It is on this resurrection event that Jesus verbalized the concept of love among his disciples. Although the teaching about love for one's neighbor and love for one's enemies was given outstanding treatment in his teachings, there was not much articulation on how the disciples should relate with him and with fellow disciples and with the anticipated followers. In many actual life situations, teachers, professors, and all those who are engage in the teaching and nurture of other people especially the young, seldom verbalize their love for their learners and inversely the learners to their teachers. Most often they express it in ways which shows their genuine concern for the students or learners.
Taken in the Christian ethical point of view, Jesus asked Peter if he is willing to bear witness to the love which he himself experienced in the three years ministry they had. Jesus did not intellectualize his relationships with the disciples, nor dwell solely on their capacity to feel. In this sciptural passage, we can feel with Peter how it is to answer a question of intention and commitment. It is just like standing in a wedding ceremony and being asked questions of commitment and you are expected to say "I do."
Every day, we are confronted with the question of intention and commitment. In the midst of growing commodification of labor and life itself, we are always deluded to think that we are no longer bound by the commitments, but human beings capable of making choices. Social contracts no longer seem to be expressions of good intention and commitment but are instruments of gaining profit and control. It is my hope that again and again I will be confronted with the question "Frank, do you love me more than this?" and deep down in my heart and soul I will answer Christ, "You know that I love you."
It is on this resurrection event that Jesus verbalized the concept of love among his disciples. Although the teaching about love for one's neighbor and love for one's enemies was given outstanding treatment in his teachings, there was not much articulation on how the disciples should relate with him and with fellow disciples and with the anticipated followers. In many actual life situations, teachers, professors, and all those who are engage in the teaching and nurture of other people especially the young, seldom verbalize their love for their learners and inversely the learners to their teachers. Most often they express it in ways which shows their genuine concern for the students or learners.
Taken in the Christian ethical point of view, Jesus asked Peter if he is willing to bear witness to the love which he himself experienced in the three years ministry they had. Jesus did not intellectualize his relationships with the disciples, nor dwell solely on their capacity to feel. In this sciptural passage, we can feel with Peter how it is to answer a question of intention and commitment. It is just like standing in a wedding ceremony and being asked questions of commitment and you are expected to say "I do."
Every day, we are confronted with the question of intention and commitment. In the midst of growing commodification of labor and life itself, we are always deluded to think that we are no longer bound by the commitments, but human beings capable of making choices. Social contracts no longer seem to be expressions of good intention and commitment but are instruments of gaining profit and control. It is my hope that again and again I will be confronted with the question "Frank, do you love me more than this?" and deep down in my heart and soul I will answer Christ, "You know that I love you."
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Unresolved Doubts
"Unless I see the nail piercings in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." This is a well articulated doubt about the reality of the resurrection from Thomas, one of the disciples of Jesus. He is a representative of the many contemporary men and women who cannot be persuaded by the mere heresay or rumors. I suppose Christians should have this kind of skill to separate the grain from the chaff. It is through faith in the risen Christ that the disciples had their powerful proclamation even in front of their detractors. The rational faith is very important in our contemporary world, but this should not prevent us from expressing the emotional aspects of it.
A week later when the disciples were having their weekly meeting to know what were the possibilities of the conntinuity of their ministry, which already rocked the bottom line of Greco-Roman and Jewish authority, Jesus appeared to them. The Gospel of John tells us that Jesus pass through a closed door. Then he said "Peace be to you!" Then he told Thomas to verify the authenticity of his crucifixion and resurrection, filled with awe and wonder he said "My Lord and my God!" Jesus reacted in a manner that confronted Thomas with his unbelief, he said "...blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." This does not mean however that faith is non-rational, Jesus emphasizes faith as response to what was historically revealed. The recognition that God has revealed God-self in the past and now is being revealed in inscrutable ways through Jesus Christ is a courageous act of faith.
Personally I believe in Jesus Christ because his love for me and for humanity is unmatched in history. Just like Thomas I can exclaim "My Lord and my God!"
A week later when the disciples were having their weekly meeting to know what were the possibilities of the conntinuity of their ministry, which already rocked the bottom line of Greco-Roman and Jewish authority, Jesus appeared to them. The Gospel of John tells us that Jesus pass through a closed door. Then he said "Peace be to you!" Then he told Thomas to verify the authenticity of his crucifixion and resurrection, filled with awe and wonder he said "My Lord and my God!" Jesus reacted in a manner that confronted Thomas with his unbelief, he said "...blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." This does not mean however that faith is non-rational, Jesus emphasizes faith as response to what was historically revealed. The recognition that God has revealed God-self in the past and now is being revealed in inscrutable ways through Jesus Christ is a courageous act of faith.
Personally I believe in Jesus Christ because his love for me and for humanity is unmatched in history. Just like Thomas I can exclaim "My Lord and my God!"
Monday, March 28, 2005
Post-Easter Morning
"Why did you come away?" I am wondering what would Peter and the beloved disciple be doing after the Easter morning events. In Matthew's Gospel Jesus instructed the disciples to go to Galilee and the Fourth Gospel tells that Jesus prepared a meal of bread and fish by the shore. This gives us an idea that the disciples after the Easter morning resurrection events went back to Galilee and decided to go fishing. Personally, I doubt if the disciples were really opting to go back to what they've been formerly doing for good. I think they're not. Psychologically persons who went through difficult times, would go on retreat and hopes to get through with it.
Anent this, the disciples could have asked the question "Why did you come away?" It is just like graduating from high and college, when friendships have to end, if not suspended. In the case of Jesus and the disciples, they underwent a process of psychological adjustment--both on the affect and cognitive aspects. The separation between the teacher and student at first can be emotionally disruptive, especially when the learning relationships was not feudal but of respect and genuine concern. But later the teacher in search for his or her own future would inevitably leave and the learners become teachers themselves.
There is that assurance as well that Jesus will come again, in the same manner he left them. He ascended to heaven and now seated at the right hand of God the Parent. While I hope for his coming back, that does not preoccupy my life now, because what is more important is how put to practice what I've learned from Jesus. The post-Easter days of the disciples as we know from the book of Acts of the Apostles were filled with awe and wonder-they change the world in which they live. They had traverse dangerous places and situations. They had weathered the storms of life. Our post-Easter days is living in the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. With that I'm greatly challenged to get a tune-up with the Spirit's fire.
Anent this, the disciples could have asked the question "Why did you come away?" It is just like graduating from high and college, when friendships have to end, if not suspended. In the case of Jesus and the disciples, they underwent a process of psychological adjustment--both on the affect and cognitive aspects. The separation between the teacher and student at first can be emotionally disruptive, especially when the learning relationships was not feudal but of respect and genuine concern. But later the teacher in search for his or her own future would inevitably leave and the learners become teachers themselves.
There is that assurance as well that Jesus will come again, in the same manner he left them. He ascended to heaven and now seated at the right hand of God the Parent. While I hope for his coming back, that does not preoccupy my life now, because what is more important is how put to practice what I've learned from Jesus. The post-Easter days of the disciples as we know from the book of Acts of the Apostles were filled with awe and wonder-they change the world in which they live. They had traverse dangerous places and situations. They had weathered the storms of life. Our post-Easter days is living in the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. With that I'm greatly challenged to get a tune-up with the Spirit's fire.
Sunday, March 27, 2005
How's Easter in Seoul?
Dawn Easter Service at 5:00 A.M. it's our second round here in Seoul. No doubt the sermon was fiery and the Choir anthem was okay and after the service a cup of ginger tea and boiled egg. Later at 9:00 A.M. I attended the high school youth service where at a segment of the youth population of the church is a bit expressive in comparison to the the adult congregation.
If I were in the Philippines, much could be said about and experience on Easter Sunday. Preparations were made way ahead for the liturgical movement from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday. I can recall the mood settings vary from the Thursday which is more reflective--the betrayal, the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, arrest and trial. Then Good Friday--the conviction, crucifixion and death--it is mourning and contrition. Saturday is mourning still. Sunday is triumphant--although ironic Filipinos make Easter very celebrative. Easter Sunday is a fiesta or Pascua.
If I were in the Philippines, much could be said about and experience on Easter Sunday. Preparations were made way ahead for the liturgical movement from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday. I can recall the mood settings vary from the Thursday which is more reflective--the betrayal, the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, arrest and trial. Then Good Friday--the conviction, crucifixion and death--it is mourning and contrition. Saturday is mourning still. Sunday is triumphant--although ironic Filipinos make Easter very celebrative. Easter Sunday is a fiesta or Pascua.
Saturday, March 26, 2005
Black Saturday is Glorious Indeed
Today is Black Saturday or Sabado de gloria. It is black because Christianity observe it as a day when Jesus' mortal body was laid in the tomb. As the Gospel records it, on the day after the Sabbath day, that is, on the first day of the week, Jesus rose from the dead--thus the reality of the empty tomb. Easter Sunday became the centerpiece of the Christian faith. The resurrected Jesus is the Lord of life and history. He is Jesus Christ who is alive and lives and works among us.
In my internet search for Easter meditations I came across the web site called 'Homiletics on line' where it describes the modern method of dead body preservation called 'cryogenic treatment'. Let me briefly quote this material:
Well, this is quite interesting. What does this means to us? A possibility of believing in a frozen Christ or becoming frozen Christians! I can't imagine a Christ that is frozen inside a freezer and then take him out or thaw him when you need him. This Christ was not frozen, he is risen from the dead. He is alive and with us now. Happy Easter friends!
In my internet search for Easter meditations I came across the web site called 'Homiletics on line' where it describes the modern method of dead body preservation called 'cryogenic treatment'. Let me briefly quote this material:
The body of baseball superstar Ted Williams has been put in a freezer, in the hope that this will give him a shot at new life. Sadly, there are plenty of people who are content with a Cryonics Christ. Cryogenics has been all over the news this past year, largely because of the controversy surrounding the freezing of baseball superstar Ted Williams, the "Splended Splinter," one of the greatest players in history and the last Major Leaguer to bat over 400 in a season. When Ted died on July 5 last Summer, a fight broke among his children, pitting his oldest daughter against his youngest son. The daughter wanted his father cremated and his ashes scattered off the Florida coast, as his 1996 will made clear. But the son and another daughter wanted to put the slugger on ice, arguing that they signed a pact with their father in November 2000, agreeing that their bodies would be frozen. The son had Ted's body carted to a cryogenics lab in Scottsdale, ARizona, shortly after his death, and he remains there today, suspended upside down wuth two other bodies in the tomb of liquid nitrogen frozen at minus 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
So Williams was put on ice on the off chance that someday someone might be able to thaw him out and spring him loose.
Well, this is quite interesting. What does this means to us? A possibility of believing in a frozen Christ or becoming frozen Christians! I can't imagine a Christ that is frozen inside a freezer and then take him out or thaw him when you need him. This Christ was not frozen, he is risen from the dead. He is alive and with us now. Happy Easter friends!
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