Walking in the light in these darkened days

 Walking in the light in these darkened days

Reflection of NCCP Bahaginan /Ecumenical Virtual Sharing Session

12 April 2021 9:00-12:00 A.M.

 

Scripture Text:

1 John 1:5-7

 

5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; 7 but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

 

·      Magandang umaga sa inyong lahat. I am requested by the UCCP General Secretary, Bishop Melzar D. Labuntog to share a brief theological reflection for this Bahaginan or Ecumenical Sharing. He could not be with us even on virtual communication because his physician advised him to limit his speaking engagement. We hope to have him back soon in Quezon City. Meanwhile, Ms. Faith Justice Sanchez-Angeles will share the UCCP updates later.

 

·      It wasn’t too long ago when Bishop Broderick Pabillo, the Auxiliary Bishop of Manila challenged the IATF quarantine protocol of Enhanced Community Quarantine imposed in NCR plus Bubble Provinces. He said that the state is intervening in the affairs of the Church by disallowing the holding of Holy Week religious services. 

 

·      He invoked the separation of the affairs of State and the Church. There will be no big mass gathering in the Church but we allow 10 percent of seating capacity masses. This was received with fierce reply from the Presidential spokesperson, Harry Roque, saying that the government will use its police power to stop the holding of religious service violative of the quarantine protocols.

 

·      In one of the meetings of One-Voice with Bishop Pabillo, the time when he just recovered from Covid-19 infection, said that infection of Covid-19 must be considered as regular influenza. I agree with him, the reason why I jokingly asked my colleagues, “Wala na bang trangkaso or flu na hindi Covid-19?” The ECQ protocols have been reimplemented when the reported cases of infection were on daily peak at 8,000 to 10,000 cases. These were translated to more than 200,000 active cases in a week.

 

·      Our national office was one, among NCCP member churches, to have reported infection of Covid-19 last year and all the staff had to be tested, then the second round of infections happened in February and again all the staff had to get RT-PCR test to check who got infected. UCCP national office has to identify the isolation place and it was a debated decision with the local church in Project-6. Then we were informed that the national office of the IFI also succumbed to infection and their offices had to close for half a month due to isolation and quarantine process. 

 

·      Within the period of two weeks, we lost a number of church members and church workers in the UCCP and we mourn for their untimely demise due to sudden occurrence of severe symptoms of heart disease and other chronic diseases which led to complication and eventually died as Covd-19 related causes. There is a need to add adjectives or paired words e.g. Ischaemic heart diseases, neoplasms, and cerebrovascular diseases,[1] to describe the fatality than just “died of Covid-19.” Is it not deception on the part of the DOH and the government that the head count of fatalities on the daily headline are only of Covid-19?.

 

·      Aside from the darkness that the government and the World Health Organization is highlighting is the alarming pandemic that has no cure, that millions have already died and the solution to curb the spread and impact of the virus is to get vaccinated, and for the Philippines, that means vaccination of at least 70 million individuals to get a herd-immunity. But where are the vaccines? Many people inquired. This makes the social darkness even darker.

 

·      Our text from 1 John 1: 5-7 clearly indicates that those who believe in God who was revealed in Jesus Christ must believe in him as God’s Messiah who have shown humanity what it is to live in the light and abhor deception of the power of darkness. 

 

·      Robert M. Brusic wrote in his exegesis of the text: How can we have fellowship with God (who is light) while walking in darkness? How can we say we have no sin when we are sinners? We lie if we do these things, and the truth, which we confess, is not in us. By denying that we are sinners, not only are we liars, but we make God out to be a liar as well. It is bad enough that we should be liars; it is truly ludicrous to make God, who is truth, a liar. What we say and do, then, are not matters to be taken lightly; they have serious consequences. Our confession and action not only demonstrate what we are, but they also reveal what we really think God is. Making God a liar by our smug activity separates us from the truth. Consequently, the word is not in us.[2]

 

·      The Covid-19 pandemic made contrasts on what are the truths about our society: the inefficiency and inadequacy of our health care system that the increase of patient admittance would easily overwhelm it. The unemployment of not less than 4 million has increased by 400 thousand for just two weeks of reimposition of ECQ when workers lost their jobs due to SMEs closure. The pre-existing socio-economic deprivation of millions of Filipinos left them at the margins of the Metropolis, living is squalor due to lack of decent employment and poor urban planning. 

 

·      We have asserted the need for social justice in our country, the immense need for peace talks and the prioritization of social services for the people. We were like a shrill voice in the dark tunnel when the tyrannical strategies were imposed on us, making churches victims of red-tagging, illegal arrests and the freezing of accounts of UCCP-Haran in Davao and religious congregations like the RMP. 

 

·      Finally, on this Eastertide, we declare that the light of God in Jesus Christ overcomes the power of death and challenges the imperial and coercive state powers like in the Philippines to do justice and set free the people from the bondage of powerlessness and oppression. 

 

·      We bring good news of piercing light, pulsating new life, not just today, but in our everyday life in our homes, in society and the world. We should assert the value and dignity of life in our society, articulate the live-giving programs for the people. 

 

·      Let us make our faith alive in prophetic witness, articulating new ways of doing our mission so that fear of diseases like Covid-19, death and even of tyranny will be vanquished. May the vision of God's kingdom is made clearer in our experience of Easter. Amen. +++

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[1]  Philippine Statistics Authority reports that: The top three causes of death in the country in 2020 were ischaemic heart diseases, neoplasms, and cerebrovascular diseases. Incidentally, these were also the leading causes of death in 2019. In 2020, deaths due to ischaemic heart diseases were the leading cause of death with 99.7 thousand cases or 17.3 percent of the total deaths in the country. This was an increase of about 2.3 percent from the 97.5 thousand deaths or 15.7% of the total deaths in 2019. On the other hand, neoplasms, commonly known as “cancer”, came in second with 62.3 thousand deaths or 10.8 percent.  Cerebrovascular diseases were the third leading cause which accounted for 59.7 thousand deaths or 10.4 percent of the total.  Neoplasms and cerebrovascular diseases both showed a decrease  of -9.3 percent and -6.0 percent, respectively, from the previous year.  Deaths due to diabetes mellitus (37.3 thousand or 6.5% share), which ranked fourth in 2020, had an annual increase of 7.8 percent. Meanwhile, deaths due to pneumonia, which recorded 32.6 thousand cases (5.7% share) in 2020, posted a -48.1 percent decrease from 62.7 thousand (10.1% share) in 2019, making it the fifth leading cause of death for the year.: https://psa.gov.ph/content/causes-deaths-philippines-preliminary-january-december-2020

[2]  http://wordandworld.luthersem.edu/content/pdfs/17-2_China/17-2_Brusic.pdf

EASTER 2021: EASTER IS ASSERTING LIFE AT ITS BEST

EASTER 2021: EASTER IS ASSERTING LIFE AT ITS BEST

Our symbolism for Easter is the empty cross with white cloth hanging on the horizontal element of the cross. This is the same multimedia wall painting as earlier describe in my Good Friday post. The photo file is edited using photoshop express and an overlay was applied to get a cubism effect of the background of the painting. The colorful halo symbolizes the innate spiritual power that the sufferer on the cross possesses. The light blue surgical masks signify the immense challenge of the spike in infections of Covid-19 virus in the country. In many ways the pandemic impacted expressions of faith and witness of Christian communities. 

Tonight, on Black Saturday, the Presidential Spokesperson of the Office of the President of the Philippines has announced one more week extension of the Enhanced Community Quarantine in the National Capital Region (NCR) and the surrounding provinces or Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, and Laguna. The reason is centered on lessening the number of cases of medium to severe Covid-19 infections, so as to relieve the bourgeoning number of in-patient hospital occupancy. The DOH data for today show that over 7,274 or 20.7 percent of 35,143 tested was positive. Meanwhile the total accumulated number of infections for several days have reached to 15,310. The almost one week EQC that controlled people's mobility has reduced the percentage of infection but another week of extension as advised by experts will help in curving the spread of infections. 

On Wednesday March 31, a radio-tv station interviewed a Mambabatas or Congress person from Region-6 who happened to be a medical doctor by profession, was inquired whether the government failed in its Covid-19 response or it has done its best, but their best wasn't good enough. She responded that government has been doing too little too late. At the onset of the Covid-19 infections in the country, the government should have conducted free mass RT-PCR testing to immediately isolate the positive ones from the rest. Contact tracing strategies were not effective, the vaccination started too late in comparison to its ASEAN neighbors. Also the health care system has been overwhelmed last year, but no additional facilities were built and no additional benefits for health care workers were afforded. 

Now here we are again: lock down in many communities, punishment are meted out for those violating the quarantine protocols. So, individuals and families, are hoping against all hopes that after two weeks of observance of ECQ, the infection graph curve will flatten. But many cast doubt about the effectivity of the present stances of government IATF and the DOH in managing response to Covid-19 Pandemic. The doubts can be possibly true when the socio-economic life of the Filipinos living in congested areas in the National Capital Region is left unaddressed. 

Basic Health Care System should be dome through empowerment of the barangay level community based response program by employing health and medical personnel to provide health services that are accessible to the people, systematically operationalize the primary and secondary health care centers where mass testing, vaccination and preventive health care education and services are delivered to the people.

Easter Day for Christians is the victory of God's power over the reign of darkness or evil that thrive through state aggression and the systematic exploitation of the poor and the marginalized. In the Easter day narratives from the Synoptic Gospels, we can gather the emotional tremors of the disciples for they have been traumatized of the execution of Jesus on the cross outside the city of Jerusalem. 

In Luke-Acts account, we can empathize with the disciples anxiety and felling of desolation because the shocking experiences of betrayal of Judas, the Last Supper, the arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. The extent of human violence and inhumanity to others, particularly on the poor peasants and artisans who were followers of Jesus was unprecedented. 

They have encountered the iron hand of Imperial Rome in the person of Pilate and the religious-cultural predominance of the Jewish leaders. It looks like that the heavens fell on those at the foot of the cross and on the disciples who were hiding somewhere for fear for their lives, trying to connect the dots of faith and perseverance in the midst of violence and death. 

The resurrection of Jesus Christ overcomes the power of death and challenges the imperial and coercive state powers like in the Philippines to do justice and set free the people from the bondage of powerlessness and oppression. We bring good news of new life, not just today, but in our everyday life in our homes, in society and the world. We should assert the value and dignity of life in our society, articulate the live-giving programs for the people. Let us make our faith alive in prophetic witness, articulating new ways of doing our mission so that fear of disease, death and even of tyranny will be vanquished. May the vision of God's kingdom made clearer in our experience of Easter Day. Amen. +++FJH+

GOOD FRIDAY 2021: FORSAKEN YET VICTORIOUS

 GOOD FRIDAY 2021: FORSAKEN YET VICTORIOUS

Symbol for Today: This is a wall multi-media painting composed of the following: cakebox for its base and paper bags for the dark background. The immediate background of the cross, the circular halo is made of thick cake baseboard painted with poster water colors, light blue disposable face masks, bamboo cross, twisted brown paper bags for the mound and flattened aluminum beer cans, black strip of cloth. This symbolizes the life, suffering and hopes believers have.The brightly colored halo or sun represents the hope for a brighter future for the people. The flattered beer cans symbolize the rich natural and spiritual resources of the Filipino that have been the object of greed by both Filipino and foreign corporations.

I was listening to a religious person being interviewed by a radio-tv newscasters on an evening program of what can he suggest to the listeners for their Holy Week reflections. I really appreciate the tv/radio station anchor persons for giving time for a religious leader to make suggestions. What strikes me most in the suggestions given was the acquiescent attitude or expression in the observance of the Holy Week. Specifically mentioned was the attempt in conditioning people not to complain even when they are suffering due to government policies. I can't imagine myself losing the balance between contemplative and active aspects of my spirituality. One can emphasize the active involvement in the issues and concerns of people in society, making them contemporary prophets, analyzing the political, economic, social and cultural aspects of people's lives. But concentrating on the contemplative aspects of spirituality, would somehow limit our faith and witness in the halls of our churches.

It has been thirty (30) years since I started my Pastoral Ministry in Western Visayas Conference, after completing my M.Div. in 1991. I have celebrated the almost same number of Holy Week liturgical celebrations, and Good Friday service is the most challenging of all because of the theological treaties that get into it. At the same time the psychological impact of the trial of Jesus before Caiphas, the chief of the Jewish Council, the face to-face with Pontius Pilate and Herod. Then we walk with Jesus on the Via Dolorosa to Golgotha, then the Via Crucis or the way and experiences of the crucifixion where we hear the words of Jesus on the cross few hours before he died. 

Theological treatises of God's forgiveness has often been interpreted as the eradication of all hatred and animosity between the God and human beings, and human to human interrelationships. However, there is the tendency to jumped into the theology of sin and forgiveness with less emphasis on God's justice and reconciliatory acts. Classical theologies would not jump into cheap grace for those who have wronged their neighbor, God's grace entail a remorse, a turn around or metanoia from sin to accepting God's pardon. Violence inflicted on persons because they assert their right to life, is not free from culpability from the law.

Then we have the theological treatise of Paradise, which has its origin in Genesis, where Eden was the primordial place of innocence and at the same time of disobedience and punishment. A thief asked to be remembered in Paradise, but Jesus told him he will be with him in Paradise. Well Paradise means a refuge from the pain and agony, an ethereal place and abode for troubled souls. It sounds like a panacea for someone who has terminal illness or facing an impending death and the only comforting word leave to appease him is "You will be with in Paradise."

These words can be synonymous with "You are not alone, we are here to help you, we love you." Many of those who died of lung viral infection mostly related to SARS-2 Covid-19 virus, have been prevented from having family members surround them at the last few hours of their lives. Then family members could no longer touch the physical body when the loved one died. Only a bucket of ashes is surrendered to the family members. We hope and pray they joined Jesus in Paradise.

Furthermore, in the Via Crucis, the social relations of generation and gender come into view. Mothering a Messiah is not easy as we all know how children in their teens and early adulthood have been having tumultuous behavior. A mother cannot resist feeling compassion for her son and even if the son is wayward in his lifestyle, the mother would have extra patience for him. But here is Jesus, Mary's Son, who is hanging on the cross being penalized for capital crime of treason and blasphemy. "Woman, here is your Son, and to the disciples, there is your Mother." 

This is truly transcendental of the strict family relations, in contrast to the tribal social relations that consider every child, a child of all families. Christian communities must be accepting of the orphans, widows, single mothers and those who belong to LGBT genders. Jesus entrusting his mother to the disciple has patriarchal nuances in Jesus words on the cross, yet the value of that in our modern world is captures in the paraphrase, "Woman here is your Son, being executed, you will lose him, "and to the disciples, "there is your mother, comfort her, and you will be one community."

There is that intense feeling of pain and pulsating of the nervous system as the body is drained and exhausted. Wouldn't we say, "I'm hungry" or "I'm thirsty" and the natural instinct is to find food or water to satisfy the need. Yet, the feeling of being forsaken is more intense than thirst of hunger. This human sense of dereliction or feeling abandoned by friends and family members is unbearable. More so the feeling of the being cut-off from divine's direct assistance, thus, "My God, my God why have you forsaken me?" a remorseful utterance that those political-military operatives listening to Jesus, thought that calling to God for help is weak and wearisome stance at the point of death. Yet, it is an utterance of resistance from the virulent powers-that-be that profits from the use of torture as punitive means for those who assert the value of life and the sovereignty of God over people's lives and over all creation.

Completing a job gives one a sense of fulfillment and a shout out "It is finished." Dying on the cross as punishment for blasphemy and treason would be too much and would outweigh innocence by political vendetta on the weighing scale. Jesus started his public ministry three years before his execution and all human circumstances that led his death were interpreted as within the purview of God's plan. Even Jesus himself espoused this kind of interpretation that his mission is to voluntarily offer his life as a ransom for the sins of the world. Nobody understand that, except him, the Son of God. 

In another sense we can assume that Jesus, despite his willingness to let the cup of suffering and death pass before him, or be free from the violent convulsions of the Jewish religious leaders and the leaders of the Roman Empire, but that internal struggle to be scathe free was lost in Jesus utterance, "it is not my will, but yours be done." It is within this yell "It is finished" that the god-human sacrifice has been realized. God allowed this execution to happen? Perhaps for a greater reason than blood sacrifice to appease God, but to stop the practice of human sacrifices that are consequences of mishandling of justice. Somehow, Jesus work for salvation was completed, but remain incomplete for modern day executions are prevalent, in extrajudicial killings or tokhang, because the state and to those the task of meting out justice was given, mishandle justice for the poor, deprived and oppressed.

Finally, before Jesus had his last breathe, commended his spirit to God, "Into your hands I commit my spirit." Death doesn't have the final word for our lives. Even when we leave our mortal bodies to death and dust, our God awaits for us somewhere which the Bible describes as a place of respite from pain, violence, hunger or thirst. We will rest in God's abiding places. Our faith in God's power giving us new life is a hope provoking inspiration for all of us. May we everyday, say, "O compassionate and loving God, I commit my life to you." Amen. +++

MAUNDY THURSDAY 2021: FREEZE IN SPRING

 MAUNDY THURSDAY 2021: FREEZE IN SPRING

It is the second time around that the National Capital Region (NCR) of the Philippines is under strict quarantine protocol called Enhance Community Quarantine (ECQ). The first was last year on April 9, 2020. On this holy week commemoration, tonight I felt the urge to meditate on the meaning and significance of the Maundy Thursday in the life of the Church, the Filipino nation and the world. I oblige myself to have original photos or creating contemporary symbolism of the passion, death and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. This year I have prepared at least two. For tonight is the picture of cinnamon roll bread, a mug of hot chocolate drink made of tablea or cacao tablets melted in hot water. The other is for Good Friday, the bamboo cross with background of different materials forming a multimedia wall painting. This will be used for tomorrow's reflection.

Maundy Thursday emotionally affects us in two ways, it evokes human remorse at the experience of betrayal or being left alone by those who used to assure us that they love and care for us. Jesus' disciples loved, respected and honored Jesus, their Teacher and their Friend. Yet after several years, we find out that some of our trusted friends or even loved ones, failed in their promises and commitment. 

Aside from betrayal, Maundy Thursday dissects our core spirituality, such as our internalization of servanthood, illustrated by Jesus in the washing of the feet of the disciples, and the impression of agape or love for humanity especially those who are left alone in despair and darkness. Indeed many of us maturing Christians have paid lip service to our core spirituality of humility and servanthood. It is often mistaken that humility is giving unconditional assent to those in authority, e.g. parents, clergy, government leaders and even the big capitalist next door. No, humility before God is allowing ourselves to be God's spokesperson for the poor, deprived and marginalized. When we assert for the rights and welfare of the least among us, we have crossed the life-giving shore from self-aggrandizement and self-love.

Whether we are common church member or are elected in the Church's hierarchy as clergy or bishops, our servanthood is tested at the crucible of violence and aggression inflected by those who refused to be converted on the side of the suffering people, the people who are famished and unemployed and succored. The Covid-Pandemic as well tests our endurance of faith and commitment to serve our people.

Spring time has arrived in the northern hemisphere, like in Japan and Korea. The cherry blossoms have started blooming, nature's way of announcing of Spring or the coming of warm season and in the Philippines the experience of tropical Summer. But as the Korean would express the drop to freezing temperature in April as "Winter is jealous of the beauty of Spring."  Freeze in Spring, a contradiction in terms of feeling, but worse would be a freeze order of our UCCP Haran account and property made the government's Anti-Money Laundering Council. 

In UCCP Council of Bishops' Press and Pastoral statements  on issued on 30 March, the Church condemns the Freeze Order released by AMLAC on March 12 and published at the government's PNA news portal on March 28, 2021. The single account was in the name of UCCP Haran and it is has a balance of roughly 72 thousand pesos, an amount that would not even warrant an account freeze as the minimum amount is 500 thousand pesos. How can the Church support terrorism with such a meager amount which is used to pay the monthly electric, water and telephone bills? Haran is a peace shelter or place of refuge for distressed people, like the indigenous people in Mindanao or the Lumads. The center has hosted and cared for the Lumads for more than seven years already. The reasons why they were displaced was mentioned in the statements. You can visit the UCCP webpage https://web.facebook.com/uccphilippines.

On the night when Jesus was betrayed, he took bread, and after giving thanks to God, he broke it, saying, "This is my body broken for you. Take, eat in remembrance of me." In the same manner he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, poured our for you and for many, for the forgiveness of sins. Drink of it, all of you, in remembrance of me." 

Food is essential for the nourishment of our bodies, otherwise, our bio-systems will fail, without food. Even the humble lugaw or rice porridge is essential food. In Seoul, Korea, there are many Porridge Restaurants, and a serving of a porridge of your choice is as expensive as your regular meal of meat or fish. The IATF written protocols of what is essential and non-essential should be translated in Filipino or Tagalog and provide a definition of what they mean by those categories. But this is one of the many hilarious experiences, that when delve deeper exposes the level of depravity of the Filipino people and the excesses of the government leaders, to the point of tyranny.

Maundy Thursday reminds us of the fruit of the vine and the wine press that made wine possible for dinner and for special occasions. Tasting varieties of wine is not common for our ordinary folks, but with our children getting a better paying jobs allowed then to dine in like a member of the bourgeoisie and enjoy wine drinking and few others would spend handsome amount of money for cognac brandy and others. 

No, the wine that Jesus mentioned is his blood, the life giving blood that would present us cleansed for a life of compassionate love and for life-giving incarnation where the power of evil and darkness is strong and oppress people. The new covenant has been inaugurated in the life, passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In partaking of the bread and wine, we proclaim the Lord's death, until he comes back. What a joy it will be to join the banquet where peacemakers, justice and human rights advocates and those who unconditionally love their neighbor as themselves sit and dine together. + +FJH-01April 2021-

With you, I am well pleased

 Sermon Title: “With you, I am well pleased”

UCCP Maasin City, Southern Leyte

10 January 2021

by Frank J. Hernando

 

Texts: Isaiah 55: 1-13; Mark 1: 4-11

 

Isaiah 55:1-13

55Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. ²Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.³Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. ⁴See, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. ⁵See, you shall call nations that you do not know, and nations that do not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.

⁶Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near;⁷let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. ⁸For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. ⁹For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. ¹⁰For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, ¹¹so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. ¹²For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. ¹³Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

Mark 1:4-11

⁴John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.⁶Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. ⁸I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

⁹In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.¹¹And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

 

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I N T R O D U C T I ON

Good morning. Happy New Year everyone! I’m sure that all of us have welcome the new year 2021 with thanksgiving in our hearts that even we traversed the threats and consequences brought about by the Covid-19 Pandemic, we slowly overcome our fears and strengthen our faith that God will graciously save us from the perils that lurk within and outside of our communities. 

 

Once again, I would like to thank all the leaders and members of this church, the UCCP Maasin City for the gracious opportunity to preach God’s Word on several services during the Advent and Christmas Season. I have come to the end of my 28-day holiday break tomorrow, and on Tuesday, I will be travelling back to Quezon City to resume my work at the national office. The Office of General Secretary prays for you to preserve the dynamic unity of the local church, and everyone will contribute towards the making of a church that is vibrant,  exuberant, and  bearing witness to Jesus Christ as Lord of life and creation. / 

 

Ang Office of General Secretary padayon nga nag-ampo alang kaninyo aron magpadayon ang aktibo nga panaghiusa niiining simbahan, ug ang matag usa  mag-amot sa ilang mga gasa ug bahandi alang sa paghimo sa iglesia nga buhi, malipayon, ug nagasaksi sa kamatuoran ni Jesu-Krsto.

 

O N E

Today, we commemorate the baptism of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is an integral part of the God’s Epiphany in the person of Jesus Christ, one of the persons in God’s trinitarian revelation or pagpadayag sa Dios sa iyang kaugalingon ngadto sa katawhan, sa mga Judio ug mga Gentil or dili-Judio. Together with the lectionary texts of the baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ is the reading from the book of prophet Isaiah, chapter 55: 1-13. 

 

The prophet envisioned something new for God’s people, a kind of life that many of the returning Israelites to Jerusalem after their disheartening experiences of discrimination in Babylon, however, there were extraordinary individuals and families who improved their economic life while working there and waiting for the dawning of God’s time when they can be liberated and start their lives all over again. 

 

The first few verses of chapter 55 are an open invitation to anyone who is hungry or thirsty. This reminds us of the market place call to buy. However, this call is a total contradiction because you can buy without paying. What is offered is free. The Old Testament contains some of the most amazing offers of God's love which are parallel to that in the New Testament. 

 

This vision of God’s offer of food, water, things that constitute the basic necessities in order to live a decent life in the community may sound utopian, but this is quite real in the experiences of many poor families and communities during the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), when the only way to get food for oneself and for one’s family is wait for ayuda or food packs and a little cash. 

 

I think this ethical reversal, that is, what is the right thing to do is to give out food, water and basic necessities in life was based on the actual experiences of Israelites in Babylon who have been economically marginalized and those who have achieved economic stability and sustainability. This means that, returning home to Jerusalem should proceed with a new way of relating with disadvantaged families and neighbors. 

 

Overseas migrant workers, either sea or land based, have developed an interpersonal and inter-family solidarity as a means of overcoming difficulties in the workplace and become extraordinarily generous as they contribute substantial amount of donations to their organization, to the religious group to which they belong and extend soft loans to their fellows who have been in financial woes.  This is beyond usual solidarity and concern for kapwa manggagawa.

 

But what about the behavior of migrant workers when they return home? Traditionally, those who have worked overseas would bring home expensive liquor, chocolates for the kids, and other kinds of gifts as peace offering to family and friends. I guess this has changed in the last decades when precious savings are not wasted on expensive gifts, but offer a thanksgiving service perhaps and donate to charities and alumni organizations and others, that would somehow express their membership in organizations or religious group. 

 

The overseas migrant workers have significantly contributed to the economic development of their families, communities and the nation as a whole. But overseas employment remained precarious, and the State should reverse the policies on migration and development, and that is not just giving the OFWs ayuda, but make a reversal of economic policies that are inspired by the biblical and ethical principles that would eradicate the gap in the economic life across socio-economic classes in society. 

 

T W O

 

Moreover, following the invitation to come to eat and drink without payment, is the renewal of the covenant promise which had been made with David. This renewal of promise or comprehensive agreement looks as though a certain historical juncture of the Davidic line has ended in exile. It is in fact being examined in the light of the new historical circumstances and has been expanded beyond the elite Davidic line to include the whole of Israel. The everlasting covenant is with the whole people of God. 

 

I am amazed at how the prophet provided the configuration of the new covenant with God’s people and not just with the elite leaders or monarchy of Israel and Judah. There were required actions and attitude that God’s people are expected to exhibit as they start building the new socio-economic systems.  The guideposts for this is to ensure the egalitarian social life  for the many, justice is institutionalized and peace is the result of the forsaking of the evil thoughts of the leaders and the members of the community, e.g. their arrogance and greed that led to their downfall as a nation. 

 

Isn’t that we always underestimate the power of God to change the course of history? We used to think that our thoughts are higher that God’s thoughts.  We thought God will always bless us and take side with our interests, resulting in taking advantage of our fellow members, or demeaning the church workers for flimsy reasons like their English language ability is imperfect, or their sermons are below our expectations, or their assertiveness to correct matters in the church seem confrontational. Aren’t these thoughts unbecoming? We would like to let them pack their things and go, for we say, “anyway, pastors come and go”, instead of listening to each other, threshing out differences in opinion and levelling-off perceptions. God’s thoughts are higher than ours. 

 

When we are prejudiced with our church workers or even with our poor and struggling church members, we violate God’s command to love God with all our heart, mind and soul and our neighbor as ourselves. We cannot discern the frustration the church workers who have to endure the anguish they experienced because they were not respected. Worse, is to put the blame on the church workers for frustrating the vested political and economic interest of the “powerful” in the church. 

 

God has God’s own way of making sure that God’s will for a just and peaceful nation will not return to God like vanishing thin air. God will make sure that those who usurp God’s power will not see the dawning of a new dispensation. Our church from the local, conference and general assembly levels need new ways of relating and our personal vested interests must be subsumed to the holy will of God in Jesus Christ.

 

The Covid-19 Pandemic with its cost to the lives of ordinary people and the consequences in the life of our Christian communities, has somehow level-off everyone—all persons can be infected by the virus and can get seriously ill and pass on to the great beyond. Tanan nga tao nahadlok matakdan sa virus, ug tanan nga paagi sa pag-amping sa atong ikaayong panglawas atong ginahimo. 

 

The prophet keeps reminding us that the Hebrew word nephesh or 'soul' refers to the whole being and not some separate part within the human being. Through moral and ethical relationship with God, one finds the fullness of life. In the reversal of the socio-economic systems that God intended for God’s people, there is a need for a re-understanding of historical experiences and how the quality of life that God has given to human beings had been violated due to negligence of taking care the vulnerable people in our society and those in the nations around the world.

 

T H R E E

 

Finally, we touch down into Jesus Christ’s baptism at the Jordan River by John the Baptist. In the Hollywood movies that we have seen, such as “The Last Temptation of Jesus,” and few others, Jesus went to the Jordan River, where his cousin John baptized women and men with the repentant baptism. In the Gospel narratives we hear that John the Baptist introduced Jesus to the crowd who were gathered at Jordan to listen to his preaching about the imminent coming of the kingdom of God. People came from the surrounding rural villages of Judea and even from Jerusalem were subsistence farmers and marginalized shepherds were baptized. 

 

John the Baptist’s declaration that he will baptize them with water, Jesus, on the other hand will baptize them with the Holy Spirit. I believe this announcement was new, because predecessors of John did not mention much about the Holy Spirit, aside from the strong wind that animated the dry bones as prophet Ezekiel prophesied or in creation story when God blew his breathe on the first woman and man. 

 

Jesus’ ministry had been associated with the life of the those who were called “sinners” such as the tax collectors, the poor peasants, and those who came to for baptism at Jordan River were of their kind or social background. Jesus asked John to baptize him, a sinner’s baptism, although he did not sin. Jesus’ baptism revealed that indeed he is God’s beloved child as the voice from heaven declares "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased." 

 

This Jesus from Galilee is the Son of God, the Messiah? Most of Jesus' contemporaries rejected this claim. Certainly, the religious and political establishment of the day ridiculed the claim and condemned Jesus to death on a cross. A claimant to the throne of power should be eliminated. Even his own disciples wondered what kind of messiah he was turning out to be. 

 

The disciples were in disbelief that the Messiah that God has sent to the world will die a most horrid death. Peter's protest when Jesus began telling him and the other disciples that suffering and death awaited him (Mark 8). No one can accuse Jesus or God of acting in conventional or expected ways! A messiah cannot die, was the long-held perspective of the day. 

 

We find here the mystery of God's ways in the world. At the same time, we can discern that the conventional way of political and economic control is to kill the challenger, more so make his claims unpopular and make him a fool if not, a subversive or terrorist. Jesus’ and Mark's Christian community believed a claim that nearly everyone else laughed at. Paul said that the cross was foolishness and a stumbling block (1 Cor 1:23). It still is. 

 

Yet, paradoxically, it is also the power of God for salvation. How can we continue to live out our Christian faith today in a society that is increasingly skeptical and apathetic toward the gospel? There is one way: to depend on the power of the gospel offered to us through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. 

 

When the circumstances of life all around us raise unsettling questions about the validity of our faith claims, let Jesus be our paradigm of perseverance in the face of doubts and questions. As John the Baptist testified, it is this Jesus who is able to baptize with the Holy Spirit. To submit to the baptism of the Holy Spirit administered by Jesus means that we find in him the resources that enable us to remain faithful when the odds are against us. [1]

 

God declares in the voice from heaven that Jesus is the one in whom God is well pleased. That points to Jesus as the suffering servant, and it was the one thing that Jesus needed to keep him focused on his mission in the midst of the ridicule and opposition that he would face. 

 

I believe that as Christians, we believe in the saving grace of God through Jesus Christ, our Savior. Most of us have been baptized as infants or as adults. We were nurtured in the understanding that baptism, or the use of water as the sacred symbol of cleansing from sin enables us to restore our relationship with God. 

 

In infant baptism, it is the faith of the parents that ensures that the child baptized into the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is nurtured and grasped by the child as he/she grows into maturity. It is also an act of initiating the child into the community of faith, such as inclusion into the communicant membership of the church through the local church or parish. Baptism for adults is understood as a visible sign of metanoia or repentance from sin to righteousness before God.

 

As members of the body of Jesus Christ, we have been baptized into his life, ministry, suffering, death and resurrection. Our membership in the church is not just a privilege, but entails responsibilities that enables the entire constituency of the church to grow and mature in the likeness of Jesus Christ. When we assume responsibilities and duties in the church, we ought to be motivated by our faith in God and empowered by the Holy Spirit, so that the unity of the church will flourish and collective life of the church resembles the dawning of the kingdom of God in our world.

 

P R A Y E R

 

Loving God, we thank God for reminding us of Jesus Christ’s baptism. We learn that in his baptism, he was your beloved Son with whom you are well pleased. We may not reach Jesus’ level of commitment and dedication that his baptism commissioned him to live out, yet we ask for discernment of how we can be compassionate in our relationships in our families, our church and our communities. May we participate in the reversal of values, in moral and ethical norms so that we may enhance the growth of the kingdom of love, justice and peace that Jesus Christ has inaugurated.

 

For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. ¹³Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. (Isa. 55: 12-13). Blessings of love, joy and peace to you all. Amen.

 

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Reference: Anna Grant Henderson. http://otl.unitingchurch.org.au/index.php?page=saiah-55-1-9

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[1]  Dennis Bratcher. http://www.crivoice.org/lectionary/YearB/Bepiphany1nt.html

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PRAYER FOR THE NEW YEAR-2021

 

PRAYER FOR THE NEW YEAR-2021
by Frank J. Hernando

Merciful God, we thank you for the passing year, with all its joys, challenges and problems that we have experienced. We thank you for our overcoming of the powers of evil that demean and inflict inhumane acts on our dignity and humanity. We thank you for being with us and for being with those whose lives have been marred with poverty and helplessness and even with struggles. We know where to find you, but somehow we missed seeing you in unexpected places. Thank you for protecting us from the perils of the pandemic and we ask for your continued presence and saving grace in the new year. We are rest assured that our faith in you will strengthen the unity of the church and intensify our solidarity and generosity to the most vulnerable and the least ones in our community. Blessings of love, joy and peace be with us all in the new year. Amen.