Maagang Pagturo ng Christian Perfection

Maagang pagturo ng Christian Perfection ni Neki Soriano, MD. MDiv.

Sermon given during the Joy Kiddy Garden Sunday of Kamuning United Methodist Church last February 23, 2014.

Ngayon ay Joy Kiddy Garden Sunday. Ito ang araw kung saan pinapahalagahan natin ang ministry natin sa edukasyon ng mga bata. Ngayon din ay bahagi pa rin ng Love Month at sa Linggong ito ay ang pagmamahal sa mga taong may karamdaman. Ang ating special focus sa linggong ito ay ang ministry natin ay sa mga people with HIV and AIDS. Itong dalawang ito ay nagtutugma sa ating teksto na patungkol sa pagtawag ng Panginoon sa lahat ng Kristiyano na mahalin ang kapwa at maging perpekto gaya ng ama nating nasa langit na perpekto.

Bago tayo magbulay-bulay, alam ba ninyo kung bakit marami sa mga Metodista ang walang maalalang spiritual birthday? Ako hindi ko maalala ang spiritual birthday ko? Alam nyo bakit? Mamaya, ikukuwento ko.

Ang nais kong pagbulay-bulayan natin ngayong umaga ay ang Christian perfection. “Be perfect as your father in heaven is perfect.” Ngunit madalas iba ang itinuturo sa atin ng ating society. Ang pop culture natin ay nagsasabing Nobody’s Perfect. At dahil dito, madami sa atin ang hindi na nangangarap ng Christian perfection. OK na sa kanila ang maging makasalanan. OK na rin sa mga Kristiyano na hindi umasam na maging perpekto katulad ng Ama niyang nasa langit. Ok na ang hindi perpekto ang pag-ibig natin sa sarili, sa kapwa, sa kalikasan at sa lahat ng nilalang ng Diyos. That is the problem.

I would like to share with you a report from the World Vision on Spiritual Nurture of Children:

-           The moral values of Filipino children and youth are said to be deteriorating over the past years...

o   Based on the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS)

§  3 out of 10 youths are smokers

§  Most of them are 13 to 15 years old

o   The 2008 Philippine National Health and Demographic Survey (NHDS) reports that:

§  3 out of 10 women ages 15-24 have begun child bearing

§  Among women 25-49 y.o., 3% had their first sexual intercourse by the age of 15.

o   In the United Nationals Population Fund (UNFPA) 2011 report, there was a 70% rise of teenage pregnancy rate in just ten years (1999 to 2009).

o   In the 2011 Family Health Survey conducted by National Statistics Office it shows that 7.4% (320,162) of the women aged 15-19 years old are already mothers with 10,483 mothers started bearing a child at the age of 15 years old.

o   AIDS Registry in the Philippines reported 10,514 people living with HIV/AIDS (DOH, 2013). It has been noted that the root cause of sexually transmitted infection are risky health behaviour, multiple sex partner, same sex relationship, early sex debut, unprotected sex, even indiscriminate drug use, and exploitative relationships. 

We are not condemning people with HIV and AIDS or those with lifestyle diseases. We though acknowledge that deteriorating moral values are contributory to these conditions. The problem with the deteriorating moral values of our society today begins with our inability to nurture our children towards Christian perfection... early in life.

Ano ang dapat ituro? What should we teach our children?

Dapat turuan natin ang ating mga anak na maging ganap dahil an gating Ama sa langit ay ganap. We should teach our Children to live a holy life, “Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Our readings from Leviticus and from Matthew remind us to be perfect, to be holy. John Wesley, ang founder ng Metodista, ay tinawag at tinuro sa atin ang Christian Perfection.

Pero ano nga ba ang Christian perfection?

Ang turo ni John Wesley sa mga Metodista ay: dapat ang buhay ng tao ay isang paglalakbay patungo sa paggaya kay Hesus at maging katulad niya na ganap o banal. Banal ang puso sa pagmamahal sa kapwa, sa kalikasan, sa lipunan at sa Diyos. Ito ay ang perfect relationship with God sa pamamagitan ng banal na puso na merong banal na pag-ibig. A state of relationship with God wherein our heart is perfected with a perfect love for God.

Ang teksto natin ngayon ay nagpapakita ng 2 halimbawa ng perpektong pagmamahal sa diyos. Two examples about loving God – two occasions where we are instructed to be Perfect as God is Perfect. Una, sa Leviticus tinuturo kung paano natin sisimulan ang paglalakbay sa Christian perfection. Ika niya, dapat daw mahalin natin ang ating kapwa. Sa Israel noong una kung saan sila ay isang agrarian country, itinuturo kung paano nila ipapakita ang pagmamahal nila sa kanilang kapwa. Eto ang ilang halimbawa:

-          Magtira kayo ng mga aanihin ng mga pulubi para sa kanilang pamilya; huwag niyong pupulutin yung nahulog sa ubasan.

o   Alam ba ninyo sa panahon natin ngayon, yung pagkain natin sa restaurant ginagawang pagpag ng mga kapatid nating walang makain? Pero kung ubos yung manok na inorder mo sa McDo, tapos pati buto nginuya mo pa, wala nang matitira sa mga mahihirap na umaasa sa pagpag.

-          Huwag kayong magnanakaw o magdadaya.

o   Kapag sinasabi yung pandaraya at pagnanakaw ay agad kung naaalala yung pork barrel scam. Nagtataka talaga ako, malamang hindi tinuruan noong kindergarten ang mga opisyales na ito na masama ang magnakaw kahit limang piso lang yan.

-          Huwag magnanakaw ng sweldo at ipagpapabukas

o    Magpasweldo naman kayo ng nasa oras. Lagi nating nadirinig yung delayed ang sweldo sa gobyerno, yung mga doctor sa Manila wala pa daw sweldo. Eh yung mga kasambahay niyo?

-          Huwag manlalait ng bingi o maglagay ng katitisuran ng bulag

o   Mga kapatid, huwag niyong pag-tripan yung mga maysakit. Lalo na yung mga may HIV and AIDS. Magbubulungan sa simbahan, “Uy, si babae may HIV yan kasi iba-iba ang kinakasama.” May sakit na nga pinagtsitsismisan at sinisiraan pa.

o   Social stigma and discrimination against people with HIV and AIDS is a social sin! Tignan niyo yung katabi niyo. If he or she has AIDS, tatabihan niyo ba siya?

-          Huwag ninyong kapootan sa inyong puso ang inyong kapatid o kapitbahay, huwag maghiganti

o   Huwag daw tayo magtanim ng galit sa kapwa, tanda ito ng pagmamahal natin sa kanila.

Eto ang ilan sa mga halimbawa ng pagmamahal sa kapwa.

Sa Matthew naman itinuturo kung paano natin ipagpapatuloy ang paglalakbay sa Christian perfection. Mula sa pagmamahal sa kapwa ang paglalakbay natin bilang Kristiyano ay magtuturo sa atin na mahalin din kahit ating mga kaaway. Sa kaharian ng Diyos, hindi lang ang mga malapit sa buhay natin ang mahal natin. Pati ang mga nananakit sa atin, tumutuligsa sa atin at naninira sa atin ay dapat mahalin natin. Nagbigay uli ng halimbawa sa Mathew ngpagmamahal kahit sa ating mga kaaway:

-          Ang pagturn ng other cheek ay hindi para masaktan ka ng lalo kundi para mapahiya ang nanakit sa iyo na gusto kang saktan

o   Ito ay dahil kahit anong gawin niyang paninira at pananakit sa iyo ay hindi ka niya kayang saktan dahil sa pagmamahal mo sa kanya. Ang tunay na pagmamahal sa kapwa ay hindi nawawala kahit na ikaw ay masaktan man. Iba ito sa carino brutal o yung sa violence against women and children.

o   Ito ay parang si Annaliza, yung bidang babae sa teleserye sa hapon. Kahit ilang beses siyang saktan at itakwil ng kanyang kapatid na si Arlene ay mahal pa rin ni Annaliza si Arlene.

-          Ang pagbigay mo sa iyong damit kapag hinubaran ka ay tanda ulit nga tunay na pagmamahal dahil hindi ka mapapahiya bagkus sila ang mahihiya sa ginawa nila sa iyo.

o   Ganito ang kultura noong unang panahon. Ang pagmamahal mo sa kapwa ay tunay at ganap na kahit laitin ka ay ang nanlalait ang mapapahiya sa kanyang ginagawa dahil buo pa rin ang pag-ibig mo sa kapwa mo.

-          Na kahit utusan ka na maglakad ng isang milya ay sasama ka pa ng isang higit pa dahil hindi ang utos nila ang sinusundo mo bagkus ang pag-ibig mo sa kapwa ang siyang nagtulak sa iyo na lumakad pa.

o   Tinanong ko minsan ang isang missionary kung bakit siya tumutulong ipaalam ang HIV and AIDSsa mga tao sa simbahan kahit na ang mga simbahan mismo ang nagtakwil at nandiri sa kanya. Ika niya, hindi dahil sa sweldo kundi dahil mahal niya ang mga taong tumutuligsa sa kanya at ayaw niyang patuloy silang gumawa ng kasalanan sa panlalait sa kanya.

Ang tanong ngayon, kelan natin sisimulan ang paglalakbay na ito ng Christian Perfection? When do we start our spiritual journey and discipleship?

The answer is simple. We start them early, as early as Kindergarten. We learn about loving God and faithful servants in our formation as kindergarten students. That is also the reason why I sent my kids to a UMC church. We sent them to Joy Kiddy Garden because we believe in their vision. The JKGLC believes every child is created in God’s image and treasure from the lord. It cultivates every child’s uniqueness according to God’s mandates and blueprint to become well-rounded and faithful servants. JKGLC aspires to be at the forefront of Christian witness through education. We also want our kids to be well-rounded disciples and learn from a Christian environment that provides  developmentally appropriate learning experience. That is another reason why I sent my kids to Joy Kiddy Garden.

Pero garantiya ba na magiging mabuting Christian ang mga batang ito? Even if we start them early, can we still fall out of the journey to Christian perfection?

Yes, John Wesley taught that we can fall out of relationship with God. Kapag nagakakasala tayo ay lumalayo tayo sa diyos at nasisira muli ang relasyon natin sa kanya at ang paglalakbay natin sa Christian perfection ay naantala. Kapag hindi natin minamahal ang kapwa natin at ang mga kaibigan natin ay mahirap tayong umusad sa Chrsitian perfection. Saan pa papunta ang buhay Kristiyano natin kung hindi tayo umuusad?

If we can fall out of grace, can we go back into our journey? Puede pa ba tayong bumalik sa paglalakbay patungong Chrsitian perfection? God’s prevenient grace calls us to love God and accept God’s forgiveness. We can back slide but we can still love God again and get back on track. That is the Good News my dear brothers and sisters. Kahit ilang beses pa tayong matisod at magkamali ang pag-ibig ng Diyos ay nananatili. We can still pursue Christian perfection even after we have committed sin.

In conclusion, nais kung sagutin ang tanong bakit maraming metodista ang walang matandaang spiritual birthday?

Tayong metodista ay makasalanan. Huwag na tayong pa- “as if” righteous. In our faith journey we have fallen back countless times. But we can always return and ask God for forgiveness. Everytime we ask God we renew our relationship and we renew our spiritual journey and experience another spiritual rebirth. Puedeng marami tayong spiritual birthday sa ating journey as many times as we fall out of relationship with God. But the first birthday is always special and we always hope that we never fall back.

Our Christian values as a society is deteriorating because we have failed to teach Christian perfection even to our children. Pakinggan natin ang utos ng Panginoon, turuan natin an gating mga bata ng maaga at bumalik din tayo sa ating paglalakbay sa Christian perfection. Makinig tayo sa utos ng Biblia: “Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

100 Days after the Supertyphoon Yolanda: What is missing in building back better?

The strategy of building back better is not enough.

I had a talk with a survivor of Supertyphoon Yolanda and I was blessed by her words.

She said thank you for the work World Vision is doing in affected areas including Leyte and in rebuilding their town. But she said, the call to "build back better" is scary. She is afraid that the people are building back better the houses that were destroyed, the facilities, the businesses, the systems and other materials things damaged by the supertyphoon and that that may also be the focus of Christian NGOs and FBOs as well.

She said that Yolanda happened and became a wake up call for the people about their sins. People have recognized that their behaviors and their actions were sinful in that they destroyed the environment, they cut down trees to make way for rice fields, coco farms and factories, they failed to give value to human lives and the environment more than monetary profit, that they have forgotten to worship God and worked even on Sundays to earn more, to sell all the harvest from the crops to earn more and forgot to return to God part of the harvest, and many other sinful ways and acts. They have made profit their idols and turned away from God.

She is scared that when people will build back better, is that they will build back only a better worldly structure but they will not build back a better moral values and spirituality. That people will forget that their crooked ways and sinful life that led to risky actions and behaviors will not be better than before. That people will forget to rebuild their spiritual life.

Supertyphoon Yolanda had a big impact on the spirituality of the people. But the efforts in rebuilding the affected areas with the physical structures is not enough if the spiritual decay of the people is not rebuilt to be better. We are reminded, "Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon." (Isaiah 55:7)

Thank you from the Philippines

The Philippines is one in showing gratitude to the whole world for their solidarity and support to us.

Three months after the biggest Typhoon of 2013 hit the Philippines, we are slowly recovering.


I could not forget the gratitude of the Barangay Captain in an isolated town in Leyte when we came to visit them. He was so thankful for the simple presence of our group. When all the other towns and barangays were getting support, the people in their community were wondering if help will ever come. I could see his face lit up when he saw our group. He said that their isolation for several days made him wonder if people care about them. That was why he was happy for the simple fact that people are coming their way to see how they are doing. "We felt God's love through your presence."

It is indeed a great blessing to know that people care for you. Just knowing that people are concerned about your situation is already something to be grateful. A simple, "kumusta?" goes a long way. The outpouring of support is overwhelming.  The Filipino people are resilient because they have felt God did not leave them and still love them through the people who were willing channels of blessing.

More than the material support, the time and the effort we have received, the care and love you have shown is most appreciated.

To the biggest companies, governments or charitable organization up to the little kid who broke his piggy bank and the children who wrote their prayers for the Philippines... Thank you.