December 2021: Sunday After Christmas

After the first Christmas story in the Gospel of Luke, we read about the only recorded event in the Bible about the childhood of Jesus. An interesting story about Jesus who got lost and was found in the temple. This is the sermon I will preach entitled "Lost Without Jesus." 

I am preaching again in a live Face2Face Worship Service after almost 2 years of online worship.

Scripture: Luke 2: 41-52.

I remember how our daughter Neya got lost in the mall. I will also share how we felt lost when my mother died because of Covid19. I will share it in the sermon.

I will also reflect on how this pandemic have us focused on "essential things" in life and lost sight of Jesus. 

Click the complete video: First Sunday after Christmas 2021

December 2021: Long Way Home

I remember the story of Jesus when he was told that Lazarus died. He took the long trip back to where Lazarus was. I wonder what Jesus was thinking while he was on his way knowing that Lazarus is already dead. For sure, he knows Lazarus was going to live again and he was assured. 

Our hope is that in death there is resurrection. Like Jesus, we know that death is not the end for we shall rise to be with God again. But the long trip down to visit our loved one is still a journey that I hope not too many people will experience.

I went home to my hometown to visit the grave of my Mom. On the 40th day after her death, I know Jesus has also called her to rise again in resurrection to be with God in heaven. 

November 1, 2021: Dania Soriano, loving wife and mother, model clergy spouse

 

Dania Soriano (1951-2021)

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
    and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
    I will not forget you!
16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
    your walls are ever before me." (Isaiah 49:15-16)

This story from the Bible reminds us of the faithful love of God.

Mom died early this morning while in hospital. 

She has been confined for almost three weeks now. Her immunocompromised state did not help in her condition. 

I am not able to go home because of this pandemic. The family is also in quarantine. We will not be able to have a wake for her. Thanks to technology, we can have virtual memorial services nightly.

Mama Dania is a loving wife and mother. Many remember her as a missionary, lay pastor, teacher and community worker. Her friends remember her kindness. Young women look up to her as a model clergy wife and mentored them on how to be partner to their spouses. She loves children. She loves plants and flowers too. 

We will plant a tree in her honor. We encourage people to do the same.

She will be missed. 

October 2021: Not Just Once

Paul was imprisoned again. 

This is the first story that came to my mind when I got re-infected AGAIN. Covid19 is relentless. I had mild symptoms only but the mental stress was wearing me down. I can only imagine how Paul felt and how he struggled so much to keep a positive attitude all throughout his situation. 

I am not in prison but I am on quarantine again for 2 weeks. I can only be in my small room. I do get a glimpse of the outside world and I am still thankful to God for His faithfulness.

September 2021: Prison Epistles

Paul was writing to the church in Philippi, Collosae, Ephesus and to Philemon. These prison letters were written while Paul was in house arrest in Rome. I imagine how Paul must have felt how even when he is in "lockdown" he still felt the fellowship and spiritual presence of his fellow Christians when he prayed and worshipped God. That was what was needed in their time.

Fast forward to 2021, people no longer write letters but emails. We no longer just imagine the other person on the other side of the world but see them online. The spiritual presence and fellowship we have with fellow Christians not physically present can be seen online and simultaneously we can pray and worship. Nothing will change the experience of our physical face2face worship. But this pandemic has taught us to reimagine we do things. We have to do what is needed in our time.

 

August 2021: Optimal Health

I always wonder why John the Baptists eat locusts and wild honey. Mark 1:6 describes to us how John lived in the wilderness wearing camel's hair for his clothing with a leather belt around his waist. We can picture a hermit with a diet that is purely organic. Well, he must have lived a healthy lifestyle... a lifestyle towards Optimal Health. 

People lived an unhealthy lifestyle. As a primary care physician we advocate for people to choose to live healthy to avoid getting ill and get the complications of diabetes or hypertension. I try to enroll my patients in an Optimal Health program. I myself have started this month this 42 day program of living towards Optimal Health with changes in the way we eat, our activity, including sleep, stress reduction, reflections and mental health.

Today is also special. I have prepared some food for my mother's birthday. She have lived an Optimal Life and advocates for Optimal Health. Well it is pasta symbolic for long life and some white meat to go with it...

July 2021: The Mountain Experience

 The mountaintop experience is always associated with an encounter with God. The Bible tells us stories of encounter with the divine like how Moses met God in the mountain, the sermon in the mount and even the transfiguration of Jesus on top of the mountain. The mountain experience is always a special story we read in the Bible.

I have always loved the mountain experience. I enjoy the climb to the top as much as the feeling of reaching the top. But this short climb was a refreshing experience to appreciate the gift of life. After I got Covid-19, this was my first true test if my lungs and my body is able to withstand the challenge of the "run" to the top. It was also a reminiscing of the trail run and mountain hikes I used to enjoy when I was younger. 

The Bible stories come to life as we experience the presence of God in divine places like the mountain. 

"Tara... climb up."

June 2021: The Children

 The Bible is full of stories about children. We always remember how Jesus commanded us to let the little children come to him for the kingdom of God belongs to those like them.

Children reminds us what innocence and purity means. But it also shows us the frailty and the vulnerability of humanity. Our work as Christians is to be able to provide for them and make the lives of those who cannot help themselves a little better for them. 

Celebrating small victories like graduation from Grade School with a food treat. First time to go out of the house and order food take outs. 

May 2021: God's Wonderful Creation

 Lunar Eclipse.

There are many amazing things in the heavens and in the sky. This reminds me of the Bible Story in Psalms about awe one gets when one looks at the wonderful creation of God in the heavens, the moon and the stars. How God can make great things yet give more concern to a less than amazing being. But when you look at little children, your own kids, you understand. A parent will do anything to make their children happy. No wonder, parents can give up everything important just to make it on the special day of their child. 

My youngest daughter celebrated her 4th birthday. I tried to travel despite restrictions of this pandemic and hurdle challenges just to make it to her birthday. When we remember how God made amazing things, including us humans, then we can focus more on the good things that life may offer. 

April 2021: No One Sinned

 Covid reinfection is real. 

The story of the blind man Jesus healed in the Pool of Siloam is a too often narrative of victim blaming. The disciples asked who sinned, the blind man or his parents. Even Jesus was accused of being unlawful when what he did was to heal the sick. The constant narrative in the interventions about Covid infection is lack of discipline (in observing safety protocols of wearing mask, shield and social distancing). With this narrative, the solution is discipline - strict implementation of the law, by law enforcers. To be sure, discipline is necessary. But public health emergencies need public health interventions too. Otherwise, those infected are stigmatized as undisciplined unlawful people. What a pity to the many health workers who sacrificed their own health, safety and their lives yet still gets the blame when they get infected. 

No one has to be blamed for their own illness. Just as getting sick should not mean committing sin. The stigma and discrimination that comes with illness has been too long a narrative even in the Bible. The HIV epidemic has stigmatized and discriminated people living with HIV. Also those with Covid-19 has been labeled as disobeying safety protocols. Yet, Covid infection and reinfection can still happen without fault by anyone. 

March 2021: God's Unexpected Plan

Hope comes from God. Hope means the impossible can happen if it's God's plan. The story of Saul shows us that we might have plans that is different from God. Saul has other plans different from God but it is God's plan that happens. Everything happens according to God's plan. The news of the vaccine coming to the country through the generous donations of other countries wasn't even possible last week. Now, in just a matter of days we were told to implement the national Vaccination Plan. Well, it is always better to have an implementation than a plan remain a plan. The hope of eliminating Covid-19.

God has a plan that we do not expect. The first dose of Covid-19 vaccines were given today and I was one of the first batch to be given the dose. Despite the hesitancy of many people because of the uncertainty on the vaccine, leaders must lead by example. We got the Sinovac and almost all of us did not have any untoward reactions. By God's grace, the vaccination will help us achieve herd immunity to help end the pandemic. 

February 2021: The Wedding

 It is not difficult to find stories in the Bible experienced in real life. The wedding in Cana was a memorable story about God's bounty and Joy. But people forget that Cana could just be but a symbolic place. There was nothing special about the place in Cana but it was witness to the first miracle that Jesus performed written in the Bible. 

We would have celebrated our anniversary abroad renewing our vows in symbolic and historic churches. But the quarantine only allowed us to stay within the city. We planned of celebrating in the chapel in Callao Cave but it was close to the public. We ended up renewing our vows in a very symbolic location - under the heavens and with God as our witness.

Callao Cave is a beautiful setting of many weddings. It is witness to the vows of love of couples. Most importantly it is witness to the blessing of God as the center of the relationship. 

January 2021: Hair Cut

Counting change as the year 2021 ushers in. 

We love Bible stories because we can relate to them and learn important life lessons. This year, I will share some Bible Stories that relates to some important situations we encounter in this year as we face the Covid-19 Pandemic. I hope this will help us center ourselves in God's story despite the current pandemic.

 Samson had his hair cut by Delilah. Samson was a Nazirite - set apart. People forget that Samson and Delilah is a story from the Bible. And people forget it is not a love story but about God enabling us to fulfill the work God called us to do.

I grew my hair long. It was not intentional. It was symbolic of how long this pandemic has affected our lives. This pandemic caused us to be in quarantine, lockdowns, businesses closed including barbershops since last year. The haircut I got today from my wife will be the first since last year. She is not Delilah, but my wife did cut my hair.