The Gift in Swaddling Clothes

This sermon was preached in the Christmas Day Service at Tuguegarao UMC, December 25, 2012. 8:30 AM.

Text: Luke 2:1-20

The Lord be with you.

I thank the Lord God for the opportunity to bring to you the good news this Christmas. I always thank the Lord the opportunity to bring the good news. As a doctor, I often bring bad news to my patients. But today, let me share with you the good news of Christmas.

The scripture reading we read today is from the Gospel according to St. Luke and tells us the good news. I usually tell the good news at the last part of my sermon, but today, the Gospel of St. Luke tells the good news right now that the Savior is born. The angels declared, “for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.” The sign is that it is a baby wrapped in swaddling cloth lying in a manger. That is the good news and it was told to the shepherds in the field.

Why were the shepherds the first one to be told about the messiah and not the priests of the temple or the king of Rome? As a little boy, I always ask this question. Our school gardener told me God came to tell the good news to those who needed it the most. That has always been the character of God – tell the good news to those who need it. The shepherds were Jews who were in the outskirts of Jerusalem, they were ordinary men who belonged to the labor group, they were outcast because they violate Jewish rules of not working during Sabbath, they were the subjects of the colony of Rome. The shepherds are insignificant by the worlds standard. But they were the ones who first heard the good news. God gave priority to these blue collar workers because God gave preference to the humble, ordinary, poor and lowly.  The shepherds were Jews who understood what a messiah meant and so they went hurriedly to see the gift of God to them. The gift is a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes.

Every Christmas we receive gifts from our friends and family. I always receive gifts since I was a little boy until now. I appreciate the gifts big or small. I always say that it doesn’t matter what the gift is, it’s the thought that counts. Kaya mga kapatid, sabihan mo yung katabi mo “asan na regalo ko, it’s the thought that counts.” But in reality, the gift does matter to us. Because we look at the gift wrap and think and guess if the present is precious or not. It does matter to us if the gift is big or small. And it does matter to us what exactly is the gift inside.

For example, every year we have a Christmas part in the office, and gifts and door prizes are always given. This year we receive an appliance- that is something big and something expensive – wow, we will definitely be happy with this gift. When we opened the big gift – it was a washing machine with spin dryer – great. But we still have a 1 year old turbo washing machine in our house and we don’t need another one, in fact we still have the old washing machine and it still works. Now, we have three washing machines in the house and unless we open a laundry shop sometime soon. And so we don’t really need the gift even if it was something big and expensive. If I had received the microwave or the 21 inch TV then it would have been more useful for us because we don’t have those yet. This is also true for the little gifts that we receive every Christmas.

Another example of how it’s not the thought that counts, it’s the gift that matters. I always receive, mugs, and picture frames and clocks and wallets and towels from friends and relatives and I am grateful and say to myself that it’s the thought that counts. But what will I do with all the mugs? Will I use one mug for breakfast, another for snacks, then another one for lunch and another mug for dinner? How about the clocks? Every corner in our house has a clock? Late pa rin naman kami lagi. And the wallets. As if I have a lot of money to need all the wallets. And if I do, I will put them in the bank and not in the wallet. And so what do I do with all these “useless” gifts that I receive. I give them also as gifts to some of my friends. And I know you also do that. Kaya tanggap lang tayo ng tanggap ng mga gifts because we say it’s the thought that counts when it fact the gift really matters to us. The kind of gift we receive really matters to us. 

And so we receive a gift from God this Christmas.  A baby wrapped in swaddling clothes. The Greek word for swaddling cloth used in the Bible is “sparganoo” and it means a strip of cloth used to wrap a baby to constrain it. It is an ordinary piece of cloth and is unappealing.  The gift we receive from God is wrapped in an unappealing piece of cloth.

And as we often do, we look at the outer side first and consider it. We often bias ourselves if the gift wrap is pretty or not and we choose the one that looks nice. In one of our exchange gifts among Pastor’s Kids, we had all the gifts in front and when your name is called you get to choose the gift you want. Of course you want the best gift and the only basis which one is the best is the size of the gift and the wrapper that was used. That is what we often do, we don’t want an ordinary looking wrapper for our gift, kaya nga nauso yung mga gift wrapping shoppes. And then we are disappointed if the gift does not match the beauty of the wrapper. Because again, the gift itself matters to us.

The gift should be something important and useful for us. God gives us a gift this Christmas. A baby wrapped in swaddling clothes. The gift is Jesus Christ. This is the good news told to us. But the question for us my dear brothers and sisters, “does that gift matter to us?” Do we need the good news we heard today? Will we receive the good news with joy in our hearts? Will we receive the gift of God? Will we receive the swaddling cloth or reject it because the swaddling cloth is not appealing to us? Does Jesus still matter to us in this time? If we do receive the gift of God, is the gift going to matter to us? Does the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes going to matter to us?

We live in a highly technologically advanced world where technology matters. We live in a world that having gadgets like iPad, cellphones, netbooks are things that matter. We live in a world where cars, houses, good jobs and career are the priorities that matter to us. And so these are the gifts that we expect and hope to receive this Christmas. If you don’t believe me, take a look at your prayers in the last days – what did you pray for? We want to have a good career or a successful business. We pray for a new car or a new house. We want to receive new gadgets or any material things. We want to receive a gift from God and that is why we pray – but we want the material things that the world dictates as important matters to us.  

But God gives us a gift that shows God’s great love to us by giving his only Son –a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes. Do we not live in a world that tells us to be greedy and accumulate great wealth? Do we not find ourselves cursing somebody that we hate? Do we not find ourselves indifferent to the needs of strangers? Do we not live in a world that doesn’t care for others? Do we not find ourselves committing sin everyday to someone and to our God? Is God satisfied to the kind of love we show to our neighbours? Have we understood what it meant to love your enemies? Unless we answered yes to all of these questions, we still need the gift of God. Unless all of us here have done what are expected of us Christians, we still need the baby wrapped in swaddling cloth. We still need Jesus Christ.  

John Wesley reminded us that our faith is not a onetime event when we received Christ as our Lord and Saviour. Our faith is a journey towards Christian perfection. And as long as we live and continue in that journey, the baby wrapped in swaddling cloth will continue to matter and be of importance to us. And so my dear brothers and sisters, receive the good news. Receive the gift of God this Christmas. Welcome the baby wrapped in swaddling cloth.

Open your gifts and remove the swaddling cloth that covers the most precious gift you will receive today. Marvel and give glory to God for the baby Jesus is born today. It’s not just the thought that counts. The gift we receive from God - the baby wrapped in swaddling cloth still matters to us today.

In the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

God became flesh and dwelt among us

A sermon preached in the Last Morning Watch (Simbang Gabi) in Tuguegarao Central United Methodist Church last December 24, 2012.

Text: John 1: 1-14

The Lord be with you.

Today is the last day of our nine day Simbang Gabi. Who completed the 9-day morning watch? May I ask you to stand and be recognized. Look  at their faces.. look at their eye bags. Let us give God our clap for those who finished the 9 days morning watch.

The Gospel reading is appropriate for this last day of waiting for the coming of God. Our text tells us the message of Christmas – that God has arrived. The Gospel of John tells us the Christmas story in a different way and it is direct to the point – that God who loves the world so much that God choose to become human like us.

John is a very important Gospel because it tells about the divinity of Christ. It starts with the words “In the beginning.” Does that sound familiar? It is the words of Genesis 1:1. The words “in the beginning” in the Bible means time eternal – that the Word was there even before time.

And “The word” was God. This was the God who spoke the words “let there be light” and there was light. This God created the heaven and the earth and every living creatures within it. This is the almighty, all powerful and all knowing God. That God is also Word.

“And the Word became flesh.” That is the story of Christmas. The almighty, all powerful and all-knowing God became flesh; and the Word that became flesh is that baby born Jesus Christ. The Eternal, almighty, all powerful and all knowing God became human like us on that first Christmas Day.

My dear brothers and sisters, we often forget that Jesus is God. This faith affirmation distinguishes us from other Christian sects. We, like Roman Catholics, Episcopalians, most Baptists, UCCPs and other mainstream denominations, we believe in a God in three persons – in a Triune God. We believe in God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.

Jesus Christ is God. This is the same God that created heaven and earth.

-          The same loving God that Moses and Abraham worshipped.

-          The same merciful God that led Israel out of Egypt.

-          The same powerful God that anointed David to be King.

-          The same God that helped David defeat his enemies.

-          The God that saved Daniel from the Lion’s den.

The God of the Old Testament is the same God of the New Testament and he lives forever. Jesus is God and he lives in eternity.

God became human with real flesh and blood in the person of Jesus. Is that possible? That is the power of God, nothing is impossible with God. God became flesh because of love – because God loved the world so much. We should rejoice that God our Lord and King came to our world.

God came into our world and this is reason for us to rejoice. That is why we sing “Joy to the world, the Lord is come.” “Tignan mo yung mga katabi mo, mukha ba silang masaya o mukha ba silang inaantok?” We should happy that God came into our world. God is here with us – Emmanuel.  God is always with us from the beginning of time.

God came to us when Jesus was born.  When Jesus went back to the Father, God did not leave us. God remained with us because God is with us through the Holy Spirit. God still continues to dwell among us. Yet people celebrate Christmas every year like God never came to this world, it is as if God never became flesh and real in this world

People live in the dark like they never saw the light that is Jesus. The world lives like Jesus was never born 2000 years ago. There are still chaos and hatred. Nations are at war against nations, “wag na tayong lumayo.” Filipinos fighting against each other, the gov’t against the Muslims. There are factions in our society with the leftist and the rightist. Even within our church there are divisions, I know of some churches where people worship one after the other because they cannot worship together. Families are divided, not only those who are husband and wives who are separated, but including parent and children or siblings who fight each other because of misunderstanding, greed, pride or jealousy. And even with these chaos, we see people who are hungry and begging for food, we see kids in the streets deprived of their basic human rights to education and shelter. We see sick people die of malnutrition, we see victims of flood and disaster caused by man-made calamities. When we celebrate Christmas, we Christians in general, and United Methodists in particular, celebrate as if we never understood the message of Christmas – that God became flesh and dwelt among us.

The Greek word for dwelt among us is “ensaynoo en hemin” which literally means reside within us. When John said that God became flesh and dwelt among us – he also meant that God continues to become real and flesh in this world literally, right now and right here. The word residence means you have to live in a certain place for a certain time. As a PK (Pastor’s Kid), it was very difficult to establish residence – kapag tinatanong ako kung taga saan ako, mahirap sagutin – because every year our family moves to a new location. Even now, our family needs to adjust to that question. We need to establish our residence, a place where we stay for a long time to be able to establish our identity – kung sino kami. The same is true for us Christians. God must be able to establish residence in our hearts.

We must allow God to live in us for a long time to establish our identity that we are God’s people. This is what John Wesley emphasized to all of us that God’s prevenient grace demands a human response. It means God can only live within ourselves – if we do not kick him out, if only we let God live within our hearts.

The Christmas message is that God became flesh to bring light to this world. This Christmas, let us remember that the God that brings light to this world becomes flesh and becomes a reality in this dark world if we allow God to shine in our hearts. God becomes flesh and real to this world if we allow ourselves to be used by God – to be instruments of God.

-          God becomes flesh and real to this world with every helping hand that we extend to a friend who needs help.

-          God becomes flesh and real with every hospitality we show to strangers.

-          God becomes flesh and real with every bread and food that we share to those who are hungry.

-          God becomes flesh and real with every loving embrace we extend to those abandoned.

-          God becomes flesh and real when we literally visit the sick and those in prison.

-          God becomes flesh and real when we share what little we have to the little children who have nothing.

-          God becomes flesh and real whenever we forgive those who have caused us pain, to our officemates, to our friends, to our family who hurt us.

-          God becomes flesh and real if we allow ourselves to be the hands and feet of God in this broken world.

My dear brothers and sisters, God became flesh and lived in us. That is the good news. God lives inside each one of us. But we must show the good news to others by showing it in our actions, thoughts and words that God really lives in our lives. The God who became flesh is the true light to a dark world.

The morning sun is a reminder that the Son, the Son of God brought light in this dark world to give hope to all of us. Every morning as the sun rises, let this be a daily reminder that the one true Light shines in our dark world. Later, we will light the Christ candle as a reminder of the light that Christ brings and I implore you dear brothers and sisters that if God became flesh and lives within you, light the candle to show the Jesus shines through you and let that little light shine brightly in this dark and broken world.  

Let God become flesh and dwell among us.

In the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Midwives of God's Kingdom

Stewardship: Midwives of God’s Kingdom

A sermon preached in the Stewardship Sunday of the Tagalog Service at the Kamuning UMC last Nov. 18, 2012.

Text: Mark 13: 1-8

Ang Diyos ay sumainyo...

Noong una kong binasa ang teksto natin ay naalala ko ang una kong pasyente na tinulungan kong manganak. Ang tagal ng kanyang labor. Dumating siya ng gabi at halos 14 hours siyang naglabor dahil kinabukasan na siya nanganak. Sa loob ng 14 hours nay un ay sakit na sakit siya. Humihilab daw ang tyan nya at pumapalo hanggang sa likod. Sabi ng residente ko ay ganun talaga ang nanganganak at kailangan ko lang siyang alalayan at siguraduhin na hindi magkakaproblema habang nag-lalabor. Noong manganganak na siya ay kinakabahan ako dahil first time ko at hindi ko alam ang aking gagawin. Sabin g residente ko ay huwag ako matakot dahil lalabas at lalabas din ang baby, kailangan ko lang alalayan ang nanay at hawakan ang ulo, hilahin pababa at pataas para matulungan mailabas ng maayos ang bata. Paalala ng residente ko sa akin, manganganak at manganganak din yan, kailangan ko lang alalayan para may mabuti at maganda ang panganganak ng ina sa bata.

Ang teksto ngayon ay hango sa Marcos 13:1-8. Ang Marcos ay kilalang libro kung saan madalas ay nag-iiwan ito ng mga katanungang kailangan nating sagutin. Pakinggan natin kung ano ang challenge sa atin ngayon sa pagcelebrate natin ng Stewardship Sunday. Ngayong umagang ito ang ating teksto ay patungkol sa kwento ni Hesus kasama ang mga disipolo  at papalabas sa templo. Noong isang linggo ay narinig natin na binabatikos ni Hesus ang mga lider sa templo na lihis ang kanilang kalooban. Ngayon naman ay napansin ng mga disipolo ang kagandahan ng templo at ang gara nito. Ngunit si Hesus ay hindi na-impress sa panlabas na ganda nito at sinabi niyang masisira din ito sa takdang panahon.

Tinanong ng mga disipolo kung ano ang mga tanda kung kelan ito mangyayari. Nakakatakot ang sagot ni Hesus dahil parang katapusan na ng mundo kung mangyayari ito. Eto ang sabi niya, mangyayari eto kapag nakikita nangyaring:

o   Masisira ang mga matitibay na bagay tulad ng templong gawa sa malalaking bato

o   Ang mga bayan ay mawawasak ng digmaan

o   Ang lupa ay guguho, magkakaroon ng kalamidad, baha, bagyo, lindol

o   May tag gutom na mangyayari

Hindi ba parang ngayon lang yun? Hindi ba meron tayong nakikitang ganito, tulad ng:

o   may digmaan sa mga bansa…

o   may gulo sa pagitan ng gobyerno at mga rebelde…

o   bagsak ang pandaigdigang ekonomiya… kaya mas madaming naghihirap

o   madami ang walang trabaho…

o   madami ang namamatay sa gutom… dahil kulang na sa pagkain

o   may pag-aaway sa mga kaibigan at sa pamilya kahit sa loob ng simbahan…

Nagbabala si Hesus, mag-ingat kayo, sa panahong ito ay madami ang magpapanggap na messiah. Sa panahon na tayo ay nakakaranas ng problema, paghihirp, kasakitan, mas madali tayong nabubulag sa hindi tama. Madali tayong maloloko dahil naghahanap tayo ng mabilis na solusyon. Sa mga panahong tayo ay tuliro, may magpapanggap na tutulong na ibalik ang dati at pipigilan at aalisin ang sakit at hirap na ating dinaranas sa buhay. Ang mga huwad na messiah ay pipigilan nila ang labor pains. Gusto nila na tulad lang ng dati, na walang kirot, walang problema, ok sana yung walang problema pero ang ibig sabihin nun ay wala ding pagbabagong magaganap o maaaring mas masama ang kalalabasan.

Maalala ko yung kwento ng bata at ng paru-paro. Siguro narinig niyo na ang kwentong ito. May isang batang pinapanood niya ang maliit na caterpillar na umikot at gumawa ng cocoon. Habang naghahanda ang uod na lalabas sa cocoon para maging butterfly ay gumawa ito ng maliit na butas. Ngunit para bang hirap ang uod na lumabas sa maliit na butas. Naawa ang bata sa uod. Naisip ng bata na baka hindi maging butterfly ang uod kaya gusto niya itong tulongan. Nilakihan ng bata ang butas ng cocoon para makalabas ang uod. Ngunit hindi alam ng bata na ang maliit na butas, ang tila hirap na dinaranas ng uod ay isang proseso lamang upang maging ganap ang kanyang transpormasyon bilang isang paru-paro. Imbis na makatulong ay nakasira pa ito dahil hindi natanggal ang mga sobrang tubig, hindi nahanda ang pakpak ng uod para maging paru-paro. Minsan ang hirap na dinaranas natin ay kailangan upang mas mapaganda ang kalalabasan ng isang bagay.

Kaya hindi kayo magtataka (may mga OB ba ditto?) na ang painless or epidural ay may kasabay na mataas na incidence ng Caesarian Section. Ayon sa mga pag-aaral, ang mga nanganganak ng painless ay may mas mataas na risk na mauuwi sa Caesarian Section. Hindi naman ito nakapagtataka dahil ang labor pains ay isa sa mga mekanismo na kung saan ay bumababa ang bata hanggang siya ay mailuwal. Kaya ang nanay na naka-painless ay nawawalan ng pagkakataon na makatulong na i-ire ang bata para mas mapabilis at mapabuti ang panganganak niya.

Kung may mabuting maidudulot pala ang labor pains dapat wag nating tularan ang mga nagpapanggap na messiah. Huwag tayong maging tulad sa mga pekeng messiah na susubukang pigilan ang hirap at sakit at ibalik ang dating nakasanayan na. Sabi ni Hesus na mga peke sila, na para bang ang pagbabago at ang pagdating ng kaharian ng Diyos ay isang bagay na puede nilang pigilan. Hindi puedeng pigilan ang birthpangs na ito. Ang mga bagay na nangyayari dahil kasama ito sa planong pagbabagong ihahatid ng diyos.

Ang matindi, sabi ni Hesus, ang mga masasakit at malulungkot na pangyayari na parang birth pains ay simula pa lamang. Sa orihinal na Greek version, ang ginamit na word ay odin, na ang ibig sabihin ay ‘pang’ or pain or spasm. Ito yung klase ng sakit kapag ikaw ay may dyspepsia, na parang pinipilipit ang tiyan mo. Pero ang mas akmang sakit na ito ay tulad ng sakit ng panganganak. May tinatawag na Braxton Hicks sa medisina, ito yung false labor before mangyari yung true labor pains. Parang panganganak kasi masakit siya sa umpisa pero alam mo na may mabuting maidudulot yun sa kinalaunan. Alam ng ina at ng anak na bagamat mahirap ang pagdaraanan nila ay pagkatrapos nito ay matinding kaligayahan ang madarama nila. Kung ang birthpains pala – kung ang mga paghihirap na dinaranas natin ay tanda lamang ng simula ay hindi tayo dapat matakot dahil alam natin na may mabuting mangyayari pagkatapos.

Ito ang pangakong nagbibigay sa atin ng pag-asa, na sa likod ng kirot ng ay may kasiyahan. Ito ang magandang balita mga kapatid, “Na kahit na tayo ay dumaranas ng paghihirap, kaguluhan sa ating mundo, sa ating lipunan, sa ating pamilya at kahit sa ating iglesya alam natin na sa kabila nito ay ang kagandahan at kaligayahang naghihintay dahil bahagi ito ng plano ng Diyos upang tuluyang maganap ang paghahari niya sa atin at hindi na ito mapipigilan.”

Ngunit hindi ibig sabihin na sigurado na ang pagdating ng kaharian ng diyos ay wala na tayong gagawin bilang mga kristiyano. Ito, mga kapatid, ang tanong na kailangan nating sagutin. Alam natin na ang babaeng manganganak ay talagang manganganak kahit anong mangyari. Ngunit mayroong mga doctor at midwife na puedeng tumulong sa kanya upang mas maayos ang pagdating nga sanggol. Mga kapatid, hindi tayo tulad ng pekeng messiah na pipigilan ang kirot ng panganganak, bagkus tayo ay mga katiwala ng Diyos – mga midwife. Ang tanong sa atin, bilang isang katiwala ng Diyos dito sa lupa, paano ka magiging isang mabuting midwife na tutulung  na magiging mas maayos ang kapanganakan ng pagbabagong hatid ng kaharian ng diyos. Bilang katiwala ng diyos, paano ka tutulong na maging ganap ang paghahari ng Panginoon sa mundong ito?

Bilang katiwala at midwife na tutulong sa birthing process: Ano ang gagawin mo bilang katiwala upang makapagpahayag ng mabuting balita sa mga nagugutom? Sa mga may sakit? sa mga makasalanan? Sa mga ligaw ang landas?

Bilang katiwala ng Diyos, paano mo lalabanan ang kasamaan sa mundong ito? Mga kapatid, hindi tayo ang messiah ngunit bilang katiwala ni Hesus at tanging sa pangalan niya ay ano ang gagawin mo?

May mga papel diyan na puede niyong sulatan at sagutan. Ito ay sa pagitan mo lamang at ng iyong Diyos. Ano ang gagawin mo, ano ang ibibgay mo bilang isang midwife at katiwala para sa kaganapan ng pagpapalawak ng kaharian ng Diyos. Sagutin ito at ito ang pangako mo sa Diyos, at ihulog dito sa harapan mamaya habang umaawit ng himno. 

Sa ngalan ng Ama, ng Anak, at ng Espirito Santo. Amen.

References:

-          Matthew Henry’s Commentary of the Whole Bible. Mark 13:1-8.

-          Albert Barnes Notes on the Bible. Mark 13: 1-8.

-    Early Epidural Doubles CS Risk after Induction. http://www.obgynnews.com/news/top-news/single-article/early-epidural-doubles-c-section-risk-after-induction/9f4bc64ad44766d61d23925541d43b01.html

- Radical Gratitude. http://www.nwumf.org/images/radical_gratitude/year_b/radical_ gratitude_nov1306.pdf

-          Lectionary Planning  Help. http://www.gbod.org/site/c.nhLRJ2PMKsG/b.3879973/k.9C35/ Lectionary_Planning_Helps_for_Sundays.html

Breaking the Bad News

Last Thursday, I was tasked to present an interesting case during the monthly Tumor Boards of our hospital. Since this month was also the celebration of the World Hospice and Palliative Care Month, I decided to focus the discussion on how to properly disclose the diagnosis of cancer to our patients.

The case we presented was an actual case of a hospital employee who presented with a cough and was suspected to have lung metastasis and needed diagnostic workup to look for the primary cause. However, the patient had history of anxiety and the relatives are colluding not to disclose the diagnosis until the biopsy is certain. After two weeks, the biopsy was out and we were called in to disclose the diagnosis and the medical plan.

I discussed to the group the procedure we followed in disclosing to the patient and his family. I used the six step SPIKES procedure proposed by Baile, Buckman and Lintze. I explained the importance of preparing a good setting, knowing the patients perception, inviting ourselves and using the patients knowledge in explaining the disease, showing empathy and explaining the medical strategy in handling the condition.

It was overwhelming to receive enthusiastic response especially from the medical consultants from other specialty. Their enthusiasm felt like they found a new ally in battling cancer. We could never overemphasize the importance of giving good patient care especially to our cancer patients. And there is no better way to start showing our love and concern to our patient than in disclosing properly a bad news. 

Surgical Amputation of Sinful Parts

A Sermon preached in Kamuning First United Methodist Church on Christian Education Sunday, Vesper Worship.      
      The Lord be with you.
      I am a practicing medical doctor in Ospital ng Maynila. And I am tasked to preach tonight because our topic is on the surgical amputation or removal of your hand, your feet or your eyes especially if they are sinful. This is the instruction of the Great Physician, this is the advice Jesus gave to his disciples according to the text that we read from Mark 9:38-50.
      The Gospel of Mark is known for his unique and radical stories and instructions. Today we read a very radical teaching that Jesus gave to his disciples. This is appropriate because we are at the end of our Christian education month celebration. During the previous Sundays we have given emphasis on the importance of Christian education as part of our discipleship – part of our training and transformation as followers of Jesus Christ. It is appropriate then that we end Christian education month being educated by Jesus himself about some basic principles in our discipleship.
     In our Gospel reading, Jesus talked about the things that can endanger our Christian health. The gospel text uses the Greek word “skandalizo” which means a stumbling block to describe sin. Anything that puts blemish in our Christian health and leads us to commit sin is a stumbling block. And Jesus said, the stumbling block must be removed to keep ourselves healthy and holy, to remain faithful followers of Christ.
     This is a story of why we need to be mindful with our Christian life. This is a question of how serious are we in our discipleship. How committed are we to becoming true Christians? How committed are we in removing sinful things within us that endangers our faith, our Christian health?
     How committed are we to remain faithful disciples of Jesus? Is there conscious effort from us to be free from sin and distractions that endanger our Christian health and discipleship? Or are we complacent and too comfortable with our faith now that we tolerate simple sins and stumbling blocks because we believe they are, after all, not really destructive to our Christian discipleship.  Remember, our sinful nature tempts and may cause us to commit sin and fall away from God. Sometimes we no longer see these little stuffs as harmful especially if they are important to us. But Jesus said, cut your hands if it causes you to sin. Of course, like any Jewish Rabbi, Jesus was using a hyperbole and was exaggerating to emphasize a point. But why did Jesus instruct his disciples to amputate parts of our body? Why do we need to remove some body parts? Can we not just keep it? What happens if we keep it?
     Two months ago, I had a patient that we needed to cut his right foot. He was a 55 year old man from Tondo and works as a kagawad and he patrols their area every time. But because he walks a lot, his foot got injured with a blister that eventually became an open wound and later on was infected. Because he was diabetic, the wound did not heal easily until his foot became gangrenous. “ibig, sabihin, nabubulok na yung paa nya dahil sa hindi gumagaling na sugat.” He was advised that his foot should be amputated or the infection will spread in his body and will be a cause of his death. The right foot was the diseased body part but it endangers the life of the patient if not removed. The gangrenous right foot could be the cause of his death. But he does not want his foot to be amputated. Last Friday, he was admitted in the hospital. He was septic. “Kumalat na sa buong katawan niya ang infection.” I visited them and the whole family was there because it was also his birthday. The patient was intubated and was unconscious. The wife told me, “kung pumayag lang sana siya noon na putulin na yung paa niya sana maayos pa siya ngayon.” That same night, my intern informed me that the patient already died. The patient died because of the non-healing wound in his right foot. If only he agreed that his foot be amputated, he could have saved his life.     
     When Jesus instructed that we need to cut-off any sinful things in our life, he wanted us to preserve our Christian life. He wanted us to remove the sins that threaten our Christian health and lead us to death. He did not want us to go to hell. Yes, Jesus mentioned hell. And he did not want us to end up there. We must cut and remove the stumbling blocks of sin to preserve the Christian life God has given us. Anything that causes us to sin and be derailed from living a holy Christian life is a stumbling block and must be removed. Anything that threatens our spiritual health must be cut-off.
     Cutting off something is easier said than done. But Jesus always says radical things, radical enough to shock the disciples and even us. What Jesus was teaching his disciples was ironic because he was telling the people that to remain spiritually healthy and holy you must amputate and remove part of your body that is unclean when in fact, it was their custom at that time that people with no hand, or lame or blind are not allowed in the temple because they are thought to be unhealthy and unclean.
     The Jewish people thought that having two hands and two feet is more important but Jesus said NO! What is more important is a clean and healthy spirit.  And so if your hands and feet are unsalvageable and they cause your spirit to be unhealthy and sinful, remove it to save yourself from becoming sinful. And anything that you think is important should be cut-off and removed if it blemishes your spiritual health. If it is your eyes, remove your eyes. If it is your mouth, remove it. If it is complacency in your faith, remove it.
     Complacent faith? Is that a stumbling block in our spiritual health? Does it affect our discipleship making? Yes, complacency is one of the threats to our Christian growth. We can become complacent and comfortable with what we do that we think we know enough. Our complacency had allowed us to become mediocre in our faith and turn a blind eye on little stumbling blocks in our Christian growth. This is especially true if we have been long-time Christians. We lose the desire in our heart to become better Christians every day. Complacent faith can threaten our Christian health.
     Aside from a complacency in our discipleship, there are other stuff that we think are harmless but can endanger our Christian life. Every day we encounter temptations that lead us to commit sin. Every day we encounter stumbling blocks to our faith. And Jesus said, whatever part of you that may cause you to stumble and sin must be cut-off.   
     Are you not scandalized enough by what Jesus requires of us? Anything that leads us to poor Christian health and life must be removed. Not only our body parts. If it is your boyfriend/girlfriend that threatens your Christian health, remove it. If it is your best friend or barkada that teaches you to sin, remove them. If it is your family that prevents you to know more about your God, cut them off. If it is your career that keeps you from becoming a good disciple, remove it and resign. If it is your bank account and wealth that hinders you from obeying God, remove it. Anything that makes you stumble from becoming a good disciple of Christ must be cut off and removed. These are some of the radical demands of Christian discipleship.
     I had a friend when I was a UMYF and he had a girlfriend for almost four years. On the day of their anniversary, he was planning to propose to her. But he had a problem, it was a Saturday and he has praise and worship practice and the next day is a busy Sunday for him so he planned to do it on a Monday. But her girlfriend insisted that they should celebrate on Saturday and that he should skip band practice just this once. He was in a dilemma, if he will not practice the music ministry will be compromised and his faith might suffer but if he will not heed her girlfriend’s request, her girlfriend will get mad and will not forget what he did for the rest of their life. So he asked me what to do. I said, “Christ above all.” (Pause)
     My brothers and sisters, would you be able to give up your relationship if it causes you to move away from God and stumble in your faith?
      Would you quit your dream job because it tempts you to be corrupt and causes you to commit sin everyday?
      Or how about the common stumbling blocks that we fail to see as hindrances to our faithful discipleship.
      Would you be able to sacrifice a little of your precious time for your Sunday afternoon nap so you can come thirty minutes earlier to attend Vesper Sunday School?
     Can you turn off your cellphones and risk missing an important business call so you can give your 100 percent focus in worshipping God?
     Those are the important parts of your life. Would you be willing to cut-off these important parts in your life that cause you to stumble in your journey towards a healthy life in Christ?
     Can you do it? Because it is difficult and it will be painful.
     But Jesus said, we have to do this if we want to become faithful followers of Jesus Christ. If we want to live a blameless and healthy Christian life, we must remove the stumbling blocks that cause us to sin. But it is going to be painful.
     It will be painful to resign from your dream job. It will hurt when you will end unhealthy relationships. It will be agonizing to sacrifice your family ties. It will  be difficult to wake up early from your sleep or nap. It will be difficult to forgo an opportunity. It will be painful and difficult to sacrifice something important in our life.
     But it is better to be jobless than to be sinful. It is better to be single if it means God will be your constant companion. It is better not to have a cellphone if it means we can worship God whole heartedly. It is better to have lack of sleep if it means more time with God in Sunday School.  For Jesus said, it is better to lose a part of yourself than to lose your entire life.
     It will be difficult and painful to lose supposedly important things in our life. Imagine the pain of surgically amputating your hand or your feet. Imagine the psychological torment it will bring to see a part of you absent. The physical pain, the mental pain and the psychological and spiritual pain will haunt you and may even leave you sleepless.  But those are just temporary. Jesus, the great physician promised that if we follow his prescription and advice, our life will be preserved.  That is the good news my dear brothers and sisters, if we choose to obey the Great Physicians advice to surgically amputate and cut-off the things that cause us to sin, Jesus promised that even if we are blind or lame, we will have a healthy and holy life FOREVER in the kingdom of God.
     My dear brothers and sisters, take the Great doctors advice. With God’s help, amputate and cut-off the sins that will destroy you, and you will live a healthy life forever in the kingdom of God.
     In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Noah and the Flood

It has been raining for several days now here in Luzon and there is no typhoon. Rain day and night. Water is rising. Flood everywhere. This is how Noah and the people must have felt during those times it was raining and floodwater was rising. Beyond the theological point of the flood, I want to know how the people felt at that time. I want us to consider what we feel right now that rain is pouring and we are flooded.

What do we feel? Are we scared? Are we bothered? Are we happy? Are we gloomy? What are we feeling during these time?

I feel helpless.

And I wonder if what we feel right are the same emotions that run through the hearts of the people and Noah? Can we find a connection with Noah and his emotions? But how did Noah cope up? What was the promise he was holding that kept him going? What attitude did he exhibit? What kind of faith did he have? Can we have the same faith during this time? Can we hold on to the same promise of hope? Is not Noah's God the same God that we worship? We know the story of Noah and we know that at the end of the flood is a rainbow. I may feel down with all these rain and flood just like Noah and his family did. But I know that Noah's story ended happily and his emotions were high. I look forward to that day, when I will see a rainbow. And I know I will know how Noah felt when he stepped on dry ground.

Your Pastor is Crazy

Just for laughs, let me share you this.

In one group discussion I had with fellow pastors-to-be in seminary, we made fun about the need for pastors to have psychological tests. The logic behind the requirement was that only those who are mentally sound should be allowed to become Pastors. In that sense, no Pastoral candidate would pass their Psychological Test because only crazy people would want to be a pastor.

Who would want to work and sacrifice their time and energy for less than minimum wage? Only crazy people. Who would want to spend less time with their loved ones and more time with total strangers in hazardous hospitals and cold prison cells and still be unappreciated? Only crazy people. Who would want to spend an entire week reading books and write sermons to people who will not listen (if they would come to church) and be criticized for being sloppy? Only crazy people. Who would want to exert their effort, blood and sweat just to help another person and still be called ineffective? Crazy people. And who would spend their whole life SERVING others without expecting anything in return (indeed, they receive nothing/no pension when they retire)? Only crazy people.

Only crazy people who think as above can be pastors. They will not pass the psychological test. I guess I'm crazy. And if you want to talk to some more crazy person... go visit your Pastor. Hehehe...