Salvation

"Lord, will only a few people be saved?" (Lk 13:23), a question addressed to Jesus. Wrong question. It shows a mindset that is non-inclusive, a competitive tendency.
Salvation is a gift. It is not based on our merits or our worthiness.
Does it mean an upright life is not necessary?
Again, wrong logic.
Salvation is a gift. As with other gifts, it is useless unless we accept it. Accepting salvation is not a matter of words; rather, it is conforming our lives to Jesus: loving people and doing good to others.
We don't pay for our salvation. Someone has already done that for us. We are truly saved when we begin to look at others as brothers and sisters; when we realize that life is not about enjoying it but of finding its purpose.
We have only one life, let us make it worth living.

Who do I invite to my table?

Who do I invite to my table?
When I invite the poor, those who are different from me, those farthest in my heart, it means that I exclude no one.
This is the essence of the Eucharist: to partake in the love that knows no bounds.
At the Last Supper, Jesus showed the extent of His love. He came to serve, not to be served. He gives us an example that we, His followers, ought to learn from.
When we choose to give without expecting anything in return, or choose to serve those who cannot pay us back, we can truly call ourselves Christians.

The right way

 

"Daang matuwid" (the straight way) should not be a mere slogan for the Philippine government. It should be a way of life for each Filipino...
when those who have more choose to serve and not to be served,
when respect is dictated not by social status or position but simply because we are human beings and are worthy of respect,
when simplicity of life is chosen so that others who have less opportunities in life may have their due share,
when we live by principles and not by the prevailing crowd mentality,
when we are more concerned and more passionate about creating a better life for others than with the pettiness of the personal lives of others,
when we can argue and disagree without killing each other (physically or otherwise).
It is not something new. The right way is the way of Jesus. It is not an easy way, and we know the price Jesus paid for it. But it is the only way that can change the world. Because the world, structures, are just reflections of what is in our heart.
Let the change begin in me.

Not like that among us

Today is the start of the Conclave for the election of the new Pope.
These past days there has been a wide speculation on the media as to who will be the new Pope. Profiles of the different cardinals who are considered "Pope material" are widely diffused especially via the social network. It is actually interesting to follow and it makes one feel so near and so close to the events. The Church's catholicity, that is, universality, is so visible and felt.
Sometimes, though, it tends to border on exaggerations, that it seems as if I am watching American Idol or the X-Factor and other similar shows.
I am sure that the cardinals themselves don't have anything to do with these things.
But I am disturbed by the comments that I read and by the preferences by virtue of regional, racial or linguistic alliances. They reflect a mentality that is precisely contrary to what Jesus has shown and has taught.
Personally, I believe that more than writing or discussing speculations about the Conclave, I would better serve God's purpose if I pray and offer something so that this Conclave may truly be an experience of leaving space to the Holy Spirit. May our new Pope be according to the heart of Jesus "who came to serve and not to be served" (Mt 20:28).

Thank you, Benedict XVI

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for the gift of Pope Benedict XVI. His life and his message always remind us what you said that the only way to true meaning in life is the way you have taught us, the way of littleness and service. In today's Gospel you tell us "Among you this is not to happen", that is, your followers shouldn't just follow the prevailing mentality. We shouldn't blindly follow the crowd or the noise or people's expectations. Instead, we need to go deep in our heart, in the sanctuary of our soul, and make our decisions accountable to no one else but God.
Thank you, Pope Benedict for this wonderful example. God bless you!

Among you this is not to happen

A young Filipino archbishop was very recently nominated cardinal. He is really a well-known and very charismatic person, that soon comments started to come out that he could be a future pope.
Of course this event comes as we Filipinos are still caught up in the euphoria of our second saint. These are both definitely high moments in the current bleak horizon of miserable poverty, violence, corruption and a laissez-faire lifestyle adopted by many. So I don't really blame people who harp on events like this since they sort of put us on the map in a positive way.
What actually puzzles me is when I hear it from "Church" people: priests, nuns, active lay persons.
It seems like this desire to put ourselves at the center, or far above than the other or with privileged positions, is too deeply rooted in the human person. It manifests itself in our comments, in our catchphrases.
What would Jesus say about this? I remember Jesus' words to his apostles in last Sunday's Gospel (Mark 10:35-45): "among you this is not to happen". Yes, Jesus calls us to be converted to His criteria. Saint Paul expresses it as "having the mind and the heart of Jesus".
When we serve, we don't look for titles. Roles are not important for us. What matters is to use the occasions of our everyday life to show the love of God, which we personally experience, through concrete acts of service.  When we serve, with the mind and the heart of Jesus, the good deed itself is already our reward.