No other love, no other name

THE STORY is told about three priests who started discussing their common problem of how to get rid of bats in their churches. The first priest said he once took a shotgun and fired at them, but to no avail. The second one said he trapped them alive and released them outside, but they came back. The third priest said, he no longer had a problem in his church. Asked how he solved it, he replied: "I simply baptized and confirmed them, and I haven't seen them in the church since then."

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The Gospel today (Jn. 6, 60-69) speaks about how many of Jesus' disciples abandoned Him, and never came back after He started talking about His flesh as food and His blood as drink. Faced with the possibility that they were following somebody who was probably a lunatic and definitely a loser, they turned their backs on Him, went back to their former ways, and no longer accompanied Him.

How often have you and I done the same thing? What is it that makes you and me abandon Him again and again? How often have we turned to other loves, and carried other names than Jesus?

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I read an interesting anecdote which said that after Jesus rose from the dead, He was met by angels in heaven who asked Him whom He had planned to leave behind on earth to continue His work. "Just a small group of men and women who love me," Jesus replied. The angels were concerned and asked Him: "Is that all? What if this tiny group should fail?" Jesus said: "I have no other plans...."

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Jesus is counting on us, on our love, on our commitment to Him. He believes in us. He trusts us. He needs us.

Unworthy as we are, let us not belittle His call, nor should we belittle our response. In His work, no one is indispensable, but also no one is unimportant. We are all invited. We are all invited to stay, and stay on.

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These are refreshing days for me here in Baguio City where I am facilitating a retreat for the Batangas clergy. It is nice just to be with fellow priests and to share our joys, hopes and dreams, along with our burdens, difficulties and even brokenness in the ministry. In our sharings, we can't help but praise God for loving us and for continuing to call us by no other name in spite of our failures and weaknesses. To His question "Do you also want to leave me?" we answer in all humility: "Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."

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Temptation and sin are real in our lives, but so also is grace. That's why we stay on. Love covers a multitude of sins. God's love is greater than our sins. This should lead us not to abuse but to trust more in God's mercy. We stay on even if we are "kapal muks" (thick-faced) to the Lord. Presumptuous? It is better to be presumptuous of God's love than to doubt God's love.

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It is edifying to encounter young priests who are so full of idealism and enthusiasm, older priests who have persevered and who have remained humble, and a simple, fatherly and caring pastor in the person of Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales. May we have more leaders in the Church (and in our country) and who are present (not hiding and inaccessible!)

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There are ordinary people in this world who have taken the "road less traveled," and who stay on this lovely road because of commitment. Their good deeds are hardly heard of, but they go on anyway. It is they, not those whom we hear of in the media every day, who truly deserve our praise and gratitude. Mabuhay kayo!

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Why do you stay on the road? Why do we take the road of sacrifice? Why do we not turn to other loves and carry no other name but Jesus'? Because we believe that there are more important things in this world than money, power, positions, bank accounts and pleasures. Why? Because we still believe in living meaningful lives. We still believe in love in this life and in eternity. We still believe in respect and self-respect.

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Let me end with this beautiful story about a woman who was surprised to see a child early one morning in school complaining that the door was locked. As she fumbled for her keys, the child said excitedly: "You're a teacher!" When she asked the child how she knew that, the child hesitated for a moment and then said with respect: "You have the key."

Come to think of it, it is those who have love and commitment, and who carry no other name but Jesus' who have the key and who hold the key.

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A moment with Lord:

Lord, help me to have no other love, and to carry no other name but Jesus'. Amen.