Faith-lift

THE STORY is told about a priest trying to explain the "Our Father" to a convert. When it came to the "give us this day our daily bread," the convert was all smiles with matching thumbs up. When it came to "forgive us our debts," all the more he smiled and gave two thumbs up. But when it came to "as we forgive our debtors," the convert shook his head and said "Hindi pwede 'yan, lugi negosyo 'yan (No way, that's bad for business)!"

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In today's Gospel (Lk. 6, 27-38), Jesus spells out His doctrine of love which, in the eyes of many, is outright stupidity. This whole idea of loving one's enemies and turning the other cheek just doesn't make sense for those who want to get going in this world. Human nature wants to get, and to get even. Jesus tells us to give and to give even. Maybe the world is what it is today because we have never really given Jesus' formula a try. In your own life, have you ever really given Jesus' formula a try?

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"God's ways are not man's ways." With much difficulty I had to bring this message across to Willy this weekend when I met him. You see, Willy is still angry and grieving. Who wouldn't be? Willy's 18-year-old daughter was stabbed and killed by his very own uncle, Willy's younger brother. It was a freak, stupid tragic thing, and what is done is done. Marianne is gone and nothing can ever bring her back. Justice can somehow appease the human desire for revenge and vengeance, but only love and forgiveness can bring peace, healing and meaning for the aggrieved and the grieving. Jesus' formula of love is not stupid after all, for it brings out the best in each and every one of us. It helps us to see beyond the limits of our human sight and understanding. It enables us to go beyond dead ends and blank walls. Love and forgiveness set us free. Are you still in a bind? That's because you do not allow God to set you free. Let go, and let God, and you are free.

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"Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Introduce him to the Internet, and he won't bother you for weeks." This precisely is the difference between man's ways and God's ways. Man's formula for justice is short-term. God's formula of love is long-term and long-lasting. Remember, God engineered human nature. So, he knows how to fix it, what is best for it.

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"Looks like you need a faith-lift." This is God's message as we begin the season of Lent this Ash Wednesday. Lent reminds us again that our life is just lent to us by God. Lent also reminds us we should not spend our energy, attention and efforts only on the material, but on the spiritual as well. As we discipline our bodies, may we nourish our spiritual values. Many of us have well-built, well-shaped or even well-fed bodies, but have malnourished and undernourished souls. Some of us are well-equipped and well-provided for our earthly sojourn, but are so unprepared for our heavenly journey.

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There can be no real change without humility. Let us go back to God in humility and acknowledge our sinfulness, and accept our weaknesses. As long as we deny, we continue to defy. A good confession will lift us up from our prisons and quagmires. When was the last time you had a good, honest-to-goodness soul-searching and confession? That is where a new life happens and begins, and where misery and pain end.

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It is not enough to be devotional this Lent. Our spiritual life must overflow into a world that is in need of love, forgiveness and healing. Don't just be a pray-er, but a play-er this Lent. Look around you. The world needs all the love you can give. It is a time to be fresh, and a time to be refreshed. Here's to a refreshing observance of Lent!

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I hope our politicians will really heed the message of Ash Wednesday: "Repent, and believe in the Gospel." May they never forget the Lord's warning and reminder: "Remember you are dust, and to dust you will return." Finally, may we all be reminded again of Jesus' words: "What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and in the end loses his soul?"

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Our faith should lift us up, and lift others up. Faith is not a downer, but an upper. Lent, for that matter, is not a time to be pressed or depressed. It is a time to be fresh, and a time to be refreshed. Here's to a refreshing observance of Lent!

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Someone said that the most wasted day is when one did not laugh and love. As the text message says, if there is no laughter and love, then Sunday is "sadday," Monday is "moanday," Tuesday is "tearsday," Wednesday is "wasteday," Thursday is "thirstday," Friday is "frightday," and Saturday is "shatterday." With faith, you can turn every day of the week into a day of laughter and love.

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A moment with the Lord

Lord, remind me that more than a face-lift, what I really need is a faith-lift in this life. Amen.