My Son David's Short Article on Justice

Let Justice Prevail: in ourselves and in our community

Amos 5:14-15, 21-24 (474 words)

In this reading, the prophet Amos speaks to Israel about "justice" in conduct and in practice. Scholars agree that chapter 5 in particular addresses two things: an unjust and corrupt legal system, and superficial worship.

In verses 14-15, Amos warns, "Seek good and not evil, that you may live. Then truly will the Lord, the God of hosts, be with you as you claim! Hate evil and love good, and let justice prevail at the gate..." Every court in the world strives to pursue the ideal known as "justice." If we try to define justice, the words "equality" and "fairness" come to mind. When thinking of God's justice, "fairness" is not far off. Justice is "the moral virtue that consists in the constant and firm will to give one's due to God and to neighbor." (CCC 1807) With this definition from the Catechism of the Catholic Church in mind, "fairness" manifests itself in giving what is due to God and to our brethren. Justice is not about judgment, it is about action.

For to God, justice is closely linked with love. Therefore, we should not seek retribution as in the Mosaic law. We are not to be the ones who will judge. God alone can do that. Rather, we must act justly: to "let justice prevail," (Amos 5:15) we must order ourselves towards what is good. We must be a people of love. When wronged, we must "turn the other cheek." When we see a person in need, we must be the Good Samaritan.

In terms of community life within BLD, we must practice forgiveness, fraternal correction, and always support each other with love. We must encourage each other to grow in faith and in love. We must show our love for all of creation by being good stewards of the earth, by loving all our brethren, and by serving them. Doing this shows that we "hate evil and love good."

Finally, we must do so humbly. In verses 21-24, Amos addresses the superficial worship of the Israelites. Amos 5:21 states that God "spurns our feasts and our offerings" that are made without good conduct. God sees through superficial acts. As worshippers of the Almighty God, we must worship in spirit and in truth, meaning that there is substance behind our profession that God is truly the Lord over every aspect of our lives.

The reality is that the Lord, who is good, cannot be with us if we are sinful, unjust, unloving. Therefore, we can know God is among us if we are a community at peace, one where our actions are loving. When our actions show our love for God, for each other, and for creation, we "let justice prevail." And the promise is this: the Lord will be among us, and His presence will make this community shine.

(About Dave de la Fuente: Our youngest child, he attends Fordham University - Lincoln Center Campus - where he will be a junior this coming fall, majoring in Theology and Political Science. He loves to praise and worship the Lord, enjoys interacting with people, and has a servant's heart. He will be traveling to Australia for 3 weeks beginning on July 2 as part of a Fordham contingent who will do community service and attend the World Youth Day. He is also attending the Jesuit Leadership Conference in Seattle in early August.)

Connecting with High School Classmates

I recently connected with a bunch of high school classmates who were eager to plan and organize ahead of our 45th anniversary in 2010. I agreed to do what I can to locate other classmates we have lost contact with these past 43 years. I found one classmate - Dr. Eddie Uy - who I have not seen or talked to since he served as a secondary sponsor in my wedding to Lee almost 42 years ago. My contact with Eddie provoked memories which led to a truly profound spiritual experience. Let me share with you the note I sent to my classmates after I spoke with Eddie, and the note I sent directly to Eddie.

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Dear SBC HS65 brethren,

After 41 long years, I finally reconnected with our beloved classmate and friend Eddie Uy. He is now Dr. Eddie Uy, a general practitioner in Fontana, California. That's in San Bernardino County, Southern California. I've copied Eddie with this email, so I will let him give you a brief update about himself.

I have many fond memories of Eddie and our youthful adventures, which we usually embarked on in the company of Joseph Li and George King. For now, what I'd like to share with you is what Eddie did for me during a very important time of my life.

I was probably the second member of our class who got married. The first was the late Alex Buencamino. I met my future wife Lydia (nickname: Lee) at the first day of school in UP Baguio in 1965. Soon enough, we fell in love, but her parents did not want to have any part of me. Just before our sophomore year, we eloped. A month later, we were married at the Lourdes Church in QC. Eddie, Joseph, George and Ogie (Pasicolan) were among our secondary sponsors.

The day before the wedding, I drove down from Baguio to Manila. In my haste, I forgot to bring a white long sleeves shirt with me. I found this out only as I was getting ready for the wedding ceremony. There was no time to go to a store, so I called Eddie for help. Gracious as always, Eddie came to the rescue. He drove over to lend me his shirt. I got married wearing Eddie's shirt!

The story does not end there.

Eddie's neckline was about one inch shorter than mine. Throughout the wedding ceremony, I felt like passing out from asphyxiation. Those who saw me then thought that I was nervous. (That was true too. Lee and I were both 17!) Fortunately, I had the good sense to unbutton the neckline and loosen my tie. I made it to the end of the ceremony.

Almost 42 years later, I am still married to Lee. Not a single day during all these years did I feel like passing out or asphyxiating. We have 6 children, 3 of whom are married. We have 9 grandchildren.

We have many reasons to be thankful for these precious blessings. Eddie is one such reason. Better yet, three reasons: Eddie, his friendship and his shirt.

Eddie, we missed you! But now we rejoice for we have found you!

Brothers, let us welcome back Eddie!

God bless,
Richard
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Hi, Eddie!

Thank you for your sharing.

I realize that when one shares what is in his heart and mind, he is really giving what is truly precious: himself. And who would give himself to others but a friend?

I've began to recognize the grace in what Dennis has started. The contacts he initiated with our classmates and the consequent communication exchanges provoked in me a gush of memories, a tinge of mixed feelings, and a wellspring of thankfulness for the blessings God has heaped on all of us.

There is so much good that happened in my youth that time and adult experiences have obscured in my mind. You reminded me that you and George once visited our house in Baguio. In my early youth, that was home to me and my family- every day during summer and on most weekends during the school year. I attended UP Baguio after our HS graduation to be "home". Somehow, I felt that a part of me was lost when the house burned down in the late 60s, so I immaturely shut if off from my mind. Even when my Dad rebuilt it (and later sold it), it did not feel like home anymore. Now, I am once again in touch with it- for good. I have come to accept the baggages that came with it, and are now gone. All the good memories it brings me make me feel whole.

I am not surprised that you did not remember the white shirt. An act of kindness given that is too small to remember may be an act of kindness received that is too significant to forget. It may have been just a shirt to you, but it meant a once in a lifetime wedding for me.

You also remind me of the Lord's teaching on the judgment of the nations in Matthew 25:35-40. "For I was hungry and you gave me food.....naked and you clothed me...." "Then the righteous will answer Him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you......naked and clothe you?'...." My friend, you are like the righteous the Lord referred to in said Scripture passage-- who is not conscious of the good that they do, but whose goodness is not hidden from God.

There is much to share but I do not want to be overly sentimental. So..... did I ever return your shirt?

By the way, Arthur Jimenez, Bert Arellano, Joe Castillo and I will have a reunion in Joe's Ewing, NJ home on April 19. I hope you can be there but I realize distance and schedule will make that difficult. Please do send a picture and a message to the group.

I will send you a scanned copy of your picture with George and Ogie at my wedding almost 42 years ago- hopefully sometime tomorrow.

God bless,
Richard

Speech at BLD Global Inter-District Conference, Feb. 23, 2008 - Cavite, Philippines

The Church in the US - How BLD Can Serve

During BLD Newark’s disciples’ assembly last November, two separate agenda items converged to form a story that is relevant to our topic this morning. It involves two faith communities whose lives are intertwined but whose outlooks are starkly different. The first is the parish of St. Mary’s in Rahway, NJ. The second is BLD Newark itself. Both are part of the Archdiocese of Newark. St. Mary’s is BLD Newark’s spiritual home, the venue for our weekly worship, teachings, and many other community activities.

St. Mary’s situation is that of a community struggling to survive. St. Mary’s parishioners have steadily declined in number and have become predominantly seniors. The parish could not make ends meet. It was $700,000 in debt. St. Mary’s has to submit a turn-around plan to the Archdiocese by May this year. Plan disapproval could mean merger with a nearby parish or closure. St. Mary’s pastor requested BLD Newark to help him and his parish council plan and implement their parish turn-around.

BLD Newark’s situation is that of a community blessed with vibrant growth. This much was clear in the Treasury Ministry’s report of the district’s financials for the past year. But the real message is not in the numbers, but in the good news of a membership endowed with a spirit of giving. A close reading of the report reinforced what many have known all along- that God has built the district into a large plant with large branches (Mk 4:32). God has made it strong enough to meet its own needs and to help others.

The story’s ending is still unfolding, but at that assembly, I saw a reason to be confident and a reason to be challenged. The reason for confidence is our leaders’ response to St. Mary’s appeal. They formed a team to work with St. Mary’s pastor and parish council, to determine how BLD can help. The challenge is in the change in our thinking and priorities that must occur so that we can truly serve the Church. After hearing of St. Mary’s life crisis and BLD’s blessings, there ensured a spirited discussion on an issue that pre-occupied some minds: should we or should we not give our sharers stipends?

Today’s Catholic Church in the US finds itself with great challenges and opportunities. These are our challenges and opportunities as well. The Church
must bring the guidance of the Gospel to a nation that has been so richly blessed, yet increasingly unrecognizing of the source of its blessings. America’s blessings are unrivaled: a vibrant freedom, stable democratic traditions, rich natural resources, first-world economic and technological capabilities, global political and economic influence, excellent education institutions, a diverse, hard-working people.

Paradoxically, there are determined forces waging a relentless effort to secularize American life. As a result, there is a polarization of American society. In the moral realm, it is between those who defend and those who attack the moral base of the American culture. It is between those who are determined to keep America’s faith traditions and those determined to remove God and anything symbolizing Him from public places and public life. It is between those who believe that faith is central to our lives, and those who argue that God and religion are irrelevant.

This is the American mission field into which the Lord planted and is growing BLD. BLD in North America began with BLD Toronto 17 years ago, formed by immigrant disciples from Manila and Hong Kong. BLD Toronto’s offspring, BLD Newark- is the first US district, born roughly two years after BLD Toronto. The Lord revealed His purpose for BLD in North America during a discernment by the two districts’ Tricords and Body of Coordinators in Bath, New York on October 15-16, 1995. We were aided by our head servant leader Sonny de los Reyes. From that weekend of praise & worship and waiting on the Lord emerged BLD’s vision/mission for the continent.

The vision statement is the same as the Global Community’s Vision, except for the addition of the following paragraph: “Through our covenant relationship with the Lord Jesus, we commit as disciples to be a countersign to all that is at war with the teachings of our Lord, and to emerge victorious in living and sharing the values of our Christian faith”. At that early stage of BLD’s life in North America, when our attention was focused on community-building, the Lord directed our attention to the “good fight” (1 Tm 1:18) that we must wage to defend our Christian faith.

We came out with a 6-point mission statement which described how we are to “compete well for the faith” (1 Tm 6:12):

1. Liberate the family from the forces that work against life, love and unity

2. Minister to the temporal, emotional and spiritual needs of the elderly, the infirm, the immigrants and the unemployed

3. Raise an army of disciplined prayer warriors through worship, instruction and pastoral care

4. Form and equip small communities of faith that will proclaim the kingdom of God in their respective areas

5. Serve the needs of the Roman Catholic dioceses and parishes through our community programs

6. Support the community's breaking the yoke of poverty programs

When we sat down to review the result of our discernment and to set initial goals, I felt intimidated by the immensity of our mission and its connotation of spiritual warfare. However, I found peace and consolation in prayer and in faith in God. As we left Bath, New York that Sunday afternoon, the Lord gave us a clear sign of His covenant blessing. We were greeted with a glorious rainbow that lighted up the sky. It stayed with us for some time as we headed back home to New Jersey.

It is this Vision and Mission that guided the work of building BLD in North America these past twelve and a half years. What has the Lord accomplished during this time? It is not feasible to quantify the full extent of God’s grace, but the following are evident. From 2 districts in 1995, there are now 26 BLD districts in various stages of formation in North America – 5 in Canada and 21 in the US. North America has 3 of BLD’s 9 full-term districts, 5 of its 12 full-fledged districts, 15 of its 26 districts-in-process and 3 of its 6 prayer groups. Overall, BLD in North America represents 50% of all BLD districts and prayer groups.

There is no official count of the number of individuals and families that have gone through BLD encounters and seminars in North America. But here’s a reasoned guess-estimate: about 6,000 individuals and 2,000 families. We believe that a large majority of these people did encounter Christ and have remained faithful to the Lord. These faithful families have produced some vocations- and we are praying there will be a lot more. Fr. Paul referred earlier to Fr. Dave Sison, who is now the pride of Filipino-Americans and Italian-Americans. BLD has 3 sons who are presently in the seminary – 1 in New York, and 2 in Spain. It has 2 daughters who have taken their vows as nuns. It has 8 of its holy married men called by the Lord to become permanent deacons: 3 in Newark, 2 in Metuchen, 1 in Trenton, 1 in Long Island and another in Rochester. In addition, three men are undergoing diaconate formation in Connecticut, Newark and Trenton.

Why has the Lord brought all these about? It is certainly not so that we can boast about how BLD has grown. The purpose is revealed in the direction that the Lord is slowly but surely leading BLD into: full participation in the life and mission of His Church, particularly in its work for the poor.

The signs of this direction are undeniable. There is now a growing awareness among disciples that evangelization is not about the recruitment of new BLD members, primarily Filipinos. Rather, evangelization is about bringing Christ to believers and non-believers alike through our personal faith witnessing and sharing, at all times and in all places, in order to help build the Church. There is now a growing awareness that having a strong BLD communion is not an end of itself, but rather a requisite condition for mission. There is now a growing awareness that mission is not just about building new BLD districts, but about bringing the spirit that Jesus gave us: the spirit of openness to God - to all of God’s people- so as to sum up all things in Christ (Eph 1:10).

Thus, many of our districts and their members have begun to bring their faith and their gifts to serve the Church and the world beyond. In their parishes, they serve as lectors, Eucharistic ministers, catechists, parish council members, RCIA facilitators, pre-Cana sharers, home-bound service volunteers, evangelization coordinators, stewardship coordinators, advocates of the right to life, and members of various other parish ministries and teams. Outside their parishes, they visit the elderly and infirm in nursing homes, hospices and hospitals. They volunteer in homeless shelters, support youth camps and serve in hospices for persons with aids. They bring the Catholic perspective to PTAs, school sports, arts and cultural activities. They form prayer and Word sharing circles at their neighborhoods and workplaces.

As districts, they support parish-based prayer groups, serve in soup kitchens, undertake prison ministries. They serve the needs of their dioceses, bringing their hands and feet to serve in the most menial roles at diocesan events, their personal gifts in creating and maintaining diocesan websites, their ministry experience in serving as coordinators of diocesan young adults and youth councils, and their community’s charism through their service in diocesan evangelization and formation structures and initiatives. They undertake medical missions. They support the ECSL’s global directions, especially in poverty alleviation through Gawad Kalinga.

Yet we have obstacles to surmount, problems to fix- as part of our journey of transformation into a servant community of the Church. We have old outlooks and ways that served us well in the early years of the community, but need rethinking in the light of new community directions. For example, there remains a tendency to remain insular, inwardly-focused, as primarily a private Filipino faith organization. There is a tendency to view covenant discipleship as an endpoint in formation, accomplished through hard work. There is a tendency to misunderstand the nature, structure and inter-relationships of authority in the community, which often contribute to our problems. Yes, we have problems that distract us from doing the work God has entrusted to us.

We also have to address the need of our members find balanced spirituality. We have heard from many US brothers and sisters that living up to their BLD commitments is often at the expense of their family and parish. This concern is echoed by children who complained that we took their parents from them, and by parish priests who complained that we took their parishioners away from them. “Is Christ divided?” (1 Cor 1:13). Our life is whole, and can not be compartmentalized into mine, ours and God’s. Our love of self and love of neighbor are not separate loves but diverse, symbiotic expressions of our love of God. To serve the church at home is to serve the greater Church, and vice-versa. We should re-focus and re-prioritize our community activities so that we too can say: to serve in BLD is to serve the family and the Church.

If there is one thing we have learned from serving the Church in the US, it is this: it does not matter that we are a minority in a largely white church. It does not matter that we speak English with a different accent. What matters is that we be authentic witnesses of Christ. To be authentic witnesses does not mean to be perfect. No one is; we are not. To be authentic witnesses means to persevere in Christ in our difficulties and trials, just as we rejoice in Him in our victories and moments of grace. One of the colored comments I received in my work with the Archdiocese of Newark is, “can anything good come out of the Philippines?” After they got to know the heart of BLD through the service of our evangelization and mission brethren as well as singles, the question is now, “can we have BLD’s help in this event?”

But there was also a time when our bishop spoke highly of BLD’s unity and servanthood, and I felt uneasy- aware of the struggles and conflicts in community at that time. Then the bishop remarked, “Of course, I know that you guys have your struggles and conflict too.” Then I realized that the Church does not expect us to be perfect, but to be just authentic witnesses. His remark reminded me why I was drawn to and remained in BLD in the first place - because I saw Christ in its leaders and members- in their moments of strengths and their moments of weaknesses.

Yes, the BLD community was and remains for me a place of encounter with the Lord. In the midst of our disagreements and conflicts, I see Christ encouraging us to refocus on Him, to practice what we learned and since then have been teaching to others: Christian speech, fraternal correction, forgiveness and reconciliation, love in the manner He loved us. I see Christ in every brother and sister struggling to find the wisdom to understand, the patience to endure, the compassion to forgive, the humility to ask for forgiveness. I see His passion in our troubles, hurts and pain. I see His death in our acknowledgment of sin and remorse. I see His resurrection in our forgiveness and reconciliation. I see the power of the Pentecost in a community at peace and reaching out to give Christ to others, especially the poor. No question that BLD is imperfect. But as long as this community realizes its imperfection and its utter need for God, as long as we seek and follow Christ’s will and not our will, as long as we realize that our struggle is not against each other but against all those at war with the teachings of our Lord, then Christ is present in this imperfect community. We will find Christ in one another. Others will find Christ in us. We will have all that is needed to serve: Christ alive in us.

I will not tell you in what specific ways your districts can serve or better serve the Church. You have to consider your gifts and re-prioritize your activities. You have to seek your local bishop’s direction regarding the needs and the culture of his diocese. You have to link up your charisma with your bishop’s charisma. If you are serving a parish, you have to do the same with the local pastor. If you are doing all these, then you are on the right track.

As a final advice, let us learn from the wisdom of Pope John Paul II in his encyclical Redemptoris Missio:

“Within the Church, there are various types of services, functions, ministries, and ways of promoting the Christian life. I call to mind, as a new development occurring in many churches in recent times, the rapid growth of ‘ecclesial movements’ filled with missionary dynamism. When these movements humbly seek to become part of the life of the local churches and are welcomed by bishops and priests within diocesan and parish structures, they represent a true gift of God both for new evangelization and for missionary activity properly so-called. I
therefore recommend that they be spread and that they be used to give fresh energy, especially among young people, to the Christian life and to evangelization, within a pluralistic view of the ways in which Christians can associate and express themselves.”

John Paul II considers ecclesial movements a true gift of God to the Church for evangelization and mission – provided we are equipped with three spiritual dispositions.

The first spiritual disposition is humility. We must avoid the trap that a few large covenant communities in the US fell into in the past: pride in their community’s charisma, their pastoral structure, their programs and methods, their size, their successes. Pride underlies self-absorption, self-interest, self-purpose. Pride prevents one from accepting that God gave us freedom and uniqueness so that we can be willing, vital and complementary parts of the whole that is His body, His Church. Whatever we are, whatever we have, whatever we are able to do- have been freely given us. We have nothing of our own to offer to God and His Church, but what in truth belongs to Him. We may have planted, we may have watered, but it is “only God who causes the growth” (1 Cor 3:9, 7). If we have the humility to accept this, we will trust and rely not on our wisdom and strength, but on God. Then God will increase our faith!

I recall the first time the Lord asked BLD Newark through the CSL to start an outreach in Reno, Nevada. This call came a short time after Newark’s first fruits- ME 1- had just sealed their covenant. We were still few in numbers. We were just in the initial stages of our own community-building. We had no local teachers and sharers. We were dependent on Manila for sharers, teachers and pastors. We had just enough funds to pay for the following week’s worship venue rental, and in debt to Manila by a few thousand dollars. During our initial discernment, I asked what I thought was a practical, logical question: why do we think we can support an outreach 3,000 miles away, given our district’s situation? We could not agree on what to do.

Providentially, the CSL sent a holy man and holy woman our way- Tito Eliong and Tita Leah Sison- to facilitate our discernment. During our waiting on the Lord, the Spirit broke down all our doubts and objections. By “broke down”, I mean literally and figuratively. Our sobs and tears were of the worldly-wise being shamed. The Spirit gave us the decisive word, “Rise, pick up your mat and walk” (Jn 5:8). The Word of God convicted us that our faith was paralyzed by our pride, our self-reliance, our self-absorption. The Word of God warned us not to be immobilized on the mat of our doubts. The Word of God summoned us to arise in the power of the Spirit, to begin a life of walking by faith, not by sight. That discernment led to the start of the BLD Reno outreach. From there, He showed us what He can accomplish through us if only we believe. One year later, when the Lord asked us through the CSL to start the BLD Seattle outreach, BLD Newark’s circumstances were still not materially different from what it was during our Reno discernment. But our spiritual circumstances had changed. The Lord had increased our faith.

The second spiritual disposition is that of belonging - to Christ and to His Church. John Paul II said we must humbly seek to become part of the life of the local churches. In seeking, we will find our true identity. Becoming part of the life of the Church does not mean we are a separate cloth patched to its life fabric. Rather, we, along with all Christian believers, are that thread that is woven by the Lord into the fabric, so that we are integral to the whole. St. Paul says it best in 1 Cor 6:17, “Whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him.” As disciples, we do not merely follow the Lord, but are attached, joined to His person. And if joined to Jesus, we are one spirit, we have one life with Him. “The Spirit is for the common good” 1 Cor 12:7. Because we are one with the Holy Spirit, then we are one with His purpose: for the common good. BLD exists, not for itself, but the Lord. How then can we think of ourselves apart from the Church? We are the Lord’s members, placed by Him in BLD for formation and maturation, to prepare us for fruitful service in the Church’s evangelization and mission work!

To show that this truth is recognized by the local church itself, let me share with you this rather embarrassing story. About 8 years ago, the then Archbishop of Newark, Theodore McCarrick, offered to give us a new venue- the Sacred Heart Church in Vailsburg, with one important mandate: to help revive its dying parish life. We promised to study the offer, then came back with a polite no, giving “not enough parking” as reason. I suspect the good Archbishop was bewildered by our response. But the Archdiocese persisted. Several years later, the new Archbishop made BLD an association of the faithful, and appointed one of its representatives in its Evangelization Commission, which is charged with the task of bringing inactive and new Catholics to the parishes. That group consists of the auxiliary bishop who is the Vicar-General for Evangelization, the heads of various archdiocesan offices and ministries, e.g. Evangelization, Family Life, Young Adults and Youth, Catechetical Office, Stewardship, Divine Office, Hispanic Ministries, and BLD! Doesn’t that drive home the point that the church sees us as sharing in its life and mission?

The third spiritual disposition is submission to the authority of the local bishop on the diocesan level, or the parish priest, on the parish level. The Lord gave the authority to pastor, to tend, to feed, to lead His flock to Peter and the apostles, and to their successors. Our bishops and priests are the shepherds of the flock. They know the needs of the local church. BLD’s Statutes 4.2 acknowledges this ecclesial principle, “As the head of the local Church, the Diocesan Bishop has authority over matters that affect the local Church. As such, the Diocesan Bishop has the final decision on the role of the BLD Covenant Community and the BLD District in the life and mission of the local Church.” We will honor the Lord’s authority through the local bishops if we follow our own Statutes and await their welcome and their directions for service. Through them, the Lord will give us the anointing and authority that we will need for our work.

If we are humble, if we humbly seek to participate in the life of the Church, if we are obedient to Church authority, then we become a true gift of God to His Church - just as the Church is His gift to us. A true gift of God comes from within Him, given freely from His heart of love, for the good of His people. Here, John Paul II gives us a sense of the great blessing that awaits those who share in the work of His Son- the True Gift of God to mankind. We get the sense that as we become God’s co-worker in His vineyard, we are at the same time His field that He is cultivating to produce a great harvest, His building that is being built as a holy dwelling place for God in the Spirit (1 Cor 3:9; Eph 2:22).

Let us pray, “Come, Holy Spirit!” Lead us into full participation in the life and mission of Your Church. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen!

One Mind and Purpose

Jan. 25, 2008 Reflection - 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Word order “be united in the same mind and in the same purpose” is not the same as the unanimity or the absence of disagreement in a group (Ps 83:6; Rv 17:13). Rather, it is our unity with the mind of Christ – which the Lord subordinated to the Father’s will, and our unity with the purpose of Christ – to finish the Father’s work (Jn 4:34; 6:38)- which the Lord dedicatedly pursued to Calvary. Such unity is the fruit of our relationship of life and love with God, in and through the person of Jesus Christ.

Matthew’s account of the call of the first disciples helps us understand the relationships of Peter, Andrew, James and John, and the new relationship that they entered with Jesus Christ. First, their relationship was fraternal - they were two sets of brothers. Second, their relationship was occupational. As was the case with most fathers and sons in the past, they were engaged in a common trade: in this case, as fishermen in the Sea of Galilee. Luke reveals to us the exact nature of their occupational relationship in his account of the call of the first disciples (Lk 5:7 & 9). We learn that these four men were “partners”. They were of the same mind and the same purpose to make a living through their fishing partnership. Luke used the Greek word “koinonia”, to describe this business partnership - the first time this word was used in scripture. Later on, Luke describes the life of the first Christian community after the Pentecost as “koinonia” (Acts 2:42). This time, “koinonia” conveyed a more profound sense- no longer referring to a business partnership, but rather to the “communion” of the first Christians after the Pentecost.

As a result of their common assent to Jesus’ call, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men,” these four men entered a new, mystical relationship among themselves and with Christ- the first stage of the “koinonia” referred to in Acts 2. This time, their fishing ground was not the Sea of Galilee but the Ocean of Mankind. They went out not in their tiny boats but in the ship of the Church. They did not need nets but the gospel for their catch. And their catch was not fish but men, not for themselves but for Christ. The business was no longer theirs but the Father’s business (Lk 2:49 NKJ). They were no longer to be guided by mere human wisdom, but God’s, for their work is God’s work. Pope Benedict XVI describes this new “koinonia” in this way: we have become “the communion of the Lord Himself, who grants what we could never have achieved by our own resources.” What was granted? We are one family, one body with Him. We are one with God. “Whoever is joined to Christ becomes one spirit with Him” (1 Cor 6:17).

Why then do we see dissension and conflict among Christians? Why do divisions arise? Is it because of our broken nature, which tends to weaken the exercise of our freedom, that at times, we give preference to self-centered rather than God-centered reasons? “For I do not do the good I want, but I do the evil I do not want” Rm 7:19.

The report of rivalries in Corinth prompted Paul to write his letter to the brethren. He urged the Corinthians to use their freedom not for division, but for unity. He called their attention to their rivalries, their factions. “I belong to Paul…I belong to Apollos…I belong to Cephas…I belong to Christ. Is Christ divided?” Here, Paul calls out the root cause for the dissension in Corinth: they have lost their focus on Jesus. They have placed their loyalties on men, not Jesus. He reminded them that Christ is their only leader and savior. Using himself as an example, Paul reiterated that he was sent by Christ, clearly showing his and every Christian’s right relationship to Christ. Christ is the sender, the Lord and the Master. We are the sent, the servants and the disciples. Then, Paul explained why he was chosen: “to preach the gospel…not with the wisdom of human eloquence.” What was Paul to rely on? “the cross of Christ, so that it might not be emptied of its meaning.” In other words, our life and ministry, our “koinonia”, must be about Jesus.

Two millennia later, Vatican II echoed Paul’s exhortation: “Genuine freedom is an outstanding manifestation of the divine image in man. For God willed man ‘in the power of his own counsel’ (Sir 15:14) so that he would seek his Creator of his own accord and freely arrive at full and blessed perfection by cleaving to God.” (Gaudium et Spes). Let’s repeat that last part: we can arrive at full and blessed perfection by cleaving to God. To cleave is to adhere to or stick to firmly, closely, loyally, unwaveringly! Cleave to Jesus, remain one with Him!

What does cleaving to Jesus mean? When conflicts and chaos do arise, it should not be an occasion to hopeless despair, such that we should raise our hands in surrender, or to wage a belligerent struggle, or to fall to schism or to flee from community. Rather, it should be an opportunity for each of us to prayerfully reflect on the underlying reasons for our conflict and to repent for what we may have contributed to it. It should be an opportunity for us to seek Jesus Christ and what His law of love impels us to do- which is to dialogue, to communicate, to forgive and to reconcile with one another. It should be an opportunity for us to recognize the preciousness of our God-given “koinonia”, which pride and self-righteousness, apathy and un-forgiveness threaten. It should be an opportunity for us to live firmly in our Christian values, to follow in Jesus footsteps, to embrace His cross in order to unite ourselves with the Father’s will. It is when we die to our passions, to our desires, to our pride, to our prerogatives, to our personal loyalties- for the sake of the gospel- that the true community emerges. When it does, then the Lord’s glory has indeed shone on us.

The Lord’s call to “Come after me” is a radical summon to cleave to His person, “partaking of His life and His destiny, sharing in His free and loving obedience to the will of the Father” (John Paul II). When we are conformed in mind and heart to Jesus, then the Lord’s purpose for us is fulfilled: “fishers of men.”

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us constantly remember that our life and ministry, if they are to conform to the Father’s will, must be about You, not us. Keep our sights constantly focused on what delights You, and not our own pleasures. And during those times when we forget and lose our way, do not abandon us, but call us back to You. Bring us to that place of our endless communion with the Father, to Your heart, the heart of worship.

Reflection - 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time Sept 30 2007

The Lord’s Word for is in September is “The Kingdom of God is for those who lift
up the poor”. Our Word themes in the previous four weeks have focused on how
we can “lift up the poor”, namely:

• When we help build homes for them
• When share our resources with them
• When we bring the Good News to them
• When we restore their dignity

Our Word theme tonight completes and sums up the previous: “We lift up the
poor when we seek justice for them.” Our gospel reading- the parable of the rich
man and Lazarus, provides rich lessons for those who seek Kingdom life on
earth and the hereafter. In the parable, the rich man did not lift a finger to lift up
the poor man Lazarus. He was the very picture of complacency that the Lord
decried in the first reading from Amos

The purple garments and fine linen he wore signified his regal and imperial standing. His table fare was sumptuous - rich and magnificent banquets reminiscent of kings. The parable made no mention of work. His was definitely a life of comfort and opulence.

The rich man had everything of this world, but nothing of God. But he did not welcome Lazarus into his home, who lay just outside his door. He did not invite Lazarus to his table. He did not share his resources with the poor man - not one tiny bit from his riches, not even the scraps of food that fell from his table. He did not witness to Lazarus the good news of God’s covenantal love with Israel. He did not accord Lazarus the dignity that befits a fellow child of God.

On the other hand, Lazarus had nothing of this world, but everything of God (Latin name Eleazar means “God is my help”). He was so poor, diseased and weakened that the parable described him as “lying at the rich man’s door.” He was unable to stand up and fend for himself. He had to beg to eat. He was hungry and would have eaten scraps falling from the rich man’s table. Apparently without family and friends, he was ignored, avoided and abandoned, approached only by dogs which licked his sores. Though suffering, he was uncomplaining. Lazarus had no possessions, except that which truly mattered: he had God.

Like everything in this world, earthly wealth and suffering are passing. Jesus, “the King of kings and Lord of lords…alone has immortality” Inevitably, the rich man and Lazarus died and met God’s divine justice. Lazarus, because of his reliance on God, was carried by angels to the eternal comfort of the bosom of Abraham. The rich man, because of his selfishness, was consigned to the eternal torment of the netherworld. There, he discovered that his and Lazarus’ earthly states had been reversed. Lazarus was comforted; the rich man was tormented. The rich man was now the beggar. Yet his old self-absorption and low regard for Lazarus remained. He begged Father Abraham to send Lazarus to cool his tongue with water from the tip of his finger. His tears did him no good, as there was no way the great chasm between heaven and hell can be bridged after death.

The rich man made his final appeal to warn his five brothers – who represented a society which did nothing to alleviate the plight of the poor - that they may repent of their selfishness. Father Abraham’s response speaks to us too. Repentance must flow out of love of God and obedience to His commandments. St. Paul reinforces and simplifies the command, “…keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1Tim 6:14). The commandment to keep is kingdom love.

Our value before God does not lie in our wealth, looks or stature, but in our heart of love, a love that lifts up all persons, most specially the poor. Jesus is the model of lifting up the poor: “for your sake, He became poor though He was rich, so that by His poverty you might become rich” (2 Tm 8:9).

As Catholics, we must come together with a common conviction that we can no longer tolerate the moral scandal of poverty in our land and so much hunger and deprivation in our world. As believers, we can debate how best to overcome these realities, but we must be united in our determination to do so. Our faith teaches us that poor people are not issues or problems but sisters and brothers in God's one human family.

As Catholics, we are called to be "ever more faithful witnesses of God's love and justice, protecting the dignity of all God's children, especially the poor and vulnerable." As our nation and world confront terrorism, war, and violence, we recall the words of Pope Paul VI, "If you want peace, work for justice."

With our Church under challenge, the world confronted by terror and haunted by conflict, we must focus our individual and collective efforts on issues of poverty and human dignity now!

• Our faith calls us to it. The Gospel and Catholic social teaching place our service of the poor and vulnerable and our work for justice at the center of Christian witness.
• Our nation needs it. A sixth of our children are growing up poor in the richest nation on earth. The blessings and burdens of American life are not being shared equitably. In the Philippines, over 3 million families live below the poverty line, and are experiencing hunger daily. Millions are homeless or living in shanties.
• Our world requires it. More than 30,000 children die every day from hunger, deprivation, and their consequences. Disease and debt, corruption and conflict are threatening the lives and dignity of millions around the world.
• Our salvation demands it. In Jesus' description of the Last Judgment, the critical question is "What did you do for the least of these?" Jesus identified himself with the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the imprisoned, and the stranger, insisting that when we serve them we serve him.
• Our actions can make a difference. In the face of these challenges, our community of faith must continue to preach the Gospel and pursue the Church's evangelizing and social mission. We can help shape a world where the lives and dignity of all people are respected and protected.

In his hometown synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus outlined his mission and ours: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me . . . he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free." In these challenging times, this mission of Jesus is our way forward and our urgent task.

Before Jesus returned to the Father, He commissioned His disciples, and all other disciples who will come to believe Him through them, to go and make disciples of all nations. We are to go to all nations, cross every border, throw wide every door to proclaim that You, Lord Jesus, are Lord of all, our Savior who will break sin’s oppression, break the yoke of poverty, that Your kingdom may be established in all, where You will reign with glory and justice and peace. Yes Lord, we will cross every border…