Transfiguring our planet

+ RWS 767 August 6, 2017,  The Transfiguration of the Lord

Gospel: Matthew 17: 1-9

And he was transfigured before them…”Rise and do not be afraid.”…

The Transfiguration 
By Bishop Precioso D. Cantillas, SDB, DD

Jesus showed three of His apostles His glory as the Son of God. His transfiguration did not only fill His human followers with a glimpse of His divinity, but also gave them, and every human being for that matter, an assurance of the beauty and greatness of a life hereafter with God, the giver of life. The transfiguration of Jesus gave Peter and his companions a greater dimension of their life and work following Jesus as their Lord. For every believer, life on earth and everything one does could be valued in relation to the “hidden glory” that can only be seen with the eyes of faith and experienced with the love, worship and service of the Lord.

      Human work and activity then are valuable not only in terms of the material and economic considerations; they can acquire additional value and an eternal one at that, when the worker and his life and activities are united and joined to the person and life of Jesus, the Messiah. What is consoling about this is that God himself is the one who offers such kind of life. It was Jesus who brought Peter and his companions to a preview of the divine glory. It is Jesus who continually invites every human person to believe in Him and allow Him to bring the person to His life and glory. The person needs only to think, feel and do with Jesus. In Him and through Him. One’s daily life and work would be transfigured from merely physical, material and economic entities to something more meaningful, highly valuable, and spiritually nourishing experiences here on earth. Every worker then has the daily opportunity to re-live the wonderful experience of Jesus’ Transfiguration.

Transfigure our planet

By Teresa R. Tunay, OCDS

      When I imagine the transfiguration of Jesus—in dazzling white robe, floating in mid-air, flanked by prophets Elijah and Moses, with the apostles cowering in fear on the ground—I am awed.  And I wonder how this mystery strikes Jesus’ followers today, especially the young people, the millennials.

      One day I was in the mall killing time before watching a movie, some splendid piano playing caught my ear—it was coming from the game zone.   Curious, I entered, looking for the genius at the keyboard, but I found neither piano nor genius—the music was but part of a game a young man was intent on playing.  I hung around the room watching the various players, eager to see what excitement young people would pay good money for.  Their zeal amazed me; they were totally absorbed in a world densely populated by superheroes and supervillains, zombies, mythical gods and demi-gods, aliens, and enhanced humans—all with unli powers battling one another for supremacy.  Where would our Lord’s transfiguration fit in that violent world—or in the hearts of those who see fictitious superheroes as saviors of the universe?  If the transfiguration suddenly popped up the screens, would they recognize the Lord or just be annoyed that a guy in a blinding white gown and two old men are interrupting their game?

      Let’s face it: Jesus cannot vie for the young’s attention in cyberworld where spectacle after spectacle distracts from real life.  Faithful followers of Jesus offer themselves entirely to the Lord; in turn, they are unwittingly transformed as witnesses to the reality of Jesus, a reality that can transfigure our planet in a way no superhero or demi-god can.

Finding the buried treasure

+ RWS 766 July 30, 2017, 17^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel: Matthew 13: 44-46

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field…”

The Treasure

By Bishop Precioso D. Cantillas, SDB, DD

      Every human being, consciously or unconsciously, is looking for a treasure which will fully satisfy everything he needs and desires. Jesus offers to everyone this treasure, which is the kingdom of heaven. This kind of treasure is not something material which could be stolen or destroyed, but, it is a life of happiness with God for all eternity. It is a life of the human being so filled with the love of God that everything he does is what God wills for him. This treasure is found in every time and place by the human being who lives and works for God, with Him and in Him. Becoming conscious and aware of the presence of the Source and Giver of life in every moment of living and working is like discovering this most valuable treasure.

      One’s daily work and labor would be heavy and burdensome when the kingdom of heaven is not considered as its essential part. No amount of money and/or material compensation could satisfy fully the human worker. Deep within the worker’s being is a heart formed by the Creator after His own image, which can only be at peace only when it “rests in God’s hands”. The worker then should dig deeper in order to discover the treasure of God’s loving presence in his life and his activities. The worker needs to remind himself, or allows others to make him aware of the spiritual dimensions of his work and noble purposes and reasons for doing one’s work. He should not stop at the earthly treasures of his work; he should go beyond the good things he enjoys with his daily work by having a lively faith and love for Jesus in his daily tasks.

Eye on the treasure

By Teresa R. Tunay, OCDS

      This treasure Jesus speaks of is buried in a field.  Repeat, buried.  Which implies that we have to toil hard in order to find it.  People who are employed in the big cities, it seems to me, would dig twice as hard to get to this treasure, the kingdom of God.  It is because the big cities offer so many other treasures, treasures that we, human that we are, would tend to desire more than anything else.  These treasures are more palpable, yield immediate pleasure, and could make us think, feel, and believe we can have heaven here and now.

      Even those who earnestly seek the kingdom of God while working in the metropolis may be derailed in their search; despite their efforts at maintaining a serious prayer life—daily Mass and communion, etc.—they could still be easily distracted.  I speak from experience.  Even if it’s prayer that begins and closes your waking day, in between you could still be pummeled from all sides by distractions that have a way of making you feel they’re the most important things to attend to.  On top of that are things we don’t really need to do but which we allow to consume our time anyway because they provide relief from stress or the semblance of a social life (talk about Facebook and Candy Crush).

      What, then, do we do to stay focused on Jesus’ treasure in the midst of all our earthly “treasures”?  All the ways known to me I have repeatedly written about here.  I think it’s time I heard from readers.  What do you do to keep your eye on the real treasure?  Email me please at teresatunay@gmail.com Thank and bless you!

(Cartoon courtesy of Pinterest)

The mustard seed

+ RWS 765 July 23, 2017, 16^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel: Matthew 13: 24-43

“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field.”

Mustard seed

By Bishop Precioso D. Cantillas, SDB, DD

Jesus wants everyone to come to the Kingdom of heaven. He came on earth and became man just for this—bring everyone and everything into God’s kingdom. He fulfills this mission not by uprooting man from his earthly existence but by transforming his daily life into something greater than the natural and ordinary. Jesus transforms nature into a supernatural reality, and ordinary human life and work into experiences beyond their material and temporal value. The little or insignificant human act, like a very small mustard seed, could grow into a huge, fruitful tree, through the saving and sanctifying deeds of Jesus Christ. The Lord wants to take our human existence and activities into His level of divinity. Every act we do, even the most insignificant, when done with Jesus, for Him and through Him, could be very meaningful and valuable in the sight of the Lord. It could help us gain the fruits of eternal life.

      The worker should therefore take advantage of the special offer Jesus is making to everyone who wants to be saved by making the effort to be aware of the Lord’s presence in his daily life and in every place of his work and activities. He could do this by praying habitually, in his thoughts or even accustom to start his daily activities with words of prayer, worship and adoration to God. He could also invite his co-workers to simple acts of prayer in the workplace. The little practices of faith in the presence of God in the places of work and among fellow workers, would be like the mustard seed which could become a huge tree which could provide the workers abundant source of valuable and meaningful work.

 A vision of goodness

 By Teresa R. Tunay, OCDS

Don’t you notice that many times, workplace squabbles between colleagues start from some seemingly small and insignificant thing?  A casual remark, for example, could be perceived in various ways, blown up out of context and proportion and cause misunderstandings.

      There is an exercise used in skills upgrading seminars to show the dynamics of verbal communication.  Ten volunteers stand up front, the lecturer takes Volunteer #1 aside (two meters away) and reads to him a short piece of news which the volunteer must remember without taking notes.  He then transmits what he heard to Volunteer #2 who must do the same until the news reaches Volunteer #10 who must report what he had heard.  Then his report is compared to the original news item that was read to Volunteer #1.  Almost always, the volunteer’s report will be very different from the original.  This is because people differ in perception, interpretation, and memory.

      This exercise illustrates how an apparently harmless comment could—in its multiple retelling—morph into something really destructive.  If something could go from harmless to harmful, something worthless-looking (like a mustard seed) could also grow into something truly beneficial to man.  Thus, it is important to have a vision of goodness to help us conserve our energy for what can lead to its realization.  For followers of Jesus, that vision of goodness could be a world where love, kindness, and compassion reign supreme.  The kingdom of God, indeed!

'My sheep hear my voice...'

+ RWS 699 April 17, 2016           

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Gospel: John 20: 27-30

Jesus said: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life….

Eternal life

By Bishop Precioso D. Cantillas, SDB, DD

             Eternal life is what Jesus promises and will give to anyone who accepts Him and become His “sheep”. Other great men and leaders promise their would-be followers a happy and prosperous life, here and now. Other religious leaders point to another kind of life after death. It is clear then that the human being, deep within his heart longs for a life that would last forever; one that can satisfy fully his whole being. Whether one is conscious of this or not, he works and spends his energy and strength to possess a life beyond. It is therefore vitally important for us to know and accept the One who can truly give us eternal life and give our life and work to Him.

            It is only Jesus, believed by many to be truly God and truly man, who proclaimed that He is “the way, the truth, and the life “. He invites everyone who wishes to be saved and live forever to believe in Him and follow in His footsteps. Anyone who chooses to follow Jesus must “deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow Him”. Following Jesus demands among many things, bearing one’s daily cross. Besides intentionally working not for one’s wellbeing but for that of the others and for the glory of God, the follower of Jesus bears the pains, hardships and difficulties of work and relationships at home and the workplace. Working for others and for God is unacceptable for many; but it is a way of denying oneself as true followers of Jesus.

            While receiving a salary, or any material compensation for doing our work, Jesus’ followers can ‘increase’ the value and can find a greater or higher meaning of their daily work. Or, we can say that Jesus gives a much greater work compensation to those who unite with Him; He rewards our work and the costs we have to pay for it, like the stresses we endure, the physical or mental fatigue we suffer and other work-related loads we bear. The risen Lord, who overcame every human pain and suffering, even death, is the only One with the power to fulfill His promise of eternal life to His faithful followers who live and work with Him and in Him.

Which sheep are you?

By Teresa R. Tunay, OCDS

              In the profession I’m in—media—being considered a “sheep” is not an asset.  Sheep have no mind of their own.  They follow the flock.  They are weak, they can never lead.  They are bred to be led to the slaughterhouse for their meat and their skin.  From that imagery alone you can picture the kind of journalists this animal would make.  Mediocre ones—they would not get scoops, they would always be last in the race, they would be bullied by the wolves, they would be mocked and never earn the respect of their colleagues (who are lions and tigers and wolves).  That’s how the world regards sheep.  But the sheep that Jesus speaks of are different; they are His followers who hear His voice and are led to an endless life of joy with God.

            Is it possible to be this latter kind of sheep and make your mark in media?  Decades of being in this work has taught me that in the pursuit of truth, it is of utmost importance to understand that there are gray areas to be dealt with wisely (as serpents) and innocently (as doves).  I have worked with lions, tigers and wolves that have won awards for being their predatory and competitive selves, but I have also worked alongside a rare breed of the Shepherd’s followers who are veritable sheep in wolves’ clothing.  They make the effort to discreetly hide their faces, assuming the appearance of fierce animals in order to “disappear in the background” while they work to make the Truth shine.   They are the Good Shepherd’s sheep, and because the voice they heed is far beyond the editor’s and the publisher’s, they sometimes appear lost in the marketplace.  It is not awards nor recognition they seek—not even a pat on the head from the Good Shepherd Himself, because for them, doing the will of God is its own reward.

Forgive, and be forgiven

+  RWS 557 July 28, 2013

17^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel: Luke 11: 1-13

4 “… and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test."

Forgiving

By Bishop Precioso D. Cantillas, SDB, DD

Asking forgiveness and forgiving are essential parts of our life as mortals. Jesus, our Savior, taught us to ask the Father to forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. In our relationship with God and others, then, we need to humble ourselves and implore the Almighty for His mercy on us; likewise, we also need to stoop down to those who may have wronged us, and offer our forgiving hands to them. Having and nurturing this forgiving attitude then is necessary in our life. I think that our experience in work and at work, teaches us how to ask forgiveness and to be forgiving to others.

While reason tells us that we need to work in order to eat, faith in God makes us accept the burden of having to work as expiation for our sins; as our share in the redemptive work of Christ, who suffered and died on the cross in obedience to the will of the Father to save us. The worker then, who believes, will approach his work as part of his plea for God’s mercy on him. Keeping such humble attitude before God as the worker goes to work, will impact greatly and positively on the performance of the worker at his job. Expectedly, the worker will do his best to make his work as a convincing proof of his sorrow for sins and his desire to be at peace with God. Work then, gives the worker a great opportunity to merit God’s favor and mercy. Consequently, the worker will find it easy to ask his boss or his co-workers forgiveness if and when he causes them wrong.

Work and all its punishing demands somehow inflicts on us some hurts, which we need to “forgive”. We can complain and be forever unwelcoming of work and the hardships it imposes on us. But, such negative attitude towards work will not help us and keep us healthy. We need to be kind and forgiving to our work, co-workers, and even our bosses, if we want to enjoy the goodness and happiness in life which God our Father has gifted us with.

The root of hurt feelings

By Teresa R. Tunay, OCDS

Even workplaces populated by the most educated, intelligent, or polite people are prone to squabbles every now and then.  There are misunderstandings, personality clashes, conflicts in ideas or priorities, differing perceptions, wrong assumptions—which more often than not lead to hurt feelings.  When these clashes result in stalemate, they slow down work.  To turn things around it is important for those involved (and everybody in general) to realize that these conflicts are some of the very challenges that bring out the best in us, compelling us to think out of our own personal box and to view things with a truly open mind.

There is a way to overcome hurt feelings, and that is by tracing their roots and seeing them for what they are.  In the very core of things you’ll see that hurt feelings stem from an inordinate self-esteem that makes you feel you are the best and cannot ever be wrong; thus you are hurt when circumstances point to the contrary.  The situation worsens when the other person (your “enemy”) has a self-esteem that’s just as misplaced as yours.  Then nobody wants to give way—it becomes a power play where the most important thing for the playors are their hurt feelings and their pride, not the work they are supposed to do together.

The workplace is an intimate community where everybody is expected to be a team player in order that the company’s goals may be reached—bearing a grudge has no place here.  We Filipinos like to think we are a prayerful people—look how we display our piety even in our workplaces.  But if we find it beneath us to forgive or ask to be forgiven by a coworker, so that our shared work may be smoothly accomplished, then face it: we are merely praying the Our Father with our mouths, not with our hearts.