The Fireworks Within Us

18th Sunday in the Ordinary Time
Matthew 14: 13 – 21

One day, Jesus called a press conference at the Manila Hotel. The reporter asked Him, "The Philippines is burdened with lots of personal, family and social crisis. What are your plans to help us?" Jesus replied, "I will ask my disciples to help." "You trust them a lot? Suppose they failed, what’s your Plan B?" Jesus smiled, "I have no other plans. I’m sure, they can do it."

In today’s gospel, the death of John the Baptist must have had caused deep pain to Jesus. By this time, Jesus was also tired of moving from one village to another, doing all sorts of work alone. He may have felt the fatigue of the ministry that he suddenly decided to withdraw from the crowd. But when Jesus saw the big crowd, he felt pity on them. But he could not do it alone. The ministry was getting bigger. He needed help. He knew it was time to bring his disciples in the frontier. He needed to wake his disciples’ potential as leaders and healers of the society.

And so Jesus said to his disciples, “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food themselves.” And they hesitantly responded with five loaves and two fish. But that small act of generosity was enough for Jesus to make a miracle and feed five thousand souls. Thanks to the disciples’ five loaves of bread and two fish. But honestly speaking, Jesus could easily make a miracle without his disciples’ contribution. But he wanted to encourage his disciples to get out of their comfort zones, be empowered and have their own miracles in God’s name.

We need leaders. Our society is in need of good leaders who can inspire and bring us to greater heights. Sad to say, we have a short list of possible good leaders in our midst. Our gospel today is challenging us to start forming leaders by encouraging individuals and groups to start sharing their loaves of bread and fish. No miracles will take place in our lives unless we share our loaves and fish. When one discovers his giftedness, he also discovers his mission. Like Jesus, we are duty bound to empower others to help themselves.

But do we know the art of empowering people? One day an old lady invited me for lunch in her house. Knowing that she was really poor, I politely turned down her invitation. But in tears, she replied, “Bakit po Fr.Willy? Dahil po ba mahirap lang kami, wala na kaming karapatang pakainin kayo? Yung mayayaman lang po ba ang pwedeng maglibre sa inyo?” I was taken aback. She was right. The poor are not just beneficiaries of our kindness; given full trust and encouragement, they could also be potential helpers, leaders and evangelizers as well.

But how do we empower people? Do I believe that each person is unique and capable of making a difference to our society? Do I consciously encourage anybody to develop his/her talents? Can I trust them to do something big and important? Can I entrust my pet project to my assistants? We are good leaders or managers, if the people under us can manage themselves even without us; or our ministry survives and flourishes even when we are gone. We are good parents, if our children can take care of themselves while we are away from home. We need to form confident, independent and highly motivated individuals who can stand on their own and lead. The measure of success of our evangelization program is when our subjects become evangelizers themselves.

We need to form leaders, and not mere followers and admirers of us. Sometimes, the cause of our fatigue comes from our inability to delegate some of our work to others, because we don’t trust them. And in the process, we don’t inspire them to wildly dream and empower themselves. Remember this – to trust is the key to confidence build-up. If Jesus could only sing a song today, he will sing the “The Fireworks” of Katy Perry to remind us of who we are. Here are some lines:

Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
It's always been inside of you, you, you
And now it's time to let it through

'Cause baby you're a firework
Come on, show 'em what you're worth
Make 'em go, oh
As you shoot across the sky

Baby, you're a firework
Come on, let your colors burst
Make 'em go, oh
You're gonna leave 'em falling down

Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon

Let’s remember, it is better to commit a mistake for trusting somebody and failed, than to commit a mistake for not trusting somebody for the fear of failure. Jesus has no plan B. He has only one plan for us – to assist Him in His vineyard.


- Fr. Willy M. Samson,SJ
St.Ignatius of Loyola Parish, Brgy. Tetuan,
Zamboanga City.

Is it worth doing it?

16th Sunday of the Year
Matthew 13: 24 – 43


Our gospel for today is a continuation of last Sunday’s gospel, the parable of the sower. In this parable, we have learned that God always provides good seeds. And our main responsibility is to provide good soil so that the good seeds planted by God will have good harvest.

Unfortunately, to provide good soil for the good seeds are not enough. The story of the parable of the weeds warns us of an enemy. The enemy may come without our knowledge and throw weeds in the good soil we have provided for our family and community. These things are beyond our control and could greatly influence our children and destroy the good seeds that God had planted. These weeds are the enemy of the good seeds. They may come to us in the form of worldly values and temptations. Our experience tells us also that even us - parents, teachers, bishops, priests, religious and formators - are not immune from the corruption of the weeds. Our weaknesses, selfishness and sins sometimes stop us from doing what is noble and right. St.Paul even confirmed it, “I cannot understand myself, the things that I should do, and I am not doing. The things that I should not do, I am doing.”

To remove the bad weeds in ourselves is not as simple as deleting a virus from our laptop. Some of these weeds are deeply rooted in our hearts and culture and could influence our behavior and decision making. It would take a lot of self-retrospection and awareness before we can even see, accept and resolve to change ourselves for a better person. Formation is a lifetime process. Forming people takes a lot of time, effort and dedication. But if we care, we don’t mind the difficulty.

How do we sustain our effort to help people? Our gospel challenges us to do three things: 1) Be patient. 2) Keep your calm. 3) And never give up.

To form God fearing, responsible, and loving individuals is not an easy task. The influence of evil is deeply rooted in us. The three parables invite us to be more hopeful rather than hopeless in dealing with those seemingly difficult and problematic people in our lives. But is it worth doing it?

The next two parables - the mustard seed and the yeast - give us reasons why we should not give up in forming and guiding the “prodigal sons and daughters” in our lives. With good soil and personal care, a small mustard seed is capable of becoming a huge tree where birds can come and rest. When used correctly, a small amount of yeast could bring a large quantity of dough to rise. The two parables are invitations to be more positive and hopeful with others. We don’t want their talents and innate goodness to go to waste. Giving up is not an option. With our patience, understanding, and constant love, one day we shall reap a bountiful harvest from our labor.

One of my students from Xavier University ten year ago visited me last week. I was thrilled to know from him that most of my noisy, hard to discipline and problematic students in high school are doing great. Most of them hold key positions in the local government and multi-national companies. They are well loved by their families and peers. Out of sheer joy, I texted one of them and congratulate him. My former student responded, “Because good teachers like you, never gave up on us.”

Sometimes our role is just to plant, plant, and plant. We are just planters. Somebody after us will do the harvest.

That’s more than enough to console me. It’s worth doing it.


- Fr. Willy M. Samson,SJ
Zamboanga Catedral

Bending Exercises

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Luke 14: 1, 7-14 “But the one who humbles himself will be exalted”

The recent hostage taking in Manila that led to the death of eight Hongkong nationals was a big blow to the Filipino pride. The incident revealed flaws in our security and law enforcement unit. It was a major mistake. As a nation, let’s humbly accept our mistake, do the necessary action to ease the anger in Hongkong and seriously reform our police force. All of us are sad and in shame. I don’t want to offer any justification to lessen our guilt. A mistake is a mistake. We can’t do anything about it but to humbly accept our fault.

Our gospel today fits us well. The tragic event calls us to do “bending exercise” – a call to humbly ask for forgiveness and do some necessary reforms. Jesus tells us that humility is an important virtue and we can benefit a lot from it. When you look at the different misgivings, anger and violence in our midst, we see that pride is one of the main culprit. Nobody wants to be humiliated and insulted in front of others. We don’t want to lose face because our honor is somehow attached to it.
But what is humility? It is not only choosing the least sit in the party or not seeking for honor and recognition. Genuine humility is 1) to endure insult and contempt for doing the right things 2) To admit one’s mistake and correct it 3) To recognize that everything is a gift from God. Thus, we can’t boast of anything as ours.

Sad to say, humility is not one of our recognizable virtues. To some us, we even view humility as something reserve for the weaklings. We did not realize that there is hidden power in practicing humility. Jesus’ decision to embrace humiliation, insult and death during his crucifixion puzzled everybody including the powerful Roman soldiers.

How do we cultivate humility? Jesus suggested a couple of “bending exercises” : 1) If you’re invited in the party, take the least sit and 2) If you’re hosting a party, invite not only your friends but the poor and the marginalized.



In our world today where success is measured by social status, educational attainment, wealth and power, the following “bending exercises” can make us humble and free. Let’s consciously say these words daily. One a day can keep the spirit of pride away.

1. “I made a mistake.” Admitting a mistake is not easy. It takes a lot of courage and humility to own a mistake.
2. “You did a good job!” We are slow in giving praises and good remarks. But we are quick to condemn when somebody commits a mistake.
3. “What is your opinion?” We are always smarter than others. Thus, we don’t listen to their thoughts, ideas and opinions.
4. “I need your help.” We don’t trust others and their works. To delegate work or ask for help is not in our in our system. We prefer to work on our own.
5. “Thank you very much.” A grateful heart recognizes the help of others. Thanking others is our recognition of their valued presence in our lives.
6. “WE.” An admission that I belong to a community of believers. We are all created equally in the image and likeness of God.

It will take some months before we forget that shameful hostage tragedy in Manila. Let’s wear the garment of humility, take everything with a grain of salt, forgive ourselves, advocate for reform, and move on. Our national pride is deeply wounded. But we need to remind ourselves that one bad incident does not define us as a nation. We are more than that. In humility and conviction, we could still say, “I am proud to be a Filipino.”


- Fr.Willy M. Samson,SJ / Dominican Sisters Chapel, Baliwasan / August 29, 2010

3-D Ticket to Heaven

20th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Luke 13: 22-30 “Do your best to go in through the narrow door”

Wedding is a special occasion for all of us. We do a lot of preparation to make it more memorable and meaningful. When my friend Jenny was asked to be the Maid of Honor of her bestfriend, it was the beginning of her serious preparation, as if she was the one who will get married. Without delay, she immediately rushed to her dressmaker and meticulously chose her DRESS to wear. But the preparation did not end there. A month before the wedding, she begun avoiding her favorite chocolates as part of her DIET program. She wanted a slim beautiful body for her bestfriend’s big day. But as the wedding day came closer, a business offer came up from Singapore. Without having a second thought, she politely turned down the offer. Her DESIRE to attend her bestfriend’s wedding was far more important than any business or personal interests.

There is also a big banquet coming in the Kingdom of God. All are invited; unfortunately not everybody will be able to enter the gate. In our gospel today, someone asked Jesus, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” His answer was a big surprise, “Do your best to go in through the narrow door; because many people will surely try to go in but will not be able (Lk.13:24).” Jesus even hinted that some of his followers will not be allowed to join the banquet. They will claim, “We ate and drank in your company (Lk.13:26).” But Jesus will simply say, “I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evil doers (Lk.13:27).” The blame was on them. They did not prepare themselves for the Big Feast.

The 3-D preparation is a must for the big banquet in heaven. We are expected to dress appropriately, do our regular diet, and have great desire to meet our Savior. How do we do these? Let’s check our own 3-D list:

Dress – Do you wear your dress of righteousness and charity regularly? Don’t forget the guest
who was thrown out from the feast for not wearing the appropriate dress. (Mt. 22:12-13).

Diet – Do you do your spiritual dieting regularly? Cut down your excesses. Trim your pride and
selfishness. Avoid temptations. Turn away from sins. Remember, the gate to the
Big Feast is too narrow. Diet is a must to squeeze ourselves. (Matthew 3:2).

Desire – Do you have a genuine desire to join the Big Feast and meet Jesus? Are we like
the invited guest who says, “Not now, I am busy with my business and other things.”
(Matthew 22:5).

Unlike any earthly wedding, preparing for the Big Feast is quite difficult, challenging and liberating. All are invited to the Big Feast but nobody knows when. The gospel gives us a stern warning - we will falter and fail if we don’t start preparing now. Thus, the challenge is to dress up, do your diet and desire for Jesus every day. If the 3-D prep becomes part of our daily life, the date of the Big Feast is not something to worry about, but something to look forward to.

In our newspaper this morning, it was reported that our Bb.Pilipinas International 2009, Ms.Melody Gersbach, 24, died in a road accident. She is too young to die. We really don’t know when our time is. Suddenly, it reminds me of my friends who are struggling hard with cancer. They are more or less prepared than us. Somehow, this is one of their graces.

So wake up. Do your 3-D preparation. And you will never be disappointed.

- Fr.Willy M. Samson,SJ / St.Joseph Parish, Zamboanga City / August 22, 2010

Hail Mary, Pray for Us

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Luke 1: 39-56 “Mary set out and travelled to the hill country in haste”

Last Christmas Eve, while preparing food for our family Noche Buena, Louie my brother in law had a phone call. His mother requested me to administer the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick for his cousin Ian who was critically ill with rare viral infection. We went to St.Luke Hospital in haste and anointed Ian with holy oil. To our delight to God, he miraculously recovered from the viral infection and survived from his ordeal. Later, I learned that Ian’s mother had a dream when they were in the hospital: Our Blessed Virgin Mary told her that she will be visiting Ian on Christmas Eve. It was Christmas Eve when I administered the sacrament of healing. It dawned on me that Mary fulfilled her promised. She visited Ian on Christmas Eve and interceded for his healing. She was with us during those trying moments.

Our gospel for today was another story of Mary’s visitation. When Mary learned from Angel Gabriel that her cousin Elizabeth was pregnant at her old age, Mary felt the need to support her during those moments of uncertainty and anxiety. She left her home in haste and accompanied Elizabeth during those trying moments.

In 1950, Pope Pius XXII declared the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary as an official dogma of the Church. Here we proclaim that Mary went up to heaven both body and soul. But the bottom line of this dogma is – Mary gained an everlasting place in heaven. And with that, Mary can intercede for us and console us – the way she consoled Elizabeth.

The numerous Marian shrines all over the world are manifestations that Mary has a special place in our hearts. Jesus asked her to take us as her children (John 19:26-27). Unfortunately, for some of us, they only come to Mary for her intercession. We failed to see that aside from being our mediator to Jesus, she is our model in obeying God. Her life is an inspiration how to accept God’s will, especially in times of trials.

As our Mother, we can seek her presence for refuge and consolation. We can come to Mary to intercede for us and ask God to grant our deepest desires. But in all our prayers, we need to reserve a space for God’s will to work for us; believing that God knows what’s best for us. When our eyes failed to see the wisdom of God, we should turn our hearts to Mary and listen to her words, “Do whatever my Son tells you (John 2:5).” Remembering that her total trust to God led her to say: “I am the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to your word (Luke 1:38).

Recent study showed that most cancer patients who sought help in Marian Shrines returned home unhealed; but their visit to the Shrines gifted them with an unlikely miracle - they went home with renewed strength, inner peace, and determination to face their daily battle with cancer. They believe that Mary will be with them in their trying moments.

Mary will always remain as our greatest mediator to Jesus. But we should also listen to her life-giving wisdom, “Do whatever my Son tells you.” Her Magnificat is a testimony of the joy that comes from surrendering oneself to the will of God: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord. My spirit rejoices in God my Savior. He has done great things for me. Holy is his name. (Luke 1:46-55).”

When Mary ascended to heaven, God gave her a reward that all of us should aspire – an everlasting union with God.

- Fr. Wilfredo M. Samson,SJ / Ateneo de Zamboanga Chapel / August 15, 2010

Money Talks ... Not in Heaven

18th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Luke 12:13-21 “Though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.”
August 1, 2010

When I was in college, a friend of mine invited me to accompany her in Megamall. She bought a new refrigerator, television set, gas range, king size bed and jewelries. Knowing that she had a shopping spree recently, I asked her why? She answered, “It’s my money, I deserve to use them freely.” A week later, she slashed her right wrist. When I visited her in the hospital, she said, “Willy, I realized that money could not make me happy.”

Our gospel explicitly tells us that material possessions should not be the reason for living. We already know this truth but sometimes our action betrays our words. Jesus gave us a stern warning on mishandling God’s blessings : “Take care to guard against all greed; because your true life is not made up of the things you own, no matter how rich you may be (Luke 12:15).” We need to remind ourselves that any blessing we received is bound to be shared; and to share is an act of recognition and gratitude that everything is indeed a gift from God. Anything we possess is not for our own use only. God expects us to be good stewards of His grace.

In our story it was not mentioned that the wealthy man was wicked or immoral. But it was mentioned that his farm produced a bountiful harvest. Unfortunately, he earned God’s anger for being greedy. He “stored up treasures for himself” instead of “becoming rich in the sight of God (Luke 12:31).” His gravest mistake was - hoarding God’s blessings for himself without discovering the joy of sharing.

Be cautious of the devil’s devious trap: When one becomes selfish and forgets to share, he begins to crave for more money, more luxuries, more amenities and more gadgets, until it becomes an unquenchable greed for more. Wealth then becomes his life and happiness. This is tragic. And when greed rules, we can easily drop our Sunday family bonding in exchange of double pay work and bribe our children with an I-Pod. When greed rules, we can easily buy expensive jewelry without qualms and ignore our neighbor borrowing P125 for medicine. When greed rules, we need to remind ourselves of three things to wake us up: First, everything is gift from God. Second, the graces we received – money, health, time, talent and others – come with great responsibility. Third, graces are meant to be shared. God gave us hands for two purposes: to receive graces from God and to release some for the benefit of the needy.

Here is the irony of life: We work hard all our life to secure our future with hefty pension. We plan a lot for our retirement. We buy expensive life insurance for our families. Some of us even went to the details of choosing their coffins and grave sites. But we do little effort to secure our souls after death. We seldom consider our “After Life Insurance Plan.” We need to remind ourselves that there is LIFE after this life. For those who are really wise, they know where to keep their material possessions: in Heaven’s Barn.

A prisoner in New Bilibid Prison came to me with a thought, “Padre, mas masarap palang pakainin ang pamilya ko ng sardinas na galing sa pawis ko, kaysa sa bigyan ko sila ng lechon na galing naman sa pagnanakaw. Sayang huli na ang lahat.” Sometimes, it’s too late to realize that money is not the source of real happiness and security.

In this consumerist society where people love to say “Money talks,” I agree and disagree. Yes, money talks in this world – but not in heaven.

“Life is so tragic for the person who has plenty to live on, but nothing to life for.”

- Fr.Willy M. Samson,SJ / Carmel Chapel, Zamboanga City / August 1, 2010

I'll Be Back

1st Sunday of Lent
February 21, 2010
Luke 4: 1-13 “When the devil had finished, he departed from him for a time.”

A newly converted, but disillusioned Catholic young man visited their parish priest and asked him to recommend a good church history book. The priest smiled and asked “Why church history book?” And the young man replied, “I am just curious to know when in our history Christians today become less and less like Jesus.”

There is a grain of salt in this story. Many Christians are becoming nominal and minimalist in our faith. People don’t see Jesus in us. Our Christian faith should set the course of our life - it is our way of life. Our thoughts, words and action should be a living testimony of our faith. People are not attracted to our faith for they don’t see God in us. We are sinking. We have lost the art of walking on water as we lost Jesus in our sight. Temptations distracted us.

We have lost sight to what’s truly essential in life and the reason why God created us. St.Ignatius of Loyola, in his Spiritual Exercises, explicitly stated: “We are created to praise, reverence and serve God our Lord. And all other things on earth are created for us, to help us in our pursuit of the end for which we are created (Spex 23)." Anybody who loses his/her sight for which he/she is created is totally vulnerable to the temptations of the evil one.

The temptations employed by the evil one to the Israelites and Moses, to Jesus and to us are exactly the same. No new strategies. No new tricks, but the usual and very reliable way of trapping us via our most vulnerable spots: wealth, power and honor. The only difference - The Israelites, Moses and us succumbed to temptation but Jesus prevailed.

The Israelites grumbled for not having enough food in the desert. We complained for not having all the luxuries in life while others have. But Jesus said, “Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Luke 4:4)

The Israelites constantly worshiped false gods like the golden calf. We worship money, power and honor as our modern gods. But Jesus said, “You must worship the Lord your God and serve him alone.” (Luke 4:8)

The Israelites tested God to provide them water at Massah and Meribah. Moses lost his temper and struck the stone twice. We ask God to prove his love by answering our prayers according to our plan. But Jesus said, “You must not put your Lord God to the test.” (Luke 4:12)

When we think of temptations, we only think of telling lies, losing tempers, getting angry, sexual sins, eating much, not attending Sunday Mass, keeping resentment, basking in pride, non-forgiveness and the like. But the real temptations that could destroy us and our fundamental option are the desire for material riches for its own sake (the ability to turn anything into money), to aspire for status in the society (everyone adores and likes me), and to greed for power (manipulating people and things to meet my needs).

Our struggle with evil will never end. The evil one hates defeat and humiliation from God and from us. The evil will return in different stages and moments in our lives – especially when we are vulnerable, unguarded and too secured. Lent is a time for spiritual renewal. Lent is a good time to refocus our eyes to God and to the essence of our creaturehood. Pray more intensely and meditate the Word of God. Make it part of your life. Jesus resisted evil and won with the Word of God.

It is our hope that through our words and action, people will be drawn to us - not to ask us something on Church History - but to know more of Jesus who lives in our hearts.

- Willy M. Samson,SJ / Sacred Heart Jesuit Community, Los Gatos California / Feb. 21, 2010

Heaven is All Yours

5th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Luke 6: 17; 20-26 “Blessed are the poor. Woe to you who are rich”


Jewish law teachers used “contrast” as one of their techniques when they preach. In our gospel, Jesus stood on the ground and used “blessing and curse” contrast to teach his disciples: “Blessed are poor! Woe to you who are rich!” (Luke 6: 20, 24). It was not an open declaration against rich people. Jesus has nothing against wealth and being rich, in fact some of his disciples were socially affluent and powerful. The correct meaning of “poor” and “rich” in Jesus’ time would be “socially unfortunate and powerless” and “greedy” respectively. Thus, anybody, rich or poor alike, in our present meaning and context could be considered “blessed or cursed” in the eyes of God. This was the context when Jesus preached this heart-shaking Beatitudes.

To fully understand and appreciate the meaning of the Beatitudes, it should be seen in the context of discipleship. Last Sunday, we learned the disciples left their boats and followed Jesus (Luke 5:11). Levi did the same thing (Luke 5:28). They gave up everything and opted to be poor. They were blessed upon discovering that happiness was not attached on wealth and power but on following Jesus. To discover Jesus is to discover happiness, and then everything in this world becomes secondary. This theme is also highlighted in the parable of the pearl of great price. (Matthew 13:444-46). This is the joy of discipleship.

To follow Jesus is not a walk in the shore. There is a call to “leave our boat” and be poor in spirit: “Blessed are the poor...” (Luke 6:20). The next three beatitudes after the first beatitude are the cost of discipleship: You will be hungry, you will weep, and you will be insulted and persecuted. (Luke 6: 21-22). Jesus is very honest to tell the hardship to expect in responding to His call and what’s store for them: “Be not dismay for the Kingdom of God is yours.” (Luke 6:20). The Beatitudes give us the reason why we should hold our ground until the end.

Saint Syncletica of Alexandria, known for her charity, humility, and internal torments, summarized the struggles and hope of discipleship: “In the beginning there is a struggle and a lot of work for those who come near to God. But after that, there is an indescribable joy. It is like just building a fire: at first it’s smoky and your eyes water, but later you get the desired result. Thus we ought to light the Divine Fire in ourselves with tears and effort.”

Following Jesus requires us to “leave our boat.” Peter, Levi and the disciples did it. We should free ourselves from the clutch of wealth and power. Our inordinate attachments could stop us from doing what we ought to do. Our society teaches us to buy, buy, and buy more things for our security and social status. We unconsciously hoard things (food, clothes, medicines, DVDs, books, magazines, chocolates, and others) under the guise of “we could use them in the future.” Anything we are not using is not ours already. Give them to those in need and feel good inside. Hoarding is a sign that we don’t trust God’s providence and generosity.

This week is Ash Wednesday, let’s fast and abstain from our inordinate attachments to things, feelings, and people. Let’s “leave our boat” especially our attachments, so that we could be free to do what we ought to do and follow Jesus.

Today is Valentine’s Day, renew your commitment to God, to your vocation, and to your family. Surrender your heart to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus who loves us tenderly. Hear Him say, “Rejoice and leap for joy, heaven is all yours.”

Fr.Willy M. Samson,SJ / Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles / 02/14/10

Fishing Expedition

5th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Luke 5: 1-11 “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.”



The Lake of Gennesaret (Sea of Galilee) was surrounded by ten prosperous towns during the time of Jesus. The richness and beauty of the lake attracted people from all walks of life. Being a wise evangelizer, Jesus knew the vicinity was a good place to catch souls. On the other hand, Peter knew the lake as a perfect place to catch fish! But the two men ended up with contrasting results. Jesus caught multitudes! People listened and followed him. On the other hand, Peter and his friends caught nothing; they returned to the shore with empty nets.

When Jesus saw Peter, He knew that Peter could do greater things than fishing. Like Peter, we failed to do something for God for we are preoccupied with our own fishing career – satisfying our needs and dreams! Fishing was everything to Peter. But Jesus saw more of him. And the only way to force Peter to move out of his box is to challenge him to “go out into the deep” which may mean doing two things: Going “in” and going “out.”

When we go “in” through prayer and reflection, we discover three things: 1) We are blessed 2) We are loved by God 3) And we could do “greater things” for God. Peter realized these in his encounter with Jesus and found himself overwhelmed and unworthy of God’s love, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” (Luke 5:8)

We usually hear people say that they don’t feel worthy of this or that ministry or service in the church or community. Perhaps they ought to take heart from Peter’s words and Jesus’ response. Peter saw his unworthiness, but Jesus lovingly consoled him and said, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” (Luke 5:10). Such affirmation from Jesus compels Peter to leave his nets, follow Jesus, and go out into the deep.

Good fishermen don’t stay in the shore. They bravely sail into the deep to catch fish. Christians should not stay inside the four walls of their homes, prayer meetings, convents, and parishes. We should go into the deep – to the borders, frontiers, outcasts and marginalized – be with the people in their needs. Be where brave Christians are. Be at the frontiers where Jesus had trod his feet. This is the cost of discipleship.

Are you still in the shore? What stops you from going into the deep? Is it your unworthiness and the feeling of inadequacy? Let God consoles you as he consoled Isaiah: “I touched your lips, your wickedness is removed, your sin purged. Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” And with conviction, slowly say, “Here I am Lord, send me.” (Isaiah 6:7-8).

Are you still in the shore hoping to catch some fish? You will be disappointed. They
are on the streets taking drugs, sleeping in the shanties, dying alone in hospitals, hopeless and confused in prison and in every corner where evil casts his darkness. They need a helping hand or a listening heart to understand them. They need hope and encouragement. Don’t wait for them to come to the church. It may not come. Instead bring God to them through your presence. Bring your “fish nets” (our words and action) and catch some of them for God’s greater glory.

Every day is a fishing expedition. There’s no fish in the shore. You need to sail into the deep. Do not be afraid to give yourself to Jesus. For the more we give ourselves to Jesus, the more His Presence is multiplied for others, two boatloads filled!

Fr.Willy M. Samson,SJ / Loyola Marymount University – Los Angeles / 01/07/10

Pocket Size Faith

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Luke 4: 21-30 “But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away”


One of the things that struck me when I visited the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico was the flags of different nations at the left side of the altar. The huge Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe is the greatest Marian shrine in the whole world and is visited by 20 million pilgrims annually. Such extra-ordinary devotion to Mother Mary would never come true without the courage of Juan Diego, an ordinary Indian, chosen by Our Lady of Guadalupe to be the bearer of her message to Bishop Zumarraga to build a “teocalli” (temple) on the hill of Tepeyac where she would offer all her love, compassion and protection to all people.

Juan Diego knew his limitations; he begged our Lady to ask somebody instead of him. But our Lady wanted him to be her messenger to the bishop. The trust given to him by our Lady was enough for Juan Diego to overcome fear, foul remarks and possible death for heresy and did what our Lady wished. He was rewarded with honor and vindication. On December 12, 1531, when Juan Diego courageously brought an ordinary “tilma” (cloth) with flowers to Bishop Zumarraga, it miraculously revealed the image of our Lady, known today as Lady Guadalupe.

Our gospel today is a continuation of last week’s gospel where Jesus proclaimed the good news of God. But the story took a different twist and grounded us to certain realities about good news bearers. Instead of receiving praises from the crowd, Jesus’ authority was questioned. Though disappointed, it did not stop Jesus from telling the truth and the crowd was offended.

Part and parcel of being God’s messenger is the possibility of being insulted, humiliated and questioned. The Good News we bring is “light in the midst of darkness.” And the Prince of Darkness hates” bearers of the Light.” Bringing good news to others may not always mean a “walk in the park” but a “walk in the storm.”

We don’t want to be criticized, belittled and ridiculed. We admire bearers of good news like Juan Diego, Lorenzo Ruiz, Mother Theresa of Calcuta, Gandhi, Cory Aquino and others, not only because of the miracles they did, but also because of their courage to transcend from their fear, limitations and weaknesses. How did they do those wonderful things? The first reading gives us the answer: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you… They will fight against you but not prevail over you, for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.” (Jeremiah 1:5,19)

Courage is a matter of discovering “Who created us?” and “Who are we?” When we discover ourselves, we discover our strength and our potential to make “pocket miracles.” When St.Ignatius of Loyola said to himself, “If Dominic and Francis did it, I could do it also.” He simply discovered who he was. "For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith" (I John 5:4)

The bad spirit knows who we are and our giftedness; he spends most of his time and energy convincing us that we are nothing and God does not care. He is good in convincing us that we are just ordinary mortal beings, incapable of doing something good in this world.

Saints are ordinary people and sinners like us, yet they did marvel in our lives because they are intimately united with God. The bad spirit hates us when we pray. He does not want us to discover the big lie he loves to tell. Be faithful in your prayer and gain a pocket size faith; that’s more than enough to bring pockets of miracles in your life.

- Fr.Willy M. Samson,SJ / Loyola Marymount University / Los Angeles

"Thanks-Giver"

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mark 12, 38-44 “…but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had.”

After the Mass one Sunday morning, a mother complained, “The choir was awful.” The father commented, “And the priest gave a lousy homily.” And their six-year old boy said, “But you’ve got to admit, it was already a good liturgy for the P 10 coin we gave.”

Many Catholics are more generous to waiters in the restaurants than to God. We don’t complain when 10% service charge and another 10% VAT are added to our bill. They are our social duties. Unfortunately, we don’t do that to God. We don’t render to Him our religious duty. God deserves more than our “barya” (coins). He deserves a “tribute” for all the work He is doing in creation and for providing all our needs. He deserves everything in us.

The two widows in our 1st reading (1 Kings 17:10-16) and in our gospel (Mark 12:28-44) are deeply aware that everything is gift. Out of deep gratitude, they dutifully returned and offered to God everything they possessed as an act of “thanks-giving,” They cannot afford to be selfish to a generous God who provides all their needs.

By definition, a widow is one the poorest in the Jewish community. When she lost her husband, she also lost her status, protection, income and suffer social stigma. The two widows may be poor in the eyes of the community, but rich in the eyes of God because of their selfless giving of everything. The irony of life is, those who have plenty are selfish and the poor are the ones who are selfless and generous. .

The generosity of the poor widow who shared her little flour with Elijah was rewarded by God. Her jar of flour and jug of oil went bottomless until the end of famine. While the generosity of the second widow in the gospel gained admiration and respect from Jesus Himself. He said, “This poor widow put in more than all the other contributions in the treasury.” (Mark 12:43). Indeed, God loves cheerful “thanks-giver.”

Anyone who discovers God as the REAL TREASURE, does not need anything in their life. God is more than enough. They become selfless and other-oriented individuals.

Many years ago, I was asked to bless the remains of a poor old man in a far flung village in Kitaotao, Bukidnon. I was expecting a very quiet and modest wake. To my surprise, I found myself in a small nipa hut overflowing with grieving people. I learned that the old man was a jolly kindhearted person. The villagers cannot imagine their life without the old man. Having nothing to share but his time, presence and his worn-out broom, the old man gladly swept the backyard of everybody for years, expecting nothing in return. And every night, their children eagerly gathered around him for a story telling moments.

A simple act of kindness or self-less giving done in love is a diamond in the eyes of God. We touch people through our total commitment to things we do – big or small. We convert people through our daily simple witnessing and not through our beautiful words. Looking at the widows, we are challenged to offer everything to God with a joyful heart.

We should strive to provide the needs of our families. This is our main responsibility. But we are also love-bound to return to God what is due to Him and extend our hands to those in need. We don’t need to wait for another Ondoy to help. Genuine generosity is in the here and now, and not only when there is a surplus or excess in our wealth and time. God never ceases to provide all our daily needs. Poor and rich alike have something to share. Let’s give and alleviate suffering. It’s our “thanks-giving” - a fitting tribute to God’s generosity.

“The test of progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.” – F. Roosevelt

- Fr. Willy M. Samson,SJ / November 8, 2009 / Ateneo de Zamboanga Chapel

Building Bridges

26th Sunday in the Ordinary Time
Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48 "Do not prevent him…For whoever is not against us is for us.”

The gospel today starts with John reporting to Jesus that a man is exorcising demons in His name yet the man is not a disciple. Instead of being alarmed, Jesus simply said, “Anyone who gives a cup of water to drink will surely not lose his reward.” (Mark 9:41). The disciples, who are unconsciously developing “religious elitism”, are surprised to hear Jesus’ response. They thought that preaching the good news, healing the sick, and exorcising demons are exclusively reserve to the disciples.

The first reading tells us the same story. A young man complained to Moses that two men, Eldad and Medad, are prophesying in the Israelites’ camp even without being formally authorized by the Spirit. Like Jesus, Moses answered the man, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets?" (Numbers 11:29)

In our ever changing world that moves closer to “global community,” we are compelled to build bridges with our brothers and sisters of different faith and religion. Today we cannot exclusively claim that Christianity is the only religion where God reveals Himself. Evangelization should take a different mode to respond to the signs of times. Now, it is not merely the propagation of our Christian faith, but allowing our faith to manifest through active engagement in the different challenges and issues of the modern world. Our faith challenges us to love inclusively and promote bridging religions, cultures, and people.

Visiting Cambodia many years ago, I was exposed to Jesuits working closely with their Buddhist lay partners. Aware of their cultural and religious diversities but united in their desire to help the poorest of the poor of Cambodia, they visit far-flung villages all over the country to assist victims of mines and war. Indeed, love can build bridges within us.

Recently, I received a clipping from New York entitled “Zamboanga.” Interestingly, the article sees Zamboanga as the cradle of inter-religious dialogue in Mindanao. It cites the city’s unique multi-cultural environment where Christians and Muslims alike have learned to respect and co-exist peacefully. In the never-ending conflict between MILF and government troops, majority will agree that is not a religious issue but political. The solution is in us – Christians and Muslims alike should build bridges to each other through respect, sensitivity and acceptance. We need to transcend our deeply rooted biases and prejudices and begin recognizing and appreciating each others’ uniqueness and differences. Appreciation of each other’s belief and religious practices will certainly lead us to discover God’s presence with one another. Do I see a brother in every Muslim I meet?

A week ago, the Campus Ministry Office and the Muslim Students Association of Ateneo de Zamboanga sponsored the annual “Grand Pagbuka” (A festive Muslim tradition of ending Ramadan). To see Christian students, teachers, and even Jesuits joining the celebration console and inspire everybody. It’s building bridges in action! The inter-religious dialogue is gaining grounds in Ateneo de Zamboanga University, but the journey is still a long way to go. We need more “bridge builders” to push this ever challenging and peace-promoting frontier.

Let’s open our eyes. Let’s change our understanding of evangelization and the meaning of discipleship in our present context. That is, to see God in all people!

“We must cultivate optimism and hope. Inter-religious dialogue can not be reduced to an optional extra. It is in fact a vital necessity, on which in large measure our future depends”. - Pope Benedict XVI

- Fr.Willy M. Samson,SJ

Worry Not

13th Week Tuesday
Matthew 8: 23-27 “Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea”

There are two kinds of storms in Lake Galilee. One originates from the outside, like the continental wind storms that are common in the Mediterranean area. It is seasonal. The second originates from Lake Galilee itself. The natural geographical set-up of the lake and the nearby mountains creates a unique movement of cold and warm air that produces storms. They are potentially dangerous to seafarers but they don’t usually last.

In our gospel today, Jesus and his disciples were confronted by this local storm. They were well-seasoned fishermen. But because of fear, they panicked and forgot who they were and who was sailing with them.

Think about this: We have two kinds of storms in our life. The first storm is the “outside” storm. We cannot control them but they are legitimately important in our life: political, social, economical, ecological and other concerns. The second storm is an “inner” storm, this is our personal, family or community concerns that we normally encounter: family feud, broken relationship, financial difficulties, health concerns, community or work related issues. They are not life-threatening storms but they are life-defining opportunities that we need to face. Like the disciples, sometimes we lost our bearings in the middle of the storm because of fear and failure to trust God.

But I realize that one of the things that contributed to this fear factor is our bag-full of worries. Many of us are worriers. We love to say, “We’ll never make it.” We forgot that Jesus is with us. The funny thing is, much of what we worry about doesn't matter at all! Take a look at these statistics about worry:

• 40% of all things that we worry about never come to pass.
• 30% of all our worries that involves our past decisions that cannot be
changed.
• 12% focus on criticism from others who spoke because they felt inferior.
• 10% are related to our health, which gets worse when we worry.
• 8% of our worries could be described as "legitimate" causes for
concern.
• It means that 92% are useless and unnecessary worries!

I guess “worry” is one of the devil’s most powerful weapons in his armoury against us. When worry rules our hearts, we lost our identity. Worrying robs our now. It is either we are trapped in our past mistakes or anxiously living in the future. Thus we failed to enjoy the “beauty of the now” and “the gift of each moment” that God is giving us. The man who is free from worries can leisurely eat and enjoy his breakfast of dried fish, red eggs, tomatoes, and fried rice. He can immerse himself in the morning sunlight and breathe the fresh morning air. She takes a bath and enjoys the water gently flowing to her body without thinking what she will do in the office or school today. He can close his eyes and count his blessings. She can afford to smell a flower. He can work well under pressure. She can laugh at her mistake. He can set aside his voluminous work when weekend comes and waste his time with his family. And when evening comes, they pray, leave everything to God, and sleep in peace.
Worry not. God is with us.

"The moment the little boy is concerned with which is a jay and which is a sparrow, he can no longer see the birds or hear them sing." - Eric Berne

- Fr. Willy M. Samson,SJ
Carmelite Monastery / June 30, 2009

To the Other Side

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mark 5:21-43 “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured.”


A text joke: Nanay: Anak, bumili ka ng tinapay sa tindahan.
Pedro: Nanay, gabi na po, natatakot po akong lumabas.
Nanay: Anak, huwag kang matakot, lagi mong kasama si Hesus.
Pedro: Inay, si Hesus na lang kaya ang utusan ninyo.


Jesus loves crossing the Lake of Galilee. This is the fastest way to travel between two towns separated by this body of water. But crossing this lake is dangerous because it is notoriously known for its sudden storms. You need a lot of courage to cross this lake especially in the evening.

Encarta defines courage as the ability of a person to face danger, difficulty, uncertainty, or pain without being overcome by fear. In other words, fear is not an alien thing to courageous people. They just don’t allow fear to stop them from “crossing to the other side.” The four gospels tell us that even Jesus experienced fear (Mt.26:39, Luke 22:44). But it is crystal clear that his faith to the Father gave him courage to say, “Let’s cross to the other side.” (Mk 4:35).

Our gospel today introduces another two courageous souls to emulate: Jairus and the woman with haemorrhages. Both of them have mustered enough courage to “cross to the other side” and seek Jesus’ healing. Their faith in Jesus gave them strength to overcome their fear and approached Jesus. They were rewarded. Jesus gave them what they want … healing!

The decision of Jairus to kneel and beg Jesus to heal his dying daughter was a brave move. As a synagogue officer, to invite Jesus in his house and be identified with Jesus was a blow to his social status, knowing that Jesus was already unpopular to the scribes and Pharisees. For Jairus, the life of his daughter was much more important than his career, social status, and pride.

Like Jairus, the woman who was bleeding for twelve years was also desperate to find a cure to her malady. Aside from being physically sick, her bleeding isolated her from her family, community and God. When one has a haemorrhage, she is considered unclean and is barred from entering the temple. Anybody who touches her becomes unclean too until after a performing a very tedious purification rituals recommended by the Pharisees.

The woman knew that she will be expelled from the crowd and publicly humiliated if somebody recognizes her. But she mustered enough courage to “cross to the other side.” She made a brave move when she said, “If I can touch his cloak, I will be healed.” She did and she was instantly healed. When Jesus felt her touch, he said, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be healed of your trouble.” (Mark 5:34)

Driven by their great faith in Jesus and their courage “to cross to the other side,” the two brave souls got their wish – a new lease of life!

Today’s gospel invites us to reflect on how Jesus could heal us. Sometimes we don’t have the courage to “cross to other side” (to forgive a friend, to do things the right way, to correct a mistake, to stop delaying things and firmly decide for the good of the family) and come to Jesus for healing and new lease of life. Take heart! Trust God. He is our real provider, healer and giver of life. God is assuring us today, “Do not be afraid; just have faith. Let’s cross to the other side.” Transcend your fear now, come to Jesus. Whisper your prayer. Believe and you will never be disappointed.

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." - Ambrose Redmoon


- Fr. Willy M. Samson,SJ
Ateneo de Zamboanga Chapel
June 28, 2009

Anger-Revenge Virus

11th Week – Monday
Matthew 5: 38 – 42 “But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.
When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other
one to him as well.”


We hurt people because someone had hurt us. Think about it. The reason why we tend to hurt other people is because somewhere in our past, we were victims of others’ uncharitable acts. Most of the time, we are not aware of our temptation to retaliate, unfortunately, because of our frustration to get even or return the hurt done to us, we ended up hurting other people or hurting ourselves. Sometimes, we are not aware that we are already infected with the “anger-revenge” virus. In fact, this is more dangerous than the H1N1 Virus that is floating around the globe. H1N1 is now curable with the discovery of an anti-virus. But this “anger-revenge” virus will always threat us.

In our gospel today, when Jesus said, “offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. Should anyone ask you to walk for one mile, go with him for two miles.” (Matthew 5: 39.41). Jesus is giving us an antidote or cure to this highly infectious and dangerous virus that lives in our hearts. The only way to kill this virus is to stop it from spreading. Nursing a hurt will lead us to anger. Anger will lead us to hatred and hatred will lead us to revenge. Then in it becomes a vicious cycle. Anger breads more anger. And when anger virus controls and poisons one’s heart, he loses his sensitivity, self-control, and hurt people in small or in big ways, knowingly and unknowingly. It will never end. Like any other virus, it is very infectious. Revenge breads revenge. Someone has to stop it. Someone has to bear the pain, bear the blow, to stop it. Someone has to forgive. When one forgives, the cycle or the infection stops. In forgiveness, the person who forgives benefits most.

Now we can easily understand the silence of Jesus during His crucifixion: “Have you now answer to give to these accusations against you? But Jesus kept quiet.” (Matthew 26:62-63). He said nothing against His enemies and even prayed for them, “Father forgive them, they know not what they do.”(Luke 23:34). Jesus knows that revenge is not the solution, “Put your sword back in its place. Don’t you know that I could call on my Father for help, and at once He would send me more than twelve armies of angels?” ( Matthew 26:50-54). To absorb the pain and to forgive are the only antidote to this very infectious “anger-revenge” virus. Someone has to stop it. Someone has to do the sacrifice. Christ did it for us. Can we do that also for others?

Today, we are being called to forgiveness. We are being asked to swallow our pride and reverse the customary way of re-acting to injustices, uncharitable acts, persecution and unkind words against us. We are called to do the impossible. We are called to magis (to give more): to love our enemies and share our very best with them, the peace and love we have received from God. In doing so, we can be called real children of God.


"If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we would find in each person's life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility."
– Henry Wadsworth Longfellow


- Willy M. Samson,SJ
Ateneo de Zamboanga Chapel

The Pelican

Solemnity of Body and Blood of Christ
Mark 14: 12-16, 22-26 “Take it, this is my body…this is my blood…”



One of the oldest symbols for Jesus in Christian art is the pelican bird. In Medieval Europe, the pelican was thought to be particularly attentive and caring to her chicks. When a mother pelican failed to catch fish, she would strike her breast with her beak and feed her young with her blood to prevent them from starving to death.

This is precisely what Jesus did on the cross. His blood saved us. But He wanted more. He made a promise of continuing presence, “I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20) and a promise, “when I go, you will not be left alone, I will come back to you.”(John 14:18). And He fulfilled these promises by instituting the Eucharist.

Today as we celebrate the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, we thank our Lord for His unconditional generosity of sharing Himself - by feeding our spirits with His body and blood in the form of bread and wine. The Eucharist satisfies our spiritual hunger and thirst each time we partake in the Holy Communion. Each time we receive the body and blood of Jesus in the Eucharist, we allow ourselves to commune with Him, and Him with us. The Eucharist nourishes us and gives us life. Such realization of Jesus living in our hearts should console and transform us into His likeness.

Unfortunately, we have taken for granted this wonderful sacrament. The celebration of the Eucharist becomes so ordinary and routine to us that we failed to see its importance in our lives. It is ironic that we are always asking for signs of God’s presence and yet we failed to see that the body and blood of Jesus we receive in the communion is the greatest sign of God’s real presence in our midst. We have taken for granted the Holy Eucharist, thus we’ve never fully experienced the hidden saving power of the sacrament in our life.

Think about these: If we say we believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, how come we are not excited to attend a Sunday Mass? Is attending Mass out of obligation or out of our heart’s desire? When was the last time you attend a weekday Mass because of your great desire to receive communion? If we believe that it is Jesus we receive in the Eucharist, how come we are still sad after communion and go home feeling empty? We are like the disciples in last week’s gospel, “they worship him but doubted.” (Matthew 28: 17). We are like shipwrecked sailors who died of thirst without realizing that their boat had drifted into a fresh water cove. They failed to dip their bucket into the fresh water. In our case, we failed to dip ourselves in faith into the mystery of the Eucharist. Thus, some of us, in spite of attending the mass, still went home with an empty heart and broken spirit.

We need to rediscover the importance of the Eucharist in us and in our families. The Eucharist is our home. It is in the Eucharist that we are forgiven, loved, and fed. When one cannot feel God’s presence in the Eucharist, we should not put all the blame to the priest for his unprepared homily, to the choir’s lousy singing or to the lector and commentator’s wrong pronunciation. We should transcend all human limitations and faults that may distract our participation in this saving mystery unfolding before us… the bread and wine becoming the body and blood of Jesus - for our spiritual nourishment. Our human senses cannot help us see the real presence of Christ in the bread and wine. Faith will help us. Believe in Jesus, “This is my body…this is my blood…” Participate prayerfully and listen attentively. And you will see and taste the goodness of the Lord in the Eucharist.

One monk says, "Being close to Christ is not a prize. He challenges us to earn. It is a gift. He invites us to accept."


- Fr. Willy M. Samson,SJ
St. Joseph Parish, Zamboanga City / June 14, 2009

House Cleaning

Tuesday – 3rd Week of Lent
Matthew 18: 21-35 “I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to.
Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?”


My Nanay Conching cleans our house everyday. Just to sweep the wooden floor, apply wax, and husk it manually takes more than an hour. But it is always a joy for us to see the floor shines. But the shining floor won’t last long when her grandchildren come to play at our house. When they leave the house, Nanay will quietly clean the floor again gladly. She said, “They are my grandchildren. I am willing to clean their mess because I love them. And beside, this is my house.”

Our life is like our house. We work hard to keep our life happy. We want peace. Unfortunately, some people intrude in our life and mess it. Ironically, most of the people that hurt us are the people we love or close to us. Can I also say, “It’s okay, I am willing to forgive them and to clean the mess they made in my life because I love them.” Anyway, it’s my life. I am responsible to fix my own life. It’s fatal to expect those who mess my life to fix or clean it. I may end up waiting for something that will not come.

Our gospel for today calls us to render unlimited forgiveness. Peter wants a limit: seven. But Jesus proposes seventy seven times, which means unlimited. Why? It is to our advantage. Jesus knows that limiting the number of times we should forgive limits our chance or opportunity for peace and happiness. He wants us to be happy always via forgiveness.

Forgiveness benefits both party. But the one who forgives benefits more.
When one renders forgiveness, he is not only gifting his enemy forgiveness and peace, but he is also gifting himself with the same token. To forgive is to free oneself from the bondage of anger, hatred, and vengeance. The truth is - the person who forgives is more at peace, freer and happier than the person forgiven.

Yet how come that it’s difficult for us to forgive? To forgive is easier said than done. I cannot totally blame anybody from nursing anger, resentment, and hate. I am sure God knows it is not easy to forgive and forget. The memory of hurt, betrayal and pain lingers in our hearts. But Jesus knows well our human nature (John 2:25). He knows that the only way to free our hearts from anger, hatred, and resentment is by allowing our hearts to remember God’s goodness and forgiveness: “I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?” (Matthew 18:32-33).

Generally, the grace of total forgiveness will come to us slowly. Time plays a crucial role in our healing and forgiving. Time is our friend and companion. We need to respect our own pace in forgiving people. God knows our human nature and He respects it. But God will ask us to give 3 (three) initial “down payments” to start the healing process: First, never curse or think evil against them. Second, pray for enlightenment to all parties involved including you. Third, ask for the grace to forgive. These are the seeds of forgiveness. And plant them in your heart, and slowly God will ease your pain, restore your peace and give you happiness. Remember… it’s your life
.
"A wise man will make haste to forgive, because he knows the full value of time and will not suffer it to pass away in unnecessary pain." (Rambler).

Happy Cleaning!

- Fr. Willy M. Samson, SJ - Carmelites Convent , March 18, 2009

Why Fast?

Friday after Ash Wednesday
Matthew 9:14-15 "Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do
not fast?"



Tragic news made us sad yesterday. A Grade IV student from Ateneo de Manila University died on the spot when a speeding car hit him at the school’s parking area. Everybody knows that it was not intentional. Maybe the lady driver, out of panic, stepped on the gasoline pedal instead of the break. It was a fatal mistake that caused one life. But it was not intentional.

I might not commit a big mistake and unintentionally kill somebody. But in my own little way, I may have hurt people unknowingly with my unkind words and harsh action because of my insensitivity and selfishness.

The gospel today is not discounting the value of fasting. In fact, Jesus tells us that fasting must be done in the right context and understanding.

Some of us abstain from eating because they want to lose weight. That’s not fasting but dieting.

Some of us do fast as a form of penance for their sins. It’s not really fasting but mortification – a self denial that helps a person overcome both psychological and physical weakness, and helps him grow in virtue.

But real fasting is when we consciously or intentionally denied ourselves of our needs and think of the need of other people. That’s fasting! It must always be an “other-oriented” action. God said, “This, rather, is the fasting that I wish: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own.” (Isaiah 58:6-7).

In this Lenten season, let’s purify ourselves with our self-centeredness; and think “others.” The more we think of others, the more we become sensitive to their feelings and needs, and the more we avoid unintentionally hurting others.

Today, let' set aside our habit of “unintentionally hurting each other.” Let’s try the habit of “INTENTIONALLY LOVING EACH OTHER.” That’s the best way to fast.



- Willy M. Samson,SJ
Sacred Heart Chapel
February 27, 2009