Ripples of God

All Saints Day
Matthew 5: 10-12 “Be glad and rejoice, for your reward in heaven is great”


Candles, fresh flowers, rosaries, water, rice, dinuguan and adobo. All are perfectly packed. My family is now ready to visit the tomb of our Tatay Paco in Manila Memorial Park. I wonder why we Filipinos traditionally visit the tombs of our departed loved ones on All Saints Day? Are we presuming they are also “saints” in their own rights? Or this day is the best time to pray for their eternal repose to all unknown Saints of God?

In the Jesuit Cemetery in Novaliches, there is a tomb where the remains of unknown Jesuits and lay friends are laid together, bearing an interesting epitaph: “Here lies people who are unknown to men but known to God.” One of my Jesuit professors taught us that holy people do not know that they are holy (Revelation 7:13-14). They are more aware of their sins and limitations, but the love of God is also so real to them. The love of God overwhelms and compels them to offer their lives in total oblation just to seek the will of God.

Our gospel today gives us hints on how Saints lived their lives. By becoming living witnesses of faith, they create ripples in peoples’ lives. We love throwing stones in the pond. It creates circles of waves that disturb the water surface. Saints are like that. Their lives (as described by the beatitudes) are like stones thrown to us by God. They create ripples in our souls and wake us up from our slumber to do “magis” (more) for God’s glory. A Saint is someone who achieves perfect joy here on earth by placing God ahead of any comfort, honor or satisfaction - and thus opens his soul to the endless joy with God forever. Blessed are the poor, sorrowing, lowly, hungry, thirsty, merciful, single hearted, peacemakers, persecuted and insulted because they follow God, the reign of God is theirs and their reward in heaven is great! (Matthew 5:12)

Saints are totally selfless people. They die to themselves to follow God. Their only desire is to obey the will of God even at the cost of being misunderstood, hated and out casted by the world. Thus, they are beautiful in the eyes of God. They are blessed! (1 John 3:1-3) We venerate Saints not because of their great miracles, but because of their ability to offer their lives for the sake of God’s Kingdom. And when we remember their inspiring stories, they disturb us! They moved our hearts! And challenge us to move out of our comfort zones! Ripples! Saints are indeed ripples of God!

My Father died seven years ago but the ripples he created in my family left a lifetime mark in my heart. How can I forget his loving presence and how he gave us a wonderful family? Ripples! My father is unknown to many but known to God. It’s All Saints Day. Let’s honor the Saints and our “saints” by making a difference in other peoples’ lives. Let’s be ripples of God.

Today, as celebrate the Feast of all unknown Saints of God, we beg for their intercessions to help us follow God faithfully. We also remember and thank God for our departed loved ones who also created ripples in our lives.


The challenge of sainthood is to go where love takes us


- Wilfredo m. Samson,SJ
Krisong Hari Chapel, Montalban, Rizal
November 1, 2009

All is Blind

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mark 10:46-52 “What do you want me to do for you?”


Blindness was very common during the time of Jesus. Medicine has yet to discover laser treatment and eye operation to prevent blindness. Blind people are literally at the mercy of others. They beg for money or food to live Thank God we are not blind.

But today we are facing a different kind of blindness. It is the blindness of “not seeing” the meaning of what’s happening to us or the meaning of life. When one failed to understand and accept what’s happening in his life, he could end up miserable, hopeless, and lost.

Think about these: Some of us have everything in life, but unhappy and grumpy. Some will sleep tonight with an empty stomach but thankful to God for the peace of mind. Typhoon Ondoy destroyed the house of Mang Tinoy in Marikina but grateful that his family is intact after the flood. I guess some of us saw the meaning of life, while others did not.

All of us are blind. Nobody possesses a “crystal-clear” understanding of what happened to us, what’s happening and what’s ahead of us. We need the eyes of faith to see and understand things in our life. We don’t have a keen eye to see the finger of God in the midst of our pains and trials. In our present world where everything is possible and conveniently available, it is ironic that some of us are more frustrated, hopeless and lost. In our era of technological advancement, we have lost our sight to see God in all things. Suddenly we realized that Google cannot answer everything, especially the meaning of life and God’s will for us.

Our gospel today challenges us to follow the footsteps of Bartimaues. We need Jesus to heal our spiritual blindness. It is unlikely of Mark to give details in his gospel. But here, he specifically named Bartimaeus as the blind man. Mark wanted us to emulate Bartimaeus’ remarkable virtues of courage, humility, and self-detachment.

When Batimaeus heard that Jesus was passing by, he did not hesitate to shout at the top of his voice, “Son of David, have pity on me.” The crowd rebuked him but it did not stop him! And when Jesus finally called him, he threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and went to Jesus immediately. That was a display of courage and humility.

The “throwing of his cloak” was surprising. Cloak was very important for blind people for their survival. It was both for protection against weather and for begging purposes. It was on the cloak laid on the street that people would normally tip few coins. When Bartimaeus threw his cloak, he was abandoning the source of his security and leaving everything to Jesus. He realized that Jesus was the real source of security. And holding on to his securities and comforts blinded him from seeing God and His will. For all of us, our cloak may mean our personal attachments: people, things, possession, talents, honor, pride, etc. We need to set aside our cloaks to see essentials things we have taken for granted.

Jesus is passing by every day. Take the challenge of Bartimaeus. Set aside your cloak. Leave your comfort zones. Wear the virtues of courage, humility and self-detachment. Shout out loud and beg, “Jesus, I want to see.” And healing will take place.

Bartimaeus saw Christ clearly with the eyes of his faith. So must you and I.

“Miserable people are not those who are blind but rather those who refuse to see.”
- John Kiley


- Wilfredo m. Samson,SJ
Ateneo de Davao University / October 25, 2009