Elephants Never Forget

3rd Sunday of Easter
April 18. 2010
John 21: 1-19 “Simon, son of John, do you love me? … then feed my sheep”


In 1986, Jerry Murrell and his four sons opened their first Five Guys Burger joint against burger giants like Mcdonalds, Wendy’s, and Burger King. Today, there are 570 stores across the U.S. and Canada, with 2009 sales of $483 million. What’s their secret? They believe that their best salesman is the customer: Provide the customers good food and good service, and they will walk out the door and advertise your products for free. Elephants never forget.

In a multi-cultural society where each one is unique, common table fellowship melts away fear, anxiety and animosity. It strengthens unity, deepens belongingness and lifts everybody’s spirit. When we experience a very personal and satisfying table fellowship, we feel loved and important; we cannot help but share our wonderful experience to others.

Our resurrection story continues today. Unfortunately, even after the two appearances of Jesus to his disciples, they were still at a lost, confused and indifferent because of fear and unbelief. They were supposed to be the bearers or advertisers of the Jesus’ resurrection. The spreading of good news would not gain ground without fired up and motivated salesmen/saleswoman. And so for the third time, Jesus appeared again and hosted a breakfast to console and to encourage the disciples to go out from their closed rooms.

John did not provide a detailed breakfast account. But it was mentioned that Jesus took the bread and fish and gave them to his disciples. It was a re-echo of the last supper account to remind us of the intimate table fellowship where Jesus said, “Do this in memory of me” (Luke 22:19). In the resurrection stories, the disciples recognized Jesus during the meal twice: The walk to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-25) and today’s gospel. But what opened their eyes to recognize Jesus? I guess Jesus has a special way of serving meal that allowed the disciples to recognize Him in the breaking of bread. And I guess - Jesus served with love and the disciples felt it.


In our gospel, after Jesus validated Peter’s love for him three times by asking, “Do you love me?” Jesus was confident that Peter was ready to serve others with love. When one serves with love, everybody feels he/she is important. And they will leave grateful and encouraged to share their experience to others. Anything done with love will touch people’s lives.

I smiled when an RGS nun revealed the secret of their famous Good Shepherd Ube (Purple Yam). She said, “We don’t use machine. It’s manually mixed. It is cooked with love.”

Our love of Jesus gives passion and personal touch in all we do. The people whom we serve and meet can feel it. If we have lost the fire, the sensitivity, and the joy in our ministry, it is good to allow Jesus, asking us again, “Do you love me?” We reverently say, “Yes Lord, I love you.” Then we gently hear Jesus say, “Feed my sheep with your love.”

How’s your prayer meeting? How’s the church attendance in your parish? Do you attract young men and women to join your ministry or your congregation? Do you see new faces? Are they curious of your apostolate? Or your dedication and passion in the things you do? Does everybody feel welcomed and loved in your community? Are they excited to see you? Once in a while, it is good to evaluate the way we feed our sheep and the way we relate to them.

Let’s make a difference in every person we meet. Let them feel the love of God through us. Let them feel they are important. They are the next generation of salesmen/saleswomen of good news. Grateful elephants never forget.

- Fr. Willy Samson,SJ / Blessed Sacrament Parish, Hollywood, CA / April 18, 2010

“And God said ...”

2nd Sunday of Easter
April 11, 2010
John 20: 19-31 “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed”

One of the phrases that struck me in the Easter Vigil Mass was “And God said… And so it happened” Genesis (1:1 – 2:2). The twin verse was repeated seven times. In the gospels’ resurrection stories, we have seen how Jesus repeatedly stressed the fulfillment of his Words: He will be killed but raised on the third day (Matthew 16:21). When we look back at our life, the phrase “And God said…And so it happened” is also true to us. God is ever faithful to his Words from Genesis, to the time of Jesus, and to our present time. This reality consoles us much.

In our gospel reading, when Jesus appeared to his disciples and said “Peace be with you” (John 20:19) and showed his nailed hands, it was another “God said… and so it happened” experience. When the disciples realized that Jesus fulfilled his promises, their fear, hopelessness and sadness quickly disappeared; a deep joy and consolation filled their hearts. There was nothing to fear. Peace flooded their hearts and gained courage to face the world.

Unfortunately, to believe in Jesus is not always easy, especially when one is tied-down with his/her “empty tomb” experience. Thomas, in spite of the news that Jesus has risen, wanted to ground his faith on something tangible and verifiable by his senses. He wanted to touch the wounds of Jesus for him to believe. But faith is not based on what we see and hear. It is grounded in remembering “God’s promises and its fulfillment.” And so when Jesus has risen from the dead and appeared to his disciples, the first thing he did was to console his disciples - by helping them to remember His Words and how He fulfilled them.


Each one of us has its own personal experience of “And God said…And so it happened.” Jesus wants us to believe in Him by recalling God’s goodness in our life, and not by asking signs like Thomas. He demanded to see the marks of the nails in Jesus’ hands for him to believe. Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed” (John 20:29).

On the other hand, John was the opposite of Thomas. He did not see the body of Jesus in the tomb, yet he believed when he remembered the Words of Jesus and saw its fulfillment in the empty tomb (John 20:1-9). On the way to Emmaus, Jesus helped the two disciples to understand the prophecy about him from the time of Moses and the prophets (Luke 24:27).

The gospel wants us to remember our past and see how God fulfilled his promises - of His divine providence, protection and mercy. Sometimes, pain and sufferings blind us from seeing God’s unwavering presence in our lives. In the midst of trials, we claim that God abandoned us; but in reality, it is us who abandoned God when we start doubting Him.

In the Second Reading, John encourages us to look back and realize that there’s no single moment in our life that God abandoned us: “Write down, therefore, what you have seen, and what is happening, and what will happen afterwards” (Revelations 1:19).

The resurrection of Jesus is the ultimate reason why we should place our lives in God’s hands. In this unsecured and unstable world where nothing is permanent but change, God is our only hope and refuge. “I am with you always, until the end of time.” (Matthew 28:20). He is true to his Words. Be at peace.

Recall one or two of your greatest trials in your life. Open your eyes and see how God had helped you. See and believe. God fulfills his promises. All the time!

- Willy M. Samson,SJ / Blessed Sacrament Parish , Hollywood, CA / April 11, 2010

The Hidden Truth

Easter Sunday
April 4, 2010
John 20: 1-10 “He saw and believed.”

When the disciples learned from Mary Magdala that the stone of the tomb of Jesus was removed and the tomb was empty. Peter and John immediately run to the tomb to verify the story. Stealing bodies of dead were not unusual that time, plus the fact that the Pharisees kept telling that the body of Jesus would be stolen by the disciples and proclaim that Jesus has risen from the dead.

All of them wanted to know the truth. When they arrived, they saw the empty tomb and burial cloth. Peter concluded that the body was stolen and he was disappointed. On the other hand, when John saw the cloth, he believed. Imbedded in that neatly folded cloth was the hidden truth - Jesus is alive and has risen from the dead. An intense joy and hope must have entered John’s heart when he saw the cloth and believed! Resurrection brings new life!

John’s immediate recognition of the hidden truth of the empty tomb was admirable. He was an instant Easter disciple. In the midst of their grief and fear, he recalled the words of Jesus about his dying and resurrection. Many times Jesus had told his destiny – he will die on the cross but will rise again after three days. Unfortunately, nobody listened to Jesus each time he would talk about it. John’s loyalty and faith in Jesus made him stay with Jesus all throughout – from his crucifixion to resurrection. His faith did not waver even in death. He held on to every word of Jesus and bear fruit. He saw the hidden truth in the empty tomb. God blessed him with an inner eye that led him see the risen Christ. Later in the gospel, when the disciples caught a large number of fish, John again was the first to recognize Jesus, “It is the Lord!” (John 21:7).


Easter children are like John. They have the ability to see the hidden truth in all things. They have the gift of recognizing God, even in darkness, failures, and hopelessness - a gift given to those who stayed faithful and obedient to the words of God.

Our gospel reveals why the disciples did not see the hidden truth of the empty tomb, “for they did not understand the scripture that he had to rise from the dead.” (John 20:9). They were given equal opportunity to hear Jesus and his prophecy about his rising. Unfortunately, the disciples did not listen. John was a listener from the start that is why he was called “the beloved.” Listening to the words of God is the secret of seeing the risen Christ in all things.

Jesus has already risen and promised that he will be with us until the end of time (Matthew 28:20). Unfortunately, some of us are still grieving in their tombs. Locked and trapped in their miseries, sorrows, and fears. They failed to look around for the “neatly rolled cloth” in their tombs. Like the disciples, they remained in their own closed rooms. They are still dead.

In our modern era where natural calamities, tragedies, war, terrorism, church and family scandals, and personal struggles are our usual morning news, we are all longing for meaning, encouragement and hope. We need Easter Children who will be there to help others see the hope secretly hidden in their darkness, confusion and hopelessness.

You are an Easter child by the merit of Christ’s resurrection. You are bearer of Good news to your family, friends, and to all people. Help them see the hidden truth so that they will see the glory of the Risen Jesus and transform their hearts into a joyful one. Claim it. See, believe and be joyful!

Happy Easter!

- Fr.Willy M. Samson,SJ / Blessed Sacrament Parish, Hollywood, CA / April 4, 2010

Jesus I Adore You

Good Friday
April 2, 2010
John 18:1 – 19:42 “They will look upon him whom they have pierced.”


"Sorrow can lead us into one of four lands. The barren land in which we try to escape from it. The broken land in which we sink under it. The bitter land in which we resent it. Or the better land in which we bear it and become a blessing to others."

We do have our own experience of sorrow and suffering in our lives. And when they come, our life turns upside down and we start doubting the love of God. But they are parts and parcels of our lives. It haunts and challenges our faith and we can easily identify ourselves with Jesus when he cried out loud, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

My father died seven years ago. It was one of my most painful moments of my life. How could I forget that moment when I suddenly doubted God’s love when my father had a major heart stroke? One night while I was looking at my father terribly suffering in the hospital, I remember blaming God, “I gave up everything to serve you, how come you are not helping us?” The pain of being abandoned and bitterness started creeping into my heart. I cried and blamed God. But suddenly, I found myself softly singing a line from an old worship song: “Holy darkness, blessed night, Heaven’s answer hidden from our sight. As we wait for the God of silence, we embrace this holy night.” That hit me. I realized that God was asking me to trust him more when I am in darkness, for faith is tested when one faces his/her own sorrow and pain.


Good Friday is a day of looking at Jesus whom we have pierced on the cross. It’s ironic and inconceivable that when we look at Jesus hanging on the cross, we gain strength and consolation. Jesus wants us to follow his example by embracing our cross. He does not want us to escape, or be bitter, or sink in our sufferings. He wants us to faithfully carry our cross, find its meaning and be the source of inspiration to others.

We admire people who gallantly carried their own crosses. They suffered a lot, but their determination and unwavering courage in the midst of their pain, persecution, and humiliation give us strength to face our own. A friend of mine died of cancer two years ago. But I admired how she willingly accepted her fate and surrendered her life to God. She suffered terribly but she died in peace. The cancer did not to stop her from loving God. She found the meaning of her suffering. We have our share of suffering but we missed the meaning, because we dwelled too much in our own bitterness and sorrow and failed to transcend them.

The death of Jesus is not a sign of scandal, shame or defeat. It is the ultimate sign of Jesus’ total surrender to the Father’s will. Jesus persevered in his suffering out of his great love for us, and he gained salvation for us. He knew the meaning of his cross and he gladly carried it.

Let’s not allow our tears blind us from finding the meaning of our suffering. Look up intently on the cross. The meaning of your suffering rests in the crucified Jesus. And you would know why Jesus willingly said, “Into your hands, I commend my spirit.”

“There is no Christian holiness without devotion to the Passion” – John Paul II

- Fr.Willy M. Samson,SJ / Blessed Sacrament Parish, Hollywood / April 2, 2010

Let Jesus Wash Your Feet

Holy Thursday
April 1, 2010
John 13: 1-15 “Not all of you are clean.”


Today we begin to commemorate the passion and death of our Lord. As we accompany him in his suffering and death, let us be reminded that Jesus is doing everything for the forgiveness of our sins.

In the Jewish culture, washing another’s feet was one that could not be required of the lowliest Jewish slave. It was so humiliating and degrading that even the slaves were spared from doing it. But Jesus did it out of his great love for us. He did not care what others would say. What matters most was to save us and to obey the will of the Father.

Today, as we accompany Jesus in his agony and humiliation, allow him to wash your feet. Be one of the disciples. See, feel, and listen to Peter’s hesitancy and shame while his feet are being washed by Jesus. What do you feel when Jesus started washing your feet? Feel his gentle hands touching your dirty feet. Feel how he loves you in spite of your sins.


Let Jesus love you today. Let him cleanse your soul by washing your feet.
St. John gave us something to reflect as we begin recalling our sinfulness.

“If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness,
we lie and do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (1 John 1: 5 – 2:1)
_________________________
Let us Pray:

You overlook our sins that we may repent. (Wisdom 11:23b)

You have mercy on all, because you can do all things.
You overlook my sins so that I may repent. Lord, have mercy.

For you love all things that exist and loathe nothing that you have made,
For you would not have fashioned anything if you hated it. Lord, have mercy.

And how could a thing remain in existence unless you willed it?
Or how could it be preserved had it not been called forth by you? Lord, have mercy on me.

But you spare me because I am yours,
O Lord, you come to give me life and have it to the fullest. Amen.

- Fr.Willy M. Samson,SJ / Blessed Sacrament Parish, Hollywood / April 1, 2010