HE CAME TO SERVE

Although He is the greatest, He came not to be served but to serve (Mt. 20:28). He came not to occupy a throne, but a cross. The Jews had dreamed of the Messiah, the powerful king, a mighty leader, one who would smash all the enemies of Israel (Lk. 1:68-73). While they were expecting a conqueror, they were given a broken body on the cross. While they were looking for the raging Lion of Judah, they beheld the gentle Lamb of God.

The Son of Man came to give His life as a ransom for many (Is. 53). In so doing, the Master Himself measured up to the standard He was demanding from His disciples.

In Christian discipleship, greatness does not consist in requiring others to do things for you, but learning to do things for others—without the left hand knowing what the right hand is doing. Eminence is neither the consequence nor the measure of how much have you’ve been raised, but rather how much you’ve tried not to be above the others.

Any disciple who decides to follow the Master is duty bound to accept His standard and ingrain it in his heart. If he wants to be great, he is called to be a servant (Mt. 23:11). If he wants to be the first among equals, he is challenged and admonished to be the last (Mk. 9:34/35).

A disciple of Jesus truly serves without counting the costs, and does it without photo ops--until it hurts. 

WORLDLINESS

Worldliness keeps on nagging the serious follower of Jesus: “Be comfortable, seek all securities, enjoy every inch of life, grab all opportunities to enjoy. Conform to the lifestyle of the rich and the famous—glamorous parties, fancy cars, exclusive clubs, top-of-the-line condo unit. By all means, escape from pain and suffering. Happiness means ‘wine, women and song’ remember?”

Our Blessed Lord has repeatedly foretold the time would come when He would go up to Jerusalem where the Jewish religious leaders would make Him suffer and eventually put Him to death, but on the third day He will rise again (Matthew 16:21, 17:20-23, 20:17-19). At one time, St. Peter reprimanded our Lord: “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you” (Matthew: 16:22).

Jesus reprimanded him: “Get behind me, Satan!” (Matthew 16:23). Can you imagine how St. Peter must have felt? And why did He call Peter Satan? A kind of unkind?

It is because Jesus could only recall how Satan tempted Him in the beginning of His public ministry, how the father of lies promised to give the earthly kingdom on one condition, that is, Jesus foregoes His passion and death (Luke 4:1-13).

           

When Jesus was very hungry after fasting for forty days and forty nights, Satan dexterously asked Him to turn the stone into bread. He tempted Him by saying: “You are hungry, give in to your desires. Remember that hunger is a basic instinct needing to be satisfied. In the same manner, your sexual desires as well as your instincts need to be satisfied. Indulge and appease them. You cannot win the world if you suppress them. Gratify your urges, then you become a real person. Do what the world is telling you!”

All the world was against was His impending crucifixion, a way of the cross, a shameful torture, a painful death. Our Lord’s last temptation was the cry of the people at Calvary: “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself by coming down from the cross” (Mark 15:29-30).

Jesus’ standard is far different, in fact, the exact opposite of the worldly standard. Time and again we need to remind ourselves that the glorious celebration of Easter is not possible without the penitential preparation of Lent and Good Friday. There is no resurrection unless we go through our own crucifixion and death.

God wanted to save the world by going against its very own standard. The worldly criterion is to pamper life with all sorts of embellishments, convenience, comfort, gratification, and pleasure. On a higher level, in Christian discipleship, to gain life means to spend it, like melting candle wax that gives light in the dark.

When some friends were beseeching a missionary to take things easier and not to work himself to death, he simply said: “It is better to burn out than to rust out.”

THE STANDARD OF JESUS

     

The worldly archetype of a great person is he who manipulates and controls others, wielding such great power and influence. During the time of Christ, the great men were the Emperor who was thought to be a god, the Roman governor with his retinue of slaves, and the Roman senators with their legislative powers. The world  venerated them as invincible, probably even as immortal.

Today, in capital centers all over the globe, the world continues to assess an individual’s greatness by the number of rank and file he controls, by his intellectual and academic achievements, by the number of working committees he heads, the number of boards he chairs, or by the size of his bank accounts and credit lines. Using our blessed Lord’s standards, however, these things count as nothing. They shrink into oblivion. They are definitely irrelevant and insignificant.

Jesus is the greatest prophet, way above all others before Him. Those who came before Him were the messengers of God, and for being God’s servants, no one could deny them honor. Jesus, however, was not only the Messenger but also God’s Message, the Word made Flesh (Jn. 1:1-18). He is greater than Abraham, Moses, Elijah, David, and St. John the Baptist combined. In fact, He was and will always be the greatest, because He is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, true God from true God. But Jesus came to serve.

SIMPLICITY OF THE MASTER

God is present when two or three are gathered together in His Name (Matthew l8:20). He is present when the family headed by the father prays the grace before and after every meal.

Our Lord is present in the hungry, thirsty, naked_, imprisoned, homeless, children in conflict with the law. Jesus assures us of His unique presence in them when He said: “As often as you did it for one of my least brothers, you did it for Me” (Matthew 25:40).

Big grace simple acts

Finally, He is undoubtedly present in  the power of forgiveness through the sacrament of reconciliation, the cleansing water of baptism, in the marriage vows of two people in love and, most specially, in the consecrated Bread in the Holy Eucharist.

If you so desire to meet God, to feel His Presence and talk to Him in a most intimate way, go to the Blessed Sacrament, for He is there ever alive and always waiting. Such is our Catholic Faith in the ordinariness of his Teacher.

Oil, water and wine, bread

For us, God is ever present in the ordinary: In the oil, water and wine, bread, in fellowship, in the poor, in the little and simple events of our lives, in the human signs (we call Sacraments and sacramentals).

When our Lord began His public ministry He chose twelve ordinary men as companions and friends, with no impressive doctorates, flashy titles, ounce of influence, dazzling fanfare, chairmanship in a board, no fat bank accounts.

In choosing twelve ordinary men, Jesus was telling the ever-glamorous world: Give me a few ordinary men and I will change the face of the earth. I have chosen the weak to shame the strong, I have chosen the simple to shame the great (1 Corinthians 1:27-28).

           

Ordinariness is simplicity. A Christian who strives to live a humble life in the midst of greatness and keepa a low profile in the midst of power follows the footsteps of the Master.

A decision, a choice

Today, ordinariness is a decision, a choice to eat simple food, mindful of the millions who go to bed with empty stomachs. It means a preference to don a simple dress or clothing, remembering the naked and the street children. It means a deliberate effort to celebrate great occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, weddings or fiestas sans the ostentation and tendency to splurge. Ordinariness could translate to a show of courageous willingness to face and take on even the most menial of jobs, simplest of tasks or lowliest of works—following the footsteps of Jesus who was known to be the son of a carpenter.

During his fateful exile in Saint Helena, Napoleon, reminded of his former grandeur, compared his ambitious reign with that of Christ’s reign: “In the past I have stirred thousands upon thousands who died for me, but it was with my presence, my gaze, my voice. One word from me was sufficient to compel them all. But now here in Saint Helena, who will fight for me? Who is going to war to conquer kingdoms for me? What a difference between my misery and Christ’s reign that is praised, loved, and adored the world over till the end of time, His kingdom that was conquered by meekness, simplicity, and humility.”

Ordinariness conquers.

ORDINARINESS OF THE TEACHER

Certain Catholic personalities have become great by being elevated to higher places: bishops, vicars, executive directors, presidents, chairman of the board, parish priests, rectors, etc. Going into higher places at times is called destiny, or in ordinary parlance “by God’s will.”

Catholic institutions such as colleges, universities, and schools across the country, de Aparri hasta Jolo, have acquired a great socio-economic status. By hard work towards academic excellence, inspired by the Saints and Founders, and by communion with the Catholic hierarchy, Catholic colleges and universities have become a brand name and Catholic schools have become institutions of first preference, which, in a sense, may be called special and extraordinary. That’s great!

They were not able to recognize Him

More than 2010 years ago, the Jews refused to accept Jesus because He was so ordinary. Their refusal lay in the fact that they knew where our Lord had come from. They knew well that He grew up in Nazareth, that He was the son of a carpenter. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:46) was the common derogatory perception of His time. Drawing closer to home, this has a semblance to the condescending question: “Can anything good come from Tondo or Basilan or Samar?”

The Gospel of Matthew recorded the amazement of the Jews when they found Jesus teaching in synagogue. Awed by His wisdom and authority, they asked one another: “Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds? Is he not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother named Mary and His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? Are not His sisters all with us?  Where did this get all this?” (Matthew 13:54-56).

           

Historically, in that part of the world, the Old Israel, cousins and the nearest kin were called brothers and sisters. There was nothing exceptional, extraordinary or mysterious about the family history of Jesus. His simple beginnings ran contrary to popular expectations of the Jews.

Ordinariness was scandalous

After being conquered by dominant nations, the Jews thought that the promised Messiah would burst upon the world mysteriously and powerfully. The much-awaited Messiah, perceived to be a political and social liberator, was envisioned to be a tremendous King-Conqueror who would save them from the hands of all their enemies.

Because they were seeking elaborate manifestations of God’s hand and His presence in the abnormal and special, they could not be persuaded to see God in ordinary things. Jesus did not simply measure up to that kind of standard and expectation. To the Jews there was nothing special and unique about Him. Before His own people, our Blessed Lord was an ordinary Jew.

The Jews had dreamed of the Messiah, the powerful king, a mighty leader, one who would smash all the enemies of Israel (Lk. 1:68-73). While they were expecting a conqueror, they were given a broken body on the cross. While they were looking for the raging Lion of Judah, they beheld the gentle Lamb of God.

For those who believe, God is not the far-away God who rarely invades our privacy. God is Omnipresent, Who is always present in the seemingly insignificant, day-to-day occurrences of our earthly existence. We believe that the Extraordinary Being, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, became an ordinary Son of Man. The Word was made flesh, Verbum caro factum est (John 1:14). Since then, God has been present in a very special, loving, and ordinary manner.

Neither snobbish

Jesus was neither snobbish nor ostentatious, neither showy nor flaunting. The Master knelt down to wash the Apostles’ feet. The Savior becomes the servant. 

I AM THE LIFE

Truth can set us free, but saying the truth and keeping the truth without action is nothing. It seems there is something more superior than the Gospel truth, and that is Christian living.

Orthodoxy is not enough. Orthopraxis must come in, an orthopraxis that is inspired by the life and words of Jesus.

It seems that, especially in today’s socio-political situation, theological learning and Bible study without Christian living are dead.

Others may claim to have read the Scriptures from cover to cover, several times over. They may claim to do churchy things and show their updated theological head-knowledge, having acquired the same by attending seminars and recollections.

 People can even brag they are closer to the Church because they have made friends with the religious, priests, and bishops. But it appears that fine words and even religious practices are never substitutes for fine deeds and genuine Christian living.

It is not hard to recite the Apostles’ Creed, but it is really hard to live the Gospel. Could this be the reason why Jesus says, I am the Life?

JESUS: OUR TEACHER PAR EXCELLENCE

I AM THE WAY

When Lasallians pray, “Live Jesus in our hearts,” they tend to go back to the Gospel teachings as they attempt to learn more about who Jesus is.

The most popular of all His utterances comes to mind: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6). Christ being the Way means no one can go to the Father except through Him. As the Way, Jesus reconstructs the bridge to heaven, which was destroyed by the sin of our first parents. Being the sole Mediator between heaven and earth, He leads us back to the way of salvation with neither merit nor expense on our part, but by the toll of His death.

As The WAY, our Blessed Lord does not simply give direction. He invites me, then takes me by the hand, and personally leads me. He does not merely show me the way. He is telling me: I am the Way.

You too can utter the same prayer: “Live Jesus in our hearts.”

I AM THE TRUTH

Catholic theology teaches that Jesus is the Incarnation of the uncreated wisdom of the Father that created the heavens and earth in the beginning. The Truth is the Word that was made Flesh: the Son of Mary (John 1:14). Through His Sacred Humanity, Jesus Christ communicates to us all the treasures and the wisdom of the Eternal Father. In the Incarnation, the Father uttered the Truth that will set all mankind free (John 8:31-32).

In one intense moment in His earthly life, when Jesus asked if the Apostles also wished to leave Him, when everybody left because they could not accept his teaching, St. Peter replied: “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that You are the Holy One of God” (John 6:67-69).

Jesus is both the Gospel Message and its Messenger. He is both the Word and the Proclaimer of the Word because God revealed Himself through His Son. And this revelation is found in the Sacred Scriptures, Sacred Tradition, and Magisterium of the Catholic Church.

Sacred Scriptures

How consoling to realize that God left the Bible, His inspired word, to be with us all these years. How encouraging to know that the Bible or the Sacred Scriptures are the written word of God committed to the Church to instruct and inspire those who believe. The quick reaction to this realization is to thank God for the Bible and begin a life that includes a daily reading from the scriptures, particularly the Gospel

Sacred Tradition

The Sacred Tradition is the entirety of revelation of God to us that are not captured in the Scriptures, both oral and written. It is transmitted from age to age under the assistance of the Holy Spirit and the guidance of the teaching of the Pope.

Sacred Magisterium

The teaching office or the Sacred Magisterium is entrusted by Jesus to the Roman Pontiff, the Pope. During his lifetime, St. John Baptist de la Salle has encouraged all members of the Lasallian family to work hand in hand with the local bishop because he sincerely believed that all bishops and priests, in union with the Holy Father, possess the divine right to teach about Jesus.

Because of the presence of the Scriptures, Sacred Tradition, and Magisterium in the Church, we are given the assurance that the Gospel that we believe in is true. Jesus is right when he said, I am the Truth. We cannot be wrong!