THE PATTERN OF A CHAMPION

The readings today speak of opposition gathering and enemies organizing. It’s not just about Jeremiah and Jesus, it’s also about us, our church and the journey of our lives striving to be faithful to God. No matter what those enemies do, the readings speak of the reward of those who are faithful to the Lord and many other passages show us a pattern. As we approach near and prepare for the events for Good Friday like the betrayal of Jesus when his enemies organize and attack, let us not overlook that the one being persecuted and attacked said sing and praise the Lord for He is victorious. The Church wants us to follow this pattern and interpret every persecution and suffering that we undergo in this manner. If we are in a way taken to captivity just as what happened to Jeremiah at that time there is no cause to resist. Jeremiah was even accused to be a traitor and out of his mind. He recognized that they are the instruments for his people to be converted by placing the responsibility right on the shoulders of his own people.  The same is true with Jesus in today’s gospel when He is being opposed for claiming to be God and equality with the Father. They want to stop Him and considered Him to commit blasphemy. Both Jesus and Jeremiah expressed extreme confidence in the truth. They can say it with confidence and courage even as they see their enemies. Shouldn’t we have the same attitude knowing that the Lord is with us? Christ lives within us. We must have unshakeable confidence knowing that He has the indestructible victory. As we enter the Holy Triduum, we see Jesus crowned with thorns, spat upon and mocked while the disciples flee. Where were the people who saw the mighty miracles like the feeding of the 5,000 and the raising of Lazarus from the dead? They all fled in fear and left him alone. Why? They didn’t play this song in the psalm on their minds, they forgot and did not reflect the confidence that it tells us. We should know how to interpret the persecution and trials in our lives. God can prevent it and no weapon against us would work but we need courage that makes us act and speak just like Jeremiah and Jesus. Even if they knew that the people will lash out at them they stood by their faith. According to Fr. Frank Pavone of the Priests for Life the real danger lies in these things. The faithless vacillation, endless deliberation without action and the refusal to take any risk are the dangerous things we resort to. In the passion of Jesus, the real danger is not on those who crucified Jesus but on those who fail to speak for justice for fear of losing prestige, power and popularity. Nowadays, nobody is sincere anymore. We have to mean what we say and say what we really mean. This should be part of our attitude and spirituality, to speak the truth, be sincere and not just think for ourselves. In the scriptures it is written that there is indeed a time to be silent and a time to speak but it doesn’t say a time to pretend. We can’t claim to pray the rosary, hang all religious items like the crucifix, rosary beads and have access to the holy water but if our actions are not converted and aligned to God’s Holy will then we are not safe. We have to remember that Christ suffered for all of us. We follow His footsteps as we speak for what’s right and work for justice. The pattern of today’s readings tells and reminds us that we are in God’s hands and not man’s. If we always keep this in mind then everything becomes easy even in the severest situations. We should entrust our lives to no one else but God alone. We can be assured that He will make everything fall into proper place. Although some things may not be working out the way we expected and planned it to be, there is no need to be afraid for God will surely and eventually make things work out to our advantage. Sometimes we ask ourselves why we have to go through difficult times, trials, persecutions and hardships in life. And why should we not? When we hear stories about people who were victorious and came out as winners in a certain competition we discover that they have to go through rigid training to endure, persevere and come up as the champion. If we are experiencing at the present moment a difficulty and hardship that seems to deplete our energies and push us to the limits then we ought to be thankful. It means only one thing that we are called to be a winner for as long as we draw strength from God our mighty champion. Just like any champion, we have to go through a certain test or competition to prove our worth. We have to defend our crown from the many challenges that we face. Just like anybody who has been declared a champion several times but continues to face other challengers. We'll just have to put up a good fight because we've already got what it takes to win and we are assured of our victory. Amen. Hallelujah!

Jeremiah 20:10-13

10 I hear the whisperings of many: “Terror on every side! Denounce! Let us denounce him!” All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. “Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him.” 11 But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion; my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph. In their failure they will be put to utter shame, to lasting, unforgettable confusion. 12 O LORD of hosts, you who test the just, who probe mind and heart, let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause...Sing to the LORD, praise the LORD, for he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!

One of the intriguing and debatable issues that always come up is about free will. God is all powerful and He can make all things possible. Due to the unerring nature of God, He was, is and will never be wrong and there is no room for mistakes. We are God's creation and must have been perfect in everyway. So how come human beings who are on top of all His creation always end up in chaos and disorder. There is no doubt to the perfection of God's handiwork, the only flaw is that we have our free will, if we could really call it a flaw. That we are not treated as merely slaves, puppets and robots that should follow our master's bidding since we have our free will is the most perfect gift a creator could ever give to his creation. Thank God! He is not an overpowering and oppressing God. He respects and honors us with this gift of free will to do anything we please. This is something that only perfect love can permit. It is from our love for God that we should gather our strength. We should focus on that alone and everything will follow. There is no doubt that God has already won the crown for us, all we have to do is defend our title as heirs of the kingdom of God from the snatchers of this grace. Show forth God's power in our lives. All we need to do is always call upon the Lord and we are safe. We are constantly beset by troubles in life but we should never forget that God is always with us and for us to win all our battles. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 18:2-3a, 3bc-4, 5-6, 7
R: In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
1 [2] I love you, O LORD, my strength, 2 [3] O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer. (R) My God, my rock of refuge, my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold! 3 [4] Praised be the LORD, I exclaim, and I am safe from my enemies...

God is able to do all things. He is Infinite, All Powerful, Immortal and Invincible. All we need to do is know exactly on whose side we are and we are sure to escape all dangers and harms that surround us. We can feel the presence of God in numerous ways which always strengthen us to withstand the flaming arrows of the devil. The enemy is mighty but our God is Almighty! It is always for our own good that we follow Jesus, the way, truth and life. Jesus is perfectly blameless, pure, inviolate and undefiled in all aspects. Nothing about Jesus can ever be found wrong for everything about Him is Holy and Perfect. No matter how rigid, the scrutiny of the Pharisees was, at that time they were unable to come up with anything that is genuinely wrong about Jesus. They can come up with all kinds of made up lies about Him but His actions speak for Himself.  We should follow the example of the life of Jesus. Although it may sound very difficult and challenging for us, we can always rely on the premise that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. If we claim that we are indeed champions then we should reflect in our works the mark of victory that Jesus has won for us. Amen. Hallelujah!

John 10:31-42

31 The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods” ’? 35 If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came, and scripture cannot be set aside, 36 can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; 38 but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39 [Then] they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power...Many came to him and said, “John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true.” 42 And many there began to believe in him.