Showing posts with label Christ. Show all posts

The Lesson from the Consistent Humility of Jesus

….that man never ever learns!

By Apolinario Villalobos

The birth of Jesus is the greatest manifestation of his humility. Unfortunately, instead of emulating such virtue, Christians celebrate his questionable birthday every December with so much pomp and unrestrained festivity. To justify the scandalous celebration, “Christians” reason out that they are just “happily celebrating”. Can’t happiness be celebrated in simple ways? Why spend the whole year savings for just a few days of spending all “in the name of Jesus”? Also, it is during such seemingly paganistic manifestation for the “love” of Christ that the hurting difference between the rich and the poor is very much defined…still, we pay no heed to such scandalously unchristian practice.

Bible readers come across parables about Christ’s humility, but instead of emulating them, what they read remain just that – stories from the pages of a book. And yet, they even unabashedly boast that they have read the Bible…and that, they are Christians, too!

When Jesus entered the place of his prophesied judgment and death, he was on a donkey. Today, many church dignitaries cannot go to a certain place without taking a chauffeured luxury car. While some priests are furnished with expensive car by their rich parents, why can’t they refuse such for the sake of their vow of poverty? However, for convenience of mobility when they do their “job”, perhaps, they can opt for a less expensive one so as not to trigger curiosity. Pope Francis has always been calling on his fellow priests to observe utmost humility and simplicity while shepherding their flocks. Unfortunately, only few seemed to have answered his incessant call. Some bishops and priests still drive around in Benzes and cars whose prices are enough to feed a thousand children in one month.

Jesus showed his paramount humility by washing the feet of his disciples. On the other hand, some avowed Christians squirm at the sight of street children and beggars clothed in rags. One morning, while waiting for a ride in front of a big mall, I saw a lady in white churchly dress give a sandwich to a beggar using her fully extended hand to keep her distance, while covering her nose with a handkerchief. When I approached the beggar, I did not smell any revolting odor at all, although he was grimy. The lady obviously attended a morning Mass in the mall as it was a Sunday, and giving a sandwich to a grimy beggar with an fully extended hand while covering her nose, after attending a Mass, was perhaps her “way” to show her being a Christian!

While dying on the cross, Jesus invoked his Father with full humility by asking why he was forsaken. Today, government officials and politicians who are being tried for robbing the government coffer of people’s money, swear to God that they are honest…adding that, they be struck by lightning where they stand if they are telling a lie!...humble, indeed!

Jesus was consistently humble since birth until the time of his death, but we refuse to acknowledge this manifestation….and, today we are paying for such arrogance…by suffering from the onslaught of natural calamities and man-made hostilities!...we just never learn!

Christlike People Around Us

by Apolinario Villalobos

Without their knowing it, some people around us are Christlike – they who act like Christ but do not belong to the Christian fold. Some do not even belong to any religion. The Christlike way is my own gauge in measuring the extent of kindness one extends to others, while being Christian is belonging to the group that is supposed to advocate the teachings of Christ. Unfortunately, some or most members are only Christian in name but not in action.

When the typhoon Yolanda devastated Leyte and its neighboring Visayan provinces, some Aeta tribes in Zambales went down with bunches of bananas and sweet potatoes in answer to the call for donations. A girl donated her month’s savings that amounted to a little more than a hundred pesos. Two cigarette vendors I met in Sta. Cruz, Manila, donated the money each of them saved. While one vendor’s savings was supposed to be for his wife who was to give birth within the month, the other one’s savings was supposed to be for the purchase of tarpaulin for the pushcart which he considered as his family’s home.

In our neighborhood, “Ester”, a housewife who operates a beauty parlor sponsors free haircut at least once a month in depressed areas. A retired couple in a nearby neighborhood, “Gene” and “Maggie”, crams their old van with goodies for deserving street children who they would encounter every time they hit the road, aside from doing weekend visit to depressed areas with a small group. Still, a couple in another neighborhood, “Sam” and “Ness”, regularly visit on weekends a shelter for elderlies where they spend their whole day as volunteers. A retired couple in their 80’s, “Lando” and “Cora” are foster parents to a former child prostitute who will graduate from high school next year.

Even distance does not hinder others to act like Christ. “Perla” who lives in the United States regularly calls friends, schools, and stores for books to be discarded, even tarpaulins and emergency home tools which she patiently packs to be sent to the Philippines for street children. “Doring”, brought out her carefully saved money, an extra amount during her last visit to the Philippines, and which she sent to be spent for a needy person and street children.

There are more of these Christlike people around us, who do not even know that they are manifesting the image of Christ through their acts. Some do not even know how to pray the Rosary and Novena. Some do not kneel in front of the altar and implore God for blessings. Some have not tried joining a religious procession. Some do not say repetitive prayers akin to pagan chanting. Some do not offer flowers and candles to the images of saints. But these Christlike people, do what are supposed to be done right away for others, acts which are along what Christ said: “what you do to others, you do to me”, and “love they neighbor”…which could mean, who they may be.

Si Hesukristo…

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Kapayakan ng buhay ang kanyang ipinamalas

Sa sabsaban pa lang kung saan siya’y inihimlay ni Maria

Walang trumpetang hinipan upang ihudyat ang pagdating niya

Bagkus, isang nakasisilaw na bituin ang nakita – liwanag ng pag-asa.

Sa murang gulang ay nagpakita ng katalinuhan

Sa templo kung saan siya’y di nagpatalo sa mga Pariseyo

Maraming namangha’t nagulat sa ipinamalas na angking talino

Ang hindi nila alam, siya’y anak ng Diyos, Tagapagligtas, isang Sugo.

Buong pagpakumbabang nagpabasbas kay Juan

Santong itinuring, isinugo rin upang tumulong sa paghanda

Paghanda na kay Kristo ay nakalaan sa pagtubos ng sangkatauhan -

Na ayon sa Bibliya… pagtubos mula sa batik at bigat ng unang kasalanan.

Sakay ng buriko, hindi kamelyo, kabayo o karwahe

Sinalubong ng isinigaw na pagbati at wagayway ng palmera

Ganyan kababaang loob ang sa sambayanan ay kanyang ipinakita

Kahit na turing sa kanya ay magiting na manunubos kaya dinadakila!

Payak na hapunang tinapay, tubig, matamis na alak

Pinagsaluhan upang ipahiwatig, sa mundo’y natirang sandali

Naghugas din ng paa ng mga disipulo niya, pati kanilang mga binti

Pinakadakilang pagpakumbaba ni Kristo, na dapat gayahin nating gawi!

Sa Getsemani kung saan siya ay pinawisan ng dugo

Nakipag-usap siya sa Amang nagbigay ng mabigat na pasanin

Dito, sa tatlumpong pilak siya’y isinuplong ni Hudas na disipulo rin

Pagpapakita na minsan, nabubulag ang kaibigan ng masamang hangarin!

Hindi inalintana ang baku-bako at mabatong landas

Ilang beses na nagkandaluhod, bumagsak, mukha ay duguan

Nilibak at kinutya, hinagupit ng latigo, at walang sawang dinuraan

Subali’t di niya inalintana, dahil buong pusong tinanggap ang kamatayan!

At sa ibabaw ng Kalbaryo’y nasaksihan ang pagtubos

Isang magiting na pagtupad ng mabigat at banal na misyon

Ng isang Hesukristo, na ang pagkilala’y walang hinihinging panahon…

Ng isang Hesukristo, takbuhan at hinihingan ng tulong hanggang ngayon!

MAGBAGO NA TAYO…ALANG-ALANG KAY HESUKRISTO!!!!