Author: Angelo Saludo

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. – Philippians 4:13

Remember Man of Steel? Clark Kent having to cope up with his own identity converse with her mother saying, “What’s wrong with me Mom?” She replied, ‘There is nothing wrong with you son, everything about you is beautiful.” Clark grows in confidence because someone believes in him and was able to fulfill his role.

It takes only one person to believe to make someone do the impossible. The bible is also filled with stories of men and women inspiring one another. Joseph did the impossible (protecting and raising a family in a very difficult and challenging situations), because aside from believing in God, Mary believed in him. Joseph being fully aware of Mary’s full support led them with confidence.

It just takes one look, one pat at the back, one voice of affirmation to give someone a boost of confidence. No doubt why we have so much confidence when we are with God, just one look, one pat at the back, one voice of affirmation from Him make us do all things. God believes in us! He believes in our capabilities and this gives us confidence to do all things for Him.

So when we ask it ourselves, “What’s wrong with me Lord?” He will answer from the Song of Songs 4:7, “Everything about you is beautiful, and there is nothing at all wrong with you.”

Mark Twain said, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Very true indeed! We follow the path that Christ wants us to have. In that road we can explore, dream and discover. What path am I taking? Who am I listening to? Is it just my mind, my heart or my whole being with God?

When we started the SHOUT, we told ourselves that we were seekers. We came into the training seeking the Will of God in our lives, where He can use us to the full and what life He wants us to live for. The journey can be scary, but the thought that He is holding you is assurance enough.

The following prayer by Thomas Merton in “Thoughts in Solitude” may well be a good prayer for all of us seekers:

“My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.”

Matthew 11:16-19

John came without eating and drinking and they accused him of being possessed, and here comes Jesus, who eats and drinks and was accused a glutton, drunkard and friend of tax collectors. The gospel reading from Matthew 11:16-19 echoes the same attitudes that sometimes still comes up in us, the tendency to look at only at what is wrong instead of looking what the other has done right. Only because we always see a certain person doing the same old bad habits, we already judge him to the point that when he does good things, we still find fault in what he has done. It is not so much about brushing aside the wrongs, but acknowledging the good things a person has done.

The reading from Isaiah 48:17-19, if paraphrased today, says, “I am the God who had taught you for your own good and lead you to the place I have planned for you. If only you had listened to my instructions, you could have been fulfilling your dreams that I dreamed for you as well. If only you had just listened to me, but you choose to focus on others and what they are doing instead of focusing on me. You could have lived a full satisfying life, with a family that will keep your name long before you are gone.”

We might as well take note of this message before we ourselves will say “If only…” Before it’s too late, let us focus on what is good in others and encourage them to continue doing the same, instead of focusing on their faults and discouraging them. Let us build one another instead of tearing each other apart. There are so many things to do than just looking at the faults of others.

Matthew 14:22-36 tells the story of how Jesus defies the laws of nature by walking on the water. Not only that, he was able to let someone walked on the water as well. Jesus manifested that He is the Almighty God. He can calm down waves and wind and bring back hope to terrified disciples.

If there were an equation of the gospel reading, it would be like this:

Courage – Fear + Faith = Miracle

The antidote of fear is courage. When the disciples were terrified with fear upon seemingly seeing a ghost, Jesus called out to them saying, “Courage, it is I! Do not be afraid.” Our courage has to be anchored in Christ or else we will just be overcome with fear sooner or later. Courage anchored in Christ enables us to do greater things. Peter having the courage of Christ and an uncorrupted faith was able to walk on water. Only when he was not anchored on Christ and his faith faltered was he started sinking. The moment he started focusing on the waves and feeling its force, he started to sink.

Miracle is happening already in our midst. We may not recognize it, we are already walking on water, but because we focus on the waves of hurts in our lives we started sinking instead. Let us focus on Christ, He is Almighty, He can perform miracles.

John 2:1-11

Weddings in the olden times lasts for a week or two because it was not just about tying the knot of the bride and groom; it was also about celebration of an entire community. They gather and celebrate, reconnect with family and friends and of course seal the bond of two families join together by marriage of both family members. If something not right happens it will dampen the celebration and end the feasts. This is were Mary, meticulous as any woman can be, came to notice that there is no more wine. He told her son about it. This is a very insightful conversation in the sense that Mary before talking to her son, knows very well the capacity of what her son can do, “Mother knows best!” She knows that her son can do something about the situation. Jesus in return, though His time has not yet come, acceded to the request of the mother. The miracle at the wedding feast in Cana shows so much about the sensitivity of our Lord. He is not a far off God. He is a God with us, Emmanuel! He understands our emptiness, “Our jars are empty, there is no more wine” we cry to the Lord. And He comes filling us in, not just with ordinary water but the best wine. St. John the beloved affirms us in 1 John 5:14-15, “And we have this confidence in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in regard to whatever we ask, we know what we have asked Him for is ours. “ Let us not be afraid to ask the Lord to fill our empty jars with wine.

We had probably heard the words of Jesus in the gospel, “…anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be your slave.” We know that for Christians we have to be servant leaders. But knowing is not enough, we need to practice it.

Jesus said these words when He was about to go to Jerusalem to finish the mission the Father has entrusted on Him. It’s amazing how He insisted on his disciples the principle of servant-hood in leading the people on the last days of His life. For all His 33 years living the earthly life, he already experienced both the good and the bad society can offer. His eyes were open and His heart was fully aware of the injustices, corrupt practices and self-righteousness of the leaders in His time. He had seen leaders who were acting differently from what they were preaching. Experience and awareness convicts Jesus more to finish the mission He has in His hands because He knows the ills of the society can only be healed through the cross. Words are no longer enough; He has to be the living example of a life exactly opposite to what the leaders in His time are practicing.

Our own awareness of the injustices, corrupt practices and self righteousness should compels us to be just, pure, and righteous. We cannot just be dismayed with the ungodly situation, we have to turn our experience and awareness into action so like Jesus we can be living examples that His gospel is attainable and in fact can be practiced in this modern world.