Monday, May 09, 2016
7th Week of Easter
1st Reading: Acts 19:1-8
Gospel: John 16:29-33
The disciples said to Jesus, “Now you are speaking plainly and not in veiled language! Now we see that you know all things, even before we question you. Because of this we believe that you came from God.”
Jesus answered them, “You say that you believe! The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each one to his home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me.
“I have told you all this, so that in me you may have peace. You will have trouble in the world; but, courage! I have overcome the world.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the
Assimilated
Life Experience)
The mandate Jesus gave to the disciples on Ascension Day was to be his true witnesses. Witnessing was very demanding because Christianity was still nascent and paganism prevalent. Today we live in an already evangelized world. Yet witnessing is even more complicated because of modern forms of paganism that technological advancement has created. It’s a different kind of paganism. While classic paganism denied God’s existence, the modern world of technology believes that God should retire to obsolescence for being irrelevant. More powerful witnessing is needed today than in the past. We are called to become such witnesses.
In responding to this call the quality of witnessing of the early followers of Jesus may not provide a good template. “You say that you believe!” Jesus told them. “The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each one to his home, and you will leave me alone.” Let us not respond to Jesus’ call the way the disciples did it via lip service. The world is tired of preachers, said the late Pope John Paul II. Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi said, “I like your Christ (but) I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” Christianity has a wonderful story to tell, but Christians are matching that wonderful story with their ugly lives of hypocrisy.
Today we will be casting our votes to choose from among those aspiring to govern this country. All the candidates are imperfect. Even if they were, only 20% of them are honest about 80% of their campaign promises, applying the Pareto principle. The least we can do is vote for candidates who are God-fearing. Go for candidates who can attract God’s intervention in governance. Those who say faith has no place in the polls are exactly the Christians Gandhi hates, and the Christians the world is tired of according to Pope John Paul II. The polls are the best places to witnesses to our faith. Where else are we supposed to witness to Christ? – (Atty.) Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com.
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