Circle of Control

“…conduct yourselves worthy of the God who calls you into his kingdom and glory…” (1 Thessalonians 2:9-13)

Do you want to get depressed? I suggest you watch the daily news program on TV. I did just that the other night and the effect on me was predictable.

Here is the usual menu on late night news:

Death

Corruption

New diseases

Economic meltdown

Crime rate up

Global warming

Showbiz couples breaking up (Hmmm, maybe I should stop there.)

Sometimes, one can’t help but be anxious and wonder.

What does the future hold for us and our children? The more we think of it, the more it scares us. And that is why today’s first reading offers us an important tip on how to live one’s life in these uncertain times.

There are two things in life which are definitely beyond our control: the past and the future.

For instance, if you invest your money in a business which did not work out, you can no longer “un-invest” it. It’s done. Over. Gone.

In the same way, if you want to be able to travel around the world one day, you can work hard for it only to find out that you have cancer and has only a few weeks to live.

But while the past and the future is beyond your control, it is something you can manage. How? By focusing on your circle of control.

So what is your circle of control?

Answer: The present.

What you do with your time. What values you will protect. What attitude to take in very situation. What to believe in.

In the reading today, Paul focused on the present. He didn’t tell people to be wearied of their past or worried about their future. Instead, he told them to focus on the way they conduct themselves in the present.

He said: 

“…conduct yourselves worthy of the God who calls you into his kingdom and glory…” (1 Thessalonians 2:9-13)

Live righteously. Work diligently. Be fair at all times. Love the people God has given you. Choose to be happy. Aim for eternity.

These are things within your control. Focus on them. If you do, the past cannot haunt you, and the future cannot harass you. Give both your past and your future to God. 

Give them to Him who is always in control.

I remain,

Bobby

Convenient Christianity

“…And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place; 4 and to them he said, `You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’…” (Matthew 20:3-4)

There was a time when the employment status of a person was classified as only either active or retired. Today, there is an emerging third class: semi-retired.

What exactly does this mean?

That you work only when you feel like it?

That you determine the days of the week when you report to your office?

That you simply act as consultant to your previous company?

Now, I know that semi-retired employees are now widely accepted in the corporate world. Unfortunately, many people try to bring this concept into their spirituality.

There are many self-proclaimed “semi-retired” Christians out there.

Their favorite motto is “Been there, done that”.

Their favorite expression is “When I feel like it”.

Their favorite excuse is “Let the newer church/community members do it. It’s now their turn.”

They evangelize only when they feel like it. They witness only when the occasion presents itself. They serve only when it is convenient.

Oh you know they are not retired. You see them around. They still serve. They still witness once in a while. They evangelize when they can. They still sing in the choir. But that’s that. The fire is put out. The zeal is gone. They call themselves semi-retired. To me, I would classify them as those who have fallen into a spiritual disease called convenient Christianity.

They serve, witness, evangelize only when convenient.

Lest you accuse me of berating those among us who are elderly, let me say that falling into convenient Christianity has very little to do with age but everything to do with attitude.

In my community, the Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon, our senior citizens are part of a ministry called Nuggets of Wisdom (N.O.W.). Even in their old age, they continue to meet, pray, evangelize and witness for Jesus. Arthritis is not an excuse. A failing eyesight is not a justification. Diabetes is not a reason not to go all out for Jesus. And rightly so. For God never wants Christians to be idle.

In today’s Gospel parable, Jesus talks of a rich landlord who goes out into the marketplace to hire those who are idle to work in his vineyard:

“…And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place; 4 and to them he said, `You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’…” (Matthew 20:3-4)

 Save perhaps for those who are on their deathbeds, all Christians never semi-retire from being one. Christianity is not a job they keep or a title they hold. It is their lifestyle.

You may be seventy years old or seventeen years old. If you’re a Christian, make sure you are not semi-retired. Keep loving, praying, healing, witnessing, and evangelizing for God’s kingdom.

And before you know it, eternal retirement is just a hearbeat away.

Staying in the game,

Bobby Q.

Ain’t Over Yet

“…’if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?’…” (Judges 6:13)

When I tell my eldest daughter a bedtime story, she has a tendency to finish the story for me.

“No, Papang,” she’d interrupt “I don’t think the dragon should be bad. He can’t be bad. In fact, I think the dragon became friends with our hero in the end.”

I think Gideon did the same thing with God in today’s first reading. He tried to finish God’s story before it was even over. Take a look at Gideon’s reply when the angel told him that God was with him:

“…’if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?’…” (Judges 6:)

Gideon wanted to know why their story turned out the way it did if God had been with them. But here lies the problem: the story isn’t over yet. God has not finished writing yet. It was still in progress. It has yet to reach its climax. That was why the Angel commanded him to obey instead of responding to Gideon’s query.

Sometimes, we think the way Gideon did. When bad things happen to us, we question God’s power. Subtly, we doubt God’s faithfulness. Secretly, we suspect God’s presence. But sometimes, we ask too soon. God has yet to finish writing this particular chapter of our lives. You see, God may allow us to lose some battles along the way, but you can bet your life on this: God is determined to win this war for us.

What is your war right now?

Against financial troubles?

Against a marriage on the rocks?

Against loneliness?

Against resentment?

Against meaninglessness?

Against parkinsons?

If you’ve hit a snag or you feel you’ve lost a battle, take heart. Don’t question God’s presence. For as long as you stand by the Lord, your story won’t be finished with you lying face flat on the ground. God’s ending is always in your favor. With God, you always win.

The next time you are tempted to complain the way Gideon did, think for awhile. Maybe God hasn’t finished writing His story with you yet. And your victory is just waiting for you around the corner. 

Enjoying my story every step of the way,

Bobby

Sacred Restlessness

“…The young man said to him, ‘All these I have observed; what do I still lack?’…” (Matthew 19:22)

My youngest daughter, Mara,  is a bundle of energy. She is constantly restless. She jumps. She climbs. She can run the whole day. She could not stay put in one place. It is as if she is always on a mission. To get that toy. To grab that cookie. To ride that bike. And that is why I am alarmed during days when she is not as active as she usually is. For sure, something must be wrong with her.

In a spiritual sense, we can say the same thing about the human heart.

I believe every person will reach a point of spiritual restlessness. There is a gnawing emptiness within that can’t be filled by anything that the world offers. Money cannot satisfy. Success cannot fulfill. Charity works lose their meaning. Even the constant presence family and loved ones seem not enough. The heart wants to move. It cannot stay put. It searches. It hungers. It thirsts. This, my friend, is what I call “sacred restlessness”.

Perhaps it was sacred restlessness that pushed the rich young man to confront Jesus with his classic query:

“…The young man said to him, ‘All these I have observed; what do I still lack?’…” (Matthew 19:22)

The heart is restless. Sacredly restless. Longing for Who it was made for. Pursuing the hearbeat that matches its own. Running after not only that which temporarily fills, but for that which eternally completes.

I believe many out there are like the rich young man. Not evil. Not necessarily leading a sinful life. Not indulging in any vice. Keeps a job. Works hard. Ambitious. Upstanding. Living an “ok” life. Average. And yes, RESTLESS.

As St. Augustine said: Our hearts are restless until they rest in God.

Perhaps you yourself are going through some kind of restlessness as you read this blog. Maybe God is talking to you now…

Are you a nominal Christian who prides himself/herself with an averagely normal righteous life?

Or you may be an agnostic who somehow has reached a dead end?

Or perhaps you are a devout Christian who has stayed within his/her comfort zone far too long to still remember what it means to be radical for God?

Sometimes God disturbs us to wake us up from our complacency. He rings the alarm to shake us out of our stupor. He whispers gently to nudge us out of our slumber. He comes to let us know that there is more. More to give. More to offer. More to bless. More for you.

Sacred restlessness.

It will keep coming for as long as you are breathing. For only when you see Him face to face will the restlessness end. And when it does, you know, you are already in the presence of the Sacred.

Restlessly longing for that day,

Bobby

Sowing and Growing

“…The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness…”(2 Corinthians 9:10)

My first attempt at planting was a disaster.

It was in elementary when we were first taught how to plant. They gave us one of the easiest seeds to grow: mongo seeds. We were told that all we needed were five essential things — a small glass jar, newspaper sheets soaked in water, mongo seeds, sunlight and a disciplined attitude.The last on the list happens to be the most important. Somehow, it made all the difference. Let me tell you what I mean…

After a month from the time we started our little experiment, our teacher inspected our respective projects. My classmates did a fantastic job with theirs. Healthy-looking mongo plants sprouted arrogantly from their respective glass jars. My project, on the other hand, was pitiful. Not a single seed I planted sprouted. Not a single mongo plant grew. I sat on the corner dejected. I was crushed. I was bitter. It was only years later when I realized my folly. You see, my classmates were consistently watering their plants everyday. It didn’t matter if they couldn’t see tangible results yet. They just kept doing the right thing. I, on the other hand, wasn’t as faithful. I skipped days. Made excuses. I often gave in to the lie that for as long as I trust nature, it will grow by itself.

Good thing, I learned my lessons earlier. Today, I know better. Man works, God provides. Man does the sowing, God allows the growing. Man waters, God nourishes.

As a missionary, I see these lessons replayed before me very often.

I have witnessed young people grow into spiritual maturity in a span of a year because of their faithfulness to daily prayer and service.

I have seen prayer groups flourish in number even after only a few years of being together because of the leader’s dedication to his task.

I have encountered righteous Christians climbing dramatically the corporate ladder in only a short period of time because of their unquestionable integrity and admirable hardwork.

Truly, God does His part. It is if often we who fail to do ours.

As the bible today says:

“…The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness…”(2 Corinthians 9:10)

Today, I encourage you to never give up doing what you need to do. Even if the results are not yet evident. Even if the fruit is not yet there. Even if frustrating. Even if disheartening. Just keep doing your part. In God’s time, you will see  mongo plants sprouting from your jar.

I remain,

Bobby Q.

Doubt-Bouts

“This is why you must now know, and fix in your heart, that the LORD is God in the heavens above and on earth below,
and that there is no other.…”(Deuteronomy 4:33)

Once in a while, it hits me.

The thought comes crashing unexpectedly through my brain and explodes aimlessly within the deepest recesses of my heart. It disturbs. Upsets. Alarms. My convictions are shaken. My vision blurred. My thoughts hazy. The past seems so far. The future so near.

Was my decision to devote my time to preaching instead of building a legal career the right decision? What about the future of my children? How do I pay medical expenses when my wife and I get sick? And how about our dreams? Like a house of our own. Travel. Bigtime investments.

When thoughts like these invade my world during some unguarded moments, my heart shudders. My knees wobble. My throat turns dry.

I call these moments “Doubt-bouts”.

Doubt-bouts usually happen either in the aftermath of a domestic upheaval or prior to the launching of another missionary campaign.

It was just yesterday when it happened again. Preparing to leave for a preaching engagement in Singapore today, the dreaded thought came charging in. It was a good thing that the scripture reading today reminded me of what I ought to do when anxious thoughts turn up.

“This is why you must now know, and fix in your heart,
that the LORD is God in the heavens above and on earth below,
and that there is no other.…”(Deuteronomy 4:33)

I am pretty sure that the Jewish people in the Old Testament encountered many doubt-bouts in their lives. That is probably why God said what He said to them. The verse above comes at the foot of a lengthy narration of what God has done in the history of the Jewish people. It was as if God was enumerating his mighty deeds and brandishing before them His track record in their lives in order to assure them that He is always trustworthy and faithful. Even in the midst of pain. Or anxiety. Or fear.

Yes, even in the midst of doubt-bouts.

Maybe we can learn a thing or two from this.

When things become a bit shaky in your life, I invite you to refer once more to God’s track record.

Has He ever forsaken you?

Sure, He might have allowed some challenges to fall on your lap, but He always made sure you had a chair to sit on, right? He might have allowed you to suffer the consequences of your mistakes, but he always gave you the grace to rectify them. He might have allowed occasional pain to wound your heart, but He always came through with His healing hand and restored your heart in a much better condition prior to the injury.

This morning, in my reflections, I was led to enumerate the many times God came through for me. Countless. Doubtless. Flawless. His track record is impeccable. His faithfulness beyond question. I came out of my prayers assured. Beyond the clouds of doubt, the light shone once more.

God has never failed and will never fail.

My friend, if you are going through a doubt-bout right now, I challenge you to visit God’s track record in your life. Make a list of all his manifold blessings and valuable rescues. And be convinced that His track record is undoubtedly reliable — time and time again.

Reassured by God’s faithfulness,

Bobby Q.

Farewell, Mother of Philippine Democracy

“…O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish…” (Matthew 15:)

            An entire nation celebrated in EDSA on my thirteenth (13^th) birthday in 1986. But the celebration was not about me. Nor was it about any particular person. It was a celebration for democracy. But in the midst of that celebration stood a simple yet towering figure, humble yet determined, the woman who changed the course of Philippine history and the lives of so many: Corazon C. Aquino.

            Today, as she is laid to rest in peace, an entire nation mourns. We mourn for we shall surely miss her.  But we also mourn for ourselves. For having failed, in so many ways, to preserve the victory she helped us gain in ’86.

            She gave up the privacy of her home in exchange for the inconveniences of a public life. But today, we choose to stay within the barriers of apathy as this nation crumbles in decay.

            She fought an oppressive leadership even at the risk of her own life and that of her family. Today, we fight over who gets the bigger share from kickbacks resulting from rigged biddings in government projects.

            She withstood numerous coup attempts from individuals who may have sought to rob our country of our cherished democracy. Today, we so generously catapulted these very individuals back to power.

            She worked painstakingly to restore our trust in our Philippine Constitution. Today, we work painstakingly to destroy it with shameful attempts to constantly amend it perhaps for our own personal gains.

            Even in retirement and in sickness, she broke her silence to peacefully lead the clamor for a change of leadership. Today, even at the peak of our careers and health, we choose to endure in silence while our country is politically raped by opportunistic and self-serving so-called “traditional politicians”.

            I write this piece of essay as my own little and futile way to thank this woman who gifted our country with the hope that it has been deprived of for so many, many years. I thank her for giving the youth, especially my contemporaries in the ’80’s, a future to look forward to. I thank her for showing us the kind of faith, small as a mustard seed yet big enough to move tanks and dictators out of the way.

            Today, I take this challenge to continue to do what I do and to do it well as a way of honoring her. With my profession, I will continue to do legal work with integrity. As a preacher, I will continue to inspire others to be God-fearing Filipino people. As a husband, I will love my wife totally the way Cory loved our country. As a father, I will strive to enkindle in my children’s heart the same kind of love that Cory showed to all of us.

            As our dear “Mother of Philippine Democracy” is buried beneath the hallowed grounds of the Manila Memorial Cemetery, I pray that our beloved countrymen will, in turn, unearth from within them the cherished ideals personified by her during her lifetime. And by these ideals, allow this country to rise again from the ashes.

            I know that even beyond the grave, President Cory continues to pray for us. And her prayers are now more powerful than ever. For what was once a shout can now be a mere whisper. And the mighty hand of God will move with her prayerful lips. Scripture today says:

“…O woman, great is your faith!
Let it be done for you as you wish…” (Matthew 15:)

            Farewell, President Cory. Farewell, dear Mother of Philippine Democracy!

A Heart Worth Emulating

“…When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns…” (Matthew 14:13)

I am sure you’ve had those days.

When stress banged on your door. When urgency pounded on your wall. When it felt like everyone wanted a piece of you. Not later but now. Not tomorrow but today. You were just catching your breath when another concern begged for your attention. And before you knew it, you were up and running again. You begged to pause but the world just can’t stop spinning. You are stressed. Anxious. Physically tired. But you needed to work. Or study. Or serve. Not to mention the fact that sometimes you disappoint other people. Then what was just physical fatigue turns into an emotional one. When you struggle to manage the feelings of those who matter to you. When you struggle to manage your own feelings too. Your heart tempts you to simply react. But your mind begs you to respond instead. And so you grit your teeth… and smile. (Not a very nice smile to look at though…)

When you find yourself in the middle of days (or weeks or months) like those, I encourage you to read today’s Gospel and learn from Jesus.

He just learned about the death of John the Baptist. Not only was John his forerunner, he was also his cousin. Jesus may have been very sad. His heart was heavy and his eyes fuzzy.  He needed some time to grieve. He wanted to be by himself. Alone with His Father and away from His crowd. But just like most of us, Jesus found himself interrupted by the many urgent concerns of this temporal life.

“…When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns…” (Matthew 14:13)

I felt that way the past three weeks. My father went through a month-long ordeal in the hospital which culminated in an angioplasty procedure last week. I had a family to care for and work commitments to meet. I had relationships to manage and a business to run. Time was precious, spent carefully to make sure all concerns are addressed. I needed to take a break but the world has other things in mind for me.

So what did I do? I tried to do what Jesus did.

Jesus kept his head. He summoned all the love he could give. He thought less of himself and more of others. He gave and gave and gave until he had nothing else to give.

Did I succeed? Definitely not as much as Jesus.

I was grudgingly giving. Often whiney. Always grouchy. Comforting yet complaining. I am a work in progress in this area. My only consolation is this: God understands.

He’s been there. He knows how it feels. To be stressed. To be tired. To be worried. To be sad. For people to expect much from you.

And because of this, I am encouraged to love the way Jesus loves. To respond the way He responds. To give the way He gives. And it might take a lifetime to emulate the heart of Jesus. But one thing for sure, the effort will all be worth it.

Stay blessed!

Bobby

Home of Misfits

“…It becomes a large bush, and the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches…” (Matthew 13:32)

“How come there are so many ‘needy’ people in the church?”

This was my question to a friend priest during one of my preaching engagements in the province last year. Oh you see them, don’t you?

Beggars loitering around the church grounds.

Sick people frequenting the blessed sacrament.

The psychologically disturbed whose voices rise above the rest during the mass.

Ostracized young people who are unaccepted by their friends at school, some of them becoming leaders in the youth ministry of the parish.

As I wonder how come the church has somewhat become a home of misfits, my thoughts turned to Pacita.

Pacita was my friend. I was only 4 years old then when I first met her. She was referred to by many as the village fool. Dressed in her drags, this middle-aged lady was the favorite playmate of kids my age every Sunday. While our parents attended mass, we would be playing with Pacita.

Pacita wasn’t violent or rude. But she was mentally insane. Stories made mention of an ex-lover who violated her. Or some problem with her finances which led her to her state. Whatever the reason was, this reason led her to find solace in the church. In the church, she found a home. The priests fed her. The nuns nursed her wounds. The parishioners befriended her.

Neither she nor anyone else knew her family. But she and everyone else knew she found a family in the Cathedral. Like a nest-less bird, she found refuge on the widespread branches of the church. As the scripture says about the Kingdom of God:

“…It becomes a large bush, and the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches…” (Matthew 13:32)

Pacita was a misfit. But aren’t we all, in some degree or another? Just like Pacita, there are some things in our lives which we feel do not fit. The spouse we have, perhaps. Or the job we hold. The past we lived, and the future we aim for. The money in our bank account, and the bills we have to pay. Many things may not fit in our lives today. And perhaps, that is why the church exists. To provide a home for misfits like us.

My friend priest’s reply to my query amplifies this truth when he said: “It is for them that the church exists. Because it is for them that Jesus founded the church in the first place.” 

A few years ago, I visited the old church to check on Pacita. I was told that she already passed away a few years earlier. But I was also informed that she JOYFULLY passed away.

I wasn’t surprised. If she found a home in the church during her lifetime, I could just imagine the kind of home that awaits her beyond the grave.

For Pacita and rest of us, the home beyond the grave is the Home where we truly fit. 

Glad to be home,

Bobby Q.

Submitted for Resolution

“…The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the kingdom without understanding it, and the evil one comes and steals away what was sown in his heart..” (Matthew 13:19)

More than a week.

That was how long it took for my family to decide on the medical procedure that my father would undergo this coming Wednesday. Being a family of many lawyers, we needed to get all the facts before we made the crucial decision.

The scene was a classic straight out of a TV sitcom.

My father, subject of the case (meaning he was the patient), called the meeting of all family members and all the attending physicians last week in Davao. Lying on his hospital bed, he called the meeting to order. The family members took turns presenting their persuasive arguments like counsels to a case. The doctors were cross examined on the witness stand. Pros and cons weighed. Risks evaluated. Situation analyzed. After more than an hour, my father called for a few days recess. We were then ordered to go for a second opinion from an expert witness in Manila.

Yesterday, when all the pleadings as well as the second opinion were filed, both parties rested their case and the case was submitted for resolution. My father, acting as both patient and judge, was left with the decision.

He chose angioplasty over bypass.

In legal practice, a judge must know the relevant facts and laws in order to make an informed decision.

I want to believe it is the same thing with anything in life, especially our faith.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus said:

“…The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the kingdom without understanding it, and the evil one comes and steals away what was sown in his heart..” (Matthew 13:19)

Isn’t it true with many of our brethren in the faith?

Some of them desert the faith without first understanding it. Either the mass or service is too boring or the bible too confusing. It may be because of a bad-witnessing Sunday school teacher or a tyrannical parish priest. Or it may have something to do with outdated teachings or irrelevant preachings. Whatever the reason is, some us have given up on God and the church without even first trying to know the facts and understand the laws.

Just like in law or medicine, before one submits his case for resolution, one must first try to get all the facts and laws he needs in order to make an informed decision regarding his faith. You may not make the right decision all the time, but you will always be at peace knowing you had all the information that you needed before making the choice.

Are you on the brink of giving up on your faith?

I have one unsolicited advice: Don’t.

Know your faith. Study. Ask.

For the enemy is powerless over someone who truly understands the beauty of our faith.

I remain yours,

Bobby