THE WOMEN OF JESUS

September 17, 2010

Friday, 24th Week in Ordinary Time
1 Cor 15:12-20; Luke 8:1-3

The Mission of Jesus:

Jesus is on the move. From town to town, village to village He moves about proclaiming and preaching the Good News of the Kingdom of God and manifesting the advent of His Kingdom in acts of healing, feeding, exorcising, feeding, caring and life-giving. He seems to be in a hurry so as to reach every nook and corner of the world and to reach out to people of all walks of life, all forms of human situations. He exemplifies the Love of the Heavenly Father in loving the sinners and saints alike, doing good to the religious minded and the atheists alike. Nothing stops Him from His mission—neither acceptance, nor failure. Yet He stops at the sight of the suffering, the destitute and the oppressed. He stops by also the self-righteous, calling them true repentance. Jesus stops by me today. Do I notice His presence and hear His call?

The partners of Jesus:

Establishing the Kingdom of God is the most ambitious project one has ever undertaken in human history. It was hatched right from the beginning of creation straight at the heart of the Heavenly Father. The Kingdom of love, mercy and kindness extends from the heart of God to the heart of man, from the heart man to the heart of God, again, from the heart of man to the hearts of the entire human race. It does not stop there, until it extends to the heart of every being and fiber of the universe. Indeed, this is a project of bringing heaven on earth and bringing the universe to the heavens. Jesus inaugurated it and accomplished it in His life, death and resurrection. Yet, the Kingdom building is a project unfinished. Jesus needs partners. His made the apostles partners of His Kingdom. Many women were also partners of Jesus. Yes, women proved to be great partners of Jesus in His Kingdom building.

The Women of Jesus:

The role of women in the life and Kingdom building of Jesus was one of great importance. A woman offered Him the comfort, care and love of a mother. Mary brought Him up, giving Him birth, teaching Him lessons of love, and showing Him direction. She stood by Him in His birth, infancy, ministry, death, resurrection, ascension, and with the community He founded. The first among the evangelists were women like the Samaritan woman and Mary Magdalene. The Canaanite woman and the woman afflicted with hemorrhage were Jesus model of great faith. The poor widow at the temple who contributed few cents at the treasury is the model of great generosity. The sinful woman who washed the feet of Jesus with her tears is Jesus’ model of great love. The sisters of Lazarus, Mary and Martha were Jesus’ friends and they are highlighted as models of hospitality and discipleship. It is fascinating to notice that in a culture where women were not allowed to mingle with men in public, Jesus had so many women followers, disciples and friends, who not only came to listen to Him, but even more, followed Him wherever He went. They provided for Him and the Apostles from their resources. If not for the support of the women, Jesus’ ministry would fail. So is it with the Church today. Women are not only the most active believers in the Church, they are also the most resourceful when it come to the mission and ministry of the Church. Their faith and faithfulness are seen among the line of saints. Their generosity and love are seen in the financial contributions they make so silently, the way they take care of the physical needs of the Church, the ministers and the missionaries. Their love for Christ is seen also in their dedicated life of religious commitment, the ever growing number and spirit of religious communities. If not for the contributions and support of the women, the Church would be empty, dry and Her ministry would be impossible. Often, they go unnamed, unnoticed and unrecognized. Yet, the Gospel today counts them and names some of them: Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna & many others who travelled with Jesus wherever He went, and gave financial support and ministered Him. Jesus loves them all. Only Jesus loves them the way they deserve it—with kindness, compassion, understanding, love and generosity.

Today, I take time to count the women in my ministry who care for me, support me, and strengthen me in building up His Kingdom. May the Lord God, who has noticed their contributions keep them in His care, and give them His abundant grace! May their dreams come true and may their rewards be great in this life and the life to come.

Kingdom Workers

August 18, 2010
Wednesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

Matthew 20: 1-16

Employment, salary, security of job, opportunity to work, just wage, bonus, increments, fairness in employment, employer-employee relationships etc are terms that we chew on each day. Indeed, these are to us more than mere terms –these are basic experiences of life which shape our daily living. In the parable of the workers called to work in the vineyard, Jesus is proposing the nature of the Kingdom of God which primarily rests on the generosity, kindness and justice of God. This parable alludes to the nature of God and His mission in which He has called us to participate.

Work: To work is the right of every person. One of the first commandments man has received after the fall was the command to work: “Earn your bread by the sweat of your brow” (Gen 3:17,19). God is the archetype of work. He is always at work in the universe. The kingdom of God is a project God has initiated which needs enormous labor for its fulfillment. Idleness, laziness and neglect of labor are crimes against the creator who has given us the call to work.

Opportunity to work: Even as we may not find the “ideal atmosphere and conditions” for work, we will never miss opportunities. Look around: God, who has created you, has prepared circumstances for me to work. I don’t have to lament and feel ruin my life for the lost opportunities in life. It could be that I have wasted the mornings (childhood), noon (early adulthood and middle age) and even find no sense of purpose in the afternoon (late adulthood) of my life. Even in the evenings of my life, if only I am willing I can hear the call of God to work in His kingdom: to be productive, useful, and fruitful. It is comforting to know that God has found me fit to work for Him. What a great feeling to realize that I can start over from where I am right now, no matter what little resources I may have, what my past life experiences might have been, and what little strength is left within me! With God’s call in our heart, we are bound to make it, and find our evenings and nights pleasant, rewarding and fulfilling.

Rewards assured: A laborer deserves his payment (Lk 10:7; 1 Tim 5:18). Our God is a just God. If ever there is something that clouds His justice, it is His generosity. Oh, yes! The generosity and kindness of God is so great that we find His justice incomprehensible. Nobody can outdo the generosity of God. And nobody can match His justice. His rewards are just and always fair. He does not give us what we deserve, but what we need. Often times I become, irritated, frustrated and impatient with the experiences of “unfair treatment” and “unjust rewards” from God. This is because I tend to compare myself with others. The promise is not that I will get more than what others have, but I will get what I need. God knows, He alone knows, my resources, strength and weaknesses. He knows my needs. Let me appreciate what I have received rather than feeling jealous of what others have. Comparing myself with others is the best formula for a dissipated, unhappy life.

Thought Capsule:

No one can go back and change a bad beginning,
but anyone can start now and create a successful ending.