Treasures Treat: Calming the Storms

Fr. Ric Torrefiel in his homily as Friends gathers on its monthly Treasures exclaims that it is funny to be a sinner.  This reminds him of the story of a newly-wed couple who after driving and dining, the husband was bombarding his wife as they made their u-turn all the way to the restaurant because his wife left her glasses.  As the wife alight the car the husband shouted, “Hurry up! Don’t also forget to get my credit card I left on the table!” 

A lot of amusing instances can be noticed around, he says.  For example, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) put a lot of signages in different conspicuous areas reminding the pedestrians with this warning, “Bawal Tumawid” (No Crossing).  Subsequently the signage was changed because of the same offense of the public which caused a car accident that killed a pedestrian.  This time the signage says, “Bawal Tumawid, Nakamamatay”  (Dangerous.  No Crossing!).  Still the strider cannot be controlled in spite of the warning so another car accident occurred which caused another death.  This time the signage goes this way, “Bawal Tumawid! May Namatay na Dito!” (No Crossing! Accident Prone Area)

The Spiritual Director says that God allows evil to happen in order to bring the good therefrom, as St. Aquinas quoted.

Had Adam and Eve committed no offense, God would have not descended to return humanity into the state of grace. He re-echoed St. Augustine’s "felix culpa" (happy fault) pointing out that sins turn out to be happy because the humanity has able to commune with Jesus physically when He descended from His holy abode to preach the truth and the life for us to be with Him again in  Paradise.

Nevertheless, not all faults are happy.  What is sad about it is there are those who are unaware of their commission of sin as articulated through relativism clinging to a personal belief that right can be wrong or wrong can be right depending on you, which can be associated to Debby Bone's song "You Light Up My Life" which ended with a concluding lyrics that "It can't be wrong, when it feels so right" which can be linked to marital infidelity.

As Jesus sent Ezekiel to tell the Israelites of their rebellion against God through sin, so I am telling you also this, as he compassionately preached.

A fraudulent wealth can never be a charitable provision in good faith but another Robin Hood type who enjoys helping through stealing covering up the misdeeds with the enjoyment to alleviate impoverishment.

The first reading edifies to teach, rebuke and remind which others don’t to shun from upsetting people especially if it’s a friend who’s into contraception, abortion, homosexuality and betrayal of marriage vow. 

As Pope Benedict challenged everyone to speak the truth, he likewise beckons the congregation to tell the truth than commenting on one’s correction with, “You’re very uncharitable!”

It’s easy to be silent than curbing one’s transgression.  Correcting is also a form of charity if it is done in the spirit of love.  That’s why there’s this fraternal correction.

In the presence of misconduct, private confrontation is significant. If taken for granted by the person who is corrected, negotiation with two (2) or three (3) witnesses can be ensued.  If not won by these actions, legal pursuit can be the last remedy.  Such option is made just like when God banished Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden not to treat them as enemies and be deprived after but with the hope of redirecting them on the road to the truth and state of grace heading towards the Kingdom of God.

After the Liturgical celebration, another Treasures treat was generously served.

Connie de Guzman, Undersecretary of PACG, shares how God calms her during the storms of her life.

Given the opportunity to serve as the  Chairperson of Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC), she has been a fighter against graft and corruption where she gained not a reward fitted for her advocacy but a type of gesture that was only suited to a crime offender which gradually ruined her well-groomed reputation. 

Clueless as she was on how to tell the misinformed public who read and heard the infectious media publication, she started to complain and question God because she wondered why this happened in spite of her dedication to the ministry.

The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where she was confined of a stroke was the place where she received her second life that she has been nurturing until now to be more profoundly committed in the ministry than before.  At the point that she almost breathed her last, Jesus gently and compassionately spoke to her that what matters most when people destroy her reputation is He Himself who knows her very well than others.

While continuing with her faith through unwavering commitment to the ministry, she thought that she had already reached that strong level of maturity.  This was tested when her former seminarian son entered a matrimonial vow not with a fellow Catholic but with the non-believer that Jesus is one God existing in three persons, God the Son, God the Father and God the Holy Spirit but with Iglesia Ni Cristo who believes that Jesus is only a man.

In a counselling, she told the Priest that she would be happy even without marching on the wedding entourage because she was able to defend her faith unswervingly although she admittedly responded that her son would be dejected if she would not show off.  However, she was tongue-tied when asked, “Do you think God would be delighted without your presence in the banquet?”

While on confusion, she had reached up to the Holy Land where he met Bro. Rene Tumang but could not still find the concrete answer whether she would go to her son’s wedding or not.

God really communicates relentlessly when indeed she found the wisdom that overturned her former decision through the Gospel in the Liturgy she had attended which talked about the banquet wherein Jesus dispatched his servants to summon whomever they find on the road but no one comes (Matthew 22:1-4) which brought her to a realization that if God invites people to the banquet without looking at someone’s religious affiliation, who is she to lay out discrimination?

With these storms that she had gone through, she excitingly shares that:

What will you become will be your gift to God.

I should learn to walk with Jesus as the center of my life.

Be ready to die for the Gospel and share your life.

Accept and sacrifice no matter how painful the experience may be, because before this ordeal comes into your life to be painfully felt, be reminded that Jesus has filtered it down and embraced on the Cross yet.

In this life’s journey, I’ve been clarified what to carry; the walking sticks which are the guidance, principles and the values I live by taught by my parents and the sandals bearing the love of my parents.