GOOD FLAVORING FOR OUR TROUBLED WORLD!

Friday, July 15, 2011

St. Bonaventure, Bishop, Doctor of the Church (Feast) 

by Lorenz S. Centino, Jr.

Matthew 5: 13 - 19

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13  "You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men. 

14  "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. 

15  Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 

16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. 

17  "Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them. 

18  For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 

19  Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS:

A BLESSED FRIDAY TO ALL!

We are living in a very TROUBLED world. People are so anxious, distressed, tormented with the many difficult, complicated, harsh situations and circumstances they are in. Many live in a BITTER and miserable condition. We can just take cognizant of the many evacuation centers overly crowded with children and the elderly due to relocations brought about by landslides and flooding that have killed many of their loved ones. At the personal level, how many have been losing the appetite for life due to neglect and abandonment by those who can help them go through their ordeal and suffering, may it be due to poverty, sickness or any form of deprivation, oppression and exploitation. We can just add the different calamities that wreck havoc in different parts of our country, whether man-made or natural. The daily news on radio, television or newspapers can attest to the many troubles our world is grappling with. We need a GOOD FLAVORING in life to continue to see the splendor of living meaningfully.

In yesterday’s Gospel Jesus asked us to come to him to have our rest. Jesus assures us that he will make our burden light. He never said, however, that he will completely take away our troubles. He indeed moved around doing good things like healing the sick, but he had never taken away SICKNESS in world. He multiplied the loaves and fish to give food to the hungry crowd who came to listen to him, but he never had taken away the plight of HUNGER in the world. Jesus had shown to us what is needed to be done to EASE the TROUBLES of those who are burdened, especially the heavily laden. In fact Jesus once said or lectured his disciples, when they suggested that the perfume a woman poured on his feet be sold so the proceeds would be given to the poor, that the poor will always be with them. The point, therefore, is that the troubles of this world will always be with us. So what is our take on this fact? The Gospel today has its very clear answer.

Troubles will always be with us. For that, Jesus was unequivocal in declaring that those who follow his footsteps are meant to BE the “SALT OF THE EARTH.” This is a declaration, not a calling or invitation but a statement of fact, which makes clear WHAT the Christians MUST BE in the face of the troubles of the world. Christians must be like Jesus, inviting those who are burdened and are heavily laden to find REST in them. Christians must be like God a refuge of the troubled. The earth, our HOME and our only home, is so in need of GOOD FLAVORING from the BITTERNESS of the various troubles it is being assaulted. The message of LOVE is the flavoring that we Christians can offer to our troubled world for it is the only ANTI-DOTE that will make those who are heavily laden with the burden of the world’s troubles find rest. And at the heart of this love is the LOVE of GOD for all. We Christians are sent to proclaim and bring the love of God to everyone. Just like the salt that is used for “preservation” purposes, it is this proclamation and sharing of love that can preserve those who are deeply troubled from hopelessness and desperation by seeing the LIGHT of the BEAUTY of LIFE because of the of love of God shared unto them.

And so, by bringing and sharing the love of God to everyone, Christians will truly become the LIGHT of the WORLD. The Christians will reveal in the world what they are made by the Almighty Creator. They are made, just like all the rest of mankind, in the IMAGE OF GOD. By proclaiming and sharing LOVE to everyone, each Christian makes its true identity shines—an IMAGE OF GOD. And so Jesus challenged every Christian not to become like a lamp that is kept hidden under a bushel. The Lord calls every Christian to let his/her light shine for the WORLD to SEE, because in doing so the world “may see your GOOD WORKS and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” The glory we give to God is dependent on what we “show” to the world. If we only light the FLAME of LOVE in all our ACTIONS, we then give glory to God for God is revealed by our LOVE for others. Therefore, if we fail to love we become like the salt that have lost its saltness that is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men.


For your personal comments, you can reach me through this email: sanolorenz@yahoo.com