THE SIGN OF THE CROSS

Feast of the Triumph of the Cross
Nb 21: 4b-9; Phil 2:6-11; John 3:13-17

Everyday I take a public transport from our place in Matina-Dumalag to the Redemptorist Church. Going back to Dumalag from the Redemptorist Church, I have to wait first for some jeepneys going to the SM mall. But, there are only few jeepneys going to SM. So, I have to wait for quiet a long time. Oftentimes, the jeepneys are full.

One day, I was bored of waiting. The weather was so hot and I was tired. Just to make myself feeling okay, I tried to observe the people in the jeepneys and cars passing the Church. I observed that most passengers made a sign of the cross. I told myself, “Look! Most people making a sign of the cross every time they pass by. They are Catholics for sure. Wonderful!” I was very happy to see them showing their identity as Christians. They reminded me of my own identity as Christian.

To make a sign of the cross is a treasure for us Catholics. We begin and end our celebration with that gesture. We use it even without thinking. For some, they make a sign of the cross before and after eating, before leaving the house and before driving, before sleeping, or even before taking a bath. Some athletes are also making the sign of the Cross before the game. And we can identify them that they are Christians.

The sign of the cross – what does it mean for us? Today, in this feast of the Holy Cross, I want to point out that every time we make a sign of the cross we are remembering the meaning of the Cross of Jesus Christ. We are remembering that we belong to Him. Our entire life belongs to Him. We are remembering the unconditional love to us.

The cross tells us of God’s love. God’s love is visible in Jesus. Jesus emptied himself, took the form of a slave, and came in the likeness of human. He humbled himself, and, died on the cross. His death on the cross is outpouring of love and compassion for us.

The gospel of John tells us today that through His death on the Cross Christ is lifted up. Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. The Father sent His Son not to condemn us, but to save us.

The cross is a constant reminder of God’s love for us. The cross is a constant reminder of Jesus Christ, His life, death and resurrection. For me, when I make the sign of the cross it reminds me of the Holy Trinity – the Father - who highly exalted Jesus, the Son, Jesus – who redeemed us, and the Holy Spirit – who made us holy. So we trace this sign on our forehead, our hearts and our shoulders as symbol of our faith. It reminds our identity as Christian.

The sign of the cross is wonderful gesture. It’s a wonderful expression of our relationship with God. When we make a sign of the cross, we are embracing our God with all our mind, with all our heart and with all our strength.

Each day, by making the sign of the cross, we remind ourselves with the sign of God’s unconditional love. It reminds us each day, in good times and bad times, that God is never far from us.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“OUR VOCATION IS LOVE”

Wedding Homily
1 Cor 12:31-13:8; Mt 22:35-40

My brothers and sisters, we gather here today to witness the wedding of Jec-jec and Raul. I think it was eight years ago when I first met Jec-jec at the Campus Ministry Office in the University of Mindanao. That was when I joined the Christian Students Organization or CHRISTO. She was very friendly to me. And soon, we became close friends.

One year later, Raul came in the scene. He asked us to join the CHRISTO. So we accepted him. We became friends easily. We have the same interests. We both wanted to become priests. Actually, we planned to join the religious congregation together. (Was it Marists, Raul? No, it was Jesuits.) We were searching for our vocation.

Fortunately, Jec-jec was so in love. She couldn’t think enough him… She was in love with - Raul. And Raul was the same! He was very silent at the beginning. But just heard the name of her, it made him – thrill… He was in love with - Jec-jec.

Now Raul has finally found his vocation. And Jec-jec too! She thought once to become a religious sister. (You told me that, Jec-jec!) See now how happy they are to find a love of a lifetime!

Raul and Jec-Jec, you were thinking and planning to get married for years and years. Now, the time has come. The time has come to decide. The time has come build a committed relationship. This time is not that easy… even it takes time. It is a big decision you’ve made in your life. Decisions like this cannot be made overnight. It takes time. Like myself, I decided to be a Marist, and it’s not automatic. Once decided, it would demand something. My decision to be a Marist took me into another way of life. In the same way, in your decisions God is calling you to another way of life – a vocation of marriage life. It is indeed a sacred calling. So it demands a deepening of commitment your love everyday – to commit to love each other. Today, you begin to learn, and to re-learn, to love each other in a deeper way.

St. Paul reminds us today to learn to love – to be always patient, to be kind, never jealous, never rude, never seeks its own advantage… To learn to love is not simple. It demands hard work. It is like learning a new language. I had been in Thailand-Myanmar border. I tried to learn Thai and Burmese language. To learn is so difficult! It demands so much hard work. To commit to love means to suffer. We have to sacrifice.

This is central to the teaching of Jesus today – to commit ourselves to LOVE, to love God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind… And love your neighbor as yourself. True love is a commitment, sacrifice. Jesus suffered and even died for us because of his great love, his unconditional love for us, for the Church.

Jesus, too, in my favorite Gospel, said, “Love one another as I have loved you, no one can have greater love than to lay down his life for his friends.” True love is a sacrifice. And it’s our calling.

My favorite saint, St. Therese of the Child Jesus said, said, “My vocation is love.” This is my motto in life. And it may be it would be yours too. Raul and Jec-jec, you’ve find your vocation, that is, to love.

Remember, Raul and Jec-jec, you are the reminder, a living reminder of God’s love. Jesus so loved the Church so much and He gave his life to her until His very last breath. So, Raul, you are called to love Jec-jec with all your life just as the way Jesus gave His life for the Church. And, Jec-jec, you are called in the same way like Raul. Your love each other actualizes and concretizes the love of God to the Church and the Church to God.

You are the sign of God’s love.

(Raul and Jec-Jec are my good friends since my college years. I know them well. We were members of the Christian Student Organization known as CHRISTO in the University of Mindanao. In that organization we built our friendship. We’d shared wonderful memories. We still keep in touch and they visit me sometimes. Raul is now a policeman and Jec-Jec is now managing the hotel and restaurant. They live together in Matina, Davao City. They are praying, wishing and still waiting to have children.)