Reflection on Mk 8:27-33

We often wonder what people are saying about us behind our backs. Are they complimenting us or criticizing us? Or perhaps we flatter ourselves to think that they are talking about us at all.
Jesus knew that people would be more free to express their ideas of who he was to his disciples than to his face. So he asks the disciples for a summary of what people thought about him. On the surface, this appeared an easy and interesting question. The disciples could make a list of the current theories and then get to hear what Jesus had to say in response.
But Jesus didn't say anything in response to the people's theories. His second question is much deeper and gets straight to the heart of the matter - “Who do you say that I am?”. It is possible for professing believers to be able to talk a great deal about spiritual matters, about the church and even about Jesus himself. Some may have a good grasp of theology and be able to discuss the relative merits of different viewpoints. But the question Jesus asked to his disciples is also addressed to everyone. This question is more vital and personal. To answer this question, we don’t need to quote any book or authority. We have to go deeply into our hearts and answer from our own honest belief. Is he really our Lord? Do we see him in our neighbor; feel him in ourselves; hear him in the words of scripture; sense his presence in the Eucharist?
Peter triumphantly calls him “Messiah,” but rejects the thought of a suffering Messiah. Jesus dramatically corrects him. Now the issue of Jesus being the Christ had come into the open, it was time that the disciples understood what that really entailed. For Jesus, the name “Christ” was not simply a title but a calling. It would lead him down the darkest and most painful paths imaginable.
He knew that suffering lay ahead. Not just physical pain, but the emotional strain of rejection by those who should have accepted him, desertion by those who should have stood by him and even betrayal by one of his closest friends. Most specifically, he knew that his mission would result in his own death.
Like many in the early church, we may be called to situations involving danger and suffering, and we all must one day face death, with only the promise of resurrection to give us hope. It is crucial that we display the same confident trust in God that Jesus did, if we are to live our lives in total surrender to the will of God like he did.
Jesus told Peter that he had “set his mind” on the things of man, not on the things of God. Will we set our minds on the things of this world, or will we allow God to educate our thinking through his Word and see things from his perspective?
Jesus can already see before him the cross on Cavalry, and yet he will not let himself quit his messianic task. To be a disciple of Jesus means that we cannot allow ourselves to quit whenever some cross confronts us. Instead, as Jesus says, we have to take up that cross and resolutely follow in his steps. Whether our cross is unfair treatment by others, loneliness or discouragement, or whether it be the loss of our health, our job or someone whom we love. If we are to be truly Christian, then we cannot allow ourselves to quit carrying that cross. Instead, we have to believe that God is near to uphold us and is indeed our help, and that we will not only survive, but we will also overcome and triumph. After all, we have our Lord's own promise that even though we may lose everything, perhaps even our lives, in the end we will save it, provided we are faithful and don't give up.

THE PRIEST AND FAMILIES OF OCW’s

For this topic the class invited a priest who is actively working in the Apostleship of the Sea (AOS). He talked about the seafarers. Ninety percent (90%) of world trade is carried by sea giving work to more than a million seafarers. Life at sea means separation from family and community. Globalization can mean fierce competition, low wages and harsh working conditions. AOS works in solidarity with all those whose lives depend on the sea offering them welfare, hospitality and spiritual support.
To handle its apostolate, AOS interacts with all national and international organizations, private agencies and maritime institutions in a constant work of advocacy and protection on behalf of seafarers. Its concerns are all seafarers, anywhere in the world. It is estimated that at the present there are 1,200,000 seafarers roaming the seas and oceans of the world on commercial transportation vessels and passenger liners. This apostolate has a particular significance in the Philippines since at present this country is the major supplier of seamen on board ocean-going vessels.
Seamen deserve the particular attention of this apostolate on account of their difficult employment at sea. By the nature of their work, they are the invisible members of the community and often of their families. They are vulnerable people because they often have to stand alone to face problems related to relationships at home or at work; to faith and cultural challenges; to difficult and dangerous occupational conditions on board. The most challenging factor in the life of seamen is to face loneliness and months of separation from their loved ones. Communication with their families is what they need most, but at the same time is also the major source of their worries when they receive discomforting news from home or they themselves wish not to reveal unhappy circumstances of their life on board for fear this would cause unnecessary anxieties to their families. It is a hard and lonely life that only the strong in heart, in spirit and in character can endure it.
According to Fr. Saavedra, our speaker, the AOS ministry in the Philippines includes advocacy or lobby works concerning the wages and benefits of the seafarers. Christian value formation and legal information seminars are also conducted. Manuals, magazines, and newsletters are also published and distributed. There are also family programs and cooperation with seamen’s wives that are undergone by the AOS. But to a wider extent the local parishes could help in this ministry by giving formation and activities to the families of seafarers or the families of the OCWs in general.
The ministry to the families of the OCWs is not yet very well carried out in every parish. This needs proper attention considering that there are problems occurring especially in terms of family relationships and income management. The parish priest could tap the coordination of the Family and Life Apostolate (FLA) and the Commission on the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Workers so that parish programs could be laid down and implemented. The families of the OCWs can also be encouraged to be actively involved in church activities. Considering that the members of these families are separated for a time because of their economic needs, the parish could organize a group or a form of a ministry that would organize the families to protect them from becoming dysfunctional. There are a lot of things that could be done to defend the welfare of these families and the priest has a very important role because he is also the pastor of these families.
To put it concretely, the church with the headship of the priest could assist the families of OCWs to overcome the problems of how to enhance their capability on financial management. There could also be a visitation to these families. Gatherings and other social activities may also be conducted to cater the social needs of these families. Through these programs the parishes even far from the seaport could become partners to those in the AOS who has direct contact with the seafarers and to other people ministering the OCWs.

THE PRIEST AND THE URBAN POOR

The speaker has shared to us his new paradigm regarding the formation of the poor people. In the previous years he was active in the work of conducting seminars to organize the urban poor. The development work to alleviate the living conditions of the marginalized sector of the society is really complicated. In each of the poor family many problems can be identified. Thus, the emerging difficulty is how to formulate a program that would be effective and efficient.
Our resource speaker told us about his disillusionment in the development works. In a certain place, a series of formation and seminars had been conducted to ensure the viability of the program. It was meant to inculcate good values to the beneficiaries of the program implemented to ease the livelihood of the residents. The leader of that particular community had undergone the seminars and promised to support the program. It was only later in the ongoing implementation that the priest discovered the corrupt practices.
The result of the evaluation shows that the seminars conducted had only a very minimal impact. One of the reasons that he found out is the consideration of a meaningful education. He gave the example of the case of the Basic Ecclesial Communities in which the seminars given have no lasting effect. There is no clear assurance of an effective formation since the seldas formed do not prosper.
That priest’s paradigm shift had given us an alternative view regarding formation. He followed Mother Theresa’s principle of a family-based and family-oriented education. This means that learning must start in the family especially during the childhood years. Our speaker proposed a system in which a family is to be adopted. He said that this family must be carefully chosen among the poor. In his experience as he shared to us, he saw the growth of the children and as they grow into mature individuals they know how to look back where they came from. Those who became successful in life now are actually sharing their resources to help those who are in need. This experience is contrasted with the situation of the beneficiaries of many seminars conducted for livelihood. It has been observed that these people are too far behind in terms of values with those who started their formation in childhood.
Our speaker proposed that in any effort for the urban poor the words of Mother Theresa must be taken into consideration. According to Mother Theresa, education starts from conception. So, any psychosomatic problems could be traced from childhood. And any problem that occurs in adulthood could be helped by supplying what has been lacking during childhood.
Considering all these things, in the work concerning urban poor backing-up is needed in order to attain lasting effect. Even the formation of BECs, as an example, mostly had been unsuccessful because of the vague element of education. Thus, we are encouraged to commit our whole self. In the work of the church we have only given a part of ourselves but not totally. This is the challenge to the priest to give himself totally and to become open to the reality that confronts him in the ministry. This means an attitude of openness to the possibilities present in reality. And in the ministry we need to have a deep trust that the Lord is present in each of us.
This paradigm that has been presented is an eye-opener for a wider horizon. We might not be able to see the results in our lifetime, but we have done our share in making people come into the attainment of a better life and being liberated from a miserable life of poverty. But how about those poor people who are presently suffering and continue to exist in a dehumanizing situation?
We face a world in which poverty is caused by organized greed, and we who take pride in being called Christians, being called “Children of the Light,” should organize ourselves to counteract organized greed with organized care. And care not just for the soul, but also for the body, because this is what is close to the heart of Jesus. He asks us, “When I was hungry, did you feed me? When I was thirsty did you give me drink?” Today, to where the needs of the poor be placed? Is it not on the hands of the Church who continues the work of Jesus in caring for the poor, the neglected, the excluded, the marginalized, and the oppressed sector of our society?

PARISH YOUTH MINISTRY

The Parish Youth Ministry (PYM) has been the means by which the parish can bring together the youth as a distinct group with specific interests and needs. This ministry seeks to draw and welcome all young people into responsibility, understanding and participation in the life of the Catholic Church and community

PYM is a ministry “to” the youth because it is an exercise of the pastoral role of the Christian community on meeting young people’s needs. It draws out the time, talent and treasure of the adult community to provide opportunities for growth that young people need but cannot attain without assistance.

PYM is a ministry is “with” the youth because young people share with adults a common responsibility to carry out the Church’s mission. When the youth exercises this responsibility jointly with adults, God’s work is completed using the largest and most diverse means.

PYM is a ministry “by” the youth because in it the young people exercise their own ministry to others, particularly to their peers and those less fortunate than themselves.

The late Pope John Paul II in his apostolic letter to young people (in 1985) said that in the youth there is hope, for the youth belong to the future, just as the future belongs to them. The future belongs to the young people, just as it once belonged to the generation of those who are now adults, and precisely together with them it has become the present reality. He continued, “… to you belongs responsibility for what will one day become reality together with yourselves, but which still lies in the future.” Thus, the church has given priority and attention to the young.

In our local church also where the young comprise a large number of the population, the ministry of the young people is important. In 1991 the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines declared that the "youth ministry should be assured of the fullest attention and highest priority in every way by all in the Church" (Art. 50, No. 2).

Our speaker, the chairman of the commission on youth of the Archdiocese of Cebu, has informed us of the youth programs in the archdiocese. These programs are mostly on the formation. These also take into consideration that the young people are usually transient in the ministry. But the most important matter is that the youth are given the opportunities to avail the programs of the PYM even only once their lifetime. On the other hand there is also the need for the support from the parish priests because youth ministry entails a lot of financial resources. Young people have a very meager monetary contribution, but they can give their services in terms of manual work utilizing their talents and skills.

For the people in the youth ministry it is hard to implement ongoing formation program for the youth especially in the parish. But the most consoling part is the fact that some young people are seen volunteering themselves for the service of their fellow youth. In the youth ministry we can find committed young people ministering without seeking gain for their own selves. The church has never run out of committed young people. The only challenge here is how to tap them. Here, the priest as a pastoral minister of the Church has indeed a great role in putting forward the youth ministry. He has the authority and the power to gather financial resources for the benefit of the young and the weak.

Today the church must know how to respond to the expectations of the young people. It is clear in the gospel that Jesus wants to enter into dialogue with them. Through the Church, the body of Christ, the young will be open to the possibility of a choice, which will require a commitment of their lives. As Jesus journeys with the disciples of Emmaus, so the church must become the traveling companion of young people. This is youth ministry – becoming a traveling companion of young people. If, indeed, “it takes an entire village to raise a child,” then it certainly takes an entire church to journey with young people as they grapple with the Good News and respond in discipleship.

THE PRIEST AND THE BECs: CHALLENGES AND EXPECTATIONS

Since PCP II the movement of Basic Ecclesial Communities had been a pastoral priority throughout the country. It has also been a part of the seminary pastoral exposures. Yet seminarians would attest to the fact the BEC cells are not stable. In places where seminarians are assigned, it is true to our experience that members of the seldas could only gather regularly when there are seminarians. When seminarians no longer visit them, the bible sharing sessions would gradually die out. For many years now since the BEC seldas were organized, we do not see its effectiveness as expected.
Some strategies of organizing had been applied. According to our speaker different approaches had been employed in the rural and urban areas respectively. In the rural setting liturgical activities are conducted to organize the seldas in a consultative and participative way. On the other hand, in the urban areas sectoral approaches had been done which includes interests on issues associated with the group. Despite the considerable length of time and efforts to organize the seldas, there is no substantial development as regards to becoming a real basic ecclesial community. What could have been the factors affecting such situation?
There are indicators that would somehow be the basis for judging that a selda is growing. First would be the participation of the members. If members are participative, they might have developed deep concern for their small community. This could be identified as the ad-intra movement of concern. As such a small group matures, it would start to act outwardly as an effect the love growing within. The ad-extra movement would make the BECs as service-oriented communities. The group might engage in livelihood projects. Yet a backlash might be experienced when the members are enticed to enrich their own selves instead of working for the benefit of the whole community.
One of the many obstacles of BECs cited by the speaker, is the parish priest who had no interest on endorsing the BEC. Perhaps such priests don’t see the relevance of the form of BEC that is to be implemented. On the other hand the interest of the people should also be considered. But most importantly everything depends on the movement of the Holy Spirit. Observations are being laid that mostly the movement to organize BECs seems to be a failure. Thus, there is a need to evaluate and re-evaluate. And the most important aspect to be considered is the presence of God in the community alongside with the role of the priest.
One of the roles of the ordained ministry is that of pastoral leadership over the Christian community – the parish community and the network of small Christian communities (BECs) within the parish. The priest is a builder not only of the church made of marble, but of the living Church, the Christian community. Following the image of the Good Shepherd, he does not only build the community, but presides over the community and leads it. Thus, he has to become closer to his flock.
The priest has a vital role in animating and supporting the lay people in his parish to build and develop the BECs. It is his responsibility to ensure the formation of lay leaders that will help minister to these communities. The priest, in collaboration with lay people and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is the primary agent of evangelization which is considered as an essential part in building up the BECs.
Vatican II and PCP II remind us that the ministerial priesthood enables the people of God to actualize its common priesthood. The task of the priest as leader of the priestly community is to foster full and active participation in the liturgical celebration. He forms the community into a truly worshipping and celebrating community.
Thus, the exercise of the sacramental/liturgical ministry must be done in the context of the community. The priest has to make sure that the liturgy is celebrated not among strangers but by a genuine community whose members know each other, care for each other and are in communion with each other. This is concretized in BECs that are truly worshipping, priestly communities.
In exercising his sacramental/liturgical ministry, it is not enough that the priest administer the sacraments at the parish church. He has to go out more often to the barrios and neighborhood communities and celebrate the Eucharist with the BECs more frequently. He must also train lay liturgical leaders for each BEC so that these communities can continue to worship and celebrate even in the absence of the priest.
The priest cannot remain indifferent to the situation of the people he is called to serve. His pastoral ministry involves animating his parish community and the BECs to address the problems that they face – especially poverty, underdevelopment, armed conflict and the destruction of the environment. He should encourage and support the BECs to work for justice, peace, development and the integrity of creation and thus help transform society.
The priest is called to live a simple lifestyle and make a preferential option for the poor. Like Christ, he must bring the good news to the poor and help empower them so that the Church can truly become the Church of the Poor.Thus, the journey toward a new way of being Church requires the priest to view himself not as the king or Lord of his parish but the servant-leader of the parish community and the BECs. This is a journey that starts from within but moves out to a horizon that is at times familiar and encouraging but at other times unpredictable even hostile. In whatever situation our faith beckons us to make our hearts…as our compass; to risk loving the Church…her life…her mission…not in our terms but in the power and measure of His Love!

MARRIAGE INTERVIEW AND COUNSELING

It is deemed necessary for the Church to stress among her members the conviction on the sanctity of marriage. But in the present context of our society the breaking up of marriages is becoming prevalent. There is seemingly a pervasive notion that when couples disagree about anything most of the time the solution is to separate.

There is so much focus on the social significance of marriage. For this reason the rites of marriage particularly those of the upper class are usually pompous and elaborate. This view is also shared by the common people to the extent that some couples because of financial restraints would prefer to postpone or even don’t avail themselves of the church ritual. And the practice of just cohabitating is becoming widely followed by couples.

Given the real situation of marriages in our society, how would the church spread the good news on the sanctity of marriage? What strategies would the pastor undertake in order to attract people to come to the church for weddings to be solemnized? How would the problems of broken marriages and the situation of unwed couples living together be addressed to by the church?

The first thing given importance by our speaker is on the appreciation of the sanctity of marriage. If married couples do not recognize the sacredness of marriage, then it would follow that it would just be easy for them to part ways or seek another partner. In marriage counseling this idea will be dealt with. But of course the venue is not in any other places because of the fact that mostly the women are the ones who come to counseling and such is also conducted as ministerial work in the church.

The speaker suggested to let the couples realize the giftedness of the other and avoid capitalizing much the negative characters. They will also be encouraged to pray and be hopeful that some day they will overcome whatever marriage problem they underwent. It also includes the hope of perfection of the marital relationship as the couple grows into maturity. Another suggestion is to encourage the couple to learn from the lives of the saints especially those saints who are married.

On the matter of the pre-nuptial interview, it is highly recommended that a large number of candidates for marriage be scheduled for interview on the same day so that quality time could be afforded by the priest to each of them. They should also put their hands on the Bible signifying the truth and seriousness of the matters they divulge during the interview. This is related to or has a connection with the “I do’s” they express on their wedding day.

The priest who will solemnize the wedding is ideally the one to conduct the pre-nuptial interview. In this way he would be more familiar to the couple and could give proper exhortation during the wedding. And this would also usher in a personal relationship between the representative of the church and the couple who will exchange vows before God and His Church.

In this topic, I see the need of the availability of the pastor to the people. If the priest is to be more than willing to journey with the people, then his presence would be a symbol of Christ’s presence to his people. By engaging in casual talks, instances will come and opportunities will give way for an occasion in which the priest could explain the significance of marriage. When rapport is established between the priest and the people it would be easy for the priest to convince the people especially the unwed couples to appreciate the sanctity of marriage.If the situation now in the parish portrays weddings as just passing activities, it would the proper time to change and shift strategies. The cudgel is at the hands of the pastors in the parishes and the lay people engaged in the apostolate of enriching marriages. It is not only about observing or following properly the marriage laws that we have, but moreso on the Christian presence which guides every couple towards the perfection of their marital covenant.

FAMILY LIFE AND MINISTRY

The family is considered as the vital cell of society. The attitudes and background of a family is determinant to what a society is. The parish as an agent of moral integrity of a particular community is expected to conduct activities to ascertain the wellbeing of the families in the parish. The program of the church that administers to this concern is the Family and Life Apostolate.
Our invited speaker gave us an orientation about the Family and Life Apostolate Program basically implemented in the Archdiocese of Cebu. As what has been presented, the FLA is not a new organization in the Church, rather it is an evangelization program and pastoral formation of families. This is a very good response of the Church to the deteriorating values of the Filipino families. The Church has always hoped in the family as to be considered the Church in the home. The FLA is an agent of formation for the family. For this reason it has its variety of programs for formation in the diocesan level and especially in the parish level. The FLA program as presented to us by our invited speaker is very much useful for the families. But the problem is on the implementation.
How is it being implemented? How is it received by the parishioners? Are the programs effective? The answers to these questions would redound to the discovery of some challenging situations in this ministry. With regards to the manpower, there are only few lay persons who volunteer themselves to the task of executing the different programs of the FLA. But as of the moment we could still find dedicated lay people who commit themselves to this kind of work. It is encouraging to see these people and listen to their experiences. Even from our speaker at that time, I can see the hope for the Church that enthusiastic lay workers are still there to keep the Church moving in this aspect of family programs. I don’t believe that the declining financial situation would be the primary reason why there is lack of volunteers. Many of the active lay workers are poor yet they remain committed. What I see as the important element is the support of the parish priest. This is what our speakers desire and I agree that it is legitimate. Without the backing of the parish priest no ministry or movement in the Church would succeed particularly in the parish level.
The manner in which a program is implemented also matters. The strategies need to be evaluated not only by the implementors but also by the recipients of the program. Some of the modules are not changed to fit the needs of the participants and to catch their interest and attention. With the rapid pace of development, I think the strategies of the FLA should also be improved. Just for example the Pre-Cana Seminar needs to be improved to suit the participants who are most of the time at their youthful years. These people have been exposed to the current development in technology. For this reason, it would be so boring for them to attend a seminar handled by old people using old strategies. I don’t mean to offend the senior members of the staff. But my point is that no matter how old the facilitators are, they need constant and periodic updating.
There are really a lot of possible activities that could be initiated by the FLA to promote family values. The enrichment of the couple itself can have already a great impact in the family. Looking forward to the future ministry in the parish, I wish that I will never forget the high value of the Family and Life Apostolate. This should not be neglected, because the family like the seminary could be considered as the seedbed of the well-meaning citizens of the society and faithful members of the Church.
Another thing that I also observed of the FLA more particularly in our parish, is that its activities are always the same year after year. Why not invent or plan innovative activities? Having new activities would somehow attract more participants.
I have also perceived a need for the FLA to regularly link-up or coordinate with other ministries within the Church. For example, conducting a family day in the parish level requires active participation of the people from other ministries and apostolate. Saving the families from danger is not only a responsibility of the FLA but also by all in the Church. The role of the FLA must also be shared by other ministries and movements taking into consideration that everyone of us belongs to a family.