BEYOND SIMPLE THOUGHTS
Sunday Gospel Reflections
by: Little White Flower
I was trying before to record the homilies of our parish priest, Fr. Lawrence Paz but was only successful these last two Sundays before he passed away. It was the third night of the novena masses for the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes in Guitnang Bayan I Chapel. That was the only mass schedule he had for that day. He was actually on leave in the hope of trying to regain his strength and his voice. He was advised by his doctor to rest for two straight months, according to him.
Delayed for almost half an hour, the churchgoers patiently waited for him to arrive. Though a little slow in his movements, as he had been lately, he was of course, jolly when he delivered his homily. Seated in the last pew, I recorded his talk never thinking that that would be his last Sunday homily. But still, I was blessed to have been given the opportunity to keep a record of his last spiritual advice to us, his parishioners.
Trying to put the audio into words, this is the condensed version of his simple but touching homily last February 4, 2018, focused mainly on the FIRST READING which was taken from the book of JOB Chap. 7:1- 4, 6-7. Excluded, however, are some parts of audience participation.
FR. LAWRENCE C. PAZ
Last Sunday Mass Homily
Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel
4 February 2018, 7:30 pm
… My dear brothers and sisters, I am not sick. I have no fever or flu. You know, if I don’t celebrate mass, parishioners always say, “Ay, si father maysakit.” O sige na nga, may sakit na nga. Mayroon akong tuberculosis, diabetes, liver cirrhosis. Lahat na, nasa akin na… Wala ho akong sakit. Yun lang aking diabetes… At saka ang matagal ko ng pagkapaos, Hindi gumagaling.”
But you know, for me, THIS is a privilege. I am a priest for almost 25 years now. And this is the first time that this happened to me. Napakatagal na ako’y namamaos. Alam kong may gustong sabihin ang Panginoon. Alam nyo kung ano? MAGPAHINGA KA!
The reading for today is beautiful. I am not complaining. Do you think Job was complaining? He was just describing what he was feeling.
Who listened to the first reading? What did Job say? And who is Job?
Look at this, brothers and sisters. Job has an enormous wealth. He has everything. His harvest was so great. Let us say that his surname is Tan and his name is Lucio. He has everything in life! Who is the owner of SM? Henry Sy. He is also Henry Sy! But in the presence of all of these, he was still praising God and God saw that. Job was very pleasing in the eyes of God.
That is why the devil said “He was praising you because You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions, a beautiful house… bountiful harvests. Of course, he will praise you!” Then God said, “Okay, then, make a way.” And God allowed the devil to test Job. He allowed him to take all his wealth and possessions. But God said, “Do unto him what you wish but do not take his life.” (Job 2:5-7) The devil said, “If Job remains faithful to you amidst all pains and sufferings, then I will no longer touch him.” Do you know what happened to Job? He was afflicted with scabies! SCABIES, brothers and sisters!
In the Old Testament, it is better for you to have cancer than to be afflicted with skin disease. Leprosy is a skin disease. When you have skin disease, people won’t come near you. Pandidirihan ka ng mga tao. And he had SKIN DISEASE! Do you know what skin disease was he afflicted with? Kurikong. . Humarap sa katabi, sabihin nyo, kurikong. Ano ang kurikong? Kurikong is a very itchy skin disease. And Job just humbly accepted all. That’s the secret. Why? God has a plan! All had been planned. You do not know the plan of God. We are not all the same. We cannot compare one to the other “E bakit yung lola ko?…”
You know my father, they are five children in the family. They died at ages 53 to 55 only. (Laughs) Two died at 53, the other one at 54 and the other two at 55. But not all at once. Diyos ko, sabi ko, baka mamatay na ako… But that was on my father’s side. The problem is on my mother’s side. My grandmother died at the age of 98, my mother’s sister died at 96 and their other sister at 97.
Job accepted all with a humble heart! You know, life depends on how you accept it. When you wake up every morning, you have a choice. You saw your husband in a bad mood. You have a choice! Will I get mad?
Or will I welcome him with a good mood. Choice! Your son is stomping. If I get angry, I will get insane. So I will just smile at him. You have a choice! At the start of the day, you can choose.
There is this person who kept on complaining, “Father, bakit naman ganon? Ang sakit. Pati yung kaliwang likod ko, sumasakit.” I told her, “Ilang taon ka na ba? She answered, “Ninety two”. I said, “E dapat nga patay ka na… (Laughs) Nagrereklamo ka pa…” (Laughs) So huwag tayong nagrereklamo. Tanggapin ninyo ang dumadating sa buhay ninyo at itaas ninyo sa Diyos. Iyon ang pinakamahalaga.
When you feel like your life is already worthless, I told you, lift it up to God. All that you lift up to God, God is returning back to you. If the PPC (Parish Pastoral Council), a priest or MSK (Munting Sambayanang Kristiyano) leader ask you to serve, do not say that you do not have time. If you don’t give time to God, the more you really won’t have time.
When I first arrived in Morong, there was this forty three year old man whom I think would be able to encourage more people to go to church. I asked him to serve as a lay minister. But he responded, “Padre, sa Makati pa po ako nagtatrabaho e. Ang layo po, araw-araw, ganyan, ganito….” I told him that it would only be during Sundays. He answered, “Eh Father, at saka na ho”. Then, in the following year, I invited him again to attend a seminar. And again, he refused saying, “Ay, Father, madaming trabaho e.” Then came the third year, and he really did not want to serve. During the fourth year, he suffered a stroke. Well, I do not say that because he denied God of his service, he suffered a stroke. No! He approached me, (with stiff hands and unbalanced feet) “Father, gusto ko na pong maging lay minister.” Sabi ko, “E paano ka ng maglalay minister niyan? Paano mong hahawakan ang Ostiya?… Paanong gagawin ko?”
You see? Do not desire for so many things. Other people are dissatisfied in life because they have been waiting for things which the Lord has not given them yet. Brothers and sisters, count the blessings God has already given you. And you will realize there are so many. The mere moment you wake up in the morning, it is indeed a very big blessing from God.
Ako, lagi kong sinasabi sa Panginoon pagkagising ko sa umaga, pagharap ko sa may bintana, nakaharap ako sa tore ng simbahan, tumitingin ako sa krus, “Lord, two times na kong naatake sa puso, may diabetes ako, mahina ako ngayon at paos pa pero buhay pa ako… Maraming salamat po…”
Thank the Lord for the many blessings he has been giving us because there are so many. The blessings for others, maybe, are blessings not intended for you. We are all different. For example, she gave her a comb and a beautiful brush. Of course, she would be very delighted. But for me, try giving me a comb and a brush, and I will throw it in your face! (Laughs) You see, the blessings for some people may not be blessings for others. But we thank the Lord because we are filled with so much blessings…
Let us give God a round of applause…
