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Church for LGBT - Open Table MCC - Philippines
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The Inclusive Church with special ministry to the LGBTQI community
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Grace Is Its Own Boundary
Feb 9, 202500:30:08Tap to summarizeOwe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; you shall not murder; you shall not steal; you shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. Romans 13:8-10 NRSVUE When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, an expert in the law, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:34-40 NRSVUE Is love and by extension grace really UNCONDITIONAL? What do you think? Perhaps we have to understand what do we really mean by unconditional and where it applies? Today, I will be preaching and talking more about love and from love extrapolate – extend the application – towards our topic and theme of grace. Afterall grace comes from love and we define grace as loving kindness. Kindness that is loving. Kindness motivated by and comes from love. What do we really mean to say and we say unconditional love and by extent, unconditional grace? While it is soooo good vibes to hear this truth that has become a cliché and a ms. Universe meme, “Unconditional love,” what does it really mean? On the contrary, why is there so much harm and unloving actions especially in places and people who claim to preach “unconditional love”? The problem kasi and this is the nature of cliché’s, a universal truth simplified and told over and over again, actually loses its inherent wisdom and power. Sobrang gamit na gamit yung “unconditional love” and “grace” by almost anyone and everyone pero hindi naman siya nauunawaan at naipapaliwanag logically and contextually. While there is universality to “unconditional love”, what is universal will always be nuanced in the local and contextual. So what do we mean by unconditional? Let me offer for this Sunday A wisdom about it. Unconditional means that every person born is and should be loved, valued, respected, and cared for with whatever physical, psychological, and medical conditions that they have which they cannot change OR conditions and situations that can changed, but do not have to, in order to be loved, cared for, and valued. Unconditional love means that your race and ethnicity has nothing to do with how other people or society should treat you. The measure of love, grace, respect, welcome, access, protection, care, and many other things necessary for life should not be conditional base on race and ethnicity, sexuality and gender, It should not be based on color of skin, eyes, or color of hair; it should not be based on blood type or other physical conditions, neurodivergence, other attributes including disabilities or physical and mental limitations. You are loved, valued, respected, protected, and cared for simply because you are a living human person with inherent dignity and inalienable rights. You do not have to change because you most likely cannot change these physical conditions. If a church, religious leader, or politician tells you that you have to be of a certain race or sexuality to be loved, to have equal rights, and to be protected of the law, then that is not unconditional love and that certainly is a form of unjust discrimination. The second thing is about things you might be able to change but doesn’t necessarily have to, to be loved, respected, and cared for. For example your nationality and citizenship, your religion or non-religion. The sports you like to watch or play. Your hobby like cosplaying and dressing up. Your tattoos, piercings, and the way you express yourself through clothing. These things generally should not be a basis or measure of whether you are loved, respected, cared for, recognized, given to access to social services, and given opportunities. Hindi mo necessarily kailangan magpalit ng nationality or religion mo, or ano mang personal mong interest or hobby para tratuhin ka ng maayos at kilalanin ang iyong karapatan at dignidad bilang tao. You are a human person born unique into this world – no one has been like you before and no one will be like you after you are gone. You are a miracle and a gift born out of creation and evolution and you are and should be loved, valued, respected, protected, and cared for regardless your distinct conditions, attributes, and even socio-cultural and socio-political particularities. This is what we mean when we say love and grace are unconditional. While at the same time – love and grace are conditional. They are. And when I say conditional I mean that love and grace has their boundaries. And as our title indicate, they are their own boundaries. They are their own conditions. Huh? Ano pastor? Love is its own condition. Grace is its own boundary. Anything that is unloving is outside of love and therefore there is a boundary between what is loving and what is unloving. Pag-ibig mismo ang sarili nyang limitasyon o pagtatakda. Merong lubid na pumapagitan sa kung ano ang mapagmahal at ano ang HINDI mapagmahal. Pag-ibig mismo ang hangganan. Love in itself is the boundary. Grace in itself is the same measure and standard. Truth is its own measure of things. Goodness is the line drawn on the sand. Love and grace define the boundaries, edges, conditions, and limitations. This is exactly how I understand and will interpret what Paul says in his letter to the Romans when he says, “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.” Let us all together again read Paul’s chika in the letter to the Romans: Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; you shall not murder; you shall not steal; you shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. The letters of Paul were not written nor were intended as doctrinal definitions. These were his theological reflections and admonitions in response to the different conflicts, issues, and problems of the 1st century Christian communities in different cosmopolitan cities of the Roman Empire. In this particular letter of Paul, he reminds the Christians in the imperial city of Rome how love should be understood and practiced. Madali sabihin paulit-ulit ang salitang love or agape pero para kay Pablo meron itong konkretong depinisyon na nagtatakda ng limitasyon – Love does not harm, therefore love is the fulfilment of the law. Of any law. As a pharisee this is Paul’s interpretation that re-phrases what Jesus says in the gospel of Matthew – Love God, love neighbor as you love yourself – Every other law, commandment, and prophetic message are based on these two. Pero malinaw na ang ibig-sabihin ni Jesus at ni Paul, – na ang pag-ibig ay hindi nagpapahamak, mapanakit, mapang-abuso, at mapaniil. Love does not harm. Condition is not based on your physiological conditions like SOGIESC or color of skin, and other social-cultural and socio-political attributes like nationality or religion. The conditionality of love is based on how you treat others. It is based on whether your behaviors and attitudes are harmful or loving. Ang condition ay kung paano ba ang ating pag-uugali, pakikitungo, at pakikipagkapwa. Unconditional love would also ask us to love as we have been loved. Jesus says in John 13 and John 15, “Love one another. As I have loved you, you should love one another.” Love is its own standard. Love is its own condition. Grace is its own commandment and the boundary we are asked to live by. Kung gusto natin ang unconditional love at ang free gift of grace for ourselves, we must be willing to also live by, practice, and give love and grace to others. Kung gusto natin ng pagmamahal kailangan nating magmahal. Kung gusto natin ng pagtanggap kailangan nating tumanggap. Kung humihingi tayo ng pang-unawa at pagpapatawad kailangan natin umunawa at magpatawad sa ibang tao at sitwasyon. Kung gusto natin ng safe space para sa ating sarili kailangan din nating umayos ng pag-uugali para ibigay ang safe ...
Transcribe →Giving Grace
Feb 2, 202500:43:54Tap to summarizeWe continue with our preaching series on Grace which is also our year long guiding theme. During our first Sunday we talked about Grace in the metaphor of water and the oceans. And then last week we continued still with water on how to live by grace in the same way we use water. Today we will be talking about GIVING GRACE, pero low key na muna tayo sa metaphor of water kasi baka umay na at over used na. After talking about LIVING BY GRACE, we proceed with GIVING GRACE. To some extent, natouch ko na a little bit as the closing part of last week’s preaching. Thank you everyone and all the volunteers last week for a wonderful worship service lalo na music team last week. Thank you JT for reading my preaching and Jom for officiating communion. And to clarify, my preaching last week in its entirety or in parts does not pertain nor is it directed towards any specific person. Okay? Pero syempre kung kinausap ka ni Holy Spirit sa preaching ni Pastor and the shoe fits… well, that’s not on me ha. And if naman relevant sayo, then there’s no reason to be affected. Okay? Preaching clock begins now direk. A bit of a review – so if you are a Christian, then Jesus Christ is God’s grace in the flesh and the source of God’s grace. Whether you are progressive, conservative, moderate or somewhere else in the Christian spectrum, Jesus of Nazareth, a subversive peasant Jew is God’s living grace and our source of grace. Amen? Si Jesus ba ang ating Lord, Savior, Teacher, and Friend? Yes. Amen? God’s grace like an ocean which no one can own or control exclusively, should be available and accessible to everyone whoever they are. And NO ONE is outside of God’s grace. Amen? Jesus in the gospel writings telling us his teachings and us his example shows us how grace looks like. The Apostle Paul responding to community issues by writing to the Christian communities spread across the Roman Empire and under Roman oppressive system, brilliantly articulates the theology of grace. Both Jesus and Paul’s theology of grace are subversive and counter-cultural to the cruel and oppressive Roman Imperial system. For Christians – GRACE – is no longer based on the cruel systems of the world, the empire, and of emperors and kings. Grace is God’s free and willing gift to all and no one can work to earn or deserve grace. Grace is based on love, compassion, kindness, and certainly common good for all. Lastly, grace is something we receive and experience through each other’s giving of Grace. We are also God’s channel – alulod – of grace. We give grace because we have received grace upon grace as per the gospel of John 1:16. Whoever you are, whatever your situation is then and now, in a unique and contextual way, you have received and experienced God’s grace. Masasabi nyo ba that you have always received and experienced God’s grace during or after difficult or painful moments? And the only reason we are here week after week worshiping and volunteering together for 18 years is only because of God’s grace through the grace of each other? Tama? Amen? Grace is not something horded or exclusively kept for ourselves. Eitherwise, like stagnat water it will rot. Give away whatever grace you have in many different ways and situations. Pero how do we give or extend grace nga? What’s the first obvious thing to do to be able to share grace? What is the definition of grace? – Loving Kindness – and loving kindness means doing or giving something good or beneficial to others, especially those who are struggling or in need without expecting anything in return or having other motives for helping. Let us all together read the next slide taken from the gospel of Matthew chapter 25:35-36: for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ This is the closing parable of the 25th chapter of Matthew and it has been titled by bible publishers as the Judgment of the nations or Judgement of humanity. This verse is one of the mostly quoted and used bible passages here in Open Table or at least by me. At the end of it all, the measure and judgement of our lives will ONLY be our concrete actions of loving kindness to anyone who is struggling, sick, and in need? Especially to those who are desperate and whose only hope is God. Have you heard that phrase before? Those whose only hope is God? It means and refers to people na wala na ibang makapitan at malapitan maliban sa Diyos. Sa sobrang hirap o bigat ng kanilang sitwasyon, na halos wala na silang malapitan, ang tanging lalapitan na lang ay ang Diyos. Giving grace means to do or give something good for each other and for those in need when you are able without expecting anything in return nor any ulterior motive as reason for helping. Now let us be clear – helping and doing good does not mean doing it stupidly or being gullible. Hindi yan yung nagpapauto ka sa kung sino man para bilhan mo ng mamahaling gamit or gadget. Hindi yan kakikilala nyo pa lang for a few weeks or a few months eh pinautan mo na ng libo-libong pera. Hindi yan yung gwapo o Magandang nakilala mo sa social media send ka agad ng GCash. Tapos pledge mo sa church 150pesos tapos hind imo pa makumpleto. Nung dark ages ito ng MCC. Sige kahit wag na sa church sabihin ginagaya ko ang pang-guguilt trip na ginagawa sa evangelical churches. Sige kahit hindi na sa MCC, sa ibang charitable organizations na lang… hindi makapagdonate or bigay? May pang ES walang pang offering or walang pang ayuda sa Pride Cares or Angat Buhay Foundation? Chariz. Not Chariz. Again, wala akong moral judgement sa mga ganap nyo mga accla. Don’t get me wrong also, personal nyong mga buhay yan at mga relasyon, and pinaghirapan nyong mga resources nyo. Hindi yun ang problema, ang problema mga desisyon nyo sa buhay na minsan pajulit-julit. Go and experience God in those private extra-curricular activities pero wag excessive and ayusin ang priorities gurl. Ang dami kayang katangahan, pardon the language, because of wrong priorities and wrong forms of kindness. Minsan talaga napapaisip ako – kung sa simbahan or pride cares na lang sana binigay or sa Angat Buhay. Daming naloloko, na-sca-scam at nakukuhaan ng malaking pera because of wrong priorities and motivations masked or justified as kindness. Remember, Kindness is not something you do so that you can feel good about yourself. Kindness is not something you do or give EXPECTING love and intimacy in exchange. Generosity is not something you do or give so that you feel validated or affirmed. Grace as acts of kindness is yoru response to the pain, suffering, or desperation of another human being. O baka may magalit, this is not specific to anyone, eto ay nangyayari naman talaga sa sangka-acclaan maski nga sa mga shibulibambam na nagkape lang bukas live-in na agad. Maski nga sa straight minsan nangyayari rin ang mga ito. Aside from Loving Kindness, there are 7 other ways to give and extend grace. Aside from loving kindness, the first tangible form of grace is presence or being present. To show up. This is also deeply rooted in the most orthodox Christian dogma of Incarnation of God becoming flesh – Immanuel – God with us. God’s presence and grace became flesh when God became physically present in the person of Jesus Christ. In the same manner we can give grace when we are present with others. When we show up when a friend is struggling or sick. Grace is when we attend the worship service pag Sunday kahit hindi ka volunteer for the day. Sometimes, just being present is enough. After all everything begins with physical presence. You cannot do anything or do very little if you are not present. Pag present ka maraming pwedeng gawin depende sa situation and need, and as I’ve said sometimes, just being here is enough. Patience and understanding – one of the closest virtues to grace is patience. Sometimes Grace is used interchangeable with patience. For today I am not pertaini ng to patience in relation to waiting but rather, – pagpapasensya – and kasama niyang pagpapasensya ay pang-unawa or understanding. Giving grace means to try our best to be patient and understanding of others especially towards the imperfections of our loved ones,friends, people we work with, people in community, and people we encounter. As much as others have been patient and understanding with our imperfections, we should also be patient and understanding of others. Hindi pwedeng ikaw lang palaging pinagpapasensyahan at inuunawa. Ikaw rin dapat giving grace through patience and understanding. Next is acceptance – pagtanggap and this is the closest thing we can relate to as queer people. One of the greatest expressions of grace in our life as queer peopl...
Transcribe →Living By Grace
Jan 26, 202500:32:30Tap to summarizeHow do we live by grace in a world that still struggles with cruelty, hatred, and greed? Paano tayo magpapatuloy na mabubuhay at maglalakbay bilang mga progresibo Kristiano sa mundong patuloy na meron kalupitan at pagsasamantala? Anong magagawa natin bilang indibidwal at bilang isang maliit na simbahan? Parang powerless tayo or that what we do has little impact? And maybe that is partly true, however, let us not underestimate a small group of people 2000 years ago who lived by the grace of Jesus of Nazareth, a peasant Jew they proclaimed as Lord and Savior. Let us not underestimate the impact we can have in how we live and serve today in this community AND serve AS community. Living by grace in our world today is like using water in our daily lives We use water for hydration and nourishment. We also use water for cleansing and washing, and in many ways cleansing is a form of healing. Lastly, we use water for recreation and play. Ang tubig ginagamit para maglaro at magsaya. Let us learn how to live by grace by these 3 uses of water in our lives. Pero bago yun let us remember that Jesus is our fountain of grace – the source of our spiritual water as Christians. A reading from the gospel of John: On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart* shall flow rivers of living water.’ Si Jesus pa rin talaga. As we talk about grace in the metaphor of water the gospel of John describes Jesus as living water. we keep in mind as we go through our discussion today, that Jesus is our living water, the source of God’s grace. Let us begin. Our first point of learning today. Living by grace is first like drinking water and being nourished by it. We all need water to drink. It has been said, and it is scientifically proven that you can survive only with water without food between 2 to 3 weeks or up to 40 to 50 days depending on your body composition, health, and training. Life is a journey as they say, and in the marathon of life, we need to regularly slow down or stop for a while to drink water – God’s grace – to rehydrate us and to strengthen us. Ang buhay ay parang isang marathon. Hindi sya minamadali at ito ay matagal at mahabang lakbayin. Tulad nang isang marathon where we need to pace ourselves – kalingan din natin bumagal o tumigil sandali para mag-replenish nang tubig – nang grasya ng Diyos. Kasi nakakapagod ang paglalakbay sa buhay na ito lalo na sa mundong ito na maraming paliko-liko at sira-sirang daan, may mga obstruction or obstacles. The road of life like literal roads in the Philippines are not pedestrian and PWD friendly. Our walk, run, or marathon in our country or the world are rarely ever smooth. This takes a toll on our bodies, hearts, and souls. We lose grace like losing water as we journey. We lose patience and hope. We get tired and sometimes we want to give up. Hence, just like in a marathon or any other journey, we need to replenish water from the source, Jesus, so we can continue on living, loving, and serving. How do we this? Where do we get this living water of grace? As Christians struggling to live, love, and serve today, the way we replenish the living waters of grace is of course with prayer and rest. Progressive Christians sometimes have a difficulty with prayer and sometimes even with rest. What’s the point of prayer anyway? Does it really it work? How can I rest with all the problems of the world? Prayer is not only wishing good things to come and expecting it all to happen. Prayer is a way to internally nourish ourselves with the grace of God. Prayer is more of listening and receiving grace through silence and rest rather than ranting to God. Of course, you can rant to God from time to time but for today as we learn about grace, let us look at prayer as one of those main faucets where we get clean water to drink. It helps if we use prayer practices or rituals that aid our prayer life. There are a million ways to pray. Find one that feels right to you. Light a scented candle and incense when you pray. Hike a mountain with a mountaineering group and as you hike focus towards prayer. When I go to the gym during leg day, I pray the Jesus prayer. Every painful step is a prayer. Sunday worship is a community ritual, a source of weekly grace. Prayer and Ritual both as an individual and with a group must be intentional the same way we intentionally get a glass of water to drink. You must rest both in body and in spirit when you are tired from the many journeys and struggles of this life. We can also drink the living waters of God’s grace in and through our relationships and communities; Not perfect but good relationships and communities. Grace is never in isolation. Grace is received and experienced through the relationships we have and communities we belong to. Yes, church community is a source of God’s grace, but it is not only in here. Yes, grace is also with our Christian friends and family, but not only with them. Open Table has always encouraged everyone to encounter and experience God in so many other places, peoples, and other activities other than church or religious activities. We need to drink God’s living grace from different relationships and communities. We need to share God’s grace with other peoples and places. Go out and spend time with your friends and family. Volunteer here in Open Table MCC or kung di nyo bet dito, pwede naman sa ibang organizations because God is equally present there. Engage other sectoral groups to learn more and make friends with the other oppressed. God’s living grace is also with cosplay groups. Drink God’s grace by cosplaying. Grace is something we receive and experience in and only through our connections – the relationships we have and communities we are a part of. Drinking water is essential to live and to continue journeying while at the same time, it has been said by many doctors that a lot of bodily issues can be addressed when we drink enough clean water daily. Ang problema kasi ang marami sa atin, mas sanay tayo sa soft drinks or other drinks na mataas sa asukal or kemikal. A lot of us do not drink enough plain clean water hence issues with our organs at a young age. In the same way, sufficient amounts of grace through prayer and rest, good relationships, and good communities are needed for our mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Lastly on the matter of drinking grace similar to drinking water, we have to choose carefully where we get our grace the same way we get our water. If we drink contaminated water, we get sick. We must be careful with the relationships and communities where we think we can get grace. We have to also question previous religious practices that we thought to be clean water but actually like soft drinks taken for too long damages our organs. Careful of relationship that are parasitic. Careful of toxic churches claiming to be welcoming. Careful of jowas who will not only drain your energy and patience but also your bank account. 2025 na mga accla. Wag delulu at hopiang panis. Careful also that you drink too much social media and doom scrolling, it is like drinking too much alcohol too often – like alcohol, social media can be addictive but depressive. Too much social media causes you to feel detached and depressive with all the terrible things happening in the world, and it can cause you other mental health issues. Everything you drink into your system impacts your body, mind, and spirit. Choose carefully the different kinds of water you put into your being. Are this living waters of grace or are these toxins that damage you? Our second lesson for today: Grace is also about cleansing and washing. Hindi maganda ang pakiramdam pag hindi ka naligo lalo na kung ilang araw na. Sa ating mga paglalakbay importanteng naliligo tayo. Importante ang naglilinis diba bottoms? Amen ba? In the continuing journey of life and in the many things we do, we need to wash ourselves from dirt, oil, sweat, grime, and bad smell. Similarly, in the same journey of life we need to cleanse ourselves with all the spiritual, emotional, mental, and social dirt we have accumulated. We wash with the waters of Jesus Christ. In Matthew we read… And there was a man with a skin disease who came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” He stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing. Be made clean!” Immediately his skin disease was cleansed. A person with a skin disease came to Jesus and asked, if you are willing, you can make me clean. Of course, Jesus wants to make us clean similar to the man. Jesus tells us, I am willing. But notice, the man made an effort to come to Jesus clea...
Transcribe →Sino si Grace? Grace in the Flesh!
Jan 19, 202500:53:42Tap to summarizeAnd the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ ”) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. Scripture ReadingJohn 1:14-16 (NRSVUE) God’s favor through loving kindness: what is Grace? It is a free gift from God out of God’s love for us. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we may walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10 It is like an ocean, it is inexhaustible. No one can claim absolute ownership or control over God’s grace. It is like water that will always seek the lowliest places (Richard Rohr) For us to understand and appreciate GRACE in a new and different way, we have to know about its context and development. Paul “saw” in Jesus the fullness of God’s grace – loving kindness – for all humanity within a world that was ungracious: a world that has very little love or kindness. Theologically, what we know and articulate as GRACE was a theological development of Paul, a learned jewish individual, probably a scholar, interpreting the life and words of Jesus that he himself received from the other Apostles and Disciples after he became a Christian. It was totally counter cultural, counter religious, and counter political to proclaim the Lordship, and Messiahship, and Resurrection of peasant Jew from Nazareth who preached love and compassion but was defeated, tortured, and nailed to the cross; that the peasant Jew was the Son of God and has the fullness of God’s favor in him. Χάρις (Charis) Noun and considered feminine Translated into english as grace. Favor, kindness, blessing. Derived from the Greek verb χαίρω (chairō), meaning “to rejoice” or “to be glad.” The Hebrew equivalent often associated with “charis” is חֵן (chen), Strong’s Hebrew 2580, which means favor or grace. Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, “charis” was commonly understood as a favor or gift given without expectation of return, often to cement social bonds or express goodwill. In the New Testament, this concept is deepened & transformed to express the profound and unconditional* love of God towards humanity, which is not based on human merit but on God’s own character and purpose. Source: https://biblehub.com/greek/5485.htm חַנּוּן channuwn (adj) חֵן Chen (Noun) In hebrew chen is in the male form. Word Origin: Derived from the root חָנַן (chanan), which means “to be gracious” or “to show favor.” Usage: The Hebrew word “chen” primarily denotes grace or favor. It is often used to describe the unmerited favor or kindness that one receives from another, particularly from God. In the Old Testament, “chen” is frequently associated with God’s graciousness towards humanity, as well as the favor that individuals find in the eyes of others. Source: https://biblehub.com/hebrew/2580.htm Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Hebrew culture, “chen” was a significant concept that underscored the relational aspect of God’s covenant with His people. It was understood as a divine attribute that was not earned but given freely. The idea of grace was central to the (ancient) Israelites’ understanding of their relationship with God, who chose them as His people not because of their merit but because of His gracious love. Cultural and Historical Background: In the ancient Near Eastern context, gods were often seen as distant and capricious. However, the God of (ansicent) Israel is depicted as intimately involved with His creation, characterized by grace and mercy. This understanding of God as “channun” set the Israelites’ faith apart, emphasizing a personal relationship with a compassionate deity who cares for His people and responds to their needs. Source: https://biblehub.com/hebrew Grace in the Context of Community & Relationship Paul became a Jewish Christian around around 35 or 38CE, approximately 3, 5 or 8 years after Jesus death on the cross. During that time the first Christian communities were mostly peasant Jews born and living in Judea which the Romans called and mapped as Palestine. There were a few greek Jews such as Philip and few merchant or artisan class members. A few gentiles were joining but they had to become Jewish first by circumcision and following Jewish way of life. Grace in the Context of Temple and Empire Greco-Roman Empire, Occupation, and normalcy of slavery. Slavery was part of the social order in many ancient empires. Patriarchal and Hierarchical. Social stratification based on race and gender. Grace – Favor – is based on the capricious and unpredictable behavior of Emperors or other socially superior persons. Living conditions to some degree are based on race. Greeks and Romans were the superior race. During the time of Jesus, the 1% owned and controlled the land and practically everything else. Half of the population was slowly starving to death. Life expectancy was 28 years. For the Jews, they are the chosen of the One True God and therefore, generally speaking, the perspective was, they have exclusive access to grace through the Law, the Priesthood, and the Temple in Jerusalem (Temple Theology). Despite references to justice, equality, and compassion in the Law and prophetic writings, there was still corruption even within the Jewish religious and political system that added to the suffering of the people on top of the Roman occupation and oppression. But there were of course many Pharisees and other Jews who tried their best to bring reform in the temples and synagogues, and address corruption and injustice. There were motivated by justice passages of the Torah (Law) and the prophetic writings. There were some pharisees who were part of the Jewish nationalist resistance. Roman violence was the source of peace and favor throughout the occupied lands. Pay heavy taxes or whatever little you have will still be confiscated. Do not question. Do not resist. You will be crucified. Your people will be massacred. Systemically, there was no or very little GRACE under the Roman Empire – under Pax Romana. Paul’s interpretation and theological views of Jesus was in response to the Greco-Roman culture, to Jewish theology and some strict religious customs and practices, and within the specific contexts of Christian communities wrestling with everything around them and within them. Grace in the Context of Community & Relationship The first Christian Communities for the first 50 to 100 years were trying to make sense of the life, meaning, & identity of Jesus of Nazareth whom they proclaim as the Christ. Paul’s letters & the gospels were written during this 100 years period. With the inspiration of the Holy Spirit they were writing their reflection who Jesus is & who they are as Christians in their living reality of the Roman oppression, the destruction of the temple in 70CE, and their internal community struggles. Grace in the Context of Community, Temple, and Empire If we first understand the contextual underpinnings of GRACE during the time of Jesus and as first articulated by Paul and the gospel writers, then we have a much clearer appreciation and richer theological reflection about grace in our current lived reality and present context. A Gracious Community Living In A Cruel World The first...
Transcribe →An Ocean of Grace? A “Progressive” Perspective
Jan 12, 202500:36:25Tap to summarizeGod’s grace is an ocean, an endless sea of infinite love, a cosmos onto itself. It surrounds you, embraces you, warms you like the babe, wrapped in swaddling clothes, like your mother’s loving arms, holding you, bringing relief. Grace is only ever given. Never bought, never earned. Every mystical experience is a remembering ancient knowledge now returned. What greater gift is there than this smallest blessing? Contemporary Reading“God’s Grace is an Ocean” by Aaron Waddell There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. All the nations you have made shall come and bow down before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere your name. I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. O God, the insolent rise up against me; a band of ruffians seeks my life, and they do not set you before them. But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant; save the child of your maidservant. Show me a sign of your favor, so that those who hate me may see it and be put to shame, because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me. Scripture ReadingPsalm 86:8-17 (NRSVUE) Mapagpala at mapagpalayang 2025 sa ating lahat and Merry Christmas as per the Eastern Orthodox Calendar. Open Table MCC each year has a guiding theme. Lord teach us how to pray was the theme for year 2021, just barely coming out of the pandemic. The following year was, I Will Rebuild You Says the Lord for Year 2022 and then for year 2023, I will tend to you like a Garden Says the Lord with verse Isaiah 58:11. And then for last year, 2024 – Ano ang theme natin? I will Pour Out my Spirit and Establish You Says the Lord. Having a yearly theme is a way to dedicate, guide, and to frame our year to the different ways that God is present and revealing God’s self to us in our church community. Spiritually, I take this as God telling our community where is our growth or change area. For this year based on the majority of the congregation who answered the assessment survey, affirmed by the Ministry council, and approved by the congregation – our theme for this year is Grace with a bible verses John 1:14a and 16. But I will talk about our thematic verse not today but for another Sunday. Today I just want to deliver a message on how we should think about God’s grace metaphorically. Dapat next week pa ito, pero ichika ko lang din kasi kailangan for understanding… ano nga ba ang grace? Grace, at least for now, let us think of it as God’s loving kindness. If we want to be literal, Grace is Good Favor or delight like how a king positively favors or delights with a servant. Pero chaka kasi pag monarchial. Grace can also be delight – Yung natutuwa ka towards someone without no specific reason. Natutuwa ka sa kapatid mo simply because kapatid mo siya; sa anak mo or sa nanay mo hindi dahil may ginawa siya or silang something for you. Natutuwa – nadedelight ka – simply because. Pero let us prefer grace to be loving kindness. The loving kindness of parent to their child. Loving kindness of a lover to their loved one. The loving kindness of a beshiwap. What we also need to know about grace is that it is freely given and initiated by God and not something you earned or will earn – kaya actually the best relationship that will describe grace is – Friendship and/or community – I delight in you and love you hindi dahil magkadugo tayo or dahil jowa kita or dusto kitang kemehin. I delight in you and extend my loving kindness to you for no reason other than I choose you to be my friend or I choose to be with you in community. Lastly, let us understand grace as God’s power. There are theological definitions that would say the power of God is grace itself. The power of the Holy Spirit is grace. The blessings we receive are graces – loving kindness – from God. Our methodist siblings would even have categories for grace na para bang different kinds of powers – prevenient grace, justifying grace, and sanctifying grace. Ang kapangyarihan ng Diyos ay hindi power to destroy, overwhelm, or dominate. God’s power, in Christian understanding, is loving kindness. Ang kapangyarihan ng Diyos ay Kabutihang mapagmahal. I want us to think about grace first as symbolized by water. Water has been universally significant to all religions and spiritual traditions. Malalim at mayabong ang kahulugan at pag-gamit sa tubig sa iba’t ibang mga pananampalataya. Diana Butler Bass in her book Grounded says, God, is the One in whom we swim. She further says that many shrines, temples, and cathedrals were built over springs and ancient healing wells, including famous Christian sites like Chartes Cathdral and Lourdes. We can also find a lot of water stories in the Bible. In the Hebrew Creation Story in Genesis, in the beginning the Spirit of God hovered over the waters of the deep. Before anything, water and Spirit was already there existing with God. The slaves passing through water twice and the first time being delivered from their Egyptian oppressors. The story of Jesus at the well, Jesus calms the storm, and Jesus walks on water. The first and fundamental sacrament in Christianity that almost all Christians share is about water – Baptism – and today is the Sunday of the Baptism of our Lord. Today we will also renew the baptismal vows of our new ministers as they are formally and ritually received into the congregation. Many other religions treat water as sacred and symbolic of the spiritual life. Life on earth and indeed humans cannot exist without water. Human civilizations have evolved and developed besides great rivers and coastlines of oceans and seas. Our own body is filled with water. Scientifically speaking, we now know that life started not on land but on water. In the deep oceans of the young earth. It was only much later after millions upon millions of years and evolution that animal life crawled out of the water and into dry land. So, I want us to think about grace as water – no one can live without it. All of us are mostly composed of water. Everyone came from water and needs water. Everyone came from and because of grace. Everyone needs grace. Now let us think about grace not merely as water but specifically as an Ocean but not just one ocean – all 7 oceans of the world combined. Ganun kalaki at kalawak at kalalim ang GRACE ni God. Our contemporary reading by Aaron Waddell says… God’s grace is an ocean, an endless sea of infinite love, a cosmos onto itself. Like an Ocean, no one can own or control the ocean. There is no way that you as an individual or any group of people can own the entirety of the world’s oceans. Walang pwedeng mag-may-ari at magcontrol ng isang malaking karagatan tulad ng West Philippine Sea or magcontrol ng lahat ng karagatan sa daigdig. Therefore, tulad nang karagatan walang iisang pwedeng magmay-ari, magcontrol, or magclaim ng grasya ng Diyos. The grace of God and to some extent DIVINITY itself cannot be owned or controlled by one single church, denomination, or even one religion. It is arrogantly foolish to attempt or to say so. Anyone saying it either do not fully understand the enormity of God and God’s grace or alam nya pero gago lang talaga siya para paniwalain at manipulahin ang mga taong nabudol niya at patuloy nyang binubudol. Lesson 1 for today and to start our series on grace, no single church or religion, not even the human race as a whole, can exclusively own and control God’s grace in the same way that no one can own and control the oceans and seas of the earth. God’s grace, like water, is a gift given and available to all. If walang nagmamay-ari sa mga karagatan at sa tubig nito, then it should be freely available to all. The oceans of the world, and indeed rivers, lakes, and springs should be available and accessible to all. Similarly, God’s grace, like the waters of the world, should always be available and accessible to all who seek it and need it. And even if there are those who would control access to grace similar to access to water – water will always find a way and clear a path. Fr. Richard Rohr, a beloved Franciscan mystic wrote in one of his books and d...
Transcribe →Joy and Contradictions
Dec 25, 202400:32:19Tap to summarizeIn those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place in the guest room. Now in that same region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them, and Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told them. Luke 2:1-20 (NRSVUE) Christmas season, which in the Philippines begin in September as per the Vatican council of the sy and ayala family, is a weird season for progressive groups including progressive Christians. Lalong-lalo na progressive Catholics. It is a weird, awkward, and contradictory season. Lalo na ngayon na sa mismong lugar kung saan pinanganak, nag-lakad-lakad, at nagmilagro si Hesus ay merong genocide na nangyayari. Weird, awkward, and contradictory because there is so much celebration happening and both the religious and capitalist messaging is about gratitude and generosity. It is the time for gift giving and thanksgiving. It is time for gathering together as family and friends. Sabi sa tradisyunal nak anta… “Tayo’y mangagsiawit Habang ang mundo’y tahimik.” Ang totoo hindi tahimik ang mundo at nakakarindi ang sintunadong mga kanta ng mga nangangaroling na iisang kanta lang ang kinakanta, tapos tatlo o apat na grupo ang tatapat sa bahay niyo to sing the same song. Another contradiction and awkwardness pag pasko for progressives is the fact that from September to December, there is so much wealth created because of consumer consumption. Ang this humongous wealth gets concentrated with the Billionaires. And a lot of the items people buy comes from labor exploitation, some of which comes from modern slavery city of Valenzuela – the city of factories and manufacturing. Kasama dyan yung contradiction na maski pa magbigay sila ng 13th pay at bonuses, almost 90% of employee salaries will go back to businesses kasi ang empleyado ay gagasta rin para sa pasko. Empleyado ng SM mamimili rin sa mismong SM. The irony of it noh? Kaya ang tunay na pinagpala pag pasko ay ang mga negosyante. And here is the conundrum, the season of Christmas or any season for that matter is a mixture – halo-halong pag-asa at kawalan ng pag-asa. Halo-halong gratitude and generosity with selfishness and greed, both individual and systemic. Magkahalong time for family gatherings and also loneliness kasi hindi naman lahat may pamilya to celebrate it and even those na merong pamilya, maraming mga LGBT are living in terror during the holidays going to homophobic churches and mingling with homophobic relatives. Halo-halong celebration and thanksgiving for all the blessings and good things of the year that is about ti end while at the same time kasama rin dyan ang lahat ng kashitan, pagsubok, karamdaman, and relationship break-ups of the past year. And just to reiterate, the contradiction of that we celebrate the incarnation of the Prince of Peace when in the land of his birth, at this very moment, there is continuing bloodshed, a huge number of those murdered where children and mothers. But let me ask you, was the first Christmas, whether the version of Matthew or today’s lectionary version of Luke, was it a time of perfect peace, prosperity, and celebration for everyone? It was not. It was almost exactly as we have it today. The first Christmas was also a contradiction, weird, and awkward. Kung may pagkakaiba man siguro, it was not as eventful as we have it today. It was so ordinary and unnoticed specially in the version of Luke. It was also a time of occupation, violence, and oppression by the Roman Empire. Im sure as Jesus was being born, merong mga katawang nakapako sa Krus sa kalsadang papasok sa Jerusalem and across the empire. The first Christmas, there was a lot of consumerism also lalo na nung nagpatawag ng Census ang Emperador at nag-siuwian sa kanya-kanyang mga probinsya or hometowns ang mga tao. Puno nga ang lahat ng mga “hotels” at walang matuluyan si Maria at Jose. I’m sure, in the midst of heavy taxation, exploitation, and oppression by occupying powers, Jewish people still went to the synagogues and made pilgrimages to the temple to practice their faith, celebrate Jewish festivals, and to find something to be thankful for in the midst so much suffering, burden, and even violence. And let us not forget that the persecuted Christians of the 1st and 2nd century, were singing songs of rejoicing and thanksgiving as they were being crucified, burned alive or fed to wild animals. They themselves were a contradiction of joyful death. The first Christmas – the Prince of Peace was born in a weird and awkward world – a mixture of many contradictions, and I am here to say to all fellow progressives who find this season very difficult. That is okay. Afterall, wala naman tayong choice. We are living, working, and struggling in such a world. We do not have to feel guilty if there is a part of us who wish to celebrate kahit konti in the face of contradiction. In the face of every shit thing we continue to fight for and struggle against. It is okay to celebrate, enjoy food, enjoy the company of friends and family even though we know na merong mga hindi makakapagcelebrate, merong walang makaen, at merong walang pamilya or worst, merong mga nawalan ng pamilya because of violence. I am sure, despite being in the middle of so much destruction, hunger, and violence, Palestinian Catholics will try their best to still “celebrate” and gather for worship, prayer, and fellowship inside ruined church buildings or destroyed homes, sharing whatever little food they have left with each other or communion as their only food. There will still be mass celebrated in the many churches across Palestinian lands this month and next month. Next month kasi ang Eastern Orthodox Christmas. They have to celebrate. They have to gather as a people. They have to still find the smallest spark of joy and hope, the smallest ounce of faith, and to muster scraps of love for them to endure and continue. We who are thousands of miles away, we can still celebrate despite all the contradictions. We can still celebrate for those who can’t. We have to celebrate and collect as much joy and hope we can and share as much faith and love for the same purpose of finding strength, courage, and perseverance to ENDURE the oppressive demands of this world and to continue fighting against it. Mary and Joseph, and the peasant shepherds despite being under Roman occupation celebrated and allowed themselves to experience great joy with the birth of Jesus. And even if we go to the version of Matthew, in the face of genocidal infanticide of King Herod, the wise ones from the East allowed themselves to experience profound joy. I’m sure Mary and Joseph also felt profound joy receiving gold and other expensive gifts, bilang sila rin naman ay isang pesanteng pamilya. Magkahalong joy with the birth of Jesus and then fear because Herod is out to kill Jesus and most probably his parents, and of course to kill also the wise one who lied and ghosted Herod. So my Christmas mes...
Transcribe →Crying Out To God From The Wilderness
Dec 22, 202400:27:39Tap to summarizeIn those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’ ” Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region around the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the River Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Therefore, bear fruit worthy of repentance, and do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. “I baptize you with water for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is more powerful than I, and I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Matthew 3:1-11 (NRSVUE) Magandang Hapon! We’re now on our fourth installment of our Advent series “Crying out to God.” Last week we talked about the Magnificat, which was Mary’s song and cry of joy to God, when the angel Gabriel announced to her that she will be conceiving a child. We discussed the hope that Elizabeth and Mary received from God, and like them, we as a Church are also given a hope that we have the responsibility of parenting, the same way that Elizabeth and Mary raised John and Jesus. Just a fun fact before we proceed, ang patron saint ng city kung nasan tayo ngayon ay si St. John the Baptist, that’s why as a true-blooded San Juaneno, we celebrate our fiesta which is wattah wattah every June 24. Kaya markahan niyo ang date na yan, at wag na wag kayong dadaan sa San Juan between 6 AM to 12NN on that date kung ayaw nyong mabasa. We will fast-forward a bit with our passage today, which is about John the Baptist preparing the way for the ministry of Jesus. Ito na ang moment that the hope of Elizabeth was fulfilled, and as we’ve discussed John the Baptist also was dedicated by Elizabeth back to God. I only wonder kung ano ang reaction nya, when her son would go against the establishment where Elizabeth and Zechariah belongs, the priesthood, the dominant religious institution during their time. In our reading today which is a passage from the Gospel of Matthew, John the Baptist is described as someone whose clothes were made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. Hindi po yan Gucci belt or a designer piece, yes it’s authentic leather, but during their time, his wardrobe is giving poverty. John the Baptist lived a simple life. The Gospels also imply that John the Baptist started his ministry in the wilderness. As I prepare this sermon, this got me asking, ano daw? He was preaching repentance in the wilderness? Eh wala namang tao dun? But just two verses after, nasagot din naman, because people come to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. That’s just me na madaling mag over react. But, may isa pa kong theory diyan which we will be discussing later. There’s only two words that I want all of us to remember in this preaching, wilderness and repentance or metanoia. What is metanoia? This is basically the original Greek word used for the English translation “repent!” as we all know the New Testament was originally written in Koine Greek which is the most commonly used language in the Mediterranean during their time. Metanoia is basically a change of heart, a change from the inside, that leads to outward transformation. Two words that are worth reflecting on as we spend the remaining days of our 2024 in vacation, well, for some who took their leaves. Wilderness, what do you imagine when you hear that word? Para bang gubat or ma-pine trees tulad nung sa Baguio? Maybe for most of us it’s an enjoyable place where we go to para magbakasyon or mag-hike. Wilderness is basically being in the wild or a desert where only a few people dare to inhabit. The heat can be scorching and in my experience going sa gilid ng Holy Land, the desert can be so freezing cold sa gabi at pitch black, with only a bit of light from the stars. (Yes, sa gilid lang kami which is The Kindgom of Jordan, and still part parin naman ng mundo ng New Testament. And I just researched and found out na natanaw pala namin ang Judean wilderness there, where John the Baptist preached, sa pagkakaalala ko it was basically all sand. Hindi rin kami natuloy mag baptism sa Jordan river na may parang rope sa gitna which serves as their border with the state of Israel, kasil ung kulay nung tubig is giving leptospirosis, and sorry lord, wala kaming faith nun to believe na hindi kami tatablan ng leptospirosis o ma malaria) That’s wilderness for you! Hindi siya masaya, its boring, and it can be even dangerous. The word translated as wilderness occurred in the Bible around 300 times. A lot of our heroes of faith had spent their time there at some point in their lives. Abraham, Moses, Elijah, and even Jesus spent some moments wandering in that desolated and even dangerous place, showing us that in the comforts of our domestic and civilized lives, we are still meant to be in the wild from time to time, where we are freed from our human tendency to cling to certainty and security. And in the lives of some of our heroes of faith, spending time in the wilderness was also necessary. Hindi pwede ang shortcuts or expressways when it comes with our journey sa pananampalataya. Wilderness isn’t only geographic, it’s a place in our journey with God, it’s also a state of heart. Wilderness is where we are all stripped off of our superficialities, like John the Baptist in his very simple lifestyle,, this is where we are left alone to ourselves with nothing but God and us. This is where we see our core. I’m not saying that material possessions or any other pursuit is bad. But sometimes those can be a distraction in living a life that is true to who we are because wilderness is where our defenses are down making it easier for us to be more honest with ourselves and with God. So here’s my theory, maybe John the Baptist preached to himself first kaya sa wilderness niya sinimulan ang ministry nya? That he also repented there, the place where metanoia or the transformation of John’s heart started. We’ll never know, it wasn’t explicitly written there. As a queer Church, all of us here are fighting for our place in this society who also needs metanoia in the way they view people like us. But just like John the Baptist, as we prepare and start our ministry this coming 2025, let us not forget that we also need metanoia. For some here who aren’t in the wilderness right now, John the Baptist’s life is also a model for us, that from time to time we should make an effort to return and intentionally spend time in the wilderness, where metanoia or repentance happens best. Yes God loves us and we have reclaimed our worth and value before God as queer people, and that our queerness is part of God’s creation and divine image. But that doesn’t mean to say there is nothing to repent from or no transformation for us – we are still part of the human family that needs repentance and transformation. Transformation from greed, selfishness, and apathy. Repentance and transformation ng mga acclang madadamot, makasarili, matataray, at walang pakialam sa lipunan. We should cry out to God in the wilderness where no people is listening.. That before being a Christian witness in the world, like John and Jesus, we should first remove lahat ng ingay ng mundong ito so that we can listen to the inner voice within and do a self check. Like them, before engaging in their ministries, we should allow ourselves to be comfortable with silence. Our spiritual lives or inner lives (for those who are non-religious) needs tending to, or else we would be swayed with the unrelenting noise that this capitalist society is screaming at us in loudspeakers, which to be honest, many of us (yes, I’m raising my hands) have been already drawn to, especially in this season of peak consumerism, Christmas, a very far-cry from that image of Christ laid down in a lowly, un-hygienic, mabaho at un-Instagrammable na manger. And from the wilderness and our silence, we will see the things that need metanoia. We would see what needs to change as an individual and as a collective. Mga bagay na hindi nakakaganda. Mga bangayang ...
Transcribe →Crying Out To God With Joy
Dec 15, 202400:23:52Tap to summarizeIn those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.” And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant. Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name; indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. He has come to the aid of his child Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” Luke 1:39-55 (NRSVUE) Makulay na hapon sa ating lahat. Today is the third week of our Advent series titled “Crying out to God.” Our first week was about “Crying out to God in our suffering” where we discussed why our tears can also be a form of worship, something that’s different sa nakasanayan natin where worship is supposed to be happy at celebratory. Last week naman we talked about “Crying out to God in Shame,” where we became upfront to the shame that we queer people experiences, shame rooted in factors that are beyond our control yet deeply affects us. And today, paparating na tayo sa exciting part. Pwede bakong maging Evangelical for a bit? Sabihin mo sa katabi mo, “paparating na tayo sa exciting part mars!” Our reading today is about the song of Mary, which for Catholics is popularly known as The Magnificat. A hymn that mary sung after nyang bumisita sa kanyang pinsan na si Elizabeth, who was pregnant. While in this story, si Mary ang main character, we also have Elizabeth who was celebrating because God has liberated her from being barren, which her society sees as a form of curse or a punishment from God similar to Hannah whom we discussed last week. We see here two women who were totally different yet share the same struggle. For Elizabeth, being part of the elite, as a wife of the priest wouldn’t suffice for her to be honorable in a society that only sees women as baby makers. Si Mary naman ay isang nobody, hindi sya galing sa isang prominenteng pamilya like Elizabeth. She didn’t even live in a fancy address, not BGC nor even Wilshire Annapolis, sa sobrang insignificant ng kanyang hometown na Nazareth, in the first chapter of the Gospel of John, one of the disciples even exclaimed “does anything good come out of Nazareth?” In the midst of this differences, these two women shared the same struggle, ang maging isang babae sa panahon at lipunan nila. Women were seen as a second-class citizen and even a property, yes nasa Bible yan. For Mary, it also didn’t help that she wasn’t married yet when she got pregnant. Isang malaking skandalo that will surely have her criminalized. Yet, because of their struggles, Elizabeth saw past beyond those systemic prejudices towards Mary. Elizabeth was also astonished, sabi nya nga “But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” Elizabeth clearly saw how privileged she was, to be a recipient of the the prophetic proclamation of how God’s power and favor rests upon those people that seems to be insignificant in the eyes of the society. Sobrang saya ni Elizabeth that in fact, pati yung baby sa tiyan nya ay napalundag sa tuwa nung narinig nila si kumareng Mary sa pinto. Very similar ang situation with all the characters that we’ve talked about for the past weeks. All of them were just ordinary people, mga taong we could definitely relate to. Mga taong walang rights, oppressed, and also suffering from shame out of society’s expectations. Kaya nalang when they received the good news, they celebrated. Agad agad lumuwas si Mary papunta kila Elizabeth to share the joy from the news that they both received. We are now in the period of Advent where hope is getting real, we have now received the news of the coming of Jesus. Naiiyak na natin lahat ng ating sakit at pighati as an individual and as community. Mary and Elizabeth’s initial reaction was to immediately share the joy that they experienced with the people that matters to them. After they both individually experienced the roller coaster of emotions upon receiving the news from the angel Gabriel. What are those joys in your life that need celebrating? Maybe minsan nahihirapan tayong magisip and it’s hard for us to see things worth celebrating. It doesn’t necessarily have to be grand, it can be as simple as having hopes of a better future. Remember that the object of Mary’s celebration hasn’t been fulfilled yet. A hope that is even dangerous for her or should we say, ilegal? Dahil she wasn’t married yet. We can celebrate the fact that we have hope. Some of us feel it, some of us are hopeful this Advent, lalo na’t malapit na ang bagong taon. Hope na magka jowa bago ang cut-off sa 31. Hope for a new life, mga new year’s resolutions, new year new me. Those alone are reasons for us to celebrate, hope, as it fuels us and makes life bearable is a gift from God. And also while we acknowledge that our individual successes and joys are a gift from God and something that is ought to be shared. The challenge for us Christians is, like Mary, how can we respond to God’s blessing in a way that’s true to our calling? Like Hannah, Mary, and Elizabeth, while celebrating God’s favor sa buhay nila, of course they are happy and they are supposed to. We owe it to ourselves to celebrate and savor God’s grace in our lives. We just have to remember that God’s grace doesn’t end with ourselves and shouldn’t be contained to us. Hannah, Elizabeth, and Mary saw their blessings or pregnancy to be specific, as a gift from God that they ought to dedicate to God as well. They saw the significance of their pregnancies, as God channeling grace through them through their children. That eventually, their children will be a blessing to the Jewish nation, and later on, to us queer people gathered here, liberated by the love of Jesus. It is a testament to God’s favor towards what our society sees as the least, and Mary acknowledges that in the Magnificat. God’s favor rest sa mga taong tulad natin that seemed to be powerless to enact change in our world, a group of humble people, although naka-aircon tayo, walang wala tayo kumpara sa mga Churches na makapangyarihan. Nagrerenta nga lang tayo dito because of the people’s generosity na hindi naman always sure. Walang certainty. Pag hindi na ulit nagpledge ang mga members for whatever reason or no reason at all (knock on wood) – okay naman na ako hindi ko na kailangan MCC – Eh di ligwak ang airconed chapel ng mga accla sa greenhills. But to reiterate, I believe God’s favor rest sa tulad natin na sa song of Mary, the “outcast and the lowly”. The song of Mary is an affirmation of God taking the side of the poor and the oppressed, and that is Good news. God affirms us and promises to lift us up. But the song of Mary is also a challenge to us, on how we can turn God’s grace and hope in our lives to be a channel of blessing in the world that we’re in. How God’s blessing of liberation in our lives can be a seed of hope and transformation in the lives of our queer siblings and even straight Christians, Amen ba straight Christians? and how can this can be a prophetic witness in the society we’re living in, a society built on the tears of injustices. This hope is for each one of us and as a Church community. God’s favor rests in MCC? Agree? Kahit may kachakahan at dark ages, favor is with us as long as we cooperate with God. Poor MCC but full of grace. Santa Mesa napupuno ka ng grasya. And as our year is closing, can we remind all of us how far we’ve gone? In the past few weeks, we’ve talked about how our Church was built on our tears as queer people exiled from our faith home. That like our ancestors in the faith, they needed to start from nothing,...
Transcribe →Crying Out To God In Shame
Dec 8, 202400:21:08Tap to summarizeThere was a certain man of Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham son of Elihu son of Tohu son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. He had two wives; the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. Now this man used to go up year by year from his town to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord. On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters, but to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. Her rival used to provoke her severely, to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. So it went on year by year; as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. Her husband Elkanah said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? Why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?” After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah rose and presented herself before the Lord. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. She made this vow: “O Lord of hosts, if only you will look on the misery of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant but will give to your servant a male child, then I will set him before you as a nazirite until the day of his death. He shall drink neither wine nor intoxicants, and no razor shall touch his head.” As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying silently; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard; therefore Eli thought she was drunk. So Eli said to her, “How long will you make a drunken spectacle of yourself? Put away your wine.” But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman deeply troubled; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation all this time.” Then Eli answered, “Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you have made to him.” And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your sight.” Then the woman went her way and ate and drank with her husband, and her countenance was sad no longer. 1 Samuel 1:1-18 (NRSVUE) Maganda at mapagpalayang hapon sa ating lahat. It’s the second week of our Advent series titled “Crying out to God.” For those who were here last Sunday, naalala niyo pa ba ang preaching last week? Ano ang ating pulot? Last week we talked about our tears as a form of worship and the need to cry out as an expression of being honest with our emotions. I think the passage for today which is 1 Samuel 1, is something that is very relatable sa ating mga queer people, except for the fact na hindi tayo mabubuntis or makakabuntis, kaya mga accla wag feeling may matres. How many of us have cried out because of shame? How many of us despised ourselves and prayed to God na gawin tayong straight? Cried out because of who we are, dahil nahihiya tayo sa pagiging bakla, tibo, or trans, in a society where we are led to believe that just being who we are is shameful and wrong, which we ourselves believe and accept. Maybe this is the experience for some of us growing up and hearing every Sunday that who you are right now is not what God has intended for you. That as a closeted gay man, your attraction with one or two of your cellgroup is a sin. Maybe, there’s also a feeling of shame after mo gawing gown ang kurtina nyo or paglaruan ang makeup ng nanay mo. A shame so overbearing that the sad reality is, for some people, it seems like ending their lives might be the best option rather than experience gradual death in a world that despises them. And like Hannah na napagkamalang naka-toma, for us queer people, in our attempt to be honest with ourselves, our emotions, and our prayers, these are sometimes misinterpreted. Even with people who think they mean well. Shame intensifies when the only comfort given to us in our cries is “mag-girlfriend or boyfriend ka lang para maging straight ka.” Or ipagdasal mo lang yan at babaguhin ka ni Jesus. Yung mga “from gay to pastor” na drama. Ang malala pa is that sa ibang Churches, nagiging katatawanan pa sya even in the pulpit. Iilan din satin dito has tried pursuing heterosexual relationships kahit deep inside we feel na di uubra sis, that there’s something off, trying to convince ourselves na baka pag tinuloy-tuloy natin eh maconvert at mabago nga talaga tayo, tutal kung ito ang kalooban ng diyos para sa akin, God is too powerful to change me. And we know that some were able to live the heterosexual lie for 10 years or more tulad nung isang dating ex-gay leader of Exodus international pero kalaunan, after more than 10 years finally naamin nya na hindi nga uubra. The source of Hannah’s shame wasn’t even her doing. The pressure for Hannah to bear children is a product of their society’s belief that children are a blessing from God and being barren means that you are cursed. We might be thinking that this pressure should have been easy for Hannah to dismiss, but let us remember that their society values childbearing in service of their theocratic nation-state. This is also the same with some of us queer people na kahit paulit-ulit ng naririnig na walang masama sa pagiging tayo at hindi ito kasalanan eh nahihirapan tayong tanggapin ang mensahe na ito, all because of the heteronormativity ng ating lipunan, mula sa ating media at mga theology na itinuturo ng karamihan ng simbahan. Relate ba tayo mga bading? I remember na grade 3 palang ako alam ko na na isa akong member ng pederasyon, and I tried praying narin na mawala to, pero alam ko talaga sa sarili ko na hindi ito nadadaan sa dasal dasal lang eh. And yet this is a reality that I don’t want to be known for. There is some feeling of guilt when I am spared from receiving mockery dahil lang sa hindi ako out, I thought I could have been the one receiving those shameful remarks. For some of us, that may be our past. Malamang ay may mga nagawa tayong kachakahan out of our fears as queer people, and that’s all in the past now. Extend the grace you give to others to yourself. Can you put your hands on your shoulders right now as a gesture of forgiveness, grace, and compassion sa sarili mo? Remember, while we are accountable sa ating mga actions, we’ve all been traumatized and hurt by some people who didn’t know us any better, and none of it is within your control back then. Like Hannah, hindi nya control ang pagiging baog, it was a shame born out of the expectation of her society, when having a child is considered as a blessing and barrenness is a curse, and sa ating mga accla, the pressure to conform and to deny our sexualities is also because of our societies’ expectation where patriarchy and misogyny are the dominant norms in people’s lives. Please allow me to preach God’s Good News – Gospel – to each of you, you are fearfully and wonderfully created by God as a queer person. Going against your God-given sexuality is going against the One who created and designed you! It’s not you who is sinning here but the people who deny God’s colorful creation in the person of you, a queer person created in God’s own image. Isn’t that wonderful? Hindi ka isang pagkakamali o isang anomalya. Let me reiterate that. God affirms you, and mahirap mang maigine for some of us right now, you can also see that with the same Book that might have traumatized you, the Bible. Although, it’s going to be a challenge and will take more effort for us to find our stories sa Bible, it’s in there. We fully know that our SOGIESC is a gift from God, why? Hindi naman natin siya pinili, it was innate in us, contrary to the popular belief na it is just like a switch na pwede nating maswitch on and off kapag trip natin. Sabi nga sa Psalm 139 “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful.” Yes, you are not an exception to that. The sciences have also declared sexuality and gender has always been diverse across time and culture at walang mali o problema sa diversity na iyon. If science declares so, then we have to accept that it is part of God’s creation in the natural world and in human evolution. And when we say unconditional, totoong unconditional! Kasi yan din naman ang tinuturo sa atin ng ating mga previous Churches, yes God loves you unconditionally PERO, you have to be straight first, yo...
Transcribe →Crying Out To God In Suffering
Dec 1, 202400:19:53Tap to summarizeAfter a long time the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned under their slavery and cried out. Their cry for help rose up to God from their slavery. God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God looked upon the Israelites, and God took notice of them. Exodus 2:23-25 (NRSVUE) Mapagpalang hapon sa inyong lahat. Nakapanood na ba lahat ng Wicked? Sinong mga kumanta sa sinehan? Ok, ibaban namin kayo dito sa MCC, Hermanas, paki usher nalang sila palabas. Today marks the beginning of Advent in the Liturgical Calendar. Advent is the season of waiting and preparation for the coming of Jesus. Excited na ba kayo sa pagdating ni Jesus? We? Mukhang excited lang naman ata kayo sa mga paraffle sa office nyo na ngayon palang ay namomroblema na kayo kung paano niyo maiuuwi ung mapapanalunan nyong ref, tama ba? Or maybe excited narin kayo sa Christmas break. I’m also excited for that. Our theme for this year’s Advent series is Crying Out to God. As mentioned earlier, Advent is a season of anticipation for the coming of Christ, bakit naging “crying out?” Ano ang koneksyon ng Exodus passage na binasa natin sa Christmas? Just a background lang no for our passage today. The Book of Exodus has been Matthew’s inspiration in his Gospel. Matthew presents Jesus as the new and even better Moses, we can see this in the parallels sa buhay nilang dalawa. Details such as their birth wherein both were born under the threat of death. If you remember, Pharaoh ordered to kill all Hebrew male children that are going to be born, while at the time of Jesus’ birth, Herod ordered all male infants to be killed. Both were also spared from that ruthless policy, Moses, through the daughter of Pharaoh na nakakita sa kanya sa Nile river at itinago sya sa palasyo while Jesus was spared when an Angel warned “his dad” Joseph, that there is a threat sa buhay ni Jesus, kaya sila umalis papuntang Egypt. Those are some of the details that Matthew used, to present Jesus as similar or the better Moses. Showing us that Jesus is meant to be the response to the cry of the people just like Moses. So bakit paskong pasko eh naging about crying out? Maybe a better question would be, why hope? Why need Jesus? Because Christmas is a story of God’s hope as a response to the cry of the people. Like in Exodus, God used Moses for the liberation of the Hebrew people whose cries and groaning was heard by God. We only hope because we are looking for a better future, different from our present state, and I think hope is what keeps us alive. Meron ba ditong hindi naghohope? However small or insignificant that is, as small as you hoping na masarap ang makakainan niyo after the service, or sa mga accla hoping na magkabooking mamaya, or as big as mapromote ka sa work. Nothing wrong with those, just stating this as a proof that all of us do hope. For the Hebrew people during that time, wala silang ibang choice but to cry out to God because they were under extreme hardship of forced slavery and oppression, and this is also the story of Christmas, it is a story of hope that comes from wrestling with our hopelessness, hope that comes from vulnerability and facing the reality of the here and now. In that state of hopelessness and despair what do you usually do? Do you deny reality? Do you pretend like everything’s ok? Do you hold back your tears? Do you stop yourself from experiencing your emotions and sitting with them? I always catch myself apologizing whenever I cry in times of vulnerable moments with the people I love, and I think this isn’t only me, maybe some of us do that too. I realized that maybe the reason is that we see crying as an unpleasant act. We feel that showing it to people can cause disturbance to the existing peace and we don’t want ourselves to feel like we are a burden to other people that’s why we apologize. We do not want our weaknesses to be exposed hence we should avoid it at all costs. Crying carries with it unpleasant feelings and emotions and our human tendency is to suppress that, we tend to always hold on to feelings or emotions that we see as positive. So, in this preaching, I invite all of you. Cry out! Wag kayong makinig kay Fergie that Big Girls Don’t Cry, no! Mature and healthy individuals do cry and see its value in their lives. Sitting with your sadness and crying out is a form of worship, it is the admission of our helplessness and reliance on God who listens like how the cries and groaning of the Hebrew people was heard by God. Worship isn’t supposed to be always a happy act, of course God wants us to be happy, but I think God also wants us to embrace and sit with our sadness or to cry because, I think, God is pleased when we are honest with ourselves, Just like a partner or a parent who wants their loved ones to be totally transparent with them so they know how they can help or how to be just present in their suffering. Your tears, your cries, are a form of worship. God collects every tear you have shed and God counts not only every hair of your head but also every tear that comes out of your eyes. Crying is a ritual and every tear is holy water, an offering to the God who cries with us. There are also some things and situation where healing can only come by crying and your pain being washed by unrestricted flow of tears. Crying is being present with ourselves. It is us acknowledging that we are hurting or suffering and the things happening around us are not what it is supposed to be. This can also be a gift from God as it allows us to see things around us more clearly, things that we are not capable of noticing when we are happy, it gives us insights on what needs to be worked on in our lives, thus making our lives better. Sadness also allows us to connect with others by being sensitive to their suffering. This also enables us to cry with and for other people as we see injustice more clearly after our rose-tinted glasses have worn-out and when the feeling of happiness has dwindled, we now can’t avoid seeing the concerning things around us that we don’t usually notice before. The pro-poor and Roman Catholic martyr, Bishop Oscar Romero said, “There are many things that can only be seen through eyes that have cried.” Crying and groaning for the injustice that other people are experiencing is the first step in following Jesus’ mandate to us which is to love our neighbors as ourselves. It’s only through these tears that we will be compelled to take action, like some of our volunteers here are doing. This DIY Church is built on the tears of our members, tears from their experiences as queer people rejected, tears that come from their concern towards their queer siblings, these tears translated into action and service here in our humble Church. Do not suppress your tears, do not hinder these emotions to do its work for you. Also, not everyone is celebrating this Christmas season. There are people who do not have enough to be able to celebrate, there are some of our queer siblings who don’t have families or communities to celebrate it with after being disowned or rejected because of being queer. The festivities might even be a trigger for some because it just magnifies the loneliness and injustices that they are experiencing. As we hope for Christmas, let’s remember that. While we all cry out in this season of advent or allow ourselves to cry, it doesn’t just end there. Let’s remember that while the Hebrew people were crying and groaning, hope is working its way in the background. Just as when Moses was rescued by the Pharaoh’s daughter and Jesus was spared through the angel’s warning, hope was already moving without the knowledge of the people crying for it, the palace is too out of reach for the Hebrew people enslaved in Egypt for them to know what’s happening inside, Mary and Joseph’s family is also too insignificant for people to know their whereabouts, or to even know if the child is safe, yet hope is working even when the people don’t even think of it. And this also true for all of us, as Christians we are supposed to be people of hope, but let’s admit it na may moments where we feel hopeless, we feel beaten, we are hurt and questioning where will this end? I encourage you to just feel it at iiyak mo lang but as a people of hope, be comforted with the truth that hope is behind you and around you working even when you don’t fully see it or are even thinking of it. Be comforted na ang Diyos ay kumikilos sa ating buhay at ating mundo kahit hindi mo feel, kahit parang ang chaka ng mga ganap at sobrang fucked up ng mga bagay-bagay na mapapaisip ka kung end times na ba talaga....
Transcribe →