Sunday Gospel Reflection
21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
Luke 13:22-30 | August 21, 2022
Locked Open
JM Nuqui, Campus Minister
A little boy once asked Pope Francis, “Is my dad in heaven?” During that time, the boy’s father recently died. The father was a non-believer but had all his four children baptized. The boy added that his father was a good man. The little boy, with tears in his eyes, mustered all the strength and courage to ask the question for he was worried for his father. Sa tingin niyo po ba nasa langit ang tatay ng batang iyon?
Few years ago, a friend asked me to look for a priest to preside a funeral mass. “Ang dami ko nang tinanong na pari. Kaso lahat sila humindi nung malaman nila na nag suicide yung binata.” It ached my heart, but thank God, we were able to find one eventually. During the funeral mass, the mother was crying her heart out. “Napakabuting tao ng anak ko. Masunurin, magalang, malambing, mapagmahal.” Then she asked, “Hindi rin kaya siya tatanggapin ng Diyos sa langit dahil tinanggihan siya ng maraming pari?”
In 2019, the Archdiocese of Indiana revoked a Jesuit school from the list of Catholic schools. The archbishop forbids the community to have school-wide masses. Why? Because the school administration refused to follow the archbishop’s order to fire a good and well-loved teacher—who happened to be gay, married to his husband, and raises a son. Anong imahe ng Diyos ang iniiwan ng arsobispo sa mga estudyante?
My dear brothers and sisters, we hear in the Gospel someone asking Jesus, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” Isn’t this the same question asked in the three stories I shared with you? Mula sa karanasan ng mga tao sa kwento, marahil hindi naman talaga sila naghahanap ng kasagutan. Perhaps, their questions might actually be an opportunity for us to rethink and re-evaluate the image of God we church people and elders project to them. Sometimes in our attempts to follow and live out the laws, teachings, and commandments, we, myself included, become too self-righteous and imposing. “Only us Catholics, Christians, only those who are canonically married, only the churchgoers will be saved. Lahat ng labas diyan, hindi kayo maliligtas. Lahat ng nakikipagtalik nang hindi kasal, hindi kayo maliligtas. Lahat ng mga hiwalay sa asawa, hindi kayo pwede mag-komunyon. Ang LGBT community ay imoral. Hindi sila maliligtas.” During moments when we are too lawful, we become so heartless. Sa mga pagkakataon na tayo ay nagiging malupit, mahigpit, at mapanlait, I hope we realize that it’s not God who narrows the door to salvation—kundi tayo.
Minsan, sa kagustuhan nating palaging maging tama, nakakalimutan na nating maging mabuti. There’s nothing wrong with our desire to be faithful to the laws and commandments. In fact, the laws and commandments are expressions of God’s salvific love for us. But when these become constricting rather than freeing, imposing than formative, and make us more selfish than loving, then I guess we need to start rethinking. Baka tayo na ang nagkakait ng langit at grasya sa kanila, hindi ang Diyos. From our experience, I believe we can say that it isn’t so much intelligence, mastery, and expertise on doctrines which attract people to God and the Church. Bonus na lang siguro iyon. Madalas, mas naaakay natin ang mga tao patungo sa Diyos mula sa mga karanasan nila ng kabutihan, malasakit, at pagmamahal mula sa atin. It’s our little acts of charity, mercy, and compassion which walks and leads people to salvation.
The little kid. The bereaved mother. The Jesuit school. And the many people who continue to struggle with their faith but all desiring to be saved. Iisa lang naman ang gusto nila mula sa ating mga Katoliko, Kristiyano, at taong Simbahan: ang puso nating marunong umunawa at umibig. They desire that we have hearts with gates locked open by the Lord. Not locked shut but locked open. Bukas. Palaging bukas at handang tumanggap. To be consistent with our words and actions. To stop preaching with our mouths what we haven’t really seen with our hearts. And to continue loving even if it means the Lord breaking open our hearts.
“Lord, will only a few people be saved?” In the end, I hope we don’t become too obsessed with numbers, ranks, and statistics. Sino lamang ang maliligtas? Gaano karami ang tatanggapin sa langit? Because I believe, when the Lord offers us forgiveness and salvation, he does so by looking at us lovingly. Sapagkat ang tunay na nagmamahal at nagpapatawad ay hindi nagbibilang. May our experience of God’s forgiveness, mercy, compassion, love, and salvation move us to be more and more loving. Dahil sa piling ng Diyos, lahat tayo ay palaging tinatanggap. Dahil sa puso ng Diyos, may pitak tayong lahat.
