Password / Passaparola of March 9, 2017(Thursday)

Keep hope strong.

Rafforzare la speranza 

When you are down, burdened by your humanity, abandon yourself to God. Give yourself to Him. 

He will take care of things.

Chiara Lubich
(God loves us immensely p37)

Love conquers hate: Reflection on the movie The Railway Man

A month ago, I watched the movie, "The Railway Man".  I thought it was a movie about trains and railways but then it turned out to be a World War II story of the POWs (prisoners of war). In this blog, I will not be telling you the plot and the details as I have indicated a link so you can further read about the story itself. What I will be sharing here in my blog is how the movie affected and made me appreciate life even more.

The most striking part of the movie was when Lomax, the main character, even in his anger and rage, did not hurt or kill his previous tormentor, Japanese translator Nagase when the two finally met.  You will see in the movie how the transition and change of hearts happened.  I could see how time and conversion of one's heart made a difference.  At the end, they became good friends and treat each other as brothers.  

It just goes to show that even in the most difficult times in our lives, the only thing we can do is to accept things and to forgive those who hurt us and not become consumed by hate and revenge.  I always believe that there are many instances in our lives when we question why things happen this or that way, yet what else can we do? I have always believed in the saying, "Nothing happens by accident for behind everything there is a reason though we may not know at once".  Moreover, in the movie, it was showed how love indeed conquers everything.  The love of the wife of Eric Lomax, Patti, also helped in the healing of his past.  I also learned that it is important to communicate though it may hurt digging one's past experiences because it will be like opening wounds that already became scars.  Trust, faith, and acceptance are the key to building solid relationships. 

Hope you will be more inspired after watching this movie. Enjoy!

Gospel for June 15, 2015 (Monday)

Mt 5:38-42

Jesus said to his disciples, "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'  But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.  When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well.  If anyone who wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well.  Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles.  Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow".

The Word in other words

Now and then, we read in the newspaper that a certain airport personnel or taxi driver returned to its owner a bag of money found in the airport or a taxi,  The finder could have used the money to answer some personal or family need, but she/he stood by her/his principles and returned that money. Such honesty is nowadays a rarity and for that reason the finder's story becomes a national news item.

Can we correctly say that such an honest guy loves his neighbor?  Certainly, for he did what he knew to be good for the other person.  And that is love--- to do what is good for the other.  In returning the money to its owner, he did what love requires of him to do in such a situation.  How about us? When making a choice or a decision, do we tell our self that we should do what love requires?

In today's readings, Jesus warns us against the unloving attitude of revenge - an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.  Our Lord is telling us we should love our neighbor.  And love means not just refraining from revenge but taking an extra mile for the one we love.  Jesus tells us that when we love others, we should also love our enemies.

Doing things which are good and beneficial to the one we love is the language of love. And doing things out of love should not be burdensome to a loving person.  And doing things out of love should not be burdensome to a loving person. Where there is love, there is no labor but delight: ubi amatur, non laboratur;  aus si laboratur, labor amatur.  When we speak the language of love, we do not preset or predetermine how far or to what extent we will show our love and concern for the other.  Look at Jesus "our Tremendous Lover" --- He loves us without measure.  Indeed, in the words of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, the only measure of love is to love without measure.

                               -  Fr. Ernesto M. Lagura SVD (USC, Cebu City)