Sixth Sunday of Easter,
John 15: 9-17 Love One Another
Christ the King Parish Greenmeadows
Fr. Steven Zabala, Homily
May 5, 2024
CHOSEN FOR MISSION
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide” (Jn 15:16).
In those days, it was the disciple who chose his teacher. Jesus reverses it— he, the Master, is the one who chooses his disciples. That must have been a sweet moment for the disciples—to be chosen by the Lord! (Being chosen is a delight. Look how delighted contestants are when they are chosen—America’s Got Talent, The Voice, X-Factor, Miss Universe, Oscars, Grammy, to name some.)
APPOINTED
But being chosen by the Lord is not all that easy. In fact, it entails a lot of responsibility:
(1) Jesus says, “I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit” (Jn 15:17).
(2) In Mt 10:7, he sent the disciples on a mission to preach the Gospel and heal the sick, declaring, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
(3) In Lk 14:23, He asked them to gather the people into God’s home. “The master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.
(4) (Mt 28:19) Before he ascended into heaven, he issued his chosen disciples the Great Command, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
Being chosen means being on a mission. Being chosen means working for God. Being chosen means being sent to share Jesus. It means being sent to preach his Good News!
JUST GO
This is how we priests always look at our transfer. Always from the point of view of mission.
* In 1997, when Cardinal Sin appointed me as first pastor of the newly established parish of San Isidro Labrador in Bagong Silangan, QC, kahit walang experience at walang alam, off I went.
* 1999, when I was asked to be the first pastor of the newly established church-less, lot-less, rectory-less, office-less, money-less parish of Our Lady of Pentecost in Loyola Heights, go ulit!
* In 2006, I was assigned naman sa Parish of Mary the Immaculate Conception, para daw makapag rest ako after the exhausting work in Loyola Heights, yun pala, the parish wanted to build a 3-story building and adoration chapel, hindi pala pahinga, pero, go pa rin ulit!
* In 2012, I was sent to the Parish for the Lord of Divine Mercy, Sikatuna (future parish of Fr. Ricky Montañez), magpapagawa pala ng 80M 6-story building dito, go pa rin!
* Then in 2018, even if I was initially nervous coming to this “intimidating” parish of CTK, go pa rin!
Little did I know, that I was destined to be CTK’s “pandemic parish priest”. When the nationwide lockdown was announced, quickly, with just an iPhone, we live-streamed our masses on the first day of the lockdown. Some of you may remember, bali-baligtad pa ang orientation ng image of our on-line masses namin noon! Pangit pa ng audio. We couldn’t figure it out then. Plus we lacked the equipment to make it better.
When some stores reopened, we were able to buy devices for a multicam setup and we trained our sacristans, with zero knowledge on tech, how to operate the camera, audio, lighting, and to live-stream. Ngayon, ang gagaling na nila!
Leila and Mel, our neighbors, pati si Tessa, alternated as lector and commentator. Pero pag total lockdown, kami na ring tatlong pari—ako, Fr. Ricky, Fr. Jojo—ang presider, lector, commentator, at choir! Ginawa yun, kasi, misyon!
I was faced with a big challenge—how can CTK reach out to its parishioners who were all confined to their homes? Amid the pandemic, the mission to bring the Good News to the people must continue, and more seriously so, as the people were facing a fearful and uncertain future at that time.
NEXT CHAPTER
I will physically leave CTK on June 10. I will move to my new assignment—as rector of the Cubao Cathedral. Nakakaaliw yung reaction ng ilang parishioners, “Wow, promoted ka, father, Cathedral yan ha. Hindi yan just-just!” “Preparasyon ba yan, para maging obispo ka?” “Mag re retire na ang bishop, so, ikaw na ang papalit, kaya diyan ka sa Cathedral nilagay.” I jokingly replied to some of them, “Bishop? Wait. I am working on it.” Hahaha. Ganun ba talaga ang transfer, promotion? Ganun ba ang pagpunta sa Cathedral, magiging Obispo? It is about mission!
There’s certain sadness as I depart from this parish. I have learned to love this place and its people whose love for God and the Church are outstanding. I will miss the friendships we formed. I will miss seeing how truly you are a Parish for Others, ever ready to reach out to the socially disadvantaged.
Yet again, everything is about mission. When I am told to stay, I stay. When I am told to go, I go.
Pray for me as I go to my next assignment.
Sabi ni Cardinal Tagle sa kaniyang homily sa mga oordenahang pari, “It is sad when people say, ‘Our parish priest is bad news. His words and attitudes inflict wounds, and his vindictiveness brings darkness.’ You will not be ordained to bring bad news. You will be ordained to proclaim good news: the Good News of God’s consoling love, especially to his beloved poor.” (Ordination to the Priesthood of the Legionaries of Christ, Italy, May 1, 2024)
I hope I wasn’t bad news to this parish. Sana hindi ko kayo pinalungkot! Hehe. Seriously, I am filled again with excitement, sadness, anxiety for my next assignment. But that is how it is with mission, you simply obey, have faith and go.
THE ROAD BENDS
Pero hindi lang po kami ang magpapatuloy sa aming paglalakbay, sa aming mga misyon. Kayo pong lahat ay may misyon din. You are all sent on a mission and this mission is never anchored on the parish priest.
We all have the task of spreading the Good News – and not just in the realm of church service. Kahit po sa inyong mga tahanan, sa inyong workplace, and in the ordinary situations of your everyday life – you should always be conscious of your mission. I am proud and blessed to have witnessed this sense of mission among the parishioners of CTK. I have seen them take up the task at hand even if sometimes these may be very challenging or formidable.
That is why we should continue to pray for each other – so that we will be faithful in our mission, and that we will keep our focus solely on God. Huwag na huwag po nating hayaan na mawala ang ating focus sa misyon kahit pa mag-iba ang parish priest or other circumstances in our lives.
We are now at a crossroad. The road bends. We have many questions. But I am reminded of the lyrics of a song, “Pilgrim’s Theme” that should give us courage to plod on in our mission:
The road before me bends, I don’t know what I’ll find
Will I meet a friend or ghosts I left behind
Should I even be surprised that You’re with me in disguise
For it’s Your hand I have seen in the greater scheme of things
Ipagdasal niyo po ako that I will be a missionary of Good News to my next parish. Hindi lang po kaming mga pari ang chosen. Ipagdarasal ko rin po kayo that you will continue your amazing, infectious and generous character as a Parish for Others, this time under the shepherding of new pastor.
We are chosen. Tayo pong lahat ay minahal at pinili ng Diyos. Kaya, panalangin ko, na maging tapat tayo sa misyon na iniatas sa atin ng Panginoon. “I knew you before you were born. I chose you for a special work” (Jer 1:5). May we always be a missionary of Good News to the people entrusted under our missionary care. And believe me, as long as we hold on to God’s hand, we will soon see our mission and task in the greater scheme of things.
Amen.
