Sino ba ang mga matatawag nating sikat ngayon?

Hindi kinakailangang matulad ka sa tambalang Aldub, Katniel o

Jadine para tawagin kang sikat! Lalo namang di mo kinakailangang mag-astang mala "Pastillas Girl" para mapansin
ka ng marami.  Hindi kinakailangang hirangin kang "Pambansang Bae" para hangaan at sambahin ka ng mga tao.
Saan nga ba nakasalalay ang ating kasikatan at kadakilaan?  Sa mga nag-aakalang sa kagandahan o kasikatan
nakasalalay ang kadakilaan, pakinggan ninyo ang kuwentong ito: May isang ligaw na bulaklak sa kabukiran na
masyadong mataas ang pagtingin sa kanyang sarili.  Lagi niyang nilalait ang mga damong nakapaligid sa kanya.
"Kayong mga nagpapangitang mga damo, bakit hindi kayo tumulad sa akin? Maganda, makulay, at higit sa lahat...
mabango!"  Napapailing lamang ang mga damo na nagsasabing, "Wag kang masyadong mayabang! Darating ang
araw na iisa lang ang ating patutunguhan.  Lilipas din ang kagandahan mo!"  At dumating nga ang araw na iyon.
Isang pulutong ng mga baka nanginain sa bukid t sinuyod ang malawak na damuhan.  Walang pintawad ang mga
gutom na hayop maging ang mga ligaw na bulaklak ay pinatulan.  Naramdaman ng palalong bulaklak na siya ay
nginunguya ng dahan-dahan. Pumasok siya sa isang madilim na lagusan, at ramdam niya ang unti-unti niyang
pagdaloy sa madilim na "tunnel" na tinatawag nating esophagus.  Bigla niyang naramdam ang kanyang pagkalagkit
at unti-unting pagkatunaw.  Nagpatuloy siya sa paglalakbay hanggang mabanaagan niya ang isang animoy ilaw na
nagmumula sa isang lagusan.  Unti-unti siyang dinadala dito at habang unti-unti siyang lumalabas sa butas ay
napansin niyang umaalingasaw ang kanyang amoy.  Hanggang bigla na lamang siyang bumagsak sa lupa bilang
isang tumpok na dumi ng baka.  Naglapitan ang mga langaw at pinagpiyestahan siya narinig niyang muli ang sinabi
ng nilalait n'yang pangit na damo, "Kita mo na na, sabi ko naman sa 'yo... iisa lang ang ating patutunguhan!"  Totoo
nga namang walang katuturan ang lahat, maging ito man ay kagandahan, katalinunan, angking kakayahan,
kapangyarihan o maging kayamanan. "Vanity of vanities, everything is vanity!" sabi nga sa aklat ng Eclesiastes (Ec
1:1)  Kaya nga ang sukatan ng mundo sa pagiging dakila ay isang malaking kasinungalingan!  Mayaman man tayo o
mahirap, may kapangyarihan o mahina, may angking kagandahan man o wala, iisa lang ang ating patutunguhan!
Kung gayon ay saan ngayon nakasalalay ang tunay na kadakilaan?  Maliwanag ang paalala sa atin ng
Panginoon: “Ang sinumang nagnanais maging una ay dapat maging huli sa lahat, at maging lingkod ng lahat.”  (Mk
9:35)  Hindi pa rin matanggap ng mga alagad na si Jesus, ang kanilang kinikilalang dakilang pinuno ay maghihirap at
mamamatay sa kamay ng mga matatanda ng bayan.  Hindi pa rin nila matanggal sa kanilang isipan ang isang
Mesiyas na marangya!  Upang mas lubos nilang maunawaan ay ginamit ni Jesus ang imahe ng isang bata na sa
kanilang kultura noong panahong iyon ay mababa ang katayuan sa lipunan. Larawan ang isang bata ng kababang-
loob at kapayakan ng pamumuhay.  At ito ang nais ni Jesus na matutunan ng kanyang mga alagad: Ang tunay na
kadakilaan ay nasa paglilingkod ng may pagpapakumbaba!

______it was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels. It is humility that maes
sinners into saints…– Saint Augustine

il Santo Padre ha incontrato ai vescovi, religiosi e seminaristi, ai quali ha ricordato quanto e come l'esempio di don
Pino costituisca la vera essenza della missione del sacerdozio: "Il prete è l'uomo del dono, del dono di sé, ogni
giorno, senza ferie e senza sosta. Perché la nostra, cari sacerdoti, non è una professione, ma una donazione; non un
mestiere, che può servire pure per fare carriera, ma una missione".
"Non si può vivere una doppia morale"

"La Chiesa - ha ricordato ancora Papa Francesco - non sta sopra il mondo ma dentro al mondo, per farlo fermentare,
come lievito nella pasta. Per questo, cari fratelli, va bandita ogni forma di clericalismo: non abbiano in voi
cittadinanza atteggiamenti altezzosi, arroganti o prepotenti. Per essere testimoni credibili va ricordato che prima di
essere preti siamo sempre diaconi; prima di esser ministri sacri siamo fratelli di tutti. Anche il carrierismo e il
familismo sono nemici da estromettere, perché la loro logica è quella del potere, e il prete non è uomo del potere,
ma del servizio". E' la testimonianza che aiuta a fuggire dalla "doppiezza di vita", dal seminario al sacerdozio: "Non si
può vivere una doppia morale: una per il popolo di Dio e un’altra in casa propria. Il testimone di Gesù appartiene a
lui sempre. E per amore suo intraprende una quotidiana battaglia contro i suoi vizi e contro ogni mondanità
alienante".

“Ang taong mayabang ay tinatamaan. Ang taong mapakumbaba ay pinagpapala (A proud person gets hit, a humble person is
blessed).”
Kaya nga ito rin ay paalaala para sa ating lahat na iwaksi ang kayabangan at kapalaluan.  Kapag tayo ay puno ng kayabangan ay
mas lalo tayong nagiging makasarili at mapanlait sa kapwa. At dahil dito ay hindi natin nakikita ang kabutihan ng iba at sa halip na
makatulong ay nakasisira pa tayo ng buhay nila.  Ang mga taong mapagkumbaba ay maraming bunga samantalang ang taong
mayabang ay wala!  Masdan ninyo ang uhay ng mga palay sa bukid.  Ang mga uhay na may palay ay nakayuko at mababa
samantalang ang mga walang palay ay nakatayo at matayog.  Mag-ingat tayo at baka katulad tayo ng mga uhay na nakatayo at
matuwid  ang tingin sa sarili ngunit wala namang maipagmamalaking bunga!  Ang tunay na kadakilaan ay nasa paglilingkod.  Ang
tunay na kasikatan ay nasa pagpapakumbaba! 

Sa PANAHON NG PAGLIKHA o Season of Creation, pinapaalalahanan tayo ng Panginoon na tayo ay ginawang katiwala ng
Diyos upang alagaan at pagyamanin ang Kanyang mga nilikha.  Hindi tayo ang nagmamay-ari ng mundo.  Tayo ay tagapag-alaga
lamang nito.  Ito ay ipinagkatiwala ng Diyos sa atin. 'Wag tayong maging mayayabang na nag-aastang pag-aari natin ang mundo
kaya't puwede natin itong abusuhin at pagsamantalahan ito.  Tayo ay tinawag Niya upang Kanyang maging abang lingkod at
magpahalaga, mag-aruga at mamuno sa Kanyang mga nilikha.  Dito nakasalalay ang ating kadakilaan at dito rin natin dinadakila
ang Diyos na ating Manlilikha... ang pagiging responsableng tagapangasiwa ng sangnilikha!

____________________

When St. Bernard was asked what the four cardinal virtues were, he replied: “Humility, humility, humility and humility.”
In today’s gospel, the disciples of Jesus on their way to Capernaum, they discussed among themselves who is the greatest. The
disciples were still clueless about Jesus and His mission. Even as he predicts for the second time the betrayal and death await
Him in Jerusalem, they continued to dream of sharing His glory when He declares Himself as the Messiah in the holy city.
Fr. Joseph Donders, in his homily book, imagines that their conversation goes this way:
Peter: “Of course, without doubt, I am the most important! Didn’t He call me the Rock on which that community of His will
be built?”
John: “I am sorry for you. What you are saying maybe true but that is only a question of administrative bureaucracy.
Though you maybe a good administrator, it does not mean that you are important to others. You should look for something else,
something more important. You should look for His love. When you do, you will realize that well, he loves me the most.”
Judas Iscariot: “The most important person in a group is the one who holds the money. The world is ruled by money. To whom
would you entrust your riches?”
Philip: “Do you remember when he had that catering problem? Thousands followed Him, eagerly awaiting the words of
wisdom that flow forth from His mouth. Nobody knew what to do – not even Him, it seemed. He turned to me for advice. I am sorry
for you, but he asked me!”
Because of this argument, Jesus assembled the Twelve and said: “If anyone wishes to rank first, he must remain the last
one of all f anyone wishes to rank first, he must remain the last one of all and the servant of all.” This appears not to be a practical
advice for someone wanting a promotion. But a reminder for us that we can be exalted with Christ in heaven only after following in
Christ’s footstep of carrying the cross with humility.
Humility is the most misunderstood virtue of our times. The humility is synonymous with weakness. Being humble doesn’t
mean suppression of one’s personal attributes or abject self-depreciation. No, this is not. The humble person knows his/her places
and takes it. The humble person if he/she is supposed to rule – rules; and when he/she is supposed to serve, serves. But even in
his most triumphant moments, the humble person remembers that all he/she is and all that he/she has is from God.
But because of pride and amor propio which is very difficult to conquer, the virtue of humility becomes unpopular. St.
Francis de Sales said: “Pride, human pride dies fifteen minutes after your own death.”
Humility is learned in the family setting. There are many obstacles in our formation on humility. Our society does not value
humility. Just look at TV programs alone, they are filled with all forms of violent behavior. Violence is glorified and appears more
exciting, clever and very much a part of the lives of attractive people. We like action movies; we don’t want the ‘ bida’ to be
oppressed. We want him/her to take revenge. If it is her/his time to take revenge, we clap our hands, we laugh and we even tell
the ‘bida’ to go on. Children are provided with toy guns that help them to mimic the violence they see in TV and movie.
Even watching the evening news, one has the impression that people all over the world are fighting each other. We are
surrounded with violence, so it is not surprising that a six-year-old boy shots to death his ten-year-old brother.
Children are greatly harmed by witnessing and experiencing violence among family members. Wife and children abuses are
becoming prevalent. Various studies show that violence in the home is self-perpetuating. A boy who has an abusive father, whose
mother is the victim of violence in the home, frequently becomes an abusive husband and father himself.
My dear friends, is this the teaching of Christ? No, because the teaching of Christ is today’s gospel is: “If anyone wishes
to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” In other words, it is humility or humble service. Rabindranath Tagore
said: “I slept and dreamed that life is only pleasure. I awoke and saw that life is only service. I served and saw that service is
pleasure.”
_____________
There is an amusing fable about a smart dog who talked out his two friend-ducks to fly him from the north to the south. The dog
prepared for the trip by tying the ends of a long, stout cord at its middle and the trio took off.
The journey was going well until someone on the ground looked up and, marveling at the ingenuity, he shouted, “Hey, that’s
terrific! Whose idea is it?”
In his eagerness to grab the credit, the proud dog opened his mouth to say, “Mine!” letting go of his bite…And the man on the
ground had dog meat for a pulutan.

This idea of greatness of greatness, which is achieved through service or putting oneself for the good of others, is a reminder for
all of us also especially that our idea of greatness is different from His. We think of greatness in terms of titles and high positions,
or outstanding achievements worthy of being reported by television networks or newspapers. Still many of us think of greatness as
having lots of money, even if for some, they are ill-gotten wealth. No wonder there’s a joke that differentiates a thief and politician.
The difference is: the thief steals first then runs while a politician runs first then steals, joke, joke, joke!

These words of Jesus are reminders for us especially that we have attitudes, which I can say, are contrary to the gospel like:

Fr. Jerrry Orbos, SVD in his homily on this gospel passage, said, it can be unahan (me first). He said that we see this in the
Philippines. Like for example, in waiting for a ride, in falling in line at the grocery or at an ATM machine and even in receiving Holy
Communion! Is it just our culture to do this? Is it basic insecurity? Is it plain greed? Whatever! It is a sad commentary about us,
Filipinos, and we claim that we are the only Christian nation in Asia and now it is no more because Timor Leste is a Christian
country too.

Another one is crab mentality. If we are going to put those crabs in a basket, the tendency for these crabs is to climb up. And
every time a crab has already at the top, others at the bottom pull it down. It is the same with us, every time that somebody is
progressing and developing, the tendency for us is to pull this person down and become once again like us.
Still another one is pride or amor propio which is very difficult to conquer and the virtue of humility is becoming unpopular. St.
Francis de Sales said about pride: “Pride, human pride, dies fifteen minutes after your own death.” And so you see.

Actually this gospel passage talks about authentic discipleship. This authentic discipleship has nothing to do with greatness and
power, with position and possession but it consists of being a humble, of being a servant, and being a hero to children.

First is being humble. Socrates, the great Greek philosopher, once pointed out that the world has two kinds of people: the wise,
who know they are fools and the fools, who think they are wise. The wisest philosophers, we would say, accept they are fools and
the greatest saints admit they are sinners. So we can say that there are two kinds of people, the humble and the proud. Even
Bishop Fulton Sheen once said: “There is no one in heaven who did not become humble.”

What are some signs of humility? They are the following: 1) Truth. The truth is to accept that we are from God; that without God
we can do nothing. 2) The person knows how to say, ‘ Sorry.’ Clint Eastwood said: “One has got to know his limitations. To know
that I might be outdated; to welcome new ideas; to realize that I might be mistaken, these are contained in a sincere, ‘I am sorry.’”
3) Forgiveness. Without humility, we cannot forgive ourselves and others. 4) Others. To think of others as better than I am
militates against my basic instinct (Phil 2:3).

Second is being a servant (this is to say, “You first”). This ‘you first’ principle, according to a missionary to Korea, permeates the
culture of Korean people and their way of doing things. Even in drinking sessions, one has to be on the lookout to pour drink for
others. it is impolite for one to pour a drink for oneself. How about here in the Philippines? Each of us is to his own and each on
his own. “Nasaan na ang tagay ko!” many times we shout instead of becoming ‘the gunner’ during drinking session.

Third is being a hero to children. Children look up to us adults. They need heroes who do good things for the common good to
look up to. William Barclay told a story about the great sculptor Thornwaldsen once carved a statue of Jesus. He wanted to see if
the statue would cause the right reaction in those who saw it. So he brought a child to look at it. “Who do you think that is?” he
asked. “Some great man,” the child answered.

Thornwaldsen knew he had failed, so he scrapped the statue. He went to work on a new statue. Again he showed it to the child
and again asked, “Who do you think that is?” The child smiled and answered: “That is Jesus who said, ‘Let the little children come
to me.” Then Thornwaldsen knew he had succeeded.
The test of a child’s eyes is a good test, continued Barclay. If a child thinks a person good, there must be some kind of goodness
in that person. And if a child shrinks away from a person, then that person is surely no Christ-like person. The goodness that can
meet the clear gaze of a child and stand the test of a child’s simplicity is goodness indeed.
_______________

He says, “The first shall be last,” “He who humbles himself shall be exalted,” all expressing a reversal of worldly values.

Then He stressed. “Anyone among you who aspires to greatness must serve the rest and whoever wants to rank first… must
serve the needs of all.”
Jesus’ idea of greatness is achieved through SERVICE. And service means putting oneself for the good of others.
Authority as service applies especially to political leaders. This is why they are called “public servants”?

Trouble is when they are still candidates wooing voters, they promise to serve the people, but once elected, they want to be
served – from service to “serve us”!

There are various types of service. It can take the form of caring for the emotional and psychological needs of others like offering
companionship and friendship, speaking words of hope and encouragement; showing appreciation and giving recognition.

The great teacher Buddha was once asked how one could experience God in reality. He answered: “The great gate of service lies
wide open.”
The great teacher is saying that if we want to find God, we have to go through the gate of charity by serving the needs of our
brothers and sisters. And these people can be our political constituents, family members, students, neighbors, the less fortunate.

LET’S ASK OURSELVES: Do we really believe that the service we do make us great and pleasing before the eyes of God? Are
we doing service lovingly and cheerfully? Or, do we serve grudgingly or enthusiastically only when there is a material reward? Be
cheerful in rendering service for as St. Paul puts it: “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).

___________The story is told about a man who was asked about the difference between a girlfriend and a wife. His simple reply
was: “When my wife was still my girlfriend, she answered all my questions. Now that she is my wife, she questions all my
answers.”

In today’s gospel (Mk. 9, 30-37), Jesus asked His disciples a question that they did not, or perhaps could not, answer. Why?
Because, to their shame, they were discussing who among them was the greatest. The truth of the matter is that the power game
is not over, and a lot of people are still very much hooked to it.

The evil one knows that humility is the key to holiness and true greatness. That is why he specializes in using pride, his greatest
instrument for the destruction and perdition of persons. The temptations connected to pride are strong, and often they are effective
because they are subtle and hidden. We all must be very honest and open. Yes, honesty is the first cousin of humility.
_________________
After the last Mass one Wednesday evening, a parish volunteer approached me, obviously shaken and at the point of tears. She
was holding a baby in her arms. “Whose baby is that?” I asked her. She said, “Father, the mother asked me to hold her baby for a
few minutes. She said she is going to the rest room. It is almost an hour now, and she has not yet returned. What shall I do?” I
was also shocked. How can a mother leave her baby just like that?
At this point, a middle-aged couple was just coming out of the church. I know them for they were regular churchgoers. They had
been coming to church to implore God to give them a child. Seeing the baby, they approached us. I offered to them the baby,
which they readily accepted with tremendous joy and gratitude. Their prayers were answered. For that mother, this baby was a
burden to her, which she cannot bear. But for the childless couple, the baby was God’s answer to their prayers, a great blessing
indeed!
During the time of Jesus - and this still happens until today in many parts of the world - children were considered as nobody. They
have no rights, no power, no voice, and no value in society. But that was not how Jesus looked at them. For Jesus, children are
not only great blessings but are of supreme importance in the kingdom of God: “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them,
for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child
will not enter it” (Mk 10:14-15). Furthermore, in the Gospel this Sunday, the Lord said: “Whoever receives one child such as this in
my name, receives me” (Mk 9:37).

Why did Jesus place a child in their midst? It should be noted that before this, Jesus was teaching his disciples about the
necessity of undergoing his sufferings and death on the cross. And the Gospel said: “But they did not understand the saying, and
they were afraid to question him” (Mk 9:32). Most likely, they heard him very clearly, but they chose to close their minds and
hearts to the Lord’s teaching because they were obsessed with something else: they were discussing and arguing about who was
the greatest among them. While Jesus was talking about his own struggle to become nothing through his self-offering on the
cross, his followers were working out their selfish ambitions for power and shamelessly jostling for position. They were in the midst
of a fierce competition, instead of unity and cooperation.
This explains why there is so much trouble and conflict all around us. The famous author, T.S. Elliot said: “Most of the trouble in
the world is caused by people wanting to be important.” St. James is very clear on this: “For where jealousy and selfish ambition
exist, there is disorder and every foul practice… Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from? Is it not
from your passions that make war within your members?” (James 3:16, 4:1).
So Jesus placed in front of his disciples a small child – somebody who is nobody in society – in order to bring home the point that
greatness is not in being first, not in having more, and not in being important. In the example of a child, greatness is in humility,
simplicity and total dependence on God. In other words, the child is the clear reflection of Jesus. He is like the little child in relation
to his heavenly Father. That is why he said: “Whoever receives one such child as this in my name, receives me.”
In each one of us, there is the adult and the child part. The adult in us is more calculating and security-conscious, goal-oriented
and success-driven, ambitious and proud. But the child in us is carefree and daring, more concerned about celebration and
cooperation, has less interest on ambition, power and success, and does not think of failure and death. Receiving a child as Jesus
teaches simply means to accept the child part of our personality. We do not discard the adult part, but we give chance to the child
part to emerge, so that we will be less afraid, less ambitious, but more authentic in our feelings and expressions, and more willing
to take the leap of faith to follow Jesus. In this kind of disposition, we learn to let go, and let God!
This is precisely what the Lord is teaching us when he said: “Anyone wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all”
(Mk 9:35). We should not be afraid to be last, for we will be the first. We should not be afraid to be the least and the servant of all,
for that is the key to true greatness. And let us not be afraid to be like little children, for that is the way to inherit the kingdom of
God.
A quotation aptly puts it: “It takes a lot of littleness in order to be great.” Are we looking for happiness and peace? Try what R.H.
Benson realized: “To feel extraordinarily small and unimportant is always a wholesome feeling.”
____________
In today’s Gospel (Mk. 9:30-37), Jesus teaches His disciples: “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the
servant of all.” Like the disciples, we, too, argue a lot about who is the greatest, who is right, who is most holy. And like the
disciples, we all need to learn so much more about humility. Yet all we need to learn is to be like a child again.

Listen to a proud person talking. After the initial admiration or amusement, you will soon experience boredom, and eventually, pity.
Why? You quickly realize that the proud desperately need attention, affirmation, and self-worth. Pity the proud. They are so full of
insecurities and fears.