st. josaphat - 32nd week tuesday 2013

Christianity is a divided church.  Christianity in the world today is composed of 63 percent Catholics, 13 percent Eastern Churches, that includes the Greek Orthodox Churches, and 23 percent Protestants.  But all in all Christianity is just 29 percent of the world population because 71 percent is non-Christian.  In the 1500’s Christians were literally at war with each other.  Europe was aflame because of Catholics and Protestants.  And in Russia and in the Baltic Nations  Catholics were at war with Orthodox churches.  It is a scandal even until now that the followers of Jesus cannot see eye to eye.

Then came our saint for today, St. Josaphat.  He worked for union with the bishop of Rome, the pope, because he believed that what really separated Christians from one another is hardness of heart – the hardness of heart that made so much fuss about insignificant things like differences in language and customs.  He became a monk in what was then the Ruthenian Rite.  Kita nga mga Catolico ginatawag kita nga Latin Rite ukon Roman Rite tungod kay ang aton ritwal sa misa nagasunod sa tradisyon sang Roma.  Pero may ara man nga Ruthenian Rite tungod kay ang ila iya ritwal kombinasyon sang Griego kag Russian pero catolico sila sa gihapon.  Ang kinalain lang ang ritwal ukon mga ginagamit sa misa kag mga pangamuyo.  St. Josaphat would have wanted to demonstrate that one can be catholic and yet practice different kind of rite that they were used to.  He wanted to show them that unity is not a matter of uniformity in rituals but unity in our faith in Jesus.  Ang nagapa-isa sa aton indi ang ritwal kundi ang aton pagtuo, ang aton ginatuohan. 

But people were suspicious and one day a mob came up to him.  He was stabbed with a sword and he was finished off with a bullet from a gun.  He was martyred.  Josaphat really worked hard for Christian unity, he worked hard convincing people that the Lord intended and in fact prayed that all who believed in him may be one as he and the Father are one.  Josaphat worked hard for that.  And what did he get?  A sword and a bullet.  His body was even thrown on the river.  What can we learn from his life? Let us look at the gospel today.

Many of us Christians live our Christianity by doing what is asked from us, by doing what is required.  So it is enough that we go to mass on Sunday, it is enough that we donate to the church once in a while, it is enough that we help the poor who come to us.  So when somebody does extra, when somebody walks the extra mile, when somebody spends extra time, spends extra effort we say, baw grabe ba, ginapatay-patayan mo gid na, nagpa-martyr ka gid da.  In the time of Josaphat the Latin Rite Catholics were not even enthusiastic about his work.  Wala man gani nila na-appreciar nga ginapabalik ni Josafat ang mga Griego sa Catholic church.  But he was not appreciated, he was not even supported not just by one side but by both sides.  Kon hina lang to pagtuo ni St. Josapaht siguro masiling sia, kon indi man bala kamo ngaa hagi gid ko diri paggamo.  But that is what martyrdom is and that is what people who are content with what is just required cannot understand.  A Christian who does only what is required?

But here is another Christian.  He does more than what is required but many times, because he did more, because he walked the extra mile he also put God in his debt.  We feel nga may utang na ang Dios sa aton because we did more for him.  Again that is another attitude met head on by our gospel today.  kita ang may utang sa Dios indi kay sia ang may utang sa aton.  Again we see an example in Josaphat.  Did he claim any privilege?  Did he make claims because he has done more?  No.  He even accepted his death as part of his desire to better serve Christian unity.

Bottom line is this:  our belief is not simply a creed.   It is a relationship, a loving relationship with God.  And when the relationship is founded on love wala kita naga-isipay, indi bala?

Today the bishops have asked us to hold a nine day novena for the victims of the typhoon.  These are difficult times for all of us.  Sa adlaw sang Bagyo ang mga kabataan sa seminario nag-vigil, pangadi sang Santo Rosaryo.  Ako iya indi mapakali nag-prosesyon ga ako lang dala rosarito kag perdon libot nga libot sa seminario.  Today the Lord is asking us to walk the extra mile not just because we have been spared the heaviest brunt of the typhoon but because we love requires us to do so, to be martyrs, to show our love and compassion for the suffering.