taking responsibility - 1st sunday advent A 2013

Today we start advent – our time of preparation for the two comings of our Lord.  His coming on the last day when he will judge the living and the dead and his coming on Christmas, his first coming to redeem the world.  The message of today’s gospel fits well the first preparation – the preparation for the final judgment.  On that night the gospel says there will be two men in one bed; one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left. 

What is the message of today’s gospel?  It is this:  there are times in my life when I have to face things on my own, when I learn to accept the outcome as a consequence of my decision and take responsibility for the consequences of my action or inaction.  There has to be that time when I have to stop finger-pointing and start accepting personal accountability. 

Sa klase namon sa first year college ginsingganan ko sila nga mabasa naton sa sala ni Adan kag ni Eba ang ginatawag naton nga psychology of sin.  Nga kon makasala gani kita mangita kita sang rason agod nga ang pamasol indi magtupa sa aton. Or if could not avoid it completely at least ma mitigate, mapamag-an ang aton guilt kag pamasol.  Ngaa napierdi kita sa football – injustice der, injustice gid ya.  Ngaa nagalinapta naman ang sagbot.  Ang lower years der.  Ginsaway nyo?  Indi man sila magpasaway.  There is always that natural tendency to reason out, to transfer the blame, to point to others as the real source of mistakes.  But that could not go on for Jesus said,  two men are out in the field; one will be taken and the other left.  I cannot

There are times in my life when I have to single-handedly, unaided by anyone, fight for what I believe, as there are times when you alone are accountable and have to face squarely the consequences of your actions and decisions.

In the coming days I will ask the fourth year high school what is your decision, would you still want to continue or would you rather find your vocation elsewhere?  I hope I will not get answers like, my parents want me to study engineering, my friends are going to college outside so magguwa man ko, or my best friend is proceeding so I will also proceed.  You are avoiding responsibility.  You are evading, you are dodging accountability.  In the end you have to remember what Jesus said, two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.  You chart your own destiny.

In the coming days we will examine how the fourth year college pray.  How do you pray to God?  Who is God for you?  How do you relate with him in prayer?  Very important because how you pray determines your docility to the call of God, it determines your willingness, your openness to a vocation, whatever that vocation is.  Even here accountability is important for the call may come from God but the willingness to follow is a decision you alone can make.  I cannot make it for you.  Your parents cannot make it for you.  The expectations of your fans club cannot make it for you.  You alone can choose to follow or not, for two men will be out in the field;
one will be taken, and one will be left; two women will be grinding at the mill;  one will be taken, and one will be left.