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The
highest courage is to dare to be yourself in the face of adversity,
choosing right over wrong, ethics over convenience, and truth over
popularity.
Travel the path of integrity without looking back, for THERE IS
NEVER A WRONG TIME TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
-
Bishop Soc Villegas
25 July 2007
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ON MARY, MISSION AND MARTYRDOM
September 8, 2008
Today we celebrate the birthday of our Mother Mary. And today we
commemorate the 11th death anniversary of our brothers Ben Donato and
Jun Frias. Ben and Jun died in a car accident while on mission in
Vanuatu. They gave their lives for the sake of the call. A definition
of “martyr” is one who sacrifices something of great value and
especially life itself for the sake of principle. Ben and Jun were our
first martyrs on mission. To be a martyr is to be a witness. Ben and
Jun truly witnessed to the love and way of Christ.
Today we look at life and death, at rejoicing and at grieving, at
being amazed and being troubled. There will be many times when the two
seemingly opposed aspects come together in a package. Mary was greatly
troubled at what the angel Gabriel told her, but burst out with joyful
exuberant praise in her Magnificat. Mary would have been
overjoyed as she and Joseph were amazed at the words of Simeon when
Jesus was presented at the temple, while at the same time would have
been troubled when told that she would be pierced by a sword (Lk
2:33-35). We grieve at the deaths of Ben and Jun, but we rejoice in
their new life in heaven.
We look at our own lives in Christ. There are ups and downs, joys and
sorrows, victories and seeming defeats. Accepting Jesus as Savior and
Lord does not translate to a life of ease and comfort. On the
contrary. Even as we have accepted Jesus as our Savior and Lord, or
perhaps precisely because we have accepted him as such and are now
serving him, we will face difficulties in life. The enemy opposes and
oppresses God’s people, especially those who do mission for Him. We
may even be called on to give our very lives for the cause of Christ.
Though we may be troubled by such a possibility, we must rejoice at
such a privilege. In speaking about himself and his love for us, Jesus
says he tells us these things so that his joy might be in us and that
our joy might be complete (Jn 15:11). Jesus then gives us the
commandment of love, and says: “No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (Jn 15:13).
Today I honor our brothers Ben and Jun, who gave their lives for the
cause of Christ in pursuance of his mission. They walked the way of
Jesus, who himself showed the way to true love by giving his life for
us all. Let us never forget the supreme sacrifice of our brothers, and
let us be inspired by their total commitment to mission.
Joy and sorrow. Life and death. Whatever happens, we must never be
robbed of our joy in Christ. Even as Jesus told his disciples that he
would be leaving them and they themselves would be scattered, he told
them that they should have peace in him. Such is possible, given the
reality of Christ in our lives. “In the world you will have trouble,
but take courage, I have conquered the world.” (Jn 16:33).
When Ben and Jun were retrieved from their car that had plunged into a
pool of water by the road, Ben was seen clutching a rosary in his
hand. They had been praying the rosary. That should be the way to gobeing
on the Father’s mission, anointed by the Spirit, praying to Mary,
rejoicing in Christ.
I do not know why God allowed the lives of two good men to be taken
that day. I cannot fully understand the inscrutable mind of God. But
what I do know is that today we have two intercessors before the
throne room of God, praying for our mission. What I do know is that
our two brothers have gone on ahead of us, to the place where we
ourselves all long to be. What I do know is that they are in the
loving embrace of our Mother Mary. And what I do know is that now we
are very much more aware that as we go on mission, we might be called
upon to make the ultimate sacrifice, giving our lives for the cause of
Christ.
Things may not work out according to our desires and designs. But if
we remain in Christ, all things work for our good. “Amen, amen, I
say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you
will grieve, but your grief will become joy.” (Jn 16:20). Grief and
joy. Weeping and rejoicing. They often come together. But if we remain
in him, Jesus himself assures us: “your hearts will rejoice, and no
one will take your joy away from you.” (Jn 16:22). Our hearts, like
Mary, may be pierced, but our joy in Christ remains.
Our Mother Mary was born to life. Our brothers Ben and Jun died, and
were born to eternal life. Mary then gave birth to Jesus, who became
the Savior of the world. Our brothers Ben and Jun have given birth to
greater fruit in our mission to proclaim Jesus to the world, thus
bringing new life in Christ to many others. “Amen, amen, I say to
you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains
just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” (Jn
12:24). Let us honor the sacrifice of our martyrs Ben and Jun by
giving even more of ourselves for our mission of evangelization.
We are greatly privileged to be missionaries, Marian, and martyrs. Let
us move on with exultant joy.
God bless you all.
Frank Padilla
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