Binhi sang Pagtuo
April 20, 2009
Dear Centralians and Friends,
Greetings from the Chaplain’s Office!
Our reflection for this week comes from Luke 24:13-49. This is the story of two followers of Jesus on the road to Emmaus – about 11 kilometers from Jerusalem, two hours of walking distance. This is one of the stories after the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The two men were talking about what happened in Jerusalem – the suffering and death of Jesus, the one whom they were all hoping to redeem Israel, and that it was now three days after his death. They were sad, disappointed and on the brink of losing hope. The setting of their journey was towards the sunset – a symbol of death. Their conversation with Jesus gave them hope – a hope beyond the sunset.
Let us reflection on three things:
First, Jesus will help us open our eyes and make us realize that there is always hope. To hope is to have faith. Hebrews 11:1 says, “What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we look forward to is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead.”
There was a great reversal in their situation. At first, they were walking away from Jerusalem, but after Jesus opened their eyes, they immediately went back to Jerusalem – as symbol that there is now hope. We, too, should open our eyes and help in opening the eyes of our brothers and sisters.
Second, Jesus gives us peace. Jesus appeared to the gathered disciples and said to them, “Peace be with you. As the father sent me, so I send you.” Jesus knows that our world is thirsty of peace. In Hiligaynon, Shalom (Hebrew of peace) is more than kalinong. It is also kasulhayan, kabuganaan kag kaginhawaan.
We have the responsibility to be bringers of peace. Jesus told them that his father sent him to bring peace, and he is also sending us to bring peace.
Third, Jesus sends us the Holy Spirit to sustain us in our mission of opening the eyes of the people to the truth, and in our mission as peace bringers. The Holy Spirit fills us with power to do our assigned tasks.
Dunamis (Greek of power) gives us two words in English – dynamo and dynamite. Dynamo is a generator of electricity from mechanical energy. To be a dynamo means to be dynamic – to be full of energy, enthusiasm, and a sense of purpose and able both to get things going and to get things done. Dynamite on the other hand is an explosive, and is very harmful and dangerous.
Let us be a dynamo of peace, and not a dynamite that destroys peace.
Like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, let our hearts burn with passion as we do our Christian mission.
May God bless us all!
Sincerely,
Pastor Francis Neil G. Jalando-on
Assistant Chaplain
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Chaplain's Office Website: http://www.cpu.edu.ph/chaplain
Audio Sermons of Binhi sang Pagtuo: http://binhi.4shared.com
Blog: http://cpuchaplain.blogspot.com
April 20, 2009
Dear Centralians and Friends,
Greetings from the Chaplain’s Office!
Our reflection for this week comes from Luke 24:13-49. This is the story of two followers of Jesus on the road to Emmaus – about 11 kilometers from Jerusalem, two hours of walking distance. This is one of the stories after the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The two men were talking about what happened in Jerusalem – the suffering and death of Jesus, the one whom they were all hoping to redeem Israel, and that it was now three days after his death. They were sad, disappointed and on the brink of losing hope. The setting of their journey was towards the sunset – a symbol of death. Their conversation with Jesus gave them hope – a hope beyond the sunset.
Let us reflection on three things:
First, Jesus will help us open our eyes and make us realize that there is always hope. To hope is to have faith. Hebrews 11:1 says, “What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we look forward to is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead.”
There was a great reversal in their situation. At first, they were walking away from Jerusalem, but after Jesus opened their eyes, they immediately went back to Jerusalem – as symbol that there is now hope. We, too, should open our eyes and help in opening the eyes of our brothers and sisters.
Second, Jesus gives us peace. Jesus appeared to the gathered disciples and said to them, “Peace be with you. As the father sent me, so I send you.” Jesus knows that our world is thirsty of peace. In Hiligaynon, Shalom (Hebrew of peace) is more than kalinong. It is also kasulhayan, kabuganaan kag kaginhawaan.
We have the responsibility to be bringers of peace. Jesus told them that his father sent him to bring peace, and he is also sending us to bring peace.
Third, Jesus sends us the Holy Spirit to sustain us in our mission of opening the eyes of the people to the truth, and in our mission as peace bringers. The Holy Spirit fills us with power to do our assigned tasks.
Dunamis (Greek of power) gives us two words in English – dynamo and dynamite. Dynamo is a generator of electricity from mechanical energy. To be a dynamo means to be dynamic – to be full of energy, enthusiasm, and a sense of purpose and able both to get things going and to get things done. Dynamite on the other hand is an explosive, and is very harmful and dangerous.
Let us be a dynamo of peace, and not a dynamite that destroys peace.
Like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, let our hearts burn with passion as we do our Christian mission.
May God bless us all!
Sincerely,
Pastor Francis Neil G. Jalando-on
Assistant Chaplain
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Chaplain's Office Website: http://www.cpu.edu.ph/chaplain
Audio Sermons of Binhi sang Pagtuo: http://binhi.4shared.com
Blog: http://cpuchaplain.blogspot.com
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