NewsRecord Weekly Publication

Homily from Monte Agudo

By Rev. Fr. Rafael E. Cabarles, OAR

The priest 2

Excerpt 2 of the homily delivered during the 

25th Sacerdotal Anniversary of Rev. Fr. Jorge Peligro, OAR 

Independent: he is expected to be self-sufficient. He falls on the way-few willing hands lift him up. He lapses-his lot is seldom one of sympathy. He can be weak and impatient-no one understands. In the midst of finance and administration, in his own mind his vision of priesthood can be lost, if he cannot see it himself. Drained from generosity-burn out of his own selfishness. He needs your prayers as he stands alone. He is another Christ, in spite of all."

Yes, we are another Christ in spite of our unworthiness. We are 'Alter Christus' with the mission and power of Christ. You can call us any name you want: ignorant, traitors or sinners. Yes, we bow our heads and we accept that. When we start our Mass, we acknowledge our failure by praying: "I confess to Almighty God" and just before receiving Communion we pray: "Lord, I am not worthy."

As we live together, we try our best to live up to the challenge of Christ when he said: "Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men." Meaning: continue focusing on people not on programs. Build people not buildings. Touch people's lives.

"Come follow me and you will be my witnesses." Meaning: people believe more on witnesses than priests. People believe on priests if they are witnesses. It is not the style of clothes one wears, nor the kind of car one drives, nor the amount of money in a bank, nor the position or rank that counts. It is simply SERVICE that measures SUCCESS.

Continue being a plow and not a bulldozer. Bulldozer scrapes people but a plow cultivates people.

Be not a ruler but a rubber band. A ruler is always 12 inches long-nothing more, nothing less. Rubber band functions when it is stretched, so be flexible, adaptable. In matters of principle, stand like a rock. But in matters of policies be flexible. Disagree but not disagreeable.

Be remembered not how big you built a bone fire, but be remembered how many person you have kept warm. People try to be remembered by writing their names in the sand-it rained and their names were erased. Some wrote their names in the trunk of the trees, typhoon came and their names were erased. Some curved their names in marble slabs-earthquakes came and their names were erased. If you want to be remembered forever-write your name in the hearts of men.

Try always to look for new and better ways of doing things. Learn to say no to the good in order to say yes to the best, because the good is the worst enemy of the best. Never be satisfied with enough because enough is defined as the worst of the best and the best of the worst.

Brothers and sisters, "sa pagkat kami ay tao lamang." Kami mapandol, masukamud, makasala.  However, it doesn't matter how many mistakes we commit every day. What matters is how many the same we commit every day. The only real mistakes we commit is when we don't learn from our mistakes. Christ did not promise that all his priests will become instant, perfect saints.

Rephrasing the words of Shylock, in "Merchant of Venice" by Shakespeare he said: "Had not a PRIEST eyes? Organs, dimensions, senses and affection, passion? Feed by the same food? Hurt by the same weapon? Subject to the same diseases? Healed by the means? Warm and cold by the same summer and winter? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh?"

Yes, we are another Christ because when we baptize, it is Christ who baptizes; when we forgive sins, it is Christ who forgives.  Once

Cardinal Vidal once said during an ordination: "Don't you know that when people clap their hands during your ordination, they are also crucifying you?"

Fr. Jorge, Don't be afraid. Pagpadayon. Continue singing your theme: "I will sing forever of your love, Oh Lord! (Psalm 89)

Ayaw gayud kahadlok kay ang aton Ginoo nakahibalo sa mga kasakit sa imong kasing-kasing. Si Kristo ang una nga Pari nga nakatagamtam sa sini nga mga kalisud, sa wala pa ikaw makatagamtam. Ug dumdum nga ang kangitngit sa Viernes Santo mao ang nakahatag ug kahayag sa pagbanhaw sa Ginoo. Mao man ang matabo nimo.

Rest be assured, Fr. Jorge, sa mga pag-ampo sa imong mga kaigsuonan nga mga kaparian nga wala dinhi ug ni-a dinhi karon nagasaulog sa imong 25th anniversary sa pagkapari. Isip sakop sa Recoletos, ayaw guid magbulag sa grupo parehas ni Tomas nga madudahon sa Evangelio nga wala makakita sa Ginoo tungod kay nagbulag siya.

Wherever you are assigned, love your people, love your community. Bloom wherever you are planted.

And you, brothers and sisters, remember the word PRIEST. With the six letters are also your six responsibilities to a priest. P-pray for him. R-respect him. I-inspire him. E-encourage him. S-support him. T-trust him.

Together with St. Francis of Assisi, let us pray for Fr. Jorge and for all of us, priests, that we may all continue to be instruments of charity, so that:

"Where there is hatred, we may sow love. Where there is injury-pardon. Where there is discord-union. Where there is doubt-faith. Where there is darkness-light. Where there is sadness-joy."