Authentic Christian witness

There have been men and women gone before us who are raised to the altars officially by the Church as saints. They are set as examples of heroic virtue and holiness. We do not speak of them here in connection with today’s Gospel. We speak rather about God’s children who are still engaged in life’s battles. Already, they have gained victory over evil and have managed to be in close communion with God, while not neglecting their duties to the world, or allow their keen interest in human affairs to suffer abatement.

We get to know the real meaning of Christianity by observing the living aspect in our present lives. We might have the advanced religious learning, we might be the most brilliant among existing theologians or biblical scholars; we might have the reputation of being a most popular preacher who can hold an audience laughing over witty jokes. However, with all this, we lose all significance when our preaching is exhibited in labeled cases — mummied specimens of human thought, preserved in the wrappings of erudition or pedantic arrogance.

The meaning of living words that come out of the experiences of great hearts can never be explained by any one system of logical interpretation. The Gospel teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, holiness of life as expressed in His Beatitudes — blessed are you poor in spirit, meek, humble, pure of heart, patient in suffering for justice’ sake…(Mt 5). These are not just enunciated; they have to be endlessly explained by the examples of individual lives. Otherwise, we have no business preaching if we ourselves do not practice what we preach.

How do we teach love if we are indifferent towards one another? How promote humanity if we use people to the hilt as if they are mere commodities? How can we be humble if we perform works to be seen or seek the first places in church and banquets? How can we be meek if we are that hostile and arrogant towards our fellowmen? How can we be poor in spirit when even in actual life-style we are extravagantly wallowing in luxury; when greed is a venom in our accumulations of material possessions?

We might as well canonize even here on earth the good husband who refrains from smoking, drinking, womanizing and all forms of vice; who spends his last centavo so that his family will be well provided, at least with the basic necessities including family recreations for bonding together on weekends. The mother who sees the love of God in her husband and who takes good care of her children’s needs physically, emotionally, morally and is the promoter of family prayer together. The poor student who manages to work by day and studies late afternoons, who hopes to lift the quality of life of his siblings and at the same time help his poor parents when he finishes his studies. The boy in Payatas dumpsite who saved the life of his baby sister and that of another buried in the garbage landslide; the widow who, single-handed, brings up her children; all those who give of their time, treasure and talent to the poor and disabled in secret without fanfare; those who suffer in silence and make of their pain an offering to God and many more steeped in the Beatitudes. Blessed are the unsung heroes of God and Good News to the world.

Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time, Matthew 23:1-12.