Early this morning I received a message from Fr. Fred Guadalupe, our missionary in Solomon Islands, asking if I had a homily to share for New Year’s Day.
He regularly follows my Sunday homilies on Facebook, and he must have missed the one for Christmas. I actually did not intend to post any homily for Christmas or the New Year. When I learned of his expectation, I immediately got to my computer and jotted some raw ideas and scattered thoughts on the feast of Mary, Mother of God, to send to him for whatever use he may have of them. So, here they are.
- Yesterday, Carla Gomez, a journalist from Digicast Negros, texted me and asked about my wishes for the New Year. Impulsively, I wrote, “health and safety for all, end of pandemic and killings in Negros.” As I was about to send the text, I arrested myself and thought deeper. All this would be wishful thinking, if we don’t do what is more fundamental and necessary. And so, I added a third item, “return to God and his ways.”
- All our present woes, whether they be from the pandemic, extra-judicial killings, global warming, poverty, corruption, insurgency… or even Church scandals – all have the same root-cause. We have turned away from God and his ways. We have destroyed the order he originally put in creation. Discarding God from our life, we made ourselves our own gods. That is what Adam and Eve did when they disobeyed God. And because of that, chaos, suffering and death came into the world.
- That is why St. Augustine has a simple understanding of peace. (Today the Church observes the 53rd World Day of Peace.) He defines peace as tranquilitas ordinis (literally, tranquility of order). Peace is the serenity and harmony that comes from order, specifically the original order put by God in creation. In short, peace is possible only when we restore what God wills for our life and for the world. Pope John XXIII perfectly articulates this truth in his motto, Oboedientia et Pax (Obedience and Peace).
- By her Fiat, Mary exemplifies perfect obedience and its overwhelming effect. “Mary’s initial ‘yes’ to God’s proposal has set in motion events of cosmic proportions – too great for a simple village girl to take in all at once.” (Sr. Dianzon) Because of her yes, the Word became flesh… God was made man… Heaven wedded earth… Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth… Salvation finally came, not only for Israel but for all peoples…
- In the same way, our obedience to God can work wonders not only in us but beyond us and beyond our expectation. Why? Because when we submit our will to God, it is no longer we but God who works in us.
- We have ahead of us a new year, a new life and a new beginning. Let us start with the right foot and head for the right direction. Let us seek God’s will at every step and we can be sure that 2021 will be a Year of Peace. Oboedientia et Pax. Happy New Year!*