FROM OUR BRETHREN... A CHRISTIAN DENOMINATION THAT IS IN UNION WITH US IN OPPOSING THE FALLACIES OF THE RH/RP "LAW" AND THE OTHER DEATH BILLS: “God's People Never Lose Heart”

“God's People Never Lose Heart” 

October 20, 2013

The 22nd Sunday of the Christian Season of Ordinary Time/Kingdomtide/Time of the Church

Genesis 32: 3 - 8; 22 – 30/Psalm 121/2 Timothy 3:14-4:5 / Luke 18: 1 - 8a

His Excellency

The Most Reverend Ariel Cornelio P. Santos D.D.

Auxiliary Bishop and Locum Tenens

of the 

Archdiocese of Manila

the 

National Church in the Philippines 

and the 

Territorial Church of Asia

International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church

You may have come across this picture of an elderly couple and below which, they are asked, “How did you manage to stay together for so long?” The couple’s answer is, “Well, we come from a time where if something is broken, we fix it. You don’t throw it away.  We don’t give up.  We don’t lose heart.”  Would the generation of today have the same attitude and learn the same lesson? 

I was taught in my elementary school by my religion teacher that praying should have four ingredients in it.  He used the acronym: ACTS.  A –acclamation; C– contrition or confession; T– thanksgiving; S– supplication or request.  How many of you realize that there is a one way of communicating with God? From us to Him – we say something and we expect Him to listen.  Prayer is a communication.  It must be two way:  we say something to God and we expect Him to listen; and He says something to us and He has more right to expect us to listen because many times, what He says has a lot more sense than what we have to say. 

There is the other way of communication and is also called prayer – when we listen to Him; when we become still; and when we meditate and we learn from Him because He has something to say to us. 

St. Augustine says, “We pray to One who knows what we need before we ask it. Why should He ask us to pray, when He knows what we need before we ask him? This question may perplex us if we do not realize that our God does not want to know what we want because He cannot fail to know it; but rather, He wants us rather to exercise our desire through our prayers so that we may be able to receive what He is preparing to give us.” In my own words, my definition of praying is desiring for God’s will to be fulfilled; and so we ask, we listen, and we act toward that end without giving up. Praying is desiring for God’s will to be done.  This is what Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  We are not to lose heart, to grow weary.  We are to be patient, to endure and to persevere in prayer. 

In the gospel, Jesus told the disciples a parable to show that at all times, we are to pray and not lose heart.  You have heard me say that Catholic means at all times, in all places, by all.  Catholic at all times also means not giving up because at all times, we are not to cease praying.  This was Paul’s instruction to us in the New Testament. 

In the gospel, it shows us the widow who in the Bible is one who has no spiritual covering because her husband died which is why the Church comes to their aide and becomes a husband to her, a provider and a spiritual covering.   As the Church, we should have more perseverance than the widow because we are covered and our needs are met.   Unlike in the parable, God is not an unrighteous judge. He is a righteous judge who knows what is best for us and when. 

God already knows what we are going to ask Him, even before we ask it.  If we ask for an egg, He will not give us a snake.  If we, in ignorance, ask for a snake, He will give us an egg because in His wisdom and His love for us and according to His will, which is supposed to be our prayer for His will to be done, He answers us.   We are not to lose heart and we are to continue to pray without giving up; and with endurance, we continue. 

In 2Timothy, Paul encourages us to continue in the things we have learned, which is the will of God.  Preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season, which means at all times and with great patience.  Notice the words I am using:  with great patience and endurance; continue; at all times, in season and out of season.   Paul warns Timothy, “People will not appreciate you. They will reject the truth.  They will want their ears tickled. They would fulfill their own desires.”  But Paul encourages Timothy, “You be sober.  Be calm, be steadfast, not losing heart.  Endure hardship.  Preach the gospel. Fulfill your ministry. Continue to pray.  Listen and act for God’s will to be done.” 

Jacob showed us an example in the Old Testament reading.  He was striving against God!  Wrestling with God!  Can you wrestle with a three hundred pound muscular guy?  Try God!  Jacob wrestled with God and prevailed – not just with God but with men!  He continued and did not give up and lose heart until he got the answer.  Whatever it took, it injured him for the rest of his life, but he did not give up. 

In Matthew 10:16, Jesus says to His disciples, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves.” The sheep is the prey; the wolf is the predator.   Jesus sends us out as prey to the predator. He advises us to be wise.  He said, “You will be persecuted. You will be put to shame.  You will be insulted.  You will be hated.  You will be betrayed.”  Jesus says, “You go to another city and do it again. Don’t give up.”

I quote Mother Teresa on not losing heart: 

“People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.  Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.  Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.

Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.  Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.  Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.  Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten.  Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.  Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God.  It was never between you and them anyway.”

Such encouraging words from somebody who has proven herself and is on her way to sainthood.  Jesus never sinned and only did good.  He came to His own and they received Him not.  He knew they would betray and seek to kill Him.  He came and died for them anyway.   Having stood, He stood some more. 

2Corinthians 4:16 says, “We do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying (because of persecution and opposition), yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.  For momentary, light affliction is producing for us something eternal.”  Galatians 6:9 -10 encourages us, “Do not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us continue to do good.”  James 1:12 says, “Blessed is he who perseveres because he will receive the crown of life, but he has to continue on.” 

There was this black American jazz artist in the 1980’s and she sang “Better Days,” which she learned from her grandmother and it was about persevering and then seeing better days.  She had a lot of soul in her that she has double negatives and the other expressions in her song.

You can't get to no
Better days 
Unless you make it
Through the night (baby)
Oh ho, you will see
Those better days
But you gotta be patient
Child, do you hear me, yeah
Well, well, well, well
You can't get to no, no
Better days
Unless you make it
You got to make it
You got to make it
Through the night.

Jesus said, “He who endures to the end, it is they who shall see salvation.”  2Thessalonians 3:13-15 says, “Do not grow weary of doing good. And if anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, correct him; yet, not as an enemy, but as a brother.” We are not to give up on anyone because everyone of our brothers is he for whom Jesus died.  Correct him, yet not as an enemy, but as a brother.  Don’t give up on him. 

Hebrews 12:1-3, “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has set down at the right hand of the throne of God.   For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart.”

The sin which so easily entangles us is what I would call the sin of omission.  It is not walking according to the divine nature, power and ability in us.   This is to me, according to the gospel, is a greater sin than what we call heinous crimes.  Jesus was more offended by the fig tree that did not bear fruit; the nation, the kingdom of God that did not bear fruit; the servant who hid his talent underground.   Sin is not walking according to the divine nature in us; sin is running away from challenges and losing heart.   We are given instruction not to lose heart and not to grow weary because it is wickedness if we do. 

Psalms 78:9 says, “The sons of Ephraim were archers equipped with bows,
Yet they turned back in the day of battle.” They were equipped like we are, yet they shrank back and grew weary and did not endure. God was not pleased with them.  2Timothy1:7 says, “God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power, and love and concern for others and discipline or endurance.” 

Hebrews 10:38, “The righteous shall live by faith; but God has no pleasure in those who shrink back.” Shrinking back is wickedness according to the parable because God has equipped us.  He expects to go on and not grow weary and not lose heart.  In 2Timothy2, St. Paul mentions three vocations: soldier; athlete; farmer.  All of them require patience, discipline, endurance, perseverance.   He told Timothy, “Suffer hardship with me because we are soldiers, athletes and farmers. We can endure all things.  Discipline yourself.” In 1Timothy, he says to strive; take pains and persevere. Paul says in Romans 5:3 to persevere in tribulations.  This is coming from somebody who was left for dead.  He picked himself up and went to another city according to his itinerary expecting persecutions.  He did not give up. 

In the parable of the sower, the seed on good soil are those who hold fast the Word and bear fruit with perseverance.  In Romans 8:25, Paul says that, “If we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.” 

All of these things encourage us not to give up, not to lose heart, not to grow weary when we pray at all times.  My definition of praying is letting our request be known to God, listening to Him, and acting for the will of God to be done.  Psalms 37 encourages us to rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him.  Psalms 40:1 says, “I waited patiently for the Lord and He heard my cry.” 

Let us be encouraged not to give up.  This is not our nature.  The divine nature in us is of power, love, endurance, discipline, and ability.  Jesus said, “In this world, you will have trials and tribulations, but fear not.  Do not lose heart for I have overcome the world.”  You overcome with me!  We sing, “We shall reign with Him and we are rulers to reign over all with Him.” 

Jesus says, “If you say to this mulberry tree to be uprooted, it will be.”  This is because we have the ability and we can overcome.  If we say to the mountain, “Be thrown into the sea,” it will obey us because we can overcome any mountain.  This is the nature of God in us.  When we do face trials and tribulation, mountains and mulberry trees, what do we do?  James says, “Count it all joy when you face trials.”  Be honored because God trusts you that much.  He believes you can handle it.  If you shrink back, you are actually saying to God, “You made a mistake in evaluating my ability.  This is too much for me, and so I am giving up.”    You are wrong, but count it all joy and see the opportunity of conquering and overcoming and growing from there. 

Winston Churchill, the World War II Prime Minister of Great Britain, said, “The pessimist sees the problem in every opportunity.  The optimist sees the opportunity in every problem.” This should be our attitude.  Every mountain is an opportunity to overcome because God won’t allow us to go through something beyond what we are able to bear.  This is Christianity 101.  God knows we can conquer and overcome.  We are not to lose heart.  Our life is hidden with Christ in God.  Our life, our strength, our whole is in Him. Why are we not to lose heart?  This is because our life in the kingdom is eternal. 

St. Augustine says, “The days do not come and go in succession, and the beginning of one day does not mean the end of another; all days are one, simultaneously and without end, and the life lived out in these days has itself no end.” This is our eternal life in the kingdom of God.  This is the way it is in His kingdom.

LET US CONTINUE OUR REFLECTION 

WITH

HIS EMINENCE, THE MOST REVEREND LUIS ANTONIO "CHITO" GOKIM TAGLE  D.D.

ARCHBISHOP OF MANILA, 

CARDINAL OF HOLY MOTHER CHURCH

AND 

VENERABLE PRIMATE

OF THE PHILIPPINES

THROUGH

THE WORD EXPOSED