David's Reflections

Family Reunion: God Is Ever So Good

Six siblings. Six out of eleven came for our 2016 Family Reunion. Three days of fun with all 33 of us, including one-year old babies Caleb and Sky. Fun at the beach and laughter at the table. It was sweet to watch my children reconnect with their cousins and cousins' children close to their ages. Many of the kids were calling my 12-year old son, Jacob, "Uncle Jacob." Carmen had a blast playing card games with her young adult cousins, who are mostly in their mid thirties. The last time we were in the Philippines was in 2011. This reunion is a good time to create new memories and strengthen fellowship with relatives and families.

The hardest part for me is seeing my brother battle cancer. Even at this family gathering, we all could see his fight to stay with us, and enjoy the short time with love ones. I remember waking up to his guitar music and him singing praises to our God in the early hours of the morning. "When I sing songs to our God, I feel the pain leave me and sense God's visitation in my life," he shared to us siblings at one of our chat time. It was hard for me to watch, but God is ever so good. He is bringing restoration and healing in my brother's life. 

So, we continue to play on the ocean and enjoy our food and time together. My brother comes and joins us whenever he is able. One of the most memorable photo we have is of my brother lying in bed and looking over his side towards one of the children blowing soap bubbles in the air. We shared stories. We told jokes. We made fun of our little quirks and what-not. In all of these, God is ever so good. He is transforming our lives, and for my brother, our Lord is demonstrating His love in and through my brother's struggle with cancer. God is faithful.

Do You Know Mary?

When people look at Mary, what do they see? Do they see a helpless teenager pregnant with a child she believes is divinely conceived? Or do they see a struggling mother-to-be making sense of her life as a chosen one?

In the text, we see Mary receiving her blessings (Luke 1:48). People will call her “blessed” for many years to come. And yet, we still have to answer the first question: What do they see in Mary? I have some suggestions that relate to the whole Christmas narrative.

When people look at Mary, they see God’s inclusion of everyone in the Lord’s plan of salvation. When a derelict teenager or a woman with a child that is conceived out of wedlock hear Mary’s story, they say to themselves: “God is calling me to Himself. I am included in God’s plan despite my questionable situation.” When a poor man, who is struggling with providing for his family, sees God’s work in Mary life, he will understand that God will use the poor and destitute people of this world for His plan of salvation. He will say, “I am included in God’s plan.” When outsiders come to Mary, the foreigners, the non-Jews, and the unschooled in the ways of the Jewish religion, they will feel God’s inclusion. They will say: “If God can use a young woman who is not schooled in the Rabbinic religious ways, then He can also use me, an outsider to the traditions of the Jews.” All of them will perceive God’s inclusion because they see Mary demonstrating God’s salvation in her life.

When people see Jesus, they see him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). They see Jesus as the Light for all the nations, for all cultures and tribes (Isaiah 42:6). Everyone is included. When people look at Mary, they see the same inclusion. Everyone can be blessed, just like Mary. God’s blessing is flowing through Mary, the blessing that started with Abraham, is now available for everyone who comes to God in humility and trust (see Luke 1:55 and Genesis 12:1-3). God is including every person.

Some questions for you: When people look at you, do they feel included in God’s plan of salvation? Are they drawn closer to God? When they see you, do they hear God saying: “Come to me all of you. I am including you in my plan of salvation for the whole world, despite your situation and regardless of who you are.”

Wedding Anniversary: 21 Songs Later

In the book SABBATICAL JOURNEY, the author writes of a homily he shared on a wedding. "Your love for each other comes from God's first love. Keep claiming that love. Your love for each other is a forgiving love. Keep talking to each other, pardoning each other's shortcomings, and praising each other's gifts. Your love for each other is for others, your children, your guests, the poor. Keep your attention focused on those who need to be nurtured by your love." (Henri Nouwen, 1998:63-64).

Today is our twenty-first wedding anniversary. Sarah and I are grateful to our Creator-God for sustaining us throughout the years. Nouwen shares from his book, Sabbatical Journey: The Diary of His Final Year, a quote from his homily of the son of a friend's wedding that happened on December 9th, the day of our wedding anniversary. I share this quote with you now (above), because it speaks of the same sentiment that my wife and I have for our lives. We want to be of service to our King, the Lord of the Universe, and be available for His work among the poor, the disenfranchised, and the people who are powerless and who need God's love. 

Our "wedding verse" has been 1 John 4:12. "No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us." (ESV) It is always our prayer that we will be an avenue, an instrument, a source of blessing to mediate God's love to others. We are not perfect, but God is. Our hope is that our friends will see God through us. And then, we all can sing the song, "I have friends who say that we are perfect together."