THE best things in life are the unexpected ones! This was true during the grand centennial celebration of my parish last Sunday. I didn’t expect the three thousand people that came to the historic event. This exceeded our seat allocation during Mass and the food preparation. But I didn’t expect also that the archbishop would come out of his way after Mass to bless all the people who were standing outside the school yard. It was a loving and apologetic gesture. Thank you Archbishop Gomez! You showed a true shepherd’s heart!
Another “best thing” that happened, in this case a personal one, was the unexpected encounter between my ailing father and the archbishop before the Centennial Mass. As I was giving the archbishop a tour of the church and the rectory I happened to find my father and my sisters in the dining room preparing to go to the Centennial Mass. What an opportune time to ask for the archbishop’s personal blessing on my eighty year old father! And so, the highest prelate of the archdiocese laid his hands on my father’s head to pray for his well-being. I could not ask more for a precious centennial gift for me, my siblings and my father.
Other surprises of IHMC’s centennial celebration were the attendance and overwhelming support of people from the media, particularly Asian Journal, ABS CBN, and The Tidings, the city government, and some philanthropic foundations. God must be responding to the prayers and the hard work of IHMC’s parishioners and priests.
In this Sunday’s Gospel, we hear God’s unexpected visit and healing of Jesus to Peter’s mother-in-law, the latter’s surprising and immediate service after her ailment, and the gathering of the whole town to witness the miracles of Jesus. One could just imagine the astonishment and joy of people at seeing the works of God through the healing and preaching of Jesus. That’s why they kept following Jesus and clamoring for more healing and teaching.
Once I mentioned to a dear friend that a writer must have a keen eye for grace. This is spirituality of a writer to a higher form. A writer must be able to see and to be touched by the works of God in both unexpected and ordinary ways. Even in sin or weakness he or she must see grace that abounds; even in anxieties, doubts, and poverty he or she must see beauty, sacredness and nobility.
In his Gospel, Mark always proclaims the proximity of the Kingdom of God. This is true until now. The Kingdom of God is so near us. Oftentimes it’s seen and experienced in unexpected time and ways…indeed, as long as we have a keen eye for Grace!
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Reverend Rodel G. Balagtas attended St. John Seminary in Camarillo, California and earned his Doctor of Ministry in Preaching from Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, Missouri. For twenty years, he has been in the parish ministry of large multi-cultural communities. Since 2002, he has been the pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Los Angeles. Please email Fr. Rodel at [email protected].
