A dying father called his son. He
said, “Son, I have nothing to give you but let me just pray for you and give
you my blessing. I bless you that you will live happily that even the dust you
touch will become gold with your touch.” After giving his blessing to his son,
the father died peacefully.
Years later, the son became
successful in business and lived a happy life. He believed it was all the fruit
of his father’s blessing on him. One of his friends became envious and said to him
that if his father’s blessing is real, then why not try to sell honey in Honey
Land. The son loved the idea and so he bought honey and loaded them in a ship
and reached the shore of Honey Land. Honey Land was ruled by a Datu who
happened that on the day the son arrived, was walking on the beach with his
men. In fact, the Datu and his men were looking for his lost ring within the
vicinity. When the Datu saw him, the former asked the latter what was his
business in his place. The son replied, “Honey.” The Datu laughed at him saying
that his land is called Honey Land because it is known for its abundant supply
of honey. There is no way that the son could make his business prosper in that
place. But the son explained that he believed in his father’s blessing. He told
the Datu that his father prayed that even the dust he touches will become gold
with his touch. While saying this, the son bent down and took a handful of sand
from the ground and opened his fist in front of the Datu and dropped sand from
between his fingers. The Datu could not believe it. It was the Datu’s lost ring
in the son’s hand. The Datu was happy to find his ring and he promised to give
everything to the son. The son just asked the Datu to but all the honey he
brought to their land.
My dear friends, a good father
like the one we have in the story is worth remembering. But how about those who
are not good enough for their children? Well, whether a father is good or not,
we have to remember them. We remember those who are good and thank God for
their goodness. We also remember those who are not and pray for their souls.
Re-read our Gospel (Matthew
1:1-17) for today. It provides us with the list of the ancestors of Jesus and
most of the names that appear are of the fathers. Why are their names there?
Are those fathers worth remembering? Try to know who Judah was. He was the
father of Perez and Zera by Tamar who happened to be his daughter-in-law! How
about David? King David committed adultery with Bathsheba which eventually led
to the death of Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba arranged by King David himself.
God could have erased or removed their names from the list but no. God did not
change the past before Jesus entered into our human history. He wants us to
remember that whether those fathers are good or not, such a fact could not stop
Him in sending His only Son to save the world. It was indeed His reason in
sending Jesus –to give meaning to the past by freeing all from the slavery of
sin and to lead everyone to a better future by opening the door of heaven.
Today, we pray for all the
fathers, both living and dead. Let us remember them in our simbang gabi. It is through them that God made us exist. We are
here to forgive and heal the past among the family members and to lead everyone
to find freedom in Jesus’ name. Let us celebrate the birth of our Lord by
playing our part in the present as a carrier of God’s love and not only as a
carrier of our father’ genes. Amen.
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