3rd Sunday of Advent
Gaudete Sunday of Joy
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor, to heal the broken-hearted...Isaiah 61:1-2
THE FIRST reading is so rich with meaning pointing to Jesus’ mission. This (last) week, the ICT Council had a virtual session on Zamboanga being a Digital City.
Amor Maclang, a resource person asked me what message I could give the Mayors. The grace of the office is something I learned from Sr. Agnes, my Carmelite mentor. All of us have a purpose in life. And for Mayors who were elected in this time of the pandemic, we were not given the mandate by accident.
This is something I have held sacred because I look back from 2013 from the time I was given the mandate by the people of Zamboanga, I look at it as God’s grace of the office I serve. When I became Vice-Mayor because Mayor Caling died in 2004, I was fearful to take on such an unexpected mission. I remember Monsignor Chito Araneta teaching me: he/she whom God calls, He sustains. Quierre decir el Dios sustene y dirigi canaton para dale el fuerza na di aton mission.
In my first term, the Zamboanga Siege happened and we had the humanitarian crisis, but God guided me through Jer. 29:11 – “For I know my plans I have for you says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”
Amor Maclang was one of those who witnessed our difficult journey and today in 2020 still believes in the potentials of Zamboanga City. She is one of those remarkable people who see so much hope in our City and the opportunity for progress with Michael Lim and the ICT Council.
The grace of the office for me is God’s divine strength to help me face the burden and difficulty that come my way in serving our City. At that time, we lost hope of investment and today - City Mall, KCC (Mall de Zamboanga) and SM (City Mindpro) are here. All are God’s blessings in this most difficult times to assure our people of God’s love.
This pandemic opened doors for my leadership journey to be expressed in national and international zoom conferences with the help of the millennial of the City Government. The journey to where I am was very difficult and I attribute it all to God’s grace and our Blessed Mother’s powerful intercession with Saint Joseph.
As I navigate the difficulty from the pandemic management, loss of lives and loss of jobs, the Executive Budget being delayed and derailed, the loss of hope and anger and frustration felt by people today, I hang on to the joy of Advent this Sunday brings. May pag-asa pa ba? Tiene pa ba esperanza el vida?
The Second Reading answers the question above: Reading 2, 1 THES 5:16-24
Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for
this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do
not despise prophetic utterances. Test everything; retain what is good. Refrain
from every kind of evil.
May the God of peace make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it. This
is the hope, the expectation I enjoin us to put our Faith in Jesus, our God
Emmanuel, who will come upon us this Christmas. The pink candle of Joy reminds
us never to lose hope because God loves us immensely and God will take care of
us! Rejoice in Jesus! (MBC)
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