“Bearing Witness Through Celebrating the

Faith
We Have Received”
(Luke 24:19)

Introduction

In times when we are in poverty, in needs, and our stomach is grumbling of hunger; in times of
indisposition, extreme sorrow, trouble, anxiety and death; in times of chaos, confusion (Who is
the culprit: the son of the mayor, congressman or just an ordinary person? Who is the rightfull
one among the presidentiables?); in times when we are faced with in the midst of violent
environment (a pinch, slap, kick, being shot); in times of abuse (you are overlooked, not-
recognized, descrimination especially on women and children); in times when there is no
freedom (no one hears you, no respect for peoples’ voice, excluded in decision making, actions
are numbered, your life is being controlled, you are forcibly put in jail, your hands are tied and
you are blinfolded); in times when justice and peace are absence…

My sisters and brothers, in times like these, how one could say LET US CELEBRATE!
Celebrate and give thanks to the Lord!

To balance academics, St. Andrew’s Theological Seminary where I completed my Bachelor in

Theology, has the Salubong Program, the exposure-integration to various sectors of the society
and to their different living conditions. We were encouraged to experience life in urban poor
community in Smokey Mountain; in the picket lines in Valenzuela, Bulacan; to the small
fisherfolks in Tiquilio, Rizal who were fighting against fish pens’ owners in Laguna de Bay; to
the small/tenant farmers in Mamplasan, Laguna or the Lumads and the Muslims communities in
Mindanao. This allows the seminarians to really experience their life situations and at the same
time to really hear from them their problems and how they respond them as they face their
everyday life. That led us to raise the question on HOW TO PREACH THEM THE GOOD
NEWS? Amidst their poor living condition, HOW TO PREACH PEOPLE IN AN EMPTY
STOMACH? Yes, how could we? Their stomach is empty not because they were on diet but
because they have no food on the table! Look, the size of a five peso pandesal now is so small,
better before, five pieces of pandesal with a cup of coffe could fill already. Now, ten pieces of
pandesal cannot fill even three empty stomach! My advise to fellow priests and pastors (with
similar living condition with those people we were with during seminary days) better take a cup
of hot water before going to deliver a sermon, or else we can not make it through to the whole
service…

The Theme’s context

The theme for this 4th day of our weeklong celebration for Christian Unity is very timely
especially we are in dire need to express our Christian faith into the world: “BEARING
WITNESS THROUGH CELEBRATING THE FAITH WE RECEIVED”. The biblical reference
is Luke 24:19. Let me read to you: “He (Jesus) asked them, ‘What things?’ They replied,
‘The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before
God and all the people…” (Holy Bible NRSV).

The context of our theme is after the ressurrection event, where Jesus was walking along with
other two men. Actually, Jesus was walking the road going to Emaus (11 kilometers away from
Jerusalem) when he heard two people discussing about what had happened in Jerusalem. Jesus
saw how sad they were. So he approached them. Maybe Jesus was so curious to hear more
because they were talking about him. Maybe he just wanted to know their reactions and how
the people, his kababayan regarded him. That time, the news about Jesus was still the talk of the
town and those people who were able to witness were still in awe about the man, the prophet
whom they believed did not make any wrong before God and all the people. According to them,
Jesus was handed by the chief priests and their leaders to be condemmed to death and to be
crucified. They were definite who were the culprits are! How they wondered why these
representatives of the temple and leaders of their country afford to betray a person of kind heart
and good deed, who never sinned against God and the people but allowed to be tortured to death
and later to be killed by hanging him on the cross. These two men like the rest of the people were
saddenned by his untimely death because for them, Jesus was their prophet and most likely to
become their saviour.

Hmm, how much would be the reward received by the chief priests and the leaders in order to
“liquidate” or to silence Jesus? How about you, brothers and sisters, do you have any idea, how
much the reward? I think, that would lead us to further research. Unlike here in our country, we
will know how much would be the reward of those wanted people. Go to any LRT or MRT
station, you can find posters…

Well, somehow, we experienced hearing people talking about us, right? That was the experience
of Jesus. Because those two men were so engrossed talking to each other about Jesus, they were
not able to recognize him or maybe they had seen him in distance only. In fact, in verse 18,
Cleopas (one of the two men) had stated: “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not
know the things that have taken place there in these days?” Yes, it was true. If it was really that
big news and the torture, sufferings and death was in public display, everybody, including all the
strangers in Jerusalem would knew the said event. That was why, Cleopas and company were
really wondering, super takang-taka that of all the people, why this man alone did not know
about the most celebrated news that took place in Jeruslem!

The succeeding verses from verse 20 following will give us the whole picture why, what had
happened in Jerusalem and what made it a big news. According to the two men, people
regarded Jesus their saviour, the one who will redeem Israel from the yoke of colonization Jesus
would lead or bring their liberation from their oppressor. That time, Israel was one of the
countries under the Roman Empire. In other words, their country Israel was under foreign rule.
That explained why their leaders and the chief priests of the temple had handed Jesus over to be
condemned to death and to be crucified. It is better to hand over one kababayan rather for the
chief priests and leaders to be accused of sheltering a rebel or a revolutionary or somebody
believed to be saviour or liberator by many people, who would bring freedom from foreign rule
and would end oppressive leaders of their country.

The ressurection event brought hope to the people of Israel who for many years experienced
being under foreign rule. In Biblical history, many great nations had ruled Israel many times
even before Jesus was born. Various accounts in the history of Israel we can read in the Old
Testament about their experiences from their great great forbears down to Jesus time as a
colonized country or a country under foreign rule. Surely, it was never bed of roses to be under
foreign rule or if not, should people expect a saviour? One who had the power, the authority, the
strength that could bring liberation to them. A Liberator who has the total power to transform
their abject condition, the reality they were in during those time into a better one.

The exemplary deeds that Jesus had done to his fellow citizens or kababayan like:healing the
sick, feeding the hungry, comforting the widows and embracing the children, recognizing the
women, confronting those in powers, siding the poor and the oppressed, and preaching the Reign
of God about love, equality, justice and peace are truly enough qualities and signs of a person
who according to Cleopas and company: “a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and
all the people” (Luke 24: 19).

That was why they were so unhappy, feeling hopeless and perhaps feeling forsaken of the person
they thought would saved them from their lowly condition. That when Jesus revealed to them,
upon the invitaion of Cleopas and company to have dinner with them, they really marvelled for
Jesus let them feel his presence upon breaking the bread. Reminding them, that Jesus had never
left them, that he is just around. That he was alive! That he engaged them in a conversation!
However, it was too late when they recognized him, for Jesus disappeared already..

Witnessing Our Faith We Received

Their experience with Jesus who appeared to them, converesed with them and even had shared
supper with them were told to everybody, their living testimony, that their Saviour was alive.
That he raised from the dead as what the Scriptures said. That their Saviour was alive made
Jesus the Good News: the good news is the Risen Saviour who will continue to bring them hope,
inspiration and encouragement to go on after sufferings and death. And to become Jesus
followers, their real commitmet was to be with him, to be part of him and to take part in his
mission. That makes Jesus’ movement spread to nearby countries, to Asia Minor and all over the
world. And that will make us more committed to be actively taking part in Jesus mission.
In Luke 4:18-21, Jesus’ mission was clearly and specifically laid to us: good news to the poor,
release of the captives, sight to the blind, freedom for the oppressed. And by doing all these
things, we can now proclaim the Year of the Lord’s favour. By being with and actively taking
part of Jesus’ mission, we now therefore one with those who have received the same faith with
Cleopas and company and those who believe that our saviour is not dead. That makes us more
committed believers of the Risen Saviour. Because if we fail to do so, how can we, my brothers
and sisters, be living witnesses to the Ressurection Event? How could we be bearers of the good
news witnessing our faith we received?

2010 marks the 17th year of joint collaboration of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
between the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) and the Catholic Bishops
Confrence of the Philippines (CBCP). What I mean here, from planning and to the actual date of
the weeklong celebration of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, we continue to have
meetings, helping together till the culminating activity. However, for “the people behind the
scene”, the gathering and fellowship, the texting and the communication continue until such time
for the preparation for the next year week of prayer comes. I am a witness to that because I am
part of the various activities behind. .

For the past 17th years of having a joint Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, we members of
different churches are able to see each other eye to eye, are able to touch each other through
shaking of hands and beso-beso and for the working committees, we are able to share not only
ideas or concepts but even life experiences and friendship beyond planning stages. And all of us
here are able to share each other’s presence, participating the whole liturgy, exchanging the
breath of life bestowed to us by Creator God and unknowingly we feel His presence as what
Cleopas and company did when Jesus had spoken to them.

Our Challenge

Do you agree with me that the experience we have now, as in NOW, praying together for
Christian Unity does not call for celebration? How many denominations do we have now? How
many branches of Christian faith have gathered this evening? We come here as faith community
leaving behind our doctrinal differences and other biases in order we can worship God as one
faith community. Yes, there is reason to celebrate, even just for a week, we come together as
one. Doesn’t it sound familiar to you? It took one Michael Joseph Jackson (RIP MJ) to put in his
song clearly: “We come together as one” when we take part “in the healing of the world.”

Our coming together participating in this weeklong liturgical service for Christian Unity does not
suffice as our only way of bearing witness to the faith we received; because praying is not a
stagnant word. Praying is an action word! Coming together to pray involves movement, even
from the planning stage of this activity, there is movement. That is why, we are still praying for
Christian Unity becauce our action, even though we always pray in our own individual churches,
our action to be ONE is not yet united, not yet AS ONE! As long we do not take part in the
healing of the world, like bringing the good news to the por, proclaim release to the
captives, recovery of the sight to the blind, letting the oppressed go free… our witnessing
becomes weak.

Our praying together for Christian Unity should not end only in our coming together for a
weeklong liturgical service in a yearly basis. Meaning, let our prayers be active, alive in our
day-to-day lives as we take part in Jesus’ mission here on earth. Let us be living witnesses of the
Resurrection Event as we turn our prayers into action in our homes, in our community, in our
churches, and in our society. We can not separate our being a church and being citizens of this
country and of this world because the church is within the society, is within this world. Our
differing perceptions make us different from each other and that explains why, more than two
thousand years had passed, we, Christians are still praying for our unity when in fact we believe
the same God, proffess the same Lord, announce the Ressurrection Event and read the same
Bible. Yes, we claimed we are Christians yet we still differ in understanding the MESSAGE OF
THE RESURRECTION EVENT! Our appeal to God that he continue to grant us strength in
deepening our faith understanding and the power to discernment. That our coming together may
an avenue for this process.

Because being a witness requires us to be true and firm in our stance. Confronting the things that
are happening in our midst remind us of our sincerity and firmness. The question of how to
preach the Good News to an empty stomach remains a question when there are still people
crying of hunger, of injustices, when peple are dying because of unjust wars, mothers are losing
their children, fathers are forced to go to war, young women are forced to sell their bodies, when
people are suffering and dying… when the world is not healing… HOW CAN WE BE
WITNESSES AND TELL THE WHOLE WORLD THAT WE ARE PEOPLE OF FAITH? That
we are believers of the Ressurrection Event? That our Saviour is Alive! HOW CAN WE
REALIZE JESUS’ MISSION INTO REALITY, INTO A GOOD NEWS IN OUR MIDST
TODAY!

Witnessing Our Response

The overarching theme for this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is “YOU ARE
WITNESSES OF THESE THINGS” . These things are in our midst today, as I mentioned
before: in times of poverty and want, in times of hunger and need, in times of confusion and
division, in times of injustices and lack of peace…people look for someone who can save them
from these condition; people expect someone to lead for change. Like in the New Testament
time, people long for a saviour. Today, 80 percent Filipinos who are below poverty line are
looking of someone, for somebody who can somehow could afflift them from dire poverty or
maybe one that could give them works or for sources of living; for victims of any violations and
injustices – they expect justice to be served; for those in prison- freedom; for hungry – food on
the table; etc… WHO CAN GIVE THEM HOPE?
We, the church whom Jesus had entrusted when he went back to the Father, have a great
responsibility to continue in the implementation of God’s mission here in the world. As a church
we are accountable to God, no one but to God! Either we want to do or not, it is not a matter of
choice nor an option to make but it is imperative for the church to live out God’s mission
initiated by Jesus’s himself. We, as part of the Universal Church is bound to make it happen, to
make God’s mission into a reality. Through the baptism we received, we become part of the
whole grand plan of the salvation of God. That is why, it is imperative for the church to take part
in the realization of the God’s mission. The church has a great task to announce, to preach and to
live out the Good News: salvation of the whole created world! That is why when Jesus’ initiated
mission will become a reality in this world because the church is taking part to its realization,
then the church has fulfilled its task entrusted by Jesus himself. Then and only then, the church
can fully bear witness through celebrating the faith we received.

Conclusion

The Iglesia Filipina Independiente (Philippine Independent Church) prides itself as a nationalist
church. It always pronouces its love of God and country. It believes that loving and serving God
can only be realized through loving and serving the people. However, the IFI can not and could
not bear its witnessing alone segregating itself from the rest of faith community. It also applies to
every branch of Christianity, either you are Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists,
Orthodox, Independent Churches, Evangelicals, etc… we have no monopoly in bearing witness,
rather, when we are gathered as one together, we can fully bear witness and we can fully
celebrate the same faith we received. Thus, reciting the CREED, singing the Lord’s prayer and
being in fellowship with each other, coming and praying together for Christian Unity is a better
and a step forward for becoming witnesses of God’s mission and for the realization of the GOOD
NEWS here on earth..

I would like to conclude my reflection through the following poem, from a poster-card gift given
to my husband :

My child, I’ve often heard your question:

This message is my answer.

You’re concerned about the hungry in the world,

millions who are starving…”and you ask,” what I can do’
FEED ONE.

You grieve for all the unborn children murdered every day…
and you ask: “what can I do?”
SAVE ONE

You’re haunted by the homeless poor who wander city streets…

and you ask: “what can I do?”
 SHELTER ONE

Your feel compassion for those who suffer in pain,

sorrow, and despair… and you ask: “what can I do?”
COMFORT ONE
Your heart goes out to the lonely, the abused
and the imprisoned…and you ask: “what can I do?”
LOVE ONE

Remember this, My Child

…two thousand years ago the world was filled
with those in need, just as it is today,
and when the helpless and the hopeles
called out to Me for Mercy,
I sent a savior…

HOPE BEGAN WITH ONLY ONE!

Delivered by Rev. Erahvilla M. Maga-Cabillas, during the 4th liturgical service

of the 2010 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity held at the Parokya ng Santo
Niño, Iglesia Filipina Independiente, Industria cor. Central Street, Pandacan,
Manila, February 11, Thursday. Rev. Erah as fondly called by her fellow
clergy and friends is the Misssion Priest in the Misyon ng Banal na Krus,
Iglesia Filipina Independiente, 23 V Manansala Street, Krus na Ligas, Quezon
City.