The ministry of Jesus is best explained in the light of symbols. After all, Jesus is in his entire life is a symbolism in itself. People see Jesus as a spiritual symbol. He is a prophet sent by God and a teacher of the commandments of the Old. He is to come to liberate the world from sinfulness and to free the humanity from the destruction of death. Hence, Jesus in his public life was a symbol of spirituality.
On the other hand, Jesus is also seen as a symbol of politics. As a messiah, prior to be spiritual savior, Jesus was expected to be a liberator from political oppression of His people. He was expected to fight sword by sword against the tyrant and will grant full freedom to Israel. He was asked to comment about tax, about the law and even about socio-political cases. More so, his death was a political death. Jesus died not really a spiritual martyr, but because of the play of power. It was all about power play. His death was all about politics. Jesus was convicted and sentenced to death because of power play; his crucifixion was a by product of political power play.
That was the symbols that Jesus brought.
But what does this symbolism of Jesus does with us?
As followers of the one priesthood of Christ, we are to imitate the symbols that Jesus brings. As sharer of the priesthood of this high priest, we too are expected to inherit the contents of the priesthood of the high priest. We too are to bring these symbols of Jesus to others. We ourselves will also become symbols.
I was invited to a dinner in the house of a classmate then. It was her birthday and she was also inviting some of our classmates before to come. I told my other classmate to go with me for me to have a companion in going to the party. I did not know that this classmate of mine would still to attend mass before proceeding to their house. So it was already late at 6 in the evening and that the birthday celebrant called me up to ask where I was. I told her that I was still waiting for the other classmate who was at mass.
As we arrived, I noticed that there were a lot of people around. She called me immediately and said to the crowd, we could now start dining Al John is here and he would bless the food. I was in deep surprise. I could not paint my feelings then and to imagine that those people around may now be starving and that perhaps they were so thankful that at last they could not eat with my arrival. What adds to my shame was the fact that most of those who were present were my former elementary school teachers. They joined the crowd in waiting for the food to be blessed by me. What an experience!
I came to realize that I was asked to pray over and bless not because I am Al John but because I am a seminarian. I was not bringing my own identity. What is in me is the attached power of the symbol I posses. I believe in your own little ways you also have this share of experience. And perhaps when you report to your apostolate areas, people are so accommodating and so welcoming on you. Don’t be deceived, they are doing that not so much because of whom you are, but simply because of the title you bring. You are “the frater” assigned in our barangay. Indeed, you are the “Frater” sent to live with them and share their lives with you. People lend you their beds, offered you the finest food, provided you the finest drink or sometimes it is a fiesta when the frater is around, not because of who you are, but then again, because of the attached symbolism in your names as seminarian and as priest. This is what I mean of symbol. And there is power in the symbol.
But how do we use this symbol in us?
When we speak of symbol, we speak of the power in it. Are we using this power to exploit people or manipulate people? Or are we using this power to advance service? It is but unfortunate that sometimes, after the foster family accommodated you in manner of a king, at the end, you are courting their daughters or their sons. Is it not exploitation and manipulation? Bishop Tagle called it, insensitivity in its truest sense, indecency most sublime. And I agree. People who have given the privilege to have symbols in their name, most especially symbols that bring the identity of Jesus must live according to the identity of the symbolism of Christ.
But as a matter of argument, some would justify it by saying we are just true to our feelings. We just simply obey our thirst. I am also human and I have that feeling that I cannot run away. Well, to be true to oneself is good, but doing something for oneself is better. Then what you do you mean of “magpakatotoo.” It is “paggawa ng karapatdapat ayon sa totoo.” Anu ba ang karapatdapat na gawin sa katotohanang ikaw ay isang seminarista o di kaya pari man? What is then the right thing to be done by the fact that you are a seminarian or a priest? Does obeying one’s thirst immoral? I don’t think so. But what makes it immoral is the inconformity of the symbol you have to the action you do. In the first place, you know that you are a seminarian and the right thing to be done is to act according to the symbol you bring. There is no other way around than to go around.
I am emphasizing this not because I am a perfect person but because this is where I am led by the Spirit. In my reflection I am called to say about these things. When I am sharing these, I am not preaching my life, but preaching it to my life as well. In many ways I used the symbols in me to advance my personal interest. In many ways I too, become a victim of my own fleshly thirst. The Spirit wants to us to be reminded that we are symbols; thus, we live according to that symbol!
Symbols are very important and it gives us an identity of who we are. If you cannot take the demands of the symbol, so don’t remain to be that symbol. The doors are wide open, you can always leave. The symbolism in the ministry of Jesus is something to do with our own ministry now and not in the future. We have to admit, in our name, the symbol is being attached. The choices are we may take the symbol and live according to that symbol or leave the symbol behind, after all the Church also needs good citizens to inherit the Kingdom and not just priests.
This is what Jesus is telling us and this is what Jesus wants us to do.
