Easter: The Walk To Emmaus Part 2

Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” He 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, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see him.” Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem, and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread. Luke 24:13-35 NRSVUE Sermon Part 2: Christ in Our Conversations So for this part two, our theme of our preaching is “Christ in our conversations.” Sabi nga sa Matthew chapter 18:20, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” But of course, we also honor and value ‘yung mga intimate at personal conversations natin with God through prayer. While it is true na mas yumayabong at nabibigyan ng buhay ang ating mga conversations with each other and the community. After all nga ‘di ba, bilang isang Metropolitan Community Church, community is our middle name. Tama ba?. I also believe na mahalagang pagtuunan din natin ng pansin and a good practice ‘yung pagiging self-aware. Ang matutong makinig sa pansariling pangangailangan, to listen to our bodies, to affirm ourselves first na hindi kasalanan ang pagiging bakla, so that we can also affirm others. We need to resolve our own struggles before we can do that for other people. The famous line: you cannot pour from an empty cup. And we have clarity in our personal lives to inspire that capacity to others. Shit ba? Paborito na ni Joseph?. Mga kasita, we miss you, Chang. So we know that God, through Jesus, has always been with us in our journey. At napakinggan din natin ang isa sa mga pinaka-life-changing na holy conversation moment doon sa ating gospel reading , kung saan, after nilang mag-sharing about scripture ng breaking of bread ay bigla na lang naglaho ‘yung stranger na kasalubong nila patungong Emmaus. At sa punto ring ‘yon, na-realize nila na it was Jesus, that it was him all along. Christ is present in our conversations. Hindi lamang tuwing linggo sa ating praise and worship, kundi sa mga ordinary moments in our lives. Hindi lamang sa mga masasaya, lalo’t higit sa mga masasalimuot at difficult conversations that we have to deal with. Naalala ko ‘yung chika ko, paniniwala ako nung bago ako dumating sa MCC sa Open Table. Pansin niyo ba na sa mga moments na when we have personal conversations with God, may mga times na tayo lang ‘yung nagsasalita, where we cry out to Jesus. We give thanks, we ask forgiveness, and may mga moments naman na tayo ay tahimik lang and letting our hearts speak the prayers that our mouths couldn’t utter. Parang ‘yung mga moments na ‘yon na siya naman ‘yung nangungusap sa atin. Man through words, pero alam mo at ramdam mo ‘yung healing, ‘yung kagaanan ng loob, at sa mga ganitong moments natin tila mas nararamdaman ang kanyang presence sa ating buhay. So last week ay na-mention ko ‘yung tungkol sa mga naging struggle ko sa work recently at kung paano ko binaka ‘yung feeling of being overwhelmed. I mean, I am glad that I was able to get through it, but I am also aware that it’s not the same for everyone. Some people may still be in that situation or perhaps find themselves in the loop na paulit-ulit lang or paikot-ikot lang. Sa dami ng aking iniisip—trabaho, travels, at iba pang ganap as an extrovert at natural people person. At the same time, ‘yung mga gampanin sa ating simbahan as pastor in discernment, in that journey, I stumbled upon ‘yung podcast of Coach Pia Acevedo. Kilala niyo ba si Coach Pia? So si Coach Pia is a life coach, author, and a leadership trainer with over two decades of experience in coaching and counseling. She helps people cut through confusion and live with clarity, purpose, and intention so that they can focus on what truly matters. Isa sa mga magandang napulot ko from her ay connected sa pagiging present. Hindi man lingid sa kaalaman ng lahat na marami sa ating mga akla ay mga breadwinner. Imagine as a queer person who is already struggling to fight discrimination on top of the fight for the same rights as our straight allies. Isa pa sa mga dagdag na challenge ang pagiging breadwinner. Hindi ko na alam kung ilang beses ko nang na-tackle ang topic na ito. I think deserve na nito ng isang preaching series at malalang holy conversation moments at kasama na sa mga listahan ng mga personal advocacies na malapit sa aking puso. Pero habang wala pa tayo doon, I suggest you can grab muna ‘yung copy nung books from Coach Pia. Nag-promote pa, not sponsored. So I’m yet to finish ‘yung first book and ito ‘yun. Ito ‘yung unang “Focus on What Matters”. I’m yet to finish this and plan to start ‘yung isa pa, ‘yung “Moment to Moment”, right after. I hope na makatulong ito upang magkaroon tayo ng clarity sa dami ng ating mga iniisip. So anyway, I’m sure nag-aantay na kayo kung ang haba na ng sinabi ko at wala pa ako doon sa main point. Ito na nga, bilang isang breadwinner na bakla, at another example is sa ating mga straight allies na as a parent, sa mga kapatid nating OFWs na nagtatrabaho at kumakayod , ginagawang araw ang gabi para lang makapagpadala ng pera sa kanilang mga mahal sa buhay. ‘Di ba nga sila ‘yung mga sagot natin sa tanong na, “Para kanino ka bumabangon?”. “Para sa pamilya, para sa future ng mga anak ko.” ‘Di bale nang magkalayo kami kaysa naman sama-sama kaming mamatay na dilat at gutom. At dahil sa dami na nating iniisip, siyempre wala na tayong capacity para sa maliliit na bagay. Tama ba?. No more time to play with the kids after work dahil madalas pagod na lang sa trabaho kung ‘di pa rin sa commute. Buti kung ganun lang, pero minsan mas malala. At personally, ganito ‘yung eksena ko nung mga unang taon ko sa BPO industry bilang isang breadwinner. Napansin ko na sobrang mainitin ang ulo ko at ang dali kong ma-trigger, ‘yung angil sa mga tao kahit na wala pa naman silang ginagawang masama or kahit sa mga maliliit na bagay. Kayo rin ba may ganitong eksena? Let’s pause for a moment at balikan ‘yung mga sandali ng ating mga buhay na tayo ay napasabi ng, “Ang dami ko nang iniisip, dumagdag pa ‘to.”. Ito ang isang manifestation ng kawalan ng clarity. Akala ko ba para sa kanila ka bumabangon, pero sila rin ‘yung unang nakakaramdam ng mga angil at frustrations mo sa buhay. And si Coach Pia reminds us that when we don’t do our inner work, we don’t just suffer alone. The people we love encounter a compromised version of us. ‘Yun ‘yon. Meet the compromised version of you. Imagine that you’re in front of the mirror ng mahiwagang salamin, boy, for a few moments. Look at that compromised version of you. Do you like what you see?. And imagine kung ano na kaya ang extent ng damage that it had cost you and your loved ones. So paano natin matutulungan ‘yung ating compromised version? What does it take to achieve clarity and focus sa ating mga buhay?. So sa book na “Focus on What Matters,” Coach Pia talks about the need for inner work, which is a journey that starts by laying the groundwork for clarity through practices like self-mastery, self-development, and self-commitment. She talked about habits that we can commit to in order to achieve personal clarity. And for today, I’d like to share to you about M.I.C.K. abbreviation siya. That stands for motivating, inspiring, cheering, and being kind to ourselves. It is both a habit that we can commit to and a muscle we exercise because, again, we can’t pour from an empty cup. And these intentional habits will help us fill our cup. So number one is ‘yung letter M, Motivation. Motivation habit is any regimen or routine that you know works well for you. It involves committing to routines, no matter how trivial, that bring out the best in you. Through these personalized activities, we nurture ourselves and anchor on the stability they provide. An example could be making your bed in the morning, listening to music, and preparing breakfast. One more example could be dedicating a time to exercise, let’s say three times a week. So how do we know if a habit or activity is worth committing to?. We know when we feel something is missing if we skip it, and when we distinctly feel recharged by integrating it into our schedule regularly. Motivation habit serves as a fuel to our tank. By committing to these habits, we experience a steady rhythm that keeps us grounded, whether these are daily, weekly, or monthly habits. Next is your Inspiration, your I. If motivation muscle provides the structure for self-care, inspiration muscle naman brings a wave of joy that refreshes us. Unlike motivation habits which follow rhythm, inspiration habits are done less frequently but offer a full recharge. It enables us to stay connected to what makes us feel alive, providing a surge of deep joy in moments when it is needed. Tapping our sources of inspiration which ignite our natural creativity can foster positive energy and overall well-being. And sabi ni Coach Pia, among doon sa mga clients niya, travel is the most common source of inspiration. We can only take trips every so often, but when we do, there’s infusion of new energy. Traveling reconnects us to the natural enthusiasm and joy reminiscent of childhood. And to activate inspiration muscle is to take ownership of your need for mga picker-upper choices and activities that infuse you with the surge of energy. Other than travel, this can also range from planning a trip or to simple pleasures like enjoying a YouTube video or tuning into a podcast. Mga ka-eme. May mga ka-eme ba dito? Yes. Or listening to music that swiftly recharges you to become your best self. Learning something new or engaging in hobbies that awaken your creativity can also serve this purpose. Even revisiting ‘yung mga old hobbies that once sparked joy can once again ignite your enthusiasm for life and tap into the best version of yourself. As clarity is a personal journey, only you yourself are capable of choosing the inspiration that you need. An inspired person feels alive. Whatever brings you inspiration is a non-negotiable in your life. Next naman is ‘yung C which stands for Cheer. Picture yourself as your own personal cheerleader. The cheer muscle involves encouraging ourselves to push past our limits, especially in our adversity. Cheer is a non-negotiable habit we put in place to help us manage stress. We can proactively anticipate stressful times and plan ahead by intentionally plotting activities and inserting habits into our schedule. This will help us manage the demand of our hectic schedule. Sensitivity toward ourselves is crucial in strengthening our cheer muscle. Start exercising sensitivity and observation skills. Look at your calendar and anticipate which specific meetings, social events, projects, or deliverables you know will trigger your stress, anxiety, or heaviness. Kumbaga paghahandaan mo na siya. Pag alam mo mas-stress ako sa week na ‘to , kailangan gumawa na ako ng mga habits na magre-recharge sa akin. This approach provides you with the support needed to manage potential heaviness or disengagement. Since we know ourselves best, let’s prepare ourselves for anticipated stress and activities. Just like a cheerleader motivates the team during the final seconds of a game, we cheer for ourselves to stay resilient and persevere towards our goals. Even when the going gets tough, our cheer muscle enables us to face life’s challenges well-prepared as they often come relentlessly unexpected. A strong cheer muscle enhances our resilience, enabling us to bounce back more quickly from stressful situations. Last naman is ‘yung Kindness. Kindness is your capacity to be nurturing, kind, patient, and compassionate towards yourself just as you would a loved one or a best friend. The strength of our kindness muscle should allow you to be intentional in your caring for others as you would care for yourself. One strong measure of the strength of your kindness muscle is our capacity to forgive ourselves, forgive others, or ask for forgiveness for when we feel we may have hurt. And kindness is the most difficult muscle to strengthen. As often than not, we did not grow up with strong models of people around us living a life of kindness, nurturing patience and love for ourselves. Nabanggit ko rin ‘to doon sa ano natin, parang hirap para sa atin na maging forgiving of ourselves. From a young age, we are also taught to prioritize the needs of others. Yet, our ability to care for others hinges on how well we take care of ourselves. Showing kindness to ourselves is important, especially when we face setbacks or disappointments. It’s about offering ourselves the same support and encouragement that we readily give others. Strengthening our kindness muscle means taking the time to pause, relax, and rest. Doing anything that nurtures you, like eating well, enjoying your favorite food, and getting plenty of sleep is essential. We must accept that we cannot always meet our own expectations and let go of attachments to specific outcomes. By forgiving ourselves when we falter, honoring the progress we’ve made, and staying open to learning from failures, we create a space for us to grow into the best versions of ourselves. Being kind to yourself is also a non-negotiable in your life. So ano siya, pwedeng magkakahalo siya, ‘yung mga what motivates you can also inspire you. Pwedeng-pwede siyang pumasok doon sa alin sa mga iyon. So our internal guide has a big say in how we make decisions. It’s all about progress, learning, and embracing our imperfections along the way. This journey of growth allows us to center ourselves and focus on what truly counts in life. The more we nurture this process, the better we become at self-care and connecting with our genuine selves. So I hope that you also learned something as much as I did nung sa book na ‘to at marami pa. Ipapa-hiram ko kasi hindi pa ako tapos. At ‘yun sa part na nai-share ko sa inyo about sa “Focus on What Matters” by Coach Pia, ito ‘yung mga simpleng bagay na pwede nating gawin para sa ating mga sarili to move from a compromised version to the best version of ourselves. Pero hindi natatapos doon ang lahat. As we strive to become the best version of ourselves, mahalaga ring pag-usapan ang pagse-set ng boundaries. Beep beep. Baka may matamaan sa pagse-set ng boundaries. Minsan parang profound pakinggan kasi nung boundaries at hindi siya ganoon ka-common sa kultura nating mga Pilipino. Pero just because it’s not common doesn’t mean hindi na natin ito dapat pagtuunan ng pansin. Halimbawa sa pagiging breadwinner, dahil ikaw na ‘yung naghahanap-buhay, mahalagang mag-set ka ng boundaries through shared responsibility sa inyong mga bahay, mga tahanan. I-delegate mo ang mga simpleng gawain upang kahit papaano ay mabawasan ang iyong iniisip. Some might say na madaling sabihin pero mahirap gawin , lalo na para sa ilan na bukod sa pagiging breadwinner ay magulang din, or to be specific, nanay. Mahirap talagang iwalay ang pagiging nanay sa pagiging provider as a mother. Pero mahalaga na naiintindihan ito ng mga tao sa paligid mo. Oo, nanay ka , maghahanda ka ng pagkain, mag-aasikaso ka ng gamit ng mga anak mo, but it’s also important to set boundaries. Tandaan mo na kailangan mo rin ng sapat na pahinga para makapag-focus ka sa trabaho na siyang nagbibigay ng kakayahan mong mag-provide para sa iyong pamilya. Kailangan itong ma-communicate. Kailangan ng maayos na usapan kung paano mas mapapagaan ang inyong sitwasyon. At isa lang ito sa marami pang mga halimbawa. Iba’t iba ‘yung dynamics ng bawat isa. Pero ang punto ay ito: Huwag mong piliting saluhin ang lahat. Matutong manghingi ng tulong kapag kailangan. Alam ko hindi ‘to madali, but I hope you are able to do so and have these conversations. After all, wala namang hindi nadadaan sa maayos na usapan. So now let’s go back to the journey ni Cleopas at isa pang disciple. Let us be reminded of their enthusiasm when they realized that they had been in conversation with Jesus all along. This story reminds us that God is always with us sa ating paglalakbay, that we can be that other disciple na unnamed. Hindi man tayo ever makapaglalakad kasama ang historical Jesus, ‘di ba, o baka sa panaginip, pero ano ba ‘yung pangako? That we have each other. We experience Christ in our many conversations with our families, with our loved ones, with our chosen families like here sa ating simbahan, at lalo na when we are intentional sa ating pakikinig at pagiging in solidarity sa iba’t iba pang community lalo na sa mga maralita. As I close this part two, keyword “close,” napaisip rin ako baka lumalayo na ako sa theme na “Christ in our conversations.”. Pero I had a Holy Spirit activate moment. I feel that this is a perfect opportunity to also talk about self-love —ang matutunang makinig sa kung anong sinasabi ng ating mga katawan at isip. After all, magkaugnay ang pagkakaroon ng personal clarity sa ating buhay at ang pagkakaroon ng meaningful conversations sa ating kapwa. By building these small habits for ourselves ay mas mapapayabong natin ang ating mga conversation at ang pag-unawa sa journey ng bawat isa, dahil hindi naman tayo pare-pareho ng kwento, and that’s the beauty of our diversity. Maaaring hindi tayo pare-pareho ng ating pinagdadaanang struggle pero pareho lang naman ang ating pinaglalaban. At sa bawat pakikipag-usap natin sa iba, we find Christ in their stories and hope that they find Christ in us and through us. Napapalalim ang ating pakikipagbahagi at pakikisangkot sa pakikinig ng kanilang kwento. We hold the power to carry these stories and share them with others. And being with Open Table MCC for almost 10 years now, marami na akong nakasama, nakasalamuha, nakadaupang-palad, nakausap at narinig ng mga kwento—ang mga Lumad, ang mga persons deprived of liberty sa QC Women’s Penitentiary , ang mga magsasaka sa Lupang Ramos, ang mga batang PLHIV na nasa pangangalaga ng Duyan Foundation at Project Red Ribbon, at ang ilan sa mga communities na naabutan ng tulong ng Pride Cares, mga nasalanta ng bagyo sa Rodriguez, Rizal at iba pang naabutan ng tulong through our partnership sa iba’t iba pang LGBTQIA+ organizations. Ang kanilang mga kwento ay patuloy kong dadalhin at subukang maibahagi sa marami pang pakikipag-usap, lalo na sa panibagong responsibility as pastor in discernment. Ganito rin ang sinasabi ko sa mga students who come and be in immersion with us. Iilan lang sa kanila ang bakla at may katulad na kwento sa atin, pero ibinabahagi natin ang ating mga kwento in the hope na dalhin nila ito as they go on in their lives hanggang makarating na sila sa kanilang adulting journey, sharing the good news sa mga kapwa nila estudyante who still struggle to resolve their sexuality with their spirituality, to tell them about the small church where you can come as you are in your most authentic self, where you can express your love of God in the most fantabulous and flamboyant way. Amen ba? At bilang Easter people, dahil hindi lang natapos ang kwento sa muling pagkabuhay ni Kristo, let us be reminded that we are the continuation of the story. Galing kay RD ‘yan at lagi kong panghahawakan ‘yang narinig ko sa preaching niya. Ayan, nawala na ako. And with that comes the power na magpatuloy at bilang Open Table MCC to have meaningful conversations, even difficult ones, to take part in the call for ceasefire and to put an end to meaningless war. Conversations that continue to create safe spaces, and our participation in the wider work of justice and peace through Jesus who proclaimed a radically inclusive love for all people, at ‘pag kinakailangan ay harapin ang mga usapang mahirap lalo na sa mga kakilala or kapamilya natin na patuloy nagbubulag-bulagan at pumipili at naghahalal ng mga leader na corrupt at sangkot sa katiwalian. Hindi man ito madali, I hope that we’re always reminded na parte rin sila ng pinaglalaban, that there’s more that unites us than separates us. Let us also be intentional sa pangangamusta sa mga mahal natin sa buhay knowing always that Jesus is present in our conversations to speak with love and compassion. At kung ikaw naman ‘yung may kinikimkim sa loob mo kung ano man ‘yan, I hope that the Holy Spirit touches your heart so you can find the courage to have that conversation, one that could inspire, heal, and transform you and others, knowing that God, Jesus, will be there with you. Amen. 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