By Robert So, BCBP Baguio
Do you cook…? I do… who doesn’t?
When we prepare a dish, let’s say… Sinigang, we may opt for a variety of ways to cook it. We may choose a main ingredient to cook it with, like pork, beef, chicken or fish and there’s always got to be vegetables to complement the meat. Then to give flavor to the dish we spice it up, either with sampaloc, kamias, santol, bayabas or miso. But this food is for the body, it only nourishes our physical being.
Why don’t we try to cook something for our spiritual nourishment? Allow me to share to you a recipe… it’s called Witnessing. This is a form of evangelization that is effortless but difficult or it may be easy but would entail a lot of determination. Well, whichever is which, we can’t deny that witnessing for Jesus is the soul of our faith that each and every Christian should fulfill. We should respond to the call of Christ by sharing in His mission.
First and foremost, we should never forget that the main ingredient here is Jesus – the meat of our existence. We are just the vegetables that enkindle the flavor of the stew. And for seasoning, all we need is faith and willingness. Now we are ready to cook.
We will start by slicing faith into strips with these questions: 1) How important is God to you? 2) What kind of relationship do you have with God? Then marinade these questions in the bowls of our hearts and minds with a cup of sincerity for at least 30 minutes or until we obtain the true answers.
Next, mince willingness into small pieces so that we may get bits of 1) willingness to share… our time, talent and treasure in serving the Lord; 2) willingness to learn… we need to continuously hunger to discern and discover the message of God and must never assume that we already know and have everything; 3) willingness to pray… our interaction with God should be unceasing, we should never lose contact with Him; and 4) willingness to love… is to be able to forgive unconditionally, and to care – not only for those who are dear to us but also for those who need it most especially the poor.
Now get a sizeable pot, pour in a liter of patience and bring it to a boil then put in the meat, vegetables and other ingredients altogether. Add a pinch of fortitude to taste and simmer until spiritually uplifted. Now… we are ready to serve.
Just remember, like in cooking sinigang, do not be apprehensive to explore new ways to enhance your “witnessing” as long as it will be spiritually healthy. Always keep in mind though, that our spirituality should not only grow in piety but in our person.
A food for thought: “The way you think determines the way you feel; and the way you feel influences the way you act.” So if we always consult Jesus in our decisions, then how can we go wrong? Brothers and sisters… may we be the“Good News” to others so that they may always see Jesus in us.
Bon appétit!
