24/05/2026
MOMENTS by Fr. Jerry Orbos, SVD
Cleanse us, heal us, Lord!
Here is one story I heard from Fr. Ben Prado, SVD, our veteran missionary to Indonesia. In one of his mission trips, he found himself in a deep forest. It was getting dark and his horse was very slow. He remembered, hearing from the people that if he wanted the horse to run faster, all he had to do was to put “sili” (red pepper) in the behind of the horse. He did just that, and the horse took off so fast leaving him behind. Not wanting to be left alone in the forest, he also put “sili” in his behind, and he ran so fast, he even overtook the horse!
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Today is Pentecost Sunday. We need new strength, new power, new life in the church these days. We need a new Pentecost to give us renewal and freshness. We need the Lord to breathe His Holy Spirit upon us again, to open our locked doors and to remove the fear in our hearts. More than ever, we need to say the prayer “Come Holy Spirit, Come Holy Spirit, Come Holy Spirit!”
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It is interesting to note the connection of fear, forgiveness, and peace in today’s Gospel (John 20:19-23). We need peace to remove our fears. Our fears deprive us of peace. We need forgiveness to have peace. Forgiveness removes all our fears. Forgiveness then is the source of true peace and the antidote to all fears. Yes, forgiveness sets us free. Do you feel imprisoned in life? Do you feel a vacuum in your heart? Try forgiveness: ask for forgiveness from God; forgive people who have hurt you; ask for forgiveness from people you have hurt, cheated, used, or abused; and lastly, forgive yourself and believe you are forgiven. Unless and until you have done these, you cannot have true peace.
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I did some cleaning in my room recently. I have occupied this same room for the past 15 years already, and it has accumulated not only dust but also many memorabilia through the years. It is not easy to let go and dispose of things we treasure in life, but imagine if I never let go. There would be no more room for me! From time to time, we need to “unload” clothes, memorabilia, correspondence, and treasures. Letting go is never easy but it sets us free. It is the same with the heart. We need to learn how to unload what we do not need—fears, regrets, guilts, ill feelings, hurts. And the best way to unload is to forgive. Invert the word forgive and you have GIVE FOR. This is the secret of a peaceful life. Don’t retain your sins and heartaches. GIVE FOR the Lord to take care of all your fears, burdens, sins, and problems.
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We all will face our Creator someday. I wonder what you and I will present to Him at the end of our lives? The material things we surely cannot carry with us, so that’s out of the question. The money, the properties, the power, the influence you and I are holding on to now will not matter, so we better learn detachment now. What will matter is the love we have shared and the goodness we have done. May the Holy Spirit enlighten us to see what is really important in this life and beyond.
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“Peace be with you!” The thought that there is a greater power, that there is Someone in control, that there is a “big picture” is very assuring. May we all be reminded again that a tremendous gift has been given to us. Too bad many of us belittle, take for granted—if not altogether ignore—the gift of the Holy Spirit, who is ready and available for us anytime.
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We all need the Holy Spirit for a real change of heart, beginning with those who lead us, precisely because they themselves are powerful agents of change. They who are in powerful positions have in their possession a tremendous responsibility toward the people whom they serve. Too engrossed in their positions and possessions, and their commissions, they have, sad to say, forgotten their mission.
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Speaking of change, let us learn a lesson from the lowly diaper: that politicians who stink must be changed and disposed. Nobody is indispensable in public service nor is it an exclusive, unlimited franchise of a few individuals or families.
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Pentecost goes on. In every age and time, God raises prophets who speak on God’s behalf, pointing out what is not right, and what should be changed. Let’s call them diaper watchers or diaper busters who are not afraid in their crusade for good governance, and whose mouths cannot be muffled by money, favor or patronage. Let us pray that there will be more prophets in our midst who will help bring about a national diaper change.
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Let us remember today our motherland, our beloved country the Philippines. We have a beautiful and a rich country in terms of our natural and human resources, but it is a poor country because of those who run and ruin her. Let us pray for a new Pentecost in our land, especially an outpouring of a new breed of leaders who have a genuine sense of mission for our people, and who are willing to take not the glorious road of power, but the lonely road of sacrifice. Without sacrifice, forget it. We will never rise up as a nation. And without truth, there will be no real moving on.
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A moment with the Lord:
Come Holy Spirit, we need You! Cleanse us and heal our land. Amen.
~ Fr. Jerry Orbos, SVD
