hold on to love

In this second week of Advent, I am faced with a lot of realizations. The most important of all is the fact that we are just pilgrims here on earth - that everything we have now is temporary. The security of our career and finances, the self-confidence that we have with our achievements and experience, and even the comfort of family and friends, all these are futile when judgment day comes and we will come before the Lord to see Him face to face.

There are many things people can hold on to, but what I know for sure is that in this life and the next, I will hold on to only one thing. I will be judged by my Creator by this one thing that I have and what I can carry before Him. It is with this one thing that I hope I will be able to fulfill the purpose of my life - the love that I have from the Lord.

We will lose everything we have now, except the love that we have from the Lord.When the day comes that we face the Lord, faith and hope will already be brought to completion - for our faith is already made real before us and our hope is already fulfilled. Such is the reason why the St. Paul says that love is the greatest of all (1 Cor 13:13)!

I will hold on to the love that I have received first from Him. Before Him, at the end of my earthly life, I will give back this love that I have cultivated in my being - my love for Him and my love for my neighbors (Mt 36:40). I pray that my offering may be pleasing to Him. I invite you to pray this with me.

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

- Psalm 136:1

outcast and included

I remember when I was a kid, I used to go out and play with the neighbors from next door. Our families were close. Only a small gate at the side separate our lots. This is where I would pass to go to their house.

On one occasion, their grandmother visited and handed out treats and peso coins to them while we were playing. Realizing I was also there, with my friends (her grand kids) telling her I was from next door, their grandmother gave some coins to me as well. At that time I did not really know how to be embarrassed, but good thing I was also not childish enough to be envious if I were not able to receive any! I said "Thank you," at that time and I remembered how I felt good to receive that treat. I even recall cheerfully mentioning to my parents later on that day that I received such a treat!

I can't exactly remember how my parents reacted to it. I knew I was just thankful. I didn't really deserve the treat as I wasn't part of the family. I didn't expect to receive any as well; but anyway, I got the treat.

"Now he was a Samaritan." - Luke 17:16

I remembered this childhood story of mine as I read the passage of the healing of the ten lepers. After Jesus's miracle, only one came back and gave thanks to Him. The story highlights as well that that only man was a Samaritan - a foreigner and an outcast. Yet, it was he who recognized the blessings and had the initiative to go back and thank the One who healed him.

Such is the case for us sometimes. When it's so familiar to us, we sometimes forget to be thankful of what we already have and think we deserve - even forgetting to simply thank the giver! At other times, when we recognize we do not deserve something, we are more thankful of the things we receive. How weird we can be sometimes.

The message of the Gospel underscored today is simple. The love of the Lord is for everyone. Sinners and saints - He loves us all. His love is inclusive and His love does great things for us. It is my prayer not to forget to thank Him at every moment I remember His goodness for me! I pray that this may be our disposition as we welcome each day of our lives.

"I will bless the Lord at all time; His praise shall continually be in my mouth." - Psalms 34:1

roller coaster

John 16: 5. Roller coaster ride.

Jn 16:7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away...

That must have been what the disciples were experiencing at that time. One minute they were exuberantly ascending the road to Jerusalem proclaiming that the Messiah was in their midst, the next minute, they see Him condemned, scourged, and crucified - a most humiliating death for the king of a nation! Then in a middle of their disillusionment and confusion, a miracle happens and their hearts were filled with joy as the promise was fulfilled - Jesus was once again with them. This was only to find out that  after a while He would leave them and return in an uncertain time in the future.

How it must have been a roller coaster ride of emotions indeed for Jesus's dsiciples! The image was striking to me reading the passage as it was what I experienced immediately after the celebrating the feast of Easter and Jesus's resurrection. It was a time where I most exprienced overwhelming joy most especially with good friends and warm relationships sharing the miracle that is Jesus's resurrection in our lives. Just a few days after, however, that joy was shaken. Not shattered, or destroyed, just shaken.

It must have been how the disciples felt. Hearts troubled with the news of their Savior leaving them, they failed to ask the question of where they will go from thereon. Their hearts were just too preoccupied with sorrow. At that moment where my heart was struck with anxiousness, my mind was clouded with disbelief on how such an experience could happen. Of all the times that it could happen, it had to be immediately after such an occasion where everything seemed right?

Yet this was the assurance that Jesus gave when he was about to leave his beloved disciples,

"But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you." - John 16:7

The joy of the resurrection was that the promise of victory over sin was fulfilled. But more than that, it was a time where the Easter Peace was breathed into those who believed. When Jesus left, His words were strong - welcome the One who was sent to be with us. During times when we are shaken, we might fail to remember to cling to not just the Father who is our comforting hand, nor Jesus, our Savior, but the Holy Spirit who is our Advocate and the one who lavishes us with spiritual blessings:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control," - Gal 5:22

Do we really tap the power of the Holy Spirit as we go about our daily lives?

musa sapientum

(An honoring for a brother among brothers in Ang Lingkod ng Panginoon - Makati who will be pursuing graduate studies abroad.)

When we speak of this brother, there is definitely no more question in our minds when I rattle off  the words HARDWORK, DEDICATION and COMMITMENT. Kitang-kita nating lahat 'yan. This is very well manifested in his professional success and position in the company that he has just recently parted with to pursue further studies; in the loving service to his family - supporting his parents back in Bicol, bringing his elder brother closer to God, and even inviting him to Lingkod Makati; and  fulfilling his driver/babysitter duties to his sister and nephews; and of course, in his unwavering commitment to the community - serving the brothers and sisters not just in Makati, but also in Lingkod Davao and even the singles district in Ligaya ng Panginoon. 

Tonight, dahil sa feel ko hindi pa naman nagsawa ang brother na 'to sa mga honoring ko (pang-ilan na 'to bro?),  I want to honor him for three things before payagan natin syang umalis ng Pilipinas para sa NZ. 

GENEROUS  

I want to honor this brother for his generosity. This is a brother who, in St. Paul's encouragement to the Corinthians (2 Cor 8:2), gives according to his means and beyond his means out of his pure heart.  

We can all testify to this. Ako mismo, nabiyayaan nito kasi magkapitbahay kami ng brother na 'to at parati siyang sumasabay sa akin pauwi. hehe This brother's vehicle and his driving skills are always at the disposal of Lingkod Makati for events - that's of course if he's not off to some farm in a faraway province or in a conference somewhere in Asia.  

This brother is not generous only with his physical resources. He also openly shares his leadership and organizational skills having successfully led several community events. Once in a while, in his geek moments (yes, maraming geek sa Lingkod Makati, nagpapanggap lang yung iba na hindi), he shares very useful and informative agricultural facts (amazing yung mga alam ng brother na 'to!). Above all, it is time, the most precious of resources, that he is abundantly generous with. Once, coming from a business trip in Indonesia where he just celebrated his birthday alone, his very first appointment upon arriving in Manila, straight from the airport, was with us, his action group which he led with Paul.  

GENUINE 

Next, I honor this brother for his genuine heart. In the incident I shared where our AG meeting was his first appointment, please note that he didn't even take a leave from that meeting, which was very much understandable if he did! He could have gotten some rest first, or maybe met up with his family to celebrate his birthday, but no. That night, he blessed us with his presence and wisdom. This can only happen when the heart is true to one's commitment. And that, my friends, is because of this brother's sincerity.  

With this brother, what you see is what you get. His support to his family and service to his sisters and brothers in the community comes from a genuinely caring heart. Alam mong 'pag binati ka ng brother na 'to at kinukumusta ka, hindi yun pabati-bati lang. Sabihin mong may concern ka, pag-uwi nyo baka mag-1:1 pa kayo! 

WALANG PINIPILI 

Lastly, gusto kong I-honor ang brother na 'to kasi siya, walang pinipiling taong pinaglilingkuran. His generosity and genuine care is not limited to his family, nor to his community in Lingkod or Ligaya, nor just to his officemates. How you see him being sensitive to the needs of the people that he knows is the same genuine service and care that he blesses other people around him such as the taxi driver or the saleslady he speaks with or even the stranger he sits besides with. Using his own words from a recent discussion, although medyo iba nang konti ang context ng pinag-uusapan namin noon, *ehem*, sabi nya, "...one really has to go out of one's comfort zone and think of the other person." *cough* alam na *cough* 

I was led to these words of St. Ignatius of Loyola while preparing for this honoring:  

 "Love consists in sharing what one has and what one is with those one loves." 

I could not explain more how fitting this description of love is based on what we concretely experience from the service and care of our dear brother, Spencer. His generosity overflows from a genuine heart that blesses everyone around him. He radiates a profound joy that can only come from being firmly rooted in the Lord. 

To honor Spence, a unique character in the midst of a Lingkod branch filled with bankers, accountants, auditors, business analysts, and entrepreneurs, I'd like to throw a question to everyone here tonight: Kung si Spence ay isang halaman, anong halaman siya para sa 'yo? 

I entitled this honoring Musa Sapientum, which means "fruit of the wise men." This is a nod to the geek moments that we will probably miss from the only agriculturist in the branch. Musa Sapientum, for those who know, and of course for Spence who knows, is the scientific name for the humble banana.

Maraming backstory bakit saging yung pinili ko kaso di ko na makwento sa honoring na 'to. Pero para mashare ko lang, etong brother na 'to, sumesenti 'to. Pansinin niyo FB wall niya. If the photo collages that he makes are not enough proof for you, pansinin nyo mga muni-muni na pinpost nya! At dahil dyan bro, para sa akin, kung ikaw ay isang halaman, ikaw ay isang saging - pinipitas, binabalatan, nilalaga, piniprito, kinakain…pero higit sa lahat isa kang saging kasi ang saging lang ang may puso. (BOOM.) 

Kidding aside, Spence, we are all excited for the adventures of the student life ahead of you. You are no stranger to travelling and settling down in new places every once in a while, but nevertheless, know that we are and will always  be here to support you. We will just be here in Makati and BGC *wink* when you get back after the couple of years. We will definitely miss one of those with the warmest smile and the tightest hug that greets everyone at events. That's you, by the way! Until then, our branch theme for the year could not be any more apt in leading our prayers for you:  

Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. (1 Cor 16:13-14) 

Just as you lifted up the desires of your heart and discerned the Lord's will in the next chapter of your life, stand firm in your faith. Continue to serve the Lord in love in the new mission field that He has led you to, Bro. All the best and God bless!