eyes of love

Many times we blame people for the predicament they are in  - that it is all their own doing. It isn't always the case.

Who are those people that you judge like this? Do they really deserve what they are into?

If not in this life, it is in the next that people will receive what they really deserve. For in the eyes of God, we deserve nothing but the best: nothing less but His immense love for us, the life of His only beloved Son.

A reflection on Mk 2:1-12

give what you do not have

"I have you, Lord. I have enough."

Simeon said this when he held the baby Jesus in his arms. Reflecting on Jesus's parable of the old lady and the two copper coins, a statement crossed my mind:

What do I not have can I give?

I was struck with the peculiarity of this statement. I cannot reconcile it with many talks and teachings saying "You cannot give what you do not have." How do I answer this?

I meditated and asked myself what I wanted to give more to the Lord. Time. "I want to spend more time with you Lord," I said in my mind, "I have no time, but I want to spend more time with You." I am saying this in the midst of everything that's eating up my time - preparations for a big event and delayed deliverables at work, a situation where I seem not to have time.

Yet the Lord called my attention - what I think I have or do not have doesn't matter. I have the Lord; that should be enough. So it must be with us, friends: we must give, give more at that, to our one and only generous God.

I read Matthew's story and was hooked

I started writing an entry about how I ended up reading the Gospel of Matthew in a couple of days, but I'll reserve that story another time. What I want to share with you in this entry is the joy of reading the story of Jesus Christ, THE Jesus Christ, my Jesus Christ, as how Matthew recounted it.

It's wonderful to appreciate a person based on your encounter of him and how he interacts with you. There's a deeper appreciation, however, when you know the life of that person - what he's been through and what he has overcome, and take that in mind when you speak with him face to face. Yet, there's even a marvelous experience of just looking at the person's life as a whole - up until his very last breath, and understanding how his life has made a difference in the people around him and even to you. Many times we take on this lens when we look back and recall the life of a loved one who has just left us. I was delighted to take on this lens when I read the book of Matthew.

NO. The Gospel of Matthew does not take long to read. I read it in my free hours in the evening after work just as how some people can devour a half of a book of Harry Potter in one sitting. Boy, the experience is wonderful! I picked out a translation of the Bible which was easy to read and understand (and Catholic of course) - the Good News translation.

Reading the entirety of Matthew's story of Jesus brought me so much joy! Here are a few of my discoveries when I finished reading the Gospel:

1. I was amazed to read some stories which I was not familiar or I didn't hear of before. One example was how Pilate's wife sent a message to him to have nothing to do with Jesus because she was disturbed about him in her dream.
2. Jesus really did use a lot of parables when he taught. He had a lot of parables for the Kingdom of Heaven. He even taught the disciples the hidden meaning behind many of the stories for them to be able to understand.
3. Matthew's story mentions a lot of Jesus's teachings He preached to thousands of followers on a mountain. They were a joy to read. Most of them taught the disciples what it really means to worship and love the Lord.
4. The progression of the story is just like any other story you would read in novels. Jesus's ministry, the tension of the Jewish teachers plotting against Him, leading to the climax of Jesus's crucifixion and resurrection - it is a life-changing story!
5. My curiosity has grown for the many symbols and stories Jesus repeated in His teachings. I'll probably go back to read them later on for a deeper understanding - the fig tree, children, parables of the sower, servants working in the vineyard.

What I want to ultimately share is this: it is impossible not to know Jesus and His Father's love for us. One only has to read any of the Gospels.

The last line of the Gospel struck a chord in my heart. It is very poignant and very empowering:

"I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Go then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end f the age."

My dear reader, I URGE you: read the Gospels! Start with Mark if you want to start with a shorter story of Jesus's life. Pick up a translation that is easy for you to read (but is true to the original text). Read and devour the life of our Lord, our Savior, and Friend. God be with you.

the Divine time

I remember in my earlier posts in this blog I was concerned with establishing a good reader base. I wanted to craft messages that were palatable to a lot of my peers. Mainly, I wanted the message I wanted to convey to reach a lot of people. That message was the Good News of Jesus Christ. Looking back, it's ironic how this blog has become stagnant with the very approach I started this blog.

The intention of this blog will not change. I cannot assure, also, that the frequency and the activity will change from the previous months. The disposition, however, is something that I want to change. I want to make this blog as something of an open journal - one I can frequently go to as part of my journey with Christ. It is my hope that I am able to write more frequently. It is my desire that many people join me in this journey. Let me begin with the short entry below. Cheers to many more adventures!

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In Genesis, when the LORD created heaven and earth (which meant everything!), he also created light and separated it from darkness. That was the creation of time. I want to surface those two truths in this part of the creation story - that God is a God of Order, and the God of Time. In the succeeding 'days' of creation, God, with a vision and purpose in mind, appointed things in the right order, in accordance with His appointed time.

This week, and in the weeks to come, I wish to immerse myself in these truths. I have been reading many materials, understanding and listening to the Lord in Scriptures. However, I would like to delve more on how the Lord guides and reveals Himself as the God of Order and Time as I follow faithfully the order of readings set by the Catholic Church lectionary.

What's new? I read the Gospel every day anyway. In recent months, I've been using other devotions in my readings. I hope to read the Gospel a day in advance - this way I can internalize more what the LORD has in store for me the following day. I also hope to look at the week and months in light of the Liturgical arrangement set by the Traditions of our Church. God be with me as I set out in this adventure to know Him more.

Feel free to reach me if you want to know more of my plans and how you can take this on as well. I'll drop by as often as I can to share with you some of my experiences. I hope my posts can encourage you to level up your relationship with our LORD and Savior.

Cheers!

grace of joy

There are those days when you just wake up like any other day. You go through the motions. Those days sometimes you haven't even set dedicated time to the LORD yet and speaking to Him, just prayers here and there recognizing His goodness. Yet at some point, you just feel uplifted, happy, and joyful. You want to listen to cheerful melodies, song after song after song. You want to sing along with these songs, smiling and shaking your head as you do. You want to share these songs to people, share the joy, and tell people how much you're happy to have them.

No words can explain these things, but a psalm comes in to mind: This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it! 

Oh, how wonderful the LORD is for granting us this life to experience His goodness!

of little faith

"Come out," Jesus said. Peter requested Jesus to command him to walk on the water with him. Jesus only responded. Peter walked on the water toward Jesus. However, it was only for a brief while. The strong wind and troubling water distracted Peter and he started to sink... (Mt 14:22-30)

Peter was Jesus's deeply loyal follower, most trusting, and most vocal of his adoration for his LORD. Yet even the most trusting of followers can have weak moments. These are moments when the world around him distracts him from the miracle and joy of walking with the Lord on unsteady waters.

"LORD, save me," Peter shouted. At once, Jesus reached out to grab hold of the troubled Peter. (Mt 14:30)

When we take away our focus from our LORD Jesus Christ, we worry of many things around us. We easily forget the joy and miracle of the relationship we have of Jesus Christ. In these moments, we simply have to call on to our LORD, "Save me, LORD!" Even in our weakest, when our faith is little, the LORD saves us.

LORD, increase our faith!

joy in life

I just watched the movie The Bucket List again and it strikes a chord in my heart every time. A line in the movie resonated with me: "Did you find joy in your life?" I recount my day today as I write this post and ask myself that question and it hit me: "Have I?"

Life goes by pretty quickly. I realize that the question is one I would want to ask myself at the end of every day, every moment, every second of my borrowed time here on earth. Interesting: the phrase 'borrowed time.' Let me correct that to say - gift of time here on earth. Knowing that life is a gift puts a smile on my face and answers the question every time. Yes, I have found the joy in my life.  That joy is to know that I am loved by my Creator, my dear Heavenly Father, who sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, so that I may be live life to the full. I thank Him for this gift.

The next question is - have I shared this joy with others? I can do a better job. I would like to do a better job. I hope this new post can be a good start. I can't promise regular posts, but I can promise to do my best to share the joy that I have found every moment, of every day of my life.

May the good Lord bless you that you may find the joy in your life!

respect life

I've been wanting to get back to my blogging. I can't fully take it on yet, but let me start by making a stand on issues prevailing in my country today.

I am one with my parish in actively promoting the messages of truth to other people.

"For the Christian, it is an absolute imperative to respect, love, and promote the life of every brother and sister, in accordance with the requirements of God's bountiful love in Jesus Christ," 

(St. John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae n.77)

desire to connect

There is in the deepest and innermost being of man the need to connect.

I hear and read about it a lot - man's desire to connect, not being an island, or a lone ranger. As I walked through a row of establishments in a mall one day, I saw a man, grinning with excitement as he was taking a selfie with his meal - I quickly judged it was a selfie but then I saw and realized he was talking to someone using his device. In the next establishment I saw through the glass a young lady with long black hair, sitting at the bar facing me and the passers by. She was chatting happily with someone using her phone with her white earphones in her ears. How powerful indeed has technology evolved to bring us such a gift for us to connect with people!

Yet technology only aids our means to connect. What pushes us to connect is our deepest desire of being in touch with another. What fuels this desire is just that real longing of something that is inside us - a truth of what we lost and what we wish to recover.

The truth is - we were born united with the One who made us. We were separated from Him because of our ways which are against His intention for us and for our lives. Yet even though we willfully choose to do things our way, inside of us there is a yearning that can never be quenched. This yearning is to just be back with Him, be one with Him, and do His will.

Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst." John 6:35-40

throw your life away

To the young, throw your youth - your prime years to the Lord. To the elders, it seems that at this point, what this means is to throw your whole life away to the Lord!

- Andy Juan, March 28, 2016

PS. I paraphrase the statement above from a senior leader in the community I am a part of (Ligaya ng Panginoon). He was addressing the brothers of the Servants of the Word during an Alumni Night, himself being alumnus of the brotherhood.

life for a life

"As how I offered my Beloved Son to redeem your life, will you offer your life to redeem yours?"

faithful because He is

I've always considered it a grace from the Lord to be somewhat free from strong attachments which may distract me from quickly responding to His promptings. In a lot of my decisions in the past since my renewed relationship with the Lord, I recognize that God's hand has always held my heart close to His through this grace.

A good friend of mine pointed my natural tendency of being like this once and realizing it for myself, I thanked God for it! I tried to examine deep in my heart on where this was rooted and I could not find anything else but this verse:

22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end;

23 they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.

(Lamentations 3:22-23)

I am trusting that what lies ahead of me is according to God's plans, even in ways I cannot logically explain, because my God is faithful. Even just looking back at my life, at the many crossroads I've faced and the side trips I've taken, I look at this winding road and just see the hand of God. I see the hand of God directing my path in every step of the undiscerning ways I took and I see Him always directing me toward Him.

We can be trusting and faithful to the will of the Lord because our God is a God who is faithful in ways unimaginable and in ways beyond our rational mind.

This is a good reminder for all of us, even for me, when at times I find myself weak, beat down, and just fazed with so many things before me blocking my sight of the Hand that has always been there and the promise that it has always been leading me to.

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! 

first loved

I recently saw this from a friend's post on Facebook.

"You're nobody til somebody loves you."

Call me an old soul but the first song that came into my mind was the American standard sung by Dean Martin. Gentlemen back then had C.L.A.S.S. (Though, forgive me, maybe my friend was referring to the song by James Arthur with the same title!)

These gentlemen have flair, I tell you. Brace yourself at 1:20!

Anyway, back to my point, I was actually more interested in the various responses to the post. Here were my thoughts upon reading them:

"I beg to disagree," - Alright! I feel you.
"Loving someone or being loved by someone should not define you. There is more to you than just loving someone. There is more to you than being loved," - Hmm...
"Not true. Love yourself," - Woah. Hold on there... Let's clarify that a bit.

Honestly, had I read these comments a year ago, I would have dug them and agreed with them, at least to some extent. However, a lot can change in a year - including finally being able to somewhat sustain a blog (Ohyeah. *patting myself on the back*). I'd like to highlight that change in perspective by pointing out that it started when I felt the warm truth of the words below. (Please take note of the operative word 'felt,' as opposed to 'fully understanding.')

"We love, because He first loved us." - 1 John 4:19

Lets break down my reactions to the comments in the post.

1. Yes, we are NOBODY until somebody loves us. 

I cannot emphasize that enough. It's not depressing as you think it is even if you're thinking that you're still single, or that your family doesn't love you (which I doubt) or that the whole world just doesn't seem to care about you. The good news is that there was never a time that you were not loved! 

We were born out of love - not just from our parents' but most of all from the Love that conceived us way before everything was created. God created every one of us out of his unbounded love for us. Whether we eat our fries with ketchup or ice cream, we sing our favorite song in tune or off key, or drink martinis shaken, not stirred, God loves us. He loves us and every little quirk that makes us who we are. We were somebody even before we started to think we wanted to be somebody.

2. We love. 

The second comment is a bit tricky. I would have somewhat agreed to it before; but here's where my problem with the statement lies - God is Love (1 Jn 4:8)! He's the very reason we are here. If you haven't come to terms with that yet, please go back to number one above.

Being loved by God defines who I am. Loving someone out of the goodness that was shown to me by God's love is what I strive to do; for if I were created by God in His image, loving others defines who I am. There is nothing more than to love as God loves me. 

 3. Love God first. 

When I was on the bandwagon of subscribing to the trendy self-help top lists online, I realized they were just endless lists and countless ways to confuse myself! 10 Things to Do to be Truly Happy, 3 Secrets of Happy and Successful People, 20 Ways to Love About Yourself in Your 20s - sound familiar? Oh yes, we've read them all. They struck our hearts and brightened up our days. How could they not? Out of the twenty items on the list, there was bound to be at least one item that made you go, uh-huh!

I see these lists now as vain, youthful *ehem* attempts to make sense of our feelings about this world around us. Yes, they hit home, especially for the younger generation, but it just distracts us from the rational and wonderful truth: God loves us. 'Nuff said. Here's a quip from a favorite radio show host of mine (check out his podcasts in Catholic Answers Live if you want to know more about the faith!):

 God loves us and there's nothing you can do about it! 

I love how he ends every show with this cheeky, lighthearted truth. Here's the catch, there are endless things you can do in response to knowing that God loves you. There are just so many ways you can pass this on and share the message about the warmth of his love. I will be sad for you if the first thing on your to-do list is to love yourself! 

Love God first, my friend, and you will find out there's more to life than what you have imagined it to be! (1 Cor 2:9)

embodied spirits

We are embodied spirits. 

This is one of three key things  I remember Bishop Soc Villegas emphasized in one of his homilies I attended. He drove this point during a huge gathering of Catholic communities a year ago on the feast of Christ the King. He shared this as a reminder for us that we were never meant to stay on this earth; we were meant for eternal life. 

I was reminded of this today during the mass offered for our dearly departed on All Souls Day. The priest shared a notable moment in his experience with the dying serving as the chaplain for an infirmary. The priest recounted that many times, during the last moments of the dying, the person would let out a huge breath, his last, as if he were letting out his soul - releasing it from the bondage of the human body. I witnessed this very recently, seeing the moment firsthand, as I bid goodbye to my dearest mother. 

What do we hold on to after experiencing or even just witnessing such moments? 

I remember during the last moments when my mom could still speak, she would tell us, "Kapoy, kapoy," (I'm tired, I'm tired). After years of struggling and bearing the physical pain, when she let out that deep breath, the words of the apostle Paul rang clear in my mind. In his letter to the Romans (8:18), Paul mentions of the glory that is to be revealed to us beyond the sufferings we endure here on earth. "Di na siya kapuyon," (She will no longer have to bear the pain), I said to my brother and father while still looking at my mom and holding her hand. I then read aloud our Lord's words through St. Paul's letter.

What do we hope for our dearly departed when we pray and offer masses for them?

But the souls of the just are in the hand of God. (Wisdom 3:1)

We pray together as one community of believers that the Lord may look kindly upon the souls of our beloved and that they may experience His compassionate and loving embrace. This is our hope - for our loved ones and for our very own souls.

It is my prayer that we, pilgrims here on earth, may continue to live a life that our loved ones wanted for us, and most of all, a life honorable to the One God we believe in. After all, death is inevitable and we are embodied spirits. 

joyful service

"Let the word of God dwell in you richly." Col 3:16

Me: Ito po. I'll buy these, please. *handing the two books to the sister manning the booth*

Sister: Pari po kayo? Are you a priest?

Me: Hindi po! No, sorry! 

It was a funny encounter with a Pauline sister selling their products outside the parish after Sunday mass. A few thoughts ran through my mind after that incident:

1. She must have thought about giving appropriate greetings to a priest if I were one. 
2. I probably need to grow this beard a bit longer to have a bit of the bad boy image so as not to be mistaken for a priest!
3. The common situation may be that someone as young as me would not be buying these copies. It's a reasonable thought. I can say that not many of my friends would get a copy and read these. From my community, Lingkod, or for some of my college friends (I graduatedfrom a Jesuit-run university), yes; for others, probably not.

On the third point, this would be something to ponder on. These apostolic exhortations that I bought copies of are addressed to the bishops, clergy, consecrated persons and the lay faithful on the proclamation of the Gospel in today's world. Lay faithful. In this Year of the Laity as established by the Catcholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, this could not be a more appropriate material to read for Catholics. 

In a lot of Pope Francis's recent exhortations and public messages, and even Pope Emeritus Benedict's strong encouragement as he published the YOUCAT, the youth is even more encouraged to take on the task of evangelization. This task, they said can be done most effectively by knowing what one believes in and leading a life of joy with Him. I support them in their message that truly, the bigger task of bringing God's word to everyone rests on the tech savvy, freshly creative and energetic youth!

I am constantly grateful to be part of a community of single young professionals dedicated to serve God. It gives me much encouragement and support to be in their company to live a life pleasing the One who gifted us with this life and carrying out that task of proclaiming his love to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). It's a tall order to follow Him but I know I can only do it with his Spirit and with the support of my brothers and sisters in Christ. 

I encourage you, dear reader, that if there is any inkling to serve or a hint of desire to know more about Him, reach out to people who you know can help guide you in your path to knowing Christ. Everything starts with the desire to know Him more. I know that's where I started. To those in a relationship with Him but are somehow bogged down with the daunting task of serving him, take courage! (Joshua 1:9) Where I am now, looking back, I'm thankful to have responded and continue to respond to His call. It's not an easy task, nor is my response perfect, but it is a desire I do not wish to extinguish.

Bring the undiminished fire of your love into this Church whose countenance has so often been disfigured by man, "Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord!" (Rom 12:11) - Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

lauds

I sat beside you on your bed, invoked the Holy Presence and murmured it under my breath. When I saw that look of affirmation I knew you wanted me to speak louder. It wasn't that I was shy to say the prayer with you with other people in the opposite side of the room. I just wanted to share the moment with you like that last time when I went home for the weekend. We chanted the Lauds together. I knew that made you happy. I was joyful to share that moment with you.

As I read the psalm, still in a low voice so no one else can hear but just you and me, I couldn't help but look at you as I mouthed the words from the psalmist. If only you could speak to tell me something, but I understand, each word you muster would take your breath away so easily. Instead I saw that look of affection in your eyes. My heart wept.

I never got to finish the rest of the morning prayers with you. I was too shy to share that intimate moment with other people in the room. The nurses also came in to do their routine health check - what a lame excuse.

There's that pang of regret on why I couldn't finish it or why I couldn't recite it louder or even chant those prayers for you. I can tell myself now that every time I chant the Lauds and give glory to our Lord at the start of the day, I know I will share it with you.

But it will never be the same as having you say the prayers me. It will never be the same as saying them with you even if you just breathed the words of praise to our Lord with me as I tightly held your hand.