INSTITUTIONAL ADVENT RECOLLECTION 20011

YEAR OF CITIZENSHIP
“Duyan ka ng Magiting”


December 21, 2011 / 730AM - 12:00NN
Centro Pastoral


I. REFLECTION

Theme: “Duyan ka ng Magiting”

Grace to Ask: I will ask for the grace not be deaf to His call, but prompt and diligent to accomplish God’s most holy will.


OPENING PRAYER:

Here I am, Lord, standing before you just as I am at this moment.
I sit in your presence, Lord, in peace and tranquility.
I am in your presence and allow myself to be directed by you.

I open myself to you who are near. You are the font of life,
the force of life which permeates my very being.
You are my breath which maintains me in existence.

Let peace dwell within me.
Give me the grace to let myself be cleansed by you,
to be a shell filled only with you, my God.
Let all my thoughts and feelings, my will and liberty,
be totally directed to your honor and service.

Amen.


Scripture Passage for Reflection:
1. Matthew 5: 3 – 10 The Beatitudes
2. Jeremiah 1: 7 – 8 The Call of Jeremiah
3. Psalm 51: 1 – 19 The Call to Repentance


1. JEREMIAH’S CALL AND COMMISSION

Now the word of the Lord came to me saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.’

Then I said, ‘Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.’ But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, “I am only a boy”; for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you.

Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.’

Jeremiah 1: 7-8

Reflection Guide:

Jeremiah was called by God to announce the coming of God’s judgment upon the people of Judah. Jeremiah had never done this before and he was not an eloquent speaker. Fear and insecurities entered in his heart. But God assured Jeremiah of His presence and support. God called him to speak in His authority. God doesn’t require us to equip ourselves before he calls us; but he equips with his grace us whom he has called. When God calls, he provides.

In the film Agawan Base, see how the main characters transcended their own fear and limitation in order to do right thing for the country.

In the context of our lingering problem of peace, poverty and injustice in our country, what is the calling of God to me? to our community? What are our fears?
As we celebrate the Year of Citizenship, how do we respond to the signs of times?
Ateneans are called to be men and women for others/country, are we faithful to this call?

Allow the film to give us some insights and encouragement. Enter into the shoes of the main characters and feel their own struggles, transcendence, and victories.


2. THE BEATITUDES

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they who hunger
and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure of heart,
for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Matthew 5:3-10

Reflection Guide:

Listening to God and following His will is not easy. There is always fear, feeling of unworthiness and uncertainty in following the will of God.

Enter into silence. Allow the Beatitudes to console you in your silence. Reflect. What word or phrase that struck you most? Why?





II. Film Viewing: AGAWAN BASE
A FILM BY CESAR BUENDIA

A. SYNOPSIS:

This film is about the faith of a child in God and how this faith can overthrow earthly powers and entities, which seems too large to budge. Mano’s story will prove that truth until even the unbeliever in Richelle, can be transformed. This movie also gave Kovu his acting debut!

Agawan Base is a victorious adventure-comedy-drama where the lead character is someone who we always fail to see in the stories of the films we commonly watch. God is the lead character of this film as He is in real life. Agawan Base is a love story not between two lovers, but between God and all of us - His children.

-------

March 1, 2016 – it is election season in Manila. The candidates for Philippine President are battling it out to be the leader of a country that has become even poorer in the past six years. Corruption and poverty continue to oppress the Filipino people and the candidates are dishing out the same old promises and lies. But the children - the innocent victims of a corrupt society - go on playing the dangerous games of life.

Mano is 12. His mother Lita taught him well to have faith in God. She used to be a devoted public school teacher, but poverty has forced her to accept a job as a domestic helper in Jeddah. Rudy, Mano’s father has a low paying job which comes and goes. His younger sister Angge has just begun schooling and his grandmother has diabetes. Mano has stopped school and has become like most of his friends in the slums - a petty thief.

Richelle, a graduate student, has been using Mano and his friends as the subject of a documentary film about poor children in conflict with the law. But Richelle fails to find meaning in her own documentary... even in the lives of the children... nor in her personal life. Richelle is an unbeliever in contrast to Mano who has a faith in God, which could and would eventually “move mountains”.

Mano has one constant prayer - to see his mother walking into their small shanty once again. But she is an OFW and the OFW’s lives are always in peril. Alas, one day, after a long hard day of playing in the open field with his friends, Mano comes home to see a casket surrounded by lighted lamps and his grandmother sobbing profusely. Lita has arrived home lifeless; her body still fresh with proof of foul play and rape.

Since it is election time and all issues are fair game, the strongest Presidential candidate Senator Conde takes special interest in Lita’s case. After a much publicized visit to her wake, Conde decides to use Lita’s death to further boost his image. He hires the poor children to act in a TV commercial and secure his image as a philanthropic politician who loves the OFWs. And Mano, the orphaned child, is chosen as the lead “star” in the commercial.

During the studio shoot of this TV ad, Mano’s friend Yuri steals the cellular phone of Conde’s assistant. Unknown to the children, this phone would later be the key to changing their own lives and later, the life of this nation.

Soon, for a reason unknown to them, the children find themselves running for their lives. The men of Conde are out to get them. With the help of Richelle, they discover that the cellular phone they had stolen contains information on Senator Conde’s involvement in the illegal drugs trade.

It is at this point when Mano’s faith in God is put to the test.


Source: http://www.teamkovu.com/support/agawan-base-indie-movie


B. HOW TO DO AN IGNATIAN GAZING (CONTEMPLATION)
(How to watch "Agawan Base" in the Ignatian Way)

One form of prayer in the Spiritual Exercises is Contemplation. Using our five senses, we enter into the scripture scenes, and be one of the participants.

1. Enter into the film’s scene.

2. Try to see, contemplating each person in the scene. Just look without trying to explain or understand.

3. Try to listen, paying attention to the spoken or implied words. What might they mean? What if they were directed to you?

4. Observe what the people in the scene do. They have names, histories, sufferings, personal quests, joys. How do they react? Note the gestures, feelings, and attitudes, above all, of Jesus himself.

5. Place yourself actively in the scene. Allow yourself to be involved in what is happening.


Questions for Reflection:

1. What scene/s touched you the most?
2. What feeling, sentiment, emotion, or effect predominated? Why?
3. Did you feel some calling, a desire, or an inspiration?
4. Did you experience some difficulty or resistance?

And we end our reflection by reading the Psalm 51 prayerfully.


III. RESPONSE

Prayer for Repentance

Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.

You desire truth in the inward being;
therefore teach me wisdom in my
secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within
me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in me a willing spirit.

O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.

-Psalm 51: 1 – 19


TO PREVIEW THE FILM "AGAWAN BASE" visit this site:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ9WXiEb7m0&noredirect=1


RECOLLECTION FLOW

AM
7:00 Registration
8: 00 Holy Eucharist (Main Presider: Fr.Tony Moreno,SJ)
Muslim Prayer Service
9:00 Short Break
9:15 Opening Prayer / Short Orientation
9:30 Introduction of the Resource Person
9:40 Talk by Director Cesar Buendia
10:00 Film Gazing : "Agawan Base"
11:30 Synthesis / Silence / Closing Prayer
12:00 End

Note:
Transportation will be provided from Main Campus to Centro Pastoral
from 7:00AM - 7:45AM, and also from 12:00PM back to Main Campus.

SEE YOU THERE!!!

Homemade Parables

ANDADORS. Babies learn how to walk with the help of andadors (cane walkers or strollers). When their legs are strong enough, the strollers are removed, and they learn how to stand, walk and eventually run. Someday they may become marathon runners in the Olympics. We all learned to pray with words, thoughts or methods, and most do not know how to pray without these. We do not know how to run in the marathon of the spiritual life. Just try to imagine Olympic marathoners running with andadors.

BABIES. A baby brings joy to the family and is the center of attention. Some parents wish their cute babies never grow up. This is unnatural, because everyone grows up. Babies will not grow only if they are frozen or embalmed. What about our beliefs? What is the difference between our childish beliefs and our adult beliefs? Is it grown up and mature, or stunted and retarded?

BANANAS. A single banana does not look impressive. A bunch of healthy bananas look nice and attractive. A faith that is self-centered is like the single banana. A faith that loves God by serving others is united to the bigger community. It is part of the bunch.

BRUSHING OUR TEETH. Long ago, we learned to brush our teeth because our parents obliged us to do so. We grew up appreciating this and now we brush regularly. This is similar to religion. An immature faith obliges us to follow our human traditions, while a mature faith motivates us to love God by serving others. This is not a burden-some thing. This should be as natural as brushing our teeth every day. There is a difference between “I have to” and “I want to.”

BUTTONS & CLOTHES. Buttons are useful in wearing clothes. Too many buttons get in the way of conven-ience. What if you are in a hurry inside the toilet and there are too many buttons? Clothes are worn for protection and modesty. When clothes are too elaborate, expensive or uncomfortable, they do not serve their purpose. So is religion with its complicated and abstract beliefs.

CAKE AND ICING. The cakes on display in bake shops look very attractive and beautiful. Some of them are for display only. Beneath all that decorative icing is some cardboard or styrofoam. Religion can be like this, for dis-play only. God’s truth and goodness may not be there under all the fervent religiosity. An unspiritual religion is all icing, no cake; all form, no substance; all law, wrong spirit.

CELL PHONES. Today cell phones are as common as watches. Cell phones are useful when properly charged and the signal is strong. There are millions of followers of different religions around the world, like the millions of cell phones. A cell phone that miscommunicates is useless. A religion that does not guide or teach correctly is also the same. Although all religions teach love, peace and truth, why do we not know how to live in peace and harmony?

COFFEE. Coffee is a favorite drink of many. They feel the day is incomplete without coffee. Some cannot get through the day without consuming several cups. There are also daily churchgoers who feel the day is incomplete if they do not attend mass. Someone said they probably experience what addicts go through without their daily fix. Is the mass something truly spiritual, or just something programmed into our daily routine?

COMPUTERS. Thanks to computers, the physical laws of time, space, motion and gravity can be defied in the animated movies that we see today. Computers connect people around the world, aid science and research, design skyscrapers, fly airplanes, fight wars, perform microscopic medical operations and so on. But computers do not function when there is no power. The same is true of religion. All the religious fervor in the world is useless when it does not have the spirit of God, which produces compassion, peace, truth and justice.

DAG-DAG BAWAS. The term means to add and subtract and refers to the doctoring of election returns in Philip-pine politics. This term applies also to communicating information and ideas. Messages can get misunderstood or distorted. Twenty centuries have watered down, diluted, exaggerated or even distorted the Christian faith. This is why liturgical rules, doctrinal assertions and theological disputes seem more important than being just, loving and humble. Essentials can be forgotten while emphasizing non-essentials.

DRIED FISH. Salted fish is dried to preserve it. Dried fish reminds us of the dried bones mentioned in the book of Ecclesiastes. All obsolete and unrealistic beliefs are like the preserved dried fish. Now, is our faith a living faith or is it drying up? Is our God a God of the living or of the dead? A faith that is in touch with reality continually adapts and reforms itself. This is why the faith taught by Jesus is called a new covenant, even if it is already 2,000 years old. His call to repentance is a call to transformation and renewal.

DURIAN. The durian is the king of fruits. Many love it, but many also hate it. They say that it smells like hell (we don’t agree) but tastes like heaven. It is extremely nutritious and is alleged to restore health, lower cholesterol and clean the blood. For all its positive qualities, it can have bad effects when too much is eaten. It is known to raise one’s blood pressure. Like the durian, religion’s good qualities attract many followers. But religion can also be dangerous when self-interest, narrow-mindedness, fanaticism and bigotry enter the picture. So many people throughout history have suffered and died in the name of religion.

GOLDEN CALF. Alluding to the worship of the golden calf in the Book of Exodus (Ex 32:1-6), critics say that Catholics worship a golden child and a golden lady.

HALO-HALO. Religion is like the halo-halo, a mixture of the holy and unholy, the spiritual and unspiritual, faith and superstition, good and evil. Our task is to separate the grain from the chaff, as Jesus pointed out. We must distinguish the essential from the non-essential; substance from form; spirit from law.

HERMIT CRAB. The hermit crab or umang does not produce its own shell. It scurries around looking for empty seashells and moving in once they find the right size. Once they grow bigger, they abandon the shell to look for a bigger one. When we were born, our religious beliefs were ready-made and waiting for us. We can be like the hermit crab and move on to look for bigger shells when we outgrow our childhood notions, or we can stubbornly cling to our obsolete beliefs and get stuck.

LAMINATED FAITH. We have pictures or diplomas laminated to preserve them. How laminated is our faith in God? As Christians, is Jesus he real to us, or is our religion more real to us? Do we worship in spirit and in truth, or do we worship our religion and its beliefs? What is more real to us – to love God by serving others, or to go to church and receive communion? If all that matters to us is to celebrate the sacraments, attend retreats or memorize the bible, then our God has become laminated by our human traditions.

LECHON. The lechon is our favorite food during fiestas, weddings, birthdays and very special occasions. When lechon is served too often, it is no longer special. When religious devotions are endlessly repeated with little or no understanding, they become mechanical and mindless practices.

MAKEUP. Women believe that makeup makes them more beautiful. Someone said that older women with more wrinkles tend to have thicker makeup. How old is our religion? How thick is the doctrinal, theological, devotional or liturgical makeup of our faith in God?

MOVIE STAR. Movie fans have their favorite movie stars. They adore them, watch their movies, collect their pictures and read many things about their idols, but they never get to meet the star personally. Many of us call ourselves followers of Jesus. We say many things about Jesus and we teach many things about Jesus, but do we really know him and follow him? Is he real to us, or are we just adoring fans of a distant movie star?

NEW CARS AND OLD ENGINES. All new cars have new engines. Some old cars may get a new engine. Old cars can represent the old covenant and new cars can represent the new covenant. Our usual notion of religion obliges us to worship God by offering sacrifice. Instead of duty and obligation, Jesus taught us to focus on love, truth, understanding and compassion. Although we call our faith a new covenant, most see it in terms of ritual and tradition, reverting to the worship and spirit of the old covenant. When this happens, we turn Christianity into a new car with an old engine.

OCEAN. The surface of the ocean seems empty, but underneath it is a vast world of teeming life forms. Religion is like the ocean when we stay on the surface and focus only on external practices. Beneath its traditions can be a spiritual reality with its limitless possibilities of flexibility, openness, freedom and depth of meaning.

PILI NUT. The pili nut is the seed of the pili tree. It has a hard shell that needs to be cracked open to get the seed, which is cooked in sugar and turned into a tasty treat. During his lifetime, Jesus saw that their ancient Jewish faith had become encrusted with a hard shell of religious observances. He taught that the essence of faith is to honor God by serving others. This is why he healed even on the Sabbath day. He cracked open the shell of their tradi-tions and exposed the seed of goodness within. 2,000 years later, Christianity is now sugar-coated with all sorts of pious beliefs and practices. Many of us never taste the pili nut itself. We just lick the sugar coating.

RADIOS. Long before computers came around, radios were the most important means of communication. They still are. But radios work only if they are tuned to the right station. Religion is like the radio. If it is tuned to God, it will produce the right results. It will bring peace and harmony. If not, it will cause division and conflict. It will lull or blind people and it will produce fanatics who attack or kill others.

RAIN. The rain waters the parched earth and gives life to the crops and trees. Too much rain causes floods and even deaths. Religion can teach us about God and life. It can give us the right values and attitudes when it has God’s spirit. Without the right spirit, it can also make us self-satisfied and complacent. This is why critics say re-ligion is the opium of the people. Religion can also make us narrow-minded and fanatical. Like the rain, it can have good or bad effects.

RECHARGEABLE LIGHTS. The lights went out at a retreat house during a power outage. The sisters hurried to get their rechargeable lights and turn them on. No lights came on, because all the lamps were not recharged. How about our rechargeable faith with its rechargeable love, peace, truth and compassion?

RELIGION'S TRAGEDY & FAILURE. The tragedy and failure of religion is due to these things: worshipping a spiritual God in a religious yet unspiritual way; approaching a simple message of goodness and transformation in a very contrived and complicated way; and teaching others about God in a very abstract, academic and unrealistic manner.

SEA SHELLS. Sea shells with their myriad sizes, shapes, colors and designs provide inspiration to artists and de-signers. Many of these shells start out the size of a rice grain. From tiny specks they grow and grow spirally until they are hundreds of times bigger. The helmet shell or the Triton shell is as big as a watermelon. Our faith is like a speck of belief that should mature spiritually as we grow older. It can remain a tiny shell that never grows, or it can grow hundreds of times to carry us through the vast breadth and depths of the ocean of life.

SHOES. Shoes protect our feet and make our walking comfortable. Many wear expensive and branded shoes to show off. Others torture their feet and cultivate corns by wearing pointed shoes designed for single-toed feet, not the normal five-toed human feet. One misstep with stiletto heels and these slaves to fashion risk a broken ankle. Shoes are for feet, not the other way around. Isn’t this also true of religion? Didn’t Jesus say the Sabbath is for us, not the opposite? Why do we mindlessly follow what others say or do? Many imagine they worship God, when in fact they are worshipping their religious beliefs or their own selves.

SIOPAO & PAOSIO. Siopao is a piece of steamed bun stuffed with meat inside. The meat of Christianity is the story of Jesus and his message of transformative love. 21 centuries have wrapped this in a thick coating of beliefs and practices. When these traditions become more important than loving God by serving others, things are turned inside-out. The siopao is now paosio. Instead of doctrines and sacraments surrounding the life and teachings of Jesus, the story of Jesus becomes an add-on to our liturgical rites. What do we seek when we keep going to church – God and the story of Jesus, or the priest and his rituals?

STRAWBERRIES AND CASHEW NUTS. Strawberries and cashew nuts are unique because both produce their seeds outside the fruit. The strawberry seeds dot its red skin while the big cashew seed grows outside and below its fruit. They remind us that religion can be like this. Good religion brings us to God and the truth. Bad religion pushes God aside to pursue its own agenda. Is Jesus still at the center of our faith, or has he turned into a straw-berry or cashew nut and relegated to the outer fringe?

WATERING PLANTS. People who do not know how to care for plants think they have to water their plants every day. They do not realize roots can rot from overwatering. Water gives life to plants, but too much water can kill the plants. Worship and devotion give life to religion, but too much worship without understanding can produce the same result. A reality check will reveal the diminishing mass attendance and disappearing religious vocations. Perhaps we worship too much but do not love others enough.


Salvador C Wee, SJ

Isang Pagmumuni-muni

O kay sarap mabuhay sa mundong ibabaw.
Lalo na kung ang kapaligiran ay puno ng pagmamahalan.
Mga puno’t halaman, hayop, karagatan ay dapat ring pangalagaan.
Upang sa darating na panahon ito’y mapakinabangan.

Bawat nilalang ay binigyang laya.
Para matamasa ang ipinagkaloob na biyaya.
Ito’y mula sa langit ng Poong Dakila.
Walang sawang nagmamahal at nagtitiwala.

Kaya laging bukas ang pinto ng inilaang tadhana.
Maging matatag at h’wag mabahala.
Tibayan ang loob at matutong magpakumbaba.
Manindigan rin sa bawat desisyong ginawa.

Ganyan talaga ang buhay sa mundong ibabaw.
May lungkot, may saya, may sayaw at musika.
Ngunit ang lahat ng ito’y hamon lamang at pansamantala.
Nang sa gayon ay responsibilidad magampanan ng tama.


- Ms. Jing Q. Dela Cruz -
Grade School Faculty

Prayer to be a Good Steward

Almighty and ever-faithful Lord,

gratefully acknowledging Your mercy

and humbly admitting our need,

we pledge our trust in You and each other.


Filled with desire,

we respond to Your call for discipleship

by shaping our lives in imitation of Christ.

We profess that the call requires us

to be stewards of Your gifts.

As stewards, we receive Your gifts gratefully,

cherish and tend them in a responsible manner,

share them in practice and love with others,

and return them with increase to the Lord.


We pledge to our ongoing formation as stewards

and our responsibility to call others to that same endeavor.

Almighty and ever-faithful God,

it is our fervent hope and prayer

that You who have begun this good work in us

will bring it to fulfillment in Jesus Christ,

our Lord. Amen


http://www.catholicsaintoftheday.com/Catholic_Saint_Of_The_Day/Prayers/Entries/2009/11/12_Prayer_For_Good_Stewardship.html

Looking Back and Looking Forward (Magadia,SJ)

It is January again, the month of Janus, the two-faced Roman god of gates and doors (Latin, ianua), beginnings and endings, able to look backward to the past and forward to the future. So now, let us simply do that – look back to 2009, and look forward to 2010.

First, we look back...

Like all years, the year 2009 brought good news and bad. Worldwide, it was a difficult year as the financial meltdown that began in 2008 continued till the middle of 2009, before the start of some recovery. The AHIN1 virus showed up in over 200 countries and alarmed many peoples. The violence in Afghanistan and Gaza intensified. A gathering in Copenhagen for climate change ended ambivalently at best. It was the year Obama took over as the first African American president of the US. It was the year of Slumdog Millionaire and Susan Boyle. It was the year of the passing away of Michael Jackson and Farah Fawcett.

Here in the Philippines, 2009 was the year of chacha’s HR1109, GMA’s 20-thousand dollar dinner in New York, Maguindanao’s shocking massacre, Western Mindanao’s many kidnappings, and the revolting scandals of Katrina Halili and Hayden Kho. A few weeks ago, Mayon began to heat up, even as it continues to stay deadly still to this day. It was the year of Ondoy and Pepeng, which hit some of our own Jesuit families and many of our friends. But it was also a great year for heroes, from Manny Pacquiao, to Efren Peñaflorida, to the much loved and respected Cory Aquino, to the many little heroes who gave their lives to save those who were trapped by the floods. It was the year of Santino, telling us about how to talk to Bro and to believe na May Bukas Pa!

For us Jesuits of the Philippine Province, in 2009, we celebrated the 150th anniversary of the return of the Society of Jesus to the Philippines after the suppression, and the sesquicentennial of the Ateneo de Manila University. On this occasion, Father General, himself, blessed us with his presence last July. Exactly a year ago, Joey Fermin was in his last days, and Rey Ocampo and Tom Green were still with us for the January 1 gathering. Now they have passed on, as have Mike Bernad and Jim Mckeough and Ignacio de Moreta. Six men have died, and we accepted four men into the novitiate, and ordained six baby priests and seven deacons. We discussed the futures of our presence in Mindanao, our work with the Chinese-Filipino communities, and our responsibilities in basic Jesuit formation. We are still bleeding financially, and yet we are strengthened and encouraged by many of our friends who have continued to support the Province and our works.

Through these peak times, we struggle with our daily routines, as we work through our classes and papers, our meetings, our planning. We do our best to live our vows. We face whatever challenges and crises come our way. We resist the fatigue and the weaker knees and the more frequent senior moments. Things happen, at a time and in a manner we only frequently just slightly understand, and only in hindsight do we discover the wisdom behind it all – truly, the Lord’s inscrutable ways.

Every year, we say that we have to give thanks to God for the blessings of the past year. But really, as I get older and become more pragmatic or even cynical, I find it more and more difficult to see God’s hand in everything, and often, giving thanks can become so routine and banal. More frequently, I have the experience of Moses who hears the thunder and the lightning and the trumpet blast, who has a sense of a powerful presence, who sees the fire and the cloud, but when he comes near, all he sees is smoke. (Exodus 19)

God revealed is also elusive and mysterious and ungraspable. Why has it gotten so much more difficult to see God’s hand in everything and so, give thanks?

One author (Mark Galli) provides an answer by comparing our relationship to God with his experience of falling in love with his wife.

“As I started to fall in love with the woman who was to become my wife, I became increasingly fascinated with her. I wanted to know what books she liked, what hobbies she enjoyed, what her favorite color was. I wondered what her family was like, if she had previous boyfriends, and what goals she had for her life.

“The more I probed, the more I became curious…. Each time I found something out, I wanted to know why and how. And I could not get enough of her. I was madly in love.

“We got married. And the years passed. Little by little, things changed. There came a time in our marriage when, sadly, my wife no longer seemed a mystery to me. I thought I pretty much had her figured out. I knew her so well, she began to grate on me—her opinions, her habits, her turns of phrase were all so predictable! Instead of longing to be with her more and more, I wanted to get away.

“The problem was not that she had become boring; it was that I had put her in the Barbara Box, a neat little container that defined who Barbara was.

So it is with God. We do fall in love with Him. But time does pass, and things change.

“A little knowledge of God is a dangerous thing, and after a while, we think we've got him figured out. And we put God in that neat little container.

“Then one day, we go to get God out of that container—we expect him to answer a prayer or bless a venture, or we look for an answer to some tragedy we face—and we open it and find he is not there. Just when we needed him, he's up and gone! And we are angry.

“We stomp around the room in a fury, and we pout, and we vow never to be so naïve again about religion. And then we start to cry.

That’s what has happened. So every now and then, it is good to look back to the early days. We remember our first love, and those days “when our desire to love God was far stronger than our desire to manipulate Him. More than wanting to merely use God, we simply want God.”

And so for now, let us look back to the early days of loving God, and maybe we might be able to really give thanks to this God who very quietly moves in our lives. But if you cannot say thank you yet, I invite you to do as Mary did … and to just keep these in our hearts for now, and wait and pray, and ask for the grace of that moment when we can truly say from the depths of our hearts, thank you!

Now let’s look to the future. Let’s look to 2010...

Since none of us here are fortune-tellers, we cannot do this second task with great detail, as we did the looking back. But maybe, what we can do is to try to provide an optic to help us live the coming year, in fidelity to who we are and what we have been called to do.

Last June 2009, the Holy Father led the Church in opening the Year for Priests, which is ending this June 2010. So I invite you to look at the coming year, as members of this priestly Society of Jesus. In an article he wrote in 2002, Father Michael Buckley points out that as Jesuits, our priesthood is not mainly cultic, nor mainly pastoral. These belong more properly to our bishops and our brother diocesan priests. For Jesuits, our priesthood is mainly prophetic...

(This reflection was intended mainly for Jesuits, but all Christians, by virtue of our Baptism are called to be priests and prophets...)

...and this involves speaking God’s Word to people, and making men and women hear this word, and assimilate it into their hearts, and incarnate it in their lives. In short, it means telling the world in a powerful way, something that we often only half-believe most of the time – that yes, we can be holy, and that yes, it is possible for us to be saints.

St Hippolytus writes: (On the Refutation of All Heresies, Office of Readings for December 30):

We know that by taking a body from the Virgin he re-fashioned our fallen nature. We know that his manhood was of the same clay as our own; if this were not so, he would hardly have been a teacher who could expect to be imitated. If he were of a different substance from me, he would surely not have ordered me to do as he did, when by my very nature I am so weak. Such a demand could not be reconciled with his goodness and justice.

No. He wanted us to consider him as no different from ourselves, and so he worked, he was hungry and thirsty, he slept. Without protest he endured his passion, he submitted to death and revealed his resurrection. In all these ways he offered his own manhood as the first fruits of our race to keep us from losing heart when suffering comes our way…. He was truly Word made flesh, and …

The saying "Know yourself" means therefore that we should recognise and acknowledge in ourselves the God who made us in his own image….

So let us look forward to 2010, not knowing what it will bring. For some of us this year will be a year of transitions, for some a year of major shifts and decisions, for some a time of crisis and difficulty, for some a time of facing debilitation or diminishment or death, in our families, in our selves. For many, it will very well be more of the same. We do not really know how it will end, but as Jesuits belonging to this priestly Society of Jesus (and as Christians baptized into Christ), we are called to be prophets, and to tell all those around us that through it all, we can be holy. We have it in us to be saints, and recognize that we are creatures, dependent on the unfathomable power of God.

- Fr. Jojo Magadia, SJ
Provincial Superior of the Philippine Jesuits
January 1, 2010

http://www.jesuits.ph/articles/looking_back_and_looking_forward

IF YOU WANT TO CULTIVATE PEACE, PROTECT CREATION

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS
POPE BENEDICT XVI
FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE
WORLD DAY OF PEACE

1 JANUARY 2010



IF YOU WANT TO CULTIVATE PEACE, PROTECT CREATION

1. At the beginning of this New Year, I wish to offer heartfelt greetings of peace to all Christian communities, international leaders, and people of good will throughout the world. For this XLIII World Day of Peace I have chosen the theme: If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation. Respect for creation is of immense consequence, not least because “creation is the beginning and the foundation of all God’s works”,[1] and its preservation has now become essential for the pacific coexistence of mankind. Man’s inhumanity to man has given rise to numerous threats to peace and to authentic and integral human development – wars, international and regional conflicts, acts of terrorism, and violations of human rights. Yet no less troubling are the threats arising from the neglect – if not downright misuse – of the earth and the natural goods that God has given us. For this reason, it is imperative that mankind renew and strengthen “that covenant between human beings and the environment, which should mirror the creative love of God, from whom we come and towards whom we are journeying”.[2]

2. In my Encyclical Caritas in Veritate, I noted that integral human development is closely linked to the obligations which flow from man’s relationship with the natural environment. The environment must be seen as God’s gift to all people, and the use we make of it entails a shared responsibility for all humanity, especially the poor and future generations. I also observed that whenever nature, and human beings in particular, are seen merely as products of chance or an evolutionary determinism, our overall sense of responsibility wanes.[3] On the other hand, seeing creation as God’s gift to humanity helps us understand our vocation and worth as human beings. With the Psalmist, we can exclaim with wonder: “When I look at your heavens, the work of your hands, the moon and the stars which you have established; what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (Ps 8:4-5). Contemplating the beauty of creation inspires us to recognize the love of the Creator, that Love which “moves the sun and the other stars”.[4]

3. Twenty years ago, Pope John Paul II devoted his Message for the World Day of Peace to the theme: Peace with God the Creator, Peace with All of Creation. He emphasized our relationship, as God’s creatures, with the universe all around us. “In our day”, he wrote, “there is a growing awareness that world peace is threatened … also by a lack of due respect for nature”. He added that “ecological awareness, rather than being downplayed, needs to be helped to develop and mature, and find fitting expression in concrete programmes and initiatives”.[5] Previous Popes had spoken of the relationship between human beings and the environment. In 1971, for example, on the eightieth anniversary of Leo XIII’s Encyclical Rerum Novarum, Paul VI pointed out that “by an ill-considered exploitation of nature (man) risks destroying it and becoming in his turn the victim of this degradation”. He added that “not only is the material environment becoming a permanent menace – pollution and refuse, new illnesses and absolute destructive capacity – but the human framework is no longer under man’s control, thus creating an environment for tomorrow which may well be intolerable. This is a wide-ranging social problem which concerns the entire human family”.[6]

4. Without entering into the merit of specific technical solutions, the Church is nonetheless concerned, as an “expert in humanity”, to call attention to the relationship between the Creator, human beings and the created order. In 1990 John Paul II had spoken of an “ecological crisis” and, in highlighting its primarily ethical character, pointed to the “urgent moral need for a new solidarity”.[7] His appeal is all the more pressing today, in the face of signs of a growing crisis which it would be irresponsible not to take seriously. Can we remain indifferent before the problems associated with such realities as climate change, desertification, the deterioration and loss of productivity in vast agricultural areas, the pollution of rivers and aquifers, the loss of biodiversity, the increase of natural catastrophes and the deforestation of equatorial and tropical regions? Can we disregard the growing phenomenon of “environmental refugees”, people who are forced by the degradation of their natural habitat to forsake it – and often their possessions as well – in order to face the dangers and uncertainties of forced displacement? Can we remain impassive in the face of actual and potential conflicts involving access to natural resources? All these are issues with a profound impact on the exercise of human rights, such as the right to life, food, health and development.

5. It should be evident that the ecological crisis cannot be viewed in isolation from other related questions, since it is closely linked to the notion of development itself and our understanding of man in his relationship to others and to the rest of creation. Prudence would thus dictate a profound, long-term review of our model of development, one which would take into consideration the meaning of the economy and its goals with an eye to correcting its malfunctions and misapplications. The ecological health of the planet calls for this, but it is also demanded by the cultural and moral crisis of humanity whose symptoms have for some time been evident in every part of the world.[8] Humanity needs a profound cultural renewal; it needs to rediscover those values which can serve as the solid basis for building a brighter future for all. Our present crises – be they economic, food-related, environmental or social – are ultimately also moral crises, and all of them are interrelated. They require us to rethink the path which we are travelling together. Specifically, they call for a lifestyle marked by sobriety and solidarity, with new rules and forms of engagement, one which focuses confidently and courageously on strategies that actually work, while decisively rejecting those that have failed. Only in this way can the current crisis become an opportunity for discernment and new strategic planning.

6. Is it not true that what we call “nature” in a cosmic sense has its origin in “a plan of love and truth”? The world “is not the product of any necessity whatsoever, nor of blind fate or chance… The world proceeds from the free will of God; he wanted to make his creatures share in his being, in his intelligence, and in his goodness”.[9] The Book of Genesis, in its very first pages, points to the wise design of the cosmos: it comes forth from God’s mind and finds its culmination in man and woman, made in the image and likeness of the Creator to “fill the earth” and to “have dominion over” it as “stewards” of God himself (cf. Gen 1:28). The harmony between the Creator, mankind and the created world, as described by Sacred Scripture, was disrupted by the sin of Adam and Eve, by man and woman, who wanted to take the place of God and refused to acknowledge that they were his creatures. As a result, the work of “exercising dominion” over the earth, “tilling it and keeping it”, was also disrupted, and conflict arose within and between mankind and the rest of creation (cf. Gen 3:17-19). Human beings let themselves be mastered by selfishness; they misunderstood the meaning of God’s command and exploited creation out of a desire to exercise absolute domination over it. But the true meaning of God’s original command, as the Book of Genesis clearly shows, was not a simple conferral of authority, but rather a summons to responsibility. The wisdom of the ancients had recognized that nature is not at our disposal as “a heap of scattered refuse”.[10] Biblical Revelation made us see that nature is a gift of the Creator, who gave it an inbuilt order and enabled man to draw from it the principles needed to “till it and keep it” (cf. Gen. 2:15).[11] Everything that exists belongs to God, who has entrusted it to man, albeit not for his arbitrary use. Once man, instead of acting as God’s co-worker, sets himself up in place of God, he ends up provoking a rebellion on the part of nature, “which is more tyrannized than governed by him”.[12] Man thus has a duty to exercise responsible stewardship over creation, to care for it and to cultivate it.[13]

7. Sad to say, it is all too evident that large numbers of people in different countries and areas of our planet are experiencing increased hardship because of the negligence or refusal of many others to exercise responsible stewardship over the environment. The Second Vatican Ecumenical Council reminded us that “God has destined the earth and everything it contains for all peoples and nations”.[14] The goods of creation belong to humanity as a whole. Yet the current pace of environmental exploitation is seriously endangering the supply of certain natural resources not only for the present generation, but above all for generations yet to come.[15] It is not hard to see that environmental degradation is often due to the lack of far-sighted official policies or to the pursuit of myopic economic interests, which then, tragically, become a serious threat to creation. To combat this phenomenon, economic activity needs to consider the fact that “every economic decision has a moral consequence” [16] and thus show increased respect for the environment. When making use of natural resources, we should be concerned for their protection and consider the cost entailed – environmentally and socially – as an essential part of the overall expenses incurred. The international community and national governments are responsible for sending the right signals in order to combat effectively the misuse of the environment. To protect the environment, and to safeguard natural resources and the climate, there is a need to act in accordance with clearly-defined rules, also from the juridical and economic standpoint, while at the same time taking into due account the solidarity we owe to those living in the poorer areas of our world and to future generations.

8. A greater sense of intergenerational solidarity is urgently needed. Future generations cannot be saddled with the cost of our use of common environmental resources. “We have inherited from past generations, and we have benefited from the work of our contemporaries; for this reason we have obligations towards all, and we cannot refuse to interest ourselves in those who will come after us, to enlarge the human family. Universal solidarity represents a benefit as well as a duty. This is a responsibility that present generations have towards those of the future, a responsibility that also concerns individual States and the international community”.[17] Natural resources should be used in such a way that immediate benefits do not have a negative impact on living creatures, human and not, present and future; that the protection of private property does not conflict with the universal destination of goods;[18] that human activity does not compromise the fruitfulness of the earth, for the benefit of people now and in the future. In addition to a fairer sense of intergenerational solidarity there is also an urgent moral need for a renewed sense of intragenerational solidarity, especially in relationships between developing countries and highly industrialized countries: “the international community has an urgent duty to find institutional means of regulating the exploitation of non-renewable resources, involving poor countries in the process, in order to plan together for the future”.[19] The ecological crisis shows the urgency of a solidarity which embraces time and space. It is important to acknowledge that among the causes of the present ecological crisis is the historical responsibility of the industrialized countries. Yet the less developed countries, and emerging countries in particular, are not exempt from their own responsibilities with regard to creation, for the duty of gradually adopting effective environmental measures and policies is incumbent upon all. This would be accomplished more easily if self-interest played a lesser role in the granting of aid and the sharing of knowledge and cleaner technologies.

9. To be sure, among the basic problems which the international community has to address is that of energy resources and the development of joint and sustainable strategies to satisfy the energy needs of the present and future generations. This means that technologically advanced societies must be prepared to encourage more sober lifestyles, while reducing their energy consumption and improving its efficiency. At the same time there is a need to encourage research into, and utilization of, forms of energy with lower impact on the environment and “a world-wide redistribution of energy resources, so that countries lacking those resources can have access to them”.[20] The ecological crisis offers an historic opportunity to develop a common plan of action aimed at orienting the model of global development towards greater respect for creation and for an integral human development inspired by the values proper to charity in truth. I would advocate the adoption of a model of development based on the centrality of the human person, on the promotion and sharing of the common good, on responsibility, on a realization of our need for a changed life-style, and on prudence, the virtue which tells us what needs to be done today in view of what might happen tomorrow.[21]

10. A sustainable comprehensive management of the environment and the resources of the planet demands that human intelligence be directed to technological and scientific research and its practical applications. The “new solidarity” for which John Paul II called in his Message for the 1990 World Day of Peace [22] and the “global solidarity” for which I myself appealed in my Message for the 2009 World Day of Peace [23] are essential attitudes in shaping our efforts to protect creation through a better internationally-coordinated management of the earth’s resources, particularly today, when there is an increasingly clear link between combatting environmental degradation and promoting an integral human development. These two realities are inseparable, since “the integral development of individuals necessarily entails a joint effort for the development of humanity as a whole”.[24] At present there are a number of scientific developments and innovative approaches which promise to provide satisfactory and balanced solutions to the problem of our relationship to the environment. Encouragement needs to be given, for example, to research into effective ways of exploiting the immense potential of solar energy. Similar attention also needs to be paid to the world-wide problem of water and to the global water cycle system, which is of prime importance for life on earth and whose stability could be seriously jeopardized by climate change. Suitable strategies for rural development centred on small farmers and their families should be explored, as well as the implementation of appropriate policies for the management of forests, for waste disposal and for strengthening the linkage between combatting climate change and overcoming poverty. Ambitious national policies are required, together with a necessary international commitment which will offer important benefits especially in the medium and long term. There is a need, in effect, to move beyond a purely consumerist mentality in order to promote forms of agricultural and industrial production capable of respecting creation and satisfying the primary needs of all. The ecological problem must be dealt with not only because of the chilling prospects of environmental degradation on the horizon; the real motivation must be the quest for authentic world-wide solidarity inspired by the values of charity, justice and the common good. For that matter, as I have stated elsewhere, “technology is never merely technology. It reveals man and his aspirations towards development; it expresses the inner tension that impels him gradually to overcome material limitations. Technology in this sense is a response to God’s command to till and keep the land (cf. Gen 2:15) that he has entrusted to humanity, and it must serve to reinforce the covenant between human beings and the environment, a covenant that should mirror God’s creative love”.[25]

11. It is becoming more and more evident that the issue of environmental degradation challenges us to examine our life-style and the prevailing models of consumption and production, which are often unsustainable from a social, environmental and even economic point of view. We can no longer do without a real change of outlook which will result in new life-styles, “in which the quest for truth, beauty, goodness and communion with others for the sake of common growth are the factors which determine consumer choices, savings and investments”.[26] Education for peace must increasingly begin with far-reaching decisions on the part of individuals, families, communities and states. We are all responsible for the protection and care of the environment. This responsibility knows no boundaries. In accordance with the principle of subsidiarity it is important for everyone to be committed at his or her proper level, working to overcome the prevalence of particular interests. A special role in raising awareness and in formation belongs to the different groups present in civil society and to the non-governmental organizations which work with determination and generosity for the spread of ecological responsibility, responsibility which should be ever more deeply anchored in respect for “human ecology”. The media also have a responsibility in this regard to offer positive and inspiring models. In a word, concern for the environment calls for a broad global vision of the world; a responsible common effort to move beyond approaches based on selfish nationalistic interests towards a vision constantly open to the needs of all peoples. We cannot remain indifferent to what is happening around us, for the deterioration of any one part of the planet affects us all. Relationships between individuals, social groups and states, like those between human beings and the environment, must be marked by respect and “charity in truth”. In this broader context one can only encourage the efforts of the international community to ensure progressive disarmament and a world free of nuclear weapons, whose presence alone threatens the life of the planet and the ongoing integral development of the present generation and of generations yet to come.

12. The Church has a responsibility towards creation, and she considers it her duty to exercise that responsibility in public life, in order to protect earth, water and air as gifts of God the Creator meant for everyone, and above all to save mankind from the danger of self-destruction. The degradation of nature is closely linked to the cultural models shaping human coexistence: consequently, “when ‘human ecology’ is respected within society, environmental ecology also benefits”.[27] Young people cannot be asked to respect the environment if they are not helped, within families and society as a whole, to respect themselves. The book of nature is one and indivisible; it includes not only the environment but also individual, family and social ethics.[28] Our duties towards the environment flow from our duties towards the person, considered both individually and in relation to others.

Hence I readily encourage efforts to promote a greater sense of ecological responsibility which, as I indicated in my Encyclical Caritas in Veritate, would safeguard an authentic “human ecology” and thus forcefully reaffirm the inviolability of human life at every stage and in every condition, the dignity of the person and the unique mission of the family, where one is trained in love of neighbour and respect for nature.[29] There is a need to safeguard the human patrimony of society. This patrimony of values originates in and is part of the natural moral law, which is the foundation of respect for the human person and creation.

13. Nor must we forget the very significant fact that many people experience peace and tranquillity, renewal and reinvigoration, when they come into close contact with the beauty and harmony of nature. There exists a certain reciprocity: as we care for creation, we realize that God, through creation, cares for us. On the other hand, a correct understanding of the relationship between man and the environment will not end by absolutizing nature or by considering it more important than the human person. If the Church’s magisterium expresses grave misgivings about notions of the environment inspired by ecocentrism and biocentrism, it is because such notions eliminate the difference of identity and worth between the human person and other living things. In the name of a supposedly egalitarian vision of the “dignity” of all living creatures, such notions end up abolishing the distinctiveness and superior role of human beings. They also open the way to a new pantheism tinged with neo-paganism, which would see the source of man’s salvation in nature alone, understood in purely naturalistic terms. The Church, for her part, is concerned that the question be approached in a balanced way, with respect for the “grammar” which the Creator has inscribed in his handiwork by giving man the role of a steward and administrator with responsibility over creation, a role which man must certainly not abuse, but also one which he may not abdicate. In the same way, the opposite position, which would absolutize technology and human power, results in a grave assault not only on nature, but also on human dignity itself.[30]

14. If you want to cultivate peace, protect creation. The quest for peace by people of good will surely would become easier if all acknowledge the indivisible relationship between God, human beings and the whole of creation. In the light of divine Revelation and in fidelity to the Church’s Tradition, Christians have their own contribution to make. They contemplate the cosmos and its marvels in light of the creative work of the Father and the redemptive work of Christ, who by his death and resurrection has reconciled with God “all things, whether on earth or in heaven” (Col 1:20). Christ, crucified and risen, has bestowed his Spirit of holiness upon mankind, to guide the course of history in anticipation of that day when, with the glorious return of the Saviour, there will be “new heavens and a new earth” (2 Pet 3:13), in which justice and peace will dwell for ever. Protecting the natural environment in order to build a world of peace is thus a duty incumbent upon each and all. It is an urgent challenge, one to be faced with renewed and concerted commitment; it is also a providential opportunity to hand down to coming generations the prospect of a better future for all. May this be clear to world leaders and to those at every level who are concerned for the future of humanity: the protection of creation and peacemaking are profoundly linked! For this reason, I invite all believers to raise a fervent prayer to God, the all-powerful Creator and the Father of mercies, so that all men and women may take to heart the urgent appeal: If you want to cultivate peace, protect creation.

From the Vatican, 8 December 2009

Buhay Boksing

Dear Fr.Willy

My new life here in the US has been a boxing match between me and my self. It sounds funny but yes, my greatest enemy is myself - my own temperament, my being indecisive and dependence to some people to suggest decisions for me, my impatience, my ungratefulness to God, etc...

Many times in my life here, I come to HIM for help when I am already at the cross roads or in very rough times and in most cases when my journey seems okay, I seldom thank HIM! I realized that God never used them against me, but I feel the shame/guilt. I usually embraced negativity over things, became impatient and made bad decisions. In turn, I ended up regretting over them.

YET, God in his His unconditional LOVE, never abandoned me. If my mathematical mind is right, God's help/guidance/company... is enormous that I could not count them, because no matter how bad my decisions were, God still makes me feel that I am truly loved by HIM. I wrote you about "When it rains, it pours" but I feel, it should be "When God pours, HE keeps on pouring."

There are many times that I thought I would ran away from the boxing ring we called “life” because I could not raise my hands to give another punch to my opponent and yet when I hear the “ting-ting-ting", I feel God's hands leading me to the seat in my corner to coach me- to breath, relax my muscles, clear up my mind and then FIGHT AGAIN at the sound of the bell. God in HIS most loving voice saying: "I am here and I will be watching you. No matter what, I will be here waiting for you after each round!"

HE continuously pours blessing, no matter what I do, no matter how bad my sins are, it is just that I feel that no matter what I do, HE is always there to give me the blessings I need to survive and in most cases, the blessings are always overflowing. Kahit sa dami ng aking mga “ungrateful moment,” … isang pasalamat lang, bubuhos na kaagad ang mga grasya galing sa KANYA! Nakakahiya nga, pero ganoon nga siguro magmahal ang DIYOS! Walang kupas, walang kondisyon, "walang iwanan" sa lahat ng pakiki-boxing ko sa buhay -- Pilipinas man o Amerika, walang tigil ang buhos ng mga grasya!

Sa Buhay-boksing, may pahinga naman dahil may "ting, ting, ting." Sa lahat ng pakikibaka na nagawa ko na, kitang-kita ko ang Diyos at ang galaw NIYA na misteryoso---paibaiba ang style, pero iisa lang ang pinanggagalingan - PAGMAMAHAL NIYA SA AKIN!


Mimosh

- taken from my homily blogspot: http://willysamson.blogspot.com/

Vote Wisely

While walking down the street one day a Congressman is tragically hit by a truck and dies.

His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.

Welcome to heaven,' says St. Peter. 'Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem.

We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you.'
'No problem, just let me in,' says the man.

'Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from higher up. What we'll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven.

Then you can choose where to spend eternity.'
'Really, I've made up my mind. I want to be in heaven,' says the Congressman. 'I'm sorry, but we have our rules.'

And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell.

The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him.

Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people.

They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and champagne.
Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly & nice guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes.

They are having such a good time that before he realizes it, it is time to go.
Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises.

The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens on heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him.

'Now it's time to visit heaven.'

So, 24 hours pass with the Congressman joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.

'Well, then, you've spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity.'

The Congressman reflects for a minute, then he answers: 'Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell.'

So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell.

Now the doors of the elevator open and he's in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage.

He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags as more trash falls from above.

The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulder. 'I don't understand,' stammers the Congressman.

'Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time.. Now there's just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable.

What happened?'

The devil looks at him, smiles and says,

'Yesterday we were campaigning. ..

Today you voted!'

My Daily Bread (S.Dimaguila)

Our prayer is God’s gift to us…and God is continually blessing us with prayers…prayers in so many forms.

Work is God’s gift to us…and we work for several reasons…and perhaps one of the most common reasons is, we work because we need to earn a living…but work could be more than just a living…it could become a form of a prayer…an offering to God.

The story of Cain and Abel makes me wonder, why was God displeased with the offering of Cain when both Cain and Abel offered to God the fruits of their work?…but towards Cain and his offering He showed no pleasure (Gn:4:5). Was it perhaps, because Cain failed to offer it to God as a prayer?

I strive to make my work my prayer to God. If as I work, I am conscious of the Lord, this consciousness allows me to strive to do my best...putting my whole self…heart, body and mind into my work…then I feel I am truly giving myself to God.

There are times, I must admit that, I feel I have to drag myself to do what I must…or I am unsure…or I was not as honest as I should be…and I would feel bad…and ashamed…but it is also during these times that I get to feel Jesus’ love…and I would asked for His forgiveness, or I would asked His guidance or consolation…or His grace to do my best…and then I am able to offer my thanks…and my praise…my sacrificial praise and thanks to God.

At the end of the day…in all sincerity…and in all honesty, I offer to God what transpired during the day…the good moments, the not so good moments…the difficult and the not so difficult…my disappointments…my accomplishments…asking God for forgiveness for my shortcomings…knowing that God has sustained me…and provided me with my daily bread.


Stevan S. Dimaguila
ADZU College Faculty
October 23, 2009

Zamboanga (Doyle)

Zamboanga is a really big city in the Philippines- the third largest, with nearly a million people, at the tip of the western peninsula of the island of Mindanao, the second biggest island in the Republic of the Philippines. What a great name, Zamboanga- a name with music and joy in it.

But Zamboanga and Mindanao have a long history of Christian- Muslim tension and conflict. Muslims first came to Mindanao in the late 14th century, says a Muslim Web site on the internet. They resisted the Spanish conquistadors who followed, then America’s occupation, and some conflict has continued into Philippine independence, right up to the present.

I am pleased to report, however, that Zamboanga City today is a place where Christians and Muslims are learning to get along and live peacefully together. And these days, with Christian- Muslim tension and that is certainly something to take notice of and to rejoice in, don’t you agree?

I’ve just been reading about Zamboanga and this new Christian-Muslim dialogue in an article in “St. Anthony Messenger” magazine, the Franciscan monthly, sent to us by one good friend and written by another: Father Jack Wintz, O.F.M., a fine writer, great priest and all-around special person.

Zamboanga, Father Jack wrote, “is sometimes known as the City of Flowers or the City of Romance. But I will always remember it as the ‘Land of Hope for Christian-Muslim Dialogue.’” And that’s the title of his article.

Father Jack once taught in a Franciscan seminary in Manila, the capital, he said, and was eager to get back to the Philippines, so he went last year to get back to the Philippines, so he went last year with a study group sponsored by the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging, a lay Catholic organization working with people of all faith traditions to bring about a global community of compassion and service.

“ In 1984,” he wrote, “ a popular dialogue movement was launched in Mindanao to overcome conflicts among Christians, Muslims and people of other faiths. The movement calls itself the Silsilah Dialogue Movement and sees itself as promoting understanding among these groups. Silsilah is an Arabic word meaning ‘chain’ or ‘link’, and suggests the image of people drawing together ( like links in a chain) as one universal family united by a shared vision of dialogue and peace.”

Founded in Zamboanga City by an Italian priest, Father Sebastian D’Ambra, P.I.M.E., with a group of Muslim and Christian friends, Silsilah “ holds seminars and a wide variety of training programs, promotes friendship and interfaith dialogue and provides opportunities for prayer.”

Along the way Father Jack met a number of wonderful Muslim people and their Christian counterparts who are learning to get along. One highlight, he reported, was a big outdoor concert featuring music from various religious and cultural traditions, helping respect and love many wonderful Jewish, Protestant and Buddhist friends, as well as other nice people I couldn’t describe in any religious terms, except that we like them.

I’m sorry to say we haven’t met any Muslims personally yet, although we see more and more of them around, as I expect you do also. One day soon, I expect we’ll get to meet some Muslim people, and we’ll get to like them. It’ll be a pleasure.



Copyright 2009 by James A. Doyle
New York Times

What Does Eucharist Stand For? (Whalen)

What does E-U-C-H-A-R-I-S-T stand for?

E - Eternal life.

"Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day" (John 6:54). Jesus gives us everlasting life. Eternal life is a desire in the heart of every person. Every time we eat the body and drink the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ Jesus Christ

U - Union with Jesus Christ, Who is our Life.

"Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him" (John 6:56). Our union with Jesus is intensified in every reception of the Holy Eucharist by increasing sanctifying grace in us. Mother Teresa of Calcutta explained that in Holy Communion we touch Jesus. St. Vincent de Paul Vin•cent de Paul stated we leave Jesus in prayer to find Jesus in people.

C - Christ Jesus, totally truly present.

Pope John Paul II's call for Perpetual Adoration which brings about tremendous spiritual healing spiritual healing, "Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed" (John 20:29). We in our lives accentuate the positive and celebrate this great gift of Jesus' real presence, the gift of real life.

H - Healing.

It is important to come to the Eucharist open to Healing of mind, body, soul and life. The Eucharist can help to nourish and sustain us. It is at Communion when we are closest to Jesus that we can ask for whatever we need.

A - Abandonment.

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me" (John 14:1). Jesus abandons Himself, His Life to us on the Cross and again in the Sacred Host. This calls us to great respect for the Eucharist, Jesus Christ, present in our midst, Emmanuel.

R - Reconciliation.

"If you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions" (Matthew 6:14). Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II has said that the Holy Eucharist restores life, and leads to Reconciliation and Reconciliation leads to the Eucharist.

I - Intimacy.

"Remain in me, as I remain in you" (John 15:4). The Eucharistic Presence of Christ begins at the moment of consecration and endures as long as the Eucharistic species subsists. The most personal relationship in our lives is that with Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. Jesus waits for us to come and share with Him as a friend, our best friend. We should approach Him with the heart of Mary, who was closer to Jesus than anyone else, asking her to show us the way to His Sacred Heart. Pope John Paul II spends hours before the Blessed Sacrament every day. He challenges us to visit regularly. Jesus calls to us: "Will you not spend an hour with Me." Mother Teresa stated that the hours spent before the Blessed Sacrament are some of the most important hours of our lives.

S - Sacrifice.

"Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me" (Matthew 10:37-38). Archbishop Fulton Sheen stated that we should never let our suffering go to waste. We should give it to the Lord so He can take it to the Father and intercede for us, our families, our loved ones and our lives. We should join our lives, our sufferings and joys, with the suffering of Jesus Christ, with the offering of the bread and wine which becomes the body and blood of Christ.

T – Transformation / Thanksgiving

Like St. Paul we are challenged to convert, to put aside what is not of God. We should give God permission to change what needs changing in our lives, and to imitate Mary and do only the Will of God. "Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus" (Phil 2:5). All the lepers were healed by Jesus. Only one of the ten came back to thank Jesus. Let us thank Him daily for the Gift of Life by participating in Mass as often as we can.


• Article written by Father James Whalen, the parish priest of Sainte-Marguerite-Marie parish in Cumberland, Ontario.

A Future Not of Our Own (Romero)

A prayer / poem by Archbishop Oscar Romero

It helps, now and then, to step back
and take the long view.
The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts,
it is beyond our vision.

We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of
the magnificent enterprise that is God's work.
Nothing we do is complete,
which is another way of saying
that the kingdom always lies beyond us.

No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith.
No confession brings perfection.
No pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No programme accomplishes the church's mission.
No set of goals and objectives includes everything.

This is what we are about:
We plant seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces effects beyond our capabilities.

We cannot do everything
and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that.
This enables us to do something,
and to do it very well.
It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way,
an opportunity for God's grace to enter and do the rest.

We may never see the end results,
but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker.
We are workers, not master builders,
ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own.

Jesuit Colloquim Prayer

Jesus, Teacher,
Who kindled the light of truth
In the hearts of all,
You have chosen us for the mission
Of teaching others,
Even as you taught,
And have given to us, this community of educators,
The ministry of celebrating life
And of consecrating the earth.

Give us new hearts:
Open, understanding, committed
To all that is true, good, loveable;
Make us docile—to learn to serve
Even from those we seek to serve.

Infuse in us the spirit of collaboration
To enable us graciously to give
Even as we gratefully receive.

Pour forth your spirit into this,
Your community of educators,
So that the zeal of our personal commitment to YOU,
And the ministry of teaching
Be kindled in our hearts.

Praise and thanks to you Christ Jesus, Teacher
For calling us to be educators,
And for all others who teach in your name. Amen

Life (Mother Teresa)

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realise it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is costly, care for it.
Life is wealth, keep it.
Life is love, enjoy it.
Life is mystery, know it.
Life is a promise, fulfills it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.

- Mother Teresa