A Cock for Peter, A Sword for Paul

The statue of St. Peter is usually accompanied by a cock, a reminder of the story of the betrayal by Peter, which was predicted by Jesus during the last supper. Before the cock crow, Peter denied being a disciple of the Lord three times. Also, the statue of St. Paul is usually with a sword in his hand, a reminder of the persecution that Paul did before his encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus that led to his conversion.

A cock for Peter and a sword for Paul – these are the symbols of these two great apostles of Jesus; symbols that are mired by their weaknesses, betrayal for Peter and persecution for Paul.

The symbol of their greatness is at the same time a symbol of their weakness. Why? Because it is in their weakness that they have found the power of God. It is in their weakness that they found a turning point in their discipleship. It shaped the road they took in continuing what Jesus begun.

An American author, James Hillman wrote that it is our inferiorities that build up our soul. His view is that it is not our strengths that give us depth and character but it is our weaknesses.

It is in our weaknesses that we truly recognize what the power of God can do in our life; for God chooses the little ones to humble the strong. God chooses the humble to put down the proud.

The cock reminds us of the betrayal by Peter. The sword reminds us of the persecution by Paul. And in this background their commitment to share in the mission of Jesus Christ shines more brightly for their greatness as apostles of Jesus is the fruit of the work of God in and through them.

Yes, we are all weak. But facing our weaknesses squarely gives depth and character to our faith. And in our weaknesses we see the true face of an omnipotent God. Despite of our weaknesses God triumphs in and through us for it is his power which is at work in us. In God it is when we are weak that we are strong. It is when we are humble that we are exalted. It is when we accept that we cannot that we truly can.

Sts. Peter and Paul, pray for us.

meron akong paboritong t-shirt

meron akong paboritong t-shirt
dahil paborito, lagi kong suot
dahil laging suot, sa labahan laging nasasangkot.

meron akong paboritong t-shirt
dahil laging nilalabhan, laging sinasampay
nakasabit sa alambre, parang bandilang kakampay-kampay

meron akong paboritong t-shirt
dahil laging nakasampay, laging sabit sa alambre
butas sa balikat, tastas sa kili-kili

ang paborito kong t-shirt
minsang nilabhan sa bahay
pagbalik, isang sorpresang tunay

ang paborito kong t-shirt
pagsuot ko’y wala ng mga butas
sinulsihan bawat tastas

ang paborito kong t-shirt
ang mahilig mag-repair ng tastas na pundya
si tatay, di si nanay, ang talagang matiyaga

ang paborito kong t-shirt
tuwing kukunin ko’t isusuot
kalinga ni tatay ang bumabalot

ang paborito kong t-shirt
ordinaryong tanda ng pagmamahal
sa bawat tastas na sinulsihan

FUND RAISING PROJECT: Granite for the Sanctuary: 75-45-1

We launched a new fund raising project last Sunday. The goal is to have 75 sponsors of Php 4,500 each in 1 month. The money will be used for the re-tiling of the sanctuary, from the old marble to Italian granite. Individual parishioners have been contributing for the project. Some in cash, some in cheque, some in pledges. We've also received a donation from the Stewardship program of the diocese. It is not yet clear how many square meters are already sponsored. May be after a week we can already do that.

We have already ordered the granite slabs that will be used. It seems the demand is high so we need to secure the slabs we need in order to complete the project. The slab should be delivered anytime tomorrow.

We hope to start removing the old marble before Sunday this week. Work on the slabs should also start before Sunday.

Please continue to support our fund raising project so that we can have a newly re-tiled sanctuary before August in time for our Parish Novena and Parish Fiesta. Salamat.

Mary, Mother of Servanthood

We can better appreciate the challenge of the theme today if we ask the question, how did Mary serve? If we know how Mary served, then we can understand what kind of servanthood Mary gave birth to.

How did Mary serve? What kind of service did Mary offered? I’m sure like any good Jew during her time, Mary fasted, gave alms and prayed. But more than these pious practices the service of Mary is found in becoming the Mother of God. Her primary service was offering her life to be the Mother of Jesus. Her service was her total yes to God. From Bethlehem to Calvary and up to Pentecost, Mary gave herself to the Lord. She said yes. She was the Lord’s servant. “I am the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to your word.”

We are truly Mary’s children if we imitate her yes to God. She is truly our mother if we imitate her self-giving service to the Lord. Mary is the Mother of Servanthood because her yes was total. She is truly our mother if our yes too is total. We do not say yes to God only once, or twice. No, we say yes to the Lord everyday. In our name our parents and godparents said yes to the Lord when we were baptized. We say yes to him every time we take his word seriously in the Liturgy of the Word. We say yes to him every time we receive him in communion. We say yes to him every time we choose the principles of being a true Christian over the attraction of the world. Every day is an opportunity to be a servant. Every day is an opportunity to say yes to Jesus. Every day is an invitation to be like Mary.

Meron po akong paboritong T-shirt. Dahil paborito ko laging kong ginagamit. At dahil lagi kong ginagamit laging nilalabhan. At dahil laging nilalabhan laging sinasampay. At dahil laging sinasampay laging sumasabit sa alambre. At dahil laging sumasabit sa alambre hindi na mabilang ang butas. Hindi na ako nagugulat na sa bawat pagsuot ko ng t-shirt laging may bagong butas, may bagong tastas. Pero nung minsang nagpalaba ako sa bahay, nakasama po dun ung paborito kong t-shirt. Pagbalik sa akin, pagsuot ko ng t-shirt. Aba, walang nang butas. Bawat butas, bawat tastas, tinahi na. Sa bahay po namin ang mas matiyagang magrepair ng butas na punja at tastas sa damit, hindi po ang nanay ko, kundi ang tatay ko. Tuwing isusuot ko po ang paborito kong damit damang dama ko ang pagmamahal ng tatay ko. Alam ko mahal ako ng tatay ko, dahil hindi niya ako pinababayaan. Pero kahit sa kaliit-liitang pagkakataon, sa bawat butas na tinahi, sa bawat tastas na sinulsi, alam ko mahal ako ng tatay ko.

We became servants of the Lord when we said Yes to him in our baptism. And we hope we will continue to be his servant and say Yes to him in the face of our death. But in between, we have to continue saying Yes, not once, not twice, but everyday. Like Mary, our yes must be total. We have to say yes over and over again.

Armenian Church

The Armenian Church of Singapore. This is the oldest church in Singapore. We were told where it was but we had to look for it. It was in the middle of high rise buildings. Its silence was a welcome relief to the noise of cars and buses that plie the streets of Singapore. May be it was only us since we were the only tourist at the place, but nobody seemed to mind the church. We found two young ladies praying inside when we arrived. We lighted candles and said our prayers. The altar was adorned by an old painting of the Last Supper. There was an ornate cross at one side and a Hebrew Inscription at the other side. Suprisingly the pews were made of wood with solihiya. Parang gawa sa Pinas. There was a unique cemetery in front it with turn of the century tombstones and statues. It was far from creepy. The designs were interesting and we spent a whole lot of time just going around the church and the cemetery. I guess it was not part of the usual itinerary for tourists. The receptionist from the St. John's Cathedral told us about it. And we got all excited. We have to see it. We have to look for it. It's across the street of the old fire station made from bricks. It was worth the effort.

The Sacred Heart of Jesus

Today is the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The first reading and the gospel presents the image of a good shepherd as a way to understand how much Jesus loves us. The first reading states: “I myself will pasture my sheep; I myself will give them rest, says the Lord God. The lost I will seek out, the strayed I will bring back the injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal…”

Akala natin tayo ang naghahanap sa Diyos, pero sa totoo ang Diyos ang naghahanap sa atin. Hind ang Diyos ang nakakalimut. Hindi ang Diyos ang tumatalikod. Hindi ang Diyos ang nawawalan ng katapatan. Tayo po ang nakakalimot. Tayo po ang tumatalikod. Tayo po ang hindi nagiging tapat. Kaya sa totoo lang, hindi tayo ang naghahanap sa Diyos. Ang Diyos ang naghahanap sa atin.

The message of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is quite simple: God is always there for us – ready to love, to forgive, to give another chance, to enlighten, to correct, to remind, to inspire, to strengthen, to heal. He is always there and he will always make his presence felt.

Sa araw na ito ng Kamahal-mahalang Puso ni Jesus maging lumalim nawa at tumibay ang pagtitiwala natin sa Diyos. Huwag po tayong magpatalo sa anumang sakit, karamdaman, problema o pagsubok. Patuloy po tayong magtiwala sa Diyos dahil nanjan siya at tayo’y kanyang hinahanap.

The Battle Within

Today is Independence Day - a day of freedom. We thank God for the gift of civil liberties and for heroes, known, less known and unknown, for the freedom that we enjoy today. But what is freedom for if the country is imprisoned by poverty, by corruption, by fraud and dagdag-bawas, by homelessness, by disease, by life-less piety? Independence is not yet full. Freedom is not yet complete. Back then, it was easy to pin point who the enemies were – the Spaniards, the Americans, the Japanese. But today, who are the enemies? To whom do we blame the slavery of poverty, the indignity of homelessness and joblessness, the pain of hunger, the stigma of ignorance and the hopelessness of the future? Today, it is quite difficult to put the blame on others because such a accusation will eventually return to the self. All of us are to blame for this un-freedom.

Nagmisa ako kanina sa Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo Elementary School, bilang simula ng kanilang pagdiriwang ng Araw ng Kalayaan. Nag-iisip ako ng halimbawa para ipakita na hindi pa tapos ang pagtupad sa kalayaang ating inaasam, at kailangang suriin natin ang ating sarili, sa paraang maiintidihan ng mga teenager. I thought of the movie Spiderman III. This is the third saga. Clearly in this move, siperman had enemies – the Sandman, Venom, Goblin. But as the ads say - the greatest fight is the fight within. In the first and second movie, Spiderman threw his web around because it was a mission, because he wanted to help. But in the third offering, he was showing off his power because he wanted revenge for Uncle Ben. He was a slave of revenge. He was not really free. His greatest fight was not with Venom or Sandaman, but with himself. Thus, “the greatest fight is the fight within.”

Nilabanan natin ang mga Espanyol. Nilabanan natin ang mga Amerikano. Nilabanan natin ang mga Hapon. Pilipino na ang namumuno sa kapwa Pilipino. Pero ang pinakamahirap at pinakamahalagang laban ay nasa kalooban. Dahil ang kalaban natin ngayon ay ang kawalan ng pakialam, katamaran, panlalamang, pagsisinungaling, pagnanakaw, at marami pang iba. Ang pinakamahirap na laban para sa kalayaan ay ang laban sa kalooban.

Independence is not yet fully ours. Freedom is not yet accomplished. For the greatest fight still lies ahead of us – the fight within, the need to care more, to help more, to love more, to take pride in our nation more.

Katawan ni Kristo

CORPUS CHRISTI. Sa English – Body of Christ; sa Pilipino – Katawan ni Kristo. Kung ating susuriin may tatlong pinatutungkulang kahulugan ang Corpus Christi o ang Katawan ni Kristo.

Ang una ay ang katawan ni Kristo na ipinanganak ng Mahal na Birheng Maria. Ang katawang inihiga sa sabsaban. Ang katawang nagpaiwan sa templo ng Jerusalem. Ang katawang lumaki at tumanda, hanggang buhusan ng tubig ni Juan Bautista sa ilog Jordan. Ang katawang nagpagaling ng mga maysakit, nagpatawad sa mga makasalanan, nagbigay ng pag-asa sa mga maralita, nagpakain sa mga nagugutom, nagpainom sa mga nauuhaw. Ang katawang ipinako sa krus para sa iyo at para sa akin. Ang katawang inilibing sa isang kuweba, at muling nabuhay sa ikatlong araw. Ito ang katawang ipinanganak ng Mahal na Birheng Maria.

Ang ikalawa ay ang katawan ni Kristo sa Sakramento ng Eukaristiya. Sa kapangyarihan ng Espiritu Santo, ang tinapay na mula sa lupa at bunga ng ating paggawa ay na nagiging katawan ni Kristo, ang tinapay ng buhay na nagbibigay ng buhay sa lahat. Ang pagkaing tinatanggap natin sa banal na komunyon. Ito ang katawan ni Kristo kung saan sumasagot tayo ng Amen.

Ikatlo at panghuli, ang katawan ni Kristo na binubuo ng lahat ng sumasampalataya sa kanya. Isinulat ni San Pablo na ang bawat isa sa atin ay iba’t ibang bahagi ng iisang katawan, at ang ating ulo ay si Kristo. Kaya tayo ay katawan ni Kristo. Ang bawat bininyagan ay kabahagi ng katawan ni Kristo. Ang simbahan ay katawan ni Kristo. Ikaw at ako ay bahagi ng iisang katawan ni Kristo. Tayo ang mga bahagi, si Jesus ang ulo.

Iyong una ginanap ng ng Diyos. Sa pagkakatawang tao ni Jesus nakilala natin ang Katawan ni Kristo. Diyos ang kumilos upang matupad ito.

Iyong ikalawa ginaganap ng Diyos sa tuwing tayo ay magdiriwang ng misa. Sa bawat Eukaristiya ang tinapay ang nagiging katawan ni Kristo, na tinatanggap natin sa komunyon. Diyos ang kumikilos upang magpatuloy ito.

Iyong pangatlo kahit pinag-isa na tayo sa iisang Katawan ni Kristo sa ating binyag, hindi pa kumpleto kung hindi tayo kikilos. Ang kaganap ng pagiging bahagi natin ng Katawan ni Kristo nakasalalay sa ating pakikiisa sa biyaya ng Diyos. Sa awa ng Diyos, tayo ang tutupad ng pagiging Katawan natin ni Kristo.

Tayo ay bahagi ng Katawn ni Kristo kung ang ating kamay ay magiging kamay ni Kristo na handang dumamay sa mga dukha. Tayo ay bahagi ng Katawan ni Kristo kung ang ating bibig ay magiging bibig ni Kristo na handang magbigay ng pag-asa sa nalulumbay. Tayo ay bahagi ng Katawan ni Kristo kung ang ating tenga ay magiging tenga ni Kristo na handang makinig sa salita ng Diyos at sa hinaing ng mga nangangailangan. Tayo ay bahagi ng Katawan ni Kristo kung ang ating mga paa ay magiging paa ni Kristo na handang hanapin ang mga naliligaw ng landas.

Ang Katawan ni Kristo ay nakita natin nung siya ay nagkatawang tao. Ang katawan ni Kristo ay tatanggapin natin sa misang ito. Ang Katawan ni Kristo ay mabubuhay sa mundong ito kung sa araw-araw bawat isa sa atin ay sisikaping maging mabuting Kristiyano.