Panalangin para sa Ika-5 Anibersaryo ng Cubao

Limang taon na ang Diocese ng Cubao sa August 28, 2008. Heto ang panalangin na inilabasa kahapon para sa isang linggong pagdiriwang ng anibersaryo mula August 24-30, 2008.

Amang mapagmahal,

sa misteryo ng iyong kalooban

ang Diyosesis ng Cubao

ay tinipon bilang isang sambayanan.

Pasasalamat namin ay lubos

sa biyaya mong hindi nagkulang.

Pasasalamat namin ay taos

sa Espiritu mong dulot ay kaliwanagan.

Sa limang taong paglalakbay

liwanag mo ang aming gabay.

Maikli man kung maituturing

samo naming ito ay iyong dingin.

Pasiglahin ang pananampalataya ng bawat parokya

upang maging mga pamayanang nagmamalasakit sa mga dukha.

Palakasin ang pakikiisa ng lahat ng mga layko

upang maging tagapaghatid ng kabutihang loob mo.

Patatagin ang kalooban ng lahat ng relihiyoso

upang maging matatapat na saksi ng kabanalang totoo.

Pagtibayin ang bokasyon ng lahat ng mga pari

upang maging tanda ng matapat mong paghahari.

Pagalabin ang paglilingkod ng mahal na Obispo

upang maging pastol na naayon sa puso ni Kristo.

Subok na, O Ama, ang katapatan mo sa iyong bayan

sa mga propeta, kay Moises at kay Abraham

at sa takdang panahon ay dumating

ang katangi-tangi mong Anak, nakipamuhay sa amin.

Kasama ng Mahal na Birheng Maria

isang sambayanan kaming dumudulog sa iyo.

Nawa’y sa bawat hakbang at pasya

tahakin ang landas ni Kristo

na siyang nabubuhay at naghahari,

kasama mo at ng Espiritu Santo

magpasawalang hanggan. Amen.

Leadership

I just attended a seminar on leadership and management in Palawan. Sangdamukal na leadership styles and diniscuss sa amin. Iba-iba! Stewardship, Participative, Appreciative, Cognitive, Tactical, etc. etc. Tapos and dami ding mga activities at sharing. Sa bandang huli, ito lang dalawang ito ang tumimo sa puso ko: faith-based at love-driven.

The leadership of a pastor cannot but be faith-based and love-driven. I am convinced of this even to the point of arguing that it cannot be otherwise. Faith-based and Love-driven, I take with me these two lessons to guide me in my ministry and help me evaluate my priesthood.

Masarap talaga mag-renewal!

Lahat ng Panalangin Sinasagot ng Diyos

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sa ebanghelyo ngayon:

Babaeng taga-Cananaan: (Malakas na sinabi kay Jesus. Pasigaw) “PANGINOON, ANAK NI DAVID, MAHABAG PO KAYO SA AKIN! Ang anak kong babae ay inaalihan ng demonyo at masyadong pinahihirapan.”

Mga alagad: (Lumapit kay Jesus. Inis na inis) Pagbigyan na nga po ninyo at nang umalis. Siya’y nag-iingay at susunod-sunod sa atin.”

Jesus: (Gaputok man ay hindi tumugon si Jesus.) --------------------------- .

Silence. Walang sagot. Tahimik lang. Marahil naranasan na nating magdasal at pakiramdam natin walang sagot ang Diyos. Tahimik lang. Deadma. Hindi nakikinig. Busy. May ibang ginagawa. O kaya walang pakialam.

Merong isang paring nagsabi:

When our prayer is not right, God says NO.

When our timing is not right, God says SLOW

When our heart is not right, God says GROW.

When the prayer is right,

when the timing is right,

when the heart is right,

then God says GO.

Lahat ng panalangin sinasagot ng Diyos.

Kapag ang hinihingi ay hindi tama, ang sagot ng Diyos, HUWAG NA.

Kapag ang panahon ay hindi tama, ang sagot ng Diyos, HUWAG MUNA.

Kapag ang kalooban natin ay hindi tama, ang sagot ng Diyos, MATUTO PA.

Pero kapag ang hinihingi ay tama,

kapag ang panahon ay tama,

at kapag ang kalooban ay tama,

ang sagot ng Diyos ,SIGE NA.

Sa mga pagkakataong nagdarasal tayo sa Diyos, may tanong tayo, o may hinihingi, at tila wala siyang sagot, tahimik lang, iyon ay dahil meron siyang gustong mangyari. Gusto niyang maitama ang hinihingi, tumugma ang panahon ng paghingi, at maging tama ang kalooban ng humihingi. At kapag nangyari na ang dapat mangyari, maririnig din natin ang sagot ng Diyos, SIGE NA.

Panalangin sa Nakaraang Piyesta

"Sana ang ganda ng ating simbahan ay mapantayan ng kabanalan ng ating kalooban."

Pasasalamat sa Fiesta 2008

Noong itinalaga ang simbahang ito noong 1993, isang panalangin ang dinasal sa loob ng lugar na ito. Ito po yung tinatawag na “Prayer of Dedication.” Maraming bagay ang sinasabi sa panalangin iyon pero ang isang mahalagang nabanggit ay ito: “Here is reflected the mystery of the Church.”

Ibig sabihin, dito sa simbahang ito, sa lugar na ito, nasasalamin ang misteryo ng ating pagiging sambayanan ng Diyos. Kaya kapag tiningnan natin ang simbahang ito, dapat makita natin kung sino tayo bilang isang pamayanan.

Ang simbahang ito ay hindi puedeng maging maayos na simbahan kung puro haligi lang, o kung puro poste lang, o kung puro bintana lang, o kung puro bubong lang, o kung puro hagdanan lang. Kahit iba’t ibang elemento, pinag-sama-sama sa isang maganda at maayos na simbahan.

Ganyan din po tayo bilang isang pamayanan. Para maging buhay na parokya hindi puedeng nakasalalay lang sa isang tao.

Hindi puedeng pari lang.

Hindi puedeng mga matatanda lang.

Hindi puedeng mga nanay lang.

Hindi puedeng yung mga dati lang.

Iba-iba man tayo ng ugali, kakayahan at katayuan sa buhay, lahat tayo ay pinagbuklod sa iisang Panginoon, sa iisang bingyag, sa iisang komunidad, sa iisang pamilya ng Diyos, at sa iisang misyon ni Kristo.

Kung paano ang simbahang ito ay itinayo hindi lamang ng isang tao, kundi sa dugo at pawis ng isang buong pamayanan, ang isang buhay na prokya ay maitataguyod lamang kung tayo po ay sama-sama.

Kaya, lubos po ang pasasalamat ko sa inyong lahat sa walang sawa ninyong pakikiisa sa buhay at mga gawain ng ating simbahan. Nitong nakaraang taon, nakaktuwa po, maraming mga bagong mukha akong nakita na naging aktibo at naging tagapaglingkod sa ating parokya. Ito po ay malinaw na tanda na ang Espiritu ng Diyos ay sumasaatin at patuloy na nagbibigay ng buhay sa atin. Sa mga bagong mukha sa iba’t ibang organisasyon at ministries ng ating parokya, palakpakan po natin sila. Sana ay mas lalu pa kayong dumami.

Tandaan po natin, ang ganda ng simbahang bato ay nagniningning at tumitingkad sa pagkakaisa ng simbahang tao. Ang lugar na ito ay tunay na tahanan ng Diyos kung sa puso ng mga nagkakatipon dito ay nanahan ang Diyos.

Maraming salamat po!

Mabuhay ang Panginoong Nagbagong Anyo!

Happy Fiesta po sa inyong lahat!

Tuloy Ang Kuwento

Ang isang simbahan ay banal sapagkat ito ay tahanan ng Diyos. Subalit hindi lamang presensya ng Diyos ang matatagpuan sa isang simbahan. Matatagpuan din ang mukha ng pamayanang gumagamit nito.

Sa Prayer of Dedication ng isang simbahan sinasabi doon na "In this place is reflected the mystery of the Church." Ibig sabihin sa simbahang bato nasasalamin ang misteryo ng simbahang tao. Sa simbahang bato makikita ang mukha ng simbahang tao. Dahil ang simbahang bato ay saksi sa kuwento ng buhay ng simbahang tao.

Kung makakapagsalita lang ang mga dingding at luhuran ng simbahan sigurado ikukuwento nito ang mga kuwento ng mga nauna sa atin, mga kuwento ng pagpapala, ng pagpapatawad, ng pagbabati, ng pagbabalik-loob. Kung makakapagsalita lang ang mga haligi at upuan ng simbahan sigurado ikukuwnto nito ang mga kuwento ng himala, malaki man o maliit. ito ang misteryong nasasalamin sa simbahan ng Transfi at ang kuwentong ito ang ang ating itinutuloy ngayon. Sa pagsisikap nating maging isang pamayanan ng pag-ibig na naglilingkod, ng pag-asang ibinabahagi at ng pananampalatayang buhay at nagbibigay buhay, itinutuloy natin ang kuwento ng mga nauna sa atin. Upang sa pagdating ng araw na tayo ay wala na ang mga susunod sa atin ang magtutuloy ng kuwento - ang kuwento ng walang kapantay na pag-ibig ng Diyos at ng walang katapusang pagtugon ng tao.

The faith of those who have been before us and our faith today - this is the story of our life, a story that begun in creation, in the story of Adam and Eve, in the story of Noah and Abraham, in the story of David and the prophets. Most especially in the story of Jesus, a story that continued in the apostles, in the story of Paul and the first community of Christians, a story that came to us in the various lives of the saints through the ages. The church of Transfi tells the story of the people of Transfi, a story of love, of conversion, of salvation.

Tuloy ang kuwento ng buhay. Tuloy ang kuwento ng pananampalataya. Hinid pa tapos. Wala pang ending. Tuloy ang kuwento ng Transfi. Ituloy natin ang kuwento.

Ala-ala ng Transfiguration

Bago po ako ordinahang pari, sabi sa amin ng isa naming formator gawin daw naming espesyal at memorable aming unang misa. Kaya ako kinabukasan ng ordinsayon ko, umuwi ako agad sa Hagonoy at nagmisa ako sa bahay ng lolo ko. May sakit siya noon, bedridden. Hindi nakapunta sa ordinasyon ko. Kasama ng mga magulang ko, mga kapatid, mga tito at tita, kasama ang lola ko, ang unang misa ko ay ipinagdiwang ko sa tabi ng kama ng lolo kong maysakit. Kakaunti lang kami pero espesyal. Memorable.

Bakit kailangan gawing memorable? Para daw puedeng balik-balikan. Para sa panahon napapagod sa pagkapari, para sa panahong pinanghihinaan ng loob, nadidiscourage, o nafrufrustrate, ang ala-ala ng masidhing pagmamahal ng Diyos sa pagkakaloob sa akin ng bokasyon ng pagkapari ay magbigay ng lakas at bagong dahilan para patuloy na maglingkod at magsikap maging tapat.

Ganyan din ang papel ng kuwento sa ating ebanghelyo ngayon, ang paglalakad ni Pedro sa tubig dahil sa kapangyarihan ni Jesus. Sigurado ito ay memorable para kay Pedro.

Kayo ba kapag nakapaglakad kayo sa ibabaw ng tubig makakalimutan nyo ba iyon? Hindi. Yun ngang sagutin ng isang nililigawan hindi makalimutan ito pa kaya. Hindi lang anniversary ang inaalala, may monsary pa!

Sigurado ako sa mga panahon na pinanghihinaan ng pananampalataya si Pedro at natatakot, naalala niyang minsan siyang naglakad sa tubig at ng siya ay magduda at panghinaan ng pananampalataya sabi sa kanya ng Panginoon, “Huwag kang matakot. Ako ito.” Sapat na ang ala-alang iyon para mapawi ang pagdududa at pagkatakot.

Ganyan din ang papel ng Transfiguration. Isang karanasang hindi malilimot. Memorable para kay Pedro, Juan, at Santiago. Nakit nila ang pagliliwanag ng kaluwalhatian ng tunay na pagkatao ni Jesus. At sigurado ako sa panahong nakita nilang pinahihirapan si Jesus, kinukutya, at tila walang laban, naalala nila ang Transfiguration at nanalig na pagkatapos ng lahat ng ito makikita din ng lahat ang kaluwalhatian ng kanyang muling pagkabuhay. At sa ala-alang iyon bagong lakas at pananalig ang magmumula.

Memories are important to us. We live and we die because of memories. So much more is the memory of God’s love and power. They sustain us to remain faithful. They sustain us to remain strong. Memories of God’s love and power make us live.

Ngayong kapistahan ng ating parokya sa karangalan ng pagbabagong anyo ni Jesus, huwag po nating kalimutang minsang ipinamalas ni Jesus ang kaluwalhatian ng kanyang kapangyarihan, upang sabihin sa atin, “Huwag kang matakot.” Huwag matakot sa paghihirap, sa pagdurusa, sa pagsubok, sa kahinaan, sa kasalanan, sa sugat ng pakikibaka, sa hamon ng pagiging tapat, dahil kay Jesus ang mananaig kapangyarihan, kaginhawahan, kaligtasan at kaliwanagan.

Huwag po tayong makalimot. Ang ala-ala ng Transfiguration ay nagbibigay ng lakas para ang liwanag ni Jesus sa ating puso ay hindi pawiin ng dilim.

Happy Fiesta sa lahat!

Practical take on Wedding and Marriage

Marriage is more than just the wedding

by ALETA NIEVA of abs-cbnNEWS.com / from the multiply site of Noknok

Marriage is often associated with themed weddings, grand celebrations, good food, stylish bridal gowns, and a huge pile of gifts. However, planning a wedding is not the only thing that a couple entering into a life-long commitment should be concerned about.

Commitment between a man and a woman is more than saying “yes” to a marriage proposal or uttering the words “I Do” as the couple’s assurance of a blissful union together.

3rd Philippine Wedding Congress 2008 speaker on marriage preparedness Anthony Pangilinan told an audience of soon to be wed couples that “there are many lousy marriages in this country today.”

“Ang problema natin ngayon sa Pilipinas mas importante sa atin ang wedding kaysa doon sa marriage. We are more concerned with the event and not the process,” Pangilinan said.

Pangilinan gave his audience pointers to think about and even shared his own personal experience as a married man.

Before saying “I Do”

Pangilinan said couples thinking of tying the knot should first ponder upon what the word “marriage” truly means.

From what he has learned, marriage is a “personal union of individuals. It is also called matrimony--starts with the wedding and results to a wedlock.”

It is also an institution in which interpersonal relationship is acknowledged by the state or by a religious authority or both, he said.

"Kaya kapag hindi sumusunod ang asawa ninyo sa napagkasunduan, ang asawa ninyo ay enemy of the state," he jokingly told his audience.

Pangilinan shared the experiences he and his wife Maricel Laxa went through in their 15-years of marriage with soon-to-wed couples.

“You don’t get married to one person. You marry into a family, into a community and you are sanctioned by the state and in most cases by a religious authority,” he said.

Oftentimes, couples are so busy preparing for their wedding that they tend to forget an important part of their union which is to read and internalize what is written on the marriage contract.

“You don’t get into a work contract without first discussing the terms and reading the terms but most people get into marriages in contrast, without even reading the terms,” he said.

To what are you saying “I Do?”

The next question every couple should ask themselves is “to what are you saying I do?

He challenged his audience to “put it to test now” before they even plan to get themselves into a life-long commitment.

“Let us not focus on the wedding only but on the longer term which is the marriage. And you must insist to sit down and talk about the marriage not just the wedding,” said Pangilinan.

One important thing that couples should first discover and accept is their partner’s personality.

“I realized three to four years ago na ang attitude daw ng mga tao nababago. Ang mga pangarap pwedeng baguhin. But you know what? You are stuck with your personality. You can never change personality.

"So you have to discover and accept your partner's personality because if from the start you cannot accept, you're a disaster waiting to happen,” he said.

While he said he believes that men and women are equal, he also said a couple must accept different roles.

“Actually totoo yung wife submit to your husband. But also in scriptures it says submit to one another hindi lang daw wife ang nagsa-submit,” he said.

When he and Maricel got married, they agreed to take on designated responsibilities without first knowing if they were meant for it.

“Sabi ko ‘Hon; ikaw ang software ako ang hardware. Syempre ako lalaki, pagdating sa mga repairs, expansion, renovation ako yan. Pagdating sa pagkain, beautification ikaw yan. Nagkasundo kami but it didn’t work,” he said.

He cited several incidents when he tried to prove himself to be the all around handyman in the house.

“Masisira ang computer, dalawang oras ko nang kinakalikot dadaan si Maricel, ‘Hon, ganito lang yan’ tapos na! Buti nga kung computer lang e aircon, refrigerator!

"This is the worst. Dumating yung do-it-yourself furniture, ang aming kama at tv cabinet. Wala akong maintindihan sa mga manual na yun! Paborito ni Maricel ang mga ganung manual and she did it herself…eight months pregnant!” he exclaimed.

What made him realize that being in charge of the family’s “hardware” was definitely not for him, was when Maricel could not decide which curtain to choose for the home, and in the end “ako ang pumili,” he said.

“It had to take another counseling session for us to realize na iba ang gifts at background namin. Maricel grew up in a single parent home and they fixed everything at home. Ako nakalimutan ko when I studied my university course it was architecture I had two years of interior design. Tinanggap na namin yun,’ he explained.

In the end, he said that if the washing machine needs fixing, Maricel would know what to do but if there are people visiting and they have to buy flowers, it is his turf.

Life before saying "I do"

Pangilinan who was a 2004 Huwarang Ama Awardee and a 2000 Ulirang Ama Awardee gave the audience three suggestions before saying “I do.”

“Before you get married please find yourself first and accept yourself for who you are,” he said.

Next, he suggested that couples should become friends with their partner and spend time together.

“Bago kayo mag-asawa spend more time on the following: intellectual, mental and spiritual connections and less time on the physical connection,” he said.

He further explained that connecting with one’s partner physically or even sexually puts the other elements on hold.

“Once you get connected and you overly engage in physical connection you stop connecting mentally, intellectually, spiritually and so you don’t grow. So you invest there first,” he said.

As for the third suggestion he said individuals wanting to get married should first believe that they are complete.

“Believe that you are complete already...on your own. Di po totoo yung 'you complete me'. Kasi kung hindi ka kumpleto huwag ka munang maga-asawa,” he told the crowd.

After the vows

After 15 years of marriage, Pangilinan still says that married life is not always as blissful as one would like to think. He and his wife shared a lot of ups and downs in their marriage.

In reality, marriage does not come with a manual that guides every couple toward the direction of a happy life together.

Spending a wonderful life together would still depend on the couple’s willingness to make their marriage work.

With this, Pangilinan shared with his audience some personal tips that he and his wife learned throughout their marriage.

For their list, the couple’s top priority is finding God.

“Find God everyday of your life because you’re gonna need him…everyday of your married life,” Pangilinan said.

Second is for the couple to agree on goals like deciding together what they would want for their children, where they want to live, or the kind of lifestyle they want to have.

It's ok to seek professional help

Another important lesson which they would also like to encourage every couple is to get counseling.

“Daming wedding coordinators, nagdagsaan and everybody wants a marriage coordinator but not a marriage counselor. Wedding coordinator, yes. Marriage counselor, no. Baka sabihing may problema tayo.

"Sino ba ang walang problema? I have been counseled in my marriage for the last 15 years. I can’t do without my marriage counselor,” he said.

Couples must also be open to change and the willingness to give and share their blessings to others just as he and Maricel have decided to give a portion of their income away.

“God will bless you more and more if you give,” said Pangilinan.

Furthermore, Pangilinan said couples should ensure that they spend quality time together and lastly, sticking to their decision of “my choice” or “marrying because you choose to get married.”

“We are all twisted image bearers living with other twisted image bearers in the presence of an untwisted God who is slowly making us straight. It’s a process. If you entrust your wedding and marriage to Him he will make it straight and the best is yet to come,” he said.

The 3rd Philippine Wedding Congress 2008 was held on July 25, 26 and 27 at the Megatrade Hall 2 of SM Megamall.

The three-day summit introduced top industry suppliers, latest trends and updates and learning sessions to soon-to-be-wed couples planning their perfect wedding.

Transfiguration is In Between

Meron pong nagtanong sa akin, "Bakit hindi sikat ang Transfiguration of the Lord?"

Gusto ko sanang sagutin, "Hindi ba?" Pero puwera biro, bakit nga ba? Bakit hindi kasing sikat ng crucifixion, o ng resurrection, o ng assumption, o ng Sto. Nino, o ng Nazreno, o ng Pasko. Bakit nga ba hindi sikat ang Transfiguration?

Ang sagot ko, kasi ang Transfiguration nasa gitna. Hindi simula. Hindi katapusan. Nasa gitna. Usually in life, we celebrate beginnings and endings. We do not celebrate "in-betweens." For instance, we celebrate weddings, the beginning of a couple's life, but we do not think of the everyday loving that follows a wedding. We celebrate ordinations, the beginning of priestly ministry, but we do not see the struggle of everyday service that follows an ordination. We celebrate the victory of athletes but we forget the discipline of everyday training that led to the victory. We celebrate graduations but only in hindsight do we realize the rigor of everyday study, memorization, comprehension and recitation. We celebrate beginnings. We celebrate endings. How do you celebrate the in-between?

Transfiguration is not a beginning. It is not an ending. It is something in between. Transfiguration happened in between Jesus' birth and his death, in between Jesus' baptism and his resurrection, in between predicting his suffering and his actual suffering. Transfiguration happened in the middle of the public ministry of Jesus. It is a mystery that proclaimed Jesus' identity revealed to us in his birth as the Son of God and proclaimed the glory of Jesus' resurrection to be fulfilled in the future when he accomplishes the will of the Father. Transfiguration is a process, an on-going, an in-progress, a journey. How can you capture a process? How does one hold on to a journey? And this is what Peter tried to do in the story of Transfiguration. By suggesting to build three tents, Peter wanted to capture the moment of Jesus's glory whine in Mt. Tabor. He wanted to stay there and bask in the light of a glorious Jesus. He wanted to live there and be intoxicated with the majesty of the Son of God. But this is not the plan of Jesus. He refused Peter's request for they have to got down Mt. Tabor and continue the journey, continue the process, continue the on-going realization of the Father's plan for his son. Peter wanted to capture the moment. Jesus led them back to the journey that will lead them to the right moment.

Bakit hindi sikat ang Transfiguration? Kasi mahirap hawakan ang misteryo ng paglalakbay. Isang paglalakbay upang ang sinimulan ay makarating sa katapusan. Nagsimula nang maniwala pero meron pang pagdududa, meron pa rin pag-aalinlangan. Nagsimula nang maglingkod pero sarili pa ang iniisip, meron pa ring kasakiman. Nagsimula nang magpakabuti pero meron pang kahinaan, meron pa ring pagkakamali. Nagsimula na pero hindi pa natatapos. Yan ang paglalakbay ng Pagbabagaong Anyo ng Panginoon. Isang proseso ng pagbabago. Isang paglalakbay ng pagsunod kay Kristo. Isang pag-usad na di matatapos hanggang sa hukay.

Transfiguration is niether a beginning nor an end. It is an in between. Transfiguration is a journey - a process of conversion, a on-going struggle to be faithful, a holiness in progress. It is an everyday truth where the real battle is won. Amen.

The Holy Priest from Ars - St. John Baptiste Marie Vianney

Monday, August 4, is the feast of St. John Baptiste Marie Vianney, the parish priest of Ars in France. He is the patron saint of parish priests. I read about his life way back in highschool, and came to know of the usual facts about him, that he was late in his formation, that he had had difficulty in studies especially in Latin, that he was assigned in Ars a remote province in France because of his limited capacities, that he spent hours and hours [if I remember right upto 16 hours] hearing confession, that he was only taking poatoes inside the confessional box in order not to stop the long lines of penitents, that he was menaced by the devil in his sleep to the point of burning a corner of his bed, and that his body is incorruptible. In seminaries and among seminarians, St. John Marie Vianney is a famous saint.

Then, I got to visit Ars. In 2005, I was privileged to accompany Bishop Ness to an international retreat for priests in Ars. We stayed there for five days. Imagine how blessed we were to be able to live where the holy cura lived, and to celebrate mass where he celebrated mass.

While in Ars, I came to know of a touching detail of the saintly priest's life. There was a time in his stay in Ars that he wanted to leave, thinking that there was no room for him in the village. Nobody was going to mass, to confession, to communion, and nobody was heeding his exhortations. He left the convent one night with no intentions of going back. Before leaving the village, he passed by the cemetery, entered and stopped there for a while. There he was struck by an interesting thought -- the villagers of Ars would all end up in the cemetery, and they would need salvation, a salvation that a priest as he is could offer. The villagers needed him whether they were aware of it or not. By leaving the village, he was taking away from the villagers a way to salvation. And so, he went to the other direction and went back to the convent. And there he found his holiness. Ars became known home to a holy priest.

St. John Marie Vianney was on the verge of giving up on Ars, but he was moved with pity for souls. Compassion pulled him back to the convent and went to become a model and patron for all parish priests. When on the edge of giving up, of saying it quits, of giving in to failure, what pulls us back on our toes is compassion. "To be moved with pity" is to find meaning anew in service, sharing and sacrifice. Sometimes we do not get what we expect from people we serve or from activities we plan. Sometimes we get discouraged. But the challenge for compassion never runs dry. There will always be people to serve, activities to plan, souls to save. To recognize them alway and not be numb, to be sensitive to needs and not on results, to persevere and not to give up, these are lessons I took with me when I lived for five days in the village where St. John Vianney lived. Amen.