6th Sunday, Ord. Time, Cycle C
Mapalad ang mga dukha! Mapalad ang mga nagugutom! Mapalad ang mga tumatangis! Mapalad ang mga ipinagtatabuhayn, kinapopootan at inaalimura! Mga kataka-takang salita mula kay Jesus sa ebanghelyo ngayon. Hindi madaling maintindihan.
Paano naging mapalad ang mga dukha? ang tumatangis o nalulungkod? Paano naging mapalad ang gutom? ang itinataboy, o kipopootan, o inaalimura? Ang mga ito ang ang ayaw natin, ang iniiwasan natin, hangga’t maari. Sino ba ang may gusto maging mahirap? Ang magutom? Sino ba ang may gustong malungkot? Ang ipagtabuyan, o kapootan, o alimurain? Wala naman. Ayaw natin dyan sa mga iyan.
Pero ang paala-ala sa atin ni Jesus, kahit sa gitna ng mga pagsubok na ito, kahit sa pinakamabigat na suliranin o pinakamalaking problema, may pagpapala pa rin kung may pananalig sa Diyos. Sa gitna ng kahirapan, ng gutom, ng kalungkutan, ng poot, may biyaya pa rin kung umaasa pa rin sa Diyos. Dahil ang kaligayahan at biyayang nagmumula sa Diyos hindi kayang nakawin ng kahit na anung hirap at pagsubok.
Of course, one can be happy by being rich, satisfied, fulfilled, having no enemies and enjoying a good reputation. But without God, this happiness is skin deep, fleeting, temporary. Only with God can there be lasting happiness that no poverty, no grief, no hunger, no hatred, no slander or bad name can upset.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
The Cost of Awesome
New Zealand is, as they say it down there, awesome! Here's why in my opinion. The quarantine is strict. All food, camping gears and wood items have to be declared (mahirap na nga naman baka mapasukan sila ng peste at maapektuhan ang kanilang mga baka at tupa). They check baggages thoroughly (mukhang totohanan, hindi kunwakunwari lang). Light traffic always (as in always, ang heavy traffic sa kanila, maluwag sa atin hehe). It’s quiet. It’s clean. Less population (4 M sa buong NZ; eh dito sa Metro Manila pa lang 12 M tayo). Less cars on the streets. Strict traffic rules. No blowing of horns. Implemented speed limits.
Summer is sunny there but with cool breeze; comfortable. Dense forests. Rolling hills. Clean streams. Running rivers. Liveable cities. Amazing lakes. Numerous, huge parks. Never ending horizon. Amazing long white cloud. Photogenic view, 360 degrees. Managed logging. Mouth watering lamb chops. Heavenly steaks. Cadbury ice cream. Fresh strawberry ice cream. Juicy cherries and berries.
Low-profile politicians (mangayari kaya yan sa Pinas, hay). Vibrant community of Filipinos. Supportive “super” friends. Subsidized education. Effective public health care. Well maintained public utilities. Family friendly picnic and rest stops. Less high rise buildings (kasi daw matatabingan ang view, wow). Reward for hard work. Great future for the family, for the children.
At what cost? Leaving one’s motherland; the land of one’s birth and childhood, of family and friends; the comfort of memories, of familiar voices and faces.
Setting aside the land of lechon, kare-kare and bistek; the land of talangka, alupihang dagat and suwahe; the land of chicharong bulaklak, kwek-kwek, balut and one day old chick; the land of turo-turo, buy one take one burger and Jollibee; the land of ukay-ukay, Greenhills, Quiapo and SM.
Leaving behind the land of "kamusta na," "saan punta," and "mauna na ko" (or the English equivalent “I’ll go ahead”, tayo lang ata nagsasabi nun); the land of “mano po,” of “po” and “opo.”
Saying goodbye to the land of Senor Nazareno, Sto. Nino, Simbang Gabi, of holding hands while singing the Ama Namin.
Sacrifice is the cost. For the fulfillment of a personal dream. For prosperity. For advancement. For development. For the money. For a change in environment. For a new perspective. For escape. For comfort. For peace and quiet. For the family. For a brother. For a sister. For Inang. For Amang. For the children. For something that every Filipino should have but Pinas cannot offer. For a better life. For a new lease in life.
Sa Macapagal family, sa “super friends,” sa lahat ng Pilipinong nakilala ko sa New Zealand, “the land of the long white cloud,” saludo po ako sa inyo. Maganda nga ang buhay dyan, pero hindi madali! God be with you always!
Summer is sunny there but with cool breeze; comfortable. Dense forests. Rolling hills. Clean streams. Running rivers. Liveable cities. Amazing lakes. Numerous, huge parks. Never ending horizon. Amazing long white cloud. Photogenic view, 360 degrees. Managed logging. Mouth watering lamb chops. Heavenly steaks. Cadbury ice cream. Fresh strawberry ice cream. Juicy cherries and berries.
Low-profile politicians (mangayari kaya yan sa Pinas, hay). Vibrant community of Filipinos. Supportive “super” friends. Subsidized education. Effective public health care. Well maintained public utilities. Family friendly picnic and rest stops. Less high rise buildings (kasi daw matatabingan ang view, wow). Reward for hard work. Great future for the family, for the children.
At what cost? Leaving one’s motherland; the land of one’s birth and childhood, of family and friends; the comfort of memories, of familiar voices and faces.
Setting aside the land of lechon, kare-kare and bistek; the land of talangka, alupihang dagat and suwahe; the land of chicharong bulaklak, kwek-kwek, balut and one day old chick; the land of turo-turo, buy one take one burger and Jollibee; the land of ukay-ukay, Greenhills, Quiapo and SM.
Leaving behind the land of "kamusta na," "saan punta," and "mauna na ko" (or the English equivalent “I’ll go ahead”, tayo lang ata nagsasabi nun); the land of “mano po,” of “po” and “opo.”
Saying goodbye to the land of Senor Nazareno, Sto. Nino, Simbang Gabi, of holding hands while singing the Ama Namin.
Sacrifice is the cost. For the fulfillment of a personal dream. For prosperity. For advancement. For development. For the money. For a change in environment. For a new perspective. For escape. For comfort. For peace and quiet. For the family. For a brother. For a sister. For Inang. For Amang. For the children. For something that every Filipino should have but Pinas cannot offer. For a better life. For a new lease in life.
Sa Macapagal family, sa “super friends,” sa lahat ng Pilipinong nakilala ko sa New Zealand, “the land of the long white cloud,” saludo po ako sa inyo. Maganda nga ang buhay dyan, pero hindi madali! God be with you always!
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