OUR PARISH PRIEST

DALAWANG ANAK Nang malapit nang matalo ang ISIS sa Syria, maraming mga banyagang supporter nila ang humingi na makabalik na sa kanilang mga bansa. Sila ang mga taong iniwan ang pamilya, trabaho, pag-aaral upang makipamuhay o makipaglaban sa ISIS. Ngayon nakulong o nahuli bilang refugees, gusto daw nilang bumalik at magsimulang muli. May mga bansang nagpabalik sa ilan sa mga taong ito at dinala sila sa korte o sa kulungan. May mga bansang tumutol tanggapin sila muli, at tinanggalan pa ang ilan ng kanilang citizenship. Maraming tao kasi ang galit sa mga returnees, takot sa banta ng terorismo, at duda sa kanilang mga layunin. Pero ang mga pamilya ng mga returnee ay iba ang pananaw. Hiningi nilang pabalikin ang kanilang mga anak, kahit sila mismo ay nasaktan at napahiya sa ginawa nitong suporta sa ISIS. Kung matindi ang galit ng marami laban sa mga returnee, ganun naman katindi rin ang pag-aasam ng mga pamilya na muli silang makita, mayakap, mapatawad. ...

TWO SONS At the final defeat of the ISIS group in Syria, many of its foreign supporters started petitioning their governments to receive them back into their home countries. These were men, women and youth who left family, jobs, or studies to fight or live alongside the terrorists. Now captured or living as refugees, they say they want to go home and start life all over again. Some countries cautiously welcomed back their citizens bringing them to court and to prison. Other countries refused the returnees, even depriving one petitioner of her citizenship. The people in these countries were enraged at the returnees’ betrayal, afraid of terroristic threats and doubtful of the returnees’ motives. But the families of the returnees have a different view. They are asking their governments to receive their wayward children, in spite of the pain they felt at their departure and support for ISIS. As passionate as some people are against the returnees, more intense...

BAWAT ARAW KASAMA SI SAN FRANCISCO DE SALES 8 Huwag isiping kaya mong pagwagian ang iyong mga kahinaang naipon ng mahabang panahon, o kaya ay maging ganap na banal at mabuti matapos mong mapabayaan nang matagal ang pakay na ito. Matiyagang maghintay. Habang tayo ay nabubuhay dadalhin natin ang kahinaan natin, ang mga hangganan ng ating pagkatao. Ang pagiging perpekto ay dapat maghintay sa susunod na buhay, sa ibang mundo. Siyempre, pinagaling ng Diyos ang ibang tao nang biglaan, na walang naiwang bakas ng kanilang mga pagkakamali. Tulad ni Maria Magdalena. Sa isang iglap lamang, inakay siya ni Hesus mula sa buhay-kasalanan tungo sa buhay-kabanalan. Subalit ang Diyos din ito ang nagpaubaya sa marami niyang tapat na alagad sa kahinaan ng kanilang nakaraan. Tingnan na lamang si Pedro na madalas madapa. Minsan pa nga, itinatwa niya ang Panginoon. Gagawin ng Diyos ang anumang pin...

MAHIRAP NA PANAHON May nagsulat na ang Pasko ay mahirap na panahon para sa mga dukha. Ang panahong ito ay naging sobrang magarbo, mabusisi at mamahalin na tanging mga mayayaman lamang ang nage-enjoy dito. Ano ba ang paki natin sa dukhang mga pastol, dukhang sabsaban, at sa dukhang Sanggol? Ang Kuwaresma ay isa ding mahirap na panahon… para sa mga makasalanan. Ang panahong ito ay laan sa pagsisisi at pagkakasundo, sa pagpapatawad at pagbabago – mga magagandang salita at matatayog na kaisipan. Kumakagat ang mga tao sa tradisyon, langkay-langkay sa pagpunta sa mga debosyon, prusisyon pilgrimages, at ritwal. Maraming sumasali para sa libreng t-shirts, libreng angkas at pagkain. At ang tunay na lumalago ay ang mga taong natuto na ngayon na pag Kuwaresma o Mahal na Araw magpi-picnic, outing, swimming, o mangingibang-bansa. Sino pa ba ang seryoso sa ayuno, panalangin at kawanggawa? Nagiging mahirap ang Kuwaresma dahil naliligaw tayo sa dami ng mga hindi ...

IT’S A HARD TIME A writer once said that Christmas is a hard time for the poor. The season has become too extravagant, too elegant, and too expensive that only the rich now truly enjoy this season! The poor shepherds, the poor stable and the poor Christ have all become symbols nobody wants to identify with. Lent may be another hard time… for sinners. This season is for repentance and reconciliation, for forgiveness and renewal – all nice words, good ideas. People bite into the tradition mode, coming out in droves for devotions, processions, pilgrimages, and rituals. Many join the activities for the free T-shirts, the travel, and of course, the food. The real upsurge noted is the number of people each year who make Holy Week a picnic, a beach party or a time to escape the heat by going abroad. Who really cares about fasting, prayer and charitable works? It is getting harder to go through Lent without getting lost in the peripherals and non-essentia...

  St. Francis wrote,   “ valour, constancy, and strength ..virtues which existed in our saint in a very eminent degree. It is certainly with very good reason that St. Joseph is said to resemble the palm-tree, for he was always very valiant, constant, and persevering. Now our glorious St. Joseph was endowed with all these virtues, and practised them marvellously well. With regard to his constancy , how did he show it when, seeing our Lady with child and not knowing how that could be, (O God, what distress, what trouble of mind did he not suffer!) nevertheless he does not complain, he is not unkind, nor less gracious towards his spouse, he does not illtreat her on that account, but remains as gentle and as respectful to her as he had ever been. But what valour and what strength does he not show in the victory that he gained over the two great enemies of man, the devil and the world! And that by the exact practice of humility , as we have observed in t...

BAWAT ARAW KASAMA SI SAN FRANCISCO DE SALES 7 Ang paraan upang parangalan ang Diyos na siyang Lumikha sa atin, ay ang maging tunay na tayo, sa abot ng ating makakaya. Sapat na ang maging kung sino ka nais ng Diyos, sa halip na maging perpektong nilikha na hindi naman hinangad ng Panginoon para sa iyo. Ipagpalagay nating ikaw ang pinakaganap na nilalang sa mundo. Ano ngayon? Kung hindi naman ito ang iniisip ng Diyos para sa iyo mula sa paglikha niya sa iyo, ano ang kabutihang maidudulot nito sa iyo? Sapat na ang gawin mo ang anumang magagawa mo batay sa kung sino ka at kung saan ka naroroon. Basta gawin mo lang ng buong puso ang alam mong nais ng Diyos para sa iyo. Huwag maguluhan kung ang hinihingi ng Diyos sa iyo ay dakila at mahalaga o hindi. Kung may kabuluhan man ang iyong ginagawa o wala ay hindi halaga, basta’t ito ay kalooban ng Diyos. Paano ka panghihinaan ng loob kahit sa pinakamaliit na pangyay...

BAWAT ARAW KASAMA SI SAN FRANCISCO DE SALES 6 Marami ang nagkakamali na bumuo ng kanilang buhay espirituwal sa gitna ng mga mahahalagang krisis at malalaking oportunidad sa kanilang buhay, na bihirang namang maganap. Tuloy hindi tayo nagiging handa na asikasuhin at pakinabangan ang mga mumunting bagay na inilalahad sa atin bawat araw. Tunay na mas mainam kung magbabawas ng pansin sa mga malalaki subalit bihirang pangyayari, at ihanda na lang ang sarili at mas gawing bukas sa mga malimit na maliliit na bagay na siyang sangkap ng ating pang-araw araw na buhay. Tinatawagan tayong lahat na magsikap tungo sa kabanalan gaya ng sinasabi sa atin ng Panginoong Hesus at ni San Pablo. Subalit dapat nating tandaan na ang kabanalan ay binubuo ng pagtupad sa kalooban ng Diyos, ng paggamit ng kalooban niya bilang pamantayan ng lahat ng ating mga pasya, malaki man o maliit. Lalayuan natin ang anumang nais ng Diyos na iwasan at gagampanan n...

    Remember, O most pure spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, my great protector,Saint Joseph,  that no one ever had recourse to your protection, or implored your aid without obtaining relief.  Confiding therefore in your goodness, I come before you.  Do not turn down my petitions, foster father of the Redeemer, but graciously receive them. Amen.

GUSTO MO NG MAKE-OVER? Noong dulo ng 2018, namatay si Fr Thomas Keating na nagpasimula ng “centering prayer.” Sa isa sa mga panayam niya, sinabi niya “Ang daming gustong magbagong-anyo pero wala namang may gustong magbagong-loob.” Ang mga taong hindi kuntento ay naghahangad ng pagbabagong-anyo. Iyong pakiramdam na pangit sila ay gumagasta para mag make-over. Iyong sobra sa timbang ay handang maghirap para maging “biggest loser” ng extrang taba sa katawan. Pati ang mga bahay ngayon ay meron ding make-over tulad ng mga natuklasan ng mga taong nagsasabuhay ngayon ng minimalism o ng tidy home experience. Lalong totoo at kapani-paniwala ngayon ang mga salita ni Fr. Keating. Ang tunay na pagbabago ay nagaganap lang sa pagbabago ng loob. Hindi sa pisikal an aspekto kundi sa kung saan lalong mahalaga. Nagiging maganda ka ba para lamang maging mayabang naman? Nararating mo ba ang pagiging flawless at perfect para lang mabalikan mo ang mga dating naninira s...

MAKE-OVER, ANYONE? In late 2018, Fr. Thomas Keating died, after many years of promoting “centering prayer.” In one of his talks on prayer, Fr. Thomas quipped “Everybody wants to be transformed but nobody wants to change.” How fitting this statement is to the situation of the world today. Unsatisfied people want transformation. Those who believe they are ugly are willing to pay for a make-over. Fat people go through so much pain to attain “fitspiration.” Even homes go through make-overs, as those who exercise now minimalism and tidying techniques can prove. The words of Fr. Keating become even more compelling and true. Real transformation has something to do with change. Not in the physical sense, but change in what really matters. Do you become beautiful outside only to become proud inside? Do you achieve flawless perfection externally just so that you can have sweet revenge at your bashers? After becoming fit now, is it the start of contentment...

    Saint Joseph, father and guardian of virgins, to whose faithful keeping Christ Jesus, innocence itself, and Mary, the virgin of virgins was entrusted,  I pray and beseech you bythat twofold and most precious charge, by Jesus and Mary, to save me from all uncleanness, to keep my mind untainted, my heart pure, and my body chaste; and to help me always to serve Jesus and Mary in perfect chastity.  Amen.

    St. Joseph, protect our home. Pour forth from heaven blessings on our family. Remain in our midst.  Help us to live in love and harmony, in peace and joy. May the wholesome fear of God strengthen us that virtue may adorn what we do and our way may lead to heaven. To you this day I give the key to our dwelling place.  Lock out all things that could do us harm.  Lock my home and my loved ones with me in the hearts of Jesus and Mary.  This I beg of you, that our daysmay be like your days in the holy home at Nazareth.  Amen.

Dear Saint Joseph, you were yourself once faced with the responsibility of providing the necessities of life for Jesus and Mary.  Look down with fatherly compassion upon me in my anxiety over my present inability to support my family.  Please help me to find gainful employment very soon, so that this heavy burden of concern will be lifted from my heart and that I am soon able to provide for those whom God has entrusted to my care.  Help us to guard against bitterness and discouragement, so that we may emerge from this trial spiritually enriched and with even greater blessings from God.  Amen.

BAKIT PA KAILANGAN ANG PAG-AALAY? Maraming hindi nakakaunawa kung bakit dapat mag-alay sa Panginoon. Kamakailan lang, nilibak ng isang pinuno ng bansa ang gawing pag-aalay sa simbahan at nagkalat pa ng alingasngas na baka ninanakaw lang ng mga pari ang mga alay. Tulad ng dati, nanahimik lang ang mga Katoliko natin habang walang galang na niyuyurakan ang kanilang pananampalataya. O baka kasi sila mismo ay hindi nakakaunawa kung bakit dapat mag-alay sa Diyos at sa pamayanan ng yaman, galing at panahon. Sa ating pagsisimula ng Kuwaresma, nililinaw ng unang pagbasa mula sa Deuteronomio na ang alay, bagamat sariling kusa at galing sa puso dapat, ay isang bagay na inaasahan ng Panginoon sa ating kaugnayan sa kanya. Kapag tayo ay nag-alay, hindi ang Diyos ang nabibiyayaan. Ang tunay na gana ay sa atin, dahil naaalala natin kung sino tayo at kung ano ang ginagawa ng Panginoon para sa atin araw-araw. Tuwing mag-aalay ka, kahit na pinakasimpleng handog, naa...

IT IS ALL ABOUT OFFERING Many people, including many Catholics do not understand the concept of offering. Recently the country’s top leader questioned the practice of giving to the church and attempted to sow rumors on how church leaders steal the people’s offering. Sadly, many Catholics remained silent and respectful as their own church was being morally dismantled. Or maybe they too, did not understand why they must offer something of wealth, time and talent to the Lord and to his community. As we begin Lent, the first reading from Deuteronomy clarifies that an offering to God, though it it voluntary and must come from the heart, is something that ought to be done in our relationship with him. When we make an offering to the Lord, it does not benefit the Lord. In fact, it benefits us by reminding us of who we are, and what the Lord is doing for us each day. When you offer to the Lord, even the simplest gift, you remember that you are his cherish...