The light

From Christmas at Genesee Abbey, by Fr. Henri Nouwen

"I keep thinking about the Christmas scene that Anthony arranged under the altar.  This probably is the most meaningful 'crib' I have ever seen.  Three small wood-carved figures made in India: a poor woman, a poor man, and a small child between them.  The carving is simple, nearly primitive.  No eyes, no ears, no mouths, just the contours of the faces.  The figures are smaller than a human hand - nearly too small to attract attention at all.

But then - a beam of light shines on the three figures and projects large shadows on the wall of the sanctuary.  That says it all.  The light thrown on the smallness of Mary, Joseph, and the Child projects them as large, hopeful shadows against the walls of our life and our world.

While looking at the intimate scene we already see the first outlines of the majesty and glory they represent.  While witnessing the most human of human events, I see the majesty of God appearing on the horizon of my existence.  While being moved by the gentleness of these three people, I am already awed by the immense greatness of God's love appearing in my world.  Without the radiant beam of light shining into the darkness there is little to be seen.  I might just pass by these three simple people and continue to walk in darkness.  But everything changes with the light."

Please remember those children who did not see the light, because of the dark whims or dreadful confusion of people who are in darkness.  And let us pray for them too, they who are in darkness; Jesus was born for them too.  May they be open to the Light, and be changed.  And, of course: may we, too.

*Originally posted on Facebook

Stephen

"Stephen, filled with grace and power..."

The name I bear is both cross and crown.

Like the fate of the Babe born yesterday,

in Whom I can do all things through His grace and power.

Please pray for me.  Let us pray for each other.

Through the intercession of St. Stephen, the first martyr,

may each of us fix our gaze not only on Bethlehem,

but also on Egypt, on Nazareth, on Bethany, on Samaria,

on Jerusalem and its Calvary, on the empty tomb,

and even beyond--to the ends of the earth,

to which the arms of the Christ Child sends us forth

to embrace, with "tenderness and hope", with Him.

*Originally posted on Facebook

+Jonas Garcia

Jonas Garcia, this ‪#‎NYD2013‬ is yours too.

From the Great Beyond, pray for us that we may ‪#‎Goandmakedisciples‬ of peace, of active non-violence exemplified by the Almighty who chose to be in weak human flesh, the Lord who stood for love even if it meant giving up His life, the Master who stretched out His arms instead of raising them.  Help us follow Him, beginning with the thoughts we entertain, the words we speak, the company we keep, the choices we make, the games we play, the ways we spend our energies.

I pray for your eternal repose.  May your life be never in vain.

‪#‎NewGenMissionary‬

*Originally posted on Facebook

Christ the King: Not for Him, but for us

A belated insight into Christ the King (though perhaps not really belated because He is King forever), thanks to Fr. Joel Jason of the Archdiocese of Manila:

"But we need to be reminded. Jesus IS King.  We do not and cannot make Him King.  Even if we do not acknowledge His Kingship, He remains to be King.  Our Lord is not an ego maniac who needs to be reminded often of His greatness.  This solemnity is not a massage to the Divine Ego.  When you go to Mass today and worship the Lord, do not think for a moment that you have done Him a great favor.  Even if we do not acknowledge His Kingship, it will not be His loss, it is ours.  Ultimately, this feast is not for Jesus, it is for us."

Advent not only prepares us to remember meaningfully Jesus' First Coming, but also disposes us for His Second.  May we live these days in joyful hope, and pray for one another.

*Originally posted on Facebook

Life as Advent... Life is Advent

In some way, life on earth is one grand Advent season.

I wish ours will find us open to patient waiting, to expectant hoping,

staying and remaining trusting and serene

in the Presence of Him who is "coming in glory"

and yet "always with us until the end of time",

while working, together, "for our salvation in fear and trembling".

*Originally posted on Facebook

Goodness

I am writing this from some fancy hotel outside my own country, surrounded by some of the people closest to my heart and most involved in my journey.

I had some reluctance in making this trip.  With what my country has suffered and is going through, with the workload getting more intense as the year ends, with urgent concerns coming up instead of winding down, pursuing this trip seemed unreasonable.

But I decided to make it.  After a full day of celebrating the Solemnity of Christ the King and the Closing of the Year of Faith at the event of the Catholic Social Media Summit version 2.0 and in my parish, among the committed youth in our youth ministry for a creative formation session, I packed my things and readied myself to make this trip with three of my close friends.  Even before leaving the country, goodness and beauty already touched me: The wonder of being reunited in a man, apparently in his 60's, an OFW coming home to Cagayan de Oro, who asked for help in contacting his family who will welcome him at the airport, since his phone battery lost power.  The joy of humor and a light heart in an airline staff who received our baggage and engaged us with his sense of humor, in which we willingly complied.  The satisfaction derived from giving without counting the cost in brief encounters with airport personnel who seemed not in the mood to be personable very early in the morning, who still received my smile.  And upon landing, the welcome of my niece and her fiancee, the immediate connection with a new acquaintance who went out of his way to welcome us, the spontaneous decision to adjust our plans for the day for something which turned out to be better... All these afforded me a glimpse of joy that is simple, of goodness that is beyond the external, and of beauty that calls forth gratefulness.

And at the end of this day, at prayer with my friends, I rediscovered God as deliberate in His desire for me to experience Him, His beauty and goodness.  He doesn't will me to suffer, to be destitute, because He is pure, full goodness; however, though suffering be a fact of earthly life, He gives me countless opportunities to see Him at work, in those moments, places and people who open me to the experience of His goodness, and to allow Him to work in me by bringing His goodness into those moments, places and people who thirst for it.

So even if I am called to deny myself, take up my cross and follow not myself but Him, this path leads me to meaning and magnificence because it is along the path of Him who is truth, goodness and beauty.

Pananagutan

At Mass earlier this evening, the presider, after leading the post-communion prayer, announced a second collection for the Yolanda victims.  As the collectors went to the assembly, the introduction to the song "Pananagutan" was played...

Walang sinuman ang nabubuhay para sa sarili lamang.
Walang sinuman ang namamatay para sa sarili lamang.

Tayong lahat ay may pananagutan sa isa't-isa.
Tayong lahat ay tinipon ng Diyos na kapiling Niya.

Nangilid luha ko.  Nagbigay ako, siyempre.  At ang pagdalo at pag-aalay ko ng Misa, bahagi ng pakikilahok ko sa "Novena of Prayer and Charity" kasama ng pagtitipon ng mga gamit para sa mga nasalanta.

Ikaw, paano mo isinasabuhay ang "pananagutan" sa panahong ito?