Pope Benedict XVI has named Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle and five other prelates from Lebanon, Nigeria, Colombia, India and the United States as new cardinals.
The Pope made the surprise announcement during his weekly general audience Wednesday and said they would be elevated at a consistory November 24. At 55, Tagle is currently the world’s youngest cardinal.
I am very proud to be Cardinal Tagle's student in Holy Orders last semester in the Loyola School of Theology as well as his fellow Josefino, a son of San Jose Seminary. Truly, the Philippine Church rejoices in this announcement, following the canonization of Saint Pedro Calungsod last Sunday.
In this year of faith, we strive to truly witness to the faith entrusted to us by Christ in our words and deeds. May it enflame our hearts to be instruments of love and service to God and His people.
Nakatingin lamang sa Diyos... Tangan ang palmera na sumisimbolo ng tagumpay, hindi niya kundi ni Kristo... Hawak ang Doctrina Christiana na siyang isinabuhay niya bilang saksi sa Katoliko Kristiyanong pananampalataya... at handang humakbang kung saan man ipadala... Ngayong taon ng pananampalataya at pandaigdigang linggo ng misyon, nagagalak tayong mga Pilipino sa pagsasabilang kay Pedro Calungsod sa mga hanay ng mga santo.
Nawa ay magsilbi siyang halimbawa ng kabanalan, pagsasakripisyo, paghihirap para sa pananampalataya, at pagtataya ng buong sarili para sa Diyos. San Pedro Calungsod, ipanalangin mo kami!
SAN PEDRO CALUNGSOD, HUWARAN NG MGA KABATAAN
Titik ni Timoteo M. Ofrasio, SJ -- Musika ni Arnel Aquino, SJ
Inawit ng Tinig San Jose at Himig Heswita
1. Sa 'yo'y pagpupúgay handóg nami't álay
Sántong kaláhì at aming kabánay ,
Huwárang tángì ng mga kabatáan,
Magíting na anák ng kabísayáan.
2. Pagsisilbíng ganáp ang tánging hangád,
Átas ni Cristo'y tapát na tinupád,
Maáyong Balitâ ay ipínamanság,
Kaháyag ni Cristo ay iyong pinasínag.
KORO:
San Pedro Calúngsod, túnay na huwáran
San Pedro Calúngsod, angay pagasúndon
sa mga kabatáan.
3. Nahímong katábang ng páring butíhin
Na si Diego Luís, sa kanyang gawáin
Sa maláyong dapít piníli n'yang itanghál
Kaligtásan ng táong sa Diyos ay mahál.
4. Hindi ka nasindák sa lupít at dahás
Na dúlot ng bangís ng imbíng kaáway
Sa baybáyin ng Tumhón sa pulóng Mariánas
Gawásnon n'yang gihálad ang sarili n'yang búhay. (Koro)
CODA:
Pedro Calúngsod, isa kang huwáran
Ng mga kabatáan sa panínindígan
Panig-íngnan ikaw sa 'yong katátagán
Sa 'yo nawa'y matúlad ang aming kabatáan! (Koro)
the heavy downpour of rains battered parts of luzon this week. with rains of catastrophic proportions hitting metro manila, marikina river's water level rose significantly, stirring fears of what happened three years ago during the typhoon ondoy. back then, i was reviewing for my licensure exam for teachers, so i never really had a first hand experience of how marikina river got swollen and spilled over the city's streets. but people in metro manila, particularly in marikina which is just outside our seminary, were surely traumatized with how water, which was generally perceived as a source of life, has become an instrument of destruction.
as another calamity loomed, the san jose seminary community answered the call of service to those who were in great need. we opened our doors to evacuees from nearby barangays in marikina, assisted the evacuees of barangka elementary school, and conducted relief
operations at industrial valley complex and the towns of masantol and minalin in the province of pampanga.
i was deeply moved by the generosity of donors who similarly responded to this call to serve those who were severely affected by the floods. the parishioners of the national shrine of our lady of guadalupe (my weekend apostolate area) came in several batches in a span of three days to bring food, clothes, drinking water, and medicines that they have gathered from their parish. friends of seminarians, priests, benefactors, and even fellow josefinos pitched in to help. as the goods came to the seminary, members of the community also gave themselves in repacking, transporting, and distributing what we have gathered to those who suffered much from this calamity.
every member of the community had roles to fulfill, but what i found edifying was the example of the seminarians and even priests who went out of their comfort zones and stretched themselves, literally and figuratively, to be of service to our brothers and sisters in need. times like these, thinking about self-preservation had to stay in the sidelines in order to work for the safety and preservation of others. to go beyond one's role might mean braving the flood waters, going distances whether that is a few steps from the seminary or all the way to the province of pampanga, and getting soaked in mud and wet with rainwater for the service of the other. to do these, i think, is an act of heroism.
indeed, the words of saint ignatius of loyola remind us of the service and love that we render in these trying times: "to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the
wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labor and ask not for
reward, save that of knowing that we do your most holy will."
Magbigay ng hindi namimili, kumalinga ng walang kapalit, tumulong ng buong puso! Amare et servire in opus ministerii! Hail San Jose!
isang pasasalamat sa aming mga tagapaghubog sa san jose seminary ipinalabas bilang panimulang bahagi ng isang AVP pagdiriwang ng kapistahan ni san ignacio de loyola noong 31 july 2012 sa san jose seminary, ateneo de manila university
fridays are usually "untouchable" in our seminary schedule, especially friday evenings (except during first friday of the month for our monthly recollection) where we get to go places, watch a movie, grab a drink, or just get sufficient rest. however, due to circumstances beyond my control (read: empty wallet hahaha), i had to stay put in the seminary and spend my free afternoon and night here. besides sleeping, i spent the friday watching one of my favorite animes: slam dunk!
perhaps everyone already knows the story of hanamichi sakuragi, his beginnings with basketball, his "rivalries" with akagi and rukawa, his process of learning the game starting with the basics of dribbling and passing, his development as a player, his passion to be the best (and impress haruko along the way), and his slam dunks that made him a mainstay in the shohoku team.
after downloading the entire series in malaysia last summer, i'm revisiting the story and just appreciating how defense, especially rebounding, becomes a key ingredient to victory, how essential the fundamentals are in the sport, and how perseverance, patience, and passion develop a player to his full potential. as a baller and basketball enthusiast, i find these constant reminders very handy in every game i play and in every experience i gather in the basketball court. of course, it would be difficult to find a regular time for me to play basketball after my final year in the seminary. that's why i think that, on a larger scale, lessons from basketball (and even from an anime like this) are quite applicable to life in general.
or maybe, just maybe, that's what being lonely (and broke) does to me on a free night.
for those asking me what i want to "receive" this coming september (and beyond), besides "you know what" and the "items" that come with it (of course, these count as "priorities" above all), i honestly want a ps3 and a copy of nba 2k13 (well, it releases on the first week of october, so the ps3 can come together as a pack). it can come as a "comfort" gift too, or even a "reward" for getting into fourth year theology or for being a good boy so far. i can also wait until christmas. rest assured that i will take good care of it and use it in between writing my four major papers, i mean, properly.
until then, i have to hurdle the ad audiencias confessiones examination first.
Tiwala.
Isa sa mga bagay na kapag nawala, mahirap nang ibalik.
Kapag nasira, mahirap nang ayusin.
Kapag di inalagaan, mahirap nang balikan.
Tiwala.
Ang buhay natin ay naka-ankla sa tiwala. Sa araw-araw, nananaig ang tiwala.
Sa pagising sa umaga, nagtitiwala ka na sisikat ang araw, nagagalaw mo pa ang iyong katawan, hindi ka niloloko ng orasan, at hindi ka ginu-good time ng kalendaryo.
Sa pag-galaw, nagtitiwala ka na hindi ka lalamunin bigla ng lupa, o di naman kaya't guguho ang pasilyong nilalakaran mo.
Sa pagkain, nagtitiwala ka sa nagluto na hindi niya nilagyan ng Dora rat killer ang corned beef mo sa agahan.
Sa pakikisalamuha sa kapwa, mahalaga ang tiwala.
Nagtitiwala ka na nagsasabi ng totoo ang kausap mo, na hindi ka niya binabarbero o niloloko, na wala siyang tinatago sa iyo.
Nagtitiwala ka sa driver ng jeep o MRT na hindi ka niya ipapahamak o ilalagay sa aksidente o disgrasya.
Nagtitiwala ka sa guro na tama at too ang tinuturo niya.
Nagtitiwala ka sa magulang mo, sa mga nakatataas sa iyo, na ang bawat desisyon ay para sa iyong kapakanan.
At higit sa lahat, nagtitiwala ka sa Diyos na sa pagsikat hanggang sa paglubog ng araw at kahit na sa pagsapit ng dilim ay mahal ka niya at lagi ka niyang pinapatnubayan at ginagabayan.
Tiwala.
Ang tawag sa taong walang tiwala sa sarili ay praning. Sa ingles, paranoid.
Hindi nagtitiwala, walang tiwala, hindi madaling magtiwala.
Gusto niya siya palagi ang may hawak ng situwasyon.
Kung pumalpak, may "Plan B" agad.
Dapat alinsunod sa plano, alinsunod sa sukat, tugma, wasto, dapat lapat.
Lahat maayos, lahat nasa lugar.
Bawal ang wala sa hulog.
Hindi pwede ang basta-basta.
Tiwala.
Ang tawag naman sa taong sobra ang tiwala sa sarili at kampante. Sa ingles, overconfident, self-assured.
Sobra at madalas ay naguumapaw ang tiwala sa sarili.
Lahat kaya, kaya lahat.
Walang imposible. Walang hambalang sa plano.
Hawak man ang situwasyon o hindi, banat lang nang banat.
Walang problema kung pumalya. Laban lang. Sugod pa rin.
Di na bale kung wala sa plano, o kahit walang plano.
Strike anywhere. Who cares?
You only live once. Ito na yun at wala nang iba pa.
Tila lahat tayo may taglay na kapraningan at kakampantehan sa buhay.
Marahil bahagi ng buhay natin ang may tiwala at minsan ay wala.
Tiwala.
Sino ba ang mga pinagkakatiwalaan natin?
Kanino ba tayo nagtitiwala?
Bakit tayo nagtitiwala?
Hanggang saan ang ting tiwala?
Sa pagiging kampante, bakit madaling magtiwala?
Paano naudok na magtiwala sa sarili?
Paano lumakas ang tiwala?
At sa mga ka-praningan ng buhay, bakit hindi madaling magtiwala?
Bakit nasira ang tiwala?
Sino ang sumira ng tiwala?
At kailan ka handang magtiwala muli?
"In this vocation, it is not much of what I am 'doing' but what I am 'allowing' God to work in me."
At first, I felt uncomfortable with that notion: allowing than doing. I think "allowing" entails a certain sense of passivity on a person like an ingredient waiting to be mixed in a big pan to create a dish or a nut waiting to fit inside a bolt. As a man who "does" rather than "allows", it is but natural for me to think that something is not quite right with the quote. I don't wait for things to happen; rather, I make things happen. It is in being "passive" where my downfall lies, as experience suggests.
But eventually I found wisdom in that saying. "Allowing, not much of doing."
Everything that God has given me is grace. I could have lived without them after all, but it is grace. It could be there, it could have been not there; ultimately it is freely given. Not much of the things I have or the people behind me are my own doing. In fact, at times I feel I do not deserve these at all. They are God-sent after all. I can only do as much, but I have to let God bring it to perfection.
"Allowing" means seeing God as the ultimate source and end of such grace and not my own accord. More than that, it means understanding, embracing, and accepting that these are not mine alone. Perhaps it brings me back to my senses that I am not the star of the show, that I am not the point, but a mere pointer to something or even someone greater than I am.
I have to admit that I still feel uncomfortable saying "I will allow the Spirit to work within me this year and see what happens" than "I will do my best in seminary formation yet ultimately the decision lies in the bishop." I think that "allowing" entails a lot of "trusting" - trusting in the unknown, trusting in the intangible, trusting in those beyond my control, and trusting in God who is above all the one who gives.
This is a reminder that the vocation to the priesthood, all that I have, all that I am, are not mine, but God's. That perhaps is why I found it difficult to pray the suscipe, which emerged during the candidacy retreat and more glaringly in the Spiritual Exercises: a part of me still suggests not to give it all, not to trust completely, and not let someone else do what I should be doing.
In the end, I have to let go. I feel now that everything I have is borrowed: God gives, God can also take it away. They are not meant to last forever as my possessions. After all, they are not mine. They belong to God. I have to let go, even if it is hard for me to do so. Calm down, allow his grace to work within me, and let him finish and put to completion what I started.
while i was away due to my eight day silent retreat from may 31 until june 8, here's what i missed in the basketball
world:
1. teng's three rescues la salle from an ateneo victory
honestly, the ateneo-la salle game in the fil-oil pre-season cup occupied one of my prayer periods during the retreat. and why not? perhaps the game would serve as a preview of the upcoming uaap season, especially with the blue eagles pushing the pedal to the metal for their "drive for five" and the green archers looking ways to "deprive the five" with a revamped coaching staff and key additions from the rookie class including former xavier standout (and my former student) jeron teng. interestingly, teng was key to la salle's victory over ateneo with his clutch three pointer that sent the game to overtime and giving the green archers five more minutes to seal the win. a view of the things to come? who knows? the uaap season is just around the corner.
2. thunder wins 4 straight to stop "nasty" spurs
again, another matter that occupied prayer periods (with emphasis on the plural) throughout the eight-day silent retreat was the oklahoma city-san antonio western conference finals series. before i entered into silence and solitude with the lord, the spurs were playing ageless basketball and went on a 20 game winning streak to put the thunder on a 2-0 hole. their own big 3, tim duncan, manu ginobili, and tony parker, together with key acquisitions boris diaw and stephen jackson, young guns gary neal, kawhi leonard, and daniel green, and the rest of the spurs looked dominant and poised to show the young thunder team the door. but then again, every game, every possession, every basket counts. leads were overturned, runs were made, and the thunder won four straight games to enter the nba finals. kevin durant lit up the score board, russell westbrook channeled his inner "turtle power", serge ibaka went 11-for-11 on the field on game 4, and the rest of the scott brooks-mentored team contributed in their own way to a ticket to the nba finals. upon learning about this victory, i just said "wow." and i have to admit that they were part of my prayers during the retreat. maybe the god of the eight-day retreat was a kevin durant fan too.
3. miami-boston goes to a deciding game 7
like the oklahoma-san antonio series, my retreat began with the miami heat in control of the eastern conference finals with a 2-0 lead over the boston celtics. just when i thought the miami big 3 of lebron james, dwayne wade, and chris bosh were young and dominant enough while boston big 3 of kevin garnett, ray allen, and paul pierce were headed towards the sunset of their careers, i was wrong. the celtics surprisingly won 3 straight games to grab the 3-2 series lead. as the lebron critics and miami haters came out making some noise, the "king without a ring" had other things in mind. immediately after silence was broken to signal the end of the retreat, i got the news that lebron james scored 45 points to bring the series back to miami for a seventh and deciding game. looks like lebron has learned from all his fourth quarter disappearances, and this could be an indicator of how he will perform in the finals, if they get past the celtics in game 7. for now, we will have to wait for sunday (before the pacquiao-bradley fight) to see if the heat returns to the nba finals of the celtics have something left in the tank for a final push to the larry o'brien trophy.
Fogs remind me best of San Francisco. All in all, this kind of weather and atmosphere reminds me of the city where I want to stay: cold, a bit rainy, the smell of pine, and the fog.
Whenever there's a fog, I try my best to stop what I'm doing and just watch it. If possible, even join, bask in, and feel the fog. They are water vapor after all, but it's alright. I love the cold wind and small drops of water hovering over me. I feel calm and relaxed watching fogs. It disarms me. It makes me feel assured that everything is going to be alright.
But what's with fogs after all? They make views blurry and invisible. They come with cold winds that make me shiver. They may bring confusion to people threading the road. Why then do I like fogs?
I guess that's where I am right now. Everything is foggy and blurry. Nothing is clear at present: where I am, where I will be, and how will I get there. I can only see traces of what is in front. I can expect what lies in front of me in some way. I cannot speed up if I were driving, because I don't want to go crashing and burning down a ravine, or hitting another vehicle on the road. It tells me to slow down but keep moving forward as well.
It's foggy. But I enjoy the fog. I immerse in the fog because I know deep inside me that there's something beyond the traces of the road and the trees in front of me. I keep walking even with danger in front because I will be able to see clearly if I just keep my eyes on the road and move at the right pace. And the journey, not the destination, that brings me to where I should be.
At present, everything is not as clear as I want it to be. But this thing I know, believe, and commit myself to fulfill: I will make the most of my final year in the seminary, learning as much as I can, and keeping in mind that everything is for the work of ministry. I will apply for ordination - September, March, whenever that would be - I will make myself ready, then proceed from there. Because the fog is not meant to last forever, that friendly winds will clear the path and view ahead.
Fog. The blurriness, the confusion, the invisibility of the bigger picture, were all reflections of what's within me. But friendly winds that clear the fog serves as an assurance that everything is going to be alright, that God is in control, and there's nothing to fret when love is at the driver's seat. It takes three things to brave through the fog: faith that keeps me moving to move on with my journey, hope that the fog will not last forever and friendly winds will help me see what is in front and beyond, and love that entails me to risk slowly and surely with trust in God who is my ultimate end.
When you try your best but you don't succeed When you get what you want but not what you need When you feel so tired but you can't sleep Stuck in reverse
Eight days. Eight days of silence and solitude seemed like eternity for a restless, hyperactive, and excited person like me. It seemed like forever: time was slow, days felt like months, and a week felt like a year. But these eight days after all was a sabbath: a time apart to remember because I easily forget, to disconnect in order to reconnect with what is truly essential, and to celebrate the God who calms my anxieties, the God who brings shattered pieces together again, the God who heals the wounds of the past, the God who calls despite my iniquities, and the God who continues to love me as I am.
And the tears come streaming down your face When you lose something you can't replace When you love someone but it goes to waste Could it be worse?
God reveals himself through images and dreams through past experiences and future concerns, through hurts and pains, through a gentle and healing touch, through a tender and loving look, through the people he sent, and through his love made manifest in his call.
Lights will guide you home And ignite your bones And I will try to fix you
My experience of God in this retreat is truly empowering. Yet, I am reminded that it is not much of my own doing that matters. Yes, I can do much, but ultimately it is God himself, his grace, love, and providence, that prevails in the end. Like any gamer, I desire that the controller is always in my hands. Like any baller, I desire to make the game-winning shot. Like any driver, I desire to be in control of the steering wheel, the gear stick, and the pedals. But God invites me to trust and let him be himself, to let him be God. In the words of Kevin Fonacier: "Ginawa natin ang lahat sa abot ng ating makakaya, pero hayaan natin ang Diyos na maging Diyos." Be still and know that I am God.
And high up above or down below When you're too in love to let it go But if you never try you'll never know Just what you're worth
Down from this mountain, down to the world go I. But I am not going down alone. In fact, I never went up the mountain by myself. God is with me, through the joys and tears, through the triumphs and defeats, through yesterday, today, and tomorrow. This perhaps is the most important fruit that I will bring with me: trust in God. There are things that I can do, there are factors beyond my control, yet I trust that God will continue to heal, call, and empower me, not for my own sake, but for the people He sends me to love and serve. Lights will guide you home And ignite your bones And I will try to fix you
With that, I am willing to be God's instrument of love and service. I am but a mere pointer to him who is the point, the source of all life and love. As the call of service comes, I will allow God to work within me. In my final year in the seminary, I commit myself to be available to the call of service as a silent yet effective worker in the work of ministry especially in the apostolate. I commit myself to maximize opportunities of learning to equip myself to the life of love and service in my future ministry. I also commit myself to value silence and solitude where God reveals himself and reminds me of the fruits of this retreat and the Spiritual Exercises five years ago. Finally, with the approval and recommendation of my formators, I will apply for ordination to the diaconate and the priesthood in God's time. Tears stream down on your face When you lose something you cannot replace Tears stream down on your face And I... Tears stream down on your face I promise you I will learn from my mistakes Tears stream down on your face And I...
Loving Father, source and giver of life and love,
here I am, your humble servant,
offering you my life.
All that I am:
my mind, my talents, my capabilities and possibilities,
my heart, the people whom I love, my family and loved ones,
my will, my dreams, my ambitions, my goals and desires, my hopes and aspirations, my achievements, my victories, my triumphs and accolades,
my all, my strengths and abilities, my brokenness and woundedness, my entire self, my entire body, everything that you have given me;
All the opportunities you have bestowed upon me,
all the people you have sent to love me,
all the gifts, talents, and treasures you have entrusted to me,
the vocation to the priesthood, to be of service to you and your people,
my past, my present, and my future,
all these are your grace, all these came from you, and all these I offer you.
You gave and entrusted these to me,
you sustained and nourished me and these gifts,
you who are all good, all powerful, and all loving Father.
I offer my life to you, for your greater glory.
Accept my humble sacrifice and use it according to your most holy will.
Your goodness, your love, your mercy, your grace are more than enough for me.
Because seeing you more clearly, loving you more dearly, and following you more nearly are its own reward. Lights will guide you home And ignite your bones And I will try to fix you
The Diocese of Legazpi hosted the HULMA (Hinirang Upaang Laging Maglingkod) Class in their first stop for their Pre-diaconal Program on April 15-24, 2012 called as the Seminarians’ Internship Program on Social Apostolate. The host diocese introduced the class into its well-acclaimed Social Action Center through its different successful projects and programs for the advancement of the integral well being of the marginalized in the society in the light of the Social Doctrines of the Church and the Gospel Values.
The entire program was designed in such a way that the very nature and objective of social action, which is to be actively and sustainably responsive to the needs of the reality of the people of God in the grassroots, may be understood and grasped through the perspective of the different projects and programs implemented under the umbrella of SAC-Legazpi.
Visit to CAPIU-Daraga
"El Capitan's Quotable Quotes" in Barangay Sogod, Bacacay
Coastal Resource Management in Badian, Oas
Visit to livelihood program in Santo Domingo
Visit to Housing program in Daraga
Input from Fr. Jovic Lobrigo on Financial Management
HULMA tours Albay
Session on Stewardship with SAC-Legazpi staff
Wakeboarding at CamSur Watersports Complex
Survivor: HULMA in Caramoan
In the process and at the end of the program, the class unanimously reflected that they were not merely informed of the essentials of social action apostolate but was even more inspired to take on social apostolate as a call and challenge for them in their future ministry especially in dioceses where social apostolate is still in the margins of diocesan concerns and priorities.
A short talk delivered to the staff of Social Action Center of the Diocese of Legazpi
I know this is not the first time you have heard the word "stewardship." This is one of the catch phrases often used and sometimes misued or even abused in the Church. Various leaders like the Pope, bishops, priests, lay leaders, charismatic speakers, and the like use this to describe Christian service. Even leaders from other sectors like in the government use this term. There are many shades of meaning to the word "stewardship" and "steward" and let us try to examine them.
Stewardship is often defined as "the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care." Hence, a steward is a person whose responsibility is to take care of all that has been entrusted to him or her.
A steward can be a caretaker, i.e. entrusted with something to take
care of. A steward can also be a manager, who is tasked to ensure the
proper functioning of a group or a system. It can also refer to a
custodian or someone who has direct care and management of material
things. It can also mean an agent, an ambassador, even a warden for
prisoners or a guardian for minors.
In all these, we
see the richness of meaning to what a steward is but these words cannot
fully grasp what it means to be a steward. A caretaker can run away from
responsibility. A manager can be impersonal to its subjects. A
custodian can perceive what is entrusted to him as merely an object of
duty or responsibility. Other terms can be too self-serving, too
political, or even too personal.
One of the renowned gospel passages often associated with stewardship is the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30). We all know the story: a master, before leaving to travel, entrusted his property to his servants in varying amounts of talents - the first received five talents, the second had two, while the last had just one. Upon his return, the master asks for an accounting of the talents entrusted to them: the first and second doubled the talents entrusted to them while the third one didn't gain any as he dug a hole in the ground to keep his master's money. The master invited the first two to "come and share in your master's joy" while the third one was called a "wicked and lazy servant", the talent entrusted to him was taken away and given to the one with ten, and was punished for his lack of care to the talent. One of the concluding lines of the parable presents its core lesson: "For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away." (Matthew 25:29)
photo by jay fonacier
From this parable, we can see three essential elements of Christian Stewardship: God's ownership, an invitation to the steward to be a partner or co-creator, and the spirit of trust that prevails in the relationship between the owner and the steward.
God's ownership. Stewards are entrusted to care or manage the resources that do not belong to the steward. Faithful stewards manage the resources not for themselves, but for the purposes of the one who has entrusted them. Hence, Christian Stewardship respects the purpose for which things were made. Christian stewardship is a way of living in which we recognize that everything belongs to God. Part of our stewardship struggle is that we think we "own" all those things that surround us when, in truth, we are simply stewards of the things entrusted to us.All resources must be used for His glory and the common good.
Invitation to be a partner or co-creator. In Christian stewardship, God entrusts the creation to the people. God did not expect only one person to be the steward of all creation. Rather, He blessed Adam and Eve and made them fruitful. Every person contributes to the well-being of society. Collectively, we are stewards of the earth. Such requires us to find ways in which we can collaborate with others to make
the resources, talents, gifts in our possession work for the good of
all as intended by God. We are then invited to be partners of God's work, to continue his creative action as a co-creator in ensuring the good of every human person.
Trust. The essential idea of stewardship is trust. As stewards, we are the servants of the Lord, entrusted to manage God’s resources for God’s purposes. The owner trusts the steward to carry on the task he asked him to fulfill. As such, Christian stewardship is our faithful response to the generosity of
Almighty God’s love towards us, by way of us committing out time,
talent, resources, abilities, care and treasure/money to the mission and
ministry entrusted to us. We are created and called, not to be served but to serve, to give ourselves to the world, for the glory of God, just as Jesus gave himself.
photo by jay fonacier
We may think that stewardship is just about money, time and talents. But Christian stewardship is more than these. It involves our whole life: everything that God has entrusted to us to manage as faithful stewards. As stewards, we give everything and not just a part of us. We do not only give the surplus but we give "our all" for God's greater glory. Stewardship is not limited to talents, abilities and caring. It is even beyond keeping or caring and nurturing, it is first of all "living." Stewardship is not just part of life; rather it is a way of life! Stewardship is not what we have or what we give, but who we are!
photo by jay fonacier
One of the catchphrases we had in our Social Action Internship program is "May kuwento ang kuwenta." In
his input to our group, Fr. Jovic Lobrigo explained to us the
importance of transparency and accountability even in the smallest of
things. "May kuwento ang kuwenta. Nagkakaroon lang ng kuwenta ang kinukuwenta kung kinekuwento ito."
In a way that catchphrase capsulizes what stewardship is for us who are
pursuing the vocation to the priesthood. We are given much and much is
expected from us, and we keep in mind that what is given to us is merely
entrusted to us, not for ourselves but to the people whom we are called
to love and serve.
it's the time of the year when rivalries are rekindled and rookies are introduced as college basketball holds its "soft opening" with summer leagues such as filoil flying v preseason tournament and the fr. martin's cup. the former opened on the day i was about to leave for legazpi, with two games to boot: ateneo blue eagles vs. letran knights and de la salle green archers vs. san beda red lions. interestingly, both games involved teams who have rivalries in their respective collegiate leagues. what was expected to be a walk in the park for ateneo almost ended as an upset for the muralla-based dribblers, but the defending pre-season tournament champions held on to win, 55-51. the second game served as the "debut" of highly-touted jeron teng for la salle against the defending ncaa champions. the red lions survived a late game push by the green archers to pick up the win, 69-63. with recruits out to find their niches and teams determined to climb to the top, the plot will surely thicken as the games go by. and of course, this is the time to calibrate and rev-up ateneo's engines for its "drive for five" in uaap season 75.
i have been a fan of the pba especially during the mid til late 90's, but somehow lost interest on it because of college basketball. but because college basketball was on hiatus and i don't have basketball tv or nba premium on tv, and pba is still basketball after all, i tried keeping track of pba games again. the first professional basketball league in asia has witnessed some sort of renaissance lately, as fans seemed to have new-found interest on the rivalries, players, and the games themselves. carrying over the intensity from the previous conference, the commissioner's cup has been interesting so far, as fan favorites ginebra and b-meg (i still prefer to call them purefoods), powerhouse talk n' text, and unlikely contender barako bull are jockeying for position towards the finals. what makes it more interesting is how fans begin comparing players to anime characters, naming monikers, and using social media to turn on some heat to the games. this should be good.
3. phoenix suns lose the eighth seed
one of the teams i adored the most is the phoenix suns - from the days when kevin johnson was point guard, "thunder" dan majerlie was rattling the rim, and sir charles barkley was not yet a basketball analyst to d'antoni's high octane "basket in seven seconds or less" system anchored on steve nash, amare stoudamire, shawn marion, joe johnson, and leandro barbosa, and even until now even with superstars walking on the twilight of their careers. what kept me believing in the suns is the way nash brings the team together and makes individuals better with unselfish play. everyone was counting them out of the playoffs but the improved play of grant hill, jared dudley, and rookie markieff morris through nash's leadership has given them a shot to go to the postseason and take things from there. unfortunately, the suns lost what was the biggest game of their season to the utah jazz, who unseated them from the eighth seed of the western conference with a gutsy win at home. well, that is truly disappointing for any suns fan, but nothing to be ashamed of as they virtually overachieved this season. but where would nash go after this? as much as i want him to stay in the desert, he might have to go somewhere else to taste what former suns have yet to achieve: an nba championship.
4. ron artest is back?!
ron artest, now known as metta world peace, is back. what? in his "celebration" over a dunk, he "inadvertently" elbowed james harden, sending him down to the hardwood and eventually to the hospital for a concussion. the celebration has obviously gone overboard and even if he did not intend to hit harden with an elbow at the back of his head, who in the right mind would swing an elbow outward for a celebration? i know and saw how fists can fly on a celebration to the point of hitting someone else (that's "the truth"!) but the elbow is one of the hardest parts of the human body, and hitting someone with an elbow could just be aggravated assault. oh well, welcome back to the pack, ron artest!
p.s. here's "the truth" and the foiled-basket-celebration-gone-wrong
5. second is not a winner
for the third time in four seasons, team kevin durante will receive a bridesmaid's finish in the annual xavier school faculty and staff fantasy basketball league as i failed to defend my title to a very worthy opponent, adrian dy (aka "the best armchair coach in san juan"). what was a sizable lead dissipated as i tried saving games and my best players got injured one by one. i think my team peaked too early while adrian got his making the stats when in mattered the most. it has been a tough fantasy season for me as i did not do well in the student head-to-head leagues (picking derrick rose this year should be the biggest fantasy mistake). well, october is around the corner (after college basketball season, that is), but in the end, second is not a winner.
"In the Philippines, I found a nation of people who love hoops as passionately as I do. At first, it was hard to believe. How did a tall man's game become a cultural force of nature in a Southeast Asian country full of fairly short people? But Filipinos have a basketball history that stretches back to the early 1900s, and over the past century the sport has become ingrained in nearly every aspect of Philippine society. On the sides of jeepneys, in every town square, on billboards and commercials for a dizzying range of products that includes sneakers, vitamin syrup, tires and margarine, you see basketball. Almost everywhere in the Philippines, you see basketball."
Yesterday afternoon, I had my own "Pacific Rims" experience in the quiet and peaceful barrio of Badian in the coastal town on Oas, Albay.
I was sent here to have an impromptu rural immersion as part of our Social Action Internship in the Diocese of Legazpi. I was sent here with my classmates to look into the Coastal Resource Management program of the Social Action Center. We looked at how natives helped together to rehabilitate the corals in the sea, prevent big fishing ships from fishing in their waters through illegal means, and come up with programs to increase the population of fishes in their shores that would eventually equate to a better catch in the near future.
Now where did basketball come into the picture?
The barangay captain of Badian invited us to play basketball with the natives. We accepted the invitation out of courtesy to the host. We then decided to look for the basketball court, check out how it looks like (how tall the ring was, how was the flooring, etc), and perhaps catch a glimpse of the people we were about to play with. And upon seeing the court, I was shocked. Players seem to have 0% body fat, the court was high, there was no net, the ring was solid, the floor was made of rough cement, games were physical and involved a lot of running, and they played barefoot! I mean, for someone who played ball in Manila on covered courts (preferably a wooden court at that), with snapback rings and fiberglass boards, and with a pair of Nikes on foot... I was in for an awkward gaming night.
We played a couple of games and we were fortunate to keep the games close. With the high ring, uncooperative board, uncushioned feet, and an oblong ball, there was no chance of winning. And yes, we might not have won, but playing in such an environment was an experience to behold. Imagine how the natives just kept playing the game with the resources they have. They just kept playing, I guess. And imagine the playing scenario back in the metropolis. I have to say I'm blessed with a lot yet most of the time make excuses for losses. Now who has the passion for the game? Your answer is as good as mine.
It's not every day that I get to experience this kind of game and scenario. But the next time I have an immersion in some place, whether it is in the far flung areas of the Philippines or one of those slums in the metro, the first thing I will look for is a basketball court. I will observe the players, the court, how they play, and what drives them to play. And who knows, I might be shooting on that court in the next few minutes.
returning to sacred heart novitiate reunited me with its basketball court. this is where i learned to use the backboard (well, in this case a metal backboard) in shooting from mid-range. i was able to bring this to tuesday basketball at xavier during regency and even in afternoon basketball upon returning to the seminary. knowing how to use the glass as a weapon is surely a plus especially for an undersized big man like me (height-wise, that is! haha). it's quite helpful especially if i have no chance in hell sneaking a shot with a bunch of beanpoles in the paint.
i saw this video featuring current nba players who uses the glass often to make their shots. it's interesting to know that zach randolph, a resident fantasy basketball player in my rosters, and tim duncan, one of my favorite big men of all time, also use the glass as part of their arsenal. other players featured in this video were luis scola and dirk nowitzki.
i suppose using the glass in offense has been a lost art, as ballers prefer the sweet swish on the net rather than the hard hit on the backboard. even in lay-ups, there's a tendency to let the ball find its way to the hole than using the bank as insurance for the shot. well, it all boils down to what the player finds useful in the game. on my part, if the bank is open, i'd gladly cash in the shot.
while i was away due to my "engagement" last monday and three final exams in three days, here's what i missed in the basketball world:
1. new york is lin-ning again
just when you thought that "lin-sanity" is over, that melo should be traded for messing up the team chemistry after those string of loses, and mike d'antoni deserves to vacate his post, the new york knicks are rolling one more with one win after another. now on their five game winning streak, the team from the city that never sleeps have beaten portland, indiana (twice on a back-to-back), toronto, and the 76ers. coach mike woodson has done a great job in taking over d'antoni's job by maximizing his bench and letting the players do their stuff. at 22-24, it's still my hope that they make it deep in the playoffs, but reaching the finals at this point is just unimaginable with miami and chicago lording over the east.
2. the golden state warriors and that bone-headed trade
the bay area fans have a lot of boo-ing to do, and i understand why. the golden state warriors traded monta ellis, a fan favorite and perhaps the most effective player in their roster, together with ekpe udoh and kwame brown (why is this guy still in the nba?!) for an injured andrew bogut (who could be out for the rest of the season) and stephen jackson (though later traded to the spurs for richard jefferson). it is obviously a bone-headed trade, knowing that they got an injured player in the place of an effective player in ellis (though he hogs the ball most, if not all of the time). it might be far from the most ridiculous trade of all time (pau for kwame and a bunch of fries from in-n-out burgers), but this trade, using the words of rick barry, is "doing a disservice" by "changing the franchise" from knocking at the door of the playoffs to staying in the draft lottery. only history can tell if joe lacob did the right thing. let's wait and see.
3. mick pennisi deserves an oscar
this has to be the best acting job i've seen in recent memory, and mick pennisi sold it pretty well. the lag between being hit by the ball and falling into the hardwood as if he had a concussion is just ridiculous. well that's a veteran move deserving of an oscar award. the night truly belongs to pennisi as he also hit his 700th three pointer of his career and helping deliver a victory for barako bull over petron blaze. i might as well give him the oscar standee we made for the senior's despedida last week. and for sure, that replay gave a smile on your face.
the reason behind my change of relationship status from "single" to "engaged."
on the feast of saint joseph, the HULMA (hinirang upang laging maglingkod) class of san jose seminary were admitted to the candidacy to sacred orders by his eminence, gaudencio cardinal rosales dd, archbishop-emeritus of manila.
thanks to the san jose seminary community, alumni, the family and friends of the HULMA class, and everyone who made this event a truly memorable one. thanks also for your prayers and support!
