THREE-POINT PLAY: Ateneo 79, La Salle 62

saan ka pupunta?! (photo source)

three points on the blue eagles' big victory over the green archers

note/s: i did not write a three-point play segment for ateneo-ue as i was not able to watch the game even on tv. thankfully i was able to catch the entire second half of the ateneo-la salle game on tv after a rather grueling family day in san jose. this marked the first time i was not able to watch an ateneo-la salle game live since 2007.



1. balance. as mentioned in the previous post, the opposing team has the burden of picking their poison from the blue eagles' arsenal during games. if they succeed in neutralizing one player, other players will try to fill the slack and even push the proverbial pedal to the metal. sure, they forced greg slaughter to ride the bench for most part of the game with their fishing expeditions, but emman monfort (the smallest guy with the biggest heart in the playing court), tonino gonzaga (no doubt this year's super-sub), nico salva (coming off a bad shooting day vs. ue) and kiefer ravena (never mind that papot paredes block, it's all part of the game) gave the necessary lift in the blue eagles' wipeout of the green archers. true enough, a balanced offense has been the key factor among the blowout victories of the blue eagles this season.

i prefer to call him toni... gonzaga (photo source)

2. discipline. to cap a balanced offensive attack, the blue eagles continued its consistency in defense, regardless whether they were counted as official statistics (rebounds, steals, blocks) or not (defensive "intangibles" like hustling for the loose ball, challenging shots, etc.). it's a delight seeing the blue eagles systematically break the play formerly known as the "vaunted" la salle press (as most of the teams have already started to figure out this season), melt the clock with efficient ball rotation, and make a shot with the clock running down. they have often been compared to a professional basketball team in terms of organization, composure, and character. i guess that's how the best collegiate coach in the land, who picked up his 90th career win in the uaap since 2005, has transformed ateneo basketball as the one of, if not the best basketball varsity system in the philippines today.

three green shirts can't bring nickobe down (photo source)

on the la salle side of things, it is rather unfortunate to see such a talented crop of players playing for a team that is terribly underachieving this season. as they have yet to win a game in the second round, a lot of people have been wondering what's wrong with the green archers with fingers pointed to the coaching staff. what should have been a "forest intended to ground the birds in the sky" is now a field that gets trampled by animals of prey. perhaps nico elorde can talk to ponso gotladera and make him realize that the grass is greener on the other side.

don't worry girl, they won it for you (photo source)

3. no yabang. the words of coach norman black in season 71 continues to remind the team and the ateneo faithful to keep their feet planted on the ground. with three games left in the elimination round, the team ought to take things "one game at a time." coach norman even mentioned that they can will only think of a sweep when the team goes 13-0. there are indeed advantages and disadvantages to sweeping the round and getting that thrice-to-beat advantage in the finals after a riveting step-ladder format (which the blue eagles failed to survive in season 70). when that day comes, black has to see red, as the team can learn a lesson from last season's san beda red lions and season 70's ue red warriors. until then, the team should keep fighting and working hard this season as the blue eagles' 6th man should also keep cheering and supporting them for the rest of the season and beyond.

The scores:
Ateneo 79 – Salva 19, Ravena 13, Monfort 13, Gonzaga 12, Slaughter 8, Chua 7, Long 6, Tiongson 1, Erram 0, Sumalinog 0, Golla 0, Austria 0

De La Salle 62 – Van Opstal 13, Vosotros 9, Tampus 9, Torres 8, Revilla 6, Villanueva 6, Atkins 4, de la Paz 3, Paredes 2, Webb 2, Gotladera 0, Mendoza 0, Marata 0

Quarter scoring: 14-11, 31-26, 53-42, 79-62

credits to inboundpass and adrian dy (chinoy hoops fan) for the stats

FRIDAY FOODFEST: theo 275 goes to laguna

last august 19, our philippine church history class went on a tour to the different churches in the laguna de bay area. it was an interesting tour as our guide, fr. gabby delfino, helped us see aspects of philippine church history vis-a-vis pastoral considerations today, especially in parochial life.

 in the midst of church historians

besides going on a road trip on a long weekend, this trip primarily served as a supplement to our philipine church history classes. fr. gabby, who holds a licentiate in church history, made interesting references to some of the things we learned in our church history lessons (like laguna de bay as a route for transporting goods during the galleon trade, geographical considerations in evangelization, the presence of franciscans and augustinians in the laguna area, the effect of franciscan mindset with the people of laguna, etc.). it was also nice to look at ecclesiastical art, from church architecture and wood carvings from paete to the catechetical artworks inside the churches.

 are those bishops burning in hell? tsk tsk tsk!

but this is not a church history entry. this is friday foodfest!

of course, road trips will not be complete without gastronomical experiences in that area. as one of my principles in travel goes, i prefer to eat in a place where i can truly experience its culture rather than a convenient fastfood chain that can be seen in my own place. let us try to look at some of the delicacies that the wonderful province of laguna has to offer.

Colegio de San Jose: 410 years and counting

photo by bro. anthony coloma sj

Happy 410th Anniversary to Colegio de San Jose - San Jose Seminary founded August 25, 1601.

Forming Men in Virtue, Learning, Spirit and Service in Opus Ministerii since 1601.

HAIL SAN JOSE!

Tamang Timpla sa Sanggunian

Ipinasa bilang isang "reflection paper" sa kursong Sangguniang Pastoral

Isa sa mga mahalagang bagay na natutunan ko sa ating pag-aaral ng Sangguniang Pastoral ay ang kahalagahan ng tamang pagtitimpla ng sarili. Sa sanggunian, lalo na sa pag-iisip ni Dan Montgomery at Everett Shostrom, kailangan ding timplahin ang mga sulok ng sarili – hindi maaaring maglabis o magkulang sa isang aspeto lamang dahil ito ay tutungo sa pagka-bara. Kailangan tumungo sa gitna – tamang-tama lang. Mahalaga ang tamang timpla sa ating buhay.

Habang pinagiisipan ko ang mga isusulat sa pagninilay na ito, naisipan kong magtimpla ng iced tea. Sa una, naparami ang lagay ko ng powder ng iced tea sa aking baso, kaya medyo matapang ang halo nang tinikman ko ito. Dahil dito ay naisipan kong dagdagan ng tubig ang aking tinimpla, ngunit naging malabnaw ang lasa nito. Kaya’t dinagdagan ko pa ng kaunting powder, hinalo ng mabuti, at di lumaon ay nakuha ko ang tamang timpla sa aking panlasa: tamang tamis, tamang tubig, tamang halo, tamang lamig, at tamang tapang.

Maraming bagay din sa ating buhay na tila kailangan ng pagtitimpla. Sa basketball, hindi pwedeng sobra ang pagbuslo sa bola, o kaya naman ay kaunting puwersa lang ang ilagak sa pagtira ng bola sa ring. Sa pagmamaneho ng sasakyan, lalo na ng mga manual na sasakyan, mahalaga ang papel na ginagampanan ng clutch, dahil ito ang naghuhudyat ng tamang pag-apak sa pedal ng gasolina o sa pedal ng brake. Hindi rin pwedeng masyadong matulin sa mga kalsadang matao, at di rin naman pwedeng sobrang bagal sa isang highway. Sa pagtugtog ng gitara, hindi pwedeng masyadong mabilis o mabagal lagi ang pag-strum ng string nito dahil may sinusundang tempo ang bawat awiting tinutugtog. Ilan lamang ito sa mga halimbawa kung saan kailangan na nasa tamang timpla ang mga bagay. Ito ang hamon na aking nakita bilang isang sinasanggunian: na tulungan ang sumasangguni na makamtan ang tamang timpla ng kanyang kalakasan, kahinaan, galit, at malasakit sa buhay.

Wind in the Fire (A Reflection on Luke 11:9-13)

A homily-paper submitted in my God/Trinity class, intended to be delivered in the concluding mass of a father and son recollection-camp in Xavier School, in preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation to be received by second year high school students

The gospel reading in our mass today might be something that we have heard or encountered time and again in masses, prayers, and reflections. We hear Jesus in the gospel of Luke saying, “Ask and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Jesus continues by saying “What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give you the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

This gospel passage has been often interpreted as a reminder for us to keep asking, begging, and believing in God’s providence – that He will continue to provide for us through the days and nights of our lives. This scripture passage is also often tied with our experience of prayer and how God answers our prayers, as the first few verses from the eleventh chapter of Luke’s gospel introduces the prayer that Jesus Himself taught to His disciples: the Lord’s Prayer. Today, though, let us look into this scriptural passage in the light of one of the cornerstones of our Catholic Christian faith: the Holy Trinity. We shall try to make sense on how the Trinity, this immense mystery that we profess and live as believers, can similarly mirror our experiences and realizations in our recollection-camp. Moreover, let us also try to look into how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit play an important part in your lives at present: for fathers who want to deepen further their relationships with their family especially their sons, and for sons who are preparing themselves to a more profound sense of Christian maturity through the Sacrament of Confirmation that you will be receiving in a month’s time.

Laking Guadalupe... Maipagmamalaki!

today is the 56th foundation anniversary of our lay of guadalupe minor seminary, my high school alma mater. 11 years after graduating, it's nice to take a short walk down memory lane through some pictures posted by my friends in facebook about our experience of the minor seminary, accompanied by an excerpt from my canon law paper entitled "THE RELEVANCE OF MINOR SEMINARY FORMATION TODAY: A Reflection Paper on Canon 234 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law."

Knowing Jesus (A Reflection on Matthew 16:13-20)

In our gospel reading today, we encounter Jesus' two questions to his disciples. The first one, was a rather indirect one, where he asked "Who the people say that the Son of Man is?", as it seemed that Jesus was asking for the opinion of the people about the Messiah. But the second one was a more personal question directed to the disciples themselves: "But who do you say I am?" Interestingly, this gospel passage did not mention the disciples' opinion of who Jesus was. Instead, the gospel focused on Simon Peter's answer: "You are the Messiah, the son of the living God."

This gospel story reminds me of a scene from the documentary entitled "Supersize Me", where children were asked to look at pictures of people and identify who these people are. As expected, they easily identified the character of Ronald McDonald from among the pictures. But surprisingly, when a picture of Jesus Christ was shown, the kids were shaking their heads, indicating that they don't recognize or know who that person is.


Well, if you were in the place of the children asked, what would your answer be? What would you say about Jesus? Who is Jesus for you?

THREE-POINT PLAY: Ateneo 82, UST 57

just another day at the office for the eagles (photo source)

three points on the blue eagles' demolition of the tigers

1. nickobe. as much as i'm not (and will never be) a fan of kobe bryant, nico salva played like the black mamba on a good field day. his 20 points on 7/11 shooting (and an immaculate 6/6 in the charity stripe), 7 rebounds, and 2 assists led the eagles in blowing the tigers away from this game. it seems to me that he's falling in love with the outside shot, and frankly i'm not a fan of him making these as he is more effective as a slasher. but as the most consistent blue eagle in terms of scoring, he has the green light to take these attempts, especially with his guard three feet away from him. that, i think, is the price when the opponents put the shackles on one scorer as it gives an opening to another. with ateneo's guns this season, opposing teams have no other choice but to pick their poison.



i think the phenom's steals and fastbreak conversions give not only the crowd but also the blue eagles one big adrenaline rush. surprisingly, he did it thrice against the UST subs. that just shows that when the tigers rest their big guns, their team performance takes a tremendous dip.



2. more bench-clearing incidences, please. no, i'm not asking for riots, though we almost saw one as kevin ferrer leveled kiefer ravena to araneta's wooden floor. what i'm asking for is more opportunities to see the blue eagles in its full potential. though coach norman black claims that the team has yet to reach its peak form, watching the starters get some rest in the fourth quarter and have role players step out of the bench to fire away can actually help the cause. hopefully, this is the game that justin chua (18 points, 10 in the last quarter) needs to gain the same level of confidence he had last season. ravena put up a show with those steals and fastbreak plays, but it's also a joy to see him cheer on his high school teammate von pessumal. or better yet, tell juami tiongson to think before shooting. and of course, seeing the scoreboard light on #4's line was something to smile about.

back in fabilioh.com (photo source)

3. on a lighter note. i don't know if it's just me, or kirk long's hair is affecting his confidence level. too much for celebrating "buwan ng wika", i guess. coach pido jarencio's body language all game (face-palm, seated instead of being animated, no more calling of plays from the 2nd quarter onwards, leaning by the goal post while singing the ust hymn) speaks volumes about his disposition in this game. remember, it's UST's quadricentennial year, and with alumni asking for his head, this could be his last dance.

(photo source)

finally, it's a joy seeing my former student jeron teng and fellow rp youth teammate von pessumal in the pages of fabilioh.com. thinking of flying high, mr. 104? always remember that your h1 CLE teacher is part of the blue eagles' 6th man. don't expect him though to flaunt a banner of yours the way hector the heckler does it with much gusto. but he'll gladly wear your jersey in the games. hahahaha!

The scores:
Ateneo 82 – Salva 20, Chua 18, Ravena 14, Monfort 8, Long 7, Slaughter 6, Cipriano 3, Gonzaga 3, Sumalinog 2, Erram 1, Pessumal 0, Capacio 0, Estrada 0, Tiongson 0, Golla 0, Austria 0

UST 57 – Teng 20, Abdul 12, Afuang 10, Fortuna 7, Ferrer 4, Vigil 2, Lo 2, Tan 0, Sheriff 0, Pe 0, Ungria 0, Camus 0

Quarter scoring: 15-6, 40-22, 68-37, 82-57

credits to inboundpass and adrian dy (chinoy hoops fan) for the stats

Servant of Love

this was one of my favorite songs when i was in the minor seminary. it turns out that this is a song from the focolare movement in the philippines. since today is the feast of the assumption, we reflect on the "great things" the "mighty one" has done for us. such, like mary, should lead us to a deeper love and service of god and others. 

On the night of fruitless fishing

In your boat out on the sea,

And with the daylight fast approaching,

You take a look at your empty nets.

But the voice which keeps on calling

Will guide you to another sea.

And on the shores of every man's heart

You'll be casting all your nets.

Offer your whole life through,

And be like Mary standing beneath the cross

And you'll be a servant of everybody

A servant out of love

A servant priest for all humanity.

In the silence you kept going,

Midst the tears and all the hoping,

That all the seeds you'd scattered forth,

Had fallen all of them on good ground.

Now your heart is full of joy,

Because the gains have started to grow,

And soon will ripen in the warm sun,

And you'll harvest men as one.

Offer your whole life through,

And be like Mary standing beneath the cross

And you'll be a servant of everybody

A servant out of love

A servant priest for all humanity.

Direct, Denied, Delayed, Disguised (a reflection on Matthew 15:21-28)

The Gospel reading today talks about the Canaanite woman's plea to Jesus to cast away the demon that was tormenting her daughter. What seems striking in this passage how Jesus seemed to deny her request, not once but twice. But on the third try, Jesus affirmed the unwavering faith of the woman and cured healed her daughter. He said to her "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish."

Perhaps, we ask ourselves the reason behind Jesus' seeming denial of the woman's cries for help. Why did it have to reach a third try for Jesus to finally act on her request? On a broader sense, we can relate with this experience: of pleading and asking for something, and yet most of the time not receiving what we ask for. Or perhaps, getting something else in return for that which we desire the most. Surely, there are times when we get our prayers answered, yet not everything falls in its proper place. Isn't it that it was Jesus himself who said, "ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it shall be opened to you"? How then does God fulfill his promises to us?

THREE-POINT PLAY: Ateneo 74, FEU 67 OT

in norman we trust (photo source)

three points on the blue eagles' heart-stopping victory over the tamaraws... in overtime!

1. learn from lebron. it takes four quarters to play basketball, and in case of a tie after regulation, there's five more minutes to decide a winner. though the ateneo blue eagles played flat-footed in the first half, defensive adjustments and a click in the offense paved way for a classic come-from-behind victory against the feu tamaraws. while the tamaraws were shooting as if the basket was the size of the ocean, the blue eagles remained patient and calm to overcome a 13-point halftime lead. if my memory serves me right, come-from-behind victories have been a common sight among ateneo-feu games. in season 72, ateneo came from behind 15 points to beat feu and clinch the top seed in the playoffs (reil cervantes: you the man! hahahaha).


and of course, who wouldn't forget ryan buenafe's heroics in game 2 of the finals last season? in basketball, it's about making shots and defensive stops - especially when it matters.


2. there will be days like this. as always, victory in any sport isn't served in a silver platter. but there will also be days where nothing is falling (case in point: kirk long was 1-8 from the field, 0-6 in 2 point fg%, and an astonishing 0-4 in free throw line) and the basket is the size of a coffee cup (4-14 shooting in the first quarter, and kiefer ravena held scoreless in the first half). there were stretches in this game which reminded me a lot of that season 72 upset to UP, where the fighting maroons shot a dramatic 89% in the fourth quarter while the blue eagles went 5-15 in that period. true enough, there will be days like this, as players can also wake up at the wrong side of the bed. but the boys in blue (well, white in this game) hung tough and finished strong for the win. here's where determination enters: when the going gets tough, the team that gets to make the best adjustments in the shortest possible time wins.

(on the greg slaughter "goaltend": the shot, by the looks of its bounce, had no way of going in, regardless of whether it bounced in the board or not. in filipino, "sa pektus pa lang, alam mo namang di papasok.")


3. lessons can be learned in wins like this. as i mentioned in the blue eagles' first round report card, losing "can also do good for the team as they can learn from their mistakes and make essential adjustments to the system" and provided that "they don't lose on the games that matter the most." but lessons can also be learned in a game as tightly contested as this one - like filling up the slack for a struggling starter (justin chua's 9 points this game was his best outing this season; hope he gets his confidence back), confidence and never complacency in crunchtime (the six point kick from emman monfort's steal to kiefer ravena's two lay-ups), and consistency (nico salva's 18 points - 10 of which came from the fourth quarter and overtime). there will be more "close calls" to hear and more end-of-game situations to address. we're still in the middle of the season and there will be more lessons to be learned for the blue and white. nonetheless, expect the blue eagles to find their groove in their next game against UST.



The Scores:

Ateneo 74 – Salva 18, Ravena 15, Slaughter 14, Chua 9, Monfort 7, Gonzaga 6, Long 3, Austria 2, Tiongson 0, Golla 0

FEU 67 – Garcia 17, Romeo 11, Cruz 10, Ramos 8, Escoto 7, Bringas 6, Tolomia 5, Exciminiano 3, Pogoy 0, Mendoza 0, Knuttel 0

Quarter scoring: 13-21, 25-38, 42-47, 63-63, 74-67

credits to inboundpass and adrian dy (chinoy hoops fan) for the stats

UAAP Season 74: 2nd Round Men's Basketball Schedule

schedule taken from the getblued facebook page. am not very sure how accurate this is.

mark your calendars for the games of the blue eagles this second round:

Aug 13 (Sat), 3PM: vs FEU
Aug 20 (Sat), 3PM: vs UST
Aug 25 (Thurs),1PM: vs UE
Aug 28 (Sun), 3PM: vs DLSU
Sept 1 (Thurs), 3PM: vs UP
Sept 3 (Sat), 1PM: vs NU
Sept 10 (Sat), 3pm: vs ADU 

FLY HIGH!
GO ATENEO!
ONE BIG FIGHT!

FRIDAY FOODFEST: scenes from the world food expo 2011

last friday, i went to world trade center in manila to attend the country's biggest and most effective food show: world food expo 2011!

this four day event held last 3-6 august 2011 aimed at bringing buyers and sellers to a wide display of products and services in two locations: world trade center and smx convention center. though i might not be even fit to be qualified as a food expert, but as a consumer myself, i found this exhibit an interesting spectacle of free samples and discounted products. simply put, i was there for the "food trip." hahaha!

going around the booths was a treat in itself. i first came across a food booth showcasing egg whites and yolks preserved in tetra packs. obviously i did not purchase the product but ended up buying a liter of apple juice for just php 50! various food samples like cracker nuts, cookies, cheese, fried snacks, angry birds-themed cupcakes, juices and other drinks, canned goods made from crocodile meat, special milk for dogs, and roasted beef gave me an enticing gastronomical experience for the afternoon. unfortunately, i have a schedule in the seminary for the evening so i was not able to go to smx for the other half of the expo. sayang!

overall, it was a unique experience for me to go to expos like this. i've been to car shows and computer expos in the past, but this is my first time to come over a food expo. hope to visit more food expos soon!


special thanks (again) to vea for the free invite to this event!

FIRST 5: "If 3 is a history then 4 is still a mystery" (Blue Eagles' 1st Round Report Card)

photo taken from here

NOTE: title borrowed from bacon austria's poem

the ateneo blue eagles are once again in the hunt for history as they gun for their fourth consecutive championship in the uaap basketball wars. last year's three-peat made them just the fifth team to achieve such feat (with ue, ust, dlsu, and feu), and this year's team will try to crack into an elite group of schools with four consecutive championships (incidentally, with ue, ust, and dlsu). the blue eagles are indeed "going 4 glory" in season 74, but as coach norman black mentioned at the beginning of the season, "the more you win, the bigger the target gets on your chest and the more people want to shoot you down."

after the first round, the hail mary squad finished with an immaculate 7-0 record. with the second round underway, let us try to rate the performance of the blue and white in the first round as well as make a preview for the rest of the season.

AND 1: for love of the game

photo taken from here

On the "Road Less Travelled"

no, this is not about m. scott peck's work. but i will post something about it next time.

august 10 is quite a memorable date for me. some 11 years ago, i almost packed my bags in the seminary for good due to an incident involving my college batch. looking back at that incident and everything else that happened in between then and now, i have to say that it was god who sustained me through it all, and it is and it will still be god who will continue to lead me to where he wants me to be.

last night, i got an email from a friend of mine, asking a favor if i can answer a set of questions for her brother's theology class in la salle. answering these questions made me reflect and look back at my vocation - a 12-year odyssey (and counting) - and the journey to the priesthood which is never the destination in itself.

on grabbing the wrong ball

 

 photo taken from here

the age-old maxim "defense wins championships" has been proven time and again in the game of basketball. the best way to win a game besides scoring the most points is holding your own fort against an opponent's offense to make opportunities to score. 

i personally like the "get that ball" chant of the ateneo crowd because it encapsulates the essence of a good defensive stand. but how about those instances when defending players grab the wrong "ball"?

just this afternoon, asi taulava was the latest victim of this nut-grabbing/punching phenomenon.

well, some guy named mark yee did it last sunday in game 1 of the pba governor's cup finals. but i'd like to focus on anthony grundy's reaction to the "tight defense." satisfying enough?

but i like carlo gomez's smirk after he "defended" nico salva. someone just got served.


in any case, no one wants to be on the side of those "violated." not unless...

A Bad Day, "Le dunk de la mort" and NBA 2K12

after a rather "bad" day in school (asked to report something i haven't read personally, caught in class chatting with a seatmate, and missed an important meeting), a good game of basketball laid everything to rest. i think i tweeted it once and i'll have to blog it this time: basketball makes my life exciting. i find it interesting that i'd rather watch a basketball game than watch a movie. as the only diversion and the best sublimation i know since entering the seminary, basketball has made and will continue to make my life interesting as there is always something to look forward to in a day. well, what makes your life exciting?

speaking of exciting, here's something i consider the most exciting dunk i've ever seen. dubbed as the "le dunk de la mort" (the dunk of death), vince carter rose above 7'2 frederic weis in the 2000 summer olympics. those were the days when vince carter would rather fly above the rim that take ill-advised jumpers.



finally, here's something to watch out in case the NBA lockout lingers a little longer: his airness is back. this time, he brought friends. looking forward to NBA 2K12!

kapit ka sa akin, at hindi kita bibitawan! (isang pagninilay sa mateo 14:22-33)

galing dito ang larawang ito

sa ating ebanghelyo ngayong linggong ito, narinig natin ang kuwento tungkol sa karanasan ni pedro at ng mga apostol noong sila ay naglalayag sa karagatan ng sila'y sinalubong ng isang unos, at kung paano pinakalma ni hesus ang kanilang mga pangamba. dito, narinig natin ang ating panginoon na sinabing "huwag kayong matakot, ako ito!" upang bigyang kapanatagan ang loob ng kanyang mga alagad. ngunit, matingkad sa eksenang ito ang nangyari kay pedro: matapos humingi ng pangitain kay hesus na siya nga ang kanilang nakikita at hindi isang multo, unti-unti siyang lumubog sa kanyang paglakad sa ibabaw ng tubig. at dito, itinuturo ni kristo kay pedro at kahit na sa atin ang kahalagahan ng pagtitiwala sa kanya sa kabila ating ng mga pangamba at agam-agam.

nasasalamin sa karanasan ni pedro ang tatlong bagay na atin din nararanasan sa ating pang-araw-araw na buhay: ang karanasan ng takot at pangamba, ang karanasan ng pagdamay ng diyos sa ating mga suliranin, at ang karanasan ng mga maliliit na paraan o pagkakataon kung saan nararanasan natin ang diyos sa ating buhay.

FRIDAY FOODFEST: the chokeslam from zark's burger

i have always been a fan of burgers. since my childhood days, the big mac has remained a fascination to me despite its decreasing size lately. i have tried burgers from here and there - from cheap thrills like burger machine's double bartburger (because it's buy-one-take-one) to in-and-out burger's 4x4 and animal style (oh i miss san francisco). personally, i consider the "big d" burger of dayrit's as my favorite burger of all time. as sinful as they can be, burgers are part of my "to avoid" list in my dietary regimen. but sometimes i can throw that away and just indulge in such a treat.

two weeks ago, i went to this burger place along taft avenue (across la salle... yes, you read it right. the "L" word) named zark's burger. vea has been telling me about their burgers as well as the "jawbreaker" and "chokeslam" challenges (like finishing the burger and fries according to a particular time-limit), and i was raring to give it a try. though i already lost four kilos since the start of san jose seminary's biggest loser challenge, i decided to give in to this side of the challenge - on the "green" side of the playing court.

TIMEOUT: jersey, sotana, pamangkin

from my sister's facebook wall post:
"dati si kuya lagi nagpapagawa ng Jersey, nagulat na lang ako nung sinabi ni papa na ang pinapagawa mo na ay SUTANA na... pano na ang pangarap kong magkaroon ng pamangkin?"

Feast of Saint John Marie Vianney

photo taken from here

Happy feast of Saint John Marie Vianney!
Happy feast day to all priests, especially to diocesan parish priests!
On this day, let us remember all priests, especially those who have touched your lives in one way or another.
Please continue to pray for more vocations, most especially for us who are pursuing the vocation to the priesthood.

Ang Sanggunian ay Paglalakbay

Ipinasa bilang isang "reflection paper" sa kursong Sangguniang Pastoral

Bilang isang seminarista, madalas akong nagiging takbuhan ng mga tao, maging ito man ay sa apostolate area, sa aking mga kaibigan at dating estudyante, at kahit na sa aking pamilya. Madalas, ang aking karanasan sa sanggunian ay ang pakikinig. Karamihan ng aking mga nakakausap sa sanggunian ay nais na makipagkwentuhan, o di kaya ay magbahagi ng karanasan. Kaya noong nabanggit sa klase na magkakaraaon ng takda na recording ng sanggunian, hindi ako nangamba o natakot sa pinapagawa sa amin sapagkat ito ay madalas ko nang ginagawa.

Nang dumating ang nakatakdang araw ng aking pakikipag-sanggunian, nakaramdam ako ng kaba at takot; marahil nako-conscious ako sa aking gagawin, o di naman kaya ay natatakot na magkamali sa mga paraan na itinuro sa klase, o posible din na tila hindi pa sapat ang aking kaalaman at karanasan na maging isang sinasanggunian. Sumagi sa aking isipan ang imahe ng mga batang nagsasanay bilang mga manlalangoy: upang sila ay matutong lumangoy, binabato sila sa swimming pool sa unang pagkakataon. Dito ko naintindihan ang kahalagahan ng sanggunian bilang isang paglalakbay: may sinusundan, may pinapasan, at may nais na patunguhan.

the last time i sang the responsorial psalm in the mass...

... i almost got sent out of the seminary. no kidding.

and this thursday on our class sponsored mass, i will have to sing the responsorial psalm in the mass - the same responsorial psalm i sang in one of those masses during the spiritual exercises of saint ignatius of loyola some four years ago:



i wonder what will happen this time around. hahahaha!

TIMEOUT: Hello Stranger

photo taken from here

"How can you love me? We know nothing about each other. You don't even know my name!"
  
"I just know that when I'm with you, I'm so damn happy. And when you asked to separate, or when you're gone I feel really empty! Is this what they call love?"

hello stranger.

ang thai movie na bitin ang ending sa dulo, just like "a crazy little thing called love."

ganun ba talaga dapat?

nood ka muna ng trailer. hehehehe.