THREE-POINT PLAY: BEST NBA DRAFT CLASSES OF MY GENERATION

(photo source)

the 2012 nba draft has just concluded, and it seems to me that this is one of the "deep" draft classes where future marquee stars and diamonds-in-the-rough may come from. we'll have to see them strut their wares in the coming nba season by the end of october.

on this occasion, i thought of blogging something about the best nba draft classes of my generation, or even perhaps of all time. looking at how the rookies back then have gone far in their careers and left an impact in the league and in basketball in general is just amazing. some players are still around, others have gone into retirement, but this generation has perhaps seen quite a level of talent from these draft classes.

3. 2003 draft class

(photo source)

perhaps the most recent of the draft classes we're reviewing, the 2003 draft class features the superstars of today's game like lebron james (first pick), dwayne wade (fifth pick), carmelo anthony (third pick), and chris bosh (fourth pick). other notable players from this batch are david west, chris kaman, kirk hinrich, david west, mo williams, kendrick perkins, tj ford, boris diaw, leandro barbosa, mo williams, and josh smith. most of them are still playing in the nba, but so far the prominent members of the batch who have won an nba title are james, wade (also got a title in 2006), and bosh of the controversial miami big 3 who finally got one this year, kendrick perkins with the 2008 boston celtics. but the first one to get a title was darko milicic, the much-maligned 2nd pick of the draft, who was part of the 2005 detroit pistons team that upset the los angeles lakers that included shaquille o'neal, kobe bryant, karl malone, and gary payton.


2. 1996 draft class

(photo source)

this was the batch of nba players that were quite well known when i started collecting nba cards towards the end of my elementary years and during my first year in the minor seminary. deep and talented, the batch includes former most valuable players allen iverson (first pick), kobe bryant (thirteenth pick), and steve nash (fifteenth pick). those who have won a championship from the batch are bryant and derek fisher (lakers 2000-2002, 2009-2010), ray allen (boston 2008), antoine walker (miami 2006), peja stojakovic (dallas 2011), and even undrafted ben wallace (detroit 2005). other well-known class members include marcus camby, stephon marbury, shareef abdul-rahim, zydrunas ilgauskas, and jermaine o'neal. the caption at the right side of the picture somehow summarizes how decorated this batch has become through the years.


1. 1984 draft class

(photo source)

the caption in the picture says it all: 4 hall of famers, all-time leaders for blocks, assists, and steals, olympic gold medals, most valuable players, all-stars, and everything else. 1984, besides being my year of birth, gave rise to the most memorable players that set their foot in the basketball court, including michael jordan (third pick), hakeem olajuwon (first pick), charles barkley (fifth pick), and john stockton (sixteenth pick). all four of them would soon be inducted in the naismith memorial basketball hall of fame. other prominent names include alvin robertson, sam perkins, kevin willis, and rick carlisle (coach of 2011 nba champions dallas mavericks). the batch though includes sam bowie, who until now is considered one of, if not the, biggest draft busts in the nba history. nonetheless, the 1984 draft class will be remembered for its accolades, and on a greater sense, the influence that its batch members gave to the game.

On a lonely (and broke) free night

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.

Ad Auds, September, Four Major Papers, and NBA 2K13 (and how they "come together")

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.

Lebron James: Ringless no more

make no mistake about it: i am still not a lebron james fan.
he was all-hype when he entered the nba in 2003. he was a special athlete, with a body made for basketball and moves that would surely scare the hell out of every opponent.
he transformed the cleveland cavaliers franchise, even leading it to the nba finals in 2007 but was swept by the san antonio spurs. some say he was too young, that his time would come, that the king will definitely have a ring in the future.
he was dominant in both ends of the floor, winning most valuable player in 2009 and 2010 but often fell short in the playoffs. maybe he didn't have enough support, maybe his team mates did not deliver, or maybe he was not yet ready.
he took his talents to south beach to join forces with dwayne wade and chris bosh in 2011. his new team even had a celebration to mark the entry of the king, a celebration that ended up premature as they lost in the finals to the resilient dallas mavericks.
he started the 2012 season eager to win. the heat were silent yet dominant in the league, yet haters abound and their noise just got louder. he was often castigated for controlling the game for three quarters only to disappear in the fourth. and when playoffs came, no one really paid the same hype as the heat did in the previous year.

but perhaps lebron james learned his lesson.
he stepped up when it mattered the most.
the miami-boston series showed his maturity, his coming of age, his readiness to finally claim what he has been chasing for the past nine seasons.
they might have lost the first game of the series against the oklahoma city thunder, but just like a soldier, he just kept fighting.
and all the fighting paid dividends in game 5 as they closed out their opponents at home to finally claim his first nba championship.
it could be the first of many.

he promised "not just one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven titles."
we would have to wait until the next few seasons to see if he truly lives up to his promise.
but for now, he deserves to celebrate.
he deserves to enjoy the fruits of his labor.
he deserves to savor what he has worked for throughout his career.
he deserves to be ringless no more.

congratulations lebron james and the miami heat for winning the 2012 nba championship!

1996 Chicago Bulls win their 4th title... on Father's Day

one of, if not the most dominant nba teams of my generation is the 1996 chicago bulls. with michael jordan coming out of retirement and dennis rodman joining the team, the bulls finished the regular season with a 72-10 record, something that i think will be quite hard to break in this time and age in the nba. the bulls, behind the trio of jordan, rodman, and scottie pippen, only lost once (to new york) in their road to the finals, where they faced the seattle supersonics led by the dynamic duo of shawn kemp and gary payton. despite the injuries of pippen and ron harper, the bulls won the title in 6 games, which was the first championship of their second three-peat. the video above features highlights of that memorable game that i had to watch in the priest's television room in the minor seminary when i was in first year high school.

this championship was special to michael jordan, who dedicated the game and the championship to his father james jordan jr. his father was murdered a month after leading the bulls to their first three-peat against the phoenix suns in 1993, which was one of the factors behind his two year retirement from the game. coincidentally, game 6 of the finals happened on father's day of the same year.

on this day, we remember our fathers who have been there for us through our ups and downs, supporting us in our own paths in life, teaching us valuable life lessons, reminding us of what is truly essential, and inspiring us to be the best that we can be. more importantly, our fathers reflect us the face of our loving and merciful father in heaven. happy father's day!

The One that got away

Choices. Life is defined by choices. We have choices because we are free. We have the capacity to choose because we have the freedom, knowledge, and wisdom to determine which is which. Our choices define us. Our choices show our values, what we hold dearly, what we perceive as greater, what we think and trust will be for our own good.

But life is not much of a choice between good and evil, right and wrong, valuable and meaningless. More often than not, our choices surround two goods, two equally appealing realities, or even more. This perhaps is the hardest of choices, because in the end one has to go. One has to leave. One has to become impossible in order for the other to be put into completion. And for sure, it is hard to let go of something, or better yet, someone, who has been part of me or even should have been, could have been, and would have been an eternity of being part of each other's lives. It's a choice to take because everything in this life has a price to pay.

It's been a while since we last saw each other, exchange messages with each other, have those long yet interesting correspondences about life, love, and the future. It has been a while since I last saw you, since we've been together, since we've just simply wasted time with each other. It has been a while, and in between there were changes that happened. You pursued your dream, you stood by your choice, you found somebody to love, you continued to take the road to fulfillment. And so did I. These changes were brought about by the choices we made, the values we hold unto, the dreams we seek to fulfill. We respected each other's choice. We desired nothing less but the best for each other. But in effect, we had to let go - let go of the possibilities within, the time together, the opportunities to share, the future we could have built together. But then again, that is part of the price that we have to pay.

Wherever you are right now, whatever you're doing, whoever you;re with, I'm sure that you are happy. You are on your way to fulfill your own calling, to make a lifelong dream a reality, to build a future for yourself and your loved ones. I myself am also on my way to a lifelong journey of service and dedication. And in both yet separate ways, we wish each other well, we aspire nothing else but the best for both of us.

The lights go out, the bridges burn, once we go, we can't return.

"To love is to wish the other person well." If I remember my philosophy lessons right, it was Saint Thomas Aquinas who said this. As always, I wish you well in your life. Times change, people come and go, feelings fleet, but my wish for you remains the same. Until we meet again.

Kevin Luther C. Crisostomo

7 June 2k12 5:32 PM

Mount Peace, Baguio City

8 Day Pre-Diaconal Retreat

AM+DG

Paa

Paa. Sinasabi na ang paa ang isa sa mga pinakamaruming bahago ng katawan. Kasi naman, samu't-saring dumi and nakakasalamuha nito kapay tayo ay naglalakad o kahit pa nga kapag nakatayo. Kaya nga siguro naimbento ang tsinelas, sapatos, medyas, foot powder, pedicure, cuticle remover, nail cutter, nipper at kung anu-ano pa para mapanatiling malinis ang ating mga paa. Minsan nga sa paliligo ang paa ang madalas nakakalimutang linisin. Sa bagay, naaagusan naman siya ng sabon at tubig kapag naliligo. Pero sa paa rin nakikita ang iba't ibang uri ng mga bagay na nakakadiri: patay na kuko, kalyo, paltos, alipunga, at siyempre ang amoy ng paa. Siguro nga kaya sinasabi na kung gusto mo malaman kung paano inaalagaan ng babae ang kanyang sarili ay tignan mo ang kanyang paa dahil ito na malamang ang pinakamahirap alagaan na bahagi ng katawan ng tao. Kaya uso ang pedicure, foot spa, nail spa, at kung anu-ano pang mga lugar kung saan inaalagaan ang ating mga paa.

Paa. Ito rin siguro ang isa sa mga pinakamahalagang bahagi ng katawan ng tao. Kung walang paa, hindi tayo makakalakad at makakapunta sa ibang lugar. Siguro nga kaya ganito ang hugis ng paa: pahaba, may makapal, may manipis, depende sa uri at hugis ng katawan upang makagalaw ng mabuti. Para sa akin, mahalaga ang paa lalo na para sa aking mga libangan at gawain. Sa basketball, mapilayan na ako sa kamay, huwag lang sa paa kasi apektado ang lahat ng gawain ko kapag napilayan ito: mahirap lumakad, magdrive, pumunta sa ibang lugar, magbuhat, at iba pa. At least sa kamay o braso may isa pa, ngunit mahirap maglakad ng isa lamang ang paa kahit may saklay o wheelchair ka pa.

Marami pang ibang gamit ang paa. Kailangan ng paa sa karamihan ng sports o palakasan. Pagdating sa takbuhan, kailangan mo ng paa. Sa basketball, soccer, swimming, badminton, halos lahat ng sports, kahit sa chess kasi kailangan mong tumayo matapos ang laro, mahalaga ang paa. Puwedeng gamitin ang paa upang depensahan ang sarili, kaya nga may karate, taekwondo, muay thai, mixed martial arts, at iba pa. Ngunit maaari ring gamitin ng paa sa mga bagay na hindi nararapat. Masakit matapakan o masipa. Maaaring gamitin ang paa upang pumunta sa mga lugar na hindi dapat pinupuntahan. Maaari nating tapakan ang mga karapatan, pangarap, at buhay ng ibang tao.

Paa. sa paghugas ni Kristo ng paa ng kanyang mga alagad, hindi natin maiwasang itanong: ano nga ba ang meron sa paa? Bakit sa dinami-rami ng pwedeng hugasan ni Hesus, bakit paa pa? Ano ang kahulugan ng paghugas ni Hesus ng paa ng kanyang mga alagad? Ano ang maaari nating matutunan sa ginawang ito ni Hesus?

Tiwala

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?

Kevin Luther C. Crisostomo

4 June 2k12

Mount Peace, Baguio City

8 Day Pre-Diaconal Retreat

AM+DG

Allowing vs. Doing

"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.

Kevin Luther C. Crisostomo

4 June 2k12

Mount Peace, Baguio City

8 Day Pre-Diaconal Retreat

AM+DG

THREE-POINT PLAY: While I was away (and again...)

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.

Fog

Fogs. I like watching fogs.

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.

Kevin Luther C. Crisostomo

3 June 2k12

Mount Peace, Baguio City

8 Day Pre-Diaconal Retreat

AM+DG

Fix You (my eight day retreat experience)

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

Kevin Luther C. Crisostomo 

7 June 2k12 - 11:33 PM 

Mount Peace, Baguio City 

8 Day Pre-Diaconal Retreat 

AM+DG