With the Heart of Don Bosco

The present strenna from the Rector Major of the Society says, "Educate the young with the heart of Don Bosco."
Don Bosco died many years ago, but those people who have witnessed his life and holiness knew how far his love could go.

This image is my proposal to the province. It is meant to be a vocation material, yet as I find the need to look back to how he lived his life, it seems that this is more fitting as an answer to the challenge of his successor. And so as I reflect, I realize that am not just aspiring to be his Salesian, but more so aspiring to be his Follower.
Happy Feast Day.

Unang Hirit sa Umaga

Gumising kami ng maaga, mga alas quarto y media. Gumising para salubungin ang ‘Unang Hirit,’ yung TV show ng GMA tuwing umaga. Sa kasawiang palad, ‘call-off’ ang pagpunta nila.

Madaming nalungkot. Madaming nanghinayang. Madaming nagalit. Madaming nagngit-ngit. Madaming nanisi. Madaming nagsakripisyo ng maraming bagay. Iba’t-ibang dahilan. Iba’t-ibang paliwanag.

Ako, dahil sa hindi nga sila dumating, nagsimba ako sa umaga. Simbang inilipat na sa gabi dapat. Ngunit dahil nga walang dumating ay ganoon na.

Sa aking pagdadasal, naisip ko ang mga tao sa labas ng simbahan. Hindi ko alam ang nararamdaman nila. Ang alam ko lang madami nang tao. At ako, nagsisimba pa.

Hindi pa natatapos ang simba, napangiti ako habang umaawit. Naisip ko, “Ang Diyos parin pala… ang Unang Hirit ko sa bawat umaga.” Kahit na anong ‘call-off’ pa yan.

But Still I See You

It is always a graceful experience to look back to that blessed day when I felt that my ‘Yes’ to God’s call seems forever. Today, we have had our monthly recollection, and as we were asked to home back to those moments when our hearts burned with great passion to a life that awaited us, much tears rolled before my cheeks.Those where excretion of happiness.

Once, I found God. All the while I sought and followed Him. Today, I acknowledge that He has been with me towards Him.

The song Something More speaks about one’s life seeking for something that is already there, something that was seen once, and something with him all the while:

Beyond my eyes can see,
There must be something more
Beneath the surface rush of things
There’s something else in store
Beyond this daily strife, there must be more to life
An underlying rhyme in things
I must have known before

Before the seasons changed,
Before i grew too wise
I watched the passing clouds
In search of meaning in the skies

I read between the lines
But the verses lost their rhymes
And though the truth has long been told,
I’m still waiting for a sign

Where are you, you whom i seek to know?
Are you the one I’m looking for?
Show your face
Why don’t you break your silence now?
Take the stormy seas within me
Name these shadows trapped inside me
Claim this lost and frightened child you see
In me

Beyond my eyes can see,
There must be something more
Beneath the surface rush of things
There’s something else in store
Beyond this daily strife, there must be more to life
An underlying rhyme in things
I must have known before

I bear my private pains
I go the extra mile
Will you be there beyond this road,
To meet me with your smile?
Before my very eyes you’ll shed your last disguise
And then I’ll realize i need nothing more
That the face I’ll recognize

I found You once. I called others to be my company on the journey towards You. I lead them as I see You before my sight. They follow half-heartedly for they didn’t have a first glance of You. In desperation they all fell through, but still I see You.

Do You Know Where Your Heart Is?

Ritchie Fernanndo was a Filipino Jesuit who served in Cambodia. Ritchie went to Cambodia in May 1995 as part of his Jesuit training. A teenager named Sarom, a soldier at 16, maimed, and was very naughty has become close to his heart. On a day of October 1995, Sarom came to the school for a meeting, suddenly pulled a grenade from his bag and threatened everyone. Richie grabbed him from behind. Sarom pleaded that Richie be out of the site for he wouldn’t want his mentor to die. He dropped the bomb from behind and in a wink of an eye, Richie was dead.

Ritchie wrote a letter to a Jesuit friend some four days before the incident. And he says, "I know where my heart is," he wrote; "It is with Jesus Christ, who gave his all for the poor, the sick, the orphan ...I am confident that God never forgets his people: our disabled brothers and sisters. And I am glad that God has been using me to make sure that our brothers and sisters know this fact. I am convinced that this is my vocation."

Captivated, I saw this poster in a Tanging Yaman shop promoting the Jesuit Vocation with Ritchie as inspiration. I don’t mean to offend anyone regarding how I felt especially my brother seminarian Salesians, but honestly I was struck by such powerful statements, so enthuse that options in my heart were, reopened, reaffirmed, and revived. Am a seminarian Salesian for two years now, I've considered many things regarding my discernment starting when I was a sophomore in high school, and had a long journey before I reached my state now, yet the query is so relative to me at this point of the journey: is this really where my heart is?

Image from: http://www.companysj.com/v154/onefaith.html

Sumakay ka Lang

Gaya ng isang Dispatcher ng jeep,
Malakas tumawag ang Diyos.
Gagawin ang lahat,
Sumakay ka lang.

On that Tuesday Night

Tuesday evenings are reserved for Rector’s conferences. A while ago, he talked about the annual renewal of our stay as aspirants in the formation house. While we were used to talk about our application as something that transcends us above others, he recommends that we look at it as a progression, a continual process towards answering our call towards Him.
I hope that as I examine myself for the next days, God may grant me serenity to answer his call with all prudence, humility to accept and learn from the past, and the faith to look forward and continue the journey. Pray for me.

28 Years is not a Joke

Rev. Drans arrived this morning. He’s gonna stay here in Canlubang for his retreat in preparation to his very soon ordination to the priesthood on February 2 in SJB Parish and we're gonna be his choir. Rev. Bernard ‘Drans’ Nolasco, SDB has inspired me by his good night talk. His homing back in the seminary is a significant choice for him as he remembers the love story that transpired between him and God in this sacred place. Reverend, 28 years of struggle is not a joke. Yours is my salutary respect and prayers. Congratulations.

Image from http://www.sdb.ph

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Hinahanap parin Kita

Hinahanap kitang nanghihikayat
Ikaw ngang tumatawag
Hinahanap kitang nang-aakit
Ikaw ngang nananaghoy

Hinahanap kitang nagtawag
Ikaw na ipinaririto ko
Hinahanap kita pag-ibig
Ikaw na hangad ng puso

Hinahanap kita ng buong lakas
Ikaw na tumatawag sa mahina
Hinahanap kita sa luha
Ikaw ngang tanging ligaya

Hinahanap kita sa apoy
Ikaw na langit
Hinahanap kita sa kasalanan
Ikaw na kapatawaran

Hinahap kita sa kanila
Ikaw na akay ako
Hinahap kita sa dilim
Ikaw na tanglaw na pala

Hinahanap kita at dinudungaw
Ikaw na hinihintay
Hinahanap kita sa malayo
Ikaw na yakap na ako

Hinahanap parin kita

Sexuality: A Response to a Call

Sexuality transcends much than the usual norm of genital matters. It is a relational power that makes us responsible to enter into other persons’ lives and them to ours.

Sexuality is a response to a call that urges to know one’s self fully so that one could also give freely and serene. Sexuality is a response to be conscious. It is a response to a world that does not foresee effects of what could come about by just letting things happen - a skeptic view of reality, while relationships do not "just happen." Sexuality is a responsibility. It is every person’s responsibility. Hone it. Own it.

Per Severe

Just a thought: skimming through a book to pass the time, there was this weird feeling when I looked and focused to a line that says much about perseverance. I thought about the etymology of perseverance. Perseverance is rooted to the word persevere. I actually don’t know if this idea that I present existed way before I thought about it, but persevere could be divided into two basic words: per and severe. Per could mean through, taken from its Latin origin. Severe is synonymous to having a definite hardness or severity of nature or manner; being stern for that matter. Having thought of this, the word perseverance would surely give a rich and deep meaning to me even at a glance. Persevere means going “through sternness;” through hardships. It's reaching the peak that inspires to go back to the idea of climbing. It's arriving to the destination that gives the sensation to tell the story of the trip. Struggling is being a sure winner.

I feel betrayed.
I was confused between reality and fantasy.
I am angry.

What else is not Changing?

Sometime in the past, the year was new. Today, there is a newer year than that. If there is always something new in everything, that even time longs to have its major changes which affect the whole universe, what else is not changing?

Ianus is a two-headed god. One face looks back and the other looks forward. He is god of beginnings and endings. Sad or happy, bitter or sweet, despairing or faithful, all the extremities of passing motions that could be subjected to fate are all seen by his nature. He sees progressions happen. In all that he sees in the past and glimpses in the future, continuity restores the balance in what is seen – he continues to see even if something in the past or future is hurting, painful, and confusing. What else is not changing?

We’ve seen people changed for better and for worse, time felt passing slowly and rapidly, relationships ended and started anew, promises broken and renewed. What else is not changing?

I say it’s God. If change could be created by someone who is not subject to his creation, it should be someone almighty like Him. He is consistent. His love rises before the sun; his mercy endures and guards creation in the dark; he who grants changes restores everything through love – through Himself.