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Friday, July 04, 2008

the week that was..

[happy 4th of July! happy birthday my twin sister in faith, SHY! ^_^]

as usual, busy na naman ako. someone asked me, "musta na? long time no txt ah?" well, i have two reasons. one, wala ako sa mood; two, busy ako kaya hindi ako nagpapaload. in effect, hindi ako nagtetext. i realized, para na akong artista sa dami ng issues na kasali ako. halos lahat na lang ng gawin ko binibigyan ng kulay. alam ko makulay ang buhay pero nasobrahan ata ng kulay ang life ko. hehe.

just some points of reflection (break muna from acads. 30 minutes lang. ^_^)...

last Sunday, Monsi asked us the following:

1. Who is Jesus to me?

2. When did God move in my life?

3. When did He call me by name?

4. What does He want me to do?

i believe it would be great if we would spend some quiet time and try to answer those questions. parang personal retreat. lately, naging busy talaga ako kaya hindi ganun katagal yung moment ko with myself. pero i promise to find time. i will find time. may mga kailangan lang akong ayusin.

[why am i having a hard time talking? i mean writing? i can't seem to collect my thoughts. parang ang dami kong gustong sabihin pero hindi ko alam kung pano. err, maybe because i am not feeling too well. or maybe because i'm not in the mood. or... i don't know.]

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this week's lessons..

pag nasa UP ako, i always attend the 12nn mass. ang galing kasi ng mga pari (Father Jojo and Father Arre) mag-explain ng Gospel. i mean they are able to look at it from a different perspective. i have my In His Steps, a daily Scripture guide, and i make it a point to read it before i begin the day. nakakatuwa lang kasi after hearing the homily, i find myself in awe. tipong, "ahh.. ganun pala yun!" iba kasi yung understanding ko sa Gospel tapos iba rin yung interpretation ng priest. pero ang nice kasi mas marami akong natututunan. and i just can't keep it to myself. if it's Good News, it's worth sharing. ^_^

July 1: Matthew 8:23-27 (verse 26: "Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?")

ang understanding ko ng Gospel ay ganito: despite the storms in our lives, we should be still and just believe that God is with us to protect us. it's all about faith. ganun din yung interpretation sa In His Steps. "When we are on the eye of the storm, God's eyes are on us to protect us." but what was discussed in the homily (by Father Arre) had nothing to do with faith. it was about PATIENCE. pano nangyari yun? kung babalikan daw natin yung mga naging paglalakbay ni Jesus with His disciples, we'll realize that Jesus has already performed a lot of miracles. and the disciples were there to witness everything. but still, natakot pa rin sila sa storm. kung tutuusin daw, pwede ng magalit si Jesus sa kanila at maubusan ng pasensiya kasi naman paulit-ulit na lang, tipong, "hindi pa ba sila natututo?" they've been with Him for the longest time but they still worry. pero anong ginawa ni Jesus? He simply asked them, "Why are you terrified?" and He calmed the storm. patience is a virtue. i remember Josh Bates' song: You never give up on me. No, You never give up on me. Though I'm weak You are strong, You told me I still belong. No, You never, never give up on me.

medyo napahiya pa ako kasi sabi ni Father, wala raw tayong karapatang magsabi ng "i've had enough!" e ilang beses ko na bang nasabi yun? hehe. sabi rin niya, it's not easy to be patient with people especially with difficult people, but we have to, anyway. Jesus is the perfect example. tapos ang nakakatawa nito, after ko magsimba, ang daming "pagkakataon" na sumubok ng patience ko. haha. nakakaloko talaga. mula sa natanggap kong text hanggang sa biyahe hanggang pag-uwi ko. "breathe in, breathe out. whew! relax. patience. stay cool." yun na lang yung paulit-ulit kong ni-recite sa utak ko. hehe.

July 2: Matthew 8:28-34

nung binasa ko 'to, medyo hindi ko naintindihan kung ano talaga yung point ng story. tungkol kasi 'to sa encounter ni Jesus with the two demoniacs sa territory ng Gadarenes. thanks to Father Arre at nalaman kong yung place pala na yun ay tinuturing na "unclean" place at lahat ng elements sa story - characters (the demoniacs, the swine), etc., ay simbolo ng pagiging "unclean". and Jesus was there. anong lesson ang makukuha naten dun? Jesus came there para linisin sila. pinalaya niya yung dalawang Gadarenes from the evil spirit which possessed them. and so we are challenged to ask ourselves, "what are the unclean situations that i am in?", and we ask God to liberate us, to cleanse our souls. eto yung naisip kong kanta: Create in me a clean heart. Put a new and right Spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence and take not Your Holy Spirit from me.

July 3: John 20: 24-29

Thomas the Doubter.

Hindi si Father Arre yung priest pero ok pa rin naman. ang take-home message niya ay ito: as disciples of Jesus, we must be true witnesses of the faith. we are called to spread the Good News. let's be faithful messengers, never doubting God's power and protection. we take on the mission with a confident and trusting heart that God will always be with us.

July 4: Matthew 9:9-13

unfortunately, wala ako sa UP. pero share ko pa rin yung Gospel. this is one of my favorites. this is where Jesus said, "Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' I did not come to call the righteous but sinners, to repentance." perfect example siguro yung naging response ng mga taong niyaya ko sa Christian Life Program (CLP) ng Singles for Christ: "naku, masusunog ako pag pumasok ako sa simbahan."; "hindi ako bagay diyan."; "nakakahiya. masyado kayong mababait dun." i always tell them na ang community ay hindi ginawa para sa mga walang kasalanan. dahil ang totoo, lahat naman nagkakasala. we desire transformation. if we are all righteous, wala na sanang community, or any spiritual group for that matter, diba? kaya nga hindi ko napigilang mag-react when J told me na may nagsabi raw sa kanya na hindi siya dapat nag-SFC. sabi ko, "sinong nagsabi nun? aawayin ko!" haha. aawayin talaga? hindi naman, sasabihin ko lang sa kanya yung verse na 'to. besides, i really believe na judgmental yung ganung statement. i mean, you cannot tell someone that he's not worthy to be where he is. you just can't. kahit pa biro yun, hindi pa rin tama. kasi lahat naman tayo unworthy e. that's why we need God. kasi on our own, we are nothing. and being 'nothing' gives us NO RIGHT to judge people. Jesus came to call the sinners. WE ARE those sinners.

i think i've said enough. too much na nga ata. hehe. to end this post (dahil kelangan ko ng mag-aral), i would like to share this beautiful song. God bless everyone! ^_^

[Always - Hillsong]
Did You rise the sun for me?
Or paint a million stars that I might
Know Your majesty?

Is Your voice upon the wind?
Is everything I've known marked
With my maker's fingerprints?

Breathe on me
Let me see Your face
Ever I will seek You

'Cause all You are, is all I want, always
Draw me close in Your arms
Oh God, I wanna be with You

Can I feel You in the rain?
Abandon all I am to have You
Capture me again

Let the earth resound with praise
Can You hear as all creation lives
To glorify one name?

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