My Blog/jyojyo

The Holy Trinity by consistent revelation of their identity strengthens the community composed of families. They uncover a desire, which corroborate family relationship as they reveal their nature. They are consistently One God though each of the Trinity differs in function. They renew cooperation and confirm intimate ties that merge from God’s nature of being One.

Reflecting from our daily lives, we are encouraged to learn more from the word of God. Likewise, we are motivated to pursue a common action of participation in community duties as a Church while being inspired by the word. We then see that while being propelled by the word of God, we find revealed in our actions that we are intimately an adjoining, just as the passages serving its function are closely connected as we read the Bible.

Neighborhood and community are centered in Christ as they are rigidly seen in the common action of the celebration of the word. Results of our readings are considered as long as we do not depart from the dogma or doctrines approved as the teachings of the Church. We need to prioritize knowledge of God’s nature that sustains our Bible sharing promoting our knowledge in the doctrines of the Church.

We should be meek in rendering our share of wisdom even from simple revelations. By sustaining a projected learning, we are guaranteed of new enlightenments, which we derive from our readings. We need trust in each other correcting our attitudes. Discipline is weak without a purified standpoint, as we need to protect our visions, which we render individually.

We need sacrifice if we are to think of the welfare of other people and their foreseen salvation. Attitude is the heart of conversion. We should unite the family possessing effective integral wholeness of modified learning which create the molding of our person. The presence of God must be felt existing in our community especially the neighborhood community. We must influence our environment or the neighboring township. Our unity must not be underestimated like the unity of the undivided Trinity.

The living word is the person of Jesus as he is the Word from the beginning that became flesh. The life of Jesus makes the word living establishing connection between the life of a person and the word. We, Catholics, believe in the power of the word for our decisions and actions should depend on this. The appropriate process is to erect a Basic Ecclesial Community or BEC. This should be founded on individual families in the neighborhood.

The domestic Church is the basic foundation of the big Church as a whole. Home comes from the Latin word “domus” as domestic helper means housemate. The group of believers in the house or a home is the conceptual womb of the Roman Catholic Church as a whole. Each member of the household is not isolated from the other members but they are closely connected as a family as the Trinity is in unity. Immediate connection should be established in the neighborhood as the proximity of this is revealed as all the families in the world.

BEC in the neighborhood is a community. We bridge love in the immediate vicinity. BEC neighborhood communities are composed of the neighboring families that may not be too large or too small. Ecclesia is an assembly of the people in worship purposes, which are gathered in adoration for God. Ecclesia is the church that makes our family ecclesial. Without adherence to the Church, you cannot be considered or recognized as an ecclesia.

The community of appropriately avowed members of the church can be substantiated as the moving force for religious purposes, especially propagation of the word of God. This can heighten participation in the celebration of the word. We must not live in our individual interpretations for we cannot elucidate our ideas separate from the doctrines of the Church. We should seek the advice of our priests regarding inspirations, as they should guide our enlightenments.

If we don’t follow the magisterial teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, we are considered as a different religion, much more if we deny the Church’s teachings. It needs adherence for us to be regarded as an ecclesial community. BEC can substantiate reverence for the word of God especially in the Catholic community. We need a dynamic Church to maintain and sustain the faith in the community.

“Revelations should be inspired by no other than the Holy Spirit. BEC is the movement of the Holy Spirit,” explained Fr. Sau David in the Basic Ecclesial Community seminar in the Parish of St. Jude Thaddeus in Andagao, Kalibo, Aklan. Our Parish Priest is Fr. Frederick G. Malacas. “We cannot hear and apply the word of God without the guidance of the Holy Spirit,” Fr. Sau added. This can be attained through neighborhood community.

Some say that maybe I was hallucinating with all the spiritual episodes I experienced, and the visions and mirages I see both with open eyes and in my internal sight. But it doesn’t matter; I can’t force them to believe. I only have to let these things out for the moment has come, and I cannot keep it all into my self forever. Somehow, I have to share it to others.

This is a form of unfolding, which takes flesh in Bible sharing, for you can’t help but share the scripture texts and the transformation that you experienced, I for one in my escapade. Somehow God gave these to me not for myself but that I may be a witness to others about the wonders and the good things that God permits in our lives.

Somehow these seemingly supernatural experiences was intensified by the Hindu form of meditation particularly yoga which I have ceased to practice already. Likewise, its effects remained with me, which helped me think clearly and see some things that others don’t perceive. There are moments that I seem to live in the world of spirits with the flow back of thoughts serving as my guide on what to do in some particular instances and which way to go or whether I have to proceed in a certain place or not.

On a hand, there are times that God seems to allow me to be placed on the spot that I may learn from that experience and subdue my pride even if I have to face some painful accusations. However, there are times that I need to be prudent enough to maintain my respect to my self in a way that it won’t offend others. Somehow, it is my nature to be silent if I am thinking on what to write about while on the computer. I may be misinterpreted in this way, and I might not win their sympathy, thus, I need to devise a way for communication to proceed.

I might not be able to resolve this problem easily with me somehow prevented in a way as the scenes of my past flashes back. I need to be strong enough to exist transcendent from the hesitation I feel that I may restore my being friendly and that I may be happy too with their company. By being too open enough I may be relieved of the stain, but it is my hope that even now, I will efface in my memory those sad experiences and only retain what is the good.

I need not be in pain by appearing indifferent choosing secrecy than I would have to open some sensitive facets of my life, though these increase their doubts. I should take enough courage to face even those that are hard to please by being too tangible with my presence. It may not be easy to do so but they too deserve to be enlightened even be clarified with the things they bother to presume. It is better to appear an intruder than being unconcerned with their portion of tranquility. I might not be good in trying to appease their feelings, but I may serve as a being tangible enough to provide answer to their questions.

“I love the tiny green island surrounded by the sea,” was the echo from my being. Somehow I concocted a world of my own with many brothers to help me even with the lashes of their tongues. But that was before, and at present it seems I have lost my guts to befriend them as I appear indifferent to the purity of their discussion while hoping to relate well with them and scale to their level knowing well that the way they think is unique with me seemingly left by time as I was caught in the realm of Gen-X progress acting like a grandfather to them.

Here as I paused, I’m bothered if I’m really rejected, a nuisance in their eyes even with my eyeglasses on. Somehow those who loved me with these were my friends, have gone away and had their own lives, even my newest friends, since I could only find them now in my friendster. Some had gone abroad or busy with their married life while I was left alone in the midst of the seemingly sea. Likewise I feel glory that I have my mother, even dad has died recently, and my sisters too even my only brother already passed away, moreover my in-laws by my kin, which include my nieces and nephews, and my relatives and friends.

I’m caught in a sort of alienation that I felt when I’ve attempted to commit suicide in Boracay. But though I was debilitated, I am in mirth that I was tranquil and composed with my depression being gone. Somehow time will come that I would be convinced that I am part of these young though I’m older, and would feel their affirmation and concern, and we be the same birds with similar feather as I also speak their kind of language.

Love begets love, but I’ve detected that rejection is itself an affirmation because they care to speak while others prefer to be in cliché. I’m only hesitating to be vocal because I do not know their names unlike my friends in RMCAT that I have a complete list of their names and other info about them. Time will come, we’ll relate in the gut level, helping one another do what is preferred and enjoyed in the circle of love and affirmation.

Love? When was the last time I thought about love? I felt love when I too was forgiven of my offenses in the time that I hated much my self and those who ruined my life. As I am dispensed, I am bound to forgive. With my resurrection, I did enjoy the flowers of springtime forgetting that once in my life, I had a share of Job’s sorrow.

The Holy Spirit does not only provide us the revelation but also bestow unto us the power. It is a living force or power for us to do what God wants us to consummate. Like the experience of the first Christians, we are given the occasion to share similar occurrence. In the same way, we are emboldened to amplify a deeper commitment and supply what is lacking in our vivacity.

For us to become closer to God, it is but practical to relate and commune with each other as Christ taught love for our neighbor and supply the needed compassion. Through the word of God, we could purify the church for us to obtain the needed salvation with us pilgrims constituting the church. Likewise as the church is the source of action, teachings therein should be practical, structural and theological. We need to live out the gospel. Moreover, as families need unity with this being essential, we should develop closeness to God and those within the parish, and bring the same attitude to our homes as we apply the word of God in our daily lives.

We should motivate availability within the neighborhood with which we can share and exchange each of our blessings and impart the word of God to them. Through this, we can help them obtain the needed moral support through extending our compassionate love where through interchange of stories, we become intimate with each other. We need to exist in the context where we can participate in perceiving the concern in the neighborhood and extend sympathy. We need to affirm each other and relay clearly our support comforting whoever is in misery.

In the neighborhood, we need to respect each other and value the existing friendship, generous with each of our resources. We also need to unburden our problems with whoever were those within our reach. We must be aware of what will bring happiness to each other. Meanwhile, in the church, by the inspiration we obtain from the Holy Spirit, we should participate in church activities and do our share in the work of God allowing our presence to be felt.

In spite of different backgrounds with each of us being unique from each other, we should bear in mind that we are all brothers and sisters similar in culture and does not differ much in principles as we commune together in the family of God. We should be aware that each of us shares our part in the church family that God cares for and love. Moreover, as Disciples of Christ, we need to know through the Bible his life as embedded in its contents.

The Lord invites us to follow him and be aware of our role in a growing church. Wherever the presence of Christ is felt, there we should settle. This is an invitation for us to be devotees with us being aware that Mary is the first disciple. We should hear and receive the word of God and allow His will to be vibrant in us just as the reality we discover from the scriptures. If possible, we should be harnessed in a lifestyle based from the word of God or the gospel lifestyle.

The Bible is the manual of our Christian life, and through the word of God, our life can be changed making us good Catholics. It is up for us to multiply God’s blessings by extending our share of generosity to others. In the same way as based from the life of Jesus, we should also imitate how he thinks, speaks, relates that we may grow and bloom like him.

We should live life having constant reflection of the word of God and be not ignorant of the teachings of the church. We should revive our lifestyle not only on the spiritual aspect but also on the whole integral appearance with our deeds being apparent in the society. In the same way, we should be militant pilgrim church, active and at the same time contemplative receptacles of the concern of saving souls.

We should help the church just as Christ offered himself for our sake. He died for us that exist in the neighborhood, of which we can echo this good example through contemplating on the word of God and applying to our lives what we have read. We should participate actively in the church activities. As neighbors, we can gather together and lay our concern for the welfare of the neighborhood. Very often, we should talk about the goodness of God despite the trials we face in life.

Through healthy ties established in the neighborhood, we can relay how we obtain strength from the word of God, and how the gospel changes our life. We should devise a way where we can share the word of God, contemplating daily on the scriptures. We should practice a form of Bible sharing as we struggle in explaining the identity of the Trinity that sustain unity. We also should grow in the love of celebrating the word and sharing the changes that we obtain by frequently attending the mass.

We should connect our faith to our experience, as these two should not be separated as we grow in love of the word. The word of God with all its facets is a precious diamond where it’s many sides give off many wonderful insights and realizations.

God prepares a place for us, and He intently reserves this, as He knows that we desire to conquer over the problems in our life. As God is with us, He will ferry us to the desired place even a place of worship. In the midst of impetuous journey, we should be assured that finally we should come to the place we long for and even be tranquilized having rested in that place. Then as we have reached this place, we shall burn the boat that ferry us that we may not look back to our past.

We should not yield to any instance that may give us the temptation to look back, and now be determined, as we avoid being ruined to the memory of our past. We desiring to obtain repose must rest away from sufferings and be effaced of troubles as we settle to our choice. Likewise, even with the preempting occurrence of death as we pursue our goal, we shall still hound settling to our choice as the glory of God is hefted. As we seem to perceive, it is a reality that victory await us. In the times of assault, we should be strong to face apprehended instances as we keep holding on to the Lord. The promise of heaven will give us strength, as we also want to go in an empyrean or paradise.

We should be burning with desire even attacked by what we assume to be the Devils, as even these fiendish creatures, though seemingly treated as a state of mind, unless he is indeed true in existence, will not also surrender his territory, that’s why we need to evade from his region. As we once wanted to be helped, even discouraged, we should pursue our goal seeking compassion in our ministry, as victory is ahead of us. The darkest time of night is the hour before dawn for it is an irritating period of waiting. In the time that we cannot stand robust, with the help of our friends we can still be substantiated.

God will be with you to the point that we shall assimilate victory. Just keep sustained, and be enlightened that even with compulsion, we shall finally claim jubilation. We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus be also manifested in our body (2 Corinthians 4:8-10). The puzzle is that, we have seen in the evening of our life that the dint of the problem is ruining us, and as its rapidity is very cogent, we cannot help but be annoyed. Likewise, we should not lose the mark that the journey imprints in us, even amidst problems and frustrations as we take a firm hold to the strength from God.

We should focus our eyes to that mark that by our sufferings, entwined in us is the assurance of God as we endeavor to complete our goals. Even if we avoid all measures that demure us, we are in a journey and are sustained to ride on to the predicament as it is the will of God that we are in a mission, even facing hard situations that we need to pursue giving in to occurrences of life as we depend to our sight by God’s guidance, even to the presence of miracles giving us various opportunities to grab.

Upon hearing the assurance, in the time desired for us, we shall come back fully resurrected, and a new being even becoming the man of God. So we are admonished not to turn behind in every wake but to grab willingly the promise in our life. We should not be deluded by situations as we have Jesus who lays the greatest gift, which is the bestowal in our vivacity, that we may endure, even battle the whiles of the Devil if he really exists. With us feeling sadness now and then, let us be open to Jesus and relate our troubles to him, even with closeness as we feel the nearness of his return.

It is high time that we should believe that we are facing a battle against the many problems in our life. We shall fight and we will claim victory. We need to stand and conquer even in the territory away from our desire. Though it is heavy for us to experience this, we need to claim the vow as many depend upon us, even the souls that are lost. The Lord comforts us with these words, “Just keep holding on my child, even the presence of Jesus is only grasped in our mind.” We would be glad to feel his embrace, much more, we will likely rejoice if we shall see him with our sight.

We need to pursue with our life and we need to tighten the loose belt even our girdle. Life is hard as trials come rapidly in our life, for in this present time, we are in the brim of the promise. Ahead of us is heaven, somehow almost by our grasp. It’s time to decide whether to serve the Lord or not. We should commit ourselves, as victory is not far off. Before we know it, we are already enjoying the blessings of God. The Lord wants us beside him when he comes.

It’s time to burn our past, even the ship that ferry us to the seemingly empyrean place, and not turn our backs from the Lord. We to defeat our reluctant spirit must pursue the battle towards victory. It’s time to give us to the Lord; no turning back sailing down to the isles for our life is with God, as He is our tower, a strong perfume of our delight. Blessed be the name of the Lord!

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God gave intelligence to humans
that his message would be spread, to cover all bounds of the earth. It is man’s
desire to reach heaven and that he need to be subjected to the will of God. By
the grace of God we are saved as our faith humbles us making us tranquil souls
dealing intelligently the situations in our life. Two thousand years ago, Jesus
being compelled to follow the will of the Father has to be sacrificed as a form
of Passover, and he has to suffer for the sake of his dear ones. Diligently, he
tried his best to mend the ways of his disciples, as he desired to save them
from the bondage of sin. Jesus having fulfilled his mission sighs, “It is
finished!”

In a different context, Noah built the

Ark

in preparation for the coming flood.
Likewise, since during the time of Noah, there is no rain, the people ridiculed
him. Noah preached about the coming flood for 120 years with God giving a grace
period. As the people whose hearts were hardened to the last minute did not
accede to Noah’s warning, God closed the door of the

Ark.

We noticed here that the people had a
very hard time in believing Noah’s words. In a separate situational, Thomas,
the apostle of Christ withholds reliance to the resurrection of Jesus whom his
fellow apostles are telling of having risen, because he wanted to personally
see Jesus with the wounds in his hands and side, for him to believe.

The greatest problem among Christians is the teaching, since we
differ in each of our own analysis. Thinking intently, we should realize that
we are the targets of the Devil that he may prove that our testimony is but a
mockery. If a Christian lives a life that is not in accordance with the will of
God, he is held responsible not only for his deeds but also of the welfare of
other people whom he influences. Since in the desired period all of us will be
giving an account of all his works, we should not speak any evil to each other,
if we could only avoid. We have in our perceptions mirrors of others’ lives but
we should not be discouraged of their works and words.

We should aim for heaven and not speak evil to one another.
Instead, captivating various insights, we should enjoy the word of God. In our
desire to be lifted up, we should not forget that we must settle our
misunderstanding the earliest possible time. Rather than judge each other, we
need to subdue the influence of their wrong doing that we capture in our
experience of listening from these other people. We should be reconciled to our
brothers to refresh the fellowship, renewing generous hearts in our acts of
forgiveness and humility. We should also avoid being exposed to places, which
rupture the wounds even places of worship in other congregations. We should
avoid breaking relationships, and evade from the evil that someone would accuse
us. We in our worship need to consult our hearts, as it is our desire to settle
differences that our worship will be acceptable to God, our Father.

Problems when prolonged and left to worsen will result to delusion
and misunderstanding. Even small holes when left aside enlarge the damage. We
should be prayerful so that when problems knock in our doors, we know then what
to do. If our problem is pride as we see others in their wrongdoing, we should
not be overcome by our emotions as not to end up hating them. Being blinded by
our heartaches, as we are helpless, we should be alarmed not to ride on in the
situation of the problem but to divert to other means that can alleviate our
hatred. In an effort to baby-sit pride, King Saul wanted to kill David, as he
knows that David is capable of being the next King.

Jonathan in an effort to take David away from danger safeguarded
him eluding him from dangerous areas, this because they were close to each
other. David in a situation where he had Saul closely captured as the latter
was within his reach, was warned by God through his conscience not to stain
God’s anointed, this even David had all the chance to rebel against Saul.
Moreover learning that David had been in close attack but had been merciful to
him, Saul bended down and admitted that he has sinned.

In that very hour that Saul was almost assaulted if David had been
tempted to lure him, the latter received an advice from Abishai, one of David’s
generals, as this man whispered to him, “God has delivered your enemy into your
grasp this day. Let me nail him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I
will not need a second thrust (1 Samuel 26:8).” David had these words: “Do not
harm him, for who can lay hands on the Lord’s anointed and remain unpunished (1
Samuel 26:9).” Saul admitting his mistakes said, “I have sinned.” There is a
problem between two persons but one of them humbled. They struggled for the
Kingdom, but King Saul humbled.

We should renew our ties every time and admit to ourselves that we
can still forgive our brother. With him insisting on his fiery words, we can
avoid the person to refrain from being polluted of his words and be hurt.
Somehow, we should leave to God’s hands his mete. We should be enlightened that
we are Christians, as we need to cleanse us seeking fresh waters and by God’s
mercy, we should know well that in our salient grounds, we could still find
true friends, those who will not ruin us and is ready for their comforting advice.
Likewise, we should thank God for the grace period and for the many people who
still loves us, that we may be willing to suffer even to offer our life for the
sake of our dear ones.

- Jose Constante I. Nartatez

There is a moment in our life when it is needed that we refine our purpose of living knowing well that we are intently created to serve the Lord. We must not look on the mistakes of others. Likewise, we need to continue loving each other. If we could be honest, we are enlightened that it is desired that we avoid criticizing others especially those who had been part of our growth. Instead, we need to examine our day-to-day dispositions accepting our very own mistakes, and the need to correct these.

We must not be blind unable to change ourselves especially our ineffective dispositions and old tactics that do not already help us. We can divert our thoughts and be inclined to affirm others. Whatever were their misery in the past, we need not divulge their shameful experiences for they too crave to obtain the desired peace of mind and the only way for this to be achieved is to forgive whoever is their offender and forget totally what incident that ruined their life before. After all, no one is perfect and not one is a god to him, we being humans. Why not instead study again the Bible? We can even be productive with our new insights. Likewise, we need to repent ourselves and pray regularly. Even with the trials we endure, we must be awakened to the truth that we alleviate realities, and conquer temptations with God’s help. Aside from this, it is a reality that almost all of us get help from our fellow Christians.

After some analysis, we found ourselves awake and are addict to worship for God. In our salad days of growing, we must accept that we likely fall to some pits. Yet to their delight, some rejoice over other’s misery even they too does not know the answer to their questions. As they were just forced to criticize given the occurrence, which they have no choice to prevent likewise, I understand them, they being just human. It is by my conception too that I find them just in their action to protect their beliefs from those who had already differed from their faith.

I know it was I in my desire to spread the truth that have forced myself to intrude in their area of worship in my craving to take them as part of me and love humanity. They were not selfish unlike my presumption of them before. I enjoyed their company for a season and I still long to love them brotherly forgetting what pain they have caused my mind and emotion. Likewise, if I were on their side I would opt for a different strategy. I would comfort them, console them, and try to explain in the subtlest way, that it is not of my desire that we differ in our faith explanations. In this way, I can present to them clearly my side with all the enlightenment coming from the Holy Spirit without being carried by an uprising of emotion avoiding grounds, which would likely hurt both of us.

I know, they don’t intend to demoralize me, they being faithful to what they believe to be true. After all they are still my friends though the Bible teaches that we should not be equally yoked with them. I don’t care anymore if they consider their church a ‘private property’ barring my entrance to what they call a ‘danger zone’. They have all the right to the choice of their own opinions contradicting mine. I know, it is no longer time for war but for understanding each other to meet halfway not spoiled by differences in doctrines. I don’t care anymore if they blab with my personal life and neither would I think that their tongues are sinful, and our doctrine superior than theirs. After all, I was into being conceited too before and I find it hard to subdue my emotion given the prevailing circumstances in my life that contribute to my illness.

I would never think anymore that I am more swift in pace in proclaiming the gospel for they too had been anointed by God and not one can touch God’s anointed without being punished, even if they were just favored for a season. I would instead approach them again and again to resolve misunderstanding even if they think that I was dirt and a devil, after all these were their opinions that need to be respected. They all have the right to it. Maybe I was really a demon to them that forced them to inflict me to subdue my boastfulness. Maybe, I was tied to my intelligence and had been forcing an entry to explain Catholic doctrines, which they think, are doctrines of the Devil. Even with these enlightenments, I would still save our friendship. I would still try my best given the occasion to withstand their form of preaching even to my knowledge, I would find them stoning lambs.

I too have sinned and had been forgiven. It is my duty to grant the same forgiveness and not be blinded by remorse and heartaches. It was I who had been a glutton to my own opinions that have prevented me from being a special creation. My insights were darkened as I force my own outlook to theirs. I don’t find them anymore as vampires sucking power. Instead, I find them men of honest report, they being faithful to what they believe to be right. This is not the time for religious war but of helping one another disseminate the truth, and explain it in a clearer way. They have the right too to the post whereby they are designated. It is wrong to think they defend it just to get money. They are mature enough to have the right to do what they want to do even break hearts to humble a person.

Unlike before that I lose my respect to them, I thank them for molding my person even if they have drove me crazy. It is not important that I for a season have lost everything. What is important is that I had been changed by the word of God, and by the generosity of others for granting me forgiveness that I may also learn to forgive. Somehow, though until now I do not consider myself perfect being still weak and sensitive upon hearing unfavorable comments, I can still close my eyes and be tearful after hearing them, and even as I have secluded away. Yes, tearfully I would hide away and comfort my self like David, Joshua, and Jacob. Afterwards, I would be glad to find myself a new and purified Jyojyo.

- Jose Constante I. Nartatez 

A person who believes in God is
a Theistic person, while one who does not believe in God is an Atheist. A
person who believes in one God is a ‘monotheist’ while a person who believes in
many gods is a ‘polytheist’. Christians and Muslims both believe in one God. In
Greek mythology, there are both male and female gods. The God of the Hindu is
Brahman, even a god with ten thousand hands. Brahman is closely associated with
his two friends Vishnu and Shiva. Greeks have considered mythology and has
regarded as goddess one whom they named Venus. Likewise, there are many other
beliefs.

Christianity, Jewish and Islam religion both believe in one God.
Others believe in impersonal god or a god who is not a person, while Catholics
and some other Christian religions believe in a personal God or a God who is a
person. Extreme consciousness is called ‘nirvana’. The Jews called their God, Yahweh, while
Muslims call him Allah.

God is personal because he can be felt and continue to
influence us in our daily lives and continue to create great things even
through miracles. He is personal because he revealed himself and continually
communicates to us. He creates all things. Our God did create air. He uses water
to create which has a Latin word ‘Agua’ or in chemistry ‘H2O’. You have to drink
water to experience water. That’s why we need to drink God, and having done so
we have tasted God who exist in everything and in everyone, and who is the God
of the Catholic Christians. If we believe in one God, we should believe in the
blessed Trinity, which is the three (3) assertions, or one God in three
persons. You don’t have to criticize other religions, your belief should be as
clear as water, and pure.

We should have a belief that is of the child’s likeness, like of
the gaiety of the Infant Jesus of Prague or the Sto. Niño. We should have a
taste of the Sto Niño so we could be helped to considerably obtain in our own
little way as a Christian the great knowledge of God as revealed by his spirit
which is the Holy Spirit. I have tasted God being a religious or belonging to
the religious congregation called Franciscan Conventuals or the Order Friars
Minor Conventual. Being a religious, priests there don’t have a salary; each
one’s money is the money of all. We don’t hide any amount, but all goes to the
religious congregation. If you have acquired something, it is given to the
congregation.

Being in the religious congregation, Fr. Glenn Paul Gomez
testifies of going to

Rome

and witnessing the
canonization of saints and the great miracles in year 2003, and have gone to

Dubai

,

Germany

and

Poland

,
and even meet Pope John Paul II and have audience with him. He learned the word
‘grati’ or ‘thank you’. He stayed a week in

France

,
where Mama Mary appeared in

Lourdes

.

We should derive inspiration from God, like that which we obtain
from the healing Eucharist, which is a fruit of love. ABS-CBN has the coverage
of the Healing Eucharist where there are 23 persons in-charge, like the audio
man, cameramen, and director. The God as the one Catholics serve is genuine.
“This is our God, springing from the fruit of our prayers”, says Fr. Glenn.

He asserts that there is
enlightenment in prayer with God as you learn from God. With this, everybody
understands you, like for example we have Chito Tagle of Imus,

Cavite

, a Summa Cum Laude, and an
international Theologian. All can understand you if your explanations are
clear, which is a product of prayers and meditations, and your resurrection
from illness and desert life.

The Holy Spirit in our life created everything. God gave
everything for free. He even created man or put man to flesh. This is what we
called incarnation or made manifest in flesh. Jesus is the God that was
manifested in flesh. So this answers our question in our book title. God
was made visible by manifesting in flesh through the Infant Jesus of Prague or
the Sto. Niño, and manifesting as God the Holy Spirit through the Pentecost.

The Holy Spirit did communicate as the Third Person of the
Trinity. ‘

Para

’ means ‘alone’, while
‘Paraclete’ means ‘Advocate God’. ‘Advocare’ means ‘he created for us’. The
original word for spirit is ‘pneuma’. If you have the spirit, it means you are
alive. That’s why there is spirit in the community meaning the community is
alive. On the Pentecost, the Apostles and disciples spoke different languages
and understood one another. The community did have understanding of each other.
The real Spirit is in the community like the Sto. Niño Catholic Charismatic
Renewal and Revival Community found in Kalibo, Aklan.

All of us serve God. Our edge from others is serving God. Our
vision of vocation widens with serving God. You develop the feeling of love
through serving God, no matter who you are or what you are. You don’t need to
complain, even if you become a bachelor for your entire life. Prayer on the
other hand is conversation. You need to communicate with God, and to
consciously connect yourself with your God. Like when you switch on the light,
the room becomes flooded with light. You’ve got to have a thorough prayer.

If you are connected with God, you don’t feel weary in anything
you do. Your prayer should be this: OPEN THE EYES OF MY HEART LORD. Then, you
will understand the mystery of God in a flood of insights and enlightenment,
even pouring out freely from the container. You’ve got to have faith, and faith
in God merits all. It can give you all the simple things you can desire in a
simplified belief.

- Jose Constante I. Nartatez

God
conquers darkness. The situation is that we usually fear darkness. Somehow, God
gives us light to show the way. In times of problems, we should approach God,
for it’s only Him that can conquer darkness and death as He gives us eternal
life. God can defeat death through resurrection. We even aim to enjoy eternal
life through the resurrection of Jesus, where we also are resurrected as we are
cleansed, new and purified.

Sin
is synonymous to death, and death is synonymous to darkness. Every time we
commit sins, we break the bond with Christ. We were once dead men in Christ,
but strengthening our faith in Him, though we are under bondage of sin and we
face death, we can still have hope in the miracle of resurrection if only we
would confess all our sins, of which being forgiven, we can conquer darkness in
our life. The question is: “Have we conquered death?”

We
fail to resurrect, because, we hide to ourselves and suppress our hatred, and
we bear grudges as our past soils us. If we only allow hatred to surface, it
will die down naturally. We cannot avoid being caught in this kind of emotion
and its consequences because that is part of the process. We need to undergo
the stage of unveiling the things that keeps us in bondage. It has to be freely
released for it to die down naturally. If we don’t want to be seen in public
with our emotions uprising, we can confess our heartaches to the priests. We
can couple it with fasting and entwine it with sacrifice such as abstinence,
humility and acceptance.

We
have to identify what were those that blocked our way and deal it accordingly
for us to regain our peace of mind. We need to pour out and abandon for us to
see the brighter side of life. We need to put to death our human nature
especially hypocrisy and pretensions, pride and ego. To deal out our problems
and release the bondage, it has to be unveiled surfaced so they will be crushed
to pieces in a natural way. Sometimes, we need to pass the period of recurrence
and regression so that the bondage will be broken the fastest possible means.

We
need to think in a healthy way and accept temperaments, especially holy anger.
Remember Jesus in the temple with the merchants and moneychangers, though
hating once. Afterwards it is our nature to correct ourselves and encourage
ourselves comforting our inmost souls. Our sins that piled up need
restructuring with us not leading to arrogance in ourselves, but just prudent
enough to face the truth regarding the process as we return to what we have
done in the past that soils our present life if we are determined to forget
everything that has to do with our past. Unless we face our past and accept it,
with the determination to forget it afterwards that we had dealt well the pain,
our memory of it will become monsters in our hearts horrifying our poor souls
even making us deranged.

After
the process, we need to be lifted up as we identify instances that hurt us most
conveying or sharing our experiences to others who to our desperation in our
frailty can only give temporary alleviation. We need to be sure that after the
process though it is a hard thing to do, we should be determined to destroy the
bondage through acceptance that things have already happened. All that we have
to do is to sail on till we reach tranquil waters convincing our very selves
that though unsettled, we through other means like generosity of mercy to
others and bareness of our thoughts from unforgettable memories, especially
occurrence of genuine healing, will have the heart to obtain the generosity to
forgive and forget. By releasing or being able to tell the truth about what
causes your heartaches and turmoil, we hop into the stage of tranquility. To be
triumphant in being a master of forgiveness, we need to know what were our
desires as we identify and accept our weaknesses.

In
the beautiful turn of events, we realize that we are not bounded by evils and
the Devil for we realize that these manifestations of bad karma are but a state
of mind of which we are not subject to them. We overcome death of our inmost
souls, as we are courageous to uncover what were our boundaries that
scandalized us long ago ruining our souls for a season, usually affecting our
relationship with the very important individuals whose monstrous roles in our
life story have created for us burdens that are heavy to bear. Likewise, we
fail to overcome our bondages because we baby-sit our hatred keeping it to
ourselves ungenerous or just plain arrogant as we hide our remorse. The result
is that we fail to forgive and forget because of the remaining frustration in
us as our emotions are locked hidden sending us to the streets unable to handle
ourselves in a light way, as we become troubled in our effort to hide the shame
of other people protecting it in our own desperate way. This stain in our
memory with us harboring grudges in a never-ending way will be the ones that
will destroy us mentally and spiritually.

We
fail to function as real Christians because we fail to accept the past and let
go of its occurrence to the point that we are led to hate ourselves, and unable
to forgive ourselves, making love for others a hypocrisy and is impossible with
us becoming more likely animals than humans. Furthermore, we lose our dignity
and composure as we are chained to our bitterness. If dealt accordingly, after
the release of experiences, mostly, those that are very much hurting, being
relieved, we begin to have peace of mind. In this way, we also begin to think
differently. Even in the event of desperation, if we are only submissive to
letting go, to our surprise as we move on, we even discover the funny side in
us. We become individuals having light spirits and are inclined to laugh at our
own mistakes.

To
avoid recurrence, we need to establish fruitful and fresh exchange of
communication and expression, relating to others our day to day thoughts till
our mind becomes void and empty, that we can refill it with beautiful and fresh
ideas making us citizens of heaven living on earth pursuing knowledge with the
light of the gospel. It is important to heal the wounds. In effect, we in the
long run would never hurt ourselves anymore and are recipient of peace of mind
and good health. Though it is wrong to be subject to anger, we also need to be
prudent choosing what’s best for our health. What is wrong is to keep the
hatred to ourselves and suffer afterwards enslaved by instances that may break
our head sending us to wander in the streets or count plastics and tear papers
even to the most horrifying reality of eating leftovers from wastebaskets.
Sometimes we need to be angry but not overcame by anger. Once and for all,
after the occurrence of healing, we allow the spirit of reconciliation to bear
fruit. Knowing well that we have hatred in our hearts, we need to confess these
to the priests, as we need to be healed of the repeatedly recurring thoughts in
our hearts.

-Jyotisman
Nearu Upendra

In the time after that the transfiguration of Jesus was
revealed, Jesus with Peter, James and John has to go down from the top of the
mountain. In the same way likewise, we have to go down for us to face the
reality of our lives. Jesus meanwhile has to face death as he goes down hill
and approach Jerusalem thereon. In a separate occasion, in order for Jesus to
cure the man born blind, he need to spit in the mud that he must place in the eyes
of the blind man. Accordingly, Lazarus needs to be untied in the time that
Jesus performed the miracle of resurrecting him (Lazarus).

The name “Lazarus” means, “God is my health”. It was
proven that through resurrection, Jesus is more powerful than death thus
conquering it. Christ becomes our companion especially in times of misery.
Miracles were performed for Jesus to reveal the glory of God. “Death cannot
prevent the glory of God,” articulates Fr. Paul Andrew S. Sayon V. He carefully
identified that Jesus is the Master of life and death. He said that we should
prepare for our demise for it is the moment for us that we are to encounter
Jesus.

What took place in the context of the resurrection of
Lazarus is the synonymous reality that Jesus is the giver of life. Because of
sin, man has to face death, but Jesus surpasses this occurrence because with
Jesus, death was conquered replaced by a new life because Jesus is the “life
bearer”, and that his presence is meaningful because he hailed man from sin to glory.
God indeed through Jesus has shown His glory. Each one who shares a
Jesus-filled life, experiencing it, becomes aware of his encounter with Jesus
as the person obtains a new life. Anybody can experience this sequential
process by the side of Jesus if he only desires.

Martha and Mary are believers of Jesus but each of these
two personalities has distinguishable characteristics. While Martha accompanied
Jesus to the tomb of Lazarus, Mary chose to be in solace praying. Martha in
disgust though pays the Lord respect remorse by saying to Jesus that his
brother would not have died if Jesus had been within their reach in the
severity of Lazarus’ illness. In the time that Jesus arrived in the tomb,
Lazarus was already stinking being dead for four days.

Martha grieved in remorse, as Jesus being compassionate is
equally mournful and assures Martha who stays beside, unlike Mary who in solace
was somehow maybe locked in her room or situated in an isolated place,
determined not to question God. With a sort of enlightenment, Fr. Paul says,
“We should not bear a query to God questioning his deeds, as he has his own
Divine plan. When faced with a big problem, we ought to inscribe in our mind
and heart that God loves us even if we are in a difficult situation.”

Standing by God’s presence, we are faced with this
boomerang: “Do we receive Jesus as a visitor in our homes even if he by
omnipresence was somehow disguised in the form of any other person?” By the act
of welcoming Jesus anytime, God becomes generous by attending to our problems
and is attentive to our supplications. We should work hard for a thing, for
after enduring sufferings, it becomes easy for us to relate to someone whose
problem is similar to what we had encountered.

Behind our mere span of sight as we are darkened of
despair, if only we would be flexible as to see light, it will be revealed to
us what satisfactory plan God reserves for our condition. We only need to
surrender our pains and difficulties to God. It should be of our attitude to
check our reminders as in a training camp for us to progress identifying the
right direction. We ought to be confident and sincere before we travail
enduring with strength as we are shaped and are ripe for determination. If we
would only realize that death, especially our own is a beautiful encounter for
it means we can now face Jesus.

If one fears God, death becomes different, as life to a
faithful sojourning pilgrim is but temporary. “We should be prepared to face
death just like our first day in school, like our first communion, and that
upon determining the date of marriage as it approaches as scheduled for we then
are obliged to prepare flowers, dresses and others. Likewise it is sad to note
that when it comes to death, we hide the reality in the time that this has to
pass. It is our duty to prepare the sick and should be aware to allow a priest
to attend to his needed confessions and for him to be anointed not for death
but for spiritual health,” explains Fr. Paul. He said, “Confession and
anointing of the sick gives a new life even in painful moments.”

What is pleasing with Martha is that she expresses faith
in Jesus, that his brother shall obtain life. We should observe that in one’s demise, he knows not where will he be
going, but with the life that Jesus offers, he can have hope, and in the same
way can trust God whom the mourners can rely for their passing family member,
relative or friend. With a priest giving absolution to his (the dying’) sins
through confession meant for God whom the priest personifies and with this God
generous of forgiveness, man can obtain peace and he will be blessed with the
thought that there will be no room for despair in the eve of his death for his
faith is affirmed.

Lazarus came back to life but should be untied. In the
same way if we long to receive peace and face a new life, we should be untied
of our past that we should scrap these away from us, and welcome the rolling
beside of the stone if we have to be raised new and purified. We should
cooperate and participate in many situations of healing, for God is willing to
help us. We can be mitigated even be totally healed or can obtain rescue if we
help ourselves, so God can be assured of the instance in what way will He
approach helping us if we cling to Him as He finds love, with us giving our
consent even if in our human nature we have choices whether we ought to submit
to His desires or chooses to refuse being helped.

-Jyotisman Nearu Upendra 

The Lord still communicates with us even in the most
obscuring situation of our lives. Even in difficult moments, the Lord is still
with us. We are part of him being oil lamps of Holy Ghost indwelling. Citing
for example the experience of Jonah, even in the bottom of the sea, God still
conveys to him what is His will to Jonah’s life. We should discern the will of
God for even the only begotten Son Jesus had been subjected to the will of the
Father. Jesus fasted and prayed, and like us, was tempted though he did not
give in to the Devil’s enticements but manages to be tenacious and was firm to
his mission that is the salvation of man.

It was not actually the length of fasting that Jesus was
steadfast and strong against the luring enemy, but that he was honed and was
prepared for the coming delegation of duties to him by the Father. In Noah’s
time, there was cleansing as it rained for forty days. Moses however
communicated with God by the burning bush for 40 days. Jonah was in 40 days of
preparation for his mission. Combining everything, the common denominator is
that they all prayed.

In the Paschal Mystery, there was suffering, death and
resurrection of our Lord Jesus, in the same way that we must repent, and must
be cleansed by dying to our sins, for us to receive relief as we obtain
healing, with this episode moreover occurring as our sins are forgiven, knowing
well from our hearts that we are shaped as a new being. We can descry that
based from these that are mentioned, it is as if it was arranged that in Acts
2:38 which speaks about repentance, baptism for the forgiveness of sins, and
infilling of the Holy Spirit, we visualize death, burial and resurrection as we
after rigid compunction, ought to bury our sins, receive forgiveness, and
become a new person.

In John 13:1, “Before the feast of the Passover, Jesus
knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his
own in the world and he loved them to the end.” If we put this in the context
of dying, he by giving his life loves in perfect dimension even he knew that he
was to be sacrificed and would be assimilated to be like a lamb in slaughter.
He accepts being in paroxysm lured whipped and tortured by the Jews whom he considers
his friends.

Christ died for us that we may obtain salvation and no one
can equal the sacrifice he offers being compelled to accede to the will of his
Father. Salvation through the death of the Son of God is the deliverance
offered to us by God himself. In 1 John 3:16, the following was asserted, “The
way we came to know love was that He laid down his life for us; so we ought to
lay down our lives for our brothers.” Somehow God has this reminder for us in 1
John 3:17-18, “If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and
refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him? Children, let us
love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.”

“Christ’s death and resurrection will be useless unless
persons will accept that gift where he offered his life two thousand years
ago,” says an eloquent priest who was invited speaker in a Charismatic prayer
meeting. He somehow disclosed that to him we repeatedly celebrate the Paschal
mystery of Christ because until now many of us believers cannot accept the gift
of salvation. I understand from his talk that, unless man in the moment desired
in his human life, with him gifted of affection, offers himself more so his
heart or life, by accepting the gift of God which is the death of Jesus for the
redemption of our sins as we men need to die from our sins that these may be
effaced, until now in haste man makes himself blind, dead, and mute. No wonder
crimes, distrust and cheating continue to accelerate. What Christian mind do we
have being coiled to our vices and attachments?

Death of Christ will continue to be ineffectual in purpose
if we will not accept the challenge to step out from our dark places as we are
confined to our own arrogance. Every time we bequeath from our houses and
desert prayer meeting places, we begin to see beggars, people present in
streets, and those who are in vehicles seemingly racing, old and young alike
for whom Christ died. We view in Television and listen to radios situational
that makes us believe that the love of man had waxed cold because he abandons
God who is his first love. Likewise, for Christ’s death to be effectual to us,
we should open our hearts, our hands to the gift of God who is Himself in the
form of the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ who is our Lord.

We should direct our selves to welcome changes in
attitudes and evaluate the kind of lives or say lifestyles that we have. We
should purge our own hardness of hearts and listen to the still small voice who
speaks in our inner selves with Him knowing well that we are loved as it is him
who loves his own in the world and these whom he loves are given to him by the
Father. We should embrace our parents and heed to their advices even if the
devil tempting speaks to us that we being in the young generation should be
boastful of our own choices.

We need to be humble enough to be subjected or are
compelled to submit that through correcting our vices, we can obtain
resurrection and be at home with our new selves.

- Jyotisman Nearu Upendra