Wednesday, September 16, 2009

4L 2010 Retreat Reflections

retreat

my brain was like a dirty whiteboard, dull and gray
cluttered with stresses and attentions, i needed to pray.
that is why it is cool to come here for the '3 day'
but it was hard to keep quiet because there was so much to say.
to my class mates who are all going away
but we had our sharing so it was ok.
we brought up old memories and demons we have to slay
together as a unit, we did pray
God help us appreciate and love one another everyday.

Sa bawat pagsubok
at mga pangamba
'Wag kang mag-alala
Nandiyan namn sila.


Robert Steven Villanueva, L2010

Ingay
Panginoon, sa katahimikan, ika'y napakinggan
Bagamat ito ay isang malaking kabalintunan
Naipakitang totoo at napatunayan
At doon sa katahimikan
Sigaw ng aming puso, sana iyong maramdam
at kung kami ay nag-iingayan,
Sa sigaw mo naman
Sana 'di namin makalimutan
At sa iyong tinig, kami ay mabuhayan

ni Miguel Nabar, L2010

Monday, September 14, 2009

Greater and Happier Things Will Come Soon

Yesterday, I got so surprised

To have seen and heard

a TV program present Christmas Carols

sung so early in September.

My sister said, it’s because we’re in the first ‘ber’ month.

And in the Philippines,

we know that Christmas starts early.

September ushers hope,

Hope that greater, happier things will come soon

Especially in December

When we all gather again as families

And spend together the most festive season of all.

This month our school carries the theme,

“Building the nation through compassionate

and humble service to those in need

in imitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary”

As Ateneans,

We look up to Mary as our perfect model.

She is the source of our hope.

Hope that happier things are about to happen in our lives.

Now that’s a thought that should console us

Actually, If we look around us,

We can see that God’s goodness abound

And that happier things will certainly take place.

A pile of newspapers for the ACIL Dyaryo Drive,

Stuff for our KFD booth.

Projects returned with a matching high grade.

A cleaner classroom.

A teacher listening with us.

Classmates praying for us.

Look around.

Look deeper.

Goodness abound.

***

Even as we look beyond our classroom walls

There are hopeful signs that God is at work.

God comes to meet us like the morning rising,

Slowly, though definitely;

Quiet yet clearly.

In our world.

Changes are taking place

In different nations throughout the world.

New leaders are being elected or raised

To replace old but formerly popular governments.

Clamors for environmental action,

Political unity and economic cooperation

Among different peoples

Are getting stronger and more urgent.

In our country:

Amidst the scrambling for seats of power in government,

There are still people who choose to relinquish opportunities

Or to let go of invested wealth and vested interests for the sake of common good.

The hearts of our people are moved by

the remembrance of individuals

Who have used prayer and faith,

Instead of sheer power and manipulation

To effectively improve the quality of our lives.

In our school:

There are programs and systems

that have been in place and have reached

12 and 35 years of service.

This school year, we celebrate the 12th year

of the CSIP and the 35th year Anniversary of

the Tulong Dunong Program.

Quietly, we hope to have a whole generation of Ateneans who have learned from our classroom lessons and their outreach experiences to care for the least in our society; Clearly, through a big family of TD scholars whom we have raised and are striving to live successful lives, we hopefully help them help their own families.

Changes in our liturgical practices

Like the added installation of women lay ministers

Who will assist the community

With the sacred duty of giving Holy Communion,

Allow us to see that life in the Ateneo is always,

new, unfolding and moved by God’s spirit

of justice and love.

Through our men and women lay ministers,

We remember that the call of Christ

to serve his Church is not meant only for

priests but for all.

Let us now pause to pray:

Dearest Mary, help us see that your Son, our Savior,

is at work in our midst.

Help us become like you, a living sign of hope,

That happier things are soon to come,

Hail Mary…

Full of grace the Lord is with you,

Blessed are you among women,

and blessed is the fruit of you womb Jesus!


Holy Mary…

Mother of God,

Pray for us sinners now,

and the hour of our death.


Amen.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Homily for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

By Fr. James Gascon, SJ
Delivered
A story is told that in heaven, it was decided that every newly arrived soul should sing a song outside the gate. One’s song would determine whether he or she was worthy to enter the gate or not. Archangel Raphael posted this instruction at the entrance of Paradise.
It happened that the soul of a great patriot, who died fighting against a corrupt government, arrived in heaven. He stood outside its gates and read the instruction. The patriot took a deep breath and begun to sing…
“To dream the impossible dream;
To fight the unbeatable foe;
To bear with unbearable sorrow…”

After the song, the gate of heaven opened and the patriot entered Paradise. Then the gate was locked.

Then came a woman philanthropist. After reading the instructions, she began to sing…

“Climb every mountain, ford every stream,
follow every rainbow, ‘til you find your dream.
A dream that would need all the love you can give…

Again, after her song, the gate of heaven opened. Joyfully, the woman philanthropist entered Paradise and the gate was locked again.

Two souls, who were both hardened criminals on earth, arrived and read the instruction posted at the entrance. After reading it, both of them shook their heads in disappointment. “How are we to enter heaven?” the first criminal asked his companion. “While on earth, the only songs we sang were vulgar and obscene ones. Our songs would reflect our earthly life, heaven’s gate will surely not open for us!” And both of them went away heartbroken.

Then, a lady came. She was a simple mother. She read the instruction, not without much difficulty. She knew not many songs. There was only one she knew. And then she began singing…

“Ang puso ko’y nagpupuri, nagpupuri sa Panginoon.
Nagalak ang aking espiritu, sa ‘king taga-pagligtas.”

Sapagkat nilingap niya, kababaan ng kanyang alipin.
Mapalad ang pangalan ko sa lahat ng mga bansa.”

Once more, after her song, the gate of heaven opened. Gratefully, the Lady entered Paradise. But from then on the gate of heaven was never locked again. And since then, every soul was assured entrance into paradise in her stead. Thus, countless got the chance to enter the gate of Paradise despite their unworthiness. The Lady’s name was Mary.

Can you be an Atenean without a special devotion to Mary? Can you call yourself an Atenean without a rosary in your pocket? Can the days of October pass by without you proudly wearing the medal and blue ribbon on your chest? Can you end a game at the UAAP without singing a hymn to our Lady, win or lose? Here in the Ateneo our special devotion to Mary defines who we are. She is our model, our inspiration, and our mother.

In Mary we find a model. Holy Mother Church teaches us that Mary was the first Christian, the first follower of our Lord. She listened to him because she knew him. She followed him because she loved him. She served him because she believed in him. Mary showed us the way to know, to love and to serve Jesus, and thus she is our model. We only look up to her and we find Jesus her son.
Mary is also our inspiration. Despite her lowliness, she was able to do the will of God. By recognizing the power and compassion of the almighty, she was able to say her Fiat: Let it be done according to your will. From her lowliness she was exulted by God and prepared to be the mother of the Lord. We too can say yes to God if we take our inspiration in Mary. And our experience has shown us that like Mary, we can say yes to God if we recognize his compassion and care for us.
Finally, she is our mother. In the same way that she took care of her son, she takes care of us by interceding for us. How many times have we run to her when we were engulfed in fear and uncertainty? We have the boldness to approach her because we know that she is our mother. And as our mother, she will never refuse us. We are confident children of our Lady.
And today, our Lady’s birthday, we celebrate this Eucharist to honor her. We gather as a community to sing hymns for her, to pray together with her, to honor her as our patron and most of all to thank God for giving us Mary to be our mother. These are the reasons why on her birthday, we give thanks. Gratitude is our response. It is also our gift to her. We thank Mary for her life. We thank her for her openness and for her yes. We thank her for how she raised Jesus to be so full of compassion and a friend to sinners and the poor. We are grateful to her for after she entered the gate of heaven, it remained open welcoming everyone despite all unworthiness.
So today, Mother Mary, our inspiration and model, on your birthday, as sons and daughters of Ignatius, we pray his prayer: Dear Mary, place me with your Son. Let me know him, love him, follow him and serve him more closely. Stand guard over my heart and let the gift of peace remain there especially when the challenges of life confront me and uncertainty haunt me. And when my final hour comes, pray for me and be with me—now and forever. Amen. Hail Holy Mary, my Queen. Pray for us your children.

“Ang puso ko’y nagpupuri, nagpupuri sa Panginoon!

By Fr. James Gascon, SJ
President/CEO
Center for Family Ministries (CeFaM)

Delivered at the Ateneo de Manila High School Covered Courts
Septmeber 08, 2009

A story is told that in heaven, it was decided that every newly arrived soul should sing a song outside the gate. One’s song would determine whether he or she was worthy to enter the gate or not. Archangel Raphael posted this instruction at the entrance of Paradise.
It happened that the soul of a great patriot, who died fighting against a corrupt government, arrived in heaven. He stood outside its gates and read the instruction.

The patriot took a deep breath and begun to sing…

“To dream the impossible dream;
To fight the unbeatable foe;
To bear with unbearable sorrow…”


After the song, the gate of heaven opened and the patriot entered Paradise. Then the gate was locked.

Then came a woman philanthropist. After reading the instructions, she began to sing…

“Climb every mountain, ford every stream,
follow every rainbow, ‘til you find your dream.
A dream that would need all the love you can give…


Again, after her song, the gate of heaven opened. Joyfully, the woman philanthropist entered Paradise and the gate was locked again.

Two souls, who were both hardened criminals on earth, arrived and read the instruction posted at the entrance. After reading it, both of them shook their heads in disappointment. “How are we to enter heaven?” the first criminal asked his companion. “While on earth, the only songs we sang were vulgar and obscene ones. Our songs would reflect our earthly life, heaven’s gate will surely not open for us!” And both of them went away heartbroken.

Then, a lady came. She was a simple mother. She read the instruction, not without much difficulty. She knew not many songs. There was only one she knew. And then she began singing…

“Ang puso ko’y nagpupuri, nagpupuri sa Panginoon.
Nagalak ang aking espiritu, sa ‘king taga-pagligtas.”

Sapagkat nilingap niya, kababaan ng kanyang alipin.
Mapalad ang pangalan ko sa lahat ng mga bansa.”


Once more, after her song, the gate of heaven opened. Gratefully, the Lady entered Paradise. But from then on the gate of heaven was never locked again. And since then, every soul was assured entrance into paradise in her stead. Thus, countless got the chance to enter the gate of Paradise despite their unworthiness. The Lady’s name was Mary.

Can you be an Atenean without a special devotion to Mary? Can you call yourself an Atenean without a rosary in your pocket? Can the days of October pass by without you proudly wearing the medal and blue ribbon on your chest? Can you end a game at the UAAP without singing a hymn to our Lady, win or lose? Here in the Ateneo our special devotion to Mary defines who we are. She is our model, our inspiration, and our mother.

In Mary we find a model. Holy Mother Church teaches us that Mary was the first Christian, the first follower of our Lord. She listened to him because she knew him. She followed him because she loved him. She served him because she believed in him. Mary showed us the way to know, to love and to serve Jesus, and thus she is our model. We only look up to her and we find Jesus her son.
Mary is also our inspiration. Despite her lowliness, she was able to do the will of God. By recognizing the power and compassion of the almighty, she was able to say her Fiat: Let it be done according to your will. From her lowliness she was exulted by God and prepared to be the mother of the Lord. We too can say yes to God if we take our inspiration in Mary. And our experience has shown us that like Mary, we can say yes to God if we recognize his compassion and care for us.
Finally, she is our mother. In the same way that she took care of her son, she takes care of us by interceding for us. How many times have we run to her when we were engulfed in fear and uncertainty? We have the boldness to approach her because we know that she is our mother. And as our mother, she will never refuse us. We are confident children of our Lady.
And today, our Lady’s birthday, we celebrate this Eucharist to honor her. We gather as a community to sing hymns for her, to pray together with her, to honor her as our patron and most of all to thank God for giving us Mary to be our mother. These are the reasons why on her birthday, we give thanks. Gratitude is our response. It is also our gift to her. We thank Mary for her life. We thank her for her openness and for her yes. We thank her for how she raised Jesus to be so full of compassion and a friend to sinners and the poor. We are grateful to her for after she entered the gate of heaven, it remained open welcoming everyone despite all unworthiness.
So today, Mother Mary, our inspiration and model, on your birthday, as sons and daughters of Ignatius, we pray his prayer: Dear Mary, place me with your Son. Let me know him, love him, follow him and serve him more closely. Stand guard over my heart and let the gift of peace remain there especially when the challenges of life confront me and uncertainty haunt me. And when my final hour comes, pray for me and be with me—now and forever. Amen. Hail Holy Mary, my Queen. Pray for us your children.

Thursday, September 03, 2009

Faith in God's Plan


The Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
September 8

“We know that all things work for the good for those who love God,
who are called according to His purpose.” –Romans 8:28

Today, we celebrate the birth of a child, who, nine months ago (December 8), was immaculately conceived in the womb of her mother, St. Anne, by her father, St. Joachim.

When this child was born, her parents probably did not know the great miracles that their little girl was destined for. All they saw was the miracle of life before them. And like all loving parents, they must have struggled to give this child a good home and tried their very best to form her to become a good person and to live a life of faith, without knowing the kind of future that awaits her. They simply trusted that God has a good plan for their child.

For who would have known the wonders that awaited this child?

A child, who from the very beginning, was chosen by God to be “full of grace”, whose enmity toward Satan was spoken of as far back as Genesis, and described in a vision of a woman crowned with stars with the moon under her feet in the Book of Revelation. A child, who would eventually be known as “blessed among all women”, the one whom God has chosen to bear His only Son, to bring life to the world.

This child is, of course, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is her nativity that we are honoring today.

As the mother of our Lord, Mary has always been greatly revered and given a special place in the life of the Church. In fact, the feast of her birth has been celebrated in the Church since the 7th or 8th century. And this feast is one among the only three birthdays honored in the Liturgical Year, the other two being Christ’s Himself (December 25) and his precursor, John the Baptist’s (June 24).

However, as always, this feast is not an end in itself, but rather, points to and anticipates the coming of our true end and destiny, in Mary’s Divine son, Jesus Christ. As the song goes, “Mariang Ina ko…kay Kristong kuya ko, akayin mo ako”.

As we celebrate the feast of the nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we also celebrate important events in our school: the installation of our Women Eucharistic ministers, the launch of the Katipunan Fund Drive (KFD) and the 35th year anniversary of the Tulong Dunong (TD) Program (1975-2010).

Who would have known the important roles that women would play in the life of the Church? Or how far the simple acts and generosity of our students would reach? Or how a scholarship program, which began 35 years ago through the efforts of the late Fr. James O’ Brien, SJ, would continue to flourish and bear much fruit even after so many years?

In the end, only God does—He who has called us His children, who has written our names in the palm of His hand. As cliché as it sounds, God knows what is truly best for us. The real challenge then is for us to have faith in God’s plan, that just like the life of Mary, “all things [do] work for the good for those who love God, and who are called for His purpose.”

Let us pray: God, Our Father, we ask for the grace of faithfulness, that we may truly fulfill Your plans for us and accomplish the purpose for which You have made us. We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ, in the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Mary, Our Mother, Pray for us.

Sources:
“Doing Our Best Each Day” in Inviting God In by Joyce Rupp,
http://www.wf-f.org/BirthofMary.html, http://www.fisheaters.com

Within the Mass, the following female faculty, professionals and staff will be commissioned as Special Ministers of Holy Communion.

1. Ms. Ester M. Abito (Science)
2. Ms. Eloisa B. Albert (Science)
3. Ms. Suzanne Darlene U. Alvarez (Campus Ministry)
4. Ms. Zenaida V. Badillo (School Nurse)
5. Ms. Estela E. Banasihan (Aralin Panlipunan)
6. Ms. Mercy N. de Guia (Head Moderator)
7. Ms. Dolly G. Ducepec (CLE Subject Area)
8. Ms. Marilyn M. Lee (Office of the SAC)
9. Ms. Josie A. Loveranes (Testing and Research Office)
10. Ms. Karen Patricia N. Ong (English)
11. Ms. Ma. Margarita M. Pavia (Math)
12. Ms. Genalyn S. Sanvictores (CLE)
13. Ms. Amelia C. Solmerin (CLE)

The tree is weird.
I don't know how it can be physically formed like that.
I'ts like God.
He reaches out in ways that I can't understand.
And I'm like the swing,
hanging on for understanding and hoping
I don't fall to the ground
-The Class of 4N

All You need is one reason...

One reason to believe...
One reason to doubt...
One reason to pray...
One reason to play...
One reason to talk...

One reason to walk [away]...
One reason to act...
One reason to laugh...
One reason to smile...
One reason to frown...

But one reason isn't enough

It isn't enough, it isn't enough...
That's why we LOVE.

-Joseph Barcelon, 4N

Sa Hangin


Sa paligid hinahanap;
Sa mundong nakakalat,
Pero siya'y nasa harap:
Ang sagot sumiwalat.

-Juan Batalla

A skeptic of the grandest scale
A believer filled with self- doubt

In a respite form the daily grind
I've come to realize both mundane and supernatural

That indeed, in darkness do we really see the light of God
In presence and openness do we really feel loved
In silence do we find the wisdom we desire
And only in prayer do we realize the true meaning of our lives.

-Aldo Atienza


Naka-usap ang dilang
Apoy ang pinagmulan
'Di masunog ng salitang
Nanggaling sa kawalan
-Riv Bustamante

Pulos suliranin tnagan ng isipan,
Sa isang bakasyong ngayo'y napagbigyan.

Dangan nakita ko handang kagandahan,
Disi'y 'di natanto Febong kabanalan.
-Jus Tongson


Sa gitna ng digmann,
Sundalo'y natigilan.

Tawag ay pinakinggan,
Muli sa Diyos manahan.
-Raphael Gabriel Syjuco